uleg.thefarthestshore-第23章

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olding　out　a　little　light　no　larger　than　a　pearl；　the　glimmer　of　immortal　life。
　　Arren　met　Sopli's　eyes　for　the　first　time：　light　brown　eyes；　very　clear；　in　them　he　saw　that　he　had　understood　at　last；　and　that　Sopli　shared　his　knowledge。
　　〃He；〃　the　Dyer　said；　with　his　twitch　of　the　jaw　toward　Sparrowhawk　〃he　won't　give　up　his　name。　Nobody　can　take　his　name　through。　The　way　is　too　narrow。〃
　　〃Have　you　seen　it？〃
　　〃In　the　dark；　in　my　mind。　That's　not　enough。　I　want　to　get　there；　I　want　to　see　it。　In　the　world；　with　my　eyes。　What　if　I…　what　if　I　died　and　couldn't　find　the　way；　the　place？　Most　people　can't　find　it；　they　don't　even　know　it's　there。　There's　only　some　of　us　have　the　power。　But　it's　hard；　because　you　have　to　give　the　power　up　to　get　there。。。　No　more　words。　No　more　names。　It　is　too　hard　to　do　in　the　mind。　And　when　you…　die；　your　mind…　dies。〃　He　stuck　each　time　on　the　word。　〃I　want　to　know　I　can　e　back。　I　want　to　be　there。　On　the　side　of　life。　I　want　to　live；　to　be　safe。　I　hate…　I　hate　this　water。。。〃
　　The　Dyer　drew　his　limbs　together　as　a　spider　does　when　falling；　and　hunched　his　wiry…red　head　down　between　his　shoulders；　to　shut　out　the　sight　of　the　sea。
　　But　Arren　did　not　shun　his　conversation　after　that；　knowing　that　Sopli　shared　not　only　his　vision；　but　his　fear；　and　that；　if　worse　came　to　worst；　Sopli　might　aid　him　against　Sparrowhawk。
　　Always　they　sailed；　slowly　in　the　calms　and　fitful　breezes；　to　the　west；　where　Sparrowhawk　pretended　that　Sopli　guided　them。　But　Sopli　did　not　guide　them；　he　who　knew　nothing　of　the　sea；　had　never　seen　a　chart；　never　been　in　a　boat；　dreaded　the　water　with　a　sick　dread。　It　was　the　mage　who　guided　them　and　led　them　deliberately　astray。　Arren　saw　this　now　and　saw　the　reason　of　it。　The　Archmage　knew　that　they　and　others　like　them　were　seeking　eternal　life；　had　been　promised　it　or　drawn　toward　it；　and　might　find　it。　In　his　pride；　his　overweening　pride　as　Archmage；　he　feared　lest　they　might　gain　it；　he　envied　them；　and　feared　them；　and　would　have　no　man　greater　than　himself。　He　meant　to　sail　out　onto　the　Open　Sea　beyond　all　lands　until　they　were　utterly　astray　and　could　never　e　back　to　the　world；　and　there　they　would　die　of　thirst。　For　he　would　die　himself；　to　prevent　them　from　eternal　life。
　　Every　now　and　then　there　would　e　a　moment　when　Sparrowhawk　spoke　to　Arren　of　some　small　matter　of　managing　the　boat　or　swam　with　him　in　the　warm　sea　or　bade　him　good　night　under　the　great　stars；　when　all　these　ideas　seemed　utter　nonsense　to　the　boy。　He　would　look　at　his　panion　and　see　him；　that　hard；　harsh；　patient　face；　and　he　would　think；　〃This　is　my　lord　and　friend。〃　And　it　seemed　unbelievable　to　him　that　he　had　doubted。　But　a　little　while　later　he　would　be　doubting　again；　and　he　and　Sopli　would　exchange　glances；　warning　each　other　of　their　mutual　enemy。
　　Every　day　the　sun　shone　hot；　yet　dull。　Its　light　lay　like　a　gloss　on　the　slow…heaving　sea。　The　water　was　blue；　the　sky　blue　without　change　or　shading。　The　breezes　blew　and　died；　and　they　turned　the　sail　to　catch　them　and　slowly　crept　on　toward　no　end。
　　One　afternoon　they　had　at　last　a　light　following　wind；　and　Sparrowhawk　pointed　upward；　near　sunset；　saying；　〃Look。〃　High　above　the　mast　a　line　of　seageese　wavered　like　a　black　rune　drawn　across　the　sky。　The　geese　flew　westward：　and　following；　Lookfar　came　on　the　next　day　in　sight　of　a　great　island。
　　〃That's　it；〃　Sopli　said。　〃That　land。　We　must　go　there。〃
　　〃The　place　you　seek　is　there？〃
　　〃Yes。　We　must　land　there。　This　is　as　far　as　we　can　go。
　　〃This　land　will　be　Obehol。　Beyond　it　in　the　South　Reach　is　another　island；　Wellogy。　And　in　the　West　Reach　are　islands　lying　farther　west　than　Wellogy。　Are　you　certain；　Sopli？'
　　The　Dyer　of　Lorbanery　grew　angry；　so　that　the　wincing　look　came　back　into　his　eyes；　but　he　did　not　talk　madly；　Arren　thought；　as　he　had　when　they　first　spoke　with　him　many　days　ago　on　Lorbanery。　〃Yes。　We　must　land　here。　We　have　gone　far　enough。　The　place　we　seek　is　here。　Do　you　want　me　to　swear　that　I　know　it？　Shall　I　swear　by　my　name？〃
　　〃You　cannot；〃　Sparrowhawk　said；　his　voice　hard；　looking　up　at　Sopli　who　was　taller　than　he；　Sopli　had　stood　up；　holding　on　tight　to　the　mast；　to　look　at　the　land　ahead。　〃Don't　try；　Sopli。〃
　　The　Dyer　scowled　as　if　in　rage　or　pain。　He　looked　at　the　mountains　lying　blue　with　distance　before　the　boat；　over　the　heaving；　trembling　plain　of　water；　and　said；　〃You　took　me　as　guide。　This　is　the　place。　We　must　land　here。〃
　　〃We'll　land　in　any　case；　we　must　have　water；〃　said　Sparrowhawk；　and　went　to　the　tiller。　Sopli　sat　down　in　his　place　by　the　mast；　muttering。　Arren　heard　him　say；　〃I　swear　by　my　name。　By　my　name；〃　many　times；　and　each　time　he　said　it；　he　scowled　again　as　if　in　pain。
　　They　beat　closer　to　the　island　on　a　north　wind　and　coasted　it　seeking　a　bay　or　landing；　but　the　breakers　beat　thunderous　in　the　hot　sunlight　on　all　the　northern　shore。　Inland　green　mountains　stood　baking　in　that　light；　treeclothed　to　the　peaks。
　　Rounding　a　cape；　they　came　at　last　in　sight　of　a　deep　crescent　bay　with　white　sand　beaches。　Here　the　waves　came　in　quietly；　their　force　held　off　by　the　cape；　and　a　boat　might　land。　No　sign　of　human　life　was　visible　on　the　beach　or　in　the　forests　above　it；　they　had　not　seen　a　boat；　a　roof；　a　wisp　of　smoke。　The　light　breeze　dropped　as　soon　as　Lookfar　entered　the　bay。　It　was　still；　silent；　hot。　Arren　took　the　oars；　Sparrowhawk　steered。　The　creak　of　the　oars　in　the　locks　was　the　only　sound。　The　green　peaks　loomed　above　the　bay；　closing　in　around。　The　sun　laid　sheets　of　white…hot　light　on　the　water。　Arren　heard　the　blood　drumming　in　his　ears。　Sopli　had　left　the　safety　of　the　mast　and　crouched　in　the　prow；　holding　onto　the　gunwales；　staring　and　straining　forward　to　the　land。　Sparrowhawk's　dark；　scarred　face　shone　with　sweat　as　if　it　had　been　oiled；　his　glance　shifted　continually　from　the　low　breakers　to　the　foliage…screened　bluffs　above。
　　〃Now；〃　he　said　to　Arren　and　the　boat。　Arren　took　three　great　strokes　with　the　oars；　and　lightly　Lookfar　came　up　on　the　sand。　Sparrowhawk　leapt　out　to　push　the　boat　clear　up　on　the　last　impetus　of　the　waves。　As　he　put　his　hands　out　to　push；　he　stumbled　and　half…fell；　catching　himself　against　the　stern。　With　a　mighty　strain　he　dragged　the　boat　back　into　the　water　on　the　outward　wash　of　the　wave；　and　floundered　in　over　the　gunwale　as　she　hung　between　sea　and　shore。　〃Row！〃　he　gasped　out；　and　crouched　on　all　fours；　streaming　with　water　and　trying　to　get　his　breath。　He　was　holding　a　spear　…　a　bronze…headed　throwing　spear　two　feet　long。　Where　had　he　gotten　it？　Another　spear　appeared　as　Arren　hung　bewildered　on　the　oars；　it　struck　a　thwart　edgewise；　splintering　the　wood；　and　rebounded　end　over　end。　On　the　low　bluffs　over　the　beach；　under　the　trees；　figures　moved；　darting　and　crouching。　There　were　little　whistling；　whirring　noises　in　the　air。　Arren　suddenly　bent　his　head　between　his　shoulders；　bent　his　back；　and　rowed　with　powerful　strokes：　two　to　clear　the　shallows；　three　to　turn　the　boat；　and　away。
　　Sopli；　in　the　prow　of　the　boat　behind　Arren's　back；　began　to　shout。　Arren's　arms　were　seized　suddenly　so　that　the　oars　shot　up　out　of　the　water。　The　butt　of　one　struck　him　in　the　pit　of　the　stomach；　so　that　for　a　moment　he　was　blind　and　breathless。　〃Turn　back！　Turn　back！〃　Sopli　was　shouting。　The　boat　leapt　in　the　water　all　at　once；　and　rocked。　Arren　turned　as　soon　as　he　had　got　his　grip　on　the　oars　again；　furious。　Sopli　was　not　in　the　boat。
　　All　around　them　the　deep　water　of　the　bay　heaved　and　dazzled　in　the　sunlight。
　　Stupidly；　Arren　looked　behind　him　again；　then　at　Sparrowhawk　crouching　in　the　stern。　〃There；〃　Sparrowhawk　said；　pointing　alongside；　but　there　was　nothing；　only　the　sea　and　the　dazzle　of　the　sun。　A　spear　from　a　throwing…stick　fell　short　of　the　boat　by　a　few　yards；　entered　the　water　noiselessly；　and　vanished。　Arren　rowed　ten　or　twelve　hard　strokes；　then　backed　water　and　looked　once　more　at　Sparrowhawk。
　　Sparrowhawk's　hands　and　left　arm　were　bloody；　he　held　a　wad　of　sailcloth　to　his　shoulder。　The　bronze…headed　spear　lay　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　He　had　not　been　holding　it　when　Arren　first　saw　it；　it　had　been　standing　out　from　the　hollow　of　his　shoulder