tg.stone of tears-第54节

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　‘Kahlan；　I　can　do　this。　I　can　feel　it。’
　
　‘You　did　it　once。　What　if　it　doesn’t　work　this　time？　I’m　not　going　to　stand　here　and　let　you　be　killed。’
　
　‘Kahlan；　if　we　don’t　stop　these　people；　here；　now；　both　of　us　are　going　to　be　killed；　and　then　the　Keeper　is　going　to　escape。　Tonight　is　the　gathering；　that　is　what’s　important。　I’m　using　the　Wizard’s　First　Rule；　the　first　step　to　believing　is　wanting　to　believe　something　is　true；　or　being　afraid　it　is。　Up　until　now；　they　have　been　believing　something　because　they　wanted　to。　I　have　to　make　them　afraid　that　what　I　am　going　to　say　is　true。’
　
　‘What　are　you　going　to　say？’
　
　‘Hurry　up。　Translate　before　I　lose　their　interest　and　they　decide　to　kill　us　and　then　go　after　the　Mud　People。’
　
　She　turned　back　to　Ma　Ban　Grid　and；　reluctantly；　translated。　The　men　all　started　shouting　that　they　wanted　to　be　the　one　to　shoot　the　arrow。　Ma　Ban　Grid’s　eyes　moved　among　them　as　they　yelled　and　waved　their　arms。
　
　He　smiled。　‘All　you　men　may　shoot　this　evil　one　who　has　killed　one　of　mine。　Everyone！　Shoot　him！’
　
　The　bows　came　up。　Richard　glared。　‘Coward！　Do　you　men　see　how　foolish　this　old　man　is？　He　knows　he　listens　to　false　spirits！　He　would　have　you　listen　to　them　also！　He　knows　the　good　spirits　protect　me　in　my　challenge。　He　is　afraid　to　have　you　see　he　is　a　fool。　This　proves　it！’
　
　Ma　Ban　Grid’s　jaw　tightened。　He　held　his　arm　up　for　his　men　to　halt。　At　last　he　turned　to　a　man　with　a　bow　and　snatched　it　from　his　hands。　‘I　will　show　you　the　spirits　I　hear　are　true！　You　will　die　for　killing　one　of　mine！　For　saying　our　spirit　brethren　are　false　spirits！’
　
　He　drew　a　poison　arrow　back　and　in　a　blink　shot　it　at　Richard。　A　cheer　rose　from　the　men。　Kahlan’s　breath　caught　in　her　throat。　She　went　cold　with　fear。
　
　Richard　snatched　the　arrow　out　of　the　air　right　in　front　of　his　face。
　
　The　men　gasped　and　then　fell　silent　as　Richard　marched　back　to　the　spirit　guide；　the　arrow　in　his　hand；　and　fire　in　his　eyes。　He　stopped　before　Ma　Ban　Grid　and　snapped　the　arrow　in　front　of　his　face　to　the　sound　of　fearful　murmurs。
　
　His　voice　was　deadly。　‘The　good　spirits　protect　me；　old　fool。　You　listen　to　false　spirits。’
　
　‘Who　are　you？’　Ma　Ban　Grid　whispered；　wide…eyed。
　
　Richard　slowly　drew　the　Sword　of　Truth。　The　soft　ring　of　steel　filled　the　quiet　dawn。　He　placed　the　sword’s　point　at　Ma　Ban　Grid’s　throat。
　
　‘I　am　Richard；　the　Seeker。　Mate　to　the　Mother　Confessor。’　Worried　whispers　drifted　through　the　cold　air。　‘And；　I　am　a　wizard。　Her　wizard。’
　
　Eyes　as　far　as　she　could　see　widened。　Jaws　dropped。　Ma　Ban　Grid’s　face　slackened　a　little。　He　glanced　to　the　sword。
　
　‘Wizard？　You？’
　
　‘Wizard！’　Richard’s　angry　glare　swept　across　the　gathered　men。　‘Wizard。　I　mand　the　magic。　The　gift。　It　would　seem；　old　fool；　your　false　spirits　have　lied　to　you。　They　said　the　Mother　Confessor　had　no　wizard。　They　sent　one　of　yours　to　start　a　war　the　Mud　People　do　not　want。　They　have　used　you　for　their　own　purposes。　Perhaps　a　wise　spirit　guide　would　have　known　this；　perhaps　an　old　fool　would　not。’　Grumbling　broke　out　among　the　men。　‘If　you　persist　in　this；　if　you　disobey　the　Mother　Confessor；　I　will　use　my　magic　to　destroy　you。　I　will　use　terrible　magic　to　burn　the　Bantak’s　land　to　ashes　and　put　a　blight　upon　it　for　all　time。　Each　Bantak　will　die　a　horrible　death；　a　death　by　my　magic。　I　will　kill　every　last　Bantak。　Young；　and　old。’　His　cold　gray　eyes　returned　to　Ma　Ban　Grid。　‘But　I　will　start　with　the　old。’
　
　‘Magic？’　Ma　Ban　Grid　whispered。　‘You　would　kill　us　with　magic？’
　
　Richard　leaned　closer。　‘If　you　disobey　the　Mother　Confessor；　I　will　kill　you　all　with　magic　more　frightful　than　anything　you　can　imagine。’　As　the　men　all　listened　in　rapt　attention　to　her　translation；　Richard　recited　a　litany　of　horrors　he　would　bring　to　them。　Most　of　the　things　she　remembered　Zedd　telling　a　mob　that　had　e　to　kill　him　when　they　thought　he　was　a　witch。　Richard　was　using　the　same　things　now　to　scare　the　Bantak。　The　more　he　spoke；　the　wider　their　eyes　became。
　
　Ma　Ban　Grid’s　gaze　left　the　sword　and　returned　to　Richard’s　face。　He　looked　less　sure　of　himself；　but　wasn’t　entirely　ready　to　concede。　‘The　spirits　told　me　there　was　no　wizard　with　the　Mother　Confessor。　Why　should　I　believe　you　are　a　wizard？’
　
　All　of　the　anger　left　Richard’s　face。　She　had　never　seen　him　hold　the　sword　without　the　fury　of　the　sword’s　magic　in　his　eyes。　There　did　seem　to　be　something　in　his　eyes；　but　it　wasn’t　hate；　or　rage；　he　looked　at　peace。　Somehow；　it　was　more　frightening　than　the　anger。　It　was　the　peace　of　a　man　mitted　to　a　course。
　
　In　the　dim　dawn　light；　the　blade　of　Richard’s　sword　changed。　It　began　to　glow　white。　White　hot　with　magic。　It　brightened　until　no　one　could　miss　seeing　the　bright　white　luminescence。
　
　Richard　was　using　the　only　magic　he　knew　and　could　depend　on。　The　magic　of　the　sword。
　
　It　was　enough。　Fear　swept　the　crowd。　Men　fell　to　their　knees；　dropping　their　weapons；　muttering　for　forgiveness；　beseeching　the　spirits　to　protect　them。　Others　stood　frozen；　not　knowing　what　to　do。
　
　‘Forgive　me；　old　man；’　Richard　whispered；　‘but　I　must　kill　you　to　save　a　great　many　more　lives。　Know　that　I　forgive　you；　and　regret　what　I　must　do。’
　
　As　she　translated；　Kahlan　put　a　hand　on　Richard’s　arm　to　keep　him　from　doing　anything。　‘Richard；　wait。　Please；　give　me　a　chance？’
　
　He　nodded　slightly。　‘One　chance。　Fail；　and　I　kill　him。’
　
　She　knew　he　was　trying　to　scare　the　Bantak；　to　break　the　spell　they　seemed　to　be　under；　but　he　was　scaring　her　too。　He　was　beyond　the　rage　of　the　sword；　to　something　worse。　She　looked　back　to　the　spirit　guide。
　
　‘Ma　Ban　Grid；　Richard　will　kill　you。　He　does　not　lie　about　this。　I　have　asked　him　to　wait；　so　I　may　grant　you　my　forgiveness；　if　you　will　see　the　truth　of　what　we　say。　I　can　ask　him　not　to　kill　you；　and　he　will　do　as　I　ask。　But　only　once。　After　that；　I　will　have　no　control　over　him。　If　you　are　insincere　in　your　change　of　heart；　there　will　be　much　death　and　suffering。　Richard　is　a　man　of　his　word。　He　has　made　a　promise　to　you；　and　if　you　try　to　trick　him　with　your　answer；　he　will　keep　his　promise。
　
　I　give　you　this　one　chance　to　hear　the　truth。　It　is　not　yet　too　late。　The　Mother　Confessor　does　not　want　any　of　her　people　to　die。　Every　life　in　the　Midlands　holds　dear　value　in　my　heart。　But　sometimes；　I　must　let　a　few　lose　their　lives；　so　that　many　more　may　live。　I　will　hear　your　answer。’
　
　The　men　all　stood　stooped　and　still。　They　looked　as　if　they　had　gotten　themselves　into　something　they　no　longer　wanted。　The　Bantak　were　a　peaceful　people　and　they　seemed　to　regret　their　foray；　even　seemed　confused　by　it。　Richard　had　succeeded　in　giving　them　a　bigger　fright　than　whatever　brought　them　to　this。
　
　The　breeze　fluttered　the　dry　grass　and　in　its　passing　pulled　a　stray　wisp　of　hair　across　her　face。　Kahlan　reached　up　and　pulled　it　back　as　she　waited。　With　eyes　that　seemed　to　have　gone　empty　of　passion；　Ma　Ban　Grid　searched　her　face。　The　spell　had　been　broken。
　
　His　voice　came　soft　and　sincere。　‘I　heard　the　spirits　speak。　I　thought　they　were　speaking　the　truth。　It　is　as　he　says。　I　am　an　old　fool。’　He　looked　around　at　his　silent　men。　‘The　Bantak　have　never　before　sought　to　bring　death　to　others。　We　will　not　start　now。’
　
　He　bowed　his　head　and　pulled　his　medallion　over　his　wispy　gray　hair。　He　brought　it　up　in　both　hands；　offering　it　to　her。　‘Please；　Mother　Confessor；　give　this　to　the　Mud　People。　Tell　them　it　is　given　in　peace。　We　will　start　no　war　with　them。’　He　glanced　over。　Richard　returned　the　sword　to　its　scabbard。　Ma　Ban　Grid　looked　back　to　her。　‘Thank　you　for　stopping　us；　far　stopping　me；　from　listening　to　false　spirits　and　doing　a　terrible　thing。’
　
　Kahlan　bowed　her　head　to　the　old　man。　‘I　am　thankful　I　was　able　to　serve　in　time　to　prevent　anyone　from　being　hurt。’
　
　Richard　glanced　to　her。　‘Ask　him　how　the　spirits　convinced　him　to　do　something　against　the　nature　of　his　people。’
　
　‘Ma　Ban　Grid；　how　did　the　spirits　put　the　lust　for　war　in　your　heart？　The　lust　for　killing？’
　
　He　stared　off；　unsure。　‘Their　whispers　came　to　me　in　the　night。　Made　me　feel　the　need。　I　have　felt　an　urge　to　violence　before；　but　never　acted　on　it。　This　time；　it　seemed　I　could　not　hold　it　back。　I　had　never　felt　this　need　so　strongly　before。’
　
　The　veil　to　the　underworld；　the　spirit　world；　is　torn。’　Whispers　spread　back　through　the　men　as　she　told　them　Richard’s　words。　‘False　spirits　may　seek　to　speak　to　you　again。　Be　on　guard　against　them。　I　understand　how　you　were　tricked；　and　will　hold　no　anger　against　you　for　it。　But　I　expect　you　to　be　more　cautious　now　that　you　have　learned　the　truth　and　have　been　warned。’
　
　‘Thank　you；　wizard。’　Ma　Ban　Grid　nodded。　‘I　will　make　it　so。’
　
　‘Did　the　spirits’　voices　tell　you　anything　else？’
　
　The　old　man　frowned　in　thought。　‘I　don’t　really　remember　their　voices　telling　me　what　must　be　done。　It　was　more　of　a　feeling　that　filled　me　with　the　need。　My　son　…　he　looked　up　…’the　one　who　died　。。。　he　was　with　me；　and　heard　them　also。　I　felt　that　the