tw.togreenangeltower2-第148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！


ar　beyond　his　usual　range；　it　seemed；　and　had　heard　and　felt　many　terrible　things。　At　last　he　had　crawled；　and　when　even　those　narrow　ways　were　blocked；　he　had　dug；　fighting　his　way　through　the　last　cubits　of　earth　that　had　separated　him　from　the　object　of　his　obsession。
　　　　　　　He　dug　into　John's　barrow；　Simon　realized；　shuddering。　Like　a　blind　mole　after　a　carrot；　scraping；　scraping　。。。
Guthwulf　had　taken　his　prize　and　had　somehow　found　his　way　back　to　his　nest；　but　apparently　even　the　joy　of　possessing　the　thing　he　had　sought　had　not　been　enough　to　keep　him　in　hiding。　For　some　reason　he　had　ventured　out；　perhaps　to　steal　food　from　the　forge…where　else　had　the　bread　and　water　e　from？…but　perhaps　for　some　deeper；　more　plicated　reason。　
　　　　　　　Why　did　he　e　to　me？　Simon　wondered。　Why　would　he　risk　being　caught　by　Inch？　He　thought　again　of　Thorn；　of　how　it　had　seemed　almost　to　choose　where　it　wished　to　go。　Maybe　Bright…Nail　wanted　to　find　。。。　me。
　　　　　　　The　thought　was　a　frighteningly　seductive　one。　If　Bright…Nail　was　being　drawn　to　the　great　conflict　that　was　ing；　then　maybe　it　somehow　knew　that　Guthwulf　would　never　willingly　go　up　into　the　light　again。　As　Thorn　had　chosen　Simon　and　his　fellows　to　bring　it　down　from　Urmsheim　and　back　to　Camaris；　maybe　Bright…Nail　had　chosen　Simon　to　carry　it　up　to　Green　Angel　Tower　to　fight　the　Storm　King。
Another　dim　recollection　surfaced。　In　my　dream；　Leieth　said　that　the　sword　was　part　of　my　story。　Is　that　what　she　meant？　The　details　were　strangely　misty；　but　he　remembered　the　sad…faced　man　who　had　held　the　blade　across　his　lap　as　he　waited　for　something。　The　dragon？
　　　　　　　Simon　let　his　fingers　trail　away　from　the　cat's　back　and　down　Guthwulf's　arm　until　they　reached　Bright…Nail。　The　earl　moaned；　but　did　not　resist　as　Simon　gently　pried　his　fingers　away。　His　finger　reverently　traced　the　rough　shape　of　the　Nail；　bound　just　below　the　guard。　A　nail　from　the　Execution　Tree　of　holy　Usires！　And　some　sacred　relic　of　Saint　Eahlstan　was　sealed　inside　the　hollow　hilt；　he　remembered。　Prester　John's　sword。　It　was　astonishing　that　a　onetime　scullion　should　ever　touch　such　a　thing！
　　　　　　　Simon　curled　his　hand　around　the　hilt。　It　seemed　to　。。。　fit。　It　lay　in　his　hand　as　fortably　as　though　it　had　been　made　for　him。　All　other　thoughts　about　the　blade；　about　Guthwulf；　slid　away。　He　sat　in　the　dark　and　felt　the　sword　to　be　an　extension　of　his　own　arm；　of　himself。　He　stood；　ignoring　his　aching　muscles；　and　slashed　at　the　lightless　void　before　him。　A　moment　later；　horrified　at　the　thought　that　he　might　accidentally　strike　Bright…Nail　against　the　rock　wall　of　the　cavern　and　blunt　its　edge；　he　sat　down　again；　then　crawled　away　to　his　corner　of　the　cavern　and　stretched　out　on　the　stone；　clutching　the　sword　to　him　as　though　it　were　a　child。　The　metal　was　cold　where　it　touched　his　skin；　and　the　blade　was　sharp；　but　he　did　not　want　to　let　it　go。　Across　the　chamber；　Guthwulf　murmured　unfortably。
　　　　　　　
Some　time　had　passed；　although　Simon　did　not　know　whether　he　had　slept　or　not；　when　he　suddenly　became　aware　that　something　was　missing：　he　could　no　longer　hear　the　earl　breathing。　For　a　moment；　as　he　scrambled　across　the　uneven　floor；　he　clung　to　the　wild　hope　that　Guthwulf　had　grown　well　enough　to　leave　the　cavern；　but　the　presence　of　Bright…Nail　still　gripped　in　his　own　fingers　made　that　seem　very　unlikely：　the　blind　man　would　not　for　a　moment　allow　someone　else　to　have　his　blade。
　　　　　　　When　Simon　reached　Guthwulf；　the　earl's　skin　was　cool　as　river　clay。
　　　　　　　He　did　not　weep；　but　his　feeling　of　loss　was　great　His　sorrow　was　not　for　Guthwulf　the　man；　who　except　for　these　last　dreamlike　hours　or　days　he　had　only　known　as　a　fearsome　figure；　but　for　himself；　left　alone　once　more。
　　　　　　　Almost　alone。　Something　bumped　against　his　shin。　The　cat　seemed　to　be　trying　to　get　his　attention。　It　missed　its　panion；　Simon　felt　sure。　Perhaps　it　thought　that　somehow　he　could　wake　Guthwulf　where　it　had　failed。
　　　　　　　〃Sorry；〃　he　whispered；　running　his　fingers　down　its　back　and　gently　tugging　its　tail。　〃He's　gone　somewhere　else。　I'm　lonely；　too。〃
　　　　　　　Feeling　empty；　he　sat　for　a　moment　and　took　stock　of　things。　Now　he　had　no　choice　but　to　brave　the　mazy；　lightless　tunnels；　even　though　he　doubted　he　would　find　his　way　out　again　without　a　guide。　Two　times　he　had　stumbled　through　this　haunted　labyrinth；　each　time　followed　so　closely　by　death　that　he　heard　its　patient　footsteps　behind　him；　it　was　too　much　to　hope　that　he　would　be　lucky　again。　Still；　there　was　little　else　he　could　do。　Green　Angel　Tower　stood　somewhere　above；　and　Bright…Nail　must　be　carried　there。　If　Josua　and　the　others　had　not　brought　Thorn；　he　would　do　what　he　could；　although　it　would　doubtless　end　in　failure。　He　owed　that　much　to　all　those　who　had　sold　their　dear　lives　for　his　freedom。
　　　　　　　It　was　difficult　to　put　Bright…Nail　down…he　already　felt　a　little　of　Guthwutf's　possessiveness；　although　there　was　nothing　in　the　small　cavern　that　might　endanger　the　sword…but　he　could　acplish　little　with　it　clutched　in　his　hand。　He　leaned　it　against　one　of　the　walls；　then　proceeded　to　the　unpleasant　task　of　undressing　the　dead　earl。　When　he　had　removed　Guthwulf's　tattered　clothing　he　took　some　of　the　rags　scattered　about　the　cavern　and；　in　poor　imitation　of　the　priestly　labors　in　the　House　of　Preparing；　wrapped　the　body。　A　part　of　him　felt　ridiculous　for　going　to　such　lengths　for　a　man　who　had；　by　all　repute；　been　little…loved　in　his　life；　and　who　would　lie　here　alone　and　undiscovered　regardless；　but　Simon　felt　a　stubborn　urge　to　pay　the　blind　man　back。　Morgenes　and　Maegwin　had　given　their　lives　for　him；　and　they　had　been　given　no　memorial；　no　rites；　except　those　in　Simon's　own　heart。　Guthwulf　should　not　go　to　the　Fields　Beyond　unheralded。
When　he　had　finished；　he　stood。
〃Our　Lord　protect　you；〃　he　began；　struggling　to　remember　the　words　to　the　Prayer　for　the　Dead；
〃And　Usires　His　only　Son　lift　you　up。
May　you　be　carried　to　the　green　valleys
Of　His　domains；
Where　the　souls　of　the　good　and　righteous　sing　from
the　hilltops；
And　angels　are　in　the　trees；
Speaking　joy　with　God's　own　voice。。。。

　　　　　　　〃Thank　you；　Guthwutf；〃　he　said　when　the　prayer　was　done。　〃I'm　sorry　to　take　the　sword　away　from　you；　but　I'll　try　to　do　what　should　be　done。〃
　　　　　　　He　made　the　sign　of　the　Tree…hoping　that；　despite　the　darkness；　God　would　see　and　so　take　note　of　Guthwulf　when　at　last　the　earl　came　before　Him…then　he　pulled　on　Guthwulf's　clothing　and　boots。　A　year　before；　he　might　have　thought　twice　before　donning　a　dead　man's　garb；　but　Simon　had　walked　so　close　to　death　himself　that　he　was　now　all　practicality。　It　was　warm　and　safe　in　the　cavern；　but　who　knew　what　cold　winds；　what　sharp　stones。　awaited　him？
　　　　　　　As　he　drank　off　the　last　drops　in　the　water　bowl；　the　cat　nudged　his　leg　once　more。　〃You　can　e　with　me　or　stay　here；〃　he　told　it。　〃Your　choice。〃　He　took　up　Bright…Nail；　then　wrapped　a　rag　around　the　blade　just　below　the　hilt　and　tied　the　earl's　buckleless　belt　around　the　sword　and　his　waist　so　his　hands　would　be　free。　It　was　more　than　a　slight　relief　to　feel　it　against　him　once　more。
As　he　felt　his　way　toward　the　mouth　of　the　cavern　the　cat　was　at　his　feet；　twining　in　and　out　between　his　ankles。　〃You'll　trip　me；〃　he　said。　〃Stop　that。〃
He　edged　a　little　distance　along　the　passageway；　but　the　creature　was　between　his　legs　again　and　made　him　stumble。　He　reached　down　for　it；　then　laughed　hollowly　at　the　stupidity　of　trying　to　catch　a　cat　in　blind　darkness。　The　cat　moved　under　his　hand　and　then　slipped　away　in　the　opposite　direction。　Simon　paused。
〃That　way；　not　this　way？〃　he　said　aloud。　After　a　moment；　he　shrugged；　then　laughed　again。　Despite　all　the　horror　behind　him　and　before　him；　he　fell　curiously　free。　〃Very　well；　then；　I'll　follow　you　for　a　while。　Which　means　I'll　probably　wind　up　sitting　next　to　the　largest　rat　hole　in　Osten　Ard。〃
The　cat　bumped　him；　then　slipped　away　up　the　corridor。　Feeling　along　the　walls；　entirely　surrounded　by　darkness；　Simon　trailed　after　it。

　　　　　　　Yis…hadra　stopped　at　the　base　of　the　stairs　and　chimed　anxiously　to　her　husband。　Yis…fidri　replied。　They　bent　to　examine　the　cracked　stone　baluster。
　　　　　　　〃This　place；〃　Yis…fidri　sa