tp.lightfantastic-第25章

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is　very　important　that　you　help　him　stay　alive。〃　'
　There　was　a　pause。
　'That's　it？'　said　Rincewind。
　'Yes；'　said　the　troll。　'We've　always　been　puzzled　about　it。　Most　of　our　legends　are　much　more　exciting。　It　was　more　interesting　being　a　rock　in　the　old　days。'
　'It　was？'　said　Rincewind　weakly。
　'Oh　yes。　No　end　of　fun。　Volcanoes　all　over　the　place。　It　really　meant　something；　being　a　rock　then。There　was　none　f　this　sedimentary　nonsense；　you　were　igneous　or　nothing。　Of　course；　that's　all　gone　now。　People　call　themselves　trolls　today；　well；　sometimes　they're　hardly　more　than　slate。　Chalk　even。　I　wouldn't　give　myself　airs　if　you　could　use　me　to　draw　with；　would　you？'
　'No；'　said　Rincewind　quickly。　'Absolutely　not；　no。　This；　er；　this　legend　thing。　It　said　you　shouldn't　bite　me？'
　'That's　right！'　said　the　little　troll　on　his　foot；　'and　it　was　me　who　told　you　where　the　onions　were！'
　'We're　rather　glad　you　came　along；'　said　the　first　troll；　which　Rincewind　couldn't　help　noticing　was　the　biggest　one　there。　'We're　a　bit　worried　about　this　new　star。　What　does　it　mean？'
　'I　don't　know；'　said　Rincewind。　'Everyone　seems　to　think　I　know　about　it；　but　I　don't　…'
　'It's　not　that　we　would　mind　being　melted　down；'　said　the　big　troll。　That's　how　we　all　started；　anyway。　But　we　thought；　maybe；　it　might　mean　the　end　of　everything　and　that　doesn't　seem　a　very　good　thing。'
　'It's　getting　bigger；'　said　another　troll。　'Look　at　it　now。　Bigger　than　last　night。'
　Rincewind　looked。　It　was　definitely　bigger　than　last　night。
　'So　we　thought　you　might　have　some　suggestions？'　said　the　head　troll；　as　meekly　as　it　is　possible　to　sound　with　a　voice　like　a　granite　gargle。
　'You　could　jump　over　the　Edge；'　said　Rincewind。　There　must　be　lots　of　places　in　the　universe　that　could　do　with　some　extra　rocks。'
　'We've　heard　about　that；'　said　the　troll。　'We've　met　rocks　that　tried　it。　They　say　you　float　about　for　millions　of　years　and　then　you　get　very　hot　and　burn　away　and　end　up　at　the　bottom　of　a　big　hole　in　the　scenery。　That　doesn't　sound　very　bright。'
　It　stood　up　with　a　noise　like　coal　rattling　down　a　chute；　and　stretched　its　thick；　knobbly　arms。
　'Well；　we're　supposed　to　help　you；'　it　said。　'Anything　you　want　doing？'
　'I　was　supposed　to　be　making　some　soup；'　said　Rincewind。　He　waved　the　onions　vaguely。　It　was　probably　not　the　most　heroic　or　purposeful　gesture　ever　made。
　'Soup？'　said　the　troll。　'Is　that　all？'
　'Well；　maybe　some　biscuits　too。'
　The　trolls　looked　at　one　another；　exposing　enough　mouth　jewellery　to　buy　a　medium…sized　city。
　Eventually　the　biggest　troll　said；　'Soup　it　is；　then。'　It　shrugged　grittily。　'It's　just　that　we　imagined　that　the　legend　would；　well；　be　a　little　more　…　I　don't　know；　somehow　I　thought　…　still；　I　expect　it　doesn't　matter。'
　It　extended　a　hand　like　a　bunch　of　fossil　bananas。
　'I'm　Kwartz；'　it　said。　'That's　Krysoprase　over　there；　and　Breccia；　and　Jasper；　and　my　wife　Beryl　…　she's　la　bit　meta…morphic；　but　who　isn't　these　days？　Jasper；　get　off　his　foot。'
　Rincewind　took　the　hand　gingerly；　bracing　himself　for　the　crunch　of　crushed　bone。　It　didn't　e。　The　troll's　hand　was　rough　and　a　bit　lichenous　around　the　fingernails。
　'I'm　sorry；'　said　Rincewind。　'I　never　really　met　trolls　before。'
　'We're　a　dying　race；'　said　Kwartz　sadly；　as　the　party　set　off　under　the　stars。　'Young　Jasper's　the　only　pebble　in　our　tribe。　We　suffer　from　philosophy；　you　know。'
　'Yes？'　said　Rincewind；　trying　to　keep　up。　The　troll　band　moved　very　quickly；　but　also　very　quietly；　big　round　shapes　moving　like　wraiths　through　the　night。　Only　the　occasional　flat　squeak　of　a　night　creature　who　hadn't　heard　them　approaching　marked　their　passage。
　'Oh；　yes。　Martyrs　to　it。　It　es　to　all　of　us　in　the　end。　One　evening；　they　say；　you　start　to　wake　up　and　then　you　think　〃Why　bother？〃　and　you　just　don't。　See　those　boulders　over　there？'
　Rincewind　saw　some　huge　shapes　lying　in　the　grass。
　'The　one　on　the　end's　my　aunt。　I　don't　know　what's　she's　thinking　about；　but　she　hasn't　moved　for　two　hundred　years。'
　'Gosh；　I'm　sorry。'
　'Oh；　it's　no　problem　with　us　around　to　look　after　them；'　aid　Kwartz。　'Not　many　humans　around　here；　you　see。　I　know　it's　not　your　fault；　but　you　don't　seem　to　be　able　to　spot　the　difference　between　a　thinking　troll　and　an　ordinary　rock。　My　great…uncle　was　actually　quarried；　you　know。'
　'That's　terrible！'
　'Yes；　one　minute　he　was　a　troll；　the　next　he　was　an　ornamental　fireplace。'
　They　paused　in　front　of　a　familiar…looking　cliff。　The　scuffed　remains　of　a　fire　smouldered　in　the　darkness。
　'It　looks　like　there's　been　a　fight；'　said　Beryl。
　'They're　all　gone！'　said　Rincewind。　He　ran　to　the　end　of　the　clearing。　'The　horses；　too！　Even　the　Luggage！'
　'One　of　them's　leaked；'　said　Kwartz；　kneeling　down。　'That　red　watery　stuff　you　have　in　your　insides。　Look。'
　'Blood！'
　'Is　that　what　it's　called？　I've　never　really　seen　the　point　of　it。'
　Rincewind　scuttled　about　in　the　manner　of　one　totally　at　his　wits'　end；　peering　behind　bushes　in　case　anyone　was　hiding　there。　That　was　why　he　tripped　over　a　small　green　bottle。
　'Cohen's　linament！'　he　moaned。　'He　never　goes　anywhere　without　it！'
　'Well；'　said　Kwartz；　'you　humans　have　something　you　can　do；　I　mean　like　when　we　slow　right　down　and　catch　philosophy；　only　you　just　fall　to　bits　…'
　'Dying；　it's　called！'　screamed　Rincewind。
　'That's　it。　They　haven't　done　that；　because　they're　not　here。'
　'Unless　they　were　eaten！'　suggested　Jasper　excitedly。
　'Hmm；'　said　Kwartz；　and；　'Wolves？'　said　Rincewind。
　'We　flattened　all　the　wolves　around　here　years　ago；'　said　the　troll。　'Old　Grandad　did；　anyway。'
　'He　didn't　like　them？'
　'No；　he　just　didn't　used　to　look　where　he　was　going。　Hmm。'　The　trolls　looked　at　the　ground　again。
　'There's　a　trail；'　he　said。　'Quite　a　lot　of　horses。'　He　ooked　up　at　the　nearby　hills；　where　sheer　cliffs　and　dangerous　crags　loomed　over　the　moonlit　forests。
　'Old　Grandad　lives　up　there；'　he　said　quietly。
　There　was　something　about　the　way　he　said　it　that　made　Rincewind　decide　that　he　didn't　ever　want　to　meet　Old　Grandad。
　'Dangerous；　is　he？'　he　ventured。
　'He's　very　old　and　big　and　mean。　We　haven't　seen　him　about　for　years；'　said　Kwartz。
　'Centuries；'　corrected　Beryl。
　'He'll　squash　them　all　flat！'　added　Jasper；　jumping　up　and　down　on　Rincewind's　toes。
　'It　just　happens　sometimes　that　a　really　old　and　big　troll　will　go　off　by　himself　into　the　hills；　and　…　um　…　the　rock　takes　over；　if　you　follow　me。'
　'No？'
　Kwartz　sighed。　'People　sometimes　act　like　animals；　don't　they？　And　sometimes　a　troll　will　start　thinking　like　a　rock；　and　rocks　don't　like　people　much。'
　Breccia；　a　skinny　troll　with　a　sandstone　finish；　rapped　on　Kwartz's　shoulder。
　'Are　we　going　to　follow　them；　then？'　he　said。　'The　legend　says　we　should　help　this　Rincewind　squashy。'
　Kwartz　stood　up；　thought　for　a　moment；　then　picked　Rincewind　up　by　the　scruff　of　his　neck　and　with　a　big　gritty　movement　placed　him　on　his　shoulders。
　'We　go；'　he　said　firmly。　'If　we　meet　Old　Grandad　I'll　try　to　explain　。　。　。'
　

　Two　miles　away　a　string　of　horses　trotted　through　the　night。　Three　of　them　carried　captives；　expertly　gagged　and　bound。　A　fourth　pulled　a　rough　travois　on　which　the　Luggage　lay　trussed　and　netted　and　silent。
　Herrena　softly　called　the　column　to　a　halt　and　beckoned　one　of　her　men　to　her。
　'Are　you　quite　sure？'　she　said。　'I　can't　hear　anything。'
　'I　saw　troll　shapes；'　he　said　flatly。
　She　looked　around。　The　trees　had　thinned　out　here；　there　was　a　lot　of　scree；　and　ahead　of　them　the　track　led　towards　a　bald；　rocky　hill　that　looked　especially　unpleasant　by　red　starlight。
　She　was　worried　about　that　track。　It　was　extremely　old；　but　something　had　made　it；　and　trolls　took　a　lot　of　killing。
　She　sighed。　Suddenly　it　looked　as　though　that　secretarial　career　was　not　such　a　bad　option；　at　that。
　Not　for　the　first　time　she　reflected　that　there　were　many　drawbacks　to　being　a　swordswoman；　not　least　of　which　was　that　men　didn't　take　you　seriously　until　you'd　actually　killed　them；　by　which　time　it　didn't　really　matter　anyway。　Then　there　was　all　the　leather；　which　brought　her　out　in　a　rash　but　seemed　to　be　unbreakably　traditional。　And　then　there　was