srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第44章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　mountains　gives　a　tremendous　advantage　to　the　side　that　gets　there　first…if　it　gets　there　in　time　to　dig　in　before　the　enemy　arrives。
　〃Well；　it　was　a　nice　idea。　Now　we're　in　a　different　war。　We're　five　days　short。　Foul　will　be　through　the　Mithil　valley　ten　days　from　now。　And　he'll　turn　north；　forcing　us　to　fight　him　wherever　he　wants　in　the　Center　Plains。　If　we　have　to　retreat　at　all；　we'll　end　up　in　Trothgard。〃
　He　paused　for　a　moment；　half　expecting　groans　of　dismay。　But　most　of　the　people　simply　watched　him　closely；　and　several　of　the　Lords　had　confidence　in　their　eyes。　Their　trust　touched　him。　He　had　to　swallow　down　a　sudden　lump　in　his　throat　before　he　could　continue。
　〃There's　one　way　we　can　still　do　it。　It's　going　to　be　hell…but　it's　just　about　possible。〃
　Then　for　an　instant　he　faltered。　Hell　was　a　mild　word　for　what　his　warriors　would　have　to　endure。　How　could　he　ask　them　to　do　it；　when　he　was　to　blame　for　the　miscalculation　which　made　it　necessary？　How…？
　But　Elena　was　watching　him　steadily。　From　the　beginning；　she　had　supported　his　desire　to　mand　the　Warward。　And　now　he　was　the　Warmark。　He；　Hile　Troy。　In　a　tone　of　anger　at　the　extremity　of　what　he　was　asking；　he　said；　〃Here　it　is。　First。　We　have　nine　days。　I　absolutely　guarantee　that　Foul　will　hit　the　western　end　of　the　Mithil　valley　by　the　end　of　the　ninth　day　from　now。　That's　one　of　the　things　not　having　any　eyes　is　good　for。　I　can　measure　things　like　this。　All　right？　Nine　days。　We've　got　to　get　there　before　that　and　block　the　valley。
　〃Morin；　your　two　hundred　Bloodguard　have　got　to　leave　tonight。　Callindrill；　you　go　with　them。　On　Ranyhyn　you　can　get　there　in　seven　days。　You've　got　to　stop　Foul　right　there。
　〃Borillar；　how　many　of　those　big　rafts　have　you　got　in　the　lake？〃
　Surprised；　Hearthrall　Borillar　answered；　‘Three；
　Warmark。〃
　〃How　many　warriors　and　horses　can　they　carry？〃
　Borillar　glanced　helplessly　over　at　Quaan。　The　Hiltmark　replied；　〃Each　raft　will　carry　two　Eoman　and　their　Warhafts　forty…two　warriors　and　horses。　But　the　crowding　will　be　dangerous。〃
　〃If　you　ride　a　raft　as　far　as　Andelain；　how　fast　can　you　get　those　Eoman　to　the　Mithil　valley？〃
　〃If　there　is　no　mishap…in　ten　days。　Four　days　may　be　saved　through　the　use　of　rafts。〃
　〃All　right。　We　have　twelve　horse…mounted　Eoward　…two　hundred　forty　Eoman。　Borillar；　I　need　one　hundred　twenty　of　those　rafts。　Quaan；　you're　in　mand　of　this。　You've　got　to　get　all　twelve　mounted　Eoward…　and　Verement…down　to　the　Mithil　valley　as　fast　as　possible…to　help　Callindrill　and　the　Bloodguard　keep　Foul　from　ing　through。　You've　got　to　buy　us　the　time　we　need。　Get　on　it。〃
　Hiltmark　Quaan　spoke　a　word　to　the　Hafts；　and　twelve　of　them　jumped　up　to　form　ranks　behind　him　as　he　hastened　out　of　the　Close。　Borillar　looked　at　the　High　Lord　with　an　expression　of　indecision；　but　she　nodded　to　him。　Rubbing　his　hands　nervously　as　if　to　warm　them；　he　left　the　chamber；　taking　all　the　lillianrill　with　him。
　〃Second；〃　Troy　said。　〃The　rest　of　the　Warward　will　march　straight　south　from　here　to　Doom's　Retreat。　That's　something　less　than　three　hundred　leagues。〃　He　called　the　remaining　Hafts　to　their　feet；　and　addressed　them　directly。　〃I　think　you　should　explain　this　to　your　mands。　We've　got　to　get　to　Doom's　Retreat　in　twenty…eight　days。　And　that's　only　enough　if　the　Hiltmark　can　do　everything　I've　got　in　mind　for　him。　Tell　your　Eoward…ten　leagues　a　day。　That's　going　to　be　the　easy　part　of　this　war。〃
　In　the　back　of　his　mind；　he　was　thinking；　Ten　leagues　a　day　for　twenty…eight　days。　Good　God！　Half　of　them　will　be　dead　before　we　reach　the　South　Plains。
　For　a　moment；　he　studied　the　Hafts；　trying　to　judge　their　mettle。　Then　he　said；　〃First　Haft　Amorine。〃
　The　First　Haft　stepped　forward；　and　responded；
　〃Warmark。〃　She　was　a　short；　broad；　dour　woman　with　blunt　features　which　appeared　to　have　been　molded　in　a　clay　too　hard　and　dry　for　detailed　handiwork。　But　she　was　a　seasoned　veteran　of　the　Warward…one　of　the　few　survivors　of　the　Eoman　which　Quaan　had　manded　on　the　Quest　for　the　Staff　of　Law。
　〃Ready　the　Warward。　We　march　at　dawn。　Pay　special　attention　to　the　packs。　Make　them　as　light　as　possible。　Use　all　the　rest　of　the　horses　for　cartage　if　you　have　to。　If　we　don't　make　it　to　Doom's　Retreat　in　time；　Revelstone　won't　have　any　use　for　the　last　few　hundred　horses。　Get　started。〃
　First　Haft　Amorine　gave　a　stern　mand　to　the　Hafts。　Saluting　the　Lords　together；　they　moved　out　of　the　Close　behind　her。
　Troy　watched　until　they　were　gone；　and　the　doors　were　shut　after　them。　Then　he　turned　to　the　High　Lord。　With　an　effort；　he　forced　himself　to　say；　〃You　know　I've　never　manded　a　war　before。　In　fact；　I've　never　manded　anything。　All　I　know　is　theory　just　mental　exercises。　You're　putting　a　lot　of　faith　in　me。〃
　If　she　felt　the　importance　of　what　he　said；　she　gave　no　sign。　〃Do　not　fear；　Warmark；〃　she　replied　firmly。　〃We　see　your　value　to　the　Land。　You　have　given　us　no　cause　to　doubt　the　rightness　of　your　mand。〃
　A　rush　of　gratitude　took　Troy's　voice　away　from　him。　He　saluted　her；　then　sat　down　and　braced　his　arms　on　the　table　to　keep　himself　from　trembling。
　A　moment　later；　High　Lord　Elena　said　to　the　remaining　assembly；　〃Ah；　my　friends；　there　is　much　to　be　done；　and　the　night　will　be　all　too　short　for　our　need。　This　is　not　the　time　for　long　talk　or　exhortation。　Let　us　all　go　about　our　work　at　once。　I　will　speak　to　the　Keep；　and　to　the　Warward；　at　dawn。
　〃Hearthrall　Tohrm。〃
　〃High　Lord；〃　Tohrm　responded　with　alacrity。
　〃I　think　that　there　are　ways　in　which　you　may　make　the　rafts　more　stable；　safer　for　horses。　Please　do　so。　And　send　any　of　your　people　who　may　be　spared　to　assist　Hearthrall　Borillar　in　the　building。
　〃My　friends；　this　war　is　upon　us。　Give　your　best　strength　to　the　Land　now。　If　mortal　flesh　may　do　it；　we　must　prevail。〃　She　drew　herself　erect；　and　flourished　the　Staff。　〃Be　of　good　heart。　I　am　Elena　daughter　of　Lena；　High　Lord　by　the　choice　of　the　Council；　and　wielder　of　the　Staff　of　Law。　My　will　mands。　I　speak　in　the　presence　of　Revelstone　itself。〃　Bowing　to　the　assembly；　she　swept　from　the　Close　through　one　of　the　private　doors；　followed　variously　by　the　other　Lords。
　The　chamber　emptied　rapidly　as　the　people　hurried　away　to　their　tasks。　Troy　stood　and　started　toward　the　stairs。　But　on　the　way；　Covenant　accosted　him。　〃Actually；〃　Covenant　said　as　if　he　were　telling　Troy　a　secret；　〃it　isn't　you　they've　got　faith　in　at　all。　Just　as　they　don't　have　faith　in　me。　It's　the　student　who　summoned　you。　That's　whom　they've　staked　their　faith　on。〃
　〃I'm　busy；〃　Troy　said　stiffly。　〃I've　got　things　to　do。　Let　me　go。〃
　〃Listen！〃　Covenant　demanded。　〃I'm　trying　to　warn　you。　If　you　could　hear　it。　It's　going　to　happen　to　you；　too。　One　of　these　days；　you're　going　to　run　out　of　people　who'll　march　their　hearts　out　to　make　your　ideas　work。　And　then　you'll　see　that　you　put　them　through　all　that　for　nothing。　Three…hundred…league　marches　blocked　valleys…your　ideas。　Paid　for　and　wasted。　All　your　fine　tactics　won't　be　worth　a　rusty　damn。
　〃Ah；　Troy；〃　he　sighed　wearily。　〃All　this　responsibility　is　going　to　make　another　Kevin　Landwaster　out　of　you。〃　Instead　of　meeting　Troy's　taut　stare；　he　turned　away　and　wandered　out　of　the　Close　as　if　he　hardly　knew　or　cared　where　he　was　going。
　
　
　TWELVE：　Forth　to　War
　
　JUST　before　dawn；　Troy　rode　away　from　the　gates　of　Revelstone　in　the　direction　of　the　lake　at　the　foot　of　Furl　Falls。　The　predawn　dimness　obscured　his　sight；　blinded　him　like　a　mist　in　his　mind。　He　could　not　see　where　he　was　going；　could　hardly　discern　the　ears　of　his　mount。　But　he　was　in　no　danger；　he　was　riding　Mehryl；　the　Ranyhyn　that　had　chosen　to　bear　him。
　Yet　as　he　trotted　westward　under　the　high　south　wall　of　the　Keep；　he　had　a　precarious　aspect；　like　a　man　trying　to　balance　himself　on　a　tree　limb　that　was　too　small。　He　had　spent　a　good　part　of　the　night　reviewing　the　decisions　he　had　made　in　the　war　council；　and　they　scared　him。　He　had　mitted　the　Lords　and　the　Warward　to　a　path　as　narrow　and　fatal　as　a　swaying　tightrope。
　But　he　had　no　choice。　He　had　either　to　go　ahead　or　to　abandon　his　mand；　leave　the　war　in　Quaan's　worthy　but　unimaginative　hands。　So　in　spite　of　his　anxiety　he　did　not　he