uleg.thetombsofatuan-第19章

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makes　you　angry。　And　if　you　disbelieve　them；　you'll　see　them　as　only　lies　and　foolery；　as　you　say；　and　so　I　forfeit　my　life　again。　And　my　purpose　and　desire；　at　the　moment；　is　to　stay　alive。〃
　　That　made　her　laugh；　and　she　said；　〃Oh；　you'll　stay　alive　awhile；　can't　you　see　that？　You　are　stupid！　All　right；　show　me　these　illusions。　I　know　them　to　be　false　and　won't　be　afraid　of　them。　I　wouldn't　be　afraid　if　they　were　real；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　But　go　ahead。　Your　precious　skin　is　safe；　for　tonight；　anyhow。〃
　　At　that　he　laughed；　as　she　had　a　moment　ago。　They　tossed　his　life　back　and　forth　between　them　like　a　ball；　playing。
　　〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　show　you？〃
　　〃What　can　you　show　me？〃
　　〃Anything。〃
　　〃How　you　brag　and　brag！〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　evidently　a　little　stung。　〃I　do　not。　I　didn't　mean　to；　anyway。〃
　　〃Show　me　something　you　think　worth　seeing。　Anything！〃
　　He　bent　his　head　and　looked　at　his　hands　awhile。　Nothing　happened。　The　tallow　candle　in　her　lantern　burned　dim　and　steady。　The　black　pictures　on　the　walls；　the　bird…winged；　flightless　figures　with　eyes　painted　dull　red　and　white；　loomed　over　him　and　over　her。　There　was　no　sound。　She　sighed；　disappointed　and　somehow　grieved。　He　was　weak；　he　talked　great　things；　but　did　nothing。　He　was　nothing　but　a　good　liar；　and　not　even　a　good　thief。　〃Well；〃　she　said　at　last；　and　gathered　her　skirts　together　to　rise。　The　wool　rustled　strangely　as　she　moved。　She　looked　down　at　herself；　and　stood　up　in　startlement。
　　The　heavy　black　she　had　worn　for　years　was　gone；　her　dress　was　of　turquoise…colored　silk；　bright　and　soft　as　the　evening　sky。　It　belled　out　full　from　her　hips；　and　all　the　skirt　was　embroidered　with　thin　silver　threads　and　seed　pearls　and　tiny　crumbs　of　crystal；　so　that　it　glittered　softly；　like　rain　in　April。
　　She　looked　at　the　magician；　speechless。
　　〃Do　you　like　it？〃
　　〃Where…〃
　　〃It's　like　a　gown　I　saw　a　princess　wear　once；　at　the　Feast　of　Sunreturn　in　the　New　Palace　in　Havnor；〃　he　said；　looking　at　it　with　satisfaction。　〃You　told　me　to　show　you　something　worth　seeing。　I　show　you　yourself。〃
　　〃Make　it…　make　it　go　away。〃
　　〃You　gave　me　your　cloak；〃　he　said　as　if　in　reproach。　〃Can　I　give　you　nothing？　Well；　don't　worry。　It's　only　illusion；　see。〃
　　He　seemed　not　to　raise　a　finger；　certainly　he　said　no　word；　but　the　blue　splendor　of　silk　was　gone；　and　she　stood　in　her　own　harsh　black。
　　She　stood　still　awhile。
　　〃How　do　I　know；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃that　you　are　what　you　seem　to　be？〃
　　〃You　don't；〃　said　he。　〃I　don't　know　what　I　seem；　to　you。〃
　　She　brooded　again。　〃You　could　trick　me　into　seeing　you　as…〃　She　broke　off；　for　he　had　raised　his　hand　and　pointed　upward；　the　briefest　sketch　of　a　gesture。　She　thought　he　was　casting　a　spell；　and　drew　back　quickly　towards　the　door；　but　following　his　gesture；　her　eyes　found　high　in　the　dark　arching　roof　the　small　square　that　was　the　spy　hole　from　the　treasury　of　the　Twin　Gods'　temple。
　　There　was　no　light　from　the　spy　hole；　she　could　see　nothing；　hear　no　one　overhead　there；　but　he　had　pointed；　and　his　questioning　gaze　was　on　her。
　　Both　held　perfectly　still　for　some　time。
　　〃Your　magic　is　mere　folly　for　the　eyes　of　children；〃　she　said　clearly。　〃It　is　trickery　and　lies。　I　have　seen　enough。　You　will　be　fed　to　the　Nameless　Ones。　I　shall　not　e　again。〃
　　She　took　her　lantern　and　went　out；　and　sent　the　iron　bolts　home　firm　and　loud。　Then　she　stopped　there　outside　the　door　and　stood　dismayed。　What　must　she　do？
　　How　much　had　Kossil　seen　or　heard？　What　had　they　been　saying？　She　could　not　remember。　She　never　seemed　to　say　what　she　had　intended　to　say　to　the　prisoner。　He　always　confused　her　with　his　talk　about　dragons；　and　towers；　and　giving　names　to　the　Nameless；　and　wanting　to　stay　alive；　and　being　grateful　for　her　cloak　to　lie　on。　He　never　said　what　he　was　supposed　to　say。　She　had　not　even　asked　him　about　the　talisman；　which　she　still　wore；　hidden　against　her　breast。
　　That　was　just　as　well；　since　Kossil　had　been　listening。
　　Well；　what　did　it　matter；　what　harm　could　Kossil　do？　Even　as　she　asked　herself　the　question　she　knew　the　answer。　Nothing　is　easier　to　kill　than　a　caged　hawk。　The　man　was　helpless；　chained　there　in　the　cage　of　stone。　The　Priestess　of　the　Godking　had　only　to　send　her　servant　Duby　to　throttle　him　tonight；　or　if　she　and　Duby　did　not　know　the　Labyrinth　this　far；　all　she　need　do　was　blow　poison…dust　down　the　spy　hole　into　the　Painted　Room。　She　had　boxes　and　phials　of　evil　substances；　some　to　poison　food　or　water；　some　that　drugged　the　air；　and　killed；　if　one　breathed　that　air　too　long。　And　he　would　be　dead　in　the　morning；　and　it　would　all　be　over。　There　would　never　be　a　light　beneath　the　Tombs　again。
　　Arha　hastened　through　the　narrow　ways　of　stone　to　the　entrance　from　the　Undertomb；　where　Manan　waited　for　her；　squatting　patient　as　an　old　toad　in　the　dark。　He　was　uneasy　about　her　visits　to　the　prisoner。　She　would　not　let　him　e　with　her　all　the　way；　so　they　had　settled　on　this　promise。　Now　she　was　glad　that　he　was　there　at　hand。　Him；　at　least；　she　could　trust。
　　〃Manan；　listen。　You　are　to　go　to　the　Painted　Room；　right　now。　Say　to　the　man　that　you're　taking　him　to　be　buried　alive　beneath　the　Tombs。〃　Manan's　little　eyes　lit　up。　〃Say　that　aloud。　Unlock　the　chain；　and　take　him　to…〃　She　halted；　for　she　had　not　yet　decided　where　she　could　best　hide　the　prisoner。
　　〃To　the　Undertomb；〃　said　Manan；　eagerly。
　　〃No；　fool。　I　said　to　say　that；　not　do　it。　Wait…〃
　　What　place　was　safe　from　Kossil　and　Kossil's　spies？　None　but　the　deepest　places　underground；　the　holiest　and　most　hidden　places　of　the　domain　of　the　Nameless；　where　she　dared　not　e。　Yet　would　Kossil　not　dare　almost　anything？　Afraid　of　the　dark　places　she　might　be；　but　she　was　one　who　would　subdue　her　fear　to　gain　her　ends。　There　was　no　telling　how　much　of　the　plan　of　the　Labyrinth　she　might　actually　have　learned；　from　Thar；　or　from　the　Arha　of　the　previous　life；　or　even　from　secret　explorations　of　her　own　in　past　yeas；　Arha　suspected　her　of　knowing　more　than　she　pretended　to　know。　But　there　was　one　way　she　surely　could　not　have　learned；　the　best…kept　secret。
　　〃You　must　bring　the　man　where　I　lead　you；　and　you　must　do　it　in　the　dark。　Then　when　I　bring　you　back　here；　you　will　dig　a　grave　in　the　Undertomb；　and　make　a　coffin　for　it；　and　put　it　in　the　grave　empty；　and　fill　in　the　earth　again；　yet　so　that　it　can　be　felt　and　found　if　someone　sought　for　it。　A　deep　grave。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Manan；　dour　and　fretful。　〃Little　one；　this　trickery　is　not　wise。　It　is　not　good。　There　should　not　be　a　man　here！　There　will　e　a　punishment…〃
　　〃An　old　fool　will　have　his　tongue　cut　out；　yes！　Do　you　dare　tell　me　what　is　wise？　I　follow　the　orders　of　the　Dark　Powers。　Follow　me！〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；　little　mistress；　I'm　sorry。。。〃
　　They　returned　to　the　Painted　Room。　There　she　waited　outside　in　the　tunnel；　while　Manan　entered　and　unlocked　the　chain　from　the　hasp　in　the　wall。　She　heard　the　deep　voice　ask；　〃Where　now；　Manan？〃　and　the　husky　alto　answer；　sullenly；　〃You　are　to　be　buried　alive；　my　mistress　says。　Under　the　Tombstones。　Get　up！〃　She　heard　the　heavy　chain　crack　like　a　whip。
　　The　prisoner　came　out；　his　arms　bound　with　Manan's　leather　belt。　Manan　came　behind；　holding　him　like　a　dog　on　a　short　leash；　but　the　collar　was　around　his　waist　and　the　leash　was　iron。　His　eyes　turned　to　her；　but　she　blew　out　her　candle　and　without　a　word　set　off　into　the　dark。　She　fell　at　once　into　the　slow　but　fairly　steady　pace　that　she　usually　kept　when　she　was　not　using　a　light　in　the　Labyrinth；　brushing　her　fingertips　very　lightly　but　almost　constantly　along　the　walls　on　either　side。　Manan　and　the　prisoner　followed　behind；　much　more　awkward　because　of　the　leash；　shuffling　and　stumbling　along。　But　in　the　dark　they　must　go；　for　she　did　not　want　either　of　them　to　learn　this　way。
　　A　left　turn　from　the　Painted　Room；　and　pass　two　openings；　go　right　at　the　Four　Ways；　and　pass　the　opening　to　the　right；　then　a　long　curving　way；　and　a　flight　of　steps　down；　long；　slippery；　and　much　too　narrow　for　normal　human　feet。　Farther　than　these　steps　she　had　never　gone。
　　The　air　was　fouler　here；　very　still；　with　a　sharp　odor　to　it。　The　directions　were　clear　in　her　mind；