uleg.thefarthestshore-第31节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


idor。。。　It　is　hard　for　a　dragon　to　speak　plainly。　They　do　not　have　plain　minds。　And　even　when　one　of　them　would　speak　the　truth　to　a　man；　which　is　seldom；　he　does　not　know　how　truth　looks　to　a　man。　So　I　asked　him；　'Even　as　thy　father　Orm　is　on　Selidor？'　For　as　you　know；　there　Orm　and　Erreth…Akbe　died　in　their　battle。　And　he　answered；　'No　and　yes。　You　will　find　him　on　Selidor；　but　not　on　Selidor。'〃　Sparrowhawk　paused　and　pondered；　chewing　on　a　crust　of　hard　bread。　〃Maybe　he　meant　that　though　the　man　is　not　on　Selidor；　yet　I　must　go　there　to　get　to　him。　Maybe。。。
　　〃I　asked　him　then　of　the　other　dragons。　He　said　that　this　man　has　been　among　them；　having　no　fear　of　them；　for　though　killed　he　returns　from　death　in　his　body；　alive。　Therefore　they　fear　him　as　a　creature　outside　nature。　Their　fear　gives　his　wizardry　hold　over　them；　and　he　takes　the　Speech　of　the　Making　from　them；　leaving　them　prey　to　their　own　wild　nature。　So　they　devour　one　another　or　take　their　own　lives；　plunging　into　the　sea　…　a　loathly　death　for　the　fire…serpent；　the　beast　of　wind　and　fire。　Then　I　said；　'Where　is　thy　lord　Kalessin？'　and　all　he　would　answer　was；　'In　the　West；'　which　might　mean　that　Kalessin　has　flown　away　to　the　other　lands；　which　dragons　say　lie　farther　than　ever　ship　has　sailed；　or　it　may　not　mean　that。
　　〃So　then　I　ceased　my　questions；　and　he　asked　his；　saying；　'I　flew　over　Kaltuel　returning　north；　and　over　the　Toringates。　On　Kaltuel　I　saw　villagers　killing　a　baby　on　an　altar　stone；　and　on　Ingat　I　saw　a　sorcerer　killed　by　his　towns　folk　throwing　stones　at　him。　Will　they　eat　the　baby；　think　you；　Ged？　Will　the　sorcerer　e　back　from　death　and　throw　stones　at　his　towns　folk？'　I　thought　he　mocked　me　and　was　about　to　speak　in　anger；　but　he　was　not　mocking。　He　said；　'The　sense　has　gone　out　of　things。　There　is　a　hole　in　the　world　and　the　sea　is　running　out　of　it。　The　light　is　running　out。　We　will　be　left　in　the　dry　land。　There　will　be　no　more　speaking　and　no　more　dying。'　So　at　last　I　saw　what　he　would　say　to　me。〃
　　Arren　did　not　see　it；　and　moreover　was　sorely　troubled。　For　Sparrowhawk；　in　repeating　the　dragon's　words；　had　named　himself　by　his　own　true　name；　unmistakably。　This　brought　unwele　into　Arren's　mind　the　memory　of　that　tormented　woman　of　Lorbanery　crying　out；　〃My　name　is　Akaren！〃　If　the　powers　of　wizardry；　and　of　music；　and　speech；　and　trust；　were　weakening　and　withering　among　men；　if　an　insanity　of　fear　was　ing　on　them　so　that；　like　the　dragons　bereft　of　reason；　they　turned　on　each　other　to　destroy：　if　all　this　were　so；　would　his　lord　escape　it？　Was　he　so　strong？
　　He　did　not　look　strong；　sitting　hunched　over　his　supper　of　bread　and　smoked　fish；　with　hair　greyed　and　fire…singed；　and　slight　hands；　and　a　tired　face。
　　Yet　the　dragon　feared　him。
　　〃What　irks　you；　lad？〃
　　Only　the　truth　would　do；　with　him。
　　〃My　lord；　you　spoke　your　name。〃
　　〃Oh；　aye。　I　forgot　I　had　not　done　so　earlier。　You　will　need　my　true　name；　if　we　go　where　we　must　go。〃　He　looked　up；　chewing；　at　Arren　〃Did　you　think　I　grew　senile　and　went　about　babbling　my　name；　like　old　bleared　men　past　sense　and　shame？　Not　yet；　lad！〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Arren；　so　confused　that　he　could　say　nothing　else。　He　was　very　weary；　the　day　had　been　long；　and　full　of　dragons。　And　the　way　ahead　grew　dark。
　　〃Arren；〃　said　the　mage。…　〃No；　Lebannen：　where　we　go；　there　is　no　hiding。　There　all　bear　their　own　true　names。〃
　　〃The　dead　cannot　be　hurt；〃　said　Arren　somberly。
　　〃But　it　is　not　only　there；　not　in　death　only；　that　men　take　their　names。　Those　who　can　be　most　hurt；　the　most　vulnerable：　those　who　have　given　love　and　do　not　take　it　back；　they　speak　each　other's　names。　The　faithful…hearted；　the　givers　of　life。。。　You　are　worn　out；　lad。　Lie　down　and　sleep。　There's　nothing　to　do　now　but　keep　the　course　all　night。　And　by　morning　we　shall　see　the　last　island　of　the　world。〃
　　In　his　voice　was　an　insuperable　gentleness。　Arren　curled　up　in　the　prow；　and　sleep　began　to　e　into　him　at　once。　He　heard　the　mage　begin　a　soft；　almost　whispering　chant；　not　in　the　Hardic　tongue　but　in　the　words　of　the　Making；　and　as　he　began　to　understand　at　last　and　to　remember　what　the　words　meant；　just　before　he　understood　them；　he　fell　fast　asleep。
　　Silently　the　mage　stowed　away　their　bread　and　meat；　looked　to　the　lines；　made　all　trim　in　the　boat；　and　then；　taking　the　guide…line　of　the　sail　in　hand　and　sitting　down　on　the　after…thwart；　he　set　the　magewind　strong　in　the　sail。　Tireless；　Lookfar　sped　north；　an　arrow　over　the　sea。
　　He　looked　down　at　Arren。　The　boy's　sleeping　face　was　lit　red…gold　by　the　long　sunset；　the　rough　hair　was　wind…stirred。　The　soft；　easy；　princely　look　of　the　boy　who　had　sat　by　the　fountain　of　the　Great　House　a　few　months　since　was　gone；　this　was　a　thinner　face；　harder；　and　much　stronger。　But　it　was　not　less　beautiful。
　　〃I　have　found　none　to　follow　in　my　way；〃　Ged　the　Archmage　said　aloud　to　the　sleeping　boy　or　to　the　empty　wind。　〃None　but　thee。　And　thou　must　go　thy　way；　not　mine。　Yet　will　thy　kingship　be；　in　part；　my　own。　For　I　knew　thee　first。　I　knew　thee　flrst！　They　will　praise　me　more　for　that　in　afterdays　than　for　any　thing　I　did　of　magery。。。　If　there　will　be　after…days。　For　first　we　two　must　stand　upon　the　balance…point；　the　very　fulcrum　of　the　world。　And　if　I　fall；　you　fall；　and　all　the　rest。。。　For　a　while；　for　a　while。　No　darkness　lasts　forever。　And　even　there；　there　are　stars。。。　Oh；　but　I　should　like　to　see　thee　crowned　in　Havnor；　and　the　sunlight　shining　on　the　Tower　of　the　Sword　and　on　the　Ring　we　brought　for　thee　from　Atuan；　from　the　dark　tombs；　Tenar　and　I；　before　ever　thou　wast　born！〃
　　He　laughed　then；　and　turning　to　face　the　north；　he　said　to　himself　in　the　mon　tongue；　〃A　goatherd　to　set　the　heir　of　Morred　on　his　throne！　Will　I　never　learn？〃
　　Presently；　as　he　sat　with　the　guide…rope　in　his　hand　and　watched　the　full　sail　strain　reddened　in　the　last　light　of　the　west；　he　spoke　again　softly。　〃Not　In　Havnor　would　I　be　and　not　in　Roke。　It　is　time　to　be　done　with　power。　To　drop　the　old　toys　and　go　on。　It　is　time　that　I　went　home。　I　would　see　Tenar。　I　would　see　Ogion　and　speak　with　him　before　he　dies；　in　the　house　on　the　cliffs　of　Re　Albi。　I　crave　to　walk　on　the　mountain；　the　mountain　of　Gont；　in　the　forests；　in　the　autumn　when　the　leaves　are　bright。　There　is　no　kingdom　like　the　forests。　It　is　time　I　went　there；　went　in　silence；　went　alone。　And　maybe　there　I　would　learn　at　last　what　no　act　or　art　or　power　can　teach　me；　what　I　have　never　learned。〃
　　The　whole　west　blazed　up　in　a　fury　and　glory　of　red；　so　that　the　sea　was　crimson　and　the　sail　above　it　bright　as　blood；　and　then　the　night　came　quietly　on。　All　that　night　long　the　boy　slept　and　the　man　waked；　gazing　forward　steadily　into　the　dark。　There　were　no　stars。
　
　Selidor
　
　　Waking　in　the　morning　Arren　saw　before　the　boat；　dim　and　low　along　the　blue　west；　the　shores　of　Selidor。
　　In　the　Hall　in　Berila　were　old　maps　that　had　been　made　in　the　days　of　the　Kings；　when　traders　and　explorers　had　sailed　from　the　Inner　Lands　and　the　Reaches　had　been　better　known。　A　great　map　of　the　North　and　West　was　laid　in　mosaic　on　two　walls　of　the　Prince's　throne…room；　with　the　isle　of　Enlad　in　gold　and　grey　above　the　throne。　Arren　saw　it　in　his　mind's　eye　as　he　had　seen　it　a　thousand　times　in　boyhood。　North　of　Enlad　was　Osskil；　and　west　of　it　Ebosskil；　and　south　of　that　Semel　and　Paln。　There　the　Inner　Lands　ended；　and　there　was　nothing　but　the　pale　blue…green　mosaic　of　the　empty　sea；　set　here　and　there　with　a　tiny　dolphin　or　a　whale。　Then　at　last；　after　the　corner　where　the　north　wall　met　the　west　wall；　there　was　Narveduen；　and　beyond　it　three　lesser　islands。　And　then　the　empty　sea　again；　on　and　on；　until　the　very　edge　of　the　wall　and　the　end　of　the　map；　and　there　was　Selidor；　and　beyond　it；　nothing。
　　He　could　recall　it　vividly；　the　curving　shape　of　it；　with　a　great　bay　in　the　heart　of　it；　opening　narrowly　to　the　east。　They　had　not　e　so　far　north　as　that；　but　were　steering　now　for　a　deep　cove　in　the　southernmost　cape　of　the　island；　and　there；　while　the　sun　was　still　low　in　the　haze　of　morning；　they　came　to　land。
　　So　ended　their　great　run　from　the　Roads　of　Balatran　to　the　Western　Isle。　The　stillness　of　the　earth　was　strange　to　them　when　they　had　beached　Lookfar　and　walked　after　so　long　on　solid　ground。
　　Ged　climbed　a　low　dune；　grass…crowned；　the　crest　of　it　leaning　out　over　the　steep　slope；　bound　into　cornices　by　the　tough　roots　of　the　grass。　When　he　reached　the　summit　he　stood　still；　looking　west　and　north。　Arren　stopped　at　the　boat　to　put　on　his　shoes；　which　he　had　not　worn　for　many　days；　and　he　took　his　sword　out　of　the　gear…box　and　buckled　it　on；　this　time　with　no　questions　in　his　mind　as　to　whether　or　not　he　should　do　so。　Then　he　climbed　up　beside　Ged　to　look　at　the　land。
　　The　dunes　ran　inland；　low　and　grassy；　for　half　a　mile　or　so；　and　then　there　were　lagoons；　thick　with　sedge　and　salt…reeds；　and　beyond　those；　low　hills　lay　yellow…brown　and　empty　to　the　end　of　sight。　Beautiful　and　desolate　was　Selidor。　Nowhere　on　it　was　there　any　mark　of　man；　his　work　or　habitation。　There　were　no　beasts　to　be　seen；　and　the　reedfilled　lakes　bore　no　flocks　of　gulls　or　wild　geese　or　any　bird。
　　They　descended　the　inland　side　of　the　dune；　a