uleg.thefarthestshore-第3部分

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e　Doorkeeper　in　imperious　and　scanty　Hardic；　〃I　e　to　learn！〃　And　now　he　stood　in　the　greengold　light　under　the　trees；　a　tall　man　and　fair；　with　long　fair　hair　and　strange　green　eyes；　the　Master　Patterner　of　Earthsea。
　　It　may　be　that　he　too　knew　Ged's　name；　but　if　so　he　never　spoke　it。　They　greeted　each　other　in　silence。
　　〃What　are　you　watching　there？〃　the　Archmage　asked；　and　the　other　answered；　〃A　spider。〃
　　Between　two　tall　grass　blades　in　the　clearing　a　spider　had　spun　a　web；　a　circle　delicately　suspended。　The　silver　threads　caught　the　sunlight。　In　the　center　the　spinner　waited；　a　grey…black　thing　no　larger　than　the　pupil　of　an　eye。
　　〃She　too　is　a　patterner；〃　Ged　said；　studying　the　artful　web。
　　〃What　is　evil？〃　asked　the　younger　man。
　　The　round　web；　with　its　black　center；　seemed　to　watch　them　both。
　　〃A　web　we　men　weave；〃　Ged　answered。
　　In　this　wood　no　birds　sang。　It　was　silent　in　the　noon　light　and　hot。　About　them　stood　the　trees　and　shadows。
　　〃There　is　word　from　Narveduen　and　Enlad：　the　same。〃
　　〃South　and　southwest。　North　and　northwest；〃　said　the　Patterner；　never　looking　from　the　round　web。
　　〃We　shall　e　here　this　evening。　This　is　the　best　place　for　counsel。〃
　　〃I　have　no　counsel。〃　The　Patterner　looked　now　at　Ged；　and　his　greenish　eyes　were　cold。　〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said。　〃There　is　fear。　There　is　fear　at　the　roots。〃
　　〃Aye；〃　said　Ged。　〃We　must　look　to　the　deep　springs；　I　think。　We　have　enjoyed　the　sunlight　too　long；　basking　in　that　peace　which　the　healing　of　the　Ring　brought；　acplishing　small　things；　fishing　the　shallows。　Tonight　we　must　question　the　depths：　And　so　he　left　the　Patterner　alone；　gazing　still　at　the　spider　in　the　sunny　grass。
　　At　the　edge　of　the　Grove；　where　the　leaves　of　the　great　trees　reached　out　over　ordinary　ground；　he　sat　with　his　back　against　a　mighty　root；　his　staff　across　his　knees。　He　shut　his　eyes　as　if　resting；　and　sent　a　sending　of　his　spirit　over　the　hills　and　fields　of　Roke；　northward；　to　the　sea…assaulted　cape　where　the　Isolate　Tower　stands。
　　〃Kurremkarmerruk；〃　he　said　in　spirit；　and　the　Master　Namer　looked　up　from　the　thick　book　of　names　of　roots　and　herbs　and　leaves　and　seeds　and　petals　that　he　was　reading　to　his　pupils　and　said；　〃I　am　here；　my　lord。〃
　　Then　he　listened；　a　big；　thin　old　man；　white…haired　under　his　dark　hood；　and　the　students　at　their　writing…tables　in　the　tower　room　looked　up　at　him　and　glanced　at　one　another。
　　〃I　will　e；〃　Kurremkarmerruk　said；　and　bent　his　head　to　his　book　again；　saying；　〃Now　the　petal　of　the　flower　of　moly　hath　a　name；　which　is　iebera；　and　so　also　the　sepal；　which　is　partonath；　and　stem　and　leaf　and　root　hath　each　his　name。。。〃
　　But　under　his　tree　the　Archmage　Ged；　who　knew　all　the　names　of　moly；　withdrew　his　sending　and；　stretching　out　his　legs　more　fortably　and　keeping　his　eyes　shut；　presently　fell　asleep　in　the　leafspotted　sunlight。
　
　The　Masters　of　Roke
　
　　The　School　on　Roke　is　where　boys　who　show　promise　in　sorcery　are　sent　from　all　the　Inner　Lands　of　Earthsea　to　learn　the　highest　arts　of　magic。　There　they　bee　proficient　in　the　various　kinds　of　sorcery；　learning　names；　and　runes；　and　skills；　and　spells；　and　what　should　and　what　should　not　be　done；　and　why。　And　there；　after　long　practice；　and　if　hand　and　mind　and　spirit　all　keep　pace　together；　they　may　be　named　wizard；　and　receive　the　staff　of　power。　True　wizards　are　made　only　on　Roke。
　　Since　there　are　sorcerers　and　witches　on　all　the　isles；　and　the　uses　of　magic　are　as　needful　to　their　people　as　bread　and　as　delightful　as　music；　so　the　School　of　Wizardry　is　a　place　held　in　reverence。　The　nine　mages　who　are　the　Masters　of　the　School　are　considered　the　equals　of　the　great　princes　of　the　Archipelago。　Their　master；　the　warden　of　Roke；　the　Archmage；　is　held　to　be　accountable　to　no　man　at　all；　except　the　King　of　All　the　Isles；　and　that　only　by　an　act　of　fealty；　by　heart's　gift；　for　not　even　a　king　could　constrain　so　great　a　mage　to　serve　the　mon　law；　if　his　will　were　otherwise。　Yet　even　in　the　kingless　centuries；　the　Archmages　of　Roke　kept　fealty　and　served　that　mon　law。　All　was　done　on　Roke　as　it　had　been　done　for　many　hundreds　of　years；　a　place　safe　from　all　trouble　it　seemed；　and　the　laughter　of　boys　rang　in　the　echoing　courts　and　down　the　broad；　cold　corridors　of　the　Great　House。
　　Arren's　guide　about　the　School　was　a　stocky　lad　whose　cloak　was　clasped　at　the　neck　with　silver；　a　token　that　he　had　passed　his　novicehood　and　was　a　proven　sorcerer；　studying　to　gain　his　staff。　He　was　called　Gamble；　〃because；〃　said　he；　〃my　parents　had　six　girls；　and　the　seventh　child；　my　father　said；　was　a　gamble　against　Fate。〃　He　was　an　agreeable　panion；　quick　of　mind　and　tongue。　At　another　time　Arren　would　have　enjoyed　his　humor；　but　today　his　mind　was　too　full。　He　did　not　pay　him　very　much　attention；　in　fact。　And　Gamble；　with　a　natural　wish　to　be　given　credit　for　existence；　began　to　take　advantage　of　the　guest's　absentmindedness。　He　told　him　strange　facts　about　the　School；　and　then　told　him　strange　lies　about　the　School；　and　to　all　of　them　Arren　said；　〃Oh；　yes〃　or　〃I　see；〃　until　Gamble　thought　him　a　royal　idiot。
　　〃Of　course　they　don't　cook　in　here；〃　he　said；　showing　Arren　past　the　huge　stone　kitchens　all　alive　with　the　glitter　of　copper　cauldrons　and　the　clatter　of　chopping…knives　and　the　eye…prickling　smell　of　onions。　〃It's　just　for　show。　We　e　to　the　refectory；　and　everybody　charms　up　whatever　he　wants　to　eat。　Saves　dishwashing　too。〃
　　〃Yes；　I　see；〃　said　Arren　politely。
　　〃Of　course　novices　who　haven't　learnt　the　spells　yet　often　lose　a　good　deal　of　weight；　their　first　months　here；　but　they　learn。　There's　one　boy　from　Havnor　who　always　tries　for　roast　chicken；　but　all　he　ever　gets　is　millet　mush。　He　can't　seem　to　get　his　spells　past　millet　mush。　He　did　get　a　dried　haddock　along　with　it；　yesterday。〃　Gamble　was　getting　hoarse　with　the　effort　to　push　his　guest　into　incredulity。　He　gave　up　and　stopped　talking。
　　〃Where。。。　what　land　does　the　Archmage　e　from？〃　said　that　guest；　not　even　looking　at　the　mighty　gallery　through　which　they　were　walking；　all　carven　on　wall　and　arched　ceiling　with　the　Thousand…Leaved　Tree。
　　〃Gont；〃　said　Gamble。　〃He　was　a　village　goatherd　there。〃　；
　　Now；　at　this　plain　and　well…known　fact；　the　boy　from　Enlad　turned　and　looked　with　disapproving　unbelief　at　Gamble。　〃A　goatherd？〃
　　〃That's　what　most　Gontishmen　are；　unless　they're　pirates　or　sorcerers。　I　didn't　say　he　was　a　goatherd　now；　you　know！〃
　　〃But　how　would　a　goatherd　bee　Archmage？〃
　　〃The　same　way　a　prince　would！　By　ing　to　Roke　and　outdoing　all　the　Masters；　by　stealing　the　Ring　in　Atuan；　by　sailing　the　Dragons'　Run；　by　being　the　greatest　wizard　since　Erreth…Akbe　…　how　else？〃
　　They　came　out　of　the　gallery　by　the　north　door。　Late　afternoon　lay　warm　and　bright　on　the　furrowed　hills　and　the　roofs　of　Thwil　Town　and　the　bay　beyond。　There　they　stood　to　talk。　Gamble　said；　〃Of　course　that's　all　long　ago；　now。　He　hasn't　done　much　since　he　was　named　Archmage。　They　never　do。　They　just　sit　on　Roke　and　watch　the　Equilibrium；　I　suppose。　And　he's　quite　old　now。〃
　　〃Old？　How　old？〃
　　〃Oh；　forty　or　fifty。〃
　　〃Have　you　seen　him？〃
　　〃Of　course　I've　seen　him；〃　Gamble　said　sharply。　The　royal　idiot　seemed　also　to　be　a　royal　snob。
　　〃Often？〃
　　〃No。　He　keeps　to　himself。　But　when　I　first　came　to　Roke　I　saw　him；　in　the　Fountain　Court。〃
　　〃I　spoke　with　him　there　today；〃　Arren　said。
　　His　tone　made　Gamble　look　at　him　and　then　answer　him　fully：　〃It　was　three　years　ago。　And　I　was　so　frightened　I　never　really　looked　at　him。　I　was　pretty　young；　of　course。　But　its　hard　to　see　things　clearly　in　there。　I　remember　his　voice；　mostly；　and　the　fountain　running。〃　After　a　moment　he　added；　〃He　does　have　a　Gontish　accent。〃
　　〃If　I　could　speak　to　dragons　in　their　own　language；〃　Arren　said；　〃I　wouldn't　care　about　my　accent。〃
　　At　that　Gamble　looked　at　him　with　a　degree　of　approval；　and　asked；　〃Did　you　e　here　to　join　the　school；　prince？〃
　　〃No。　I　carried　a　message　from　my　father　to　the　Archmage。〃
　　〃Enlad　is　one　of　the　Principalities　of　the　Kingship；　isn't　it？〃
　　〃Enlad；　Ilien；　and　Way。　Havnor　and　Ea；　once；　but　the　line　of　descent　from　the　kings　has　died　out　in　those　lands。　Ilien　traces　the　descent　from　Gemal　Seaborn　through　Maharion；　who　was　King　of　all　the　Isles。　Way；　from　Akambar　and　the　House　of　Shelieth。　Enlad；　the　oldest；　from　Morred　through　his　son　Serriadh　and　the　House　of　Enlad〃
　　Arren　recited　these　genealogies　with　a　dreamy　air；　like　a　well…trained　scholar　whose　mind　is　on　another　subject。
　　〃Do　you　think　we'll　see　a　king　in　Havnor　again　in　our　lifetime？〃
　　〃I　never　thought　about　it　much。〃
　　〃In　Ark；　where　I　e　from；　people　think　about　it。　We're　part　of　the　Principality　of　Ilien　now；　you　know；　since　peace　was　made。　How　long　has　it　been；　seventeen　years　or　eighteen；　since　the　Ring　of　the　King's　Rune　was　returned　to　the　Tower　of　the　Kings　in　Havnor？　Things　were　better　for　a　while　then；　but　now　they're　worse　than　ever。　It's　time　there　was　a　king　again　on　the　throne　of　Earthsea；　to　wield　the　Sign　of　Peace。　People　are　tired　of　wars　and　raids　and　merchants　who　overprice　and　princes　who　overtax　and　all　the　confusion　of　unruly　powers。　Roke　guides；　but　it　can't　rule。　The　Balance　lies　here；　bu