tw.togreenangeltower2-第52部分

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ngs。　Prince　Josua；　I　have　never　seen　anything　like　him！　When　he　and　Hotvig's　horsemen　were　caught　between　two　wings　of　Varellan's　knights　two　days　ago；　we　were　all　sure　that　he　was　as　good　as　dead　or　captured。　But　he　broke　the　Nabbanai　knights　like　they　were　kindling　wood！　One　he　cut　nearly　in　half　with　a　single　stroke。　Sheared　right　through　him；　armor　and　all！　Surely　that　sword　is　magical！〃
　　　　　　　〃Thorn　is　a　powerful　weapon；〃　said　Josua。　〃But　with　it　or　without　it；　there　has　never　been　a　knight　like　Camaris。〃
　　　　　　　〃His　horn　Cellian　has　bee　a　terror　to　the　Nabbanmen；〃　Sludig　continued。　〃When　it　echoes　down　the　valley；　some　of　them　turn　and　ride　away。　And　out　of　every　troop　Camaris　defeats；　he　takes　one　of　the　prisoners　and　sends　him　back　to　say：　'Prince　Josua　and　the　others　wish　to　talk　with　your　lord。'　He　has　beaten　down　so　many　that　he　must　have　sent　two　dozen　Nabbanai　prisoners　back　by　now；　each　one　carrying　the　same　message。〃
　　　　　　　Seriddan　raised　his　wine　cup。　〃Here's　to　him。　If　he　is　a　terror　now；　what　must　he　have　been　like　in　the　height　of　his　powers？　I　was　a　boy　when　Camaris　。。。〃　he　laughed　shortly；　〃…I　almost　said　'died。'　When　he　disappeared。　I　never　saw　him。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　was　little　different；〃　Isgrimnur　said　thoughtfully。　〃That　is　what　surprises　me。　His　body　has　aged；　but　his　skills　and　fighting　heart　have　not。　As　though　his　powers　have　been　preserved。〃
　　　　　　　〃As　though　for　one　final　test；〃　Josua　said；　measuring　out　the　words。　〃God　grant　that　it　is　so…and　that　he　succeeds；　for　all　our　sakes。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　I　am　puzzled。〃　Seriddan　took　another　sip。　〃You　have　told　me　that　Camaris　hates　war；　that　he　would　rather　do　anything　than　fight。　Yet　I　have　never　seen　such　a　killing　engine。〃
　　　　　　　Josua's　smile　was　sad；　his　look　troubled。　〃Camaris　at　war　is　like　a　lady's　maid　swatting　spiders。〃
　　　　　　　〃What？〃　Seriddan　lowered　his　eyebrows　and　squinted；　wondering　if　he　was　being　mocked。
　　　　　　　〃If　you　tell　a　maid　to　go　and　kill　the　spiders　in　her　lady's　chamber；〃　the　prince　explained；　〃she　will　think　of　a　hundred　excuses　not　to　do　anything。　But　when　she　is　finally　convinced　that　it　must　be　done；　no　matter　the　horror　she　feels；　she　will　dispatch　every　single　spider　with　great　thoroughness；　just　to　make　sure　she　does　not　have　to　take　up　the　task　again。〃　His　faint　smile　disappeared。　〃And　that　is　Camaris。　The　only　thing　he　hates　worse　than　warfare　is　unnecessary　warfare…especially　killings　which　could　have　been　avoided　by　making　a　clean　ending　the　first　time。　So　once　he　is　mitted；　Camaris　makes　sure　that　he　does　not　have　to　do　the　same　thing　twice。〃　He　raised　his　glass　in　salute　to　the　absent　knight。　〃Imagine　how'it　must　feel　to　do　best　in　all　the　world　what　you　least　wish　to　do。〃
　　　　　　　After　that；　they　drank　their　wine　in　silence　for　a　time。

　　　　　　　Tiamak　limped　out　across　the　terrace。　He　found　a　place　on　the　low　wall　and　hoisted　himself　up；　then　sat　with　his　legs　dangling　and　basked　in　the　late　afternoon　light。　The　Frasilis　Valley　stretched　before　him；　two　rippling　banks　of　dark　soil　and　gray…green　treetops　with　the　Anitullean　Road　snaking　between　them。　If　he　narrowed　his　eyes；　Tiamak　could　make　out　the　shapes　of　Josua's　tents　nestled　in　the　purple　shadows　of　the　hillside　to　the　southwest。
　　　　　　　My　panions　may　think　we　Wrannamen　live　like　savages；　he　thought　to　himself；　but　I　am　as　happy　as　anyone　to　be　in　one　place　for　a　few　days　and　to　have　a　solid　roof　over　my　head。
　　　　　　　One　of　the　monks　walked　by；　hands　folded　in　his　sleeve。　He　gave　Tiamak　a　look　that　lasted　the　length　of　several　steps；　but　only　nodded　his　head　in　formal　greeting。
　　　　　　　The　monks　do　not　seem　happy　to　have　us　here。　He　felt　himself　smiling。　Unwilling　as　they　are　to　be　caught　up　in　a　war；　how　much　more　dubious　must　they　be　about　having　women　and　marsh　men　within　the　cloisters；　too？
　　　　　　　Still；　Tiamak　was　glad　that　Josua　had　chosen　this　spot　as　a　temporary　refuge；　and　that　he　had　allowed　his　wife　and　many　others　to　remain　here　as　the　army　moved　farther　down　the　gorge。　The　Wrannaman　sighed　as　he　felt　the　cool；　dry　breeze；　the　sunshine　on　his　face。　It　was　good　to　have　shelter；　even　for　just　a　little　while。　It　was　good　that　the　rains　had　let　up；　that　the　sun　had　returned。
　　　　　　　But　as　Josua　said；　he　reminded　himself；　it　means　nothing。　A　respite　is　all…the　Storm　King　has　not　been　slowed　by　anything　we　have　done　so　far。　If　we　cannot　solve　the　riddles　before　us；　if　we　cannot　gain　the　swords　and　learn　how　to　use　them；　this　moment　of　peace　will　mean　nothing。　The　deadly　winter　will　return…and　there　will　be　no　sunshine　then。　He　Who　Always　Steps　on　Sand；　let　me　not　fail！　Let　Strangyeard　and　me　find　the　answers　we　seek！
　　　　　　　But　answers　were　being　fewer　and　farther　between。　The　search　was　a　responsibility　that　had　begun　to　feel　more　and　more　burdensome。　Binabik　was　gone；　Geloe　was　dead；　and　now　only　Tiamak　and　the　diffident　priest　remained　of　all　the　Scrollbearers　and　other　wise　ones。　Together　they　had　pored　over　Morgenes'　manuscript；　searching　it　minutely　from　one　end　to　the　other　in　hope　of　finding　some　clues　they　had　missed；　some　help　with　the　riddle　of　me　Great　Swords。　They　had　also　scrutinized　the　translated　scrolls　of　Binabik's　master　Ookequk；　but　so　far　these　had　provided　nothing　but　a　great　deal　of　trollish　wisdom；　most　of　which　seemed　to　concern　predicting　avalanches　and　singing　away　the　spirits　of　frostbite。
　　　　　　　But　if　Strangyeard　and　I　do　not　find　more　success　soon；　Tiamak　thought　grimly；　we　may　have　more　need　of　Ookequk's　wisdom　than　we　will　like。
　　　　　　　In　the　past　few　days；　Tiamak　had　set　Strangyeard　to　relate　every　bit　of　information　that　the　archivist　possessed　about　the　Great　Swords　and　their　undead　enemy…his　own　book…learning；　the　things　old　Jarnauga　had　taught　him；　the　experiences　of　the　youth　Simon　and　his　panions；　everything　that　had　happened　in　the　last　year　that　might　contain　some　clue　to　their　dilemma。　Tiamak　prayed　that　a　pattern　might　show　somewhere；　as　the　ripples　in　a　river　demonstrated　the　presence　of　a　rock　beneath　the　surface。　In　all　the　lore　of　these　wise　men　and　women；　these　adventurers　and　accidental　witnesses；　someone　must　know　something　of　how　to　use　the　Great　Swords。
　　　　　　　Tiamak　sighed　again　and　wiggled　his　toes。　He　longed　to　be　just　a　little　man　with　little　problems　again。　How　important　those　problems　had　seemed！　And　how　he　longed　to　have　only　those　problems　now。　He　held　up　his　hand　and　looked　at　the　play　of　light　across　his　knuckles；　a　gnat　that　crept　across　the　thin　dark　hairs　on　his　wrist。　The　day　was　deceptively　pleasant；　just　like　the　surface　of　a　stream。　But　there　was　no　question　that　rocks　or　worse　lay　hidden　beneath。

　　　　　　　〃Please　lie　back；　Vorzheva；〃　said　Aditu。
　　　　　　　The　Thrithings…woman　made　a　face。　〃Now　you　talk　like　Josua。　It　is　only　a　little　pain。〃
　　　　　　　〃You　see　what　she's　like。〃　Gutrun　wore　an　air　of　grim　satisfaction。　〃If　I　could　tie　her　to　that　bed；　I　would。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　do　not　think　that　she　needs　to　be　tied　to　anything；〃　the　Sitha　woman　replied。　〃But　Vorzheva；　neither　is　there　any　dishonor　in　lying　down　when　you　are　in　pain。〃
　　　　　　　The　prince's　wife　reluctantly　slumped　back　against　the　cushions　and　allowed　Gutrun　to　pull　the　blanket…up。　〃1　was　not　raised　to　be　weak。〃　In　the　light　filtering　down　from　the　high　small　window　she　was　very　pale。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　not　weak。　But　both　your　life　and　the　child's　life　are　precious；〃　Aditu　said　gently。　〃When　you　feel　well　and　strong；　move　around　as　you　like。　When　you　are　hurting　or　weak；　lie　down　and　let　Duchess　Gutrun　or　me　help　you。〃　She　stood　and　took　a　few　steps　toward　the　door。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　not　going　to　leave？〃　Vorzheva　asked　in　dismay。　〃Stay　and　talk　to　me。　Tell　me　what　is　happening　outside。　Gutrun　and　I　have　been　in　this　room　all　day。　Even　the　monks　do　not　speak　to　us。　I　think　they　bate　women。〃
　　　　　　　Aditu　smiled。　〃Very　well。　My　other　tasks　can　wait　in　such　a　good　cause。〃　The　Sitha　seated　herself　upon　the　bed　once　more；　folding　her　legs　beneath　her。　〃Duchess　Gutrun。　if　you　wish　to　stretch　your　legs；　I　will　be　here　to　sit　with　Vorzheva　for　a　little　while　longer。〃　
　　　　　　　Gutrun　sniffed　dismissively。　〃I'm　just　where　I　should　be。〃　She　turned　back　to　her　sewing。
　　　　　　　Vorzheva　reached　out　her　hand　and　clasped　Aditu's　fingers。　〃Tell　me　what　you　have　seen　today。　Did　you　go　to　Leieth？〃
　　　　　　　The　Sitha　nodded；　her　silver…white　hair　swinging。　〃Yes。　She　is　just　a　few　rooms　away…but　there　is　no　change。　And　she　is　growing　very　thin。　I　mix　nurturing　herbs　with　the　small　draughts　of　water　she　will　swallow；　but　even　that　is　not　enough；　I　fear。　Something　still　tethers　her　to　her　body…to　look　at　her　she　seems　only　to　be　sleeping…　but　I　wonder　how　much　longer　that　tie　will　hold。〃　A　troubled　look　seemed　to　pass　over　Aditu's　alien　face。　〃This　is　another　way　that　Geloe's　passing　has　lessened　us。　Surely　the　forest　woman　would　know　some　root；　some　leafy　thing　that　might　draw　Leieth's　spirit　back。〃
　　　　　　　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　Gutrun　said　without　looking　up。　〃That　child　was　never　more　than　half　here…I　know；　and　I　cared　for　her　and　held　her　as　much　as　anyone。　Whatever　happened　to　her　in　the　forest　when　she　traveled　with　Miriamele；　those　dogs　and　merciful　Usires　only　knows　what　else；　it　took　a　part　of　her　away。〃　She　paused。　〃It's　not　your　fault；　Aditu。　You've　d