tg.stone of tears-第73章

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　Kahlan　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　gave　him　a　little　smile。　Wo　I　do　not　wish　it　to　be　you；　my　friend；　or　your　hunters。　I　will　take　only　three　men。’　Everyone　mumbled　in　confusion。　‘More　would　bring　attention；　maybe　trouble。　It　will　be　easier　with　three　to　slip　unnoticed。　It　will　take　less　time　that　way。’
　
　Kahlan　took　the　hand　away　and　pointed　at　a　man　who　stood　watching；　glaring。　‘I　choose　you；　Chandalen。’　The　two　brothers　were　standing　to　his　side。　‘And　you；　Prindin　and　Tossidin’
　
　Chandalen　stormed　forward。　‘Me！　Why　would　you　want　me！’
　
　‘Because　I　must　not　fail。　I　know　that　if　I　took　Savidlin；　he　would　try　his　hardest；　but　if　he　failed；　the　Mud　People　would　know　he　did　his　best。　You　are　a　better　hunter　of　men。　Richard　told　me　once　that　if　he　had　to　pick　one　man　to　fight　beside　him；　it　would　be　you；　even　though　you　hate　him。
　
　‘Where　we　go；　men　are　the　danger。　If　I　don’t　make　it；　if　you　fail　me；　everyone　will　think　it　is　because　you　didn’t　try　your　hardest。　They　will　always　think　you　let　me　die　…　let　another　Mud　Person　die　…　because　you　hate　me　and　Richard。　If　you　let　me　be　killed；　you　will　never　be　weled　back　to　the　Mud　People。　Your　people。’
　
　Prindin　stepped　forward；　his　brother　right　next　to　him。　‘I　will　go。　My　brother；　too。　We　will　help　you。’
　
　Chandalen　glared。　‘I　will　not！　I　will　not　go！’
　
　Kahlan　looked　to　the　Bird　Man。　His　brown　eyes　met　hers；　and　then　he　turned　an　iron　gaze　on　Chandalen。　‘Kahlan　is　a　Mud　Person。　You　are　the　bravest；　most　cunning　fighter　among　us。　It　is　your　responsibility　to　protect　us。　All　of　us。　You　will　do　this。　You　will　go　with　her。　You　will　follow　her　orders　and　you　will　get　her　safely　to　where　she　wishes　to　go。　Or；　you　will　leave　now；　and　never　return。　And　Chandalen；　if　she　is　killed；　don’t　e　back。　If　you　do；　we　will　kill　you　as　we　would　kill　any　outsider　with　black　painted　on　his　eyes。’
　
　Chandalen　shook　with　rage。　He　threw　his　spear　on　the　ground。　Seething；　he　put　fists　to　his　hips。　‘If　I　am　to　leave　our　land　there　will　have　to　be　a　ceremony　to　call　the　spirits　to　protect　us　on　our　journey　It　will　take　until　tomorrow。　We　leave　then。’
　
　All　eyes　went　to　Kahlan。　‘I　leave　in　one　hour。　You　will　be　with　me。　You　haw　until　then　to　prepare。’
　
　Kahlan　turned　to　the　spirit　house　to　change　out　of　her　wedding　dress；　into　her　traveling　clothes；　and　to　get　her　things　together。　She　gratefully　accepted　Weselan’s　offer　to　help。
　
　
　CHAPTER　18
　
　Fat；　wet　flakes　of　snow　drifted　down；　sometimes　falling　harder；　gathering　in　gusts　and　swirling　into　white　curtains。　Richard　rode　in　a　numb　haze；　behind　Sister　Verna；　the　third　horse　tethered　to　his　and　trotting　along　behind。　When　the　snow　swept　down　in　dense　flurries；　the　Sister　was　no　more　than　a　gray　shape　ahead　of　him。
　
　It　never　occurred　to　him　to　wonder　where　they　were　going；　or　to　close　his　cloak　against　the　cold；　biting　wind。　It　didn’t　matter；　nothing　mattered。
　
　His　thoughts　seemed　to　float　and　dance　with　the　snow；　unable　to　settle。　He　had　never　loved　anything　in　his　life　the　way　he　loved　Kahlan。　She　had　bee　his　life。
　
　And　she　had　sent　him　away。
　
　He　hurt　too　much　to　think　of　anything　else。　He　was　stunned　that　she　would　doubt　his　love；　that　she　would　send　him　away。　Why　would　she　send　him　away？
　
　His　mind　drifted　in　and　out　of　dense；　desperate　thoughts。　He　couldn’t　understand　how　she　could　ask　him　to　put　on　a　collar　to　prove　his　love。　He　had　told　her　what　wearing　a　collar　meant　to　him。　Maybe　he　should　have　told　her　all　of　it。　Maybe　then　she　would　have　understood。
　
　His　chest　ached　where　Darken　Rahl　had　burned　him。　When　he　reached　up　and　touched　the　bandage；　he　finally　noticed　that　the　snow　flurries　had　stopped。　The　low；　scudding　clouds　were　broken　in　places；　letting　shafts　of　sunlight　shine　through。　The　grassland　was　a　flat；　dead　brown；　and　the　clouds　a　dull；　dead　gray。　The　landscape　was　a　colorless；　empty　expanse。
　
　By　the　angle　of　the　sun　he　realized　it　was　getting　to　be　late　afternoon。　They　had　been　riding　for　a　long　time；　in　silence；　Sister　Verna　had　said　nothing　to　him。
　
　He　reached　up　and　experimentally　touched　the　collar　for　the　first　time。　It　was　smooth；　seamless；　cold。　He　had　said　he　would　never　wear　a　collar　again。　He　had　promised　himself。　Yet　here　he　was　wearing　one。　Worse；　he　had　put　it　on　himself；　put　it　on　because　Kahlan　had　asked　him　to。　Because　she　doubted　him。
　
　For　the　first　time　since　he　had　put　it　on；　he　forced　himself　to　think　of　something　else。　He　couldn’t　think　about　Kahlan　anymore；　couldn’t　stand　the　pain。　He　was　the　Seeker；　he　had　other　things　to　think　about；　important　things。　With　a　gentle　squeeze　of　his　lower　legs　to　the　horse’s　girth；　he　urged　it　ahead；　pulling　it　close　beside　the　Sister’s　chestnut　gelding。
　
　Richard　reached　up　to　push　back　the　hood　of　his　cloak；　and　realized　it　wasn’t　even　up；　so　he　ran　his　fingers　through　his　wet　hair　instead。　He　looked　over　at　Sister　Verna。
　
　There　are　some　things　we　have　to　talk　about。　Important　things　you　don’t　know　about。’
　
　She　glanced　over　without　emotion。　The　edge　of　her　hood　partially　blocked　her　face。　‘And　what　would　those　things　be？’
　
　‘I　am　the　Seeker。’
　
　She　looked　away；　returning　her　eyes　to　where　they　had　been。　‘That　is　hardly　something　I　don’t　know。’
　
　Her　calm；　unconcerned　attitude　annoyed　him。　‘I　have　responsibilities。　I　told　you　before：　there　are　important　things　going　on　you　know　nothing　about。　Dangerous　things。’　She　didn’t　respond。　It　was　as　if　he　hadn’t　spoken。　He　decided　to　cut　right　to　the　heart　of　it。　‘The　Keeper　is　trying　to　escape　the　underworld。’
　
　‘We　do　not　speak　his　name。　You　are　not　to　speak　it　as　you　have　just　done。　It　brings　his　attention。　When　we　must　speak　of　him；　he　is　addressed　as　the　Nameless　One。’
　
　She　was　talking　to　him　as　if　he　were　a　child。　Kahlan’s　life　was　in　danger　and　this　woman　was　treating　him　like　a　child。　‘I　don’t　care　what　you　call　him；　he’s　trying　to　get　out。　And　I　assure　you；　I　already　have　his　attention。’
　
　At　last　she　looked　over；　unconcerned。　The　Nameless　One　is　always　trying　to　get　out。’
　
　Richard　took　a　deep　breath　and　tried　again。　The　veil　to　the　underworld　is　torn。　He　is　going　to　get　out。’
　
　Sister　Verna　turned　to　him　once　more；　this　time　pulling　the　edge　of　the　hood　back　to　get　a　better　look。　Curly　brown　hair　peeked　out　the　edge　of　the　dark；　heavy　hood。　She　had　an　odd　frown。　A　frown　of　amusement。　There　was　a　wisp　of　a　smile　at　the　corners　of　her　mouth。
　
　The　Creator　himself　put　the　Nameless　One　where　he　is。　The　Creator　himself　placed　the　veil　with　His　own　hand　to　keep　him　there。’　Her　smile　swelled　a　little　as　her　eyebrows　came　closer　together；　creasing　her　weathered　brow。　The　Nameless　One　cannot　escape　the　prison　the　Creator　has　placed　him　in。　Do　not　be　afraid；　child。’
　
　Exploding　in　rage；　Richard　wheeled　his　bay　mare　around　toward　the　Sister。　The　two　horses　jostled；　whinnying　and　tossing　their　heads。　Richard　firmly　snatched　the　reins　of　the　Sister’s　surprised　horse　to　keep　it　from　rearing；　or　bolting。
　
　He　leaned　toward　her；　his　chest　heaving　in　fury。　‘I　will　not　be　called　names！　I　will　not　have　names　put　to　me　because　I　wear　a　collar！　I　am　Richard！　Richard　Rahl！’
　
　Sister　Verna　didn’t　flinch。　Her　voice　remained　calm　and　smooth。　‘I’m　sorry；　Richard。　It　was　only　force　of　habit。　I　am　used　to　dealing　with　ones　much　younger　than　you。　I　meant　nothing　demeaning　by　it。’
　
　The　way　she　stared　at　him　made　him　feel　suddenly　foolish；　embarrassed。　Made　him　feel　like　a　child。　He　released　the　reins。　‘I　apologize　for　yelling。　I’m　not　in　a　very　good　mood。’
　
　She　frowned　again。　‘I　thought　your　name　was　Cypher。’
　
　He　tugged　his　cloak　over　his　chest　where　the　bandage　covered　his　burn。　‘It’s　a　long　story。　George　Cypher　raised　me　as　his　son。　I　only　found　out　a　short　time　ago　that　I　am　in　truth　the　son　of　Darken　Rahl。’
　
　Her　frown　deepened。　‘Darken　Rahl。　The　one　with　the　gift　you　killed？　You　killed　your　father？’
　
　‘Don’t　look　at　me　like　that。　You　didn’t　know　him。　You　have　no　idea　what　kind　of　man　he　was。　He　imprisoned　and　tortured　and　killed　more　people　than　you　or　I　could　im