uleg.thefarthestshore-第21章

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　　〃If　there　was　any　sorcerer　around　that　wasn't　crazy；　we'd　give　him　an　honest　job　in　the　sheds；　but　they　don't　know　how　to　do　honest　work。〃
　　〃They　might；　if　there　were　any　to　do；〃　said　Sparrowhawk。　〃Your　sheds　are　empty；　the　orchards　are　untended；　the　silk　in　your　warehouses　was　all　woven　years　ago。　What　do　you　do；　here　in　Lorbanery？〃
　　〃We　look　after　our　own　business；〃　the　mayor　snapped；　but　the　skinny　man　broke　in　excitedly；　〃Why　don't　the　ships　e；　tell　us　that！　What　are　they　doing　in　Hort　Town？　Is　it　because　our　work's　been　shoddy？…〃　He　was　interrupted　by　angry　denials。　They　shouted　at　one　another；　jumped　to　their　feet；　the　mayor　shook　his　fist　in　Sparrowhawk's　face；　another　drew　a　knife。　Their　mood　had　gone　wild。　Arren　was　on　his　feet　at　once。　He　looked　at　Sparrowhawk；　expecting　to　see　him　stand　up　in　the　sudden　radiance　of　the　magelight　and　strike　them　dumb　with　his　revealed　power。　But　he　did　not。　He　sat　there　and　looked　from　one　to　another　and　listened　to　their　menaces。　And　gradually　they　fell　quiet；　as　if　they　could　not　keep　up　anger　any　more　than　they　could　keep　up　merriment。　The　knife　was　sheathed；　the　threats　turned　to　sneers。　They　began　to　go　off　like　dogs　leaving　a　dog…fight；　some　strutting　and　some　sneaking。
　　When　the　two　were　left　alone　Sparrowhawk　got　up；　went　inside　the　inn；　and　took　a　long　draft　of　water　from　the　jug　beside　the　door。　〃e；　lad；〃　he　said。　〃I've　had　enough　of　this。〃
　　〃To　the　boat？〃
　　〃Aye。〃　He　put　down　two　trade…counters　of　silver　on　the　windowsill　to　pay　for　their　lodging；　and　hoisted　up　their　light　pack　of　clothing。　Arren　was　tired　and　sleepy；　but　he　looked　around　the　room　of　the　inn；　stuffy　and　bleak；　and　all　a…flitter　up　in　the　rafters　with　the　restless　bats；　he　thought　of　last　night　in　that　room　and　followed　Sparrowhawk　willingly。　He　thought；　too；　as　they　went　down　Sosara's　one；　dark　street；　that　going　now　they　would　give　the　madman　Sopli　the　slip。　But　when　they　came　to　the　harbor　he　was　waiting　for　them　on　the　pier。
　　〃There　you　are；〃　said　the　mage。　〃Get　aboard；　if　you　want　to　e。〃
　　Without　a　word；　Sopli　got　down　into　the　boat　and　crouched　beside　the　mast；　like　a　big；　unkempt　dog。　At　this　Arren　rebelled　〃My　lord！〃　he　said。　Sparrowhawk　turned；　they　stood　face　to　face　on　the　pier　above　the　boat。
　　〃They　are　all　mad　on　this　island；　but　I　thought　you　were　not。　Why　do　you　take　him？〃
　　〃As　a　guide。〃
　　〃A　guide　…to　more　madness？　To　death　by　drowning；　or　a　knife　in　the　back？〃
　　〃To　death；　but　by　what　road　I　do　not　know。〃
　　Arren　spoke　with　heat；　and　though　Sparrowhawk　answered　quietly；　there　was　something　of　a　fierce　note　in　his　voice。　He　was　not　used　to　being　questioned。　But　ever　since　Arren　had　tried　to　protect　him　from　the　madman　on　the　road　that　afternoon　and　had　seen　how　vain　and　unneeded　his　protection　was；　he　had　felt　a　bitterness；　and　all　that　uprush　of　devotion　he　had　felt　in　the　morning　was　spoilt　and　wasted。　He　was　unable　to　protect　Sparrowhawk；　he　was　not　permitted　to　make　any　decisions；　he　was　unable；　or　was　not　permitted；　even　to　understand　the　nature　of　their　quest。　He　was　merely　dragged　along　on　it；　useless　as　a　child。　But　he　was　not　a　child。
　　〃I　would　not　quarrel　with　you；　my　lord；〃　he　said　as　coldly　as　he　could。　〃But　this…　this　is　beyond　reason！〃
　　〃It　is　beyond　all　reason。　We　go　where　reason　will　not　take　us。　Will　you　e；　or　will　you　not？〃
　　Tears　of　anger　sprang　into　Arren's　eyes。　〃I　said　I　would　e　with　you　and　serve　you。　I　do　not　break　my　word。〃
　　〃That　is　well；〃　the　mage　said　grimly　and　made　as　if　to　turn　away。　Then　he　faced　Arren　again。　〃I　need　you；　Arren；　and　you　need　me。　For　I　will　tell　you　now　that　I　believe　this　way　we　go　is　yours　to　follow；　not　out　of　obedience　or　loyalty　to　me；　but　because　it　was　yours　to　follow　before　you　ever　saw　me；　before　you　ever　set　foot　on　Roke；　before　you　sailed　from　Enlad。　You　cannot　turn　back　from　it。〃
　　His　voice　had　not　softened。　Arren　answered　him　as　grimly；　〃How　should　I　turn　back；　with　no　boat；　here　on　the　edge　of　the　world？〃
　　〃This　the　edge　of　the　world？　No；　that　is　farther　on。　We　may　yet　e　to　it。〃
　　Arren　nodded　once　and　swung　down　into　the　boat。　Sparrowhawk　loosed　the　line　and　spoke　a　light　wind　into　the　sail。　Once　away　from　the　looming；　empty　docks　of　Lorbanery　the　air　blew　cool　and　clean　out　of　the　dark　north；　and　the　moon　broke　silver　from　the　sleek　sea　before　them　and　rode　upon　their　left　as　they　turned　southward　to　coast　the　isle。
　
　The　Madman
　
　　The　madman；　the　Dyer　of　Lorbanery；　sat　huddled　up　against　the　mast；　his　arms　wrapped　around　his　knees　and　his　head　hunched　down。　His　mass　of　wiry　hair　looked　black　in　the　moonlight。　Sparrowhawk　had　rolled　himself　up　in　a　blanket　and　gone　to　sleep　in　the　stern　of　the　boat。　Neither　of　them　stirred。　Arren　sat　up　in　the　prow；　he　had　sworn　to　himself　to　watch　all　night。　If　the　mage　chose　to　assume　that　their　lunatic　passenger　would　not　assault　him　or　Arren　in　the　night；　that　was　all　very　well　for　him；　Arren；　however；　would　make　his　own　assumptions　and　undertake　his　own　responsibilities。
　　But　the　night　was　very　long　and　very　calm。　The　moonlight　poured　down；　changeless。　Huddled　by　the　mast；　Sopli　snored；　long；　soft　snores。　Softly　the　boat　moved　onward；　softly　Arren　slid　into　sleep。　He　started　awake　once　and　saw　the　moon　scarcely　higher；　he　abandoned　his　selfrighteous　guardianship；　made　himself　fortable；　and　went　to　sleep。
　　He　dreamt　again；　as　he　seemed　always　to　do　on　this　voyage；　and　at　first　the　dreams　were　fragmentary　but　strangely　sweet　and　reassuring。　In　place　of　Lookfar's　mast　a　tree　grew；　with　great；　arching　arms　of　foliage；　swans　guided　the　boat；　swooping　on　strong　wings　before　it；　far　ahead；　over　the　beryl　green　sea；　shone　a　city　of　white　towers。　Then　he　was　in　one　of　those　towers；　climbing　the　steps　which　spiralled　upward；　running　up　them　lightly　and　eagerly。　These　scenes　changed　and　recurred　and　led　into　others；　which　passed　without　trace；　but　suddenly　he　was　in　the　dreaded；　dull　twilight　on　the　moors；　and　the　horror　grew　in　him　until　he　could　not　breathe。
　　But　he　went　forward；　because　he　must　go　forward。　After　a　long　time　he　realized　that　to　go　forward　here　was　to　go　in　a　circle　and　e　round　on　one's　own　tracks　again。　Yet　he　must　get　out；　get　away。　It　grew　more　and　more　urgent。　He　began　to　run。　As　he　ran；　the　circles　narrowed　in　and　the　ground　began　to　slant。　He　was　running　in　the　darkening　gloom；　faster　and　faster；　around　the　sinking　inner　lip　of　a　pit；　an　enormous　whirlpool　sucking　down　to　darkness：　and　as　he　knew　this；　his　foot　slipped　and　he　fell。
　　〃What's　the　matter；　Arren？〃
　　Sparrowhawk　spoke　to　him　from　the　stern。　Grey　dawn　held　the　sky　and　sea　still。
　　〃Nothing。〃
　　〃The　nightmare？〃
　　〃Nothing。〃
　　Arren　was　cold；　and　his　right　arm　ached　from　having　been　cramped　under　him。　He　shut　his　eyes　against　the　growing　light　and　thought；　〃He　hints　of　this　and　hints　of　that；　but　he　will　never　tell　me　clearly　where　we're　going；　or　why；　or　why　I　should　go　there。　And　now　he　drags　this　madman　with　us。　Which　is　maddest；　the　lunatic　or　I；　for　ing　with　him？　The　two　of　them　may　understand　each　other；　it's　the　wizards　who　are　mad　now；　Sopli　said。　I　could　have　been　at　home　by　now；　at　home　in　the　Hall　in　Berila；　in　my　room　with　the　carven　walls　and　the　red　rugs　on　the　floor　and　a　fire　in　the　hearth；　waking　up　to　go　out　a…hawking　with　my　father。　Why　did　I　e　with　him？　Why　did　he　bring　me？　Because　it's　my　way　to　go；　he　says；　but　that's　wizard's　talk；　making　things　seem　great　by　great　words。　But　the　meaning　of　the　words　is　always　somewhere　else。　If　I　have　any　way　to　go；　it's　to　my　home；　not　wandering　senselessly　across　the　Reaches。　I　have　duties　at　home　and　am　shirking　them。　If　he　really　thinks　there　is　some　enemy　of　wizardry　at　work；　why　did　he　e　alone；　with　me？　He　might　have　brought　another　mage　to　help　him…　a　hundred　of　them。　He　could　have　brought　an　army　of　warriors；　a　fleet　of　ships。　Is　this　how　a　great　peril　is　met；　by　sending　out　an　old　man　and　a　boy　in　a　boat？　This　is　mere　folly。　He　is　mad　himself；　it　is　as　he　said；　he　seeks　death。　He　seeks　death；　and　wants　to　take　me　with　him。　But　I　am　not　mad　and　not　old；　I　will　not　die；　I　will　not　go　with　him。〃
　　He　sat　up　on　his　elbow；　looking　forward。　The　moon　that　had　risen　before　them　as