srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第110章

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　　　　He　had　eyes　like　fangs；　carious　and　yellow…fangs　so　vehement　in　malice　that　they　froze　Foamfollower's　voice；　gagging　him　on　the　encouragement　he　had　tried　to　shout　for　Covenant's　sake。
　　　　〃Be　silent；〃　Lord　Foul　said　venomously；　〃or　I　will　roast　you　before　your　time。〃
　　　　Foamfollower　obeyed　without　volition。　He　gaped　as　if　he　were　choking　on　ice　and　watched　with　helpless　passion　in　his　throat。
　　　　The　Despiser's　eyes　blinked　in　satisfaction。　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　Covenant。
　　　　Covenant　had　been　knocked　from　his　feet　by　Lord　Foul's　blow；　and　he　knelt　now　with　his　shackled　hands　covering　his　face　in　a　gesture　of　the　most　plete　abjection。　His　fingers　seemed　entirely　numb；　they　pressed　blindly　against　his　face；　as　incapable　as　dead　sticks　of　exploring　his　injury；　of　even　identifying　the　dampness　of　his　blood。　But　he　could　feel　the　disease　gnawing　at　his　nerves　as　if　Lord　Foul's　presence　amplified　it；　made　the　senseless　erosion　tangible；　and　he　knew　that　his　leprosy　was　in　full　career　now；　that　the　fragile　arrest　on　which　his　life　depended　had　been　broken。　Illness　reached　down　into　his　soul　like　tendrils　of　affectlessness；　searching　like　tree　roots　in　a　rock　for　cracks；　flaws；　at　which　the　rock　could　be　split　asunder。　He　was　as　weak　and　weary　as　any　nightmare　could　make　him　without　causing　the　labor　of　his　heart　to　stop。
　　　　But　when　he　lowered　his　bloodied　hands…when　the　swift　poison　of　Foul's　touch　made　his　lip　blacken　and　swell　so　acutely　that　he　could　no　longer　bear　to　touch　it…when　he　looked　up　again　toward　the　Despiser；　he　was　not　abject。　He　was　unbeaten。
　　　　Damn　you；　he　muttered　dimly。　Damn　you。　It's　not　that　easy。　　Deliberately；　he　closed　his　fingers　of　his　halfhand　around　his　ring。
　　　　The　Despiser's　eyes　raged　at　him；　but　Lord　Foul　controlled　himself　to　say　in　a　sneering；　fatherly　tone；　〃e；　Unbeliever。　Do　not　prolong　this　unpleasantness。　You　know　that　you　cannot　stand　against　me。　In　my　own　name　I　am　wholly　your　superior。　And　I　possess　the　Illearth　Stone。　I　can　blast　the　moon　in　its　course；　pel　the　oldest　dead　from　their　deep　graves；　spread　ruin　at　my　whim。　Without　effort　I　can　tear　every　fiber　of　your　being　from　its　moor　and　scatter　the　wreck　of　your　soul　across　the　heavens。〃
　　　　Then　do　it；　Covenant　muttered。
　　　　〃Yet　I　choose　to　forbear。　I　do　not　purpose　harm　against　you。　Only　place　your　ring　in　my　hand；　and　all　your　torment　will　be　at　an　end。　It　is　a　small　price　to　pay；　Unbeliever。〃
　　　　It's　not　that　easy。
　　　　〃And　I　am　not　powerless　to　reward　you。　If　you　wish　to　share　my　rule　over　the　Land；　I　will　permit　you。　You　will　find　I　am　not　an　uncongenial　master。　If　you　wish　to　preserve　the　life　of　your　friend　Foamfollower；　I　will　not　demur…though　he　has　offended　me。〃　Foamfollower　thrashed　in　his　chains；　struggled　to　protest；　but　he　could　not　speak。　〃If　you　wish　health；　that　also　I　can　and　will　provide。　Behold！〃
　　　　He　waved　one　penumbral　arm；　and　a　ripple　of　distortion　passed　over　Covenant's　senses。　At　once；　feeling　flooded　back　into　his　hands　and　feet；　his　nerves　returned　to　life　in　an　instant。　While　they　flourished；　all　his　distress…all　pain　and　hunger　and　weakness…sloughed　off　him。　His　body　seemed　to　crow　with　triumphant　life。
　　　　He　was　unmoved。　He　found　his　voice；　breathed　wearily　through　his　teeth。　〃Health　isn't　my　problem。　You're　the　one　who　teaches　lepers　to　hate　themselves。〃
　　　　〃Groveler！〃　Lord　Foul　snapped。　Without　transition；　Covenant　became　leprous　and　starved　again。　〃You　are　on　your　knees　to　me！　I　will　make　you　plead　for　the　veriest　fragments　of　life！　Do　lepers　hate　themselves？　Then　they　are　wise。　I　will　teach　you　the　true　stature　of　hatred！〃
　　　　For　a　moment；　the　Despiser's　own　immitigable　hate　gouged　down　at　Covenant　from　his　carious　eyes；　and　Covenant　braced　himself　for　an　onslaught。　But　then　Lord　Foul　began　to　laugh。　His　scorn　shone　from　him；　shook　the　air　of　the　thronehall　like　the　sound　of　great　boulders　crushing　each　other；　made　even　the　hard　stone　of　the　floor　seem　as　insidious　as　a　quagmire。　And　when　he　subsided；　he　said；　〃You　are　a　dead　man　before　me；　groveler…as　crippled　of　life　as　any　corpse。　Yet　you　refuse　me。　You　refuse　health；　mastery；　even　friendship。　I　am　interested…I　am　forbearant。　I　will　allow　you　time　to　think　better　of　your　madness。　Tell　me　why　you　are　so　rife　with　folly。〃
　　　　Covenant　did　not　hesitate。　〃Because　I　loathe　you。〃
　　　　〃That　is　no　reason。　Many　men　believe　that　they　loathe　me　because　they　are　too　craven　to　despise　stupidity；　foolhardiness；　pretension；　subservience。　I　am　not　misled。　Tell　me　why；　groveler。〃
　　　　〃Because　I　love　the　Land。〃
　　　　〃Oh；　forsooth！〃　Lord　Foul　jeered。　〃I　cannot　believe　that　you　are　so　anile。　The　Land　is　not　your　world…it　has　no　claim　upon　your　small　fidelity。　From　the　first；　it　has　tormented　you　with　demands　you　could　not　meet；　honor　you　could　not　earn。　You　portray　yourself　as　a　man　who　is　faithful　unto　death　in　the　name　of　a　fashion　of　apparel　or　an　accident　of　diet…loyal　to　filthy　robes　and　sand。　No；　groveler。　I　an　unconvinced。　Again；　I　say；　tell　me　why。〃　He　pronounced　his　why　as　if　with　that　one　syllable　he　could　make　Covenant's　entire　edifice　founder。
　　　　The　Land　is　beautiful；　Covenant　breathed　to　himself。　You're　ugly。　For　a　time；　he　felt　too　weary　to　respond。　But　at　last　he　brought　out　his　answer。
　　　　〃Because　I　don't　believe。〃
　　　　〃No？〃　the　Despiser　shouted　with　glee。　〃Still？〃　His　laughter　expressed　perfect　contempt。　〃Groveler；　you　are　pathetic　beyond　price。　Almost　I　am　persuaded　to　keep　you　at　my　side。　You　would　be　a　jester　to　lighten　my　burdens。〃　Still　he　catechized　Covenant。　〃How　is　it　possible　that　you　can　loathe　or　love　where　you　do　not　believe？〃
　　　　〃Nevertheless。〃
　　　　〃How　is　it　possible　to　disbelieve　where　you　loathe　or　love？〃
　　　　〃Still。〃
　　　　Lord　Foul　laughed　again。　〃Do　my　ears　betray　me？　Do　you…after　my　Enemy　has　done　all　within　his　power　to　sway　you…do　you　yet　believe　that　this　is　a　dream？〃
　　　　〃It　isn't　real。　But　that　doesn't　matter。　That's　not　important。〃
　　　　〃Then　what　is；　groveler？〃
　　　　〃The　Land。　You。〃
　　　　Once　more；　the　Despiser　laughed。　But　his　mirth　was　short　and　vicious　now；　he　sounded　disturbed；　as　if　there　were　something　in　Covenant　which　he　could　not　understand。　〃The　Land　and　Unbelief；〃　he　jeered。　〃You　poor；　deranged　soul！　You　cannot　have　both。　They　preclude　each　other。〃
　　　　But　Covenant　knew　better；　after　all　that　he　had　been　through；　he　knew　better。　Only　by　affirming　them　both；　accepting　both　poles　of　the　contradiction；　keeping　them　both　whole；　balanced；　only　by　steering　himself　not　between　them　but　with　them；　could　he　preserve　them　both；　preserve　both　the　Land　and　himself；　find　the　place　where　the　parallel　lines　of　his　impossible　dilemma　met。　The　eye　of　the　paradox。　In　that　place　lay　the　reason　why　the　Land　had　happened　to　him。　So　he　said　nothing　as　he　stared　up　at　the　blank　shadow　and　the　emerald　aura　and　the　incalculable　might　of　the　Despiser。　But　in　himself；　he　gritted；　No　they　don't；　Foul。　You're　wrong。　It's　not　that　easy。　If　it　were　easy；　I　would　have　found　it　long　ago。
　　　　〃But　I　grow　weary　of　your　stupid　assertions；〃　Lord　Foul　went　on　after　a　moment。　〃My　patience　is　not　infinite。　And　there　are　other　questions　I　wish　to　ask。　I　will　set　aside　the　matter　of　your　entry　into　my　demesne。　It　is　a　small　matter；　easily　explained。　In　some　manner　unknown　to　me；　you　suborned　a　number　of　my　chattel；　so　that　twice　I　received　false　reports　of　your　death。　But　set　it　aside。　I　will　flay　the　very　souls　from　their　bones；　and　learn　the　truth。　Answer　this　question；　groveler。〃　He　moved　closer　to　Covenant；　and　the　intensity　of　his　voice　told　Covenant　that　the　Despiser　had　reached　the　heart　of　his　probing。　〃This　wild　magic　is　not　a　part　of　your　world。　It　violates　your　Unbelief。　How　can　you　use　this　power　in　which　you　do　not　believe？〃
　　　　There　Covenant　found　the　explanation　of　Lord　Foul's　forbearance。　The　Despiser　had　spent　his　time　interrogating　Covenant　rather　than　simply　ripping　the　fingers　off　his　hand　to　take　the　ring　because　he；　Lord　Foul；　feared　that　Covenant　had　secretly　mastered　the　wild　magic…that　he　had　concealed　his　power；　risked　death　in　the　Spoiled　Plains　and　Hotash　Slay　and　Kurash　Qwellinir；　permitted　himself　to　be　taken　captive；　so　that　he　could　surprise