srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第59章

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　　　　But　once　again　he　could　not　locate　the　tormented　Gravelingas。　Trell　must　have　secreted　himself　somewhere。　Mhoram　found　no　trace；　felt　no　emanation；　and　none　of　the　other　rhadhamaerl　had　seen　the　big　Stonedownor　recently。　Mhoram　ached　at　the　thought　of　Trell　in　hiding；　gnawing　in　cataleptic　isolation　the　infested　meat　of　his　anguishes。　Yet　the　High　Lord　could　not　afford　either　the　time　or　the　energy　to　dredge　all　Revelstone's　private　places　for　the　sake　of　one　embittered　Gravelingas。　Before　he　had　pleted　even　a　cursory　search；　he　was　distracted　by　a　group　of　Lorewardens　who　had　irrationally　decided　to　go　and　negotiate　a　peace　with　the　Raver。　Once　again；　he　was　pelled　to　put　aside　the　question　of　Trell　Atiaran…mate。
　　　　On　the　twenty…fourth　day；　Lord　Trevor　forsook　his　duties　altogether。
　　　　He　sealed　himself　in　his　study　like　a　penitent；　and　refused　all　food　and　drink。　Loerya　could　get　no　response　from　him；　and　when　the　High　Lord　spoke　to　him；　he　said　nothing　except　that　he　wished　his　wife　and　daughters　to　have　his　ration　of　food。
　　　　〃Now　even　I　am　a　cause　of　pain　to　him；''　Loerya　murmured　with　hot　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃Because　I　have　given　some　of　my　food　to　my　daughters；　he　believes　that　he　is　an　insufficient　husband　and　father；　and　must　sacrifice　himself。''　She　gave　Mhoram　one　desperate　glance；　like　a　woman　trying　to　judge　the　cost　of　abdication；　then　hurried　away　before　he　could　reply。
　　　　On　the　twenty…fifth　day；　Lord　Amatin　strode　up　to　Mhoram　and　demanded　without　preface　or　explanation　that　he　reveal　to　her　his　secret　knowledge。
　　　　〃Ah；　Amatin；〃　he　sighed；　〃are　you　so　eager　for　burdens？〃
　　　　She　turned　at　once　and　walked　fragilely　away　as　if　he　had　betrayed　her。
　　　　When　he　went　to　stand　his　solitary　watch　on　the　tower；　a　dull　vermeil　mood　was　on　him；　and　he　felt　that　he　had　in　fact　betrayed　her；　he　had　withheld　dangerous　knowledge　from　her　as　if　he　judged　her　unable　to　bear　it。　Yet　nowhere　in　his　heart　could　he　find　the　courage　to　give　his　fellow　Lords　the　key　to　the　Ritual　of　Desecration。　That　key　had　a　lurid；　entrancing　weight。　It　urged　him　to　rage　at　Trevor；　pummel　the　pain　from　Loerya's　face；　shake　Amatin's　frail　shoulders　until　she　understood；　call　down　fire　from　the　hidden　puissance　of　the　skies　on　Satansfist's　head…and　refused　to　let　him　speak。
　　　　On　the　twenty…seventh　day；　the　first　of　the　storerooms　was　emptied。　Together；　the　chief　cook　and　the　most　experienced　Healer　reported　to　Mhoram　that　the　cold　and　infirm　would　begin　to　die　of　hunger　in　a　few　days。
　　　　When　he　went　to　his　chambers　to　rest；　he　felt　too　cold　to　sleep。　Despite　the　warm　graveling；　Lord　Foul's　winter　reached　through　the　stone　walls　at　him　as　if　the　gray；　unfaltering　wind　were　tuned　to　his　most　vulnerable　resonances。　He　lay　wide…eyed　on　his　pallet　like　a　man　in　a　fever　of　helplessness　and　imminent　despair。
　　　　The　next　night　he　was　snatched　off　his　bed　shortly　after　midnight　by　the　sudden　thrill　of　trepidation　which　raced　through　the　walls　like　a　flame　in　the　extreme　tinder　of　the　Keep'　s　anticipation。　He　was　on　his　way　before　any　summons　could　reach　him；　with　his　staff　clenched　whitely　in　his　hand；　he　hastened　toward　the　highest　eastward　battlements　of　the　main　Keep。　He　focused　on　Quaan's　dour　presence；　found　the　Warmark　on　a　balcony　overlooking　the　watchtower　and　the　night　soot　of　Satansfist's　army。
　　　　As　Mhoram　joined　him；　Quaan　pointed　one　rigid　arm　like　an　indictment　away　toward　the　east。　But　the　High　Lord　did　not　need　Quaan's　gesture；　the　sight　seemed　to　spring　at　him　out　of　the　darkness　like　a　bright　abomination　on　the　wind。
　　　　Running　from　the　east　toward　Revelstone　was　a　rift　in　the　clouds；　a　break　that　stretched　out　to　the　north　and　south　as　far　as　Mhoram　could　see。　The　rift　appeared　wide；　assertive；　but　the　clouds　behind　it　were　as　impenetrable　as　ever。
　　　　It　was　so　clearly　visible　because　through　it　streamed　light　as　green　as　the　frozen　essence　of　emerald。
　　　　Its　brightness　made　it　seem　swift；　but　it　moved　like　a　slow；　ineluctable　tide　across　the　ice…blasted　fields　beyond　the　foothills。　Its　green；　radiant　swath　swept　like　a　blaze　of　wrong　over　the　ground；　igniting　invisible　contours　into　brilliance　and　then　quenching　them　again。　Mhoram　watched　it　in　stunned　silence　as　it　lit　the　Raver's　army　and　rushed　on　into　the　foothills　of　the　plateau。　Like　a　tsunami　of　malignant　scorn；　it　rolled　upward　and　broke　across　the　Keep。
　　　　People　screamed　when　they　saw　the　full　emerald　moon　leering　evilly　at　them　through　the　rift。　The　High　Lord　himself　flinched；　raised　his　staff　as　if　to　ward　off　a　nightmare。　For　a　horrific　moment　while　the　rift　moved；　Lord　Foul's　moon　dominated　the　clear；　starless　abysm　of　the　sky　like　an　incurable　wound；　a　maiming　of　the　very　Law　of　the　heavens。　Emerald　radiance　covered　everything；　drowned　every　heart　and　drenched　Revel…stone's　every　upraised　rock　in　the　tic；　green　defeat。
　　　　Then　the　rift　passed；　sick　light　slid　away　into　the　west。　Lord's　Keep　sank　like　a　broken　sea…cliff　into　irreparable　night。
　　　　〃Melenkurion！〃　Quaan　panted　as　if　he　were　suffocating。　〃Melenkurion！〃
　　　　Slowly；　Mhoram　realized　that　he　was　grimacing　like　a　cornered　madman。　But　while　the　darkness　crashed　and　echoed　around　him；　he　could　not　relax　his　features；　the　contortion　clung　to　his　face　like　the　grin　of　a　skull。　A　long；　taut　time　seemed　to　pass　before　he　thought　to　peer　through　the　night　at　Satansfist's　army。
　　　　When　at　last　he　pelled　himself　to　look；　he　saw　that　the　army　had　e　to　life。　It　sloughed　off　its　uneasy　repose　and　began　to　seethe；　bristling　in　the　darkness　like　reanimated　lust。
　　　　〃Ready　the　Warward；〃　he　said；　fighting　an　unwonted　tremor　in　his　rough　voice。　〃The　Raver　has　been　given　his　sign。　He　will　attack。〃
　　　　With　an　effort；　Warmark　Quaan　brought　himself　back　under　control　and　left　the　balcony；　shouting　orders　as　he　moved。
　　　　Mhoram　hugged　his　staff　to　his　chest　and　breathed　deeply；　heavily。　At　first；　the　air　shuddered　in　his　lungs；　and　he　could　not　pull　the　grimace　off　his　face。　But　slowly　he　untied　his　muscles；　turned　his　tension　into　other　channels。　His　thoughts　gathered　themselves　around　the　defense　of　the　Keep。
　　　　Calling　on　the　Hearthralls　and　the　other　Lords　to　join　him；　he　went　to　the　tower　to　watch　what　samadhi　Raver　was　doing。
　　　　There；　in　the　pany　of　the　two　shaken　sentries；　he　could　follow　the　Raver's　movements。　Satansfist　held　his　fragment　of　the　Illearth　Stone　blazing　aloft；　an　oriflamme　of　gelid　fire；　and　its　stark　green　illumination　revealed　him　clearly　as　he　moved　among　his　forces；　barking　orders　in　a　hoarse；　alien　tongue。　Without　haste　he　gathered　ur…viles　about　him　until　their　midnight　forms　spread　out　under　his　light　like　a　lake　of　black　water。　Then　he　forged　them　into　two　immense　wedges；　one　on　either　side　of　him；　with　their　tips　at　his　shoulders；　facing　Revelstone。　In　the　garish　Stone　light；　the　loremasters　looked　like　roynish；　pact　power；　fatal　and　eager。　Waves　of　other　creatures　fanned　out　beyond　them　on　either　side　as　they　began　to　approach　the　Keep。
　　　　Following　the　Raver's　fire；　they　moved　deliberately　straight　out　of　the　southeast　toward　the　knuckled　and　clenched　gates　at　the　base　of　the　watchtower。
　　　　High　Lord　Mhoram　tightened　his　grip　on　his　staff　and　tried　to　prepare　himself　for　whatever　might　happen。
　　　　At　his　back；　he　felt　Lord　Amatin　and　Hearthrall　Borillar　arrive；　followed　shortly　by　Tohrm　and　then　Quaan。　Without　taking　his　eyes　off　Satansfist's　approach；　the　Warmark　reported。
　　　　〃I　have　ordered　two　Howard　into　the　tower。　More　would　serve　no　purpose…they　would　block　each　other。　Half　are　archers。　They　are　good　warriors；''　he　added　unnecessarily；　as　if　to　reassure　himself；　〃and　all　their　Hafts　and　Warhafts　are　veterans　of　the　war　against　Fleshharrower。
　　　　''　The　archers　bear　lor…liarill　shafts。　They　will　begin　at　your　signal。''
　　　　Mhoram　nodded　his　approval。　〃Tell　half　the　archers　to　strike　when　the　Raver　enters　arrow　range。　Hold　the　rest　for　my　signal。〃
　　　　The　Warmark　turned　to　deliver　these　instructions；　but　Mhoram　abruptly　caught　his　arm。　A　chill　tightened　the　High　Lord's　scalp　as　he　said；　〃Place　more　archers　upon　the　battlements　above　the　court　of　the　Gilden。　If　by　some　great　ill　Satansfist　breaches　the　gates；　the　de