srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第112章

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　In　dreams　he　wandered　like　one　of　the　lore　who　had　improvidently　braved　Damelon's　Door　in　search　of　Earthroot…he　could　hear　shrill；　stricken　wails　of　loss　as　if　he　were　crying　for　his　panions；　crying　for　himself…and　he　awoke　to　a　plete　confusion。　The　darkness　made　him　think　that　someone　had　pulled　the　fuses　of　his　house　while　he　lay　bleeding　and　helpless　on　the　floor　beside　his　coffee　table。　Numbly；　he　groped　for　the　receiver　of　the　telephone；　hoping　that　Joan　had　not　yet　hung　up　on　him。　But　then　his　fumbling　fingers　recognized　the　texture　of　stone。　With　a　choked　groan；　he　sprang　to　his　feet　in　the　midnight　under　Melenkurion　Skyweir。
　Almost　at　once；　the　Staff　flamed。　In　the　blue　light；　Elena　arose　to　catch　him　with　her　free　arm　and　clasp　him　tightly。　〃Beloved！〃　she　murmured。　〃Ah；　beloved。　Hold　fast。　I　am　here。〃　He　hugged　her　achingly；　pressed　his　face　into　her　sweet　hair　until　he　could　still　his　pain；
　regain　his　self…mand。　Then　he　slowly　released　her。　He　strove　to　express　his　thanks　with　a　smile；　but　it　broke　and　fell　into　pieces　in　his　face。　In　a　raw；　rasping　voice；　he　said；　〃Where　are　we？〃
　Behind　him；　Amok　fluted；　〃We　stand　in　the　Aisle　of　Approach。　Soon　we　will　gain　Earthrootstair。〃
　〃What〃…Covenant　tried　to　clear　his　head…〃what　time　is　it？〃
　〃Time　has　no　measure　under　Melenkurion　Skyweir；〃　the　youth　replied　imperviously。
　〃Oh；　bloody　hell。〃　Covenant　groaned　at　the　echo　he　heard　in　Amok's　answer。　He　had　been　told　too　often　that　white　gold　was　the　crux　of　the　arch　of　Time。
　Elena　came　to　his　relief。　〃The　sun　has　risen　to　midmorning；〃　she　said。　〃This　is　the　thirty…third　day　of　our　journey　from　Revelstone。〃　As　an　afterthought；　she　added；　〃Tonight　is　the　dark　of　the　moon。〃
　The　dark　of　the　moon；　he　muttered　mordantly　to　himself。　Have　mercy…　Terrible　things　happened　when　the　moon　was　dark。　The　Wraiths　of　Andelain　had　been　attacked　by　ur…viles…　Atiaran　had　never　forgiven　him　for　that。
　The　High　Lord　seemed　to　see　his　thoughts　in　his　face。　〃Beloved；〃　she　said　calmly；　〃do　not　be　so　convinced　of　doom。〃　Then　she　turned　away　and　started　to　prepare　a　spare　meal。
　Watching　her…seeing　her　resolution　and　personal　force　implicit　even　in　the　way　she　performed　this　simple　task　Covenant　clenched　his　teeth；　and　kept　the　silence　of　his　bargain。
　He　could　hardly　eat　the　food　she　handed　to　him。　The　effort　of　silence　made　him　feel　ill；　holding　down　his　passive　lie　seemed　to　knot　his　guts；　make　sustenance　unpalatable。　Yet　he　felt　that　he　was　starving。　To　ease　his　inanition；　he　forced　down　a　little　of　the　dry　bread　and　cured　meat　and　cheese。　The　rest　he　returned　to　Elena。　He　felt　almost　relieved　when　she　followed　Amok　again　into　the　darkness。
　He　went　dumbly　after　her。
　Sometime　during　the　previous　day；　the　High　Lord's　party　had　left　behind　the　Audience　Hall。　Now　they　traveled　a　wide；　featureless　tunnel　like　a　road　through
　the　stone。　Elena's　light　easily　reached　the　ceiling　and　walls。　Their　surfaces　were　oddly　smooth；　as　if　they　had　been　rubbed　for　long　ages　by　the　movement　of　something　rough　and　powerful。　This　smoothness　made　the　tunnel　seem　like　a　conduit　or　artery。　Covenant　distrusted　it；　he　half　expected　thick；　Laval　ichor　to　e　rushing　up　through　it。　As　he　moved；　he　played　nervously　with　his　ring；　as　if　that　small　circle　were　the　binding　of　his　self…control。
　Elena　quickened　her　steps。　He　could　see　in　her　back　that　she　was　impelled　by　her　mounting　eagerness　for　the　Power　of　mand。
　At　last；　the　tunnel　changed。　Its　floor　swung　in　a　tight　curve　to　the　left；　and　its　right　wall　broke　off；　opening　into　another　crevice。　This　rift　immediately　became　a　substantial　gulf。　The　stone　shelf　of　the　road　narrowed　until　it　was　barely　ten　feet　wide；　then　divided　into　rude　steep　stairs　as　it　curved　downward。　In　moments；　the　High　Lord's　party　was　on　a　stairway　which　spiraled　around　a　central　shaft　into　the　chasm。
　Many　hundreds　of　feet　below　them；　a　fiery　red　glow　lit　the　bottom　of　the　gulf。　Covenant　felt　that　he　was　peering　into　an　inferno。
　He　remembered　where　he　had　seen　such　light　before。　It　was　rocklight…radiated　stone…shine　like　that　which　the　Cavewights　used　under　Mount　Thunder。
　The　descent　affected　him　like　vertigo。　Within　three　rounds　of　the　shaft；　his　head　was　reeling。　Only　Elena's　unwavering　light；　and　his　acute　concentration　as　he　negotiated　the　uneven　steps；　saved　him　from　pitching　headlong　over　the　edge。　But　he　was　grimly　determined　not　to　ask　either　Elena　or　Bannor　for　help。　He　could　afford　no　more　indebtedness；　it　would　nullify　his　bargain；　tip　the　scales　of　payment　against　him。　No！　he　muttered　to　himself　as　he　lurched　down　the　steps。　No。　No　more。　Don't　be　so　bloody　helpless。　Save　something　to　bargain　with。　Keep　going。　Distantly；　he　heard　himself　panting；　〃Don't　touch　me。　Don't　touch　me。〃
　A　spur　of　nausea　roweled　him。　His　muscles　bunched　as　if　they　were　bracing　for　a　fall。　But　he　hugged　his　chest；　and　clung　to　Elena's　light　for　support。　Her　flame　bobbed　above　her　like　a　tongue　of　courage。
　Slowly　its　blue　illumination　took　on　a　red　tinge　as　she　worked　down　toward　the　gulf's　glow。
　He　made　the　descent　grimly；　mechanically；　like　a　volitionless　puppet　stalking　down　the　irregular　steps　of　his　designated　end。　Round　by　round；　he　approached　the　source　of　the　rocklight。　Soon　the　red　illumination　made　the　Staffs　flame　unnecessary；　and　High　Lord　Elena　extinguished　it。　Ahead　of　her；　Amok　began　to　move　more　swiftly；　as　if　he　were　impatient；　jealous　of　all　delays　which　postponed　the　resolution　of　his　existence。　But　Covenant　followed　at　his　own　pace；　effectively　unconscious　of　anything　but　the　spiraling　stairs　and　his　imperious　dizziness。　He　went　down　the　last　distance　through　a　high　wash　of　rocklight　as　numbly　as　if　he　were　sleepwalking。
　When　he　reached　the　flat　bottom；　he　took　a　few　wooden　steps　toward　the　lake；　then　stopped；　covered　his　eyes　against　the　deep；　fiery；　red　light；　and　shuddered　as　if　his　nerves　jangled　on　the　edge　of　hysteria。
　Ahead　of　him；　Amok　crowed　jubilantly；　〃Behold；　High　Lord！　The　sunless　lake　of　Earthroot！　Unheavened　sap　and　nectar　of　great　Melenkurion　Skyweir；　the　sire　of　mountains）　Ah；　behold　it。　The　long　years　of　my　purpose　are　nearly　done。〃　His　words　echoed　clearly　away；　as　if　they　were　seconded　by　scores　of　light　crystal　voices。
　Drawing　a　tremulous　breath；　Covenant　opened　his　eyes。　He　was　standing　on　the　gradual　shore　of　a　still　lake　which　spread　out　before　him　as　far　as　he　could　see。　Its　stone　roof　was　high；　hidden　in　shadows；　but　the　lake　was　lit　everywhere　by　rocklight　burning　in　the　immense　pillars　which　stood　up　like　columns　through　the　lakeor　like　roots　of　the　mountain　reaching　down　to　the　water。　These　columns　or　roots　were　evenly　spaced　along　and　across　the　cavern；　they　were　repeated　regularly　into　the　vast　distance。　Their　rocklight；　and　the　vibrant　stillness　of　the　lake；　gave　the　whole　place　a　cloistral　air；　despite　its　size。　Earthroot　was　a　place　to　make　mere　mortals　humble　and　devout。
　It　made　Covenant　feel　like　a　sacrilege　in　the　sanctified　and　august　temple　of　the　mountains。
　The　lake　was　so　still…it　conveyed　such　an　impression　of　weight；　massiveness…that　it　looked　more　like　fluid　bronze　than　water；　a　liquid　cover　for　the　unfathomable　abysses　of　the　Earth。　The　rocklight　gleamed　on　it　as　if　it　were　burnished。
　〃Is　this…？〃　Covenant　croaked；　then　caught　himself　as　his　question　ran　echoing　lightly　over　the　water；　restating　itself　without　diminishment　into　the　distance。　He　could　not　bring　himself　to　go　on。　Even　the　low　shuffling　of　his　boots　on　the　stone　echoed　as　if　it　carried　some　kind　of　prophetic　significance。
　But　Amok　took　up　the　question　gaily。　〃Is　the　Power　of　mand　here；　in　Earthroot？〃　The　echoes　laughed　as　he　laughed。　〃No。　Earthroot　but　partakes。　The　heart　of　the　Seventh　Ward　lies　beyond。　We　must　cross　over。〃
　High　Lord　Elena　asked　the　next　question　carefully；　as　if　she；　too；　were　timid　in　the　face　of　the　awesome　lake。　〃How？〃
　〃High　Lord；　a　way　will　be　provided。　I　am　the　way　and　the　door…I　have　not　brought　you　to　a　pathless　end。　But　the　use　of　the　way　will　be　in　your　hands。　This　is　the　last　test。　Only　one　word　am　I　permitted　to　say：　do　not　touch　the　water。　Earthroot　is　strong　and　stern。　It　will　take　no　account　of　mortal　flesh。〃
　〃What　must　we　do　now？〃　s