uleg.thetombsofatuan-第26节

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ers　nearby；　one　of　whom　gave　them　a　bowl　of　fish　stew　for　their　supper。　They　made　their　way　down　the　cliffs　to　the　beach　in　the　last　light　of　the　gray　day。　The　cave　was　a　narrow　crack　that　went　back　into　the　rock　for　about　thirty　feet；　its　sandy　floor　was　damp；　for　it　lay　just　above　the　high…tide　mark。　Its　opening　was　visible　from　sea；　and　Ged　said　they　should　not　light　a　fire　lest　the　night…fishermen　out　in　their　small　craft　along　shore　should　see　it　and　be　curious。　So　they　lay　miserably　on　the　sand；　which　seemed　so　soft　between　the　fingers　and　was　rock…hard　to　the　tired　body。　And　Tenar　listened　to　the　sea；　a　few　yards　below　the　cave　mouth；　crashing　and　sucking　and　booming　on　the　rocks；　and　the　thunder　of　it　down　the　beach　eastward　for　miles。　Over　and　over　and　over　it　made　the　same　sounds；　yet　never　quite　the　same。　It　never　rested。　On　all　the　shores　of　all　the　lands　in　all　the　world；　it　heaved　itself　in　these　unresting　waves；　and　never　ceased；　and　never　was　still。　The　desert；　the　mountains：　they　stood　still。　They　did　not　cry　out　forever　in　a　great；　dull　voice。　The　sea　spoke　forever；　but　its　language　was　foreign　to　her。　She　did　not　understand。
　　In　the　first　gray　light；　when　the　tide　was　low；　she　roused　from　uneasy　sleep　and　saw　the　wizard　go　out　of　the　cave。　She　watched　him　walk；　barefoot　and　with　belted　cloak；　on　the　black…haired　rocks　below；　seeking　something。　He　came　back；　darkening　the　cave　as　he　entered。　〃Here；〃　he　said；　holding　out　a　handful　of　wet；　hideous　things　like　purple　rocks　and　orange　lips。
　　〃What　are　they？〃
　　〃Mussels；　off　the　rocks。　And　those　two　are　oysters；　even　better。　Look…　like　this。〃　With　the　little　dagger　from　her　keyring；　which　she　had　lent　him　up　in　the　mountains；　he　opened　a　shell　and　ate　the　orange　mussel　with　seawater　as　its　sauce。
　　〃You　don't　even　cook　it？　You　ate　it　alive！〃
　　She　would　not　look　at　him　while　he；　shamefaced　but　undeterred；　went　on　opening　and　eating　the　shellfish　one　by　one。
　　When　he　was　done；　he　went　back　into　the　cave　to　the　boat；　which　lay　prow　forward；　kept　from　the　sand　by　several　long　driftwood　logs。　Tenar　had　looked　at　the　boat　the　night　before；　mistrustfully　and　without　prehension。　It　was　much　larger　than　she　had　thought　boats　were；　three　times　her　own　length。　It　was　full　of　objects　she　did　not　know　the　use　of；　and　it　looked　dangerous。　On　either　side　of　its　nose　（which　is　what　she　called　the　prow）　an　eye　was　painted；　and　in　her　halfsleep　she　had　constantly　felt　the　boat　staring　at　her。
　　Ged　rummaged　about　inside　it　a　moment　and　came　back　with　something：　a　packet　of　hard　bread；　well　wrapped　to　keep　dry。　He　offered　her　a　large　piece。
　　〃I'm　not　hungry。〃
　　He　looked　into　her　sullen　face。
　　He　put　the　bread　away；　wrapping　it　as　before；　and　then　sat　down　in　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　〃About　two　hours　till　the　tide's　back　in；〃　he　said。　〃Then　we　can　go。　You　had　a　restless　night；　why　don't　you　sleep　now。〃
　　〃I'm　not　sleepy。〃
　　He　made　no　answer。　He　sat　there；　in　profile　to　her；　cross…legged　in　the　dark　arch　of　rocks；　the　shining　heave　and　movement　of　the　sea　was　beyond　him　as　she　watched　him　from　deeper　in　the　cave。　He　did　not　move。　He　was　still　as　the　rocks　themselves。　Stillness　spread　out　from　him；　like　rings　from　a　stone　dropped　in　water。　His　silence　became　not　absence　of　speech；　but　a　thing　in　itself；　like　the　silence　of　the　desert；
　　After　a　long　time　Tenar　got　up　and　came　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　He　did　not　move。　She　looked　down　at　his　face。　It　was　as　if　cast　in　copper…rigid；　the　dark　eyes　not　shut；　but　looking　down；　the　mouth　serene。
　　He　was　as　far　beyond　her　as　the　sea。
　　Where　was　he　now；　on　what　way　of　the　spirit　did　he　walk？　She　could　never　follow　him。
　　He　had　made　her　follow　him。　He　had　called　her　by　her　name；　and　she　had　e　crouching　to　his　hand；　as　the　little　wild　desert　rabbit　had　e　to　him　out　of　the　dark。　And　now　that　he　had　the　ring；　now　that　the　Tombs　were　in　ruin　and　their　priestess　forsworn　forever；　now　he　didn't　need　her；　and　went　away　where　she　could　not　follow。　He　would　not　stay　with　her。　He　had　fooled　her；　and　would　leave　her　desolate。
　　She　reached　down　and　with　one　swift　gesture　plucked　from　his　belt　the　little　steel　dagger　she　had　given　him。　He　moved　no　more　than　a　robbed　statue。
　　The　dagger　blade　was　only　four　inches　long；　sharp　on　one　side；　it　was　the　miniature　of　a　sacrificial　knife。　It　was　part　of　the　garments　of　the　Priestess　of　the　Tombs；　who　must　wear　it　along　with　the　ring　of　keys；　and　a　belt　of　horsehair；　and　other　items　some　of　which　had　no　known　purpose。　She　had　never　used　the　dagger　for　anything；　except　that　in　one　of　the　dances　performed　at　dark　of　the　moon　she　would　throw　and　catch　it　before　the　Throne。　She　had　liked　that　dance；　it　was　a　wild　one；　with　no　music　but　the　drumming　of　her　own　feet。　She　had　used　to　cut　her　fingers；　practicing　it；　till　she　got　the　trick　of　catching　the　knife　handle　every　time。　The　little　blade　was　sharp　enough　to　cut　a　finger　to　the　bone；　or　to　cut　the　arteries　of　a　throat。　She　would　serve　her　Masters　still；　though　they　had　betrayed　her　and　forsaken　her。　They　would　guide　and　drive　her　hand　in　the　last　act　of　darkness。　They　would　accept　the　sacrifice。
　　She　turned　upon　the　man；　the　knife　held　back　in　her　right　hand　behind　her　hip。　As　she　did　so　he　raised　his　face　slowly　and　looked　at　her。　He　had　the　look　of　one　e　from　a　long　way　off；　one　who　has　seen　terrible　things。　His　face　was　calm　but　full　of　pain。　As　he　gazed　up　at　her　and　seemed　to　see　her　more　and　more　clearly；　his　expression　cleared。　At　last　he　said；　〃Tenar；〃　as　if　in　greeting；　and　reached　up　his　hand　to　touch　the　band　of　pierced　and　carven　silver　on　her　wrist。　He　did　this　as　if　reassuring　himself；　trustingly。　He　did　not　pay　attention　to　the　dagger　in　her　hand。　He　looked　away；　at　the　waves；　which　heaved　deep　over　the　rocks　below；　and　said　with　effort；　〃It's　time。。。　Time　we　were　going。〃
　　At　the　sound　of　his　voice　the　fury　left　her。　She　was　afraid。
　　〃You'll　leave　them　behind；　Tenar。　You're　going　free　now；〃　he　said；　getting　up　with　sudden　vigor。　He　stretched；　and　belted　his　cloak　tight　again。　〃Give　me　a　hand　with　the　boat。　She's　up　on　logs；　for　rollers。　That's　it；　push。。。　again。　There；　there；　enough。　Now　be　ready　to　hop　in　when　I　say　‘hop。'　This　is　a　tricky　place　to　launch　from…　once　more。　There！　In　you　go！〃…and　leaping　in　after　her；　he　caught　her　as　she　overbalanced；　sat　her　down　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　braced　his　legs　wide；　and　standing　to　the　oars　sent　the　boat　shooting　out　on　an　ebb　wave　over　the　rocks；　out　past　the　roaring　foam…drenched　head　of　the　cape；　and　so　to　sea。
　　He　shipped　the　oars　when　they　were　well　away　from　shoal　water；　and　stepped　the　mast。　The　boat　looked　very　small；　now　that　she　was　inside　it　and　the　sea　was　outside　it。
　　He　put　up　the　sail。　All　the　gear　had　a　look　of　long；　hard　use；　though　the　dull　red　sail　was　patched　with　great　care　and　the　boat　was　as　clean　and　trim　as　could　be。　They　were　like　their　master：　they　had　gone　far；　and　had　not　been　treated　gently。
　　〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃now　we're　away；　now　we're　clear；　we're　clean　gone；　Tenar。　Do　you　feel　it？〃
　　She　did　feel　it。　A　dark　hand　had　let　go　its　lifelong　hold　upon　her　heart。　But　she　did　not　feel　joy；　as　she　had　in　the　mountains。　She　put　her　head　down　in　her　arms　and　cried；　and　her　cheeks　were　salt　and　wet。　She　cried　for　the　waste　of　her　years　in　bondage　to　a　useless　evil。　She　wept　in　pain；　because　she　was　free。
　　What　she　had　begun　to　learn　was　the　weight　of　liberty。　Freedom　is　a　heavy　load；　a　great　and　strange　burden　for　the　spirit　to　undertake。　It　is　not　easy。　It　is　not　a　gift　given；　but　a　choice　made；　and　the　choice　may　be　a　hard　one。　The　road　goes　upward　towards　the　light；　but　the　laden　traveler　may　never　reach　the　end　of　it。
　　Ged　let　her　cry；　and　said　no　word　of　fort；　nor　when　she　was　done　with　tears　and　sat　looking　back　towards　the　low　blue　land　of　Atuan；　did　he　speak。　His　face　was　stern　and　alert；　as　if　he　were　alone；　he　saw　to　the　sail　and　the　steering；　quick　and　silent；　looking　always　ahead。
　　In　the　afternoon　he　pointed　rightward　of　the　sun；　towards　which　they　now　sailed。　〃That　is　Karego…At；〃　he　said；　and　Tenar　following　his　gesture　saw　the　distant　loom　of　hills　like　clouds；　the　great　island　of　the　Godking。　Atuan　was　out　of　sight　behind　them。　Her　heart　was　very　heavy。　The　sun　beat　in　her　eyes　like　a　hammer　of　gold。
　　Supper　was　dry　bread；　and　dried　smoked　fish；　which　tasted　vile　to　Tenar；　and　water　from　the　boat's　cask；　which　Ged　had　filled　at　a　stream　on　Cloud　Cape　beach　the　evening　before。　The　winter　night　came　down　soon　and　cold　upon　the　sea。　Far　off　to　northward　they　saw　for　a　while　the　tiny　glitter　of　lights；　yellow　firelight　in　distant　villages　on　the　shore　of　Karego…At。　These　vanished　in　a　haze　that　rose　up　from　the　ocean；　and　they　were　alone　in　the　starless　night　over　deep　water。
　　She　had　curled　up　in　the　stern；　Ged　lay　down　in　the　prow；　with　the　water　cask　for　a　pillow。　The　boat　moved　on　steadily；　the　low　swells　slapping　her　sides　a　little；　though　the　wind　was　only　a　faint　breath　from　the　south。　Out　here；　away　from　the　rocky　shores；　the　sea　too　was　silent；　only　as　it　touched　the　boat　did　it　whisper　a　little。
　　〃If　the　wind　is　from　the　south；〃　Tenar　said；　whispering　because　the　sea　did；　〃doesn't　the　boat　sail