rz.thegunsofavalon-第22节

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coast。　It　was　midafternoon。　My　way　was　shaded；　cool。　Grayswandir　hung　at　my　side。
　I　bore　west；　ing　at　length　to　the　hills　that　rose　there。　I　refrained　from　beginning　the　shift　until　after　I　had　reached　a　point　that　looked　down　upon　the　city　that　represented　the　largest　concentration　of　population　in　this　realm　that　was　like　my　Avalon。　The　city　bore　the　same　name；　and　several　thousand　people　lived　there；　worked　there。　Several　of　the　silver　towers　were　missing；　and　the　stream　cut　the　city　at　a　somewhat　different　angle　farther　south；　having　widened　or　been　widened　eightfold　by　then。　There　was　some　smoke　from　the　smithies　and　the　public　houses；　stirred　lightly　by　breezes　from　the　south；　people；　mounted；　afoot；　driving　wagons；　driving　coaches；　moved　through　the　narrow　streets；　entered　and　departed　shops；　hostels；　residences；　flocks　of　birds　wheeled；　descended；　rose　about　the　places　where　horses　were　tethered；　a　few　bright　pennons　and　banners　stirred　listlessly；　the　water　sparkled　and　there　was　a　haze　in　the　air。　I　was　too　far　away　to　hear　the　sounds　of　voices；　and　of　clanking；　hammering；　sawing；　rattling；　and　creaking　as　anything　other　than　a　generalized　hum。　While　I　could　distinguish　no　individual　odors；　had　I　still　been　blind　I　would　have　known　by　sniffing　the　air　that　a　city　was　near。
　Seeing　it　from　up　there；　a　certain　nostalgia　came　over　me；　a　wistful　rag…tail　of　a　dream　acpanied　by　a　faint　longing　for　the　place　that　was　this　place's　namesake　to　me　in　a　vanished　shadow　and　of　long　ago；　where　life　had　been　just　as　simple　and　I　happier　than　I　was　at　that　moment。
　But　one　does　not　live　as　long　as　I　have　lived　without　achieving　that　quality　of　consciousness　which　strips　naive　feelings　as　they　occur　and　is　generally　loathe　to　participate　in　the　creation　of　sentimentality。
　Those　days　were　passed；　that　thing　done　with；　and　it　was　Amber　now　that　held　me　pletely。　I　turned　and　continued　southward；　confirmed　in　my　desire　to　succeed。　Amber；　I　do　not　forget。。。
　The　sun　became　a　dazzling；　bright　blister　above　my　head　and　the　winds　began　to　scream　about　me。　The　sky　grew　more　and　more　yellow　and　glaring　as　I　rode；　until　it　was　as　if　a　desert　stretched　from　horizon　to　horizon　overhead。　The　hills　grew　rockier　as　I　descended　toward　the　lowlands；　exhibiting　wind…sculpted　forms　of　grotesque　shape　and　somber　coloration。　A　dust　storm　struck　me　as　I　emerged　from　the　foothills；　so　that　I　had　to　muffle　my　face　with　my　cloak　and　narrow　my　eyes　to　slits。　Star　whinnied；　snuffled　repeatedly；　plodded　on。　Sand；　stone；　winds；　and　the　sky　more　orange　then；　a　slate…like　crop　of　clouds　toward　which　the　sun　was　heading。。。
　Then　long　shadows；　the　dying　of　the　wind；　stillness。。。　Only　the　click　of　hoof　on　rock　and　the　sounds　of　breathing。。。　Dimness；　as　they　rushed　together　and　the　sun　is　foiled　by　clouds。。。　The　walls　of　the　day　shaken　by　thunder。。。　An　unnatural　clarity　of　distant　objects。。。　A　cool；　blue；　and　electric　feeling　in　the　air。。。　Thunder　again。。。
　Now；　a　rippling；　glassy　curtain　to　my　right　as　the　rain　advances。。。　Blue　fracture　lines　within　the　clouds。。。　The　temperature　plummeting；　our　pace　steady；　the　world　a　monochromatic　backdrop　now。。。
　Gouging　thunder；　flashing　white；　the　curtain　flaring　toward　us　now。。。　Two　hundred　meters。。。　One…fifty。。。　Enough！
　Its　bottommost　edge　plowing；　furrowing；　frothing。。。　The　moist　smell　of　the　earth。。。　Star's　whinny。。。　A　burst　of　speed。。。
　Small　rivulets　of　water　creeping　outward；　sinking；　staining　the　ground。。。　Now　bubbling　muddily；　now　trickling。。。　Now　a　steady　flow。。。　Streamlets　all　about　us；　splashing。。。
　High　ground　ahead；　and　Star's　muscles　bunching　and　relaxing；　bunching　and　relaxing　beneath　me；　as　he　leaps　the　rills　and　freshets；　plunges　through　a　racing；　roiling　sheet；　and　strikes　the　slope；　hoofs　sparkling　against　stones　as　we　mount　higher；　the　voice　of　the　gurgling；　eddying　flow　beneath　us　deepening　to　a　steady　roar。。。
　Higher；　then；　and　dry；　pausing　to　wring　out　the　corners　of　my　cloak。。。　Below；　behind；　and　to　the　right　a　gray；　storm…tossed　sea　laps　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff　we　hold。。。
　Inland　now；　toward　clover　fields　and　evening；　the　boom　of　the　surf　at　my　back。。。
　Pursuing　falling　stars　into　the　darkening　east　and　eventual　silence　and　night。。。
　Clear　the　sky　and　bright　the　stars；　but　a　few　small　wisps　of　cloud。。。
　A　howling　pack　of　red…eyed　things；　twisting　along　our　trail。。。　Shadow。。。　Green…eyed。。。　Shadow。。。　Yellow。。。　Shadow。。。　Gone。。。
　But　dark　peaks　with　skirts　of　snow；　jostling　one　another　about　me。。。　Frozen　snow；　as　dry　as　dust；　lifted　in　waves　by　the　icy　blasts　of　the　heights。。。　Powdery　snow；　flour…like。。。　Memory　here；　of　the　Italian　Alps；　of　skiing。。。　Waves　of　snow　drifting　across　stone　faces。。。　A　white　fire　within　the　night　air。。。　My　feet　rapidly　numbing　within　my　wet　boots。。。　Star　bewildered　and　snorting；　testing　each　step　and　shaking　his　head　as　if　in　disbelief。。。
　So　shadows　beyond　the　rock；　a　gentler　slope；　a　drying　wind；　less　snow。。。
　A　twisting　trail；　a　corkscrew　trail；　an　adit　into　warmth。。。　Down；　down；　down　the　night；　beneath　the　changing　stars。。。
　Far　the　snows　of　an　hour　ago；　now　scrubby　plants　and　level　plain。。。　Far；　and　the　night　birds　stagger　into　the　air；　wheeling　above　the　carrion　feast；　shedding　hoarse　notes　of　protest　as　we　pass。。。
　Slow　again；　to　the　place　where　the　grasses　wave；　stirred　by　the　less　cold　breeze。。。　The　cough　of　a　hunting　cat。。。　The　shadowy　flight　of　a　bounding；　deer…like　beast。。。　Stars　sliding　into　place　and　feelings　in　my　feet　once　more。。。
　Star　rearing；　neighing；　racing　ahead　from　some　unseen　thing。。。　A　long　time　in　the　soothing　then；　and　longer　still　till　the　shivers　go。。。
　Now　icicles　of　a　partial　moon　falling　on　distant　treetops。。。　Moist　earth　exhaling　a　luminescent　mist。。。　Moths　dancing　in　the　night　light。。。
　The　ground　momentarily　buckling　and　swaying；　as　if　mountains　were　shifting　their　feet。。。　To　every　star　its　double。。。　A　halo　round　the　dumbbell　moon。。。　The　plain；　the　air　above　it；　filled　with　fleeting　shapes。。。
　The　earth；　a　wound…down　clock；　ticks　and　grows　still。。。　Stability。。。　Inertia。。。　The　stars　and　the　moon　reunited　with　their　spirits。。。
　Skirting　the　growing　fringe　of　trees；　west。。。　Impressions　of　a　sleeping　jungle：　delirium　of　serpents　under　oil　cloth。。。
　West；　west。。。　Somewhere　a　river　with　broad；　clean　banks　to　ease　my　passage　to　the　sea。。。
　Thud　of　hoofs；　shuttling　of　shadows。。。　The　night　air　upon　my　face。。。　A　glimpse　of　bright　beings　on　high；　dark　walls；　shining　towers。。。　The　air　is　sweetened。。。　Vision　swims。。。　Shadows。。。
　We　are　merged；　centaur…like。　Star　and　I；　under　a　single　skin　of　sweat。。。　We　take　the　air　and　give　it　back　in　mutual　explosions　of　exertion。。。　Neck　clothed　in　thunder；　terrible　the　glory　of　the　nostrils。。。　Swallowing　the　ground。。。
　Laughing；　the　smell　of　the　waters　upon　us；　the　trees　very　near　to　our　left。。。
　Then　among　them。。。　Sleek　bark；　hanging　vines；　broad　leaves；　droplets　of　moisture。。。　Spider　web　in　the　moonlight；　struggling　shapes　within。。。　Spongy　turf。。。　Phosphorent　fungus　on　fallen　trees。。。
　A　clear　space。。。　Long　grasses　rustling。。。
　More　trees。。。
　Again；　the　riversmell。。。
　Sounds；　later。。。　Sounds。。。　The　grassy　chuckling　of　water。。。
　Closer；　louder；　beside　it　at　last。。。　The　heavens　buckling　and　bending　in　its　belly；　and　the　trees。。。　Clean；　with　a　cold；　damp　tang。。。　Leftward　beside　it；　pacing　it　now。。。　Easy　and　flowing；　we　follow。。。
　To　drink。。。　Splashing　in　its　shallows；　then　hockhigh　with　head　depressed；　Star；　in　it；　drinking　like　a　pump；　blasting　spray　from　his　nostrils。。。　Upriver；　it　laps　at　my　boots。。。　Dripping　from　my　hair；　running　down　my　arms。。。　Star's　head　turning；　at　the　laughter。。。
　Then　downriver　again；　clean；　slow；　winding。。。　Then　straight；　widening；　slowing。。。
　Trees　thickening；　then　thinning。。。
　Long；　steady；　slow。。。
　A　faint　light　in　the　east。。。
　Sloping　downward　now；　and　fewer　trees。。。　Rockier；　and　the　darkness　made　whole　once　again。。。
　The　first；　dim　hint　of　the　sea；　lost　an　odor　later。。。　Clicking　on；　on；　in　the　nightsend　chill。。。　Again；　an　instant's　salt。。。
　Rock；　and　an　absence　of　trees。。。　Hard；　steep；　bleak；　down。。。　Ever…increasing　precipitousness。。。
　Flashing　between　walls　of　stone。。。　Dislodged　pebbles　vanishing　in　the　now　racing　current；　their　splashes　drowned　in　the　roar's　echoes。。。　Deeper　the　defile；　widening。。。
　Down；　down。。。　Farther　still。。。
　Now　pale　once　more　the　east；　gentler　the　slope。。。　Again；　the　touch　of　salt；　stronger。。。
　Shale　and　grit。。。　Around　a　corner；　down；　and　brighter　still。。。
　Steady；　soft　and　loose　the　footing。。。
　The　breeze　and　the　light；　the　breeze　and　the　light。。。　Beyond　a　crop　of　rock。。。　Draw　rein。
　Below　me　lay　the　stark　seaboard；　where　rank　upon　rank　of　rolling　dunes；　harassed　by　the　winds　out　of　the　southwest；　tossed　spumes　of　sand　that　partly　obliterated　the　distant　outlines　of　the　bleak　morning　sea。
　I　watched　the　pink　film　spread　across　the　water　from　the　east。　Here　and　there；　the　shifting　sands　revealed　dark　patches　of　gravel。　Rugged　masses　of　rock　reared　above　the　swell　of　the　waves。　Between　the　massive　dunes　…　hundreds　of　feet　in　height　…　and　myself；　there　high　above　that　evil　coast；　lay　a　smashed　and　pitted　plain　of　angular　rocks　and　gravel；　just　now　emerging　from　hell　or