uleg.thefarthestshore-第37节

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　　But　there　is　no　good　in　killing　a　dead　man；　and　Cob　was　dead；　years　dead。　The　wound　closed；　swallowing　its　blood。　The　blind　man　stood　up　very　tall；　groping　out　with　his　long　arms　at　Arren；　his　face　writhing　with　rage　and　hatred：　as　if　he　had　just　now　perceived　who　his　true　enemy　and　rival　was。
　　So　horrible　to　see　was　this　recovery　from　a　deathblow；　this　inability　to　die；　more　horrible　than　any　dying；　that　a　rage　of　loathing　swelled　up　in　Arren；　a　berserk　fury；　and　swinging　up　the　sword　he　struck　again　with　it；　a　full；　terrible；　downward　blow。　Cob　fell　with　skull　split　open　and　face　masked　with　blood；　yet　Arren　was　upon　him　at　once；　to　strike　again；　before　the　wound　could　close；　to　strike　until　he　killed。。。
　　Beside　him　Ged；　struggling　to　his　knees；　spoke　one　word。
　　At　the　sound　of　his　voice　Arren　was　stopped；　as　if　a　hand　had　grasped　his　sword…arm。　The　blind　man；　who　had　begun　to　rise；　also　held　utterly　still。　Ged　got　to　his　feet；　he　swayed　a　little。　When　he　could　hold　himself　erect；　he　faced　the　cliff。
　　〃Be　thou　made　whole！〃　he　said　in　a　clear　voice；　and　with　his　staff　he　drew　in　lines　of　fire　across　the　gate　of　rocks　a　figure：　the　rune　Agnen；　the　Rune　of　Ending；　which　closes　roads　and　is　drawn　on　coffin　lids。　And　there　was　then　no　gap　or　void　place　among　the　boulders。　The　door　was　shut。
　　The　earth　of　the　Dry　Land　trembled　under　their　feet；　and　across　the　unchanging；　barren　sky　a　long　roll　of　thunder　ran　and　died　away。
　　〃By　the　word　that　will　not　be　spoken　until　time's　end　I　summoned　thee。　By　the　word　that　was　spoken　at　the　making　of　things　I　now　release　thee。　Go　free！〃　And　bending　over　the　blind　man；　who　was　crouched　on　his　knees；　Ged　whispered　in　his　ear；　under　the　white；　tangled　hair。
　　Cob　stood　up。　He　looked　about　him　slowly；　with　seeing　eyes。　He　looked　at　Arren　and　then　at　Ged。　He　spoke　no　word；　but　gazed　at　them　with　dark　eyes。　There　was　no　anger　in　his　face；　no　hate；　no　grief。　Slowly　he　turned；　went　off　down　the　course　of　the　Dry　River；　and　soon　was　gone　to　sight。
　　There　was　no　more　light　on　Ged's　yew　staff　or　in　his　face。　He　stood　there　in　the　darkness。　When　Arren　came　to　him　he　caught　at　the　young　man's　arm　to　hold　himself　upright。　For　a　moment　a　spasm　of　dry　sobbing　shook　him。　〃It　is　done；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　all　gone。〃
　　〃It　is　done；　dear　lord。　We　must　go。〃
　　〃Aye。　We　must　go　home。〃
　　Ged　was　like　one　bewildered　or　exhausted。　He　followed　Arren　back　down　the　river…course；　stumbling　along　slowly　and　with　difficulty　among　the　rocks　and　boulders。　Arren　stayed　with　him。　When　the　banks　of　the　Dry　River　were　low　and　the　ground　was　less　steep；　he　turned　toward　the　way　they　had　e；　the　long；　formless　slope　that　led　up　into　the　dark。　Then　he　turned　away。
　　Ged　said　nothing。　As　soon　as　they　halted；　he　bad　sunk　down；　sitting　on　a　lava…boulder；　forspent；　his　head　hanging。
　　Arren　knew　that　the　way　they　had　e　was　closed　to　them。　They　could　only　go　on。　They　must　go　all　the　way。　〃Even　too　far　is　not　far　enough；〃　he　thought。　He　looked　up　at　the　black　peaks；　cold　and　silent　against　the　unmoving　stars；　terrible；　and　once　more　that　ironic；　mocking　voice　of　his　will　spoke　in　him；　unrelenting：　〃Will　you　stop　halfway；　Lebannen？〃
　　He　went　to　Ged　and　said　very　gently；　〃We　must　go　on；　my　lord。〃
　　Ged　said　nothing；　but　he　stood　up。
　　〃We　must　go　by　the　mountains；　I　think。〃
　　〃Thy　way；　lad；〃　Ged　said　in　a　hoarse　whisper。　〃Help　me。〃
　　So　they　set　out　up　the　slopes　of　dust　and　scoria　into　the　mountains；　Arren　helping　his　panion　along　as　well　as　he　could。　It　was　black　dark　in　the　bes　and　gorges；　so　that　he　had　to　feel　the　way　ahead；　and　it　was　hard　for　him　to　give　Ged　support　at　the　same　time。　Walking　was　hard；　a　stumbling　matter；　but　when　they　had　to　climb　and　clamber　as　the　slopes　grew　steeper；　that　was　harder　still。　The　rocks　were　rough；　burning　their　hands　like　molten　iron。　Yet　it　was　cold　and　got　colder　as　they　went　higher。　There　was　a　torment　in　the　touch　of　this　earth。　It　seared　like　live　coals：　a　fire　burned　within　the　mountains。　But　the　air　was　always　cold　and　always　dark。　There　was　no　sound。　No　wind　blew。　The　sharp　rocks　broke　under　their　hands；　and　gave　way　under　their　feet。　Black　and　sheer；　the　spurs　and　chasms　went　up　in　front　of　them　and　fell　away　beside　them　into　blackness。　Behind；　below；　the　kingdom　of　the　dead　was　lost。　Ahead；　above；　the　peaks　and　rocks　stood　out　against　the　stars。　And　nothing　moved　in　all　the　length　and　breadth　of　those　black　mountains；　except　the　two　mortal　souls。
　　Ged　often　stumbled　or　missed　his　footing；　in　weariness。　His　breath　came　harder　and　harder；　and　when　his　hands　came　hard　against　the　rocks；　he　gasped　in　pain。　To　hear　him　cry　out　wrung　Arren's　heart。　He　tried　to　keep　him　from　falling。　But　often　the　way　was　too　narrow　for　them　to　go　abreast；　or　Arren　had　to　go　in　front　to　seek　out　footing。　And　at　last；　on　a　high　slope　that　ran　up　to　the　stars；　Ged　slipped　and　fell　forward；　and　did　not　get　up。
　　〃My　lord；〃　Arren　said；　kneeling　by　him；　and　then　spoke　his　name：　〃Ged。〃
　　He　did　not　move　or　answer。
　　Arren　lifted　him　in　his　arms　and　carried　him　up　that　high　slope。　At　the　end　of　it　there　was　level　ground　for　some　way　ahead。　Arren　laid　his　burden　down　and　dropped　down　beside　him；　exhausted　and　in　pain；　past　hope。　This　was　the　summit　of　the　pass　between　the　two　black　peaks；　for　which　he　had　been　struggling。　This　was　the　pass　and　the　end。　There　was　no　way　farther。　The　end　of　the　level　ground　was　the　edge　of　a　cliff：　beyond　it　the　darkness　went　on　forever；　and　the　small　stars　hung　unmoving　in　the　black　gulf　of　the　sky。
　　Endurance　may　outlast　hope。　He　crawled　forward；　when　he　was　able　to　do　so；　doggedly。　He　looked　over　the　edge　of　darkness。　And　below　him；　only　a　little　way　below；　he　saw　the　beach　of　ivory　sand；　the　white　and　amber　waves　were　curling　and　breaking　in　foam　on　it；　and　across　the　sea　the　sun　was　setting　in　a　haze　of　gold。
　　Arren　turned　back　to　the　dark。　He　went　back。　He　lifted　Ged　up　as　best　he　could　and　struggled　forward　with　him　until　he　could　not　go　any　farther。　There　all　things　ceased　to　be：　thirst；　and　pain；　and　the　dark；　and　the　sun's　light；　and　the　sound　of　the　breaking　sea。
　
　The　Stone　of　Pain
　
　　When　Arren　woke；　a　grey　fog　hid　the　sea　and　the　dunes　and　hills　of　Selidor。　The　breakers　came　murmuring　in　a　low　thunder　out　of　the　fog　and　withdrew　murmuring　into　it　again。　The　tide　was　in；　and　the　beach　much　narrower　than　when　they　had　first　e　there；　the　last；　small　foam…lines　of　the　waves　came　and　licked　at　Ged's　outflung　left　hand　as　he　lay　face　down　on　the　sand。　His　clothes　and　hair　were　wet；　and　Arren's　clothes　clung　icily　to　his　body；　as　if　once　at　least　the　sea　had　broken　over　them。　Of　Cob's　dead　body　there　was　no　trace。　Maybe　the　waves　had　drawn　it　out　to　sea。　But　behind　Arren；　when　he　turned　his　head；　huge　and　dim　in　the　mist　the　grey　body　of　Orm　Embar　bulked　like　a　ruined　tower。
　　Arren　got　up；　shuddering　with　chill；　he　could　barely　stand；　for　cold　and　stiffness　and　a　dizzy　weakness　like　that　which　es　of　lying　a　long　time　unmoving。　He　staggered　like　a　drunken　man。　As　soon　as　he　could　control　his　limbs　he　went　to　Ged　and　managed　to　pull　him　a　little　way　up　the　sand　above　the　waves'　reach；　but　that　was　all　he　could　do。　Very　cold；　very　heavy；　Ged　seemed　to　him；　he　had　borne　him　over　the　boundary　from　death　into　life；　but　maybe　in　vain。　He　put　his　ear　to　Ged's　breast；　but　could　not　still　the　shaking　in　his　own　limbs　and　the　chattering　of　his　teeth　to　listen　for　the　heartbeat。　He　stood　up　again　and　tried　to　stamp　to　bring　some　warmth　back　into　his　legs　and　finally；　trembling　and　dragging　his　legs　like　an　old　man；　set　off　to　find　their　packs。　They　had　dropped　them　beside　a　little　stream　running　down　from　the　ridge　of　the　hills；　a　long　time　ago；　when　they　came　down　to　the　house　of　bones。　It　was　that　stream　he　sought；　for　he　could　not　think　of　anything　but　water；　fresh　water。
　　Before　he　expected　it；　he　came　to　the　stream；　as　it　descended　onto　the　beach　and　wandered　mazy　and　branching　like　a　tree　of　silver　to　the　seas　edge。　There　he　dropped　down　and　drank；　with　his　face　in　the　water　and　his　hands　in　the　water；　sucking　up　the　water　into　his　mouth　and　into　his　spirit。
　　At　last　he　sat　up；　and　as　he　did　so　he　saw　on　the　far　side　of　the　stream；　immense；　a　dragon。
　　Its　head；　the　color　of　iron；　stained　as　with　red　rust　at　nostril　and；　eye…socket　and　jowl；　hung　facing　him；　almost　over　him。　The　talons　sank　deep　into　the　soft；　wet　sand　on　the　edge　of　the　stream。　The　folded　wings　were　partly　visible；　like　sails；　but　the　length　of　the　dark　body　was　lost　in　the　fog。
　　It　did　not　move。　It　might　have　been　crouching　there　for　hours；　or　for　years；　or　for　centuries。　It　was　carven　of　iron；　shaped　from　rock…　but　the　eyes；　the　eyes　he　dared　not　look　into；　the　eyes　like　oil　coiling　on　water；　like　yellow　smoke　behind　glass；　the　opaque；　profound；　yellow　eyes　watched　Arren。
　　There　was　nothing　he　could　do；　so　he　stood　up。　If　the　dragon　would　kill　him；　it　would；　and　if　it　did　not；　he　would　try　to　help　Ged；　if　there　was　any　help　for　him。　He　stood　up　and　started　to　walk　up　the　rivulet　to　find　their　packs。
　　The　dragon　did　nothing。　It　crouched　unmoving　and　watched。　Arren　found　the　packs；　filled　both　the　skin　bottles　at　the　stream；　and　went　back　across　the