uleg.thefarthestshore-第29章

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od。　〃The　dance　is　not　ended；〃　he　said；　〃nor　the　night。　Arren；　sing。〃
　　Arren　would　have　said；　〃I　cannot；　lord！〃…　but　instead　he　looked　at　the　nine　stars　in　the　south；　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　sang。　His　voice　was　soft　and　husky　at　first；　but　it　grew　stronger　as　he　sang；　and　the　song　was　that　oldest　song；　of　the　Creation　of　Ea；　and　the　balancing　of　the　dark　and　the　light；　and　the　making　of　green　lands　by　him　who　spoke　the　first　word；　the　Eldest　Lord；　Segoy。
　　Before　the　song　was　ended；　the　sky　had　paled　to　greyish…blue；　and　in　it　only　the　moon　and　Gobardon　still　burned　faintly。　The　torches　hissed　in　the　wind　of　dawn。　Then；　the　song　done；　Arren　was　silent；　and　the　dancers　who　had　gathered　to　listen　returned　quietly　from　raft　to　raft；　as　the　light　brightened　in　the　east。
　　〃That　is　a　good　song；〃　the　chief　said。　His　voice　was　uncertain；　though　he　strove　to　speak　impassively。　〃It　would　not　be　well　to　end　the　Long　Dance　before　it　is　pleted。　I　will　have　the　lazy　chanters　beaten　with　nilgu　thongs。〃
　　〃fort　them；　rather；〃　Sparrowhawk　said。　He　was　still　afoot；　and　his　tone　was　stern。　〃No　singer　chooses　silence。　e　with　me；　Arren。〃
　　He　turned　to　go　to　the　shelter；　and　Arren　followed　him。　But　the　strangeness　of　that　daybreak　was　not　yet　done；　for　even　then；　as　the　eastern　rim　of　the　sea　grew　white；　there　came　from　the　north　flying　a　great　bird：　so　high　up　that　its　wings　caught　the　sunlight　that　had　not　shone　upon　the　world　yet　and　beat　in　strokes　of　gold　upon　the　air。　Arren　cried　out；　pointing。　The　mage　looked　up；　startled。　Then　his　face　became　fierce　and　exulting；　and　he　shouted　out　aloud；　〃Nam　hietha　arw　Ged　arkvaissa！〃…which　in　the　Speech　of　the　Making　is；　If　thou　seekest　Ged　here　find　him。
　　And　like　a　golden　plummet　dropped；　with　wings　held　high　outstretched；　vast　and　thundering　on　the　air；　with　talons　which　might　seize　an　ox　as　if　it　were　a　mouse；　with　a　curl　of　steamy　flame　streaming　from　long　nostrils；　the　dragon　stooped　like　a　falcon　on　the　rocking　raft。
　　The　raft…folk　cried　out；　some　cowered　down；　some　leapt　into　the　sea；　and　some　stood　still；　watching；　in　a　wonder　that　surpassed　fear。
　　The　dragon　hovered　above　them。　Ninety　feet；　maybe；　was　he　from　tip　to　tip　of　his　vast　membranous　wings；　that　shone　in　the　new　sunlight　like　gold…shot　smoke；　and　the　length　of　his　body　was　no　less；　but　lean；　arched　like　a　greyhound；　clawed　like　a　lizard；　and　snake…scaled。　Along　the　narrow　spine　went　a　row　of　jagged　darts；　like　rose…thorns　in　shape；　but　at　the　hump　of　the　back　three　feet　in　height；　and　so　diminishing　that　the　last　at　the　tail…tip　was　no　longer　than　the　blade　of　a　little　knife。　These　thorns　were　grey；　and　the　scales　of　the　dragon　were　iron…grey；　but　there　was　a　glitter　of　gold　in　them。　His　eyes　were　green　and　slitted。
　　Moved　by　fear　for　his　people　to　forget　fear　for　himself；　the　chief　of　the　raft…folk　came　from　his　shelter　with　a　harpoon　such　as　they　used　in　the　hunt　of　whales：　it　was　longer　than　himself　and　pointed　with　a　great；　barbed　point　of　ivory。　Poising　it　on　his　small；　sinewy　arm；　he　ran　forward　to　gain　the　impetus　to　hurl　it　up　and　strike　the　dragon's　narrow；　light…mailed　belly　that　hung　above　the　raft。　Arren　waking　from　stupor　saw　him；　and　plunging　forward　caught　his　arm　and　came　down　in　a　heap　with　him　and　the　harpoon。　〃Would　you　anger　him　with　your　silly　pins？〃　he　gasped。　〃Let　the　Dragonlord　speak　first！〃
　　The　chief；　half　the　wind　knocked　out　of　him；　stared　stupidly　at　Arren　and　at　the　mage　and　at　the　dragon。　But　he　did　not　say　anything。　And　then　the　dragon　spoke。
　　None　there　but　Ged　to　whom　it　spoke　could　understand　it；　for　dragons　speak　only　in　the　Old　Speech；　which　is　their　tongue。　The　voice　was　soft　and　hissing；　almost　like　a　cat's　when　he　cries　out　softly　in　rage；　but　huge；　and　there　was　a　terrible　music　in　it。　Whoever　heard　that　voice　stopped　still　and　listened。
　　The　mage　answered　briefly；　and　again　the　dragon　spoke；　poising　above　him　on　slight…shifting　wings：　even；　thought　Arren；　like　a　dragonfly　poised　on　the　air。
　　Then　the　mage　answered　one　word；　〃Memeas；〃　I　will　e；　and　he　lifted　up　his　staff　of　yew…wood。　The　dragon's　jaws　opened；　and　a　coil　of　smoke　escaped　them　in　a　long　arabesque。　The　gold　wings　clapped　like　thunder；　making　a　great　wind　that　smelled　of　burning：　and　he　wheeled　and　flew　hugely　to　the　north。
　　It　was　quiet　on　the　rafts；　with　a　little　thin　piping　and　wailing　of　children；　and　women　forting　them。　Men　climbed　aboard　out　of　the　sea　somewhat　shamefaced；　and　the　forgotten　torches　burned　in　the　first　rays　of　the　sun。
　　The　mage　turned　to　Arren。　His　face　had　a　light　in　it　that　might　have　been　joy　or　stark　anger；　but　he　spoke　quietly。　〃Now　we　must　go；　lad。　Say　your　farewells　and　e。　He　turned　to　thank　the　chief　of　the　raft…folk　and　bid　him　farewell；　and　then　went　from　the　great　raft　across　three　others；　for　they　still　lay　close　ingathered　for　the　dancing；　till　he　came　to　the　one　to　which　Lookfar　was　tied。　So　the　boat　had　followed　the　raft…town　in　its　long；　slow　drift　into　the　south；　rocking　along　empty　behind；　but　the　Children　of　the　Open　Sea　had　filled　its　empty　cask　with　hoarded　rainwater　and　made　up　its　stock　of　provisions；　wishing　thus　to　honor　their　guests；　for　many　of　them　believed　Sparrowhawk　to　be　one　of　the　Great　Ones；　who　had　taken　on　the　form　of　a　man　instead　of　the　form　of　a　whale。　When　Arren　joined　him；　he　had　the　sail　up。　Arren　loosed　the　rope　and　leapt　into　the　boat；　and　in　that　instant　she　veered　from　the　raft　and　her　sail　stiffened　as　in　a　high　wind；　though　only　the　breeze　of　sunrise　blew。　She　heeled　turning　and　sped　off　northward　on　the　dragon's　track；　light　as　a　blown　leaf　on　the　wind。
　　When　Arren　looked　back；　he　saw　the　raft…town　as　a　tiny　scattering；　little　sticks　and　chips　of　wood　afloat：　the　shelters　and　the　torch…poles。　Soon　these　were　lost　in　the　dazzle　of　early　sunlight　on　the　water。　Lookfar　fled　forward。　When　her　bow　bit　the　waves；　fine　crystal　spray　flew；　and　the　wind　of　her　going　flung　back　Arren's　hair　and　made　him　squint。
　　Under　no　wind　of　earth　could　that　small　boat　have　sailed　so　fast；　unless　in　storm；　and　then　it　might　have　foundered　in　the　storm…waves。　This　was　no　wind　of　earth；　but　the　mage's　word　and　power；　that　sent　her　forth　so　fleet。
　　He　stood　a　long　time　by　the　mast；　with　watchful　eyes。　At　last　he　sat　down　in　his　old　place　by　the　tiller；　laying　one　hand　upon　it；　and　looked　at　Arren。
　　〃That　was　Orm　Embar；〃　he　said；　〃the　Dragon　of　Selidor；　kin　to　that　great　Orm　who　slew　Erreth…Akbe　and　was　slain　by　him。　〃
　　〃Was　he　hunting；　lord？〃　said　Arren；　for　he　was　not　certain　whether　the　mage　had　spoken　to　the　dragon　in　wele　or　in　threat。
　　〃Hunting　me。　What　dragons　hunt；　they　find。　He　came　to　ask　my　help。〃　He　laughed　shortly。　〃And　that's　a　thing　I　would　not　believe　if　any　told　me：　that　a　dragon　turned　to　a　man　for　help。　And　of　them　all；　that　one！　He　is　not　the　oldest；　though　he　is　very　old；　but　he　is　the　mightiest　of　his　kind。　He　does　not　hide　his　name；　as　dragons　and　men　must　do。　He　has　no　fear　that　any　can　gain　power　over　him。　Nor　does　he　deceive；　in　the　way　of　his　kind。　Long　ago；　on　Selidor；　he　let　me　live；　and　he　told　me　a　great　truth；　he　told　me　how　the　Rune　of　the　Kings　might　be　refound。　To　him　I　owe　the　Ring　of　Erreth…Akbe。　But　never　did　I　think　to　repay　such　a　debt；　to　such　a　creditor！〃
　　〃What　does　he　ask？〃
　　〃To　show　me　the　way　I　seek；〃　said　the　mage；　more　grimly。　And　after　a　pause；　〃He　said；　'In　the　west　there　is　another　Dragonlord；　he　works　destruction　on　us；　and　his　power　is　greater　than　ours。'　I　said；　'Even　than　thine；　Orm　Embar？'　and　he　said；　'Even　than　mine。　I　need　thee：　follow　in　haste。'　And　so　bid；　I　obeyed。〃
　　〃You　know　no　more　than　that？〃
　　〃I　will　know　more。〃
　　Arren　coiled　up　the　mooring　line；　stowed　it；　and　saw　to　other　small　matters　about　the　boat；　but　all　the　while　the　tension　of　excitement　sang　in　him　like　a　tightened　bowstring；　and　it　sang　in　his　voice　when　he　spoke　at　last。　〃This　is　a　better　guide；〃　he　said；　〃than　the　others！〃
　　Sparrowhawk　looked　at　him　and　laughed。　〃Aye；〃　he　said。　〃This　time　we　will　not　go　astray；　I　think。〃
　　So　those　two　began　their　great　race　across　the　ocean。　A　thousand　miles　and　more　it　was　from　the　uncharted　seas　of　the　raft…folk　to　the　island　Selidor；　which　lies　of　all