uleg.thefarthestshore-第14章

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　Somebody　would　buy　him　and　lead　him　home　and　they　would　give　him　an　order；　and　he　would　refuse　to　obey。　Or　obey　and　try　to　escape。　And　he　would　be　killed；　one　way　or　the　other。　It　was　not　that　his　soul　rebelled　at　the　thought　of　slavery；　he　was　much　too　sick　and　bewildered　for　that。　It　was　simply　that　he　knew　he　could　not　do　it；　that　within　a　week　or　two　he　would　die　or　be　killed。　Though　he　saw　and　accepted　this　as　a　fact；　it　frightened　him；　so　that　he　stopped　trying　to　think　ahead。　He　stared　down　at　the　foul；　black　planking　of　the　hold　between　his　feet　and　felt　the　heat　of　the　sun　on　his　naked　shoulders　and　felt　the　thirst　drying　out　his　mouth　and　narrowing　his　throat　again。
　　The　sun　sank。　Night　came　on　clear　and　cold。　The　sharp　stars　came　out。　The　drum　beat　like　a　slow　heart；　keeping　the　oar…stroke；　for　there　was　no　breath　of　wind。　Now　the　cold　became　the　greatest　misery。　Arren's　back　gained　a　little　warmth　from　the　cramped　legs　of　the　man　behind　him　and　his　left　side　from　the　mute　beside　him；　who　sat　hunched　up；　humming　a　grunting　rhythm　all　on　one　note。　The　rowers　changed　shift；　the　drum　beat　again。　Arren　had　longed　for　the　darkness；　but　he　could　not　sleep。　His　bones　ached；　and　he　could　not　change　position。　He　sat　aching；　shivering；　parched；　staring　up　at　the　stars；　which　jerked　across　the　sky　with　every　stroke　the　oarsmen　took；　slid　to　their　places；　and　were　still；　jerked　again；　slid；　paused。。。
　　The　man　with　the　collar　and　another　man　stood　between　the　after　hold　and　the　mast；　the　little　swinging　lantern　on　the　mast　sent　gleams　between　them　and　silhouetted　their　heads　and　shoulders。　〃Fog；　you　pig's　bladder；〃　said　the　weak；　hateful　voice　of　the　man　with　the　collar；　〃what's　a　fog　doing　in　the　Southing　Straits　this　time　of　year？　Curse　the　luck！〃
　　The　drum　beat。　The　stars　jerked；　slid；　paused。　Beside　Arren　the　tongueless　man　shuddered　all　at　once　and；　raising　his　head；　let　out　a　nightmare　scream；　a　terrible；　formless　noise。　〃Quiet　there！〃　roared　the　second　man　by　the　mast。　The　mute　shuddered　again　and　was　silent；　munching　with　his　jaws。
　　Stealthily　the　stars　slid　forward　into　nothingness。
　　The　mast　wavered　and　vanished。　A　cold；　grey　blanket　seemed　to　drop　over　Arren's　back。　The　drum　faltered　and　then　resumed　its　beat；　but　slower。
　　〃Thick　as　curdled　milk；〃　said　the　hoarse　voice　somewhere　above　Arren。　〃Keep　up　the　stroke　there！　There's　no　shoals　for　twenty　miles！〃　A　horny；　scarred　foot　appeared　out　of　the　fog；　paused　an　instant　close　to　Arren's　face；　then　with　one　step　vanished。
　　In　the　fog　there　was　no　sense　of　forward　motion；　only　of　swaying　and　the　tug　of　the　oars。　The　throb　of　the　stroke…drum　was　muffled。　It　was　clammy　cold。　The　mist　condensing　in　Arren's　hair　ran　down　into　his　eyes；　he　tried　to　catch　the　drops　with　his　tongue　and　breathed　the　damp　air　with　open　mouth；　trying　to　assuage　his　thirst。　But　his　teeth　chattered。　The　cold　metal　of　a　chain　swung　against　his　thigh　and　burnt　like　fire　where　it　touched。　The　drum　beat；　and　beat；　and　ceased。
　　It　was　silent。
　　〃Keep　the　beat！　What's　amiss？〃　roared　the　hoarse；　whistling　voice　from　the　prow。　No　answer　came。
　　The　ship　rolled　a　little　on　the　quiet　sea。　Beyond　the　dim　rails　was　nothing：　blank。　Something　grated　against　the　ship's　side。　The　noise　was　loud　in　that　dead；　weird　silence　and　darkness。　〃We're　aground；〃　one　of　the　prisoners　whispered；　but　the　silence　closed　in　on　his　voice。
　　The　fog　grew　bright；　as　if　a　light　were　blooming　in　it。　Arren　saw　the　heads　of　the　men　chained　by　him　clearly；　the　tiny　moisture…drops　shining　in　their　hair。　Again　the　ship　swayed；　and　he　strained　as　far　up　as　his　chains　would　let　him；　stretching　his　neck；　to　see　forward　in　the　ship。　The　fog　glowed　over　the　deck　like　the　moon　behind　thin　clouds；　cold　and　radiant。　The　oarsmen　sat　like　carved　statues。　Crewmen　stood　in　the　waist　of　the　ship；　their　eyes　shining　a　little。　Alone　on　the　port　side　stood　a　man；　and　it　was　from　him　that　the　light　came；　from　the　face　and　hands　and　staff　that　burned　like　molten　silver。
　　At　the　feet　of　the　radiant　man　a　dark　shape　was　crouched。
　　Arren　tried　to　speak　and　could　not。　Clothed　in　that　majesty　of　light；　the　Archmage　came　to　him　and　knelt　down　on　the　deck。　Arren　felt　the　touch　of　his　hand　and　heard　his　voice。　He　felt　the　bonds　on　his　wrists　and　body　give　way；　all　through　the　hold　there　was　a　rattling　of　chains。　But　no　man　moved；　only
　Arren　tried　to　stand；　but　he　could　not；　being　cramped　with　long　immobility。　The　Archmage's　strong　grip　was　on　his　arm；　and　with　that　help　he　crawled　up　out　of　the　cargo…hold　and　huddled　on　the　deck。
　　The　Archmage　strode　away　from　him；　and　the　misty　splendor　glowed　on　the　unmoving　faces　of　the　oarsmen。　He　halted　by　the　man　who　had　crouched　down　by　the　port　rail。
　　〃I　do　not　punish；〃　said　the　hard；　clear　voice；　cold　as　the　cold　magelight　in　the　fog。　〃But　in　the　cause　of　justice；　Egre；　I　take　this　much　upon　myself：　I　bid　your　voice　be　dumb　until　the　day　you　find　a　word　worth　speaking。〃
　　He　came　back　to　Arren　and　helped　him　to　get　to　his　feet。　〃e　on　now；　lad；〃　he　said；　and　with　his　help　Arren　managed　to　hobble　forward；　and　half…scramble；　half…fall　down　into　the　boat　that　rocked　there　below　the　ship's　side：　Lookfar；　her　sail　like　a　moth's　wing　in　the　fog。
　　In　the　same　silence　and　dead　calm　the　light　died　away；　and　the　boat　turned　and　slipped　from　the　ship's　side。　Almost　at　once　the　galley；　the　dim　mast…lantern；　the　immobile　oarsmen；　the　hulking　black　side；　were　gone。　Arren　thought　he　heard　voices　break　out　in　cries；　but　the　sound　was　thin　and　soon　lost。　A　little　longer；　and　the　fog　began　to　thin　and　tatter；　blowing　by　in　the　dark。　They　came　out　under　the　stars；　and　silent　as　a　moth　Lookfar　fled　through　the　clear　night　over　the　sea。
　　Sparrowhawk　had　covered　Arren　with　blankets　and　given　him　water；　he　sat　with　his　hand　on　the　boy's　shoulder　when　Arren　fell　suddenly　to　weeping。　Sparrowhawk　said　nothing；　but　there　was　a　gentleness；　a　steadiness；　in　the　touch　of　his　hand。　fort　came　slowly　into　Arren：　warmth；　the　soft　motion　of　the　boat；　heart's　ease。
　　He　looked　up　at　his　panion。　No　unearthly　radiance　clung　to　the　dark　face。　He　could　barely　see　him　against　the　stars。
　　The　boat　fled　on；　charm…guided。　Waves　whispered　as　if　in　surprise　along　her　sides。
　　〃Who　is　the　man　with　the　collar？〃
　　〃Lie　still。　A　sea…robber；　Egre。　He　wears　that　collar　to　hide　a　scar　where　his　throat　was　slit　once。　It　seems　his　trade　has　sunk　from　piracy　to　slaving。　But　he　took　the　bear's　cub　this　time。〃　There　was　a　slight　ring　of　satisfaction　in　the　dry；　quiet　voice。
　　〃How　did　you　find　me？〃
　　〃Wizardry；　bribery。。。　I　wasted　time。　I　did　not　like　to　let　it　be　known　that　the　Archmage　and　Warden　of　Roke　was　ferreting　about　the　slums　of　Hort　Town。　I　wish　still　I　could　have　kept　up　my　disguise。　But　I　had　to　track　down　this　man　and　that　man；　and　when　at　last　I　found　that　the　slaver　had　sailed　before　daybreak；　I　lost　my　temper。　I　took　Lookfar　and　spoke　the　wind　into　her　sail　in　the　dead　calm　of　the　day　and　glued　the　oars　of　every　ship　in　that　bay　fast　into　the　oarlocks…　for　a　while。　How　they'll　explain　that；　if　wizardry's　all　lies　and　air；　is　their　problem。　But　in　my　haste　and　anger　I　missed　and　overpassed　Egre's　ship；　which　had　gone　east　of　south　to　miss　the　shoals。　Ill　done　was　all　I　did　this　day。　There　is　no　luck　in　Hort　Town。。。　Well；　I　made　a　spell　of　finding　at　last；　and　so　came　on　the　ship　in　the　darkness。　Should　you　not　sleep　now？〃
　　〃I'm　all　right。　I　feel　much　better。〃　A　light　fever　had　replaced　Arren's　chill；　and　he　did　indeed　feel　well；　his　body　languid　but　his　mind　racing　lightly　from　one　thing　to　another。　〃How　soon　did　you　wake　up？　What　happened　to　Hare？〃
　　〃I　woke　with　daylight；　and　lucky　I　have　a　hard　head；　there's　a　lump　and　a　cut　like　a　split　cucumber　behind　my　ear。　I　left　Hare　in　the　drug…sleep。〃
　　〃I　failed　my　guard…〃
　　〃But　not　by　falling　asleep。〃
　　〃No。〃　Arren　hesitated。　〃It　was…　I　was…〃
　　〃You　were　ahead　of　me；　I　saw　you；〃　Sparrowhawk　said　strangely。　〃And　so　they　crept　in　and　　tapped　us　on　the　head　like　lambs　at　the　shambles；　took　gold；　good　clothes；　and　the　salable　slave；　and　left。　It　was　you　they　were　after；　lad。　You'd　fetch　the　price　of　a　farm　in　Amrun　Market。〃
　　〃They　didn't　tap　me　hard