srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第23章

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d　Foul。　Yet　it　may　be　that　all　such　helps　or　hopes　will　fail。　It　may　be…〃
　〃Foamfollower；〃　Covenant　interrupted。　He　fumbled　at　the　laces　of　his　boots。　A　keen　concern　made　him　impatient；　urgent。　〃What　about　him？　Is　he…？　What　happened　to　him…after　the　Quest？〃
　The　Lord's　tone　became　still　more　careful。　〃When　the　Quest　for　the　Staff　of　Law　made　its　way　homeward；　it　found　that　Saltheart　Foamfollower　was　alive　and　unharmed。　He　had　gained　the　safety　of　Andelain；　and　so　had　escaped　the　Fire…Lions。　He　returned　to　his　people；　and　since　that　time　he　has　e　twice　to　Revelstone　to　help　in　the　shaping　of　the　Gildenlode　and　to　share　knowledge。　Many　Giants　came　and　went；　full　of　hope。
　〃But　now；　ur…Lord…〃　Hyrim　stopped。　There　was　sorrow　and　grimness　in　his　voice。　〃Ah；　now。〃
　Covenant　strode　back　into　the　sitting　room；　faced　the　Lord。　〃Now？〃　His　own　voice　was　unsteady。
　〃Now　for　three　years　a　silence　has　lain　over　Seareach。　No　Giant　has　e　to　Revelstone…no
　Giant　has　set　foot　on　the　Upper　Land。〃　To　answer　the　sudden　flaring　of　Covenant's　gaze；　he　continued；　〃Oh；　we　have　not　been　idle。　For　a　year　we　did　nothing…Seareach　is　near　to　four　hundred　leagues　distant；　and　a　silence　of　a　year　is　not　unusual。　But　after　a　year；　we　became　concerned。　Then　for　a　year　we　sent　messengers。　None　have　ever　returned。　During　the　spring；　we　sent　an　entire　Eoman。　Twenty　warriors　and　their　Warhaft　did　not　return。
　〃Therefore　the　Council　decided　to　risk　no　more　warriors。　In　the　summer；　Lord　Callindrill　and　Lord　Amatin　rode　eastward　with　their　Bloodguard；　seeking　passage。　They　were　thrown　back　by　a　dark　and　nameless　power　in　Sarangrave　Flat。　Sister　Amatin　would　have　died　when　her　horse　fell；　but　the　Ranyhyn　of　Callindrill　bore　them　both　to　safety。　Thus　a　shadow　has　e　between　us　and　our　ancient　Rockbrothers；　and　the　fate　of　the　Giants　is　unknown。〃
　Covenant　groaned　inwardly。　Foamfollower　had　been　his　friend…and　yet　he　had　not　even　said　goodbye　to　the　Giant　when　they　had　parted。　He　felt　an　acute　regret。　He　wanted　to　see　Foamfollower　again；　wanted　to　apologize。
　But　at　the　same　time　he　was　conscious　of　Hyrim's　gaze　on　him。　The　Lord's　naturally　gay　eyes　held　a　look　of　painful　somberness。　Clearly；　he　had　some　reason　for　awakening　Covenant　before　dawn　like　this。　With　a　jerk　of　his　shoulders；　Covenant　pushed　down　his　regret；　and　said；　〃I　still　don't　understand。〃
　At　first　Lord　Hyrim　did　not　falter。　〃Then　I　will　speak　plainly。　During　the　night　after　your　summoning；　Lord　Mhoram　was　called　from　your　side　by　a　vision。　The　hand　of　his　power　came　upon　him；　and　he　saw　sights　which　turned　his　blood　to　dread　in　his　veins。　He　saw…〃　Then　abruptly　he　turned　away。　〃Ah；　Hyrim；〃　he　sighed；　〃you　are　a　fat；　thistle…brained　fool。　What　business　had　you　to　dream　of　Lords　and　Lore；　of　Giants　and　bold　undertakings？　When　such　thoughts　first　entered　your　childish　head；　you　should　have　been　severely　punished　and　sent　to　tend　sheep。　Your　thick；　inept　self　does　scant　honor　to　Hoole　Gren…mate　your　father；　who　trusted　that　your　foolish　fancies　would　not　lead　you　astray。〃　Over　his　shoulder；　he　said　softly；　〃Lord　Mhoram　saw　the　death　of　the　Giants　marching　toward　them。　He　could　not　make　out　the　face　of　that　death。　But　he　saw　that　if　they　are　not　aided　soon…soon；　perhaps　in　a　score　of　days！…they　will　surely　be　destroyed。〃
　Destroyed？　Covenant　echoed　silently。　Destroyed？　Then　he　went　a　step　further。　Is　that　my　fault；　tool　〃Why；〃　he　began；　then　swallowed　roughly。　〃Why　are　you　telling　me？　What　do　you　expect　me　to　do？〃
　〃Because　of　brother　Mhoram's　vision；　the　Council　has　decided　that　it　must　send　a　mission　to　Seareach　at　once…now。　Because　of　the　war；　we　cannot　spare　much　of　our　strength…but　Mhoram　says　that　speed　is　needed　more　than　strength。　Therefore　High　Lord　。　Elena　has　chosen　two　Lords…two　Lords　who　have　been　accepted　by　the　Ranyhyn…Shetra　Verementmate；　whose　knowledge　of　Sarangrave　Flat　is　greater　than　any　other's；　and　Hyrim　son　of　Hoole；　who　has　a　passing　acquaintance　with　the　lore　of　the　Giants。　To　acpany　us；　First　Mark　Morin　has　chosen　fifteen　Bloodguard　led　by　Korik；　Cernn；　and　Sill。　The　High　Lord　has　given　the　mission　to　them　as　well　as　to　us；　so　that　if　we　fall　they　will　go　on　to　the　Giants'　aid。
　〃Korik　is　among　the　most　senior　of　the　Bloodguard。〃　The　Lord　seemed　to　be　digressing；　avoiding　something　that　he　hesitated　to　say。　〃With　Tuvor；　Morin；　Bannor；　and　Terrel；　he　manded　the　original　Haruchai　army　which　marched　against　the　Land　…marched；　and　met　High　Lord　Kevin；　with　the　Ranyhyn　and　the　Giants；　and　was　moved　by　love　and　wonder　and　gratitude　to　swear　the　Vow　of　service　which　began　the　Bloodguard。　Sill　is　the　Bloodguard　who　holds　me　in　his　especial　care；　just　as　Cerrin　holds　Lord　Shetra。　I　will　require　them　to　hold　us　well；〃　Hyrim　growled　with　a　return　to　humor。　〃I　do　not　wish　to　lose　all　this　flesh　which　I　have　so　joyfully　gained。〃
　In　frustration；　Covenant　repeated　sharply；　〃What　do　you　expect　me　to　do？〃
　Slowly；　Hyrim　turned　to　face　him　squarely。　〃You　have　known　Saltheart　Foamfollower；〃　he　said。　〃I　wish　you　to　e　with　us。〃
　Covenant　gaped　at　the　Lord　in　astonishment。　He　felt　suddenly　faint。　From　a　distance；　he　heard　himself　　asking　weakly；　〃Does　the　High　Lord　know　about　　this？〃
　Hyrim　grinned。　〃Her　anger　will　blister　the　skin　of　my　face　when　she　hears　what　I　have　said　to　you。〃　But　a　moment　later；　he　was　sober　again。　〃Ur…Lord；　I　do　not　say　that　you　should　acpany　us。　Perhaps　I　am　greatly　wrong　in　my　asking。　There　is　much　that　we　do　not　know　concerning　the　Despiser's　intent　for　this　war…and　of　these　one　of　the　greatest　is　our　ignorance　of　the　direction　from　which　he　will　attack。　Will　he　move　south　of　Andelain。　as　he　has　in　past　ages；　and　then　strike　northward　through　the　Center　Plains；　or　will　he　march　north　along　Landsdrop　to　approach　us　from　the　east？　This　ignorance　paralyzes　our　defense。　The　Warward　cannot　move　until　we　know　the　answer。　Warmark　Troy　is　much　concerned。　But　if　Lord　Foul　chooses　to　assail　us　from　the　east；　then　our　mission　to　Seareach　will　ride　straight　into　his　strength。　For　that　reason；　it　would　be　unsurpassable　folly　for　the　white　gold　to　acpany　us。
　〃No；　if　it　were　wise　for　you　to　ride　with　us；　Lord　Mhoram　would　have　spoken　of　it　with　you。　Nevertheless　I　ask。　I　love　the　Giants　deeply；　ur…Lord。　They　are　precious　to　all　the　Land。　I　would　brave　even　High　Lord　Elena's　wrath　to　give　them　any　aid。〃
　The　simple　sincerity　of　the　Lord's　appeal　touched　Covenant。　Though　he　had　just　met　the　man；　he　found　that　he　liked　Hyrim　son　of　Hoole…liked　him　and　wanted　to　help　him。　And　the　Giants　were　a　powerful　argument。　He　could　not　bear　to　…think　that　Foamfollower；　so　full　of　life　and　laughter　and　prehension；　might　be　killed　if　he　were　not　given　aid。　But　that　argument　reminded　Covenant　bitterly　that　he　was　less　capable　of　help　than　anyone　in　the　Land。　And　Elena's　influence　was　still　strong　on　him。　He　did　not　want　to　do　anything　to　anger　her；　anything　that　would　give　her　additional　cause　to　hate　him。　He　was　torn；　he　could　not　answer　the　candid　question　in　Hyrim's　gaze。
　Abruptly；　the　Lord's　eyes　filled　with　tears。　He　looked　away；　blinking　rapidly。　〃I　have　given　you　pain；　ur…Lord；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Forgive　me。〃　Covenant　expected　to　hear　irony；　criticism；　in　the　words；　but　Hyrim's　tone　expressed　only　an　unplex　sorrow。　When　he　faced　Covenant　again；　his　lips　wore　a　lame　smile。　〃Well；　then。　Will　you　not　at　least　e　with　me　to　the　courtyard？　The　mission　will　soon　meet　there　to　depart。　Your　presence　will　say　to　all　Revelstone　that　you　act　from　choice　rather　than　from　ignorance。〃
　That　Covenant　could　not　refuse；　he　was　too　ashamed　of　his　essential　impotence；　too　angry。　Kicking　himself　vehemently　into　motion；　he　strode　out　of　his　suite。
　At　once；　he　found　Bannor　at　his　elbow。　Between　the　Bloodguard　and　the　Lord；　he　stalked　downward　through　the　halls　and　passages　toward　the　gates　of　Revelstone。
　There　was　only　one　entrance　to　Lord's　Keep；　and　the　Giants　had　designed　it　well　to　defend　the　city。　At　the　wedge　tip　of　the　plateau；　they　had　hollowed　out　the　stone　to　form　a　courtyard　between　the　main　Keep　and　the　watchtower　which　protected　the　outer　gates。　Those　gates…huge；　interlocking　stone　slabs　which　could　close　inward　to　seal　the　entrance　pletely　led　to　a　tunnel　under　the　tow