uleg.thetombsofatuan-第5节

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　　The　girl　had　been　sitting　in　her　windowless　room；　supposedly　meditating；　actually　doing　nothing　and　thinking　almost　nothing。　It　took　some　time　for　the　fixed；　dull；　haughty　expression　of　her　face　to　change。　Yet　it　did　change；　though　she　tried　to　conceal　it。　She　said；　with　a　certain　slyness；　〃The　Labyrinth？〃
　　〃We　will　not　enter　the　Labyrinth。　But　it　will　be　necessary　to　cross　the　Undertomb。〃
　　There　was　a　tone　in　Kossil's　voice　that　might　have　been　fear；　or　might　have　been　a　pretense　of　fear；　intended　to　frighten　Arha。　The　girl　stood　up　without　haste　and　said　indifferently；　〃Very　well。〃　But　in　her　heart；　as　she　followed　the　heavy　figure　of　the　Godking's　priestess；　she　exulted：　At　last！　At　last！　I　shall　see　my　own　domain　at　last！
　　She　was　fifteen。　It　was　over　a　year　since　she　had　made　her　crossing　into　womanhood　and　at　the　same　time　had　e　into　her　full　powers　as　the　One　Priestess　of　the　Tombs　of　Atuan；　highest　of　all　high　priestesses　of　the　Kargad　Lands；　one　whom　not　even　the　Godking　himself　might　mand。　They　all　bowed　the　knee　to　her　now；　even　grim　Thar　and　Kossil。　All　spoke　to　her　with　elaborate　deference。　But　nothing　had　changed。　Nothing　happened。　Once　the　ceremonies　of　her　consecration　were　over；　the　days　went　on　as　they　had　always　gone。　There　was　wool　to　be　spun；　black　cloth　to　be　woven；　meal　to　be　ground；　rites　to　be　performed；　the　Nine　Chants　must　be　sung　nightly；　the　doorways　blessed；　the　Stones　fed　with　goat's　blood　twice　a　year；　the　dances　of　the　dark　of　the　moon　danced　before　the　Empty　Throne。　And　so　the　whole　year　had　passed；　just　as　the　years　before　it　had　passed；　and　were　all　the　years　of　her　life　to　pass　so？
　　Her　boredom　rose　so　strong　in　her　sometimes　that　it　felt　like　terror：　it　took　her　by　the　throat。　Not　long　ago　she　had　been　driven　to　speak　of　it。　She　had　to　talk；　she　thought；　or　she　would　go　mad。　It　was　Manan　she　talked　to。　Pride　kept　her　from　confiding　in　the　other　girls；　and　caution　kept　her　from　confession　to　the　older　women；　but　Manan　was　nothing；　a　faithful　old　bellwether；　it　didn't　matter　what　she　said　to　him。　To　her　surprise　he　had　had　an　answer　for　her。
　　〃Long　ago；〃　he　said；　〃you　know；　little　one；　before　our　four　lands　joined　together　into　an　empire；　before　there　was　a　Godking　over　us　all；　there　were　a　lot　of　lesser　kings；　princes；　chiefs。　They　were　always　quarreling　with　each　other。　And　they'd　e　here　to　settle　their　quarrels。　That　was　how　it　was；　they'd　e　from　our　land　Atuan；　and　from　Karego…At；　and　Atnini；　and　even　from　Hur…at…Hur；　all　the　chiefs　and　princes　with　their　servants　and　their　armies。　And　they'd　ask　you　what　to　do。　And　you'd　go　before　the　Empty　Throne；　and　give　them　the　counsel　of　the　Nameless　Ones。　Well；　that　was　long　ago。　After　a　while　the　Priest…Kings　came　to　rule　all　of　Karego…At；　and　soon　they　were　ruling　Atuan；　and　now　for　four　or　five　lifetimes　of　men　the　Godkings　have　ruled　all　the　four　lands　together；　and　made　them　an　empire。　And　so　things　are　changed。　The　Godking　can　put　down　the　unruly　chiefs；　and　settle　all　the　quarrels　himself。　And　being　a　god；　you　see；　he　doesn't　have　to　consult　the　Nameless　Ones　very　often。〃
　　Arha　stopped　to　think　this　over。　Time　did　not　mean　very　much；　here　in　the　desert　land；　under　the　unchanging　Stones；　leading　a　life　that　had　been　led　in　the　same　way　since　the　beginning　of　the　world。　She　was　not　accustomed　to　thinking　about　things　changing；　old　ways　dying　and　new　ones　arising。　She　did　not　find　it　fortable　to　look　at　things　in　that　light。　〃The　powers　of　the　Godking　are　much　less　than　the　powers　of　the　Ones　I　serve；〃　she　said；　frowning。
　　〃Surely。。。　Surely。。。　But　one　doesn't　go　about　saying　that　to　a　god；　little　honeyb。　Nor　to　his　priestess。〃
　　And　catching　his　small；　brown；　twinkling　eye；　she　thought　of　Kissil；　High　Priestess　of　the　Godking；　whom　she　had　feared　ever　since　she　first　came　to　the　Place；　and　she　took　his　meaning。
　　〃But　the　Godking；　and　his　people；　are　neglecting　the　worship　of　the　Tombs。　No　one　es。〃
　　〃Well；　he　sends　prisoners　here　to　sacrifice。　He　doesn't　neglect　that。　Nor　the　gifts　due　to　the　Nameless　Ones。〃
　　〃Gifts！　His　temple　is　painted　fresh　every　year；　there's　a　hundredweight　of　gold　on　the　altar；　the　lamps　burn　attar　of　roses！　And　look　at　the　Hall　of　the　Throne…　holes　in　the　roof；　and　the　dome　cracking；　and　the　walls　full　of　mice；　and　owls；　and　bats。。。　But　all　the　same　it　will　outlast　the　Godking　and　all　his　temples；　and　all　the　kings　that　e　after　him。　It　was　there　before　them；　and　when　they're　all　gone　it　will　still　be　there。　It　is　the　center　of　things。〃
　　〃It　is　the　center　of　things。〃
　　〃There　are　riches　there；　Thar　tells　me　about　them　sometimes。　Enough　to　fill　the　Godking's　temple　ten　times　over。　Gold　and　trophies　given　ages　ago；　a　hundred　generations；　who　knows　how　long。　They're　all　locked　away　in　the　pits　and　vaults；　underground。　They　won't　take　me　there　yet；　they　keep　me　waiting　and　waiting。　But　I　know　what　it's　like。　There　are　rooms　underneath　the　Hall；　underneath　the　whole　Place；　under　where　we　stand　now。　There's　a　great　maze　of　tunnels；　a　Labyrinth。　It's　like　a　great　dark　city；　under　the　hill。　Full　of　gold；　and　the　swords　of　old　heroes；　and　old　crowns；　and　bones；　and　years；　and　silence。〃
　　She　spoke　as　if　in　trance；　in　rapture。　Manan　watched　her。　His　slabby　face　never　expressed　much　but　stolid；　careful　sadness；　it　was　sadder　than　usual　now。　〃Well；　and　you're　mistress　of　all　that；〃　he　said。　〃The　silence；　and　the　dark。〃
　　〃I　am。　But　they　won't　show　me　anything；　only　the　rooms　above　ground；　behind　the　Throne。　They　haven't　even　shown　me　the　entrances　to　the　places　underground；　they　just　mumble　about　them　sometimes。　They're　keeping　my　own　domain　from　me！　Why　do　they　make　me　wait　and　wait？〃
　　〃You　are　young。　And　perhaps；〃　Manan　said　in　his　husky　alto；　〃perhaps　they're　afraid；　little　one。　It's　not　their　domain；　after　all。　It's　yours。　They　are　in　danger　when　they　enter　there。　There's　no　mortal　that　doesn't　fear　the　Nameless　Ones。〃
　　Arha　said　nothing；　but　her　eyes　flashed。　Again　Manan　had　shown　her　a　new　way　of　seeing　things。　So　formidable；　so　cold；　so　strong　had　Thar　and　Kossil　always　seemed　to　her；　that　she　had　never　even　imagined　their　being　afraid。　Yet　Manan　was　right。　They　feared　those　places；　those　powers　of　which　Arha　was　part；　to　which　she　belonged。　They　were　afraid　to　go　into　the　dark　places；　lest　they　be　eaten。
　　Now；　as　she　went　with　Kossil　down　the　steps　of　the　Small　House　and　up　the　steep　winding　path　towards　the　Hall　of　the　Throne；　she　recalled　that　conversation　with　Manan；　and　exulted　again。　No　matter　where　they　took　her；　what　they　showed　her；　she　would　not　be　afraid。　She　would　know　her　way。
　　A　little　behind　her　on　the　path；　Kossil　spoke。　〃One　of　my　mistress'　duties；　as　she　knows；　is　the　sacrifice　of　certain　prisoners；　criminals　of　noble　birth；　who　by　sacrilege　or　treason　have　sinned　against　our　lord　the　Godking。〃
　　〃Or　against　the　Nameless　Ones；〃　said　Arha。
　　〃Truly。　Now　it　is　not　fitting　that　the　Eaten　One　while　yet　a　child　should　undertake　this　duty。　But　my　mistress　is　no　longer　a　child。　There　are　prisoners　in　the　Room　of　Chains；　sent　a　month　ago　by　the　grace　of　our　lord　the　Godking　from　his　city　Awabath。〃
　　〃I　did　not　know　prisoners　had　e。　Why　did　I　not　know？〃
　　〃Prisoners　are　brought　at　night；　and　secretly；　in　the　way　prescribed　of　old　in　the　rituals　of　the　Tombs。　It　is　the　secret　way　my　mistress　will　follow；　if　she　takes　the　path　that　leads　along　the　wall。〃
　　Arha　turned　off　the　path　to　follow　the　great　wall　of　stone　that　bounded　the　Tombs　behind　the　domed　hall。　The　rocks　it　was　built　of　were　massive；　the　least　of　them　would　outweigh　a　man；　and　the　largest　were　big　as　wagons。　Though　unshapen　they　were　carefully　fitted　and　interlocked。　Yet　in　places　the　height　of　the　wall　had　slipped　down　and　the　rocks　lay　in　a　shapeless　heap。　Only　a　vast　span　of　time　could　do　that；　the　desert　centuries　of　fiery　days　and　frozen　nights；　the　millennial；　imperceptible　movements　of　the　hills　themselves。
　　〃It　is　very　easy　to　climb　the　Tomb　Wall；〃　Arha　said　as　they　went　along　beneath　it。
　　〃We　have　not　men　enough　to　rebuild　it；〃　Kossil　replied。
　　〃We　have　men　enough　to　guard　it。〃
　　〃Only　slaves。　They　cannot　be　trusted。〃
　　〃They　can　be　trusted　if　they're　frightened。　Let　the　penalty　be　the　same　for　them　as　for　the　stranger　they　allow　to　set　foot　on　the　holy　ground　within　the　wall。〃
　　〃What　is　that　penalty？〃　Kossil　did　not　ask　to　learn　the　answer。　She　had　taught　the　answer　to　Arha；　long　ago。
　　〃To　be　decapitated　before　the　Throne。〃
　　〃Is　it　my　mistress'　will　that　a　guard　be　set　upon　the　Tomb　Wall？〃
　　〃It　is；〃　the　girl　answered。　Inside　her　long　black　sleeves　her　fingers　clenched　with　elation。　She　knew　Kossil　did　not　want　to　spare　a　slave　to　this　duty　of　watching　the　wall；　and　indeed　it　was　a　useless　duty；　for　what　strangers　ever　came　here？　It　was　not　likely　that　any　man　would　wander；　by　mischance　or　intent；　anywhere　within　a　mile　of　the　Place　without　being　seen；　he　certainly　would　get　nowhere　near　the　Tombs。　But　a　guard　was　an　honor　due　them；　and　Kossil　could　not　well　argue　against　it。　She　must　obey　Arha。
　　〃Here；〃　said　her　cold　voice。
　　Arha　stopped。　She　had　often　walked　this　path　around　the　Tomb　Wall；　and　knew　it　as　she　knew　every　foot　of　the　Place；　every　rock　and　thorn