srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第34章

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may　still　be　kept。　But　it　was　not　his　intent　to　harm　you…he　did　not　plan　his　attack。　I　know　him；　and　am　sure　of　this。　He　has　known　of　your　presence　in　Revelstone；　yet　he　made　no　effort　to　seek　you　out。　No；　he　was　overe　by　his　hurt。　I　do　not　know　how　he　will　recover。〃
　As　she　spoke；　he　saw　that　once　again　he　had　failed　F　to　prehend。　He　had　been　thinking　about　punishment　rather　than　healing。　Hugging　his　sore　ribs；　he　said；　〃You're　too　gentle。　You've　got　every　right　to　hate　me。〃
　She　gave　him　a　look　of　mild　exasperation。　〃Neither
　Lena　my　mother　nor　I　have　ever　hated　you。　It　is　impossible　for　us。　And　what　would　be　the　good？　Without　you；　I　would　not　be。　It　may　be　that　Lena　would　have　married　Triock；　and　given　birth　to　a　daughter…but　that　daughter　would　be　another　person。　I　would　not　be　who　I　am。〃　A　moment　later；　she　smiled。　〃Thomas　Covenant；　there　are　few　children　in　all　the　history　of　the　Land　who　have　ridden　a　Ranyhyn。〃
　〃Well；　at　least　that　part　of　it　worked　out。〃　He　shrugged　aside　her　questioning　glance。　He　did　not　feel　equal　to　explaining　the　bargain　he　had　tried　to　make　with　the　Ranyhyn…or　the　way　in　which　that　bargain　had　failed　him。
　A　mood　of　constraint　came　between　them。　Elena　turned　away　from　it　to　look　again　at　〃Lord　Mhoram's　Victory。〃
　〃This　picture　disturbs　me；〃　she　said。　〃Where　am　I？　If　Mhoram　is　thus　sorely　beset；　why　am　I　not　at　his　side？　How　have　I　fallen；　that　he　is　so　alone？〃　She　touched　the　picture　lightly；　brushed　her　fingertips　over　Mhoram's　lone；　beleaguered；　invincible　stance。　〃It　is　in　my　heart　that　this　war　will　go　beyond　me。〃
　The　thought　stung　her。　Suddenly　she　stepped　back　from　the　painting；　stood　tall　with　the　Staff　of　Law　planted　on　the　stone　before　her。　She　shook　her　head　so　that　her　brown…and…honey　hair　snapped　as　if　a　wind　blew　about　her　shoulders；　and　breathed　intensely；　〃No！　I　will　see　it　ended！　Ended！〃
　As　she　repeated　Ended；　she　struck　the　floor　with　the　Staff's　iron　heel。　An　instant　of　bright　blue　fire　ignited　in　the　air。　The　stone　lurched　under　Covenants　feet；　and　he　nearly　fell。　But　she　quenched　her　power　almost　at　once；　it　passed　like　a　momentary　intrusion　of　nightmare。　Before　he　could　regain　his　balance；　she　caught　his　arm　and　steadied　him。
　〃Ah；　you　must　pardon　me；〃　she　said　with　a　look　like　laughter。　〃I　forgot　myself。〃
　He　braced　his　feet；　tried　to　determine　whether　or　not　he　could　still　trust　the　floor。　The　stone　felt　secure。　〃Give　me　fair　warning　next　time；〃　he　muttered；　〃so　I　can　sit　down。〃
　The　High　Lord　broke　into　clear　laughter；　then　subdued　herself　abruptly。　〃Your　pardon　again；　Thomas　Covenant。　But　your　expression　is　so　fierce　and　foolish。〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　he　replied。　He　found　that　he　liked　the　sound　of　her　laugh。　〃Ridicule　may　be　the　only　good　answer。〃
　〃Is　that　a　proverb　from　your　world？　Or　are　you　a　prophet？〃
　〃A　little　of　both。〃
　〃You　are　strange。　You　transpose　wisdom　and　jest　you　reverse　their　meanings。〃
　〃Is　that　a　fact？〃
　〃Yes；　ur…Lord　Covenant；〃　she　said　lightly；　humorously。　〃That　is　a　fact。〃　Then　she　appeared　to　remember　something。　〃But　we　must　go。　I　think　we　are　expected。　And　you　have　never　seen　the　upland。　Will　you　e　with　me？〃
　He　shrugged。　She　smiled　at　him；　and　he　followed　her　toward　the　door　of　the　Hall。
　〃Who's　expecting　us？〃　he　asked　casually。
　She　opened　the　door　and　preceded　him　through　it。　When　it　was　closed　behind　them；　she　answered；　〃I　would　like　to　surprise　you。　But　perhaps　that　would　not　be　fair　warning。　There　is　a　man…a　man　who　studies　dreams…to　find　the　truth　in　them。　One　of　the　Unfettered。〃
　His　heart　jumped　again；　and　he　wrapped　his　arms　protectively　around　his　sore　chest。　Hellfire；　he　groaned　to　himself。　An　interpreter　of　dreams。　Just　what　I　need。　An　Unfettered　One　had　saved　him　and　Atiaran　from　the　ur…viles　at　the　Celebration　of　Spring。　By　a　perverse　trick　of　recollection；　he　heard　the　Unfettered　One's　death　cry　in　the　wake　of　Elena's　clear　voice。　And　he　remembered　Atiaran's　grim　insistence　that　it　was　the　responsibility　of　the　living　to　make　meaningful　the　sacrifices　of　the　dead。　With　a　brusque　gesture；　he　motioned　for　Elena　to　lead　the　way；　then　walked　after　her；　muttering；　Hellfire。　Hellfire。
　She　guided　him　back　up　through　the　levels　of　Revelstone　until　he　began　to　recognize　his　surroundings。　Then　they　moved　westward；　still　climbing；　and　after　a　while　they　joined　a　high；　wide　passage　like　a　road　along　the　length　of　the　Keep；　rising　slowly。　Soon　the　decreasing　weight　of　the　stone　around　him；　and　the　growing　autumn！　tang　of　the　air；　told　him　that　they　were　approaching　the　level　of　the　plateau　which　topped　the　Keep。　After　two　sharp　switchbacks；　the　passage　ended；　and　he　found　himself　out　in　the　open；　standing　on　thick　grass　under　the　roofless　heavens。　A　league　or　two　west　of　him　were　the　mountains。
　A　cool　breeze　hinting　a　fall　crispness　touched　him　through　the　late　morning　sunlight…a　low　blowing　as　full　of　ripe　earth　and　harvests　as　if　it　were　clairvoyant；　foretelling　bundled　crops　and　full　fruit　and　seeds　ready　for　rest。　But　the　trees　on　the　plateau　and　the　upland　hills　were　predominantly　evergreens；　feathery　mimosas　and　tall　pines　and　wide　cedars　with　no　turning　of　leaves。　And　the　hardy　grass　made　no　concessions　to　the　changing　season。
　The　hills　of　the　upland　were　Revelstone's　secret　strength。　They　were　protected　by　…sheer　cliffs　on　the　east　and　south；　by　mountains　on　the　north　and　west；　and　so　they　were　virtually　inaccessible　except　through　Lord's　Keep　itself。　Here　the　people　of　the　city　could　get　food　and　water　to　withstand　a　siege。　Therefore　Revelstone　could　endure　as　long　as　its　walls　and　gates　remained　impregnable。
　〃So　you　see；〃　said　Elena；　〃that　the　Giants　wrought　well　for　the　Land　in　all　ways。　While　Revelstone　stands；　there　remains　one　bastion　of　hope。　In　its　own　way；　the　Keep　is　as　impervious　to　defeat　as　Foul's　Creche　is　said　to　be…in　the　old　legends。　This　is　vital；　for　the　legends　also　say　that　the　shadow　of　Despite　will　never　be　wholly　driven　from　the　Land　while　Ridjeck　Thome；　Lord　Foul's　dire　demesne；　endures。　So　our：　debt　to　the　Giants　is　far　greater　than　for　unfaltering　friendship。　It　is　greater　than　anything　we　can　repay。〃
　Her　tone　was　grateful；　but　her　mention　of　the　Giants　cast　a　gloom　over　her　and　Covenant。　She　turned　away　from　it；　and　led　him　northward　along　the　curve　of　the　upland。
　In　this　direction；　the　plateau　rose　into　rumpled　hills；　and　soon；　on　their　left；　away　from　the　cliff；　they　began　to　pass　herds　of　grazing　cattle。　Cattleherds　saluted　the　High　Lord　ceremoniously；　and　she　responded　with　quiet　bows。　Later；　she　and　Covenant　crossed　a　hilltop　from　which　they　could　see　westward　across　the　width　of　the　upland。　There；　beyond　the　swift　river　that　ran　south　toward　the　bead　of　Furl　Falls；　were　fields　where　crops　of　wheat　and　maize　rippled　in　the　breeze。　And　a　league　behind　the　grazeland　and　the　river　and　the　fields　stood　the　mountains；　rising　rugged　and　grand　out　of　the　hills。　The　peaks　were　snow…clad；　and　their　white　bemantling　made　them　look　hoary　and　aloof…sheer；　wild；　and　irreproachable。　The　Haruchai　lived　west　and　south　in　this　same　range。
　Covenant　and　the　High　Lord　continued　northward；　slowly　winding　away　from　the　cliffs　and　toward　the　river　as　Elena　chose　an　easy　path　among　the　hills。　She　seemed　content　with　the　silence　between　them；　so　they　both　moved　without　speaking。　Covenant　walked　as　if　he　were　drinking　in　the　upland　with　his　eyes　and　ears。　The　sturdy　health　of　the　grass；　the　clean；　hale　soil　and　the　inviolate　rock；　the　ripeness　of　the　wheat　and　maize…all　were　vivid　to　his　sight。　The　singing　and　soaring　of　the　birds　sounded　like　joy　in　the　air。　And　when　he　passed　close　to　a　particularly　tall；　magisterial　pine；　he　felt　that　he　could　almost　hear　the　climbing　of　its　sap。　For　a　league；　he　forgot　himself　in　his　enjoyment　of　the　Land's　late　summer。
　Then　he　began　to　wonder　vaguely　how　far　Elena　meant　to　take　him。　But　before　he　became　willing　to　interrupt　the　quietness　with　a　question；　they　crossed　the　rise　of　a　high　hill；　and　she　announced　that　they　had　arrived。　〃Ah；〃　she　said　with　a　sigh　of　gladness；　〃Glimmermere！　Lakespring　and　riverhead…hail；　clean　pool！　It　pleases　my　heart　to　see　you　again。〃
　They　were　looking　down　on　a　mountain　lake；　the　headwater　of　the　river　w