srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第20章

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n's　Lore…but　no　Wards　were　there。　Yet　among　many　things　of　forgotten　use　or　little　power　this　was　found…this　which　we　offer　to　you。〃
　She　pressed　curiously　on　the　sides　of　the　casket；　and　the　lid　swung　open；　revealing　a　cushioned　velvet　interior；　on　which　lay　a　short　silver　sword。　It　was　a　two　edged　blade；　with　straight　guards　and　a　ribbed　hilt；　and　it　was　forged　around　a　clear　white　gem；　which　occupied　the　junction　of　the　blade；　guards；　and　hilt。　This　gem　looked　strangely　lifeless；　it　reflected　no　light　from　the　graveling；　as　if　it　were　impervious　or　dead　to　any　ordinary　flame。
　With　awe　in　her　low　voice；　Elena　said；　〃This　is　the　krill　of　Loric　Vilesilencer　son　of　Damelon　son　of　Berek。　With　this　he　slew　the　Demondim　guise　of　moksha　Raver；　and　delivered　the　Land　from　the　first　great　peril　of　the　ur…viles。　Ur…Lord　Covenant；　Unbeliever　and　Ringthane；　will　you　accept　it？〃
　Slowly；　full　of　a　leper's　fascinated　dread　of　things　that　cut；　Covenant　lifted　the　krill　from　its　velvet　rest。　Hefting　it；　he　found　that　its　balance　pleased　his　hand；　though　his　two　fingers　and　thumb　could　not　grip　it　well。　Cautiously；　he　tested　its　edges　with　his　thumb。　They　were　as　dull　as　if　they　had　never　been　honed　as　dull　as　the　white　gem。　For　a　moment；　he　stood　still；　thinking　that　a　knife　did　not　need　to　be　sharp　to　harm　him。
　〃Mhoram　was　right；〃　he　said　out　of　the　dry；　lonely　hebetude　of　his　heart。　〃I　don't　want　any　gifts。　I've　had　more　gifts　than　I　can　bear。〃
　Gifts！　It　seemed　to　him　that　everyone　he　had　ever　known　in　the　Land　had　tried　to　give　him　gifts…Foamfollower；　the　Ranyhyn；…　Lord　Mhoram；　even　Atiaran。　The　Land　itself　gave　him　an　impossible　nerve…health。　But　the　gift　of　Lena　Atiaran…daughter　was　more　terrible　than　all　the　others。　He　had　raped　her；　raped！　And　afterward；　she　had　gone　into　hiding　so　that　her　people　would　not　learn　what　had　happened　to　her　and　punish　him。　She　had　acted　with　an　extravagant　forbearance　so　that　he　could　go　free…free　to　deliver　Lord　Foul's　prophecy　of　doom　to　the　Lords。　Beside　that　self…abnegation；　even　Atiaran's　sacrifices　paled。
　Lena！　he　cried。　A　violence　of　grief　and　self…recrimination　blazed　up　in　him。　〃I　don't　want　any　more。〃　Thunder　blackened　his　face。　He　grasped　the　krill　in　both　fists；　its　blade　pointing　downward。　With　a　convulsive　movement；　he　stabbed　the　sword　at　the　heart　of　the　table；　trying　to　break　its　blunt　blade　on　the　stone。
　A　sudden　flash　of　white　blinded　him　like　an　instant　of　lightning。　The　krill　wrenched　out　of　his　hands。　But　he　did　not　try　to　see　what　had　happened　to　it。　He　spun　instantly　back　to　face　Elena。　Through　the　white　dazzle　that　confused　his　sight；　he　panted；　〃No　more　gifts！　I　can't　afford　them！〃
　But　she　was　not　looking　at　him；　not　listening　to　him。　She　held　her　hands　to　her　mouth　as　she　stared　past　him　at　the　table。　〃By　the　Seven！〃　she　whispered。　〃What　have　you　done？〃
　What…？
　He　whirled　to　look。
　The　blade　of　the　krill　had　pierced　the　stone；　it　was　embedded　halfway　to　its　guards　in　the　table。
　Its　white　gem　burned　like　a　star。
　Dimly；　he　became　conscious　of　a　throbbing　ache　in　his　wedding　finger。　His　ring　felt　hot　and　heavy；　almost　molten。　But　he　ignored　it；　he　was　afraid　of　it。　Trembling；　he　reached　out　to　touch　the　krill。
　Power　burned　his　fingers。
　Hellfire！
　He　snatched　his　hand　away。　The　fierce　pain　made　him　clasp　his　fingers　under　his　other　arm；　and　groan。
　At　once；　Elena　turned　to　him。　〃Are　you　harmed？〃　she　asked　anxiously。　〃What　has　happened　to　you？〃
　〃Don't　touch　me！〃　he　gasped。
　She　recoiled　in　confusion；　then　stood　watching　him；　torn　between　her　concern　for　him　and　her　astonishment　at　the　blazing　gem。　After　a　moment；　she　shook　herself　as　if　throwing　off　inprehension；　and　said　softly；　〃Unbeliever…you　have　brought　the　krill　to　life。〃
　Covenant　made　an　effort　to　match　her；　but　his　voice　quavered　as　he　said；　〃It　won't　make　any　difference。　It　won't　do　you　any　good。　Foul's　got　all　the　power　that　counts。〃
　〃He　does　not　possess　the　white　gold。〃
　〃To　hell　with　the　white　gold！〃
　〃No！〃　she　retorted　vehemently。　〃Do　not　say　such　a　thing。　I　have　not　lived　my　life　for　nothing。　My　mother；　and　her　mother　before　her；　have　not　lived　for　nothing！〃
　He　did　not　understand　her；　but　her　sudden　passion　silenced　him。　He　felt　trapped　between　her　and　the　krill；　he　did　not　know　what　to　say　or　do。　Helpless；　he　stared　at　the　High　Lord　as　her　own　emotions　grew　into　speech。
　〃You　say　that　this　makes　no　difference…that　it　does　no　good。　Are　you　a　prophet？　And　if　you　are；　what　do　you　say　that　we　should　do？　Surrender？〃　For　an　instant；　her　self…possession　wavered；　and　she　exclaimed　furiously；　〃Never！〃　He　thought　that　he　heard　hatred　in　her　words。　But　then　she　lowered　her　voice；　and　the　sound　of　loathing　faded。　〃No！　There　is　no　one　in　the　Land　who　could　endure　to　stand　aside　and　allow　the　Despiser　to　work　his　will。　H　we　must　suffer　and　die　without　hope；　then　we　will　do　so。　But　we　will　not　despair；　though　it　is　the　Unbeliever　himself　who　says　that　we　must　〃
　Useless　emotions　writhed　across　his　face；　but　he　could　not　answer。　His　own　conviction　or　energy　had　fallen　into　dust。　Even　the　pain　in　his　hand　was　almost　gone。　He　looked　away　from　her；　then　winced　at　the　sharp　sight　of　the　krill。　Slowly；　as　if　he　had　aged　in　the　past　few　moments；　he　lowered　himself　into　a　chair。　〃I　wish；〃　he　murmured　blankly；　emptily；　〃I　wish　I　knew　what　to　do。〃
　At　the　edge　of　his　attention；　he　was　aware　that　Elena　had　left　the　room。　But　he　did　not　raise　his　head　until　she　returned　and　stood　before　him。　In　her　hands　she　held　a　flask　of　springwine　which　she　offered　to　him。
　He　could　see　a　concern　he　did　not　deserve　in　the　plex　otherness　of　her　gaze。
　He　accepted　the　flask　and　drank　deeply；　searching　for　a　balm　to　ease　the　splitting　ache　in　his　forehead　and　for　some　way　to　support　his　failing　courage。　He　dreaded　the　High　Lord's　intentions；　whatever　they　were。　She　was　too　sympathetic；　too　tolerant　of　his　violence；　she　allowed　him　too　much　leeway　without　setting　him　free。　Despite　the　solidness　of　Revelstone　under　his　sensitive　feet；　he　was　on　unsteady　ground。
　When　after　a　short　silence　she　spoke　again；　she　had　an　air　of　bringing　herself　to　the　point　of　some　difficult　honesty；　but　there　was　nothing　candid　in　the　unexplained　disfocus　of　her　eyes。　〃I　am　lost　in　this　matter；〃　she　said。　〃There　is　much　that　I　must　tell　you；　if　I　am　to　be　open　and　blameless。　I　do　not　wish　to　be　reproached　with　any　lack　of　knowledge　in　you…the　Land　will　not　be　served　by　any　concealment　which　might　later　be　called　by　another　name。　Yet　my　courage　fails　me；　and　I　know　not　what　words　to　use。　Mhoram　offered　to　take　this　matter　from　me；　and　I　refused；　believing　that　the　burden　is　mine。　Yet　now　I　am　lost；　and　cannot　begin。〃
　Covenant　bent　his　frown　toward　her；　refusing　with　the　pain　in　his　forehead　to　give　her　any　aid。
　〃You　have　spoken　with　Hile　Troy；〃　she　said　tentatively；　unsure　of　this　approach。　〃Did　he　describe　his　ing　to　the　Land？〃
　Covenant　nodded　without　relenting。　〃An　accident。　Some　misbegotten　kid…a　young　student；　he　says…was　trying　to　get　me。〃
　Elena　moved　as　if　she　meant　to　pursue　that　idea；　but　then　she　stopped　herself；　reconsidered；　and　took　a　different　tack。　〃I　do　not　know　your　world…but　the　Warmark　tells　me　that　such　things　do　not　happen　there。　Have　you　observed　Lord　Mhoram？　Or　Hiltmark　Quaan？　Or　perhaps　Hearthrall　Tohrm？　Any　of　those　you　knew　forty　years　ago？　Does　it　appear　to　you　that…that　they　are　young？〃
　〃I've　noticed。〃　Her　question　agitated　him。　He　had　been　clinging　to　the　question　of　age；　trying　to　establish　it　as　a　discrepancy；　a　breakdown　in　the　continuity　of　his　delusion。　〃It　doesn't　fit。　Mhoram　and　Tohrm　are　too　young。　It's　impossible。　They　are　not　forty　years　older。〃
　〃I　also　am　young；〃　she　said　intently；　as　if　she　were　trying　to　help　him　guess　a　secret。　But　at　the　sight　of　his　glowering　inprehension；　she　retreated　from　the　plunge。　To　answer　him；　she　said；　〃This　has　been　true　for　as　long　as　there　has　been　such　lore　in　the　Land。　The　Old　Lords　lived　to　great　age。　They　were　not　long…lived　as　the　Giants　are…because　that　is　the　natural　span　of　their　people。　No；　it　was　the　service　of　the　Earthpower　which　preserved'　them；　secured　them　from　age　long　past　their　normal　years。　High　Lord　Kevin　li