srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第22章

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　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃　he　said　weakly。　〃Atiaran　wanted…wanted　the　Lords　to　punish　me。〃
　Abruptly；　she　left　her　seat；　moved　around　behind　him。　She　put　her　hands　tenderly　on　his　clenched　brow　and　began　to　rub　it；　seeking　to　stroke　away　the　knots　and　furrows。　〃Ah；　Thomas　Covenant；〃　she　sighed；　with　something　like　yearning　in　her　voice。　〃I　am　the　High　Lord。　I　bear　the　Staff　of　Law。　I　fight　for　the　r　Land；　and　will　not　quail　though　the　beauty　may　die；　or　I　may　die；　or　the　world　may　die。　But　there　is　much　of　Lena　my　mother　in　me。　Do　not　frown　at　me　so。　I　cannot　bear　it。〃
　Her　soft；　cool；　consoling　touch　seemed　to　burn　his　forehead。　Mhoram　had　said　that　she　had　sat　with　him　。'　during　his　ordeal　the　previous　night…sat；　and　watched　over　him；　and　held　his　hand。　Trembling；　he　got　to　his　feet。　Now　he　knew　why　she　had　summoned　him。　There　was　a　world　of　implications　in　the　air　between　them；　her　whole　life　was　on　his　head；　for　good　or　ill。　But　it　was　too　much；　he　was　too　staggered　and　drained　to　grasp　it　all；　deal　with　it。　His　stiff　face　was　only　capable　of　grimaces。　Mutely；　he　left　her；　and　Bannor　guided　him　back　to　his　rooms。
　In　his　suite；　he　extinguished　the　torches；　covered　the　graveling　pots。　Then　he　went　out　onto　his　balcony。
　The　moon　was　rising　over　Revelstone。　It　was　still　new；　and　it　came　in　silver　over　the　horizon；　tinting　the　plains　with　unviolated　luminescence。　He　breathed　the　autumn　air；　and　leaned　on　the　railing；　immune　for…：　the　moment　from　vertigo。　Even　that　had　been　drained　out　of　him。
　He　did　not　think　about　jumping。　He　thought　about　m　how　difficult　Elena　was　to　refuse。
　
　
　SEVEN：　Korik's　Mission
　
　SOMETIME　before　dawn；　an　insistent　pounding　at　his　door　woke　him。　He　had　been　dreaming　about　the　Quest　for　the　Staff　of　Law…about　his　friend；　Saltheart　Foamfollower；　whom　the　pany　of　the　Quest　had　left　behind　to　guard　their　rear　before　they　had　entered　the　catabs　of　Mount　Thunder。　Covenant　had　not　seen　him　again；　did　not　know　whether　the　Giant　had　survived　that　perilous　duty。　When　he　awoke；　his　heart　was　laboring　as　if　the　clamor　at　the　door　were　the　beating　of　his　dread。
　Numbly；　dazed　with　sleep；　he　uncovered　a　graveling　pot；　then　shambled　into　the　sitting　room　to　answer　the　door。
　He　found　a　man　standing　in　the　brightness　of　the　hall。　His　blue　robe　belted　in　black　and　his　long　staff　identified　him　as　a　Lord。
　〃Ur…Lord　Covenant；〃　the　man　began　at　once。　〃I　must　apologize　profusely　for　disturbing　your　rest。　Of　all　the　Lords；　I　am　the　one　who　most　regrets　such　an　intrusion。　I　have　a　deep　love　for　rest。　Rest　and　food；　ur…Lord…sleep　and　sustenance。　They　are　exquisite。　Although　there　are　some　who　would　say　that　I　have　tasted　so　much　sustenance　that　I　should　no　longer　require　rest。　No　doubt　some　such　argument　caused　me　to　be　chosen　for　this　arduous　and　altogether　unsavory　journey。〃　Without　asking　for　permission；　he　bustled　past　Covenant　into　the　room。　He　was　grinning。
　Covenant　blinked　his　bleary　gaze　into　focus；　and　took　a　close　look　at　the　man。
　He　was　short　and　corpulent；　with　a　round；　beatific　face；　but　the　serenity　of　his　countenance　was　punctured　by　his　gleeful　eyes；　so　that　he　looked　like　a　misbegotten　cherub。　His　expression　was　constantly　roiled；　fleet　smiles；　smirks；　frowns；　grimaces　chased　each　other　across　the　surface　of　his　essential　good　humor。　Now　he　was　regarding　Covenant　with　a　look　of　appraisal；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　gauge　the　Unbeliever's　responsiveness　to　jesting。
　〃I　am　Hyrim　son　of　Hoole；〃　he　said　fluidly；　〃a　Lord　of　the　Council；　as　you　see；　and　a　lover　of　all　good　cheer；　as　you　have　perhaps　not　failed　to　notice。〃　His　eyes　gleamed　impishly。　〃I　would　tell　you　of　my　parentage　and　history；　so　that　you　might　know　me　better…but　my　time　is　short。　There　are　consequences　to　this　riding　of　Ranyhyn；　but　when　I　offered　myself　to　their　choice　I　did　not　know　that　the　honor　could　be　so　burdensome。　Perhaps　you　will　consent　to　acpany　me？〃
　Mutely；　Covenant's　lips　formed　the　word；　Acpany？
　〃To　the　courtyard；　at　least…if　I　can　persuade　you　no　farther。　I　will　explain　while　you　ready　yourself。〃
　Covenant　felt　too　groggy　to　understand　what　was　being　asked　of　him。　The　Lord　wanted　him　to　get'　dressed　and　go　somewhere。　Was　that　all？　After　a　moment；　he　found　his　voice；　and　asked；　〃Why？〃
　With　an　effort；　Hyrim　pulled　an　expression　of　Seriousness　onto　his　face。　He　studied　Covenant　gravely；　then　said；　〃UrLord；　there　are　some　things　which。。　are　difficult　to　say　to　you。　Both　Lord　Mhoram　and　high　Lord　Elena　might　have　spoken。　They　do　not　desire　that　this　knowledge　should　be　withheld　from　you。　But　brother　Mhoram　is　reluctant　to　describe　his　own　pain。　And　the　High　Lord…it　is　in　my　heart　that　she　fears　to　send　you　into　peril。〃
　He　grinned　ruefully。　〃But　I　am　not　so　selfless。　You　will　agree　that　there　is　much　of　…me　to　consider…and　every　part　is　tender。　Courage　is　for　the　lean。　I　am　wiser。　Wisdom　is　no　more　and　no　less　deep　than　the　skin…and　mine　is　very　deep。　Of　course；　it　is　said　that　trial　and　hardship　refine　the　spirit。　But　I　have　heard　the　Giants　reply　that　there　is　time　enough　to　refine　the　spirit　when　the　body　has　no　other　choice。〃
　Covenant　had　heard　that；　too；　Foamfollower　had　said　it　to　him。　He　shook　his　head　to　clear　away　the　painful　memory。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃You　have　cause；〃　said　the　Lord。　〃I　have　not　yet　uttered　anything　of　substance。　Ah；　Hyrim；〃　he　sighed　to　himself；　〃brevity　is　such　a　simple　thing…and　yet　it　surpasses　you。　Ur…Lord；　will　you　not　dress？　I　must　tell　you　news　of　the　Giants　which　will　not　please　you。〃
　A　pang　of　anxiety　stiffened　Covenant。　He　was　no　longer　sleepy。　〃Tell　me。〃
　〃While　you　dress。〃
　Causing　silently；　Covenant　hurried　into　the　bedroom　and　began　to　put　on　his　clothes。
　Lord　Hyrim　spoke　from　the　other　room。　His　tone　was　careful；　as　if　he　were　making　a　deliberate　effort　to　be　concise。　〃Ur…Lord；　you　know　of　the　Giants。　Saltheart　Foamfollower　himself　brought　you　to　Revelstone。　You　were　present　in　the　Close　when　he　spoke　to　the　Council　of　Lords；　telling　them　that　the　omens　which　High　Lord　Damelon　had　foreseen　for　the　Giants'　hope　of　Home　had　e　to　pass。〃
　Covenant　knew；　he　remembered　it　vividly。　Back　in　the　age　of　the　Old　Lords；　the　Giants　had　been　wanderers　of　the　sea　who　had　lost　their　way。　For　that　reason；　they　called　themselves　the　Unhomed。　They　had　roamed　for　decades　in　search　of　their　lost　homeland；　but　had　not　found　it。　At　last；　they　had　e　to　the　shores　of　the　Land　in　the　region　known　as　Seareach；　and　there…weled　and　befriended　by　Damelon…they　had　made　a　place　for　themselves　to　live　until　they　rediscovered　their　ancient　Home。
　Since　that　time；　three　thousand　years　ago；　their　search　had　been　fruitless。　But　Damelon　Giantfriend　had　prophesied　for　them；　he　had　foreseen　an　end　to　their　exile。
　After；　and　perhaps　because；　they　had　lost　their　Home；　the　Giants　had　begun　to　decline。　Though　they。　dearly　loved　children；　few　children　were　born；　their　seed　did　not　replenish　itself。　For　many　centuries；　their　numbers　had　been　slowly　shrinking。
　Damelon　had　foretold　that　this　would　change；　that　their　seed　would　regain　its　vitality。　That　was　his　omen；　his　sign　that　the　exile　was　about　to　end；　for　good　or　ill。
　In　his　turn；　Damelon's　son；　Loric；　had　made　a　promise　to　support　and　affirm　that　prophecy。　He　had　said　that；　when　Damelon's　omens　were　fulfilled；　the　Lords　would　provide　the　Giants　with　potent　Gildenlode　keels　and　rudders　for　the　building　of　new　ships　for　their　homeward　journey。
　So　it　was　that　Foamfollower　had　reported　to　the　Council　that　Wavenhair　Haleall；　the　wife　of　Sparlimb　Keelsetter；　had　given　birth　to　triplets；　three　sons…an　event　unprecedented　in　Seareach。　And　at　the　same　time；　scouting　ships　had　returned　to　say　that　they　had　found　a　way　which　might　lead　the　Giants　Home。　Foamfollower　had　e　to　Revelstone　to　claim　High　Lord　Loric's　promise。
　〃For　forty　years；〃　Lord　Hyrim　went　on；　〃the　lillianrill　of　Lord's　Keep　have　striven　to　meet　that　promise。　The　seven　keels　and　rudders　are　now　nearly　plete。　But　time　hurries　on　our　heels；　driving　us　dangerously。　When　this　war　begins；　we　will　be　unable　to　transport　the　Gildenlode　to　Seareach。　And　we　will　need　the　help　of　the　Giants　to　fight　Lord　Foul。　Yet　it　may　be　that　all　such　helps　or　hopes　wil