srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第13章

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t　by　that　unsuspected　enemy；　man；　had　cut　too　deeply　to　be　halted。　But　then；　outraged　and　weakened　by　the　slaughter　of　the　trees；　the　Colossus　had　unclasped　its　interdict；　and　let　the　shadow　free。　From　that　time；　from　the　moment　of　that　offended　capitulation；　the　Earth　had　slowly　lost　the　power　or　the　will　or　the　chance　to　defend　itself。　So　the　burden　of　resisting　the　Despiser　had　fallen　to　a　race　which　had　brought　the　shadow　upon　itself；　and　the　Earth　lay　under　the　oute。
　〃But　it　was　not　Despite　which　the　Colossus　resisted；〃　Mhoram　resumed　when　his　song　was　done。　〃Despite　was　the　bane　of　men。　It　came　with　them　into　the　Land　from　the　cold　anguish　of　the　north；　and　from　the　hungry　kingdom　of　the　south。　No；　the　Colossus　of　the　Fall　forbade　another　foe…three　tree…　and　soil…hating　brothers　who　were　old　in　the　Spoiled　Plains　before　Lord　Foul　first　cast　his　shadow　there。　They　were　triplets；　the　spawn　of　one　birth　from　the　womb　of　their　long　forgotten　mother；　and　their　names　were　samadhi；　moksha；　and　turiya。　They　hated　the　Earth　and　all　its　growing　things；　just　as　Lord　Foul　hates　all　life　and　love。　When　the　Colossus　eased　its　interdict；　they　came　to　the　Upper　Land；　and　in　their　lust　for　ravage　and　dismay　fell　swiftly　under　the　mastery　of　the　Despiser。　From　that　time；　they　have　been　his　highest　servants。　They　have　performed　treachery　for　him　when　he　could　not　show　his　hand；　and　have　fought　for　him　when　he　would　not　lead　his　armies。
　〃It　was　samadhi；　now　named　Sheol；　who　mastered　the　heart　of　Berek's　liege…Sheol　who　slaughtered　the　champions　of　the　Land；　and　drove　Berek；　halfunhanded　and　alone；　to　his　extremity　on　the　slopes　of　Mount　Thunder。　It　was　turiya　and　moksha；　Herem　and　Jehannum；　who　lured　the　powerful　and　austere　Demondim　to　their　breeding　dens；　and　to　the　spawning　of　the　ur…viles。　Now　the　three　are　united　with　Lord　Foul　again…united；　and　clamoring　for　the　decimation　of　the　Land。　But　alas…alas　for　my　ignorance　and　weakness。　I　cannot　foresee　what　they　will　do。　I　can　hear　their　voices；　loud　with　lust　for　the　ripping　of　trees　and　the　scorching　of　soil；　but　their　intent　eludes　me。　The　Land　is　in　such　peril　because　its　servants　are　weak。〃
　The　rough　eloquence　of　Mhoram's　tone　carried　Covenant　along；　and　under　its　spell　the　brilliant　sunlight　seemed　to　darken　in　his　eyes。　Grimly；　unwillingly；　he　caught　a　sense　of　the　looming　and　cruel　ill　which　crept　up　behind　the　Land's　spirit；　defying　its　inadequate　defenders。　And　when　he　looked　at　himself；　he　saw　nothing　but　omens　of　futility。　Other　people　who　s　had　protested　their　weakness　to　him　had　suffered　terribly　at　the　hands　of　his　own　irreducible　and　immedicable　impotence。　Harshly…more　harshly　than　he　intended…he　asked；　〃Why？〃
　Mhoram　turned　away　from　his　private　visions；　and　cocked　an　inquiring　eyebrow　at　Covenant。
　〃Why　are　you　weak？〃
　The　Lord　met　this　with　a　wry　smile。　〃Ah；　my　friend　…I　had　forgotten　that　you　ask　such　questions。　You　lead　me　into　long　speeches。　I　think　that　if　I　could　reply　to　you　briefly；　I　would　not　need　you　so。〃　But　Covenant　did　not　relent；　and　after　a　pause　Mhoram　said；　〃Well；　I　cannot　refuse　to　answer。　But　e…there　is　food　waiting。　Let　us　eat。　Then　I　will　make　what　answer　I　can。〃　'
　Covenant　refused。　Despite　his　hunger；　he　was　unwilling　to　make　any　more　concessions　to　the　Land　until　he　knew　better　where　he　stood。
　Mhoram　considered　him　for　a　moment；　then　replied　in　a　measured　tone；　〃1f　what　you　say　is　true…if　Land　and　Earth　and　all　are　nothing　more　than　a　dream；　a　threat　of　madness　for　you…then　still　you　must　eat。　Hunger　is　hunger；　and　need　is　need。　How　else…7〃
　〃No。〃　Covenant　dismissed　the　idea　heavily。
　At　that；　the　gold　flecks　in　Mhoram's　eyes　flared；　as　'　if　they　reflected　the　passion　of　the　sun；　and　he　said　levelly；　〃Then　answer　that　question　yourself。　Answer　it；　and　save　us。　If　we　are　helpless　and　unfriended；　it　is　your　doing。　Only　you　can　penetrate　the　mysteries　which　surround　us。〃
　〃No；〃　Covenant　repeated。　He　recognized　what　Mhoram　was　saying；　and　refused　to　tolerate　it。　No；　he　responded　to　the　heat　of　Mhoram's　look。　That's　too　much　like　blaming　me　for　being　a　leper。　It's　not　my　fault。　〃You　go　too　far。〃

　〃Ur…Lord；〃　Mhoram　replied；　articulating　each　word　distinctly；　〃there　is　peril　upon　the　Land。　Distance　will　not　restrain　me。〃
　〃That　isn't　what　I　meant。　I　meant　you're　taking　what　I　said　too　far。　I'm　not　the…the　shaper。　I'm　not　in　control。　I'm　just　another　victim。　All　I　know　is　what　you　tell　me。
　〃What　I　want　to　know　is　why　you　keep　trying　to　make　me　responsible。　What　makes　you　any　weaker　than　I　am？　You've　got　the　Staff　of　Law。　You've　got　the　rhadhamaerl　and　lillianrill。　What　makes　you　so　bloody　weak？〃
　The　heat　slowly　faded　from　the　Lord's　gaze。　Folding　his　arms　so　that　his　staff　was　clasped　across　his　chest；　he　smiled　crookedly。　〃Your　question　grows　with　each　asking。　If　I　require　you　to　ask　again；　I　fear　that　nothing　…less　than　a　Giant's　tale　will　suffice　for　answer。　Forgive　me；　my　friend。　I　know　that　our　peril　cannot　be　laid　on　your　head。　Dream　or　no…there　is　no　difference　for　us。　We　must　serve　the　Land。
　〃Now；　I　must　first　remind　you　that　the　rhadhamaerl　and　lillianrill　are　another　question；　separate　from　the　weakness　of　the　Lords。　The　。stone…lore　of　the　rhadhamaerl；　and　the　wood…lore　of　the　lillianrill；　have　been　preserved　from　past　ages　by　the　people　of　Stonedown　and　Woodhelven。　In　their　exile　after　the　Ritual　of　Desecration；　the　people　of　the　Land　lost　much　of　the　richness　of　their　lives。　They　were　sorely　bereft；　and　could　cling　only　to　that　lore　which　enabled　them　to　endure。　Thus；　when　they　returned　to　the　Land；　they　brought　with　them　those　whose　work　in　exile　was　to　preserve　and　use。　the　lore…Gravelingases　of　the　rhadhamaerl　；　and　Hirebrands　of　the　lillianrill。　It　is　the　work　of　Hirebrand　and　Gravelingas　to　make　the　lives　of　the　villages　bounteous…warm　in　winter　and　plentiful　in　summer；　true　to　the　song　of　the　Land。
　'Me　Lore　of　High　Lord　Kevin　Landwaster　is　another　matter。　That　knowledge　is　the　concern　of　the　Loresraat　and　the　Lords。
　〃The　age　of　the　Old　Lords；　before　Lord　Foul　broke　into　open　war　with　Kevin　son　of　Loric；　was　among　the　bravest　and　gladdest　and　strongest　of　all　the　times　of　the　Land。　Kevin's　Lore　was　mighty　with　Earthpower；　and　pure　with　Landservice。　Health　and　gaiety　flowered　in　the　Land；　and　the　bright　Earth　jewel　of　Andelain　bedizened　the　Land's　heart　with　precious　woods　and　stones。　That　was　a　time　〃Yet　it　came　to　an　end。　Despair　darkened　Kevin；　and　in　the　Ritual　of　Desecration　he　destroyed　that　which　he　loved；　intending　to　destroy　the　Despiser　as　well。　But　before　the　end；　he　was　touched　with　prophecy　or　foresight；　and　found　means　to　save　much　of　power　and　beauty。　He　warned　the　Giants　and　the　Ranyhyn；　so　that　they　might　flee。　He　ordered　the　Bloodguard　into　safety。　And　he　left　his　Lore　for　later　ages…hid　it　in　Seven　Wards　so　that　it　would　not　fall　into　wrong　or　unready　hands。　The　First　Ward　he　gave　to　the　Giants；　and　when　the　exile　was　ended　they　gave　it　to　the　first　of　the　new　Lords；　the　forebearers　of　this　Council。　In　turn；　these　Lords　conceived　the　Oath　of　Peace　and　carried　it　to　all　the　people　of　the　Land…an　Oath　to　guard　against　Kevin's　destroying　passion。　And　these　Lords；　our　forebearers；　swore　themselves　and　their　followers　in　fealty　and　service　to　the　Land　and　the　Earthpower。
　〃Now；　my　friend；　you　know　we　have　found　the　Second　Ward。　The　Two　contain　much　knowledge　and　much　power；　and　when　they　are　mastered　they　will　lead　us　to　the　Third　Ward。　In　this　way；　mastery　will　guide　us　until　all　Kevin's　Lore　is　ours。　But　we　fail　we　fail　to　penetrate。　How　can　I　say　it？　We　translate　the　speech　of　the　Old　Lords。　We　learn　the　skills　and　rites　and　songs　of　the　Lore。　We　study　Peace；　and　devote　ourselves　to　the　life　of　the　Land。　And　yet　something　lacks。　In　some　way；　we　misprehend…we　do　not　suffice。　Only　a　part　of　the　power　of　this　knowledge　answers　to　our　touch。　We　can　learn　nothing　of　the　other　Wards…and　little　of　the　Seven　Words　which　evoke　the　Earthpower。　Something…ur…Lord；　it　is　something　in　us　which　fails。　I　feel　it　in　my　heart。　We　lack。　We　have　not　the　stature　of　mastery。〃
　The　Lord　fell　silent；　musing　with　his　head　down　and　his　cheek　pressed　against　his　staff。　Covenant　watched　him　for　a　time。　The　wa