srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第67章

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　〃He　must　have　brave　sight；　if　he　can　see　so　far　though　it　is　said　that　High　Lord　Kevin　viewed　all　the　Land　from　his　Watch。　But　that　is　not　our　concern。　Please　accept　the　wele　of　Mithil　Stonedown。　How　may　we　serve　you？〃
　Smiling；　Mhoram　answered；　〃A　hot　meal　would　be
　a　rich　wele。　We　have　eaten　camp　food　for　many　days。〃
　At　this；　another　of　the　elders　stepped　forward。　〃Lord　Mhoram；　I　am　Terass　Slen…mate。　Our　home　is　large；　and　Slen　my　husband　is　proud　of　his　cooking。　Will　you　eat　with　us？〃
　〃Gladly。　Terass　Slen…mate。　You　honor　us。〃
　〃Accepting　a　gift　honors　the　giver；〃　she　returned　gravely。　Acpanied　by　the　other　elders；　she　led　Mhoram　and　Troy　out　of　the　center　of　the　Stonedown。　Her　home　was　a　wide；　flat　building　which　had　been　formed　out　of　one　prodigious　boulder。　Within；　it　was　bright　with　graveling。　After　several　ceremonious　introductions；　Troy　and　Lord　Mhoram　found　themselves　seated　at　a　long　stone　table。　The　meal　that　Slen　set　before　them　did　full　justice　to　his　pride。
　When　all　the　guests　had　eater；　their　fill；　and　the　stoneware　dishes　and　pots　had　been　cleared　away；　Lord　Mhoram　offered　to　answer　the　questions　of　the　elders。　Terass　began　by　asking　generally　about　the　war；　but　before　she　had　gone　far　Triock　interrupted　her。
　〃Lord；　what　of　High　Lord　Elena？　Is　she　well？　Does　she　fight　in　this　war？〃
　Something　abrupt　in　Triock's　tone　irritated　Troy；　but　he　left　the　answers　m　Mhoram。　The　Lord　replied。。　〃The　High　Lord　is　well。　She　hat　uncovered　knowledge　of　one　of　the　hidder　Ward。　of　Kevin's　Tore；　and　has　gone　in　quest　of　the　Ward　itself　〃　He　Rounded　cautious；　as　if　he　had　some　reason。　to　distrust　Triock。
　〃And　what　of　Thomas　Covenant　the　Unbeliever？　The　Bloodguard　said　that　he　has　returned　to　the　Land〃
　〃He　has　returned〃
　〃Ah；　yes；〃　said　Triock。　He　seemed　aware　of　Mhoram's　caution。　〃And　what　of　Trell　Atiaran…mate？　For　many　years　he　was　the　Gravelingas　of　Mithil　Stonedown。　How　does　he　meet　the　need　of　this　war？〃
　〃He　is　in　Revelstone；　where　his　skills　serve　the　defense　of　the　Keep。〃
　At　once；　Triock's　attitude　changed。　〃Trell　is　not　with　the　High　Lord？〃　he　demanded　sharply。
　〃No。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　For　a　moment；　Lord　Mhoram　searched。　Triock's　face。　Then　he　said　as　if　he　were　taking　a　risk；　〃UrLord　Thomas　Covenant；　Unbeliever　and　Ringthane；　rides　with　the　High　Lord。〃
　〃With　her？〃　Triock　cried；　springing　to　his　feet。　〃Trell　permitted　this？〃　He　glared　bitterly　at　Mhoram；　then　spun　away　and　flung　out　of　the　house。
　His　vehemence　left　an　awkward　silence　in　the　room；　and　Terass　spoke　quietly　to　ease　it。　〃Please　do　not　be　offended；　Lord。　His　life　is　full　of　trouble。　It　may　be　that　you　know　part　of　his　tale。〃
　Mhoram　nodded；　assured　Terass　that　he　was　not　offended。　But　Triock's　conduct　disturbed　Warmark　Troy；　it　reminded　him　vividly　of　Trell。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　bluntly。　〃What　business　is　the　High　Lord　of　his？〃
　〃Ah；　Warmark；〃　Terass　said；　sadly；　〃he　would　not　thank　me　for　speaking　of　it。　I…〃
　A　sharp　glance　from　Mhoram　silenced　her。　Troy　turned　toward　Mhoram；　but　the　Lord　did　not　meet　his　gaze。　〃Before　ur…Lord　Covenant's　first　summoning　to　the　Land；〃　Mhoram　said　carefully；　〃Triock　was　in　love　with　the　daughter　of　Trell　and　Atiaran。〃
　Troy　barely　restrained　an　ejaculation。　He　wanted　to　curse　Covenant；　there　seemed　to　be　no　end　to　the　damage　Covenant　had　done。　But　he　held　himself　back　for　the　sake　of　his　hosts。　He　scarcely　heard　Mhoram　ask；　〃Is　Trell's　daughter　well？　Is　there　any　way　in　which　I　may　help　her？〃
　〃No；　Lord；〃　sighed　Terass。　〃The　health　of　her　body　is　strong；　but　her　mind　is　unsteady。　Always　she　has　believed　that　the　Unbeliever　will　e　for　her。　She　has　asked　the　Circle　of　elders…asked　permission　to　marry　him。　We　can　find　no　Healer　able　to　touch　this　illness。　I　fear　you　would　only　turn　her　thoughts　more　toward　him。〃
　Mhoram　accepted　her　judgment　morosely。　〃I　am　sorry。　This　failure　grieves　me。　But　the　Lords　know　only　of　one　Unfettered　Healer　with　power　for　such　needs…and　she　left　her　home；　and　passed　out　of
　knowledge　forty　years　ago；　before　the　battle　of　Soaring　Woodhelven。　It　humbles　us　to　be　of　so　little　use　for　such　needs。〃
　His　words　left　behind　a　pall　of　silence　in　their　wake。　For　a　time　like　a　muffled　sigh；　he　stared　at　his　clasped　hands。　But　then；　rousing　himself　from　his　reverie；　he　said；　〃Elders；　how　will　you　meet　the　chance　of　war？　Have　you　prepared？〃
　〃Yes；　Lord；〃　one　of　the　other　women　replied。　〃We　have　little　cause　to　fear　the　destruction　of　our　homes；　so　we　will　hide　in　the　mountains　if　war　es。　We　have　prepared　food　stores　against　that　need。　From　the　mountains；　we　will　harass　any　who　assail　Mithil　Stonedown。〃
　Mhoram　nodded；　and　after　a　moment　Terass　said；　〃Lord；　Warmark；　will　you　spend　the　night　with　us？　We　will　be　honored　to　provide　beds　for　you。　And　perhaps　you　will　be　able　to　speak　to　the　gathering　of　the　people？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Troy　abruptly。　Then；　hearing　his　discourtesy；　he　softened　his　tone。　〃Thank　you；　but　no。　I　need　to　get　up　to　the　Watch…as　soon　as　possible。〃
　〃What　will　you　see？　The　night　is　dark。　You　may　sleep　in　fort　here；　and　still　climb　to　Kevin's　Watch　before　morning。〃
　But　Troy　was　adamant。　His　anger　at　Covenant　only　increased　his　impatience；　he　had　a　strong　sense　of　pressure；　of　impending　crisis。　Lord　Mhoram's　polite；　firm　support　soon　satisfied　the　Stonedownors　that　this　decision　was　necessary；　and　in　a　short　time　he　and　Troy　were　on　their　way。　They　accepted　a　pot　of　graveling　from　the　elders　to　light　their　path；　left　all　the　Bloodguard　except　Terrel　and　Ruel　to　care　for　the　Ranyhyn　and　watch　over　the　valley；　then　started　walking　briskly　along　the　Mithil　into　the　night。
　Troy　could　see　nothing　outside　the　primary　glow　of　the　graveling；　but　when　he　was　sure　be　was　out　of　earshot　of　the　Stonedown；　he　said　to　Mhoram；　〃You　knew　about　Triock　before　tonight。　Why　didn't　you　〃tell　me？〃
　〃I　did　not　know　the　extent　of　his　distress。　Why　should　I　burden　you？　Yet　now　it　is　in　my　heart　that　I
　have　treated　him　wrongly。　I　should　have　dealt　with　him　openly；　and　trusted　him　to　bear　my　words。　My　caution　has　only　increased　his　pain。〃
　Troy　took　a　different　view。　〃You　wouldn't　need　to　be　cautious　at　all　if　it　weren't　for　that　damned　Covenant。〃
　But　Mhoram　only　walked　on　up　the　valley　in　silence。
　Together　they　worked　their　way　south　into　the　foothills　of　the　surrounding。　mountains；　then　doubled　back　northward；　up　the　eastern　slopes。　On　the　mountainside；　the　trail　was　difficult。　Terrel　led　Lord　Mhoram；　and　Troy　followed　them　with　Ruel　at　his　back。　As　he　ascended　the　path；　he　could　see　nothing　of　his　situation…for　him；　the　glow　of　the　graveling　was　encased　in　dark　fog…but　slowly　he　began　to　feel　a　change　in　the　air。　The　warm　autumn　night　of　the　South　Plains　turned　cooler；　rarer；　it　made　his　heart　pound。　By　the　time　he　had　climbed　a　couple　thousand　feet；　he　knew　that　he　was　moving　into　mountains　which　had　already　received　their　first　winter　snows。
　Soon　after　that；　he　and　his　panions　left　the　open　mountainside　and　began　to　work　upward　through　rifts　and　crevices　and　hidden　valleys。　When　they　reached　open　space　again；　they　were　on　a　ledge　in　a　cliff　face；　moving　eastward　under　the　huge　loom　of　a　peak。　This　ledge　took　them　to　the　base　of　the　long；　leaning；　stone　shaft　of　the　Watch。　Then；　clambering　through　empty　air　like　solitary　；dream　figures；　they　went　up　the　exposed　stair　of　the　shaft。　After　another　five　hundred　feet；　they　found　themselves　on　the　parapeted　platform　of　Kevin's　Watch。
　Troy　moved　cautiously　over　the　floor　of　the　Watch　and　seated　himself　with　his　back　against　the　surrounding　parapet。　He　knew　from　descriptions　that　he　was　on　the　tip　of　the　shaft；　poised　four　thousand　feet　directly　above　the　foothills　of　a　promontory　in　the　Range；　and　he　did　not　want　to　give　his　blindness　a　chance　to　betray　him。　Even　sitting　with　solid　stone　between　his　back　and　the　fall；　he　had　an　intense　impression　of　abysses。　His　sense　of　ambience　felt　poignantly　the　absence　of　any　forting　confines　or
　enclosures　or　limits。　This　was　like　being　cast　adrift　in　the　trackless　heavens；　and　he　reacted　to　it　like　a　blind　man…with　fear；　and　a　conviction　of　irremediable　isolation。　He　placed　the　pot　of　graveling　on　the　stone　before　him；　so　that　he　could　at　least　vaguely　see