uleg.thetombsofatuan-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


lowered　a　candle　burning　in　a　little　tin　lantern　on　a　chain。　He　was　there；　in　the　Painted　Room。　She　saw；　past　the　candle's　glare；　his　legs　and　one　limp　hand。　She　spoke　into　the　spy　hole；　which　was　a　large　one；　the　size　of　a　whole　floor　tile：　〃Wizard！〃
　　No　movement。　Was　he　dead？　Was　that　all　the　strength　he　had　in　him？　She　sneered；　her　heart　pounded。　〃Wizard！〃　she　cried；　her　voice　ringing　in　the　hollow　room　beneath。　He　stirred；　and　slowly　sat　up；　and　looked　around　bewildered。　After　a　while　he　looked　up；　blinking　at　the　tiny　lantern　that　swung　from　his　ceiling。　His　face　was　terrible　to　see；　swollen；　dark　as　a　mummy's　face。
　　He　put　his　hand　out　to　his　staff　that　lay　on　the　floor　beside　him；　but　no　light　flowered　on　the　wood。　There　was　no　power　left　in　him。
　　〃Do　you　want　to　see　the　treasure　of　the　Tombs　of　Atuan；　wizard？〃
　　He　looked　up　wearily；　squinting　at　the　light　of　her　lantern；　which　was　all　he　could　see。　After　a　while；　with　a　wince　that　might　have　begun　as　a　smile；　he　nodded　once。
　　〃Go　out　of　this　room　to　the　left。　Take　the　first　corridor　to　the　left。。。〃　She　rattled　off　the　long　series　of　directions　without　pause；　and　at　the　end　said；　〃There　you　will　find　the　treasure　which　you　came　for。　And　there；　maybe；　you'll　find　water。　Which　would　you　rather　have　now；　wizard？〃
　　He　got　to　his　feet；　leaning　on　his　staff。　Looking　up　with　eyes　that　could　not　see　her；　he　tried　to　say　something；　but　there　was　no　voice　in　his　dry　throat。　He　shrugged　a　little；　and　left　the　Painted　Room。
　　She　would　not　give　him　any　water。　He　would　never　find　the　way　to　the　treasure　room；　anyway。　The　instructions　were　too　long　for　him　to　remember；　and　there　was　the　Pit；　if　he　got　that　far。　He　was　in　the　dark；　now。　He　would　lose　his　way；　and　would　fall　down　at　last　and　die　somewhere　in　the　narrow；　hollow；　dry　halls。　And　Manan　would　find　him　and　drag　him　out。　And　that　was　the　end。　Arha　clutched　the　lip　of　the　spy　hole　with　her　hands；　and　rocked　her　crouching　body　back　and　forth；　back　and　forth；　biting　her　lip　as　if　to　bear　some　dreadful　pain。　She　would　not　give　him　any　water。　She　would　not　give　him　any　water。　She　would　give　him　death；　death；　death；　death；　death。
　
　　In　that　gray　hour　of　her　life；　Kossil　came　to　her；　entering　the　treasury　room　with　heavy　step；　bulky　in　black　winter　robes。
　　〃Is　the　man　dead　yet？〃
　　Arha　raised　her　head。　There　were　no　tears　in　her　eyes；　nothing　to　hide。
　　〃I　think　so；〃　she　said；　getting　up　and　dusting　her　skirts。　〃His　light　has　gone　out。〃
　　〃He　may　be　tricking。　The　soulless　ones　are　very　cunning。〃
　　〃I　shall　wait　a　day　to　be　sure。〃
　　〃Yes；　or　two　days。　Then　Duby　can　go　down　and　bring　it　out。　He　is　stronger　than　old　Manan。〃
　　〃But　Manan　is　in　the　service　of　the　Nameless　Ones；　and　Duby　is　not。　There　are　places　within　the　Labyrinth　where　Duby　should　not　go；　and　the　thief　is　in　one　of　these。〃
　　〃Why；　then　it　is　defiled　already…〃
　　〃It　will　be　made　clean　by　his　death　there；〃　Arha　said。　She　could　see　by　Kossil's　expression　that　there　must　be　something　strange　about　her　own　face。　〃This　is　my　domain；　priestess。　I　must　care　for　it　as　my　Masters　bid　me。　I　do　not　need　more　lessons　in　death。〃
　　Kossil's　face　seemed　to　withdraw　into　the　black　hood；　like　a　desert　tortoise's　into　its　shell；　sour　and　slow　and　cold。　〃Very　well；　mistress。〃
　　They　parted　before　the　altar　of　the　God…Brothers。　Arha　went；　without　haste　now；　to　the　Small　House；　and　called　Manan　to　acpany　her。　Since　she　had　spoken　to　Kossil　she　knew　what　must　be　done。
　　She　and　Manan　went　together　up　the　hill；　into　the　Hall；　down　into　the　Undertomb。　Straining　together　at　the　long　handle；　they　opened　the　iron　door　of　the　Labyrinth。　They　lit　their　lanterns　there；　and　entered。　Arha　led　the　way　to　the　Painted　Room；　and　from　it　started　on　the　way　to　the　Great　Treasury。
　　The　thief　had　not　got　very　far。　She　and　Manan　had　not　walked　five　hundred　paces　on　their　tortuous　course　when　they　came　upon　him；　crumpled　up　in　the　narrow　corridor　like　a　heap　of　rags　thrown　down。　He　had　dropped　his　staff　before　he　fell；　it　lay　some　distance　from　him。　His　mouth　was　bloody；　his　eyes　half　shut。
　　〃He's　alive；〃　said　Manan；　kneeling；　his　great　yellow　hand　on　the　dark　throat；　feeling　the　pulse。　〃Shall　I　strangle　him；　mistress？〃
　　〃No。　I　want　him　alive。　Pick　him　up　and　bring　him　after　me。〃
　　〃Alive？〃　said　Manan；　disturbed。　〃What　for；　little　mistress？〃
　　〃To　be　a　slave　of　the　Tombs！　Be　still　with　your　talk　and　do　as　I　say。〃
　　His　face　more　melancholy　than　ever；　Manan　obeyed；　hoisting　the　young　man　effortfully　up　onto　his　shoulders　like　a　long　sack。　He　staggered　along　after　Arha　thus　laden。　He　could　not　go　far　at　a　time　under　that　load。　They　stopped　a　dozen　times　on　the　return　journey　for　Manan　to　catch　his　breath。　At　each　halt　the　corridor　was　the　same：　the　grayish…yellow；　close…set　stones　rising　to　a　vault；　the　uneven　rocky　floor；　the　dead　air；　Manan　groaning　and　panting；　the　stranger　lying　still；　the　two　lanterns　burning　dull　in　a　dome　of　light　that　narrowed　away　into　darkness　down　the　corridor　in　both　directions。　At　each　halt　Arha　dripped　some　of　the　water　she　had　brought　in　a　flask　into　the　dry　mouth　of　the　man；　a　little　at　a　time；　lest　life　returning　kill　him。
　　〃To　the　Room　of　Chains？〃　Manan　asked；　as　they　were　in　the　passage　that　led　to　the　iron　door；　and　at　that；　Arha　thought　for　the　first　time　where　she　must　take　this　prisoner。　She　did　not　know。
　　〃Not　there；　no；〃　she　said；　sickened　as　ever　by　the　memory　of　the　smoke　and　reek　and　the　matted；　speechless；　unseeing　faces。　And　Kossil　might　e　to　the　Room　of　Chains　〃He。。。　he　must　stay　in　the　Labyrinth；　so　that　he　cannot　regain　his　sorcery。　Where　is　there　a　room。。。〃
　　〃The　Painted　Room　has　a　door；　and　a　lock；　and　a　spy　hole；　mistress。　If　you　trust　him　with　doors。〃
　　〃He　has　no　powers；　down　here。　Take　him　there；　Manan。〃
　　So　Manan　lugged　him　back；　half　again　as　far　as　they　had　e；　too　laboring　and　breathless　to　protest。　When　they　entered　the　Painted　Room　at　last；　Arha　took　off　her　long；　heavy　winter　cloak　of　wool；　and　laid　it　on　the　dusty　floor。　〃Put　him　on　that；〃　she　said。
　　Manan　stared　in　melancholy　consternation；　wheezing。　〃Little　mistress…〃
　　〃I　want　the　man　to　live；　Manan。　He'll　die　of　the　cold；　look　how　he　shakes　now。〃
　　〃Your　garment　will　be　defiled。　The　Priestess'　garment。　He　is　an　unbeliever；　a　man；〃　Manan　blurted；　his　small　eyes　wrinkling　up　as　if　in　pain。
　　〃Then　I　shall　burn　the　cloak　and　have　another　woven！　e　on；　Manan！〃
　　At　that　he　stooped；　obedient；　and　let　the　prisoner　flop　off　his　back　onto　the　black　cloak。　The　man　lay　still　as　death；　but　the　pulse　beat　heavy　in　his　throat；　and　now　and　then　a　spasm　made　his　body　shiver　as　it　lay。
　　〃He　should　be　chained；〃　said　Manan。
　　〃Does　he　look　dangerous？〃　Arha　scoffed；　but　when　Manan　pointed　out　an　iron　hasp　set　into　the　stones；　to　which　the　prisoner　could　be　fastened；　she　let　him　go　fetch　a　chain　and　band　from　the　Room　of　Chains。　He　grumbled　off　down　the　corridors；　muttering　the　directions　to　himself；　he　had　been　to　and　from　the　Painted　Room　before　this；　but　never　by　himself。
　　In　the　light　of　her　single　lantern　the　paintings　on　the　four　walls　seemed　to　move；　to　twitch；　the　uncouth　human　forms　with　great　drooping　wings；　squatting　and　standing　in　a　timeless　dreariness。
　　She　knelt　and　let　water　drop；　a　little　at　a　time；　into　the　prisoner's　mouth。　At　last　he　coughed；　and　his　hands　reached　up　feebly　to　the　flask。　She　let　him　drink。　He　lay　back　with　his　face　all　wet；　besmeared　with　dust　and　blood；　and　muttered　something；　a　word　or　two　in　a　language　she　did　not　know。
　　Manan　returned　at　last；　dragging　a　length　of　iron　links；　a　great　padlock　with　its　key；　and　an　iron　band　which　fitted　around　the　man's　waist　and　locked　there。　〃It's　not　tight　enough；　he　can　slip　out；〃　he　grumbled　as　he　locked　the　end　link　onto　the　ring　set　in　the　wall。
　　〃No；　look。〃　Feeling　less　fearful　of　her　prisoner　now；　Arha　showed　that　she　could　not　force　her　hand　between　the　iron　band　and　the　man's　ribs。　〃Not　unless　he　starves　longer　than　four　days。〃
　　〃Little　mistress；〃　Manan　said　plaintively；　〃I　do　not　question；　but。。。　what　good　is　he　as　a　slave　to　the　Nameless　Ones？　He　is　a　man；　little　one。〃
　　〃And　you　are　an　old　fool；　Manan。　e　along　now；　finish　your　fus