uleg.thefarthestshore-第39节

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　　Without　landing；　without　looking　down；　the　great　ironcolored　worm　flew　over　the　little　islands　and　the　little　towns　and　farms；　and　deigned　not　even　a　belch　of　fire　for　such　small　fry。　So　it　passed　over　Geath　and　over　Serd；　and　crossed　the　straits　of　the　Inmost　Sea；　and　came　within　sight　of　Roke。
　　Never　in　the　memory　of　man；　scarcely　in　the　memory　of　legend；　had　any　dragon　braved　the　walls　visible　and　invisible　of　the　well…defended　isle。　Yet　this　one　did　not　hesitate；　but　flew　on　ponderous　wings　and　heavily　over　the　western　shore　of　Roke；　above　the　villages　and　fields；　to　the　green　hill　that　rises　over　Thwil　Town。　There　at　last　it　stooped　softly　to　the　earth；　raised　its　red　wings　and　folded　them；　and　crouched　on　the　summit　of　Roke　Knoll。
　　The　boys　came　running　out　of　the　Great　House。　Nothing　could　have　stopped　them。　But　for　all　their　youth　they　were　slower　than　their　Masters　and　came　second　to　the　Knoll。　When　they　came；　the　Patterner　was　there；　e　from　his　Grove；　his　fair　hair　bright　in　the　sun。　With　him　was　the　Changer；　who　had　returned　two　nights　before　in　the　shape　of　a　great　seaosprey；　lame…winged　and　weary；　long　he　had　been　caught　by　his　own　spells　in　that　form　and　could　not　e　into　his　own　shape　again　until　he　came　into　the　Grove；　on　that　night　when　the　Balance　was　restored　and　the　broken　was　made　whole。　The　Summoner；　gaunt　and　frail；　only　one　day　risen　from　his　bed；　had　e；　and　beside　him　stood　the　Doorkeeper。　And　the　other　Masters　of　the　Isle　of　the　Wise　were　there。
　　They　saw　the　riders　dismount；　one　aiding　the　other。　They　saw　them　look　about　with　a　look　of　strange　contentment；　grimness；　and　wonder。　The　dragon　crouched　like　stone　while　they　clambered　down　from　its　back　and　stood　beside　it。　It　turned　its　head　a　little　while　the　Archmage　spoke　to　it；　and　briefly　answered　him。　Those　who　watched　saw　the　sidelong　look　of　the　yellow　eye；　cold　and　full　of　laughter。　Those　who　understood　heard　the　dragon　say；　〃I　have　brought　the　young　king　to　his　kingdom；　and　the　old　man　to　his　home。〃
　　〃A　little　farther　yet；　Kalessin；〃　Ged　replied。　〃I　have　not　gone　where　I　must　go。〃　He　looked　down　at　the　roofs　and　towers　of　the　Great　House　in　the　sunlight；　and　he　seemed　to　smile　a　little。　Then　he　turned　to　Arren；　who　stood　tall　and　slight；　in　worn　clothes；　and　not　wholly　steady　on　his　legs　from　the　weariness　of　the　long　ride　and　the　bewilderment　of　all　that　had　passed。　In　the　sight　of　them　all；　Ged　knelt　to　him；　down　on　both　knees；　and　bowed　his　grey　head。
　　Then　he　stood　up　and　kissed　the　young　man　on　the　cheek；　saying；　〃When　you　e　to　your　throne　in　Havnor；　my　lord　and　dear　panion；　rule　long　and　well。〃
　　He　looked　again　at　the　Masters　and　the　young　wizards　and　the　boys　and　the　towns…folk　gathered　on　the　slopes　and　at　the　foot　of　the　Knoll。　His　face　was　quiet；　and　in　his　eyes　there　was　something　like　that　laughter　in　the　eyes　of　Kalessin。　Turning　from　them　all；　he　mounted　up　again　by　the　dragon's　foot　and　shoulder；　and　took　his　seat　reinless　between　the　great　peaks　of　the　wings；　on　the　neck　of　the　dragon。　The　red　wings　lifted　with　a　drumming　rattle；　and　Kalessin　the　Eldest　sprang　into　the　air。　Fire　came　from　the　dragon's　jaws；　and　smoke；　and　the　sound　of　thunder　and　the　stormwind　was　in　the　beating　of　its　wings。　It　circled　the　hill　once　and　flew　off；　north　and　eastward；　toward　that　quarter　of　Earthsea　where　stands　the　mountain　isle　of　Gont。
　　The　Doorkeeper；　smiling；　said；　〃He　has　done　with　doing。　He　goes　home。〃
　　And　they　watched　the　dragon　fly　between　the　sunlight　and　the　sea　till　it　was　out　of　sight。
　
　　The　Deed　of　Ged　tells　that　he　who　had　been　Archmage　came　to　the　crowning　of　the　King　of　All　the　Isles　in　the　Tower　of　the　Sword　in　Havnor　at　the　world's　heart。　The　song　tells　that　when　the　ceremony　of　the　crowning　was　over　and　the　festival　began；　he　left　the　pany　and　went　down　alone　to　the　port　of　Havnor。　There　lay　out　on　the　water　a　boat；　worn　and　beaten　by　storm　and　the　weather　of　years；　she　had　no　sail　up　and　was　empty。　Ged　called　the　boat　by　name；　Lookfar；　and　she　came　to　him。　Entering　the　boat　from　the　pier　Ged　turned　his　back　on　land；　and　without　wind　or　sail　or　oar　the　boat　moved；　it　took　him　from　harbor　and　from　haven；　westward　among　the　isles；　westward　over　sea；　and　no　more　is　known　of　him。
　　But　in　the　island　of　Gont　they　tell　the　story　otherwise；　saying　that　it　was　the　young　King；　Lebannen；　who　came　seeking　Ged　to　bring　him　to　the　coronation。　But　he　did　not　find　him　at　Gont　Port　or　at　Re　Albi。　No　one　could　say　where　he　was；　only　that　he　had　gone　afoot　up　into　the　forests　of　the　mountain。　Often　he　went　so；　they　said；　and　did　not　return　for　many　months；　and　no　man　knew　the　roads　of　his　solitude。　Some　offered　to　seek　for　him；　but　the　King　forbade　them；　saying；　〃He　rules　a　greater　kingdom　than　I　do。〃　And　so　he　left　the　mountain；　and　took　ship；　and　returned　to　Havnor　to　be　crowned。
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
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