tp.lightfantastic-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


decision。
　'We　can't　find　Rincewind；'　he　said；　'and　if　we　can't　find　Rincewind　we　can't　find　the　eighth　spell　of　the　Octavo。　But　we　believe　that　the　Octavo　must　be　read　to　avert　catastrophe　…　otherwise　why　did　the　Creator　leave　it　behind？'
　'Perhaps　He　was　just　forgetful；'　suggested　the　astrologer。
　Trymon　glared　at　him。
　'The　other　Orders　are　searching　all　the　lands　between　here　and　the　Hub；'　he　continued；　counting　the　points　on　his　fingers；　'because　it　seems　unreasonable　that　a　man　can　fly　into　a　cloud　and　not　e　out　。　。　。'
　'Unless　it　was　stuffed　with　rocks；'　said　the　astrologer；　in　a　wretched　and；　as　it　turned　out；　entirely　unsuccessful　attempt　to　lighten　the　mood。
　'But　e　down　he　must　…　somewhere。　Where？　we　ask　ourselves。'
　'Where？'　said　the　astrologer　loyally。
　'And　immediately　a　course　of　action　suggests　itself　to　us。'
　'Ah；'　said　the　astrologer；　running　in　an　attempt　to　keep　up　as　the　wizard　stalked　across　The　Two　Fat　Cousins。
　'And　that　course　is　。　。　。？'
　The　astrologer　looked　up　into　two　eyes　as　grey　and　bland　as　steel。
　'Um。　We　stop　looking？'　he　ventured。
　'Precisely！　We　use　the　gifts　the　Creator　has　given　us；　to　whit；　we　look　down　and　what　is　it　we　see？'
　The　astrologer　groaned　inwardly。　He　looked　down。
　'Tiles？'　he　hazarded。
　'Tiles；　yes；　which　together　make　up　the　。　。　。？'　Trymon　looked　expectant。
　'Zodiac？'　ventured　the　astrologer；　a　desperate　man。
　'Right！　And　therefore　all　we　need　do　is　cast　Rincewind's　precise　horoscope　and　we　will　know　exactly　where　he　is！'
　The　astrologer　grinned　like　a　man　who；　having　tap…danced　on　quicksand；　feels　the　press　of　solid　rock　under　his　feet。
　'I　shall　need　to　know　his　precise　place　and　time　of　birth；'　he　said。
　'Easily　done。　I　copied　them　out　of　the　University　files　before　I　came　up　here。'
　The　astrologer　looked　at　the　notes；　and　his　forehead　wrinkled。　He　crossed　the　room　and　pulled　out　a　wide　drawer　full　of　charts。　He　read　the　notes　again。　He　picked　up　a　plicated　pair　of　passes　and　made　some　passes　across　the　charts。　He　picked　up　a　small　brass　astrolobe　and　cranked　it　carefully。　He　whistled　between　his　teeth。　He　picked　up　a　piece　of　chalk　and　scribbled　some　numbers　on　a　blackboard。
　Trymon；　meanwhile；　had　been　staring　out　at　the　new　star。　He　thought：　the　legend　in　the　Pyramid　of　Tsort　says　that　whoever　says　the　Eight　Spells　together　when　the　Disc　is　in　danger　will　obtain　all　that　he　truly　desires。　And　it　will　be　so　soon！
　And　he　thought：　I　remember　Rincewind；　wasn't　he　the　cruffy　boy　who　always　came　bottom　of　the　class　when　we　were　training？　Not　a　magical　bone　in　his　body。　Let　me　get　him　in　front　of　me；　and　we'll　see　if　we　can't　get　all　eight…
　The　astrologer　said　'Gosh'　under　his　breath。　Trymon　spun　around。
　'Well？'
　'Fascinating　chart；'　said　the　astrologer；　breathlessly。　His　forehead　wrinkled。　'Bit　strange；　really；'　he　said。
　'How　strange？'
　'He　was　born　under　The　Small　Boring　Group　of　Faint　Stars　which；　as　you　know；　lies　between　The　Flying　Moose　and　The　Knotted　String。　It　is　said　that　even　the　ancients　couldn't　find　anything　interesting　to　say　about　the　sign；　which…'
　'Yes；　yes；　get　on　with　it；'　said　Trymon　irritably。
　'It's　the　sign　traditionally　associated　with　chess　board　makers；　sellers　of　onions；　manufacturers　of　plaster　images　of　small　religious　significance；　and　people　allergic　to　pewter。　Not　a　wizard's　sign　at　all。　And　at　the　time　of　his　birth　the　shadow　of　Cori　Celesti…'
　'I　don't　want　to　know　all　the　mechanical　details；'　growled　Trymon。　'Just　give　me　his　horoscope。'
　The　astrologer；　who　had　been　rather　enjoying　himself；　sighed　and　made　a　few　additional　calculations。
　'Very　well；'he　said。　'It　reads　as　follows：　〃Today　is　a　good　tine　for　making　new　friends。　A　good　deed　may　have　unforeseen　consequences。　Don't　upset　any　druids。　You　will　soon　be　going　on　a　very　strange　journey。　Your　lucky　food　is　small　cucumbers。　People　pointing　knives　at　you　are　probably　up　to　no　good。　PS；　we　really　mean　it　about　druids〃。'
　Druids？'　said　Trymon。　'I　wonder　。　。　。'
　

　'Are　you　all　right？'　said　Twoflower。　Rincewind　opened　his　eyes。
　The　wizard　sat　up　hurriedly　and　grabbed　Twoflower　by　the　shirt。
　'I　want　to　leave　here！'　he　said　urgently。　'Right　now！'
　'But　there's　going　to　be　an　ancient　and　traditional　ceremony　I'
　'I　don't　care　how　ancient！　I　want　the　feel　of　honest　cobbles　under　my　feet；　I　want　the　old　familiar　smell　of　cesspits；　I　want　to　go　where　there's　lots　of　people　and　fires　and　roofs　and　walls　and　friendly　things　like　that！　I　want　to　go　home！'
　He　found　that　he　had　this　sudden　desperate　longing　for　the　fuming；　smoky　streets　of　Ankh…Morpork；　which　was　always　at　its　best　in　the　spring；　when　the　gummy　sheen　on　the　turbid　waters　of　the　Ankh　River　had　a　special　iridescence　and　the　eaves　were　full　of　birdsong；　or　at　least　birds　coughing　rhythmically。
　A　tear　sprang　to　his　eye　as　he　recalled　the　subtle　play　of　light　on　the　Temple　of　Small　Gods；　a　noted　local　landmark；　and　a　lump　came　to　his　throat　when　he　remembered　the　fried　fish　stall　on　the　junction　of　Midden　Street　and　The　Street　of　Cunning　Artificers。　He　thought　of　the　gherkins　they　sold　there；　great　green　things　lurking　at　the　bottom　of　their　jar　like　drowned　whales。　They　called　to　Rincewind　across　the　miles；　promising　to　introduce　him　to　the　pickled　eggs　in　the　next　jar。
　He　thought　of　the　cosy　livery　stable　lofts　and　warm　gratings　where　he　spent　his　nights。　Foolishly；　he　had　sometimes　jibed　at　this　way　of　life。　It　seemed　incredible　now；　but　he　had　found　it　boring。
　Now　he'd　had　enough。　He　was　going　home。　Pickled　gherkins；　I　hear　you　calling　。　。　。
　He　pushed　Twoflower　aside；　gathered　his　tattered　robe　around　him　with　great　dignity；　set　his　face　towards　that　area　of　horizon　he　believed　to　contain　the　city　of　his　birth；　and　with　intense　determination　and　considerable　absentmindedness　stepped　right　off　the　top　of　a　thirty…foot　trilithon。
　Some　ten　minutes　later；　when　a　worried　and　rather　contrite　Twoflower　dug　him　out　of　the　large　snowdrift　at　the　base　of　the　stones；　his　expression　hadn't　changed。
　Twoflower　peered　at　him。
　'Are　you　all　right？'　he　said。　'How　many　fingers　am　I　holding　up？'
　'I　want　to　go　home！'
　'Okay。'
　'No；　don't　try　and　talk　me　out　of　it；　I've　had　enough；　I'd　like　to　say　it's　been　great　fun　but　I　can't；　and　…　what？'
　'I　said　okay；'　said　Twoflower。　'I'd　quite　like　to　see　Ankh…Morpork　again。　I　expect　they've　rebuilt　quite　a　lot　of　it　by　now。'
　It　should　be　noted　that　the　last　time　the　two　of　them　had　seen　the　city　it　was　burning　quite　fiercely；　a　fact　which　had　a　lot　to　do　with　Twoflower　introducing　the　concept　of　fire　insurance　to　a　venial　but　ignorant　populace。　But　devastating　fires　were　a　regular　feature　of　Morporkian　life　and　it　had　always　been　cheerfully　and　meticulously　rebuilt；　using　the　traditional　local　materials　of　tinder…dry　wood　and　thatch　waterproofed　with　tar。
　'Oh；'　said　Rincewind；　deflating　a　bit。　'Oh；　right。　Right　then。　Good。　Perhaps　we'd　better　be　off；　then。'
　He　scrambled　up　and　brushed　the　snow　off　himself。
　'Only　I　think　we　should　wait　until　morning；'　added　Twoflower。
　'Why？'
　'Well；　because　it's　freezing　cold；　we　don't　really　know　where　we　are；　the　Luggage　has　gone　missing；　it's　getting　dark…'
　Rincewind　paused。　In　the　deep　canyons　of　his　mind　he　thought　he　heard　the　distant　rustle　of　ancient　paper。　He　had　a　horrible　feeling　that　his　dreams　were　going　to　be　very　repetitive　from　now　on；　and　he　had　much　better　things　to　do　than　be　lectured　by　a　bunch　of　ancient　spells　who　couldn't　even　agree　on　how　the　Universe　began　…
　A　tiny　dry　voice　at　the　back　of　his　brain　said：　What　things？
　'Oh；　shut　up；'　he　said。
　'I　only　said　it's　freezing　cold　and…'　Twoflower　began。
　'I　didn't　mean　you；　I　meant　me。'
　'What？'
　'Oh；　shut　up；'　said　Rincewind　wearily。　'I　don't　suppose　there's　anything　to　eat　around　here？'
　The　giant　stones　were　black　and　menacing　against　the　dying　green　light　of　sunset。　The　inner　circle　was　full　of　druids；　scurrying　around　by　the　light　of　several　bonfires　and　tuning　up　all　the　necessary　peripherals　of　a　stone　puter；　like　rams'　skulls　on　poles　topped　with　mistletoe；　banners　embroidered　with　twisted　snakes　and　so　on。　Beyond　the　circles　of　firelight　a　large　number　of　pl