uleg.thefarthestshore-第6章

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l　wounded　mortally；　and　while　we　talk　and　talk　our　blood　runs　softly　from　our　veins。。。〃
　　〃And　you　would　be　up　and　doing。〃
　　〃I　would；〃　said　the　Archmage。
　　〃Well；〃　said　the　Doorkeeper；　〃can　the　owls　keep　the　hawk　from　flying？〃
　　〃But　where　would　you　go？〃　the　Changer　asked；　and　the　Chanter　answered　him：　〃To　seek　our　king　and　bring　him　to　his　throne！〃
　　The　Archmage　looked　keenly　at　the　Chanter；　but　answered　only；　〃I　would　go　where　the　trouble　is。〃
　　〃South　or　west；〃　said　the　Master　Windkey。
　　〃And　north　and　east　if　need　be；〃　said　the　Doorkeeper。
　　〃But　you　are　needed　here；　my　lord；〃　said　the　Changer。　〃Rather　than　to　go　seeking　blindly　among　unfriendly　peoples　on　strange　seas；　would　it　not　be　wiser　to　stay　here；　where　all　magic　is　strong；　and　find　out　by　your　arts　what　this　evil　or　disorder　is？〃
　　〃My　arts　do　not　avail　me；〃　the　Archmage　said。
　　There　was　that　in　his　voice　which　made　them　all　look　at　him；　sober　and　with　uneasy　eyes。　〃I　am　the　Warder　of　Roke。　I　do　not　leave　Roke　lightly。　I　wish　that　your　counsel　and　my　own　were　the　same；　but　that　is　not　to　be　hoped　for　now。　The　judgment　must　be　mine：　and　I　must　go。〃
　　〃To　that　judgment　we　yield；〃　said　the　Summoner。
　　〃And　I　go　alone。　You　are　the　Council　of　Roke；　and　the　Council　must　not　be　broken。　Yet　one　I　will　take　with　me；　if　he　will　e。〃　He　looked　at　Arren。　〃You　offered　me　your　service；　yesterday。　Last　night　the　Master　Patterner　said；　‘Not　by　chance　does　any　man　e　to　the　shores　of　Roke。　Not　by　chance　is　a　son　of　Morred　the　bearer　of　this　news'　And　no　other　word　had　he　for　us　all　the　night。　Therefore　I　ask　you；　Arren；　will　you　e　with　me？〃
　　〃Yes；　my　lord；〃　said　Arren；　with　a　dry　throat。
　　〃The　prince；　your　father；　surely　would　not　let　you　go　into　this　peril；〃　said　the　Changer　somewhat　sharply；　and　to　the　Archmage；　〃The　lad　is　young　and　not　trained　in　wizardry。〃
　　〃I　have　years　and　spells　enough　for　both　of　us；〃　Sparrowhawk　said　in　a　dry　voice。　〃Arren；　what　of　your　father？〃
　　〃He　would　let　me　go。〃
　　〃How　can　you　know？〃　asked　the　Summoner。
　　Arren　did　not　know　where　he　was　being　required　to　go；　nor　when；　nor　why。　He　was　bewildered　and　abashed　by　these　grave；　honest；　terrible　men。　If　he　had　had　time　to　think　he　could　not　have　said　anything　at　all。　But　he　had　no　time　to　think；　and　the　Archmage　had　asked　him；　〃Will　you　e　with　me？〃
　　〃When　my　father　sent　me　here　he　said　to　me；　‘I　fear　a　dark　time　is　ing　on　the　world；　a　time　of　danger。　So　I　send　you　rather　than　any　other　messenger；　for　you　can　judge　whether　we　should　ask　the　help　of　the　Isle　of　the　Wise　in　this　matter；　or　offer　the　help　of　Enlad　to　them。'　So　if　I　am　needed；　therefore　I　am　here。〃
　　At　that　he　saw　the　Archmage　smile。　There　was　great　sweetness　in　the　smile；　though　it　was　brief。　〃Do　you　see？〃　he　said　to　the　seven　mages。　〃Could　age　or　wizardry　add　anything　to　this？〃
　　Arren　felt　that　they　looked　on　him　approvingly　then；　but　with　a　kind　of　pondering　or　wondering　look；　still。　The　Summoner　spoke；　his　arched　brows　straightened　to　a　frown：　〃I　do　not　understand　it；　my　lord。　That　you　are　bent　on　going；　yes。　You　have　been　caged　here　five　years。　But　always　before　you　were　alone；　you　have　always　gone　alone。　Why；　now；　panioned？〃
　　〃I　never　needed　help　before；〃　said　Sparrowhawk；　with　an　edge　of　threat　or　irony　in　his　voice。　〃And　I　have　found　a　fit　panion。〃　There　was　a　dangerousness　about　him；　and　the　tall　Summoner　asked　him　no　more　questions；　though　he　still　frowned。
　　But　the　Master　Herbal；　calm…eyed　and　dark　like　a　wise　and　patient　ox；　rose　from　his　seat　and　stood　monumental。　〃Go；　my　lord；〃　he　said；　〃and　take　the　lad。　And　all　our　trust　goes　with　you。〃
　　One　by　one　the　others　gave　assent　quietly；　and　by　ones　and　twos　withdrew；　until　only　the　Summoner　was　left　of　the　seven。　〃Sparrowhawk；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　not　seek　to　question　your　judgment。　Only　I　say：　If　you　are　right；　if　there　is　imbalance　and　the　peril　of　great　evil；　then　a　voyage　to　Wathort；　or　into　the　West　Reach；　or　to　world's　end；　will　not　be　far　enough。　Where　you　may　have　to　go；　can　you　take　this　panion；　and　is　it　fair　to　him？〃
　　They　stood　apart　from　Arren；　and　the　Summoner's　voice　was　lowered；　but　the　Archmage　spoke　openly：　〃It　is　fair。〃
　　〃You　are　not　telling　me　all　you　know；〃　the　Summoner　said。
　　〃If　I　knew；　I　would　speak。　I　know　nothing。　I　guess　much。〃
　　〃Let　me　e　with　you：
　　〃One　must　guard　the　gates。〃
　　〃The　Doorkeeper　does　that…〃
　　〃Not　only　the　gates　of　Roke。　Stay　here。　Stay　here；　and　watch　the　sunrise　to　see　if　it　be　bright；　and　watch　at　the　wall　of　stones　to　see　who　crosses　it　and　where　their　faces　are　turned。　There　is　a　breach；　Thorion；　there　is　a　break；　a　wound；　and　it　is　this　I　go　to　seek。　If　I　am　lost；　then　maybe　you　will　find　it。　But　wait。　I　bid　you　wait　for　me。〃　He　was　speaking　now　in　the　Old　Speech；　the　language　of　the　Making；　in　which　all　true　spells　are　cast　and　on　which　all　the　great　acts　of　magic　depend；　but　very　seldom　is　it　spoken　in　conversation；　except　among　the　dragons。　The　Summoner　made　no　further　argument　or　protest；　but　bowed　his　tall　head　quietly　both　to　the　Archmage　and　to　Arren　and　departed。
　　The　fire　crackled　in　the　hearth。　There　was　no　other　sound。　Outside　the　windows　the　fog　pressed　formless　and　dim。
　　The　Archmage　stared　into　the　flames；　seeming　to　have　forgotten　Arren's　presence。　The　boy　stood　at　some　distance　from　the　hearth；　not　knowing　if　he　should　take　his　leave　or　wait　to　be　dismissed；　irresolute　and　somewhat　desolate；　feeling　again　like　a　small　figure　in　a　dark；　illimitable；　confusing　space。
　　〃We'll　go　first　to　Hort　Town；〃　said　Sparrowhawk；　turning　his　back　to　the　fire。　〃News　gathers　there　from　all　the　South　Reach；　and　we　may　find　a　lead。　Your　ship　still　waits　in　the　bay。　Speak　to　the　master；　let　him　carry　word　to　your　father。　I　think　we　should　leave　as　soon　as　may　be。　At　daybreak　tomorrow。　e　to　the　steps　by　the　boathouse。〃
　　〃My　lord；　what…〃　His　voice　stuck　a　moment。　〃What　is　it　you　seek？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；　Arren。〃
　　〃Then…〃
　　〃Then　how　shall　I　seek　it？　Neither　do　I　know　that。　Maybe　it　will　seek　me。〃　He　grinned　a　little　at　Arren；　but　his　face　was　like　iron　in　the　grey　light　of　the　windows。
　　〃My　lord；〃　Arren　said；　and　his　voice　was　steady　now；　〃it　is　true　I　e　of　the　lineage　of　Morred；　if　any　tracing　of　lineage　so　old　be　true。　And　if　I　can　serve　you　I　will　account　it　the　greatest　chance　and　honor　of　my　life；　and　there　is　nothing　I　would　rather　do。　But　I　fear　that　you　mistake　me　for　something　more　than　I　am。　〃
　　〃Maybe；〃　said　the　Archmage。
　　〃I　have　no　great　gifts　or　skills。　I　can　fence　with　the　short　sword　and　the　noble　sword。　I　can　sail　a　boat。　I　know　the　court　dances　and　the　country　dances。　I　can　mend　a　quarrel　between　courtiers。　I　can　wrestle。　I　am　a　poor　archer；　and　I　am　skillful　at　the　game　of　net…ball。　I　can　sing；　and　play　the　harp　and　lute。　And　that　is　all。　There　is　no　more。　What　use　will　I　be　to　you？　The　Master　Summoner　is　right…〃
　　〃Ah；　you　saw　that；　did　you？　He's　jealous。　He　claims　the　privilege　of　older　loyalty。〃
　　〃And　greater　skill；　my　lord。〃
　　〃Then　you'd　rather　he　went　with　me；　and　you　stayed　behind？〃
　　〃No！　But　I　fear…〃
　　〃Fear　what？〃
　　Tears　sprang　to　the　boy's　eyes。　〃To　fail　you；〃　he　said。
　　The　Archmage　turned　around　again　to　the　fire。　〃Sit　down；　Arren；〃　he　said；　and　the　boy　came　to　the　stone　corner…seat　of　the　hearth。　〃I　did　not　mistake　you　for　a　wizard　or　a　warrior　or　any　finished　thing。　What　you　are　I　do　not　know；　though　I'm　glad　to　know　that　you　can　sail　a　boat。。。　What　you　will　be；　no　one　knows。　But　this　much　I　do　know：　you　are　the　son　of　Morred　and　of　Serriadh。〃
　　Arren　was　silent。　〃That　is　true；　my　lord；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃But。。。〃　The　Archmage　said　nothing；　and　he　had　to　finish　his　sentence：　〃But　I　am　not　Morred。　I　am　only　myself。〃
　　〃You　take　no　pride　in　your　lineage？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　take　pride　in　it　…because　it　makes　me　a　prince；　it　is　a　responsibility；　a　thing　that　must　be　lived　up　to…〃
　　The　Archmage　nodded　once；　sharply。　〃That　is　what　I　meant。　To　deny　the　past　is　to　deny　the　future。　A　man　does　not　make　his　destiny：　he　accepts　it　or　denies　it。　If　the　rowan's　roots　are　shallow；　it　bears　no　crown。〃　At　this　Arren　looked　up　startled；　for　his　true　name；　Lebannen；　meant　the　rowan　tree。　But　the　Archmage　had　not　said　his　nam