srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第12章

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ion　against　them。　But　first　we　must　wele　the　Lorewardens　of　the　Loresraat。　Corimini；　Eldest　of　the　Loresraat；　be　at　home　in　Lord's　Keep　with　all　your　people。　You　have　brought　the　great　school　of　lore　safely　to　Revelstone。　How　may　we　honor　you？〃
　　　　Corimini　rose　infirmly　to　his　feet　as　if　to　meet　the　High　Lord's　salutation；　but　the　diffusion　of　his　gaze　showed　that　his　mind　was　elsewhere。　〃Faer；〃　he　began　in　a　tremulous　old　voice；　〃Faer　begs　me　to　apologize　for　the　absence　of　Callindrill　her　husband。　He　will　be　unable　to　attend　the　Council。〃　Dislocation　gathered　in　his　tone　while　he　spoke；　and　his　voice　trailed　off　as　if　he　had　forgotten　what　he　meant　to　say。　Slowly；　his　thoughts　slipped　out　of　contact　with　his　situation。　As　he　stood　before　the　Council；　the　power　of　the　lore　which　had　preserved　him　for　so　long　from　the　effects　of　age　seemed　to　fail　within　him。　After　a　moment；　he　sat　down；　murmuring　aimlessly　to　himself；　wandering　in　his　mind　like　a　man　striving　to　prehend　a　language　he　no　longer　knew。　At　last　he　found　the　word；　〃Revelwood。〃　He　repeated　it　several　times；　searching　to　understand　it。　Softly　he　began　to　weep。
　　　　Tears　burned　the　backs　of　Mhoram's　eyes。　With　a　quick　gesture　he　sent　two　of　the　Lorewardens　to　Corimini's　aid。　They　lifted　him　from　his　seat　and　bore　him　between　them　up　the　stairs　toward　the　high　wooden　doors。　〃Take　him　to　the　Healers；〃　Mhoram　said　thickly。　〃Find　Peace　for　him。　He　has　served　the　Land　with　courage　and　devotion　and　wisdom　for　more　years　than　any　other　now　living。〃
　　　　The　Lords　came　to　their　feet；　and　at　once　all　the　people　in　the　Close　stood。　Together；　they　touched　their　right　hands　to　their　hearts；　then　extended　the　palms　toward　Corimini　in　a　traditional　salute。　〃Hail；　Corimini；〃　they　said；　〃Eldest　of　the　Loresraat。　Be　at　Peace。〃
　　　　The　two　Lorewardens　took　Corimini　from　the　Close；　and　the　doors　shut　behind　them。　Sadly；　the　people　in　the　galleries　reseated　themselves。　The　Lords　looked　toward　Mhoram　with　mourning　in　their　eyes；　and　Loerya　said　stiffly；　〃This　is　an　ill　omen。〃
　　　　Mhoram　gripped　himself　with　a　stern　hand。　〃All　omens　are　ill　in　these　times。　Despite　is　abroad　in　the　Land。　For　that　reason　we　are　Lords。　The　Land　would　not　require　us　if　there　were　no　harm　at　work　against　it。〃
　　　　Without　meeting　Mhoram's　gaze；　Amatin　replied；　〃If　that　is　our　purpose；　then　we　do　not　serve　it。''　Her　anger　and　pain　bined　to　give　her　a　tone　of　defiance。　She　held　her　palms　flat　on　the　table　and　watched　them　as　if　she　were　trying　to　push　them　through　the　stone。　〃Only　Callindrill　of　all　the　Lords　lifted　his　hand　in　Revelwood's　defense。　He　burned　in　my　place。''
　　　　'　'No！''　the　High　Lord　snapped　at　once。　He　had　hoped　to　deal　with　the　issues　before　the　Council　on　other　terms；　but　now　that　Amatin　had　spoken；　he　could　not　back　away。　〃No；　Lord　Amatin。　You　cannot　take　upon　your　shoulders　responsibility　for　the　death　of　Callindrill　Faer…mate。　He　died　in　his　own　place；　by　his　own　choice。　When　you　believed　that　you　were　no　longer　the　Lord　best　suited　to　watch　over　Revelwood；　you　expressed　your　belief　to　the　Council。　The　Council　accepted　your　belief　and　asked　Lord　Callindrill　to　take　that　burden　upon　himself。
　　　　〃At　the　same　time；　the　Council　decided　that　the　defenders　of　the　Land　should　not　spend　themselves　in　a　costly　and　bootless　battle　for　Revel…wood。〃　As　he　spoke；　the　tightness　around　his　eyes　expressed　how　hard；　how　poignantly　hard；　that　decision　had　been　to　make。　〃The　home　of　the　Loresraat　was　not　made　for　war；　and　could　not　be　well　defended。　The　Council　decided　for　the　sake　of　the　Land　that　we　must　save　our　strength；　put　it　to　its　best　use　here。　Callindrill　chose〃…the　authority　of　Mhoram's　tone　faltered　for　an　instant…〃Lord　Callindrill　Faer…mate　chose　otherwise。　There　is　no　blame　for　you　in　this。〃
　　　　He　saw　the　protest　in　her　eyes　and　hastened　to　answer　her。　He　did　not　want　to　hear　her　thought　uttered　aloud。　〃Further；　I　tell　you　that　there　is　no　blame　for　us　in　the　wisdom　or　folly；　victory　or　defeat；　of　the　way　we　have　elected　to　defend　the　Land。　We　are　not　the　Creators　of　the　Earth。　Its　final　end　is　not　on　our　heads。　We　are　creations；　like　the　Land　itself。　We　are　accountable　for　nothing　but　the　purity　of　our　service。　When　we　have　given　our　best　wisdom　and　our　utterest　strength　to　the　defense　of　the　Land；　then　no　voice　can　raise　accusation　against　us。　Life　or　death；　good　or　ill…victory　or　destruction…we　are　not　required　to　solve　these　riddles。　Let　the　Creator　answer　for　the　doom　of　his　creation。〃
　　　　Amatin　stared　at　him　hotly；　and　he　could　feel　her　probing　the　estranged；　secret　place　in　his　heart。　Speaking　barely　above　a　whisper；　she　said；　〃Do　you　blame　Callindrill　then？　There　is　no　'best　wisdom'　in　his　death。〃
　　　　The　misdirection　of　her　effort　to　understand　him　pained　the　High　Lord；　but　he　answered　her　openly。　〃You　are　not　deaf　to　me；　Lord　Amatin；　I　loved　Callindrill　Faer…mate　like　a　brother。　I　have　no　wisdom　or　strength　or　willingness　to　blame　him。〃
　　　　〃You　are　the　High　Lord。　What　does　your　wisdom　teach　you？〃
　　　　〃I　am　the　High　Lord；〃　Mhoram　affirmed　simply。　〃I　have　no　time　for　blame。〃
　　　　Abruptly；　Loerya　joined　the　probing。　〃And　if　there　is　no　Creator？　Or　if　the　creation　is　untended？〃
　　　　〃Then　who　is　there　to　reproach　us？　We　provide　the　meaning　of　our　own　lives。　If　we　serve　the　Land　purely　to　the　furthest　limit　of　our　abilities；　what　more　can　we　ask　of　ourselves？〃
　　　　Trevor　answered；　〃Victory；　High　Lord。　If　we　fail；　the　Land　itself　reproaches　us。　It　will　be　made　waste。　We　are　its　last　preservers。〃
　　　　The　force　of　this　thrust　smote　Mhoram。　He　found　that　he　still　lacked　the　courage　to　retort　nakedly；　Better　failure　than　desecration。　Instead；　he　turned　the　thrust　with　a　wry　smile　and　said；　〃The　last；　Lord　Trevor？　No。　The　Haruchai　yet　live　within　their　mountain　fastness。　In　their　way；　they　know　the　name　of　the　Earthpower　more　surely　than　any　Lord。　Ramen　and　Ranyhyn　yet　live。　Many　people　of　the　South　and　North　Plains　yet　live。　Many　of　the　Unfettered　yet　live。　Caerroil　Wildwood；　Forestal　of　Garroting　Deep；　has　not　passed　away。　And　somewhere　beyond　the　Sunbirth　Sea　is　the　homeland　of　the　Giants…yes；　and　of　the　Elohim　and　Bhrathair；　of　whom　the　Giants　sang。　They　will　resist　Lord　Foul's　hold　upon　the　Earth。〃
　　　　〃But　the　Land；　High　Lord！　The　Land　will　be　lost！　The　despiser　will　wrack　it　from　end　to　end。''
　　　　At　once；　Mhoram　breathed　intensely；　〃By　the　Seven！　Not　while　one　flicker　of　love　or　faith　remains　alive！〃
　　　　His　eyes　burned　into　Trevor's　until　the　Lord's　protest　receded。　Then　he　turned　to　Loerya。　But　in　her　he　could　see　the　disfortable　fear　for　her　daughters　at　work；　and　he　refrained　from　touching　her　torn　feelings。　Instead；　he　looked　toward　Amatin　and　was　relieved　to　see　that　much　of　her　anger　had　fallen　away。　She　regarded　him　with　an　expression　of　hope。　She　had　found　something　in　him　that　she　needed。　Softly；　she　said；　〃High　Lord；　you　have　discovered　a　way　in　which　we　may　act　against　this　doom。〃
　　　　The　High　Lord　tightened　his　hold　upon　himself。　〃There　is　a　way。〃　Raising　his　head；　he　addressed　all　the　people　in　the　Close。　〃My　friends；　Satansfist　Raver　has　burned　Revelwood。　Trothgard　is　now　in　his　hands。　Soon　he　will　begin　to　march　upon　us。　Scant　days　remain　before　the　siege　of　Revelstone　begins。　We　can　no　longer　delay。''　The　gold　in　his　eyes　flared　as　he　said；　〃We　must　attempt　to　summon　the　Unbeliever。〃
　　　　At　this；　a　stark　silence　filled　the　Close。　Mhoram　could　feel　waves　of　surprise　and　excitement　and　dread　pouring　down　on　him　from　the　galleries。　Warmark　Quaan's　passionate　objection　struck　across　his　shoulders。　But　he　waited　in　the　silence　until　Lord　Loerya　found　her　voice　to　say；　〃That　is　impossible。　The　Staff　of　Law　has　been　lost。　We　have　no　means　for　such　a　summoning。〃　The　soft　timbre　of　her　voice　barely　covered　its　hard　core。
　　　　Still　Mhoram　waited；　looking　toward　the　other　Lords　for　answers　to　Loerya's　claim。　After　a　long　moment；　Trevor　said　hesitantly；　〃But　the　Law　of　Death　has　been　broken。〃
　　　　〃And　if　the　Staff　has　been　destroyed；〃　Amatin　added　quickly；　〃then　the　Earthpower　which　it　held　and　focused　has　been　released　upon　the　Land。　Perhaps　it　is　accessible　to　us。〃
　　　　〃And　we　must　make　the　attempt；〃　said　Mhoram。　〃For　good　or　ill；　the　Unb