tg.wizardfirstrule-第14节

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er。　Frantic；　Richard　put　his　hands　on　her　shoulders　and　twisted　her　to　face　him。
　
　〃Kahlan；　look　at　me！　Look　at　me！〃
　
　〃Dennee　。　。　。　〃　she　gasped；　her　chest　heaving　as　she　tried　to　break　free　of　him。
　
　〃Kahlan！〃
　
　〃I'm　so　alone　。　。　。　and　afraid。　。　。　。〃
　
　〃Kahlan！　I'm　here　with　you！　Look　at　me！〃
　
　She　continued　to　cry　convulsively；　choking　for　air。　Her　eyes　opened；　but　they　didn't　focus　on　him；　they　were　looking　into　another　place。
　
　〃You're　not　alone；　I'm　here　with　you！　I　won't　leave　you！〃
　
　〃I'm　so　alone；〃　she　wailed。
　
　He　shook　her；　trying　to　make　her　listen。　Her　skin　was　white　and　dead　cold。　She　struggled　to　breathe。　〃I'm　right　here。　You're　not　alone！〃　Desperate；　he　shook　her　again；　but　it　wasn't　helping。　He　was　losing　her。
　
　Struggling　to　control　his　rising　panic；　Richard　did　the　only　thing　he　could　think　of。　When　he　had　been　confronted　with　fear　in　the　past；　he　had　learned　to　control　it。　There　was　strength　in　control。　He　did　that　now。　Maybe　he　could　give　her　some　of　his　strength。　Closing　his　eyes；　he　shut　his　fear　away；　blocked　off　the　panic；　and　sought　the　calm　within　himself。　He　let　his　mind　focus　on　the　strength　within　himself。　In　the　quiet　of　his　mind；　he　blocked　off　his　fears　and　confusion；　and　centered　his　thoughts　on　the　strength　of　that　peace。　He　would　not　let　the　underworld　have　her。
　
　He　spoke　her　name　in　a　calm　voice。　〃Let　me　help　you。　You　are　not　alone。　I　am　here　with　you。　Let　me　help　you。　Take　my　strength。〃
　
　His　hands　gripped　her　shoulders。　He　could　feel　her　shaking　as　she　cried　in　choking　sobs　and　struggled　to　breathe。　He　visualized　sending　her　his　strength；　through　his　hands；　through　his　contact　with　her。　He　visualized　that　contact　extending　to　her　mind；　lending　her　all　of　his　strength　and　drawing　her　back；　away　from　the　blackness。　He　would　be　the　spark　of　light　and　life　in　that　blackness　that　would　lead　her　back　to　this　world；　to　him。
　
　〃Kahlan；　I　am　here。　I　won't　leave　you。　You　are　not　alone。　I　am　your　friend。　Trust　in　me。〃　He　gently　squeezed　her　shoulders。　〃e　back　to　me。　Please。〃
　
　He　pictured　the　white…hot　light　in　his　mind；　hoping　it　would　help　her。　Please；　dear　spirits；　he　prayed；　let　her　see　it。　Let　it　help　her。　Let　her　use　my　strength。
　
　〃Richard？〃　She　called　out　the　name　as　if　searching　for　him。
　
　He　squeezed　her　shoulders　again。　〃I'm　here。　I　won't　leave　you。　e　back　to　me。〃
　
　She　started　breathing　again。　Her　eyes　focused　on　his　face。　Relief　flooded　her　features　when　she　recognized　him；　and　she　began　to　cry　in　what　seemed　a　more　normal　way。　She　collapsed　against　him　and　held　him　as　she　would　a　rock　in　a　river。　He　held　her　to　him　and　let　her　cry　on　his　shoulder　while　he　told　her　it　was　all　right。　He　was　so　afraid　he　had　lost　her　to　the　underworld　that　he　didn't　want　to　let　go　of　her　either。
　
　Reaching　down；　he　got　a　hold　of　the　blanket　and　pulled　it　back　up　around　her；　wrapping　her　with　it　as　best　he　could。　Warmth　was　returning　to　her　body　again；　another　sign　that　she　was　safe　now；　but　he　was　disturbed　by　how　quickly　the　underworld　had　pulled　her　back。　He　didn't　think　that　was　supposed　to　happen。　She　hadn't　been　there　long；　and　exactly　how　he　had　gotten　her　back；　he　didn't　know；　but　he　knew　it　had　been　none　too　soon。
　
　The　fire　lent　a　soft　red　cast　to　the　inside　of　the　wayward　pine；　and　in　the　silence　it　seemed　a　secure　haven　again。　An　illusion；　he　knew。　He　held　her　and　stroked　her　hair　and　rocked　her　gently　for　a　long　time。　Something　in　the　way　she　clung　to　him　made　him　realize　that　no　one　had　held　her　and　forted　her　for　a　very　long　time。
　
　He　didn't　know　anything　about　wizards；　or　magic；　but　no　one　would　send　Kahlan　through　the　boundary；　through　the　underworld；　without　a　powerful　reason。　He　wondered　what　could　be　that　important。
　
　Pushing　herself　off　his　shoulder；　she　sat　up；　embarrassed。　〃I'm　sorry。　I　should　not　have　touched　you　in　that　manner。　I　was　。　。　。〃
　
　〃It's　all　right；　Kahlan。　It　is　the　first　responsibility　of　a　friend　to　provide　a　shoulder　to　cry　on。〃
　
　She　nodded　but　didn't　raise　her　head。　Richard　felt　her　eyes　on　him　as　he　took　the　soup　off　the　fire　to　let　it　cool　a　little。　He　put　another　piece　of　wood　into　the　flames；　sending　sparks　swirling　up　with　the　smoke。
　
　〃How　do　you　do　that？〃　she　asked　in　a　soft　voice。
　
　〃Do　what？〃
　
　〃How　do　you　ask　questions　that　fill　my　mind　with　pictures　and　make　me　answer；　even　when　I　have　no　intention　to？〃
　
　He　shrugged；　a　little　self…conscious。　〃Zedd　asks　me　that　too。　I　guess　it's　just　something　I　was　born　with。　Sometimes　I　think　it's　a　curse。〃　He　turned　from　the　fire　to　face　her　again。　〃I'm　sorry；　Kahlan；　for　asking　you　what　you　saw　there。　It　was　a　thoughtless　thing　to　do。　Sometimes　my　mon　sense　doesn't　keep　up　with　my　curiosity。　I'm　sorry　I　brought　you　pain。　You　being　pulled　back　into　the　underworld；　though；　that　shouldn't　have　happened；　should　it？〃
　
　〃No；　it　shouldn't。　It　was　almost　as　if　when　I　thought　back　to　what　I　had　seen；　someone　was　waiting　to　pull　me　back。　I　fear　if　you　hadn't　been　here；　I　might　have　been　lost　there。　In　the　darkness；　I　saw　a　light。　Something　you　did　brought　me　back。〃
　
　Richard　picked　up　the　spoon　while　he　thought。　〃Maybe　just　that　you　weren't　alone。〃
　
　Kahlan　gave　a　weak　shrug。　〃Maybe。〃
　
　〃I　only　have　one　spoon。　We　can　share　it。〃　He　took　a　spoonful　of　soup　and　blew　on　it　before　tasting　it。　〃Not　my　best　work；　but　it's　better　than　a　poke　in　the　eye　with　a　sharp　stick。〃　That　had　the　desired　effect：　she　smiled。　He　gave　her　the　spoon。
　
　〃If　I'm　to　help　you　to　stay　ahead　of　the　next　quad；　to　stay　alive；　I　need　answers。　And　I　don't　think　we　have　much　time。〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃I　understand。　It's　all　right。〃
　
　He　let　her　eat　some　soup　before　he　went　on。　〃So　what　happened　after　the　boundaries　went　up？　What　about　the　great　wizard？〃
　
　Before　handing　him　the　spoon　she　took　a　piece　of　sausage。　〃One　more　thing　happened　before　they　went　up。　While　the　great　wizard　was　holding　the　magic　at　bay；　Panis　Rahl　took　a　final　revenge。　He　sent　a　quad　out　of　D'Hara　。　。　。　。　They　killed　the　wizard's　wife；　and　his　daughter。〃
　
　Richard　stared　at　her。　〃What　did　the　wizard　do　to　Rahl？〃
　
　〃He　held　Rahl's　magic　back　and　held　him　in　D'Hara　until　just　as　the　boundary　was　going　up。　At　that　very　moment　he　sent　a　ball　of　wizard's　fire　through　it；　letting　it　touch　death；　to　give　it　the　power　of　both　worlds。　Then　the　boundaries　were　there。〃
　
　Richard　had　never　heard　of　wizard's　fire；　but　he　didn't　think　it　required　an　explanation。　〃So　what　happened　to　Panis　Rahl？〃
　
　〃Well；　the　boundaries　were　there；　so　no　one　can　say　for　sure；　but　I　don't　think　anyone　would　have　traded　their　lot　for　that　of　Panis　Rahl。〃
　
　Richard　gave　her　the　spoon；　and　she　ate　some　more　while　he　tried　to　imagine　the　righteous　wrath　of　a　wizard。　After　a　few　bites　she　gave　back　the　spoon　and　continued。
　
　〃At　first　everything　was　fine；　but　then　the　council　of　the　Mid　lands　started　taking　actions　the　great　wizard　said　were　corrupt。　Something　to　do　with　the　magic。　He　found　out　the　council　had　reneged　on　agreements　about　how　the　power　of　magic　was　to　be　controlled。　He　told　them　that　their　greed　and　the　things　they　were　doing　would　lead　to　worse　horrors　than　those　put　down　in　the　wars。　They　thought　they　knew　better　than　he　how　the　magic　should　be　managed。　They　made　a　political　appointment　of　a　very　important　position　that　was　a　wizard's　and　a　wizard's　alone　to　fill。　He　was　furious；　he　told　them　the　position　was　one　for　which　only　a　wizard　could　find　the　right　person；　and　the　appointment　only　a　wizard's　to　make。　The　great　wizard　had　trained　other　wizards；　but　in　their　greed；　these　others　sided　with　the　council。　He　was　enraged。　He　said　his　wife　and　daughter　had　died　for　nothing。　As　punishment；　the　great　wizard　told　them　he　would　do　the　worst　thing　possible　to　them；　he　would　leave　them　to　suffer　the　consequences　of　their　actions。〃
　
　Richard　smiled。　That　sounded　like　something　Zedd　would　say。
　
　〃He　said　that　if　they　knew　so　well　how　things　were　to　be　done；　they　did　not　need　him。　He　refused　to　help　them　further；　and　vanished。　But　as　he　left；　he　cast　a　wizard's　web　。　。　。〃
　
　〃What's　that；　a　wizard's　web？〃
　
　〃It　is　a　spell　a　wizard　casts。　As　he　left；　he　cast　a　wizard's　web　over　everyone；　making　them　forget　his　name；　even　what　he　looked　like。　So　that　is　why　no　one　knows　what　his　name　is　or　who　he　is。〃
　
　Kahlan　tossed　a　stick　in　the　fire；　staring　off　into　her　thoughts。　He　went　back　to　eating　soup　while　he　waited　for　her　go　on　with　the　story。　After　a　few　minutes；　she　did。
　
　〃At　the　beginning　of　last　winter；…the　movement　started。〃
　
　He　backed　the　spoonful　of　soup　away　from　his　mouth　as　he　looked　up。　〃What　movement？〃
　
　〃The　Darken　Rahl　movement。　It　seemed　to　spring　up　out　of　nowhere。　All　of　a　sudden　crowds　of　people　in　the　bigger　cities　were　chanting　his　name；　calling　him　‘Father　Rahl；'　calling　him　the　greatest　man　of　peace　that　ever　lived。　The　strange　thing　is；　he　is　the　son　of　Panis　Rahl；　from　D'　Hara；　on　the　other　side　of　the　boundary；　so　how　did　anyone　even　know　anything　about　him？〃　She　paused；　allowing　him　to　ponder　the　significance　of　this。
　
　〃Anyway；　then　the　gars　started　ing　over　the