tw.togreenangeltower2-第106章
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What did that mean？ It was hard to hold a coherent thought against the fire in his joints。 What was that glowing thing； what was it trying to show me？ Or was it just more madness？
Simon had experienced many strange dreams since Inch had left him…visions of despair and exaltation； scenes of impossible victory over his enemies and of his friends suffering dreadful fates； but he had also dreamed of far less meaningful things。 The voices he had heard in the tunnels had returned； sometimes as a faint babble barely audible above the splashing and groaning of the wheel； other times clear as someone whispering in his ear； snatches of speech that always seemed just tantalizingly beyond his prehension。 He was beset by fantasies； dizzy as a storm…battered bird。 So why should this vision be any more real？
But it felt different。 Like the difference between wind on your skin and someone touching you。
Simon clung to the memory。 After all； it was something to think about； something beside the horrible gnawing in his stomach and fire in his limbs。
What did I see？ That the pool down below the castle is alive again； filled up by the water that's splashing right under this wheel？ The pool！ Why didn't I think of it before？ Jiriki…no； Aditu…said that there was something in Asu'a called the Pool of Three Depths； a Master Witness。 That must be what I saw down there。 Saw？ I drank from it！ But what does that matter； even if it's true？ He struggled with his thoughts。 Green Angel Tower； that tree； the pool…are they all linked somehow？
He remembered his dreams of the White Tree； dreams that had plagued him for a long time。 At first he had thought it was the Uduntree on frozen Yijarjuk； the great ice waterfall that had stunned him with its magnificence and improbability； but he had e to think it had another meaning as well。
A white tree with no leaves。 Green Angel Tower。 Is something going to happen there？ But what？ He laughed harshly； surprising himself by the rasping noise…he had been silent for many； many hours。 And what can I do about it anyway？ Tell Inch？
Still； something was happening。 The Pool was alive； and Green Angel Tower was waiting for something 。。。 and the water wheel kept turning； turning； turning。
I used to dream about a wheel； too…a great wheel that spun through Time； that pulled the past up into the light and pushed everything alive down into the ground 。。。 not a huge piece of wood paddling dirty water； like this。
Now the wheel was carrying him down once more； tipping him so that the blood again rushed to his head and made his temples pound。
What did the angel tell me in that other dream？ He grimaced and choked back a cry。 The pain as it moved to his legs felt like someone jabbing him with long needles。 〃Go deeper；〃 she said。 〃Go deeper。〃
Time's walls began to crumble around Simon； as though the wheel that carried him； like the wheel that had haunted his dreams； plunged directly through the fabric of the living moment； pushing it down into the past and dredging up old history to spill across the present。 The castle below him； Asu'a the Great； dead for five centuries； had bee as real as the Hayholt above。 The deeds of those who were gone…or those like Ineluki who had died but still would not go…were as vital as those of living men and women。 And Simon himself was spun between them； a bit of tattered skin and bone caught on the wheel…rim of Eternity； dragged without his consent through the haunted present and the undying past。
Something was touching his face。 Simon surfaced from delirium to feel fingers trailing across his cheek； they caught in his hair for a moment； then slid free as the wheel pulled him away。 He opened his eyes； but either he could not see or the torches in the chamber had all been extinguished。
〃What are you？〃 asked a quavering voice。 It was just to one side； but he was moving away from it。 〃I hear you cry out。 Your voice is not like the others。 And I can feel you。 What are you？〃
The inside of Simon's mouth was swollen so that he could barely breathe。 He tried to speak； but nothing came out except a soft gargle of noise。
〃What are you？〃
Simon struggled to answer； wondering even as he did so if this was another dream。 But none of those； for all their rustlingly intrusive presence； had touched him with solid flesh。
An eternity of time seemed to pass as he made his way to the top of the wheel where the great chains sawed noisily upward； then began his downward turn again。 By the time he reached the bottom he had worked up enough spit for something close to speech； although the effort tore at his aching throat。
〃Help 。。。 me 。。。〃
But if someone was there； they did not speak or touch him again。 His circle continued； uninterrupted。 In darkness； alone； he wept without tears。
The wheel turned。 Simon turned with it。 Occasionally water splashed on his face and trickled into his mouth。 Like the Pool of Three Depths； he thirstily absorbed it to keep the spark inside him alive。 Shadows flitted through his mind。 Voices hissed in the porch of his ear。 His thoughts seemed to know no boundary； but at the same time he was trapped in the shell of his tormented； dying body。 He began to yearn for release。 The wheel turned。 Simon turned with it。
He stared into a grayness without form； an infinite distance that seemed somehow near enough to touch。 A figure hovered there； faintly glimmering； gray…green as dying leaves…the angel from the tower…top。
〃Simon；〃 the angel said。 〃I have things to show you。〃 Even in his thoughts； Simon could not form the words to question her。
〃e。 There is not much time。〃
Together they passed through things； moving crossways to another place。 Like a fog evaporated by strong sun； the grayness wavered and melted away； and Simon found himself watching something he had seen before； although he could not say where。 A young man with golden hair moved carefully down a tunnel。 In one hand was a torch； in the other a spear。
Simon looked for the angel； but there was only the man with the spear and his stance of fearfully poised expectation。 Who was he？ Why was Simon being shown this vision？ Was it the past？ The present？ Was it someone ing to rescue him？
The stealthy figure moved forward。 The tunnel widened； and the torchlight picked out the carvings of vines and flowers that twined on the walls。 Whenever this might be； the past； future； or present； Simon now felt sure that he knew where it was happening…in Asu'a； in the depths below the Hayholt。
The man stopped abruptly； then took a step backward； raising his spear。 His light fell upon a shape that bulked huge in the chamber before him； the torch…glare glittering on a thousand red scales。 An immense clawed foot lay only a few paces from the archway in which the spearman stood； the talons knives of yellow bone。
〃Now look。 Here is a part of your own story。。。〃 But even as the angel spoke； the scene faded abruptly。
Simon awoke to feel a hand on his face and water running between his lips。 He choked and spluttered； but at the same time did his best to swallow every life…preserving drop。
〃You are a man；〃 a voice said。 〃You are real。〃
Another draught of water was poured over his face and into his mouth。 It was hard to swallow while dangling downside…up； but Simon had learned in his hours on the wheel。
〃Who。。。 ？〃 he whispered； forcing the word out through cracked lips。 The hand traced across his features； delicate as an inquisitive spider。
〃Who am I？〃 the voice asked。 〃I am the one who is here。 In this place； I mean。〃
Simon's eyes widened。 Somewhere in another chamber a torch sdll burned； and he could see the silhouette before him…the silhouette of a real person； a man； not a murmuring shadow。 But even as he stared； the wheel drew him up again。 He felt sure that when he came back around mis living creature would be gone； leaving him alone once more。
〃Who am I？〃 the man pondered。 〃I had a name； once… but that was in another place。 When I was alive。〃
Simon could not stand such talk。 All he wanted was a person； a real person to speak w
