srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第39章

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ad　not　been　made　of　black　stone。　As　it　was；　the　chamber　was　warm　and　evocative；　it　seemed　a　fit　place　for　a　seer　to　read　the　writing　graved　within　the　heart　of　the　mountain。
　　　　At　the　mouth　of　the　chamber；　Triock　and　Quirrel　shed　their　packs　and　cloaks；　opened　their　ice…stiff　inner　garments　to　the　warmth。　Then　they　took　their　first　clear　look　at　their　rescuer。　He　was　bald　except　for　a　white　fringe　at　the　back　of　his　head；　and　his　mouth　hid　in　a　gnarled　white　beard。　His　eyes　were　so　heavily　couched　in　wrinkles　that　he　seemed　to　have　spent　generations　squinting　at　illegible　munications；　and　this　impression　of　age　was　both　confirmed　by　the　old　pallor　of　his　skin　and　denied　by　the　upright　strength　of　his　frame。　Now　Triock　could　see　that　his　robe　had　been　white　at　one　time。　It　had　gained　its　dull　granite　color　from　long　years　of　contact　with　the　cave　walls。
　　　　In　his　home；　he　seemed　even　more　disturbed　by　the　Stonedownors。　His　eyes　flicked　fearful　and　surprised　glances　at　them…not　as　if　he　considered　them　evil；　but　rather　as　if　he　distrusted　their　clumsiness；　as　if　his　life　lay　in　fragile　sections　on　the　floor　and　might　be　broken　by　their　feet。
　　　　〃I　have　little　food；〃　he　said　as　he　watched　the　puddles　which　Triock　and　Quirrel　left　behind。　〃Food　also…I　have　no　time　for　it。〃　But　then　an　old　memory　seemed　to　pass　across　his　face…a　recollection　that　the　people　of　the　Land　did　not　treat　their　guests　in　this　way。　Triock　felt　suddenly　sure　that　the　One　had　been　living　in　this　cave　before　he；　Triock；　was　born。　〃I　am　not　accustomed；〃　the　man　went　on　as　if　he　felt　he　should　explain　himself。　〃One　life　does　not　suffice。　When　I　found　I　could　not　refuse　succor　to　the　Wraiths…much　time　was　lost。　They　repay　me　as　they　can；　but　much…　much…　How　can　I　live　to　the　end　of　my　work？　You　are　costly　to　me。　Food　itself　is　costly。〃
　　　　As　Triock　recovered　himself　in　the　cave's　mouth；　he　remembered　his　message　to　the　Lords；　and　his　face　tightened　into　its　familiar　frown。　〃The　Gray　Slayer　is　costly；〃　he　replied　grimly。
　　　　His　statement　disconcerted　the　Unfettered　One。　〃Yes；''　he　mumbled。　Bending　quickly；　he　picked　up　a　large　flask　of　water　and　a　covered　urn　containing　dried　fruit。　〃Take　all　you　require；〃　he　said　as　he　handed　these　to　Triock。　〃I　have…I　have　seen　some　of　the　Despiser's　work。　Here。〃　He　gestured　vaguely　at　the　walls　of　his　cave。
　　　　There　was　little　fruit　in　the　urn；　but　Triock　and　Quirrel　divided　it　between　them。　As　he　munched　his　share；　Triock　found　he　felt　a　great　deal　better。　Although　the　meager　amount　of　food　hardly　touched　his　hunger；　his　skin　seemed　to　be　absorbing　nourishment　as　well　as　warmth　from　the　Wraith　light。　And　the　radiance　of　the　flames　affected　him　in　other　ways　also。　Gradually　the　numbness　of　frostbite　faded　from　his　fingers　and　toes　ears；　blood　and　health　flowed　back　into　them　as　if　they　had　been　treated　with　hurtloam。　Even　the　habitual　sourness　which　galled　his　mouth　seemed　to　decline。
　　　　But　his　mission　remained　clear　to　him。　When　he　was　sure　that　Quirrel　had　regained　her　stability；　he　asked　her　to　go　a　short　way　out　of　the　tunnel　to　stand　guard。
　　　　She　responded　tightly；　〃Will　pursuit　e　even　here？〃
　　　　〃Who　can　say？〃　The　Unfettered　One　did　not　appear　to　be　listening；　so　Triock　went　on：　〃But　we　must　have　this　One's　aid…and　I　fear　he　will　not　be　persuaded　easily。　We　must　not　be　surprised　here　with　the　message　unattempted。〃
　　　　Quirrel　nodded；　approving　his　caution　though　she　clearly　believed　that　no　pursuit　could　have　followed　them　through　the　blizzard。　Without　delay；　she　collected　her　cloak　and　weapons　and　moved　away　down　the　cave　until　she　was　out　of　sight　beyond　the　first　bend。
　　　　The　Unfettered　One　watched　her　go　with　a　question　in　his　face。
　　　　〃She　will　stand　guard　while　we　talk；〃　Triock　answered。
　　　　〃Do　we　require　guarding？　There　are　no　ill　creatures　in　these　mountains…in　this　winter。　The　animals　do　not　intrude。〃
　　　　''　Foes　pursue　me；〃　said　Triock。　〃　I　bear　my　own　ill…and　the　Land'　s　need。〃　But　there　he　faltered　and　fell　silent。　For　the　first　time；　he　realized　the　immensity　of　his　situation。　He　was　face　to　face　with　an　Unfettered　One　and　Wraiths。　In　this　cave；　acpanied　by　dancing　flames；　the　One　studied　secret　lores　which　might　have　amazed　even　the　Lords。　Awe　crowded　forward　in　Triock；　his　own　audacity　daunted　him。　〃Unfettered　One；〃　he　mumbled；　〃lore…servant…I　do　not　intrude　willingly。　You　are　beyond　me。　Only　the　greatness　of　the　need　drives…〃
　　　　〃I　have　saved　your　life；''　the　One　said　brusquely。　〃I　know　nothing　of　other　needs。〃
　　　　〃Then　I　must　tell　you。〃　Triock　gathered　himself　and　began；　〃The　Gray　Slayer　is　abroad　in　the　Land…〃
　　　　The　tall　man　forestalled　him。　〃I　know　my　work。　I　was　given　the　Rites　of　Unfettering　when　Tamarantha　was　Staff…Elder　of　the　Loresraat；　and　know　nothing　else。　Except　for　the　intrusion　of　the　Wraiths…except…　which　I　could　not　refuse…I　have　devoted　my　meager　flesh　here；　so　that　I　might　work　my　work　and　see　what　no　eyes　have　seen　before。　I　know　nothing　else…no；　not　even　how　the　Wraiths　came　to　be　driven　from　Andelain；　though　they　speak　of　ur…viles　and…　Such　talk　intrudes。〃
　　　　Triock　was　amazed。　He　had　not　known　that　Tamarantha　Variol…mate　had　ever　been　Staff…Elder　of　the　Loresraat；　but　such　a　time　must　have　been　decades　before　Prothall　became　High　Lord　at　Revelstone。　This　Unfettered　One　must　have　been　out　of　touch　with　all　the　Land　for　the　past　four…　or　five…score　years。　Thickly；　awefully；　Triock　said；　〃Unfettered　One；　what　is　your　work？〃
　　　　A　grimace　of　distaste　for　explanations　touched　the　man's　face。　〃Words…　I　do　not　speak　of　it。　Words　falter。〃　Abruptly；　he　moved　to　the　wall　and　touched　one　of　the　stone　facets　gently；　as　if　he　were　caressing　it。　〃Stone　is　alive。　Do　you　see　it？　You　are　Stonedownor…do　you　see　it？　Yes；　alive…alive　and　alert。　Attentive。　Everything…everything　which　transpires　upon　or　within　the　Earth　is　seen…beheld…by　the　Earthrock。〃　As　he　spoke；　enthusiasm　came　over　him。　Despite　his　awkwardness；　he　could　not　stop　once　he　had　begun。　His　head　leaned　close　to　the　stone　until　he　was　peering　deeply　into　its　flat　blackness。　〃But　the…the　process…the　action　of　this　seeing　is　slow。　Lives　like　mine　are　futilely　swift…　Time…time！…is　consumed　as　the　seeing　spreads…from　the　outer　surfaces　inward。　And　this　time　varies。　Some　veins　pass　their　perception　in　to　the　mountain　roots　in　millennia。　Others　require　millennia　of　millennia。
　　　　〃Here〃…he　gestured　around　him　without　moving　from　where　he　stood…〃can　be　seen　the　entire　ancient　history　of　the　Land。　For　one　whose　work　is　to　see。　In　these　myriad　facets　are　a　myriad　perceptions　of　all　that　has　occurred。　All！
　　　　〃It　is　my　work　to　see…and　to　discover　the　order…and　to　preserve…　so　that　the　whole　life　of　the　Land　may　be　known。〃
　　　　As　he　spoke；　a　tremor　of　passion　shook　the　Unfettered　One's　breathing。
　　　　〃Since　the　ing　of　the　Wraiths；　I　have　studied　the　fate　of　the　One　Forest。　I　have　seen　it　since　the　first　seed　grew　to　bee　the　great　Tree。　I　have　seen　its　awakening…its　awareness…the　peaceful　munion　of　its　Land…spanning　consciousness。　I　have　seen　Forestals　born　and　slain。　I　have　seen　the　Colossus　of　the　Fall　exercise　its　interdict。　The　hand　of　the　Forest　is　upon　me。　Here''…his　hands　touched　the　facet　into　which　he　stared　as　if　the　stone　were　full　of　anguish…〃I　see　men　with　axes…men　of　the　ground　with　blades　formed　from　the　bones　of　the　ground…I　see　them　cut…！〃
　　　　His　voice　trembled　vividly。　〃I　am　Woodhelvennin。　In　this　rock　I　see　the　desecration　of　trees。　You　are　Stonedownor。　You　bear　a　rare　fragment　of　High　Wood；　precious　lomillialor〃
　　　　Suddenly；　he　turned　from　the　wall　and　confronted　Triock　with　a　flush　or　urgent　fervor；　almost　of　desperation；　in　his　old　face。''　Give　it　to　me！〃　he　begged。　〃It　will　help　me　see。〃　He　came　forward　until　his　eager　hands　nearly　touched　Triock's　chest。　〃My　life　is　not　the　equal　of　this　rock。〃
　　　　Triock　did　not　need　to　think　or　speak。　If　Covenant　himself　had　been　standing　at　his　back；　he　would　not　have　acted　differently；　he　could　not　distrust　an　Unfettered　One　any　more　than　he　could　have　distrusted　a　Lord。
　　　　Without　hesitation；　he　drew　out　the　High　Wood　rod　and　placed　it　in　the　tall　man's　hands。　Then；　very　quietly；　he　said；　〃The　foes　who　pursue　me　also　seek