srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第42章

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　reach　Revelstone　in　fifteen　days。
　He　was　five　days　short。　Five　days　less　in　which　to　march　over　three　hundred　leagues…！　And　Lord　Foul's　army　would　be　in　the　Center　Plains　ten　days　from　now。
　Without　knowing　how　he　had　reached　that　position；　he　found　himself　sitting　with　his　face　in　his　hands　as　if　he　could　not　bear　to　look　at　the　ruin　of　all　his　fine　strategy。　Numbly；　as　if　it　were　a　matter　of　no　consequence；　he　realized　that　he　had　been　right　about　one　thing：　Covenant's　summons　coincided　with　the　start　of　Lord　Foul's　army。　That　ploy　…had　triggered　the　Despiser's　attack。　Or　did　it　work　the　other　'way　around？　Had　Lord　Foul　somehow　anticipated　the　call？
　〃How…？〃　For　a　moment；　he　could　not　find　what　he　wanted　to　ask；　and　he　repeated　stupidly；　〃How…？〃
　〃Ask！〃　Rue　demanded　softly。
　He　heard　the　warning　in　her　voice；　the　danger　of　offending　her　pride　after　an　exhausting　ordeal。　It　made　him　raise　his　head；　look　at　her。　She　was　glaring　at　him；　and　her　hands　twitched　as　if　they　yearned　to　snatch　the　fighting　cord　from　her　hair。　But　he　had　to　ask　the　question；　had　to　be　sure…〃What　happened　to　you？　Why　did　it　take　so　long？〃　His　voice　sounded　small　and　lorn　to　himself。
　〃I　was　driven　from　my　way；〃　she　said　through　her　teeth；　〃north　into　the　marge　of　the　Sarangrave。〃
　〃Dear　God；〃　Troy　breathed　weakly。　He　felt　the　way　Rue　looked　at　him；　felt　all　the　eyes　in　the　Close　on　him。　But　he　could　not　think；　his　brain　was　inert。　Lord　Foul　was　only　a　three…day　march　from　Morinmoss。
　The　Manethrall　snorted　disdainfully；　and　turned　away　toward　the　High　Lord。　〃Is　this　the　man　who　leads　your　warriors？〃　she　asked　sourly。
　〃Please　pardon　him；〃　Elena　replied。　〃He　is　young　in　the　Land；　and　in　some　matters　does　not　see　clearly。　But　he　has　been　chosen　by　the　Ranyhyn。　In　time　he　will　show　his　true　value。〃
　Rue　shrugged。　〃Do　you　have　other　questions？〃　she　said　wearily。　〃I　would　end　this。〃

　〃You　have　told　us　much。　We　have　no　more　doubt　of　Lord　Foul's　movements；　and　can　guess　his　speed。　Only　one　question　remains。　It　concerns　the　position　of　Fangthane's　army。　What　manner　of　beings　prise　it？〃
　Bitterness　stiffened　Rue's　stance；　and　she　said　harshly；　〃I　have　spoken　of　the　wind；　and　the　evil　in　the　air　which　felled　my　Cords。　In　the　army　I　saw　urviles；　Cavewights；　a　mighty　host　of　kresh；　great　lionlike　beasts　with　wings　which　both　ran　and　flew；　and　many　other　ill　creatures。　They　wore　shapes　like　dogs　or　horses　or　men；　yet　they　were　not　what　they　seemed。　They　shone　with　great　wrong。　To　my　heart；　they　appeared　as　the　people　and　beasts　of　the　Land　made　evil　by　Fangthane。〃
　〃That　is　the　work　of　the　Illearth　Stone；〃　the　High　Lord　murmured。
　But　Manethrall　Rue　was　not　done。　〃One　other　thing　I　saw。　I　could　not　be　mistaken；　for　it　marched　near　the　forefront；　manding　the　movements　of　the　horde。　It　controlled　the　creatures　with　a　baleful　green　light；　and　called　itself　Fleshharrower。　It　was　a　Giant。〃
　For　an　instant；　a　silence　like　a　thunderclap　broke　over　the　Close。　It　snatched　Troy's　attention　erect；　lit　a　fire　of　dread　in　his　chest。　The　Giants！　Had　Lord　Foul　conquered　them？　Already？
　Then　First　Mark　Morin　came　to　his　feet　and　said　in　a　voice　flat　with　certainty；　〃Impossible。　Rockbrother　is　another　name　for　fealty　and　faith。　Do　you　rave？〃
　At　once；　the　chamber　clamored　in　protest　against　the　very　idea　that　a　Giant　could　join　the　Despiser。　The　thought　was　too　shocking　to　be　admitted；　it　cast　fundamental　beliefs　into　hysteria。　The　Hafts　burst　out　lividly；　and　several　of　them　shouted　through　the　general　uproar　that　Rue　was　lying。　Two　Lorewardens　took　up　Morin's　question　and　made　it　an　accusation：　Rue　was　in　the　grip　of　a　Raver。　Confusion　overcame　even　the　Lords。　Trevor　and　Loerya　paled　with　fear；　Verement　barked　at　Mhoram；　Elena　and　Callindrill　were　staggered；　and　Amatin　burst　into　tears。
　The　noise　aggravated　swiftly　in　the　clear　acoustics　of　the　Close；　exacerbated　itself；　forced　each　voice　to　bee　rawer　and　wilder。　There　was　panic　in　the　din。　If　the　Giants　could　be　made　to　serve　Despite；　then　nothing　was　safe；　sure；　betrayal　lurked　everywhere。　Even　the　Bloodguard　had　an　aspect　of　dismay　in　their　flat　faces。
　Yet　under　the　protesting　and　the　abuse；　Manethrall　Rue　stood　firmly；　holding　up　her　head　with　a　blaze　of　pride　and　fury　in　her　eyes。
　The　next　moment；　Covenant　reached　her　side。
　Shaking　his　fists　at　the　assembly；　he　howled；　〃Hellfire！　Can't　you　see　that　she's　telling　the　truth？〃
　His　voice　had　no　effect。　But　something　in　his　yell　penetrated　Hiltmark　Quaan。　The　old　veteran　knew　the　Ramen　well；　he　had　known　Rue　during　her　youth。　He　jumped　to　his　feet　and　shouted；　〃Order！　1〃
　Caught　in　their　trained　military　reactions；　the　Hafts　sprang　to　attention。
　Then　High　Lord　Elena　seemed　to　realize　what　was　happening　around　her。　She　reasserted　her　control　with　a　blast　of　blue　fire　from　the　Staff；　and　one　hot　cry：
　〃I　am　ashamed！〃
　A　stung　silence；　writhing　with　fear　and　indignation；　burned　in　answer　to　her　shout。　But　she　met　it　passionately；　sternly；　as　if　something　precious　were　in　danger。　〃Melenkurion　abatha！　Have　we　e　to　this？　Does　fear　so　belittle　us？　Look！　Look　at　her。　If　you　have　not　heard　the　truth　in　her　voice；　then　look　at　her　now。　Remember　your　Oath　of　Peace；　and　look　at　her。　By　the　Seven！　What　evil　do　you　see？　No…I　will　hear　no　protestations　that　ill　can　be　disguised。　We　are　in　the　Close　of　Revelstone。　This　is　the　Council　of　Lords。　No　Raver　could　utter　falsehood　and　betrayal　here。　If　there　were　any　wrong　in　the　Manethrall；　you　would　have　known　it。〃
　When　she　saw　that　she　had　mastered　the　assembly；　she　continued　more　quietly。　〃My　friends；　we　are　more　than　this。　I　do　not　know　the　meaning　of　Manethrall　Rue's　tidings。　Perhaps　the　Despiser　has　captured　and　broken　a　Giant　through　the　power　of　the　Illearth　Stone。　Perhaps　he　can　create…　ill　wights　in　any　semblance　he　desires；　and　showed　a　false　Giant　to　Rue；　knowing　how　the　tale　of　a　betraying　Rockbrother　would　harm　us。　We　must　gain　answers　to　these　questions。　But　here　stands　Manethrall　Rue　of　the　Ramen；　exhausted　in　the　acplishment　of　a　help　which　we　can　neither　match　nor　repay。　Cleanse　your　hearts　of　all　thought　against　her。　We　must　not　do　such　injustice。〃
　〃Right。〃　Troy　heaved　himself　to　his　feet。　His　brain　was　working　again。　He　was　ashamed　of　his　weakness　…and；　by　extension；　ashamed　of　his　Hafts　as　well。　Belatedly；　he　remembered　that　the　Lords　Callindrill　and　Amatin　had　been　unable　to　breach　Sarangrave　Flat　and　yet　Rue　had　survived　it；　so　that　she　could　e　to　warn　Revelstone。　And　he　did　not　like　to　think　that　Covenant　had　behaved　better　than　he。　〃You're　right。〃　He　faced　the　Ramen　squarely。　〃Manethrall；　my　Hafts　and　I　owe　you　an　apology。　You　deserve　better…especially　from　us。〃　He　put　acid　in　his　tone　for　the　ears　of　the　Hafts。　〃War　puts　burdens　on　people　without　caring　whether　they're　ready　for　them　or　not。〃
　He　did　not　wait　for　any　reply。　Turning　toward　Quaan；　he　said；　〃Hiltmark…my　thanks　for　keeping　your　head。　Let's　make　sure　that　nothing　like　this　happens　again。〃　Then　he　sat　down　and　withdrew　behind　his　sunglasses　to　try　to　think　of　some　way　to　salvage　his　battle　plans。
　Quaan　manded；　〃Rest！〃　The　Hafts　reseated　themselves；　looking　abashed…and　yet　in　some　way　more　determined　than　before。　That　seemed　to　mark　the　end　of　an　ugliness。　Manethrall　Rue　and　ur…Lord　Covenant　sagged；　leaned　tiredly　toward　each　other　as　if　for　support。　The　High　Lord　started　to　speak；　but　Rue　interrupted　her　in　a　low　voice：　〃I　want　no　more　apologies。　Release　me。　I　must　rest。〃
　Elena　nodded　sadly。　〃Manethrall　Rue；　go　in　Peace。　All　the　hospitality　Revelstone　can　provide　is　yours　for　as　long　as　you　choose　to　stay。　We　do　not　take　the　service　you　have　done　us　lightly。　But　please　hear　me。　We　have　never　taken　the　Ramen　lightly。　And　the　value　of　the　Ranyhyn　to　all　the　Land　is　beyond　any　measure。　We　do　not　forget。　Hail；　Manethrall！　May　the　bloom　of　amanibhavam　never　fail。　Hail；　Ramen！　May　the　Plains　of　Ra　be　forever　swift　under　your　feet。　Hail；　Ranyhyn！　Tail　of　the　Sky；　Mane　of　the　World。〃　Once　again；　she　bowed　to　Rue　in　the　Ramen　fashion。
　Manethrall　Rue　returned　the　gesture；　and　added　the　traditional　salute　of　farewell；　touching　the　heels　of　her　hands　to　her　forehead；　she　bent　forward　and　spread　her　arms　wid