uleg.thefarthestshore-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e。　Only　over　the　dark　sea　eastward　was　there　one　faint；　clear　line：　the　horizon；　tipping　momently　toward　the　unseen　sun。
　　He　came　to　the　boathouse　steps。　No　one　was　there；　nothing　moved。　In　his　bulky　sailor's　coat　and　wool　cap　he　was　warm　enough；　but　he　shivered；　standing　on　the　stone　steps　in　the　darkness；　waiting。
　　The　boathouses　loomed　black　above　black　water；　and　suddenly　from　them　came　a　dull；　hollow　sound；　a　booming　knock；　repeated　three　times。　Arren's　hair　stirred　on　his　scalp。　A　long　shadow　glided　out　onto　the　water　silently。　It　was　a　boat；　and　it　slid　softly　toward　the　pier。　Arren　ran　down　the　steps　onto　the　pier　and　leapt　down　into　the　boat。
　　〃Take　the　tiller；〃　said　the　Archmage；　a　lithe；　shadowy　figure　in　the　prow；　〃and　hold　her　steady　while　I　get　the　sail　up。〃
　　They　were　out　on　the　water　already；　the　sail　opening　like　a　white　wing　from　the　mast；　catching　the　growing　light。　〃A　west　wind　to　save　us　rowing　out　of　the　bay；　that's　a　parting　gift　from　the　Master　Windkey；　I　don't　doubt。　Watch　her；　lad；　she　steers　very　light！　So　then。　A　west　wind　and　a　clear　dawn　for　the　Balance…Day　of　spring。〃
　　〃Is　this　boat　Lookfar？〃　Arren　had　heard　of　the　Archmage's　boat　in　songs　and　tales。
　　〃Aye；〃　said　the　other；　busy　with　ropes。　The　boat　bucked　and　veered　as　the　wind　freshened；　Arren　set　his　teeth　and　tried　to　keep　her　steady。
　　〃She　steers　very　light；　but　somewhat　willful；　lord。〃
　　The　Archmage　laughed。　〃Let　her　have　her　will；　she　is　wise　also。　Listen；　Arren；〃　and　he　paused；　kneeling　on　the　thwart　to　face　Arren；　〃I　am　no　lord　now；　nor　you　a　prince。　I　am　a　trader　called　Hawk；　and　you're　my　nephew；　learning　the　seas　with　me；　called　Arren；　for　we　hail　from　Enlad。　From　what　town？　A　large　one；　lest　we　meet　a　townsman。〃
　　〃Temere；　on　the　south　coast？　They　trade　to　all　the　Reaches。〃
　　The　Archmage　nodded。
　　〃But；〃　said　Arren　cautiously；　〃you　don't　have　quite　the　accent　of　Enlad。〃
　　〃I　know。　I　have　a　Gontish　accent；〃　his　panion　said；　and　laughed；　looking　up　at　the　brightening　east。　〃But　I　think　I　can　borrow　what　I　need　from　you。　So　we　e　from　Temere　in　our　boat　Dolphin；　and　I　am　neither　lord　nor　mage　nor　Sparrowhawk；　but…　how　am　I　called？〃
　　〃Hawk；　my　lord。〃
　　Then　Arren　bit　his　tongue。
　　〃Practice；　nephew；〃　said　the　Archmage。　〃It　takes　practice。　You've　never　been　anything　but　a　prince。　While　I　have　been　many　things；　and　last　of　all；　and　maybe　least；　an　Archmage。。。　We　go　south　looking　for　emmelstone；　that　blue　stuff　they　carve　charms　of。　I　know　they　value　it　in　Enlad。　They　make　it　into　charms　against　rheums；　sprains；　stiff　necks；　and　slips　of　the　tongue。〃
　　After　a　moment　Arren　laughed；　and　as　he　lifted　his　head；　the　boat　lifted　on　a　long　wave；　and　he　saw　the　rim　of　the　sun　against　the　edge　of　the　ocean；　a　flare　of　sudden　gold；　before　them。
　　Sparrowhawk　stood　with　one　hand　on　the　mast；　for　the　little　boat　leapt　on　the　choppy　waves；　and　facing　the　sunrise　of　the　equinox　of　spring　he　chanted。　Arren　did　not　know　the　Old　Speech；　the　tongue　of　wizards　and　dragons；　but　he　heard　praise　and　rejoicing　in　the　words；　and　there　was　a　great　striding　rhythm　in　them　like　the　rise　and　fall　of　tides　or　the　balance　of　the　day　and　night　each　succeeding　each　forever。　Gulls　cried　on　the　wind；　and　the　shores　of　Thwil　Bay　slid　past　to　right　and　left；　and　they　entered　on　the　long　waves；　full　of　light；　of　the　Inmost　Sea。
　　From　Roke　to　Hort　Town　is　no　great　voyage；　but　they　spent　three　nights　at　sea。　The　Archmage　had　been　urgent　to　be　gone；　but　once　gone；　he　was　more　than　patient。　The　winds　turned　contrary　as　soon　as　they　were　away　from　the　charmed　weather　of　Roke；　but　he　did　not　call　a　magewind　into　their　sail；　as　any　weatherworker　could　have　done；　instead；　he　spent　hours　teaching　Arren　how　to　manage　the　boat　in　a　stiff　headwind；　in　the　rock…fanged　sea　east　of　Issel。　The　second　night　out　it　rained；　the　rough；　cold　rain　of　March；　but　he　said　no　spell　to　keep　it　off　them。　On　the　next　night；　as　they　lay　outside　the　entrance　to　Hort　Harbor　in　a　calm；　cold；　foggy　darkness；　Arren　thought　about　this；　and　reflected　that　in　the　short　time　he　had　known　him；　the　Archmage　had　done　no　magic　at　all。
　　He　was　a　peerless　sailor；　though。　Arren　had　learned　more　in　three　days'　sailing　with　him　than　in　ten　years　of　boating　and　racing　on　Berila　Bay。　And　mage　and　sailor　are　not　so　far　apart；　both　work　with　the　powers　of　sky　and　sea；　and　bend　great　winds　to　the　uses　of　their　hands；　bringing　near　what　was　remote。　Archmage　or　Hawk　the　sea…trader；　it　came　to　much　the　same　thing。
　　He　was　a　rather　silent　man；　though　perfectly　goodhumored。　No　clumsiness　of　Arren's　fretted　him；　he　was　panionable；　there　could　be　no　better　shipmate；　Arren　thought。　But　he　would　go　into　his　own　thoughts　and　be　silent　for　hours　on　end；　and　then　when　he　spoke　there　was　a　harshness　in　his　voice；　and　he　would　look　right　through　Arren。　This　did　not　weaken　the　love　the　boy　felt　for　him；　but　maybe　it　lessened　liking　somewhat；　it　was　a　little　awesome。　Perhaps　Sparrowhawk　felt　this；　for　in　that　foggy　night　off　the　shores　of　Wathort　he　began　to　talk　to　Arren；　rather　haltingly；　about　himself。　〃I　do　not　want　to　go　among　men　again　tomorrow；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　pretending　that　I　am　free。。。　That　nothing's　wrong　in　the　world。　That　I'm　not　Archmage；　not　even　sorcerer。　That　I'm　Hawk　of　Temere；　without　responsibilities　or　privileges；　owing　nothing　to　anyone。。。〃　He　stopped　and　after　a　while　went　on；　〃Try　to　choose　carefully；　Arren；　when　the　great　choices　must　be　made。　When　I　was　young；　I　had　to　choose　between　the　life　of　being　and　the　life　of　doing。　And　I　leapt　at　the　latter　like　a　trout　to　a　fly。　But　each　deed　you　do；　each　act；　binds　you　to　itself　and　to　its　consequences；　and　makes　you　act　again　and　yet　again。　Then　very　seldom　do　you　e　upon　a　space；　a　time　like　this；　between　act　and　act；　when　you　may　stop　and　simply　be。　Or　wonder　who；　after　all；　you　are。〃
　　How　could　such　a　man；　thought　Arren；　be　in　doubt　as　to　who　and　what　he　was？　He　had　believed　such　doubts　were　reserved　for　the　young；　who　had　not　done　anything　yet。
　　The　boat　rocked　in　the　great；　cool　darkness。
　　〃That's　why　I　like　the　sea；〃　said　Sparrowhawk's　voice　in　that　darkness。
　　Arren　understood　him；　but　his　own　thoughts　ran　ahead；　as　they　had　been　doing　all　these　three　days　and　nights；　to　their　quest；　the　aim　of　their　sailing。　And　since　his　panion　was　in　a　mood　to　talk　at　last；　he　asked；　〃Do　you　think　we　will　find　what　we　seek　in　Hort　Town？〃
　　Sparrowhawk　shook　his　head；　perhaps　meaning　no；　perhaps　meaning　that　he　did　not　know。
　　〃Can　it　be　a　kind　of　pestilence；　a　plague；　that　drifts　from　land　to　land；　blighting　the　crops　and　the　flocks　and　men's　spirits？〃
　　〃A　pestilence　is　a　motion　of　the　great　Balance；　of　the　Equilibrium　itself；　this　is　different。　There　is　the　stink　of　evil　in　it。　We　may　suffer　for　it　when　the　balance　of　things　rights　itself；　but　we　do　not　lose　hope　and　forego　art　and　forget　the　words　of　the　Making。　Nature　is　not　unnatural。　This　is　not　a　righting　of　the　balance；　but　an　upsetting　of　it。　There　is　only　one　creature　who　can　do　that。〃
　　〃A　man？〃　Arren　said；　tentative。
　　〃We　men。〃
　　〃How？〃
　　〃By　an　unmeasured　desire　for　life。〃
　　〃For　life？　But　it　isn't　wrong　to　want　to　live？〃
　　〃No。　But　when　we　crave　power　over　life　…endless　wealth；　unassailable　safety；　immortality…　then　desire　bees　greed。　And　if　knowledge　allies　itself　to　that　greed；　then　es　evil。　Then　the　balance　of　the　world　is　swayed；　and　ruin　weighs　heavy　in　the　scale。〃
　　Arren　brooded　over　this　a　while　and　said　at　last；　〃Then　you　think　it　is　a　man　we　seek？〃
　　〃A　man；　and　a　mage。　Aye；　I　think　so。〃
　　〃But　I　had　thought；　from　what　my　father　and　teachers　taught；　that　the　great　arts　of　wizardry　were　dependent　on　the　Balance；　the　Equilibrium　of　things；　and　so　could　not　be　used　for　evil。〃
　　〃That；〃　said　Sparrowhawk　somewhat　wryly；　〃is　a　debatable　point。　Infinite　are　the　arguments　of　mages。。。　Every　land　of　Earthsea　knows　of　witches　who　cast　unclean　spells；　sorcerers　who　use　their　art　to　win　riches。　But　there　is　more。　The　Firelord；　who　sought　to　undo　the　darkness　and　stop　the　sun　at　noon；　was　a　great　mage；　even　Erreth…Akbe　could　scarcely　defeat　him。　The　Enemy　of　Morred　was　another　such。　Where　he　came；　whole　cities　knelt　to　him；　armies　fought　for　him。　The　spell　he　wove　against　Morred　was　so　mighty　that　even　when　he　was　slain　it　could　not　be　halted；　and　the　island　of　Solea　was　overwhelmed　by　the　sea；　and　all　on　it　perished。　Those　were　men　in　whom　great　strength　and　knowledge　served　the　will　to　evil　and　fed　upon　it。　Whether　the　wizardry　that　serves　a　better　end　may　always　prove　the　stronger；　we　do　not　know。　We　hope。〃
　　There　is　a　certain　bleakness　in　finding　hope　where　one　expected　certainty。　Arren　found　himself　unwilling　to　stay　on　these　cold　summits。　He　said　after　a　little　while；　〃I　see　why　you　say　that　only　men　do　evil；　I　think。　Even　sharks　are　innocent；　they　kill　because　they　must。〃
　　〃That　is　why　nothing　else　can　resist　us。　Only　one　thing　in　the　world　can　resist　an　evil…hearted　man。　And　that　is　another　man。　In　our　shame　is　our　glory。　Only　our　spirit；　which　is　capable　of　evil；　is　capable　of　overing　it！；
　　〃But　the　dragons；〃　said　Arren。　〃Do　they　not　do　great　evil？　Are　they　innocent？〃
　　〃The　dragons！　The　dragons　are　avaricious；　insatiab