mck.harpistinthewind-第30部分

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　　　　　　　He　took　a　breath　of　wind；　it　burned　through　him　like　cold　fire。　〃He's　dead。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　he's　challenging　you　out　of　his　grave。　Yrth　harped　to　me　that　night　so　that　I　would　carry　the　riddle　of　his　harping　to　you；　wherever　in　the　realm　you　were。''
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　But　I　know　that　he　wants　to　find　you。　And　that　if　he　was　a　harpist　named　Deth　who　travelled　with　you；　as　Yrth　did；　down　Trader's　Road；　then　he　spun　riddles　so　secretly；　so　skillfully；　that　he　blinded　even　Ghisteslwchlohm。　And　even　you；　the　Riddle…Master　of　Hed。　I　think　maybe　you　should　name　him。　Because　he　is　playing　his　own　silent；　deadly　game；　and　he　may　be　the　only　one　in　this　realm　who　knows　exactly　what　he　is　doing。〃
　　　　　　　〃Who　in　Hel's　name　is　he？''　He　was　shivering　suddenly；　uncontrollably。　〃Deth　took　the　Black　of　Mastery　at　Caithnard。　He　was　a　riddler。　He　knew　my　name　before　I　did。　I　suspected　once　that　he　might　be　a　Lungold　wizard。　I　asked　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　did　he　say？〃
　　　　　　　〃He　said　he　was　the　High　One's　harpist。　So　I　asked　him　what　he　was　doing　in　Isig　while　Yrth　made　my　harp；　a　hundred　years　before　he　was　born。　He　told　me　to　trust　him。　Beyond　logic；　beyond　reason；　beyond　hope。　And　then　he　betrayed　me。〃　He　drew　her　against　him；　but　the　wind　ran　between　them　like　a　knife。　〃It's　cold。　It　was　never　this　cold　before。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　　　　　　　〃What　does　he　want？　Is　he　an　Earth…Master；　playing　his　own　solitary　game　for　power？　Does　he　want　me　alive　or　dead？　Does　he　want　the　High　One　alive　or　dead？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　don't　know。　You're　the　riddler。　He's　challenging　you。　Ask　him。〃
　　　　　　　He　was　silent；　remembering　the　harpist　on　Trader's　Road　who　had　drawn　him　without　a　word；　with　only　a　halting；　crippled　harping　out　of　the　night　into　Ghisteslwchlohm's　hands。　He　whispered；　〃He　knows　me　too　well。　I　think　whatever　he　wants；　he　will　get。〃　A　gust　struck　them；　smelling　like　snow；　gnawing　icily　at　his　face　and　hands。　It　drove　him　to　his　feet；　breathless；　bunded；　full　of　a　sudden；　helpless　longing　for　hope。　When　he　could　see　again；　he　found　that　Raederle　had　already　changed　shape。　A　vesta　shod　and　crowned　with　gold　gazed　at　him　out　of　deep　purple　eyes。　He　caressed　it；　its　warm　breath　nuzzled　at　his　hands。　He　rested　his　brow　against　the　bone　between　its　eyes。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　with　very　little　irony；　〃I　will　play　a　riddle…game　with　Deth。　Which　way　is　Isig？〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　She　led　him　there　by　sunlight　and　starlight；　south　across　the　wastes；　and　then　eastward　down　the　mountains　of　the　pass　until　at　the　second　dawn　he　saw　the　green　face　of　Isig　Mountain　rising　beyond　the　Ose。　They　reached　the　king's　house　at　dusk；　on　a　wild；　grey　autumn　day。　The　high　peaks　were　already　capped　with　snow；　the　great　pines　around　Harte　sang　in　the　north　wind。　The　travellers　changed　out　of　vesta…shape　when　they　reached　Kyrth　and　walked　the　winding　mountain　road　to　Harte。　The　gates　were　barred　and　guarded；　but　the　miners；　armed　with　great　broadswords　tempered　in　Danan's　forge　fires；　recognized　them　and　let　them　in。
　　　　　　　Danan　and　Vert　and　half　a　dozen　children　left　their　supper　to　meet　them　as　they　entered　the　house。　Danan；　robed　in　fur　against　the　cold；　gave　them　a　bear's　bulky　embrace　and　sent　children　and　servants　alike　scurrying　to　see　their　fort。　But；　gauging　their　weariness；　he　asked　only　one　question。
　　　　　　　〃I　was　in　the　wastes；〃　Morgon　said。　〃Harping。　Raederle　found　me。〃　The　strangeness　of　the　answer　did　not　occur　to　him　then。　He　added；　remembering；　〃Before　that；　I　was　a　tree　beside　the　Ose。〃　He　watched　a　smile　break　into　the　king's　eyes。
　　　　　　　〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　Danan　murmured。　〃I　told　you　no　one　would　find　you　in　that　shape。〃　He　drew　them　toward　the　stairs　leading　up　into　the　east　tower。　〃I　have　a　thousand　questions；　but　I　am　a　patient　old　tree；　and　they　can　wait　until　morning。　Yrth　is　in　this　tower；　youll　be　safe　near　him。〃
　　　　　　　A　question　nagged　at　Morgon　as　they　wound　up　the　stairs；　until　he　realized　what　it　was。　〃Danan；　I　have　never　seen　your　house　guarded。　Did　the　shape…changers　e　here　looking　for　me？〃
　　　　　　　The　king's　hands　knotted。　〃They　came；〃　he　said　grimly。　〃I　lost　a　quarter　of　my　miners。　I　would　have　lost　more　if　Yrth　had　not　been　here　to　fight　with　us。〃　Morgon　had　stopped。　The　king　opened　a　hand；　drew　him　forward。　〃We　grieved　enough　for　them。　If　we　only　knew　what　they　are；　what　they　want。。。〃　He　sensed　something　in　Morgon。　His　troubled　eyes　drew　relentlessly　at　the　truth。　〃You　know。〃
　　　　　　　Morgon　did　not　answer。　Danan　did　not　press　him；　but　the　lines　in　his　face　ran　suddenly　deep。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　He　left　them　in　a　tower　room　whose　walls　and　floor　and　furniture　were　draped　with　fur。　The　air　was　chilly；　but　Raederle　lit　a　fire　and　servants　came　soon；　bringing　food；　wine；　more　firewood；　warm；　rich　clothes。　Bere　followed　with　a　cauldron　of　steaming　water。　As　he　hoisted　it　onto　a　hook　above　the　firebed；　he　smiled　at　Morgon；　his　eyes　full　of　questions；　but　he　swallowed　them　all　with　an　effort。　Morgon　ridded　himself　of　a　well…worn　tunic；　matted　sheepskin；　and　what　dirt　the　harsh　winds　had　not　scoured　from　his　body。　Clean；　fed；　dressed　in　soft　fur　and　velvet；　he　sat　beside　the　fire　and　thought　back　with　amazement　on　what　he　had　done。
　　　　　　　〃I　left　you；〃　he　said　to　Raederle。　〃I　can　understand　almost　everything　but　that。　I　wandered　out　of　the　world　and　left　you。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　were　tired；〃　she　said　drowsily。　〃You　said　so。　Maybe　you　just　needed　to　think。〃　She　was　stretched　out　beside　him　on　the　ankle…deep　skins；　she　sounded　warmed　by　fire　and　wine；　and　almost　asleep。　〃Or　maybe　you　needed　a　place　to　begin　to　harp。。。　〃
　　　　　　　Her　voice　trailed　away　into　a　dream；　she　left　him　behind。　He　drew　blankets　over　her；　sat　for　a　while　without　moving；　watching　light　and　shadows　pursue　one　another　across　her　weary　face。　The　winds　boomed　and　broke　against　the　tower　like　sea　waves。　They　held　the　echo　of　a　note　that　haunted　his　memories。　He　reached　automatically　for　his　harp；　then　remembered　he　could　not　play　that　note　in　the　king's　house　without　disrupting　its　fragile　peace。
　　　　　　　He　played　others　softly；　fragments　of　ballads　wandering　into　patternless　echoes　of　the　winds。　His　fingers　stopped　after　a　while。　He　sat　plucking　one　note　over　and　over；　soundlessly；　while　a　face　formed　and　vanished　constantly　in　the　flames。　He　stood　up　finally；　listening。　The　house　seemed　still　around　him；　with　only　a　distant　murmuring　of　voices　here　and　there　within　its　walls。　He　moved　quietly　past　Raederle；　past　the　guards　outside　the　door；　whom　he　made　oblivious　to　his　leaving。　He　went　up　the　stairs　to　a　doorway　hung　with　white　furs　that　yielded　beneath　them　a　strip　of　light。　He　parted　them　gently；　walked　into　semi…darkness　and　stopped。
　　　　　　　The　wizard　was　napping；　an　old　man　nodding　in　a　chair　beside　a　fire；　his　scarred　hands　lying　open　on　his　knees。　He　looked　taller　than　Morgon　remembered；　broad…shouldered　yet　lean　beneath　the　long；　dark　robe　he　wore。　As　Morgon　watched　him；　he　woke；　opening　light；　unstartled　eyes。　He　bent　down；　sighing；　groped　for　wood　and　positioned　it　carefully；　feeling　with　his　fingers　through　the　lagging　flames。　They　sprang　up；　lighting　a　rock…hard　face；　weathered　like　a　tree　stump　with　age。　He　seemed　to　realize　suddenly　that　he　was　not　alone；　for　an　instant　his　body　went　motionless　as　stone。　Morgon　felt　an　almost　imperceptible　touch　in　his　mind。　The　wizard　stirred　again；　blinking。
　　　　　　　〃Morgon？〃　His　voice　was　deep；　resonant；　yet　husky；　full　of　hidden　things；　hke　the　voice　of　a　deep　well。　〃e　in。　Or　are　you　in？〃
　　　　　　　Morgon　moved　after　a　moment　〃I　didn't　mean　to　disturb　you；〃　he　said　softly。　Yrth　shook　his　head。
　　　　　　　〃I　heard　your　harping　a　while　ago。　But　I　didn't　expect　to　talk　to　you　until　morning。　Danan　told　me　that　Raederle　found　you　in　the　northern　wastes。　Were　you　pursued？　Is　that　why　you　hid　there？〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　I　simply　went　there；　and　stayed　because　I　could　think　of　no　reason　to　e　back。　Then　Raederle　came　and　gave　me　a　reason　。。。〃
　　　　　　　The　wizard　contemplated　the　direction　of　his　voice　silently。　〃You　are　an　amazing　man；〃　he　said。　〃Will　you　sit　down？〃
　　　　　　　〃How　do　you　know　I'm　not　sitting？〃　Morgon　asked　curiously。
　　　　　　　〃I　can　see　the　chair　in　front　of　you。　Can　you　feel　the　mind…link？　I　am　seeing　out　of　your　eyes。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　hardly　notice　it。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃That's　because　I　am　not　linked　to　your　thoughts；　only　to　your　vision。　I　travelled　Trader's　Road　through　men's　eyes。　That　night　you　were　attacked　by　horse　thieves；　I　knew　one　of　them　was　a　shape…changer　because　I　saw　through　his　eyes　the　stars　you　kept　hidden　from　men。　I　searched　for　him；　to　kill　him；　but　he　eluded　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃And　the　night　I　followed　Deth's　harping？　Did　you　see　beneath　that　illusion；　also？〃
　　　　　　　The　wizard　was　silent　again。　His　head　bowed；　away　from　Morgon；　the　hard　lines　of　his　face　shifted　with　such　shame　and　bitterness　that　Morgon　stepped　toward　him；　appalled　at　his　own　question。
　　　　　　　〃Morgon；　I　am　sorry。　I　am　no　match　for　Ghisteslwchlohm。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　couldn't　have　done　anything　to　help。〃　His　hands　gripped　the　chair　back。　〃Not　without　endangering　Raederle。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　did　what　little　I　could；　reinforcing　your　illusion　when　you　vanished；　but。。。　that　was　very　little。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　saved　our　lives。〃　He　had　a　sudden；　jarring　memory