uleg.thefarthestshore-第2章

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　　〃In　the　South　Reach；　first。　Latterly　even　in　the　south　of　the　Archipelago；　in　Wathort。　There　is　no　more　magic　done　in　Wathort；　men　say。　It　is　hard　to　be　sure。　That　land　has　long　been　rebellious　and　piratical；　and　to　hear　a　Southern　trader　is　to　hear　a　liar；　as　they　say。　Yet　the　story　is　always　the　same：　The　springs　of　wizardry　have　run　dry。〃
　　〃But　here　on　Roke…〃
　　〃Here　on　Roke　we　have　felt　nothing　of　this。　We　are　defended　here　from　storm　and　change　and　all　ill　chance。　Too　well　defended；　perhaps。　Prince；　what　will　you　do　now？〃
　　〃I　shall　go　back　to　Enlad　when　I　can　bring　my　father　some　clear　word　of　the　nature　of　this　evil　and　of　its　remedy。〃
　　Once　more　the　Archmage　looked　at　him；　and　this　time；　for　all　his　training；　Arren　looked　away。　He　did　not　know　why；　for　there　was　nothing　unkind　in　the　gaze　of　those　dark　eyes。　They　were　impartial；　calm；　passionate。
　　All　in　Enlad　looked　up　to　his　father；　and　he　was　his　father's　son。　No　man　had　ever　looked　at　him　thus；　not　as　Arren；　Prince　of　Enlad；　son　of　the　Ruling　Prince；　but　as　Arren　alone。　He　did　not　like　to　think　that　he　feared　the　Archmage's　gaze；　but　he　could　not　meet　it。　It　seemed　to　enlarge　the　world　yet　again　around　him；　and　now　not　only　Enlad　sank　to　insignificance；　but　he　himself；　so　that　in　the　eyes　of　the　Archmage　he　was　only　a　small　figure；　very　small；　in　a　vast　scene　of　sea…girt　lands　over　which　hung　darkness。
　　He　sat　picking　at　the　vivid　moss　that　grew　in　the　cracks　of　the　marble　flagstones；　and　presently　he　said；　hearing　his　voice；　which　had　deepened　only　in　the　last　couple　of　years；　sound　thin　and　husky：　〃And　I　shall　do　as　you　bid　me。〃
　　〃Your　duty　is　to　your　father；　not　to　me；〃　the　Archmage　said。
　　His　eyes　were　still　on　Arren；　and　now　the　boy　looked　up。　As　he　had　made　his　act　of　submission　he　had　forgotten　himself；　and　now　he　saw　the　Archmage：　the　greatest　wizard　of　all　Earthsea；　the　man　who　had　capped　the　Black　Well　of　Fundaur　and　won　the　Ring　of　Erreth…Akbe　from　the　Tombs　of　Atuan　and　built　the　deep…founded　sea　wall　of　Nepp；　the　sailor　who　knew　the　seas　from　Astowell　to　Selidor；　the　only　living　Dragonlord。　There　he　knelt　beside　a　fountain；　a　short　man　and　not　young；　a　quiet…voiced　man；　with　eyes　as　deep　as　evening。
　　Arren　scrambled　up　from　sitting　and　knelt　down　formally　on　both　knees；　all　in　haste。　〃My　lord；〃　he　said　stammering；　〃let　me　serve　you！〃
　　His　self…assurance　was　gone；　his　face　was　flushed；　his　voice　shook。
　　At　his　hip　he　wore　a　sword　in　a　sheath　of　new　leather　figured　with　inlay　of　red　and　gold；　but　the　sword　itself　was　plain；　with　a　worn　cross…hilt　of　silvered　bronze。　This　he　drew　forth；　all　in　haste；　and　offered　the　hilt　to　the　Archmage；　as　a　liegeman　to　his　prince。
　　The　Archmage　did　not　put　out　his　hand　to　touch　the　sword　hilt。　He　looked　at　it　and　at　Arren。　〃That　is　yours；　not　mine；〃　he　said。　〃And　you　are　no　man's　servant。〃
　　〃But　my　father　said　that　I　might　stay　on　Roke　until　I　learned　what　this　evil　is　and　maybe　some　mastery　…I　have　no　skill；　I　don't　think　I　have　any　power；　but　there　were　mages　among　my　forefathers…　if　I　might　in　some　way　learn　to　be　of　use　to　you…〃
　　〃Before　your　ancestors　were　mages；〃　the　Archmage　said；　〃they　were　kings。〃
　　He　stood　up　and　came　with　silent；　vigorous　step　to　Arren；　and　taking　the　boy's　hand　made　him　rise。　〃I　thank　you　for　your　offer　of　service；　and　though　I　do　not　accept　it　now；　yet　I　may；　when　we　have　taken　counsel　on　these　matters。　The　offer　of　a　generous　spirit　is　not　one　to　refuse　lightly。　Nor　is　the　sword　of　the　son　of　Morred　to　be　lightly　turned　aside！。。。　Now　go。　The　lad　who　brought　you　here　will　see　that　you　eat　and　bathe　and　rest。　Go　on；〃　and　he　pushed　Arren　lightly　between　the　shoulder　blades；　a　familiarity　no　one　had　ever　taken　before；　and　which　the　young　prince　would　have　resented　from　anyone　else；　but　he　felt　the　Archmage's　touch　as　a　thrill　of　glory。　For　Arren　had　fallen　in　love。
　　He　had　been　an　active　boy；　delighting　in　games；　taking　pride　and　pleasure　in　the　skills　of　body　and　mind；　apt　at　his　duties　of　ceremony　and　governing；　which　were　neither　light　nor　simple。　Yet　he　had　never　given　himself　entirely　to　anything。　All　had　e　easily　to　him；　and　he　had　done　all　easily；　it　had　all　been　a　game；　and　he　had　played　at　loving。　But　now　the　depths　of　him　were　wakened；　not　by　a　game　or　dream；　but　by　honor；　danger；　wisdom；　by　a　scarred　face　and　a　quiet　voice　and　a　dark　hand　holding；　careless　of　its　power；　the　staff　of　yew　that　bore　near　the　grip；　in　silver　set　in　the　black　wood；　the　Lost　Rune　of　the　Kings。
　　So　the　first　step　out　of　childhood　is　made　all　at　once；　without　looking　before　or　behind；　without　caution；　and　nothing　held　in　reserve。
　　Forgetting　courtly　farewells　he　hurried　to　the　doorway；　awkward；　radiant；　obedient。　And　Ged　the　Archmage　watched　him　go。
　
　　Ged　stood　a　while　by　the　fountain　under　the　ash　tree；　then　raised　his　face　to　the　sunwashed　sky。　〃A　gentle　messenger　for　bad　news；〃　he　said　half　aloud；　as　if　talking　to　the　fountain。　It　did　not　listen；　but　went　on　talking　in　its　own　silver　tongue；　and　he　listened　to　it　a　while。　Then；　going　to　another　doorway；　which　Arren　had　not　seen；　and　which　indeed　very　few　eyes　would　have　seen　no　matter　how　close　they　looked；　he　said；　〃Master　Doorkeeper。〃
　　A　little　man　of　no　age　appeared。　Young　he　was　not；　so　that　one　had　to　call　him　old；　but　the　word　did　not　suit　him。　His　face　was　dry　and　colored　like　ivory；　and　he　had　a　pleasant　smile　that　made　long　curves　in　his　cheeks。　〃What's　the　matter；　Ged？〃　said　he。
　　For　they　were　alone；　and　he　was　one　of　the　seven　persons　in　the　world　who　knew　the　Archmage's　name。　The　others　were　the　Master　Namer　of　Roke；　and　Ogion　the　Silent；　the　wizard　of　Re　Albi；　who　long　ago　on　the　mountain　of　Gont　had　given　Ged　that　name；　and　the　White　Lady　of　Gont；　Tenar　of　the　Ring；　and　a　village　wizard　in　Iffish　called　Vetch；　and　in　Iffish　again；　a　house…carpenter's　wife；　mother　of　three　girls；　ignorant　of　all　sorcery　but　wise　in　other　things；　who　was　called　Yarrow；　and　finally；　on　the　other　side　of　Earthsea；　in　the　farthest　west；　two　dragons：　Orm　Embar　and　Kalessin。
　　〃We　should　meet　tonight；〃　the　Archmage　said。　〃I'll　go　to　the　Patterner。　And　I'll　send　to　Kurremkarmerruk；　so　that　he'll　put　his　lists　away　and　let　his　students　rest　one　evening　and　e　to　us；　if　not　in　flesh。　Will　you　see　to　the　others？〃
　　〃Aye；〃　said　the　Doorkeeper；　smiling；　and　was　gone；　and　the　Archmage　also　was　gone；　and　the　fountain　talked　to　itself　all　serene　and　never　ceasing　in　the　sunlight　of　early　spring。
　
　　Somewhere　to　the　west　of　the　Great　House　of　Roke；　and　often　somewhat　south　of　it；　the　Immanent　Grove　is　usually　to　be　seen。　There　is　no　place　for　it　on　maps；　and　there　is　no　way　to　it　except　for　those　who　know　the　way　to　it。　But　even　novices　and　townsfolk　and　farmers　can　see　it；　always　at　a　certain　distance；　a　wood　of　high　trees　whose　leaves　have　a　hint　of　gold　in　their　greenness　even　in　the　spring。　And　they　consider　…the　novices；　the　townsfolk；　the　farmers…　that　the　Grove　moves　about　in　a　mystifying　manner。　But　in　this　they　are　mistaken；　for　the　Grove　does　not　move。　Its　roots　are　the　roots　of　being。　It　is　all　the　rest　that　moves。
　　Ged　walked　over　the　fields　from　the　Great　House。　He　took　off　his　white　cloak；　for　the　sun　was　at　noon。　A　farmer　ploughing　a　brown　hillside　raised　his　hand　in　salute；　and　Ged　replied　the　same　way。　Small　birds　went　up　into　the　air　and　sang。　The　sparkweed　was　just　ing　into　flower　in　the　fallows　and　beside　the　roads。　Far　up；　a　hawk　cut　a　wide　arc　on　the　sky。　Ged　glanced　up；　and　raised　his　hand　again。　Down　shot　the　bird　in　a　rush　of　windy　feathers；　and　stooped　straight　to　the　offered　wrist；　gripping　with　yellow　claws。　It　was　no　sparrowhawk　but　a　big　Ender…falcon　of　Roke；　a　white…and…brown…barred　fishing　hawk。　It　looked　sidelong　at　the　Archmage　with　one　round；　bright…gold　eye；　then　clashed　its　hooked　beak　and　stared　at　him　straight　on　with　both　round；　bright　gold　eyes。　〃Fearless；〃　the　Archmage　said　to　it　in　the　tongue　of　the　Making。
　　The　big　hawk　beat　its　wings　and　gripped　with　its　talons；　gazing　at　him。
　　〃Go　then；　brother；　fearless　one。〃
　　The　farmer；　away　off　on　the　hillside　under　the　bright　sky；　had　stopped　to　watch。　Once　last　autumn　he　had　watched　the　Archmage　take　a　wild　bird