uleg.thefarthestshore-第28部分

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e　Lore　of　Paln。　I　was　young　and　a　fool　when　I　used　that　lore；　and　I　brought　ruin　on　myself。　But　if　an　old　man　and　a　strong　one　used　it；　careless　of　all　consequence；　he　might　bring　ruin　on　us　all。〃
　　〃Were　you　not　told　that　that　man　was　dead？〃
　　〃Aye；〃　said　Sparrowhawk　〃I　was。〃
　　And　they　said　no　more。
　　That　night　the　sea　was　full　of　fire。　The　sharp　waves　thrown　back　by　Lookfar's　prow　and　the　movement　of　every　fish　through　the　surface　water　were　all　outlined　and　alive　with　light。　Arren　sat　with　his　arm　on　the　gunwale　and　his　head　on　his　arm；　watching　those　curves　and　whorls　of　silver　radiance。　He　put　his　hand　in　the　water　and　raised　it　again；　and　light　ran　softly　from　his　fingers。　〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃I　too　am　a　wizard。〃
　　〃That　gift　you　have　not；〃　said　his　panion。
　　〃Much　good　I　shall　be　to　you　without　it；〃　said　Arren；　gazing　at　the　restless　shimmer　of　the　waves；　〃when　we　meet　our　enemy。〃
　　For　he　had　hoped　…from　the　very　beginning　he　had　hoped…　that　the　reason　the　Archmage　had　chosen　him　and　him　alone　for　this　voyage　was　that　he　had　some　inborn　power；　descended　from　his　ancestor　Morred；　which　would　in　the　ultimate　need　and　the　blackest　hour　be　revealed：　and　so　he　would　save　himself　and　his　lord　and　all　the　world　from　the　enemy。　But　lately　he　had　looked　once　more　at　that　hope；　and　it　was　as　if　he　saw　it　from　a　great　distance；　it　was　like　remembering　that；　when　he　was　a　very　little　boy；　he　had　had　a　burning　desire　to　try　on　his　father's　crown；　and　had　wept　when　he　was　forbidden　to。　This　hope　was　as　ill…timed；　as　childish。　There　was　no　magery　in　him。　There　never　would　be。
　　The　time　might　e；　indeed；　when　he　could；　when　he　must；　put　on　his　father's　crown　and　rule　as　Prince　of　Enlad。　But　that　seemed　a　small　thing　now；　and　his　home　a　small　place；　and　remote。　There　was　no　disloyalty　in　this。　Only　his　loyalty　had　grown　greater；　being　fixed　upon　a　greater　model　and　a　broader　hope。　He　had　learned　his　own　weakness　also；　and　by　it　had　learned　to　measure　his　strength；　and　he　knew　that　he　was　strong。　But　what　use　was　strength　if　he　had　no　gift；　nothing　to　offer；　still；　to　his　lord　but　his　service　and　his　steady　love？　Where　they　were　going；　would　those　be　enough？
　　Sparrowhawk　said　only；　〃To　see　a　candle's　light；　one　must　take　it　into　a　dark　place。〃　With　that　Arren　tried　to　fort　himself；　but　he　did　not　find　it　very　forting。
　　Next　morning　when　they　awoke；　the　air　was　grey　and　the　water　was　grey。　Over　the　mast　the　sky　brightened　to　the　blue　of　an　opal；　for　the　fog　lay　low。　To　Northern　men　such　as　Arren　of　Enlad　and　Sparrowhawk　of　Gont；　the　fog　was　wele；　like　an　old　friend。　Softly　it　enclosed　the　boat　so　that　they　could　not　see　far；　and　it　was　to　them　like　being　in　a　familiar　room　after　many　weeks　of　bright　and　barren　space　and　the　wind　blowing。　They　were　ing　back　into　their　own　climate；　and　were　now　perhaps　at　the　latitude　of　Roke。
　
　　Some　seven　hundred　miles　east　of　those　fog…clad　waters　where　Lookfar　sailed；　clear　sunlight　shone　on　the　leaves　of　the　trees　of　the　Immanent　Grove；　on　the　green　crown　of　Roke　Knoll；　and　on　the　high　slate　roofs　of　the　Great　House。
　　In　a　room　in　the　south　tower；　a　magicians'　workroom　cluttered　with　retorts　and　alembics　and　great…bellied；　crook…necked　bottles；　thick…walled　furnaces　and　tiny　heating…lamps；　tongs；　bellows；　stands；　pliers；　pipes；　a　thousand　boxes　and　vials　and　stoppered　jugs　marked　with　Hardic　or　more　secret　runes；　and　all　such　paraphernalia　of　alchemy；　glass…blowing；　metal…refining；　and　the　arts　of　healing；　in　that　room　among　the　much…encumbered　tables　and　benches　stood　the　Master　Changer　and　the　Master　Summoner　of　Roke。
　　In　his　hands　the　grey…haired　Changer　held　a　great　stone　like　a　diamond　uncarved。　It　was　a　rock…crystal；　colored　faintly　deep　within　with　amethyst　and　rose；　but　clear　as　water。　Yet　as　the　eye　looked　into　that　clarity；　it　found　unclarity；　and　neither　reflection　nor　image　of　what　was　real　round　about；　but　only　planes　and　depths　ever　farther；　ever　deeper；　until　it　was　led　quite　into　dream　and　found　no　way　out。　This　was　the　Stone　of　Shelieth。　It　had　long　been　kept　by　the　princes　of　Way；　sometimes　as　a　mere　bauble　of　their　treasury；　sometimes　as　a　charm　for　sleep；　sometimes　for　a　more　baneful　purpose：　for　those　who　looked　too　long　and　without　understanding　into　that　endless　depth　of　crystal　might　go　mad。　The　Archmage　Gensher　of　Way；　ing　to　Roke；　had　brought　with　him　the　Stone　of　Shelieth；　for　in　the　hands　of　a　mage　it　held　the　truth。
　　Yet　the　truth　varies　with　the　man。
　　Therefore　the　Changer；　holding　the　stone　and　looking　through　its　bossed；　uneven　surface　into　the　infinite；　palecolored；　shimmering　depths；　spoke　aloud　to　tell　what　he　saw。　〃I　see　the　earth；　even　as　though　I　stood　on　Mount　Orm　in　the　center　of　the　world　and　beheld　all　beneath　my　feet；　even　to　the　farthest　isle　of　the　farthest　Reaches；　and　beyond。　And　all　is　clear。　I　see　ships　in　the　lanes　of　Ilien；　and　the　hearthfires　of　Torheven；　and　the　roofs　of　this　tower　where　we　stand　now。　But　past　Roke；　nothing。　In　the　south；　no　lands。　In　the　west；　no　lands。　I　cannot　see　Wathort　where　it　should　be；　nor　any　isle　of　the　West　Reach；　even　so　close　as　Pendor。　And　Osskil　and　Ebosskil；　where　are　they？　There　is　a　mist　on　Enlad；　a　greyness；　like　a　spider's　web。　Each　time　I　look；　more　islands　are　gone　and　the　sea　where　they　were　is　empty　and　unbroken；　even　as　it　was　before　the　Making…〃　and　his　voice　stumbled　on　the　last　word　as　if　it　came　with　difficulty　to　his　lips。
　　He　set　the　stone　down　on　its　ivory　stand　and　stood　away　from　it。　His　kindly　face　looked　drawn。　He　said；　〃Tell　me　what　you　see。〃
　　The　Master　Summoner　took　up　the　crystal　in　his　hands　and　turned　it　slowly　as　if　seeking　on　its　rough；　glassy　surface　an　entrance　of　vision。　A　long　time　he　handled　it；　his　face　intent。　At　last　he　set　it　down　and　said；　〃Changer；　I　see　little。　Fragments；　glimpses；　making　no　whole。〃
　　The　grey…haired　Master　clenched　his　hands。　〃Is　that　not　strange　in　itself？〃
　　〃How　so？〃
　　〃Are　your　eyes　often　blind？〃　the　Changer　cried；　as　if　enraged。　〃Do　you　not　see　that　there　is。。。〃　and　he　stammered　several　times　before　he　could　speak；　〃Do　you　not　see　that　there　is　a　hand　upon　your　eyes；　even　as　there　is　a　hand　over　my　mouth？〃
　　The　Summoner　said；　〃You　are　overwrought；　my　lord。〃
　　〃Summon　the　Presence　of　the　Stone；〃　said　the　Changer；　controlling　himself；　but　speaking　in　a　somewhat　stifled　voice。
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃Why；　because　I　ask　you。〃
　　〃e；　Changer；　do　you　dare　me　…　like　boys　before　a　bear's　den？　Are　we　children？〃
　　〃Yes！　Before　what　I　see　in　the　Stone　of　Shelieth；　I　am　a　child　…　a　frightened　child。　Summon　the　Presence　of　the　Stone。　Must　I　beg　you；　my　lord？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　the　tall　Master；　but　he　frowned；　and　turned　from　the　older　man。　Then　stretching　wide　his　arms　in　the　great　gesture　that　begins　the　spells　of　his　art；　he　raised　his　head　and　spoke　the　syllables　of　invocation。　As　he　spoke；　a　light　grew　within　the　Stone　of　Shelieth。　The　room　darkened　about　it；　shadows　gathered。　When　the　shadows　were　deep　and　the　stone　was　very　bright；　he　brought　his　hands　together；　lifted　the　crystal　before　his　face；　and　looked　into　its　radiance。
　　He　was　silent　some　while　and　then　spoke。　〃I　see　the　Fountains　of　Shelieth；〃　he　said　softly。　〃The　pools　and　basins　and　the　waterfalls；　the　silver…curtained　dripping　caves　where　ferns　grow　in　banks　of　moss；　the　rippled　sands；　the　leaping　up　of　the　waters　and　the　running　of　them；　the　outwelling　of　deep　springs　from　earth；　the　mystery　and　sweetness　of　the　source；　the　spring。。。〃　He　fell　silent　again；　and　stood　so　for　a　time；　his　face　pale　as　silver　in　the　light　of　the　stone。　Then　he　cried　aloud　wordlessly；　and　dropping　the　crystal　with　a　crash；　fell　to　his　knees；　his　face　hidden　in　his　hands。
　　There　were　no　shadows。　Summer　sunlight　filled　the　Jumbled　room。　The　great　stone　lay　beneath　a　table　in　the　dust　and　litter；　unharmed。
　　The　Summoner　reached　out　blindly；　catching　at　the　other　man's　hand　like　a　child。　He　drew　a　deep　breath。　At　last　he　got　up；　leaning　a　little　on　the　Changer；　and　said　with　unsteady　lips　and　some　attempt　to　smile；　〃I　will　not　take　your　dares　again；　my　lord。〃
　　〃What　saw　you；　Thorion？〃
　　〃I　saw　the　fountains。　I　saw　them　sink　down；　and　the　streams　run　dry；　and　the　lips　of　the　springs　of　water　draw　back。　And　underneath　all　was　black　and　dry。　You　saw　the　sea　before　the　Making；　but　I　saw　the。。。　what　es　after。。。　I　saw　the　Unmaking。〃　He　wet　his　lips。　〃I　wish　that　the　Archmage　were　here；〃　he　said。
　　〃I　wish　that　we　were　there　with　him。〃
　　〃Where？　There　is　none　that　can　find　him　now。〃　The　Summoner　looked　up　at　the　windows　that　showed　the　blue；　untroubled　sky。　〃No　sending　can　e　to　him；　no　summoning　reach　him。　He　is　there　where　you　saw　an　empty　sea。　He　is　ing　to　the　place　where　the　springs　run　dry。　He　is　where　our　arts　do　not　avail。。。　Yet　maybe　even　now　there　are　spells　that　might　reach　to　him；　some　of　those　in　the　Lore　of　Paln。〃
　　〃But　those　are　spells　whereby　the　dead　are　brought　among　the　living。〃
　　〃Some　bring　the　living　among　the　dead。〃
　　〃You　do　not　think　him　dead？〃
　　〃I　think　he　goes　toward　death　and　is　drawn　toward　it。　And　so　are　we　all。　Our　power　is　going　from　us；　and　our　strength；　and　our　hope　and　luck。　The　springs　are　running　dry。〃
　　The　Changer　gazed　at　him　a　wh