fs.thesecondbookofswords-第33节
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tream had sought its own slope； curving away behind them； and was now out of sight。 Now there was only the forest； the look of it somehow already monotonous； and now they had put enough of the forest behind them to cover up the last sight of the cliffs。
Presently a sunlit glade appeared； some fifty or sixty meters ahead and directly in their path。 Mark looked forward in a minor way to reaching it and being able to take at least a squinting look more or less directly at the sun of the realm of magic。 But in approaching the place minor detours were necessary； first around a large stump and its fallen log； then around some trees； and then around a solitary bush。 And when they reached the place where he had seen the open glade； there was only the same thick topped forest around them as before； lit only by small dancing spots of sunlight too small to show you anything but shattered brilliance when you sighted back upward along the ray。 Now Mark could see other sunny glades； all of them somewhat in the distance。 The Sword led on indifferently。
He was vaguely alarmed by this minor experience； and looked back when they had walked on a few strides past the place。 The last landmark he had noted was a large stump with its broken； fallen tree； and already that was nowhere to be seen。 Abruptly Mark lost his automatic outdoorsman's confidence in being able to retrace his steps。
Presently they came to the stream again。 Of course it might have been another stream of about the same size； but it looked and sounded like the first one； and it came winding its way back across their path from the same general direction in which the first stream had flowed away。 The Sword pointed them straight across it； an easy wading。
Ben； walking now behind Ariane； found his attention continually being distracted by the rhythm of her moving body。 He had to warn himself repeatedly to concentrate on being alert for possible danger。 Though if he thought about it he was not sure there was any point in doing so； because whatever he saw or heard here was likely to be some magical deception。。。
Somewhere above the trees and the seeming sky there was； he knew； the maze； containing among its other parts the huge turning mass of the Old World wheel and all its nested tunnels。 If Mark was right about that； and it seemed he was。。。 abruptly； frighteningly； there came into Ben's imagination a picture of Hubert's battered body； bouncing and falling out of this magic sky。 There'd be a riffle through the treetops and then instantly a heavy thud … might they be going to e upon it here at any moment； the shattered head still wearing a glowing lamp？
Or would a mangled corpse； here in the realm of magic； look like something else entirely？
Whatever a man looked at here； or whatever he tried to think about； it seemed that it had to be done in fear。
Doon kept them moving； maintaining a good pace over the almost level ground。 The forest flowed past them； and flowed past them some more。 Ben wondered if he should have started counting steps。 The sameness of it； he thought； was already starting to make it seem endless。
Once more they approached and crossed the stream。 It looked and sounded the same as ever。 The ground； Ben thought； was now rising very slightly beneath their feet as they walked on。 The sun； as nearly as he could tell from sighting distant clearings； was somewhere near the zenith； making it hard to tell directions that way。 But he could have sworn that they were traveling in a straight line； or very nearly so； ignoring the small necessary detours around minor obstacles。
They passed another sunlit glade； off to their right。 Birds sang in it； apparently enjoying the vertical sunshine。
Mark called forward to the leaders： 〃How big is this cave that we're in； anyway？ Are we even still absolutely sure that we're in a cave？〃
Indosuaros； next to the head of the line； turned his head with an indulgent smile。 〃Of course we are。 But you are not moving through it as fast as you think。〃
〃I'm having doubts that I'm moving through it at all。 Can you see the far end yet？〃
The magician turned his eyes forward again； and seemed to be gazing off into the distance as he walked。 〃Even for me；〃 he began confidently； 〃it is。。。 〃
His voice trailed off there。 In a moment he had stopped abruptly； and in another moment the whole procession had stumbled to a halt。 The two wizards went through a session of whispering together； after which both of them continued to stare off in the same direction。
Looking in that same direction himself； Ben could see … or might it be only his imagination … a faint cloud above the trees； or at least a dimming of the sunshine there。 The darkening； whatever might be its cause； deepened swiftly and mysteriously。 It was passing like a slow wave； from the left of the observers to their right。
All six of the humans could see it now。 The monkbird appeared indifferent； but now the people all gave evidence of being able to feel it； too。 It was as if the temperature in the forest had dropped； though where they stood the sun appeared to shine through leaves as brightly as before。 But leaves hung quiet in motionless air； whatever was passing was not wind。 Ben had not the least doubt now that he was underground； the tricks of light and sky seemed poor and obvious shams。
Over there； something。。。 some power。。。 was passing。 Passing； yes； thank all the gods！ And it was gone。
The first to break the silence was Doon； and his voice was now constrained to a whisper： 〃What was that？〃
Indosuaros turned to him slowly。 The wizard's face looked disturbingly pale； and sweat was beaded on his brow。 〃I had not expected this。 That was a god。〃
A murmur went up； as if involuntarily。 Most people； including Ben； had never seen a god or goddess in their lives； and had no real expectation of ever doing so。 In human society the presence of a deity was somewhat rarer even than that of a king or queen。 〃Which god？〃 several voices asked。
The magician answered thoughtfully。 〃I believe that it was Hades … or Pluto； as most people call him。 No one sees him at close range； or face to face； and lives。〃
〃But what is he doing here？〃
The magicians could e up with no real answer for that。 〃Gods go where they will。 And Hades' domain after all prises everything that is under the earth。 But he is not worshipped by the Blue Temple； so we can hope that he is here somehow as their antagonist … that he will favor our enterprise； if he takes notice of it at all。〃
Ben was worried。 〃Then we should make sacrifice to him right away； shouldn't we？〃
He had realized for a long time that magicians in general held a low opinion of the efficacy of routine sacrifice and prayer offered to any god； and these two magicians now proved to be no exception。 Indosuaros only gave him a look and turned away。 Mitspieler did the same； but then turned back to say： 〃Do something of the kind quietly； for yourself； if it will make you feel any better。 I will not。 If it had any effect at all； it would only be to draw to myself the attention of a being whose attention I do not want。〃
Doon was consulting his Sword； which pointed him in the same direction as before； very close to flee area in which they had seen the shadow passing。 For the first time he hesitated visibly to follow Wayfinder's guidance。 Instead he turned to Ariane。 〃Girl； is that creature ready and willing to fly？ If so； send it out ahead。〃
Ariane whispered to Dart； and in a moment the monkbird was in flight。 Its flight path curved slightly to the left； and in a moment it had disappeared among the trees in the very area where the shade of the presence of the god had seemed to linger longest。 A few moments later a small cry； faint and mournful； drifted back。 It seemed to Ben more a cry of exhaustion than one of pain or shock。
The six people waited； but they heard no more； nor did the monkbird reappear。
〃e； we'll move on；〃 said Doon at last。 He looked at Ariane。 〃It can catch up with us on the way； if nothing's happened to it。〃
She protested。 〃But shouldn't we look for it？〃
〃It has not proved as useful as I had hoped；〃 sail Doon。 And the tall wizard shook his head。 〃Not there； not now。 If it can e to us it will。〃
Ariane looked off into the woods on the left for a moment more； but made no further protest。 They tramped on； for what seemed to Ben a long time； without further conversation。 It was hopeless to try to measure the day by the featureless light that filtered down through the high branches。 Ben now had no idea in which part of the sky the sun was； if there was really something like a sun up there at all。 It was still full daylight； as it had been ever since they had entered the realm of magic。 And it seemed to Ben that they had been moving all that time in a straight line。
At last Doon called another halt for rest。 This time he did not sheathe his Sword at all； but sat in the grass holding it and looking at it； and his doubt was plain to read upon his face。
Meanwhile the two wizards had gone a little apart； for what appeared to be one of their regular periodic c
