tw.togreenangeltower2-第74部分

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　　　　　　　〃But　the　stories　themselves　are　often　lies；　Simon。　The　bad　ones　are。〃　The　doctor　cleaned　his　spectacles　on　the　wide　sleeve　of　his　robe。　〃Good　stories　will　tell　you　that　facing　the　lie　is　the　worst　terror　of　all。　And　there　is　no　talisman　or　magic　sword　that　is　half　so　potent　a　weapon　as　truth。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　turned　to　watch　the　ripples　slowly　dissipating。　It　was　wonderful　to　stand　and　talk　with　Morgenes　again；　even　if　it　was　only　a　dream。　〃Do　you　mean　that　if　I　said　to　a　great　dragon　like　the　one　that　King　John　killed：　'You're　an　ugly　dragon。'　that　would　be　better　than　cutting　its　head　off　with　a　sword？〃
　　　　　　　Morgenes'　voice　was　fainter。　〃If　you　had　been　pretending　it　wasn't　a　dragon；　then　yes；　that　would　be　the　best　thing　to　do。　But　there　is　more；　Simon。　You　have　to　go　deeper　still。〃
　　　　　　　〃Deeper？〃　Simon　turned　back；　angry　now。　〃I've　been　down　in　the　earth；　Doctor。　I　lived　and　I　came　up　again。　What　do　you　mean？〃
　　　　　　　Morgenes　was　。。。　changing。　His　skin　had　turned　papery　and　his　pale　hair　was　full　of　leaves。　Even　as　Simon　watched；　the　old　man's　fingers　began　to　lengthen；　changing　into　slender　twigs；　branching；　branching。　〃Yes；　you　have　learned；〃　the　doctor　said。　As　he　spoke；　his　features　began　to　disappear　into　the　whorls　on　the　white　bark　of　the　tree。　〃But　you　must　go　deeper　still。　There　is　much　to　understand。　Watch　for　the　angel…she　will　show　you　things；　both　in　the　ground　and　far　above　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃Morgenes！〃　Simon's　anger　was　all　gone。　His　friend　was　changing　so　swiftly　that　there　was　almost　nothing　manlike　left　of　him；　only　a　faint　suggestion　in　the　shape　of　the　trunk；　an　unnatural　trembling　in　the　tree's　limbs。　〃Don't　leave　me！〃
　　　　　　　〃But　I　have　left　you　already；〃　the　doctor's　voice　murmured。　〃What　you　have　of　me　is　only　what　is　in　your　headI　am　part　of　you。　The　rest　of　me　has　bee　part　of　the　earth　again。〃　The　tree　swayed　slightly。　〃Remember；　though…the　sun　and　stars　shine　on　the　leaves；　but　the　roots　are　deep　in　the　earth；　hidden　。。。　hidden。。。。〃
　　　　　　　Simon　clutched　at　the　tree's　pale　trunk；　his　fingers　scrabbling　uselessly　against　the　stiff　bark。　The　doctor's　voice　was　silent。
　　　　　　　Simon　sat　up；　nightmare…sweat　stinging　his　eyes；　and　was　horrified　to　discover　himself　in　darkness。
　　　　　　　It　was　all　a　dream！　I'm　still　lost　in　the　tunnels；　I'm　lost。。。。
　　　　　　　A　moment　later　he　saw　starlight　through　the　storeroom's　high　window。
　　　　　　　Mooncalf。　Fell　asleep　and　it　got　dark　outside。
　　　　　　　He　sat　up；　rubbing　his　sore　limbs。　What　was　he　to　do　now？　He　was　hungry　and　thirsty；　and　there　seemed　little　chance　that　he　would　find　anything　to　eat　here　in　Green　Angel　Tower。　Still；　he　was　more　than　a　little　reluctant　to　leave　this　relatively　safe　place。
　　　　　　　Have　I　climbed　out　of　the　dark　ground　only　to　starve　to　death　in　a　closet？　he　chided　himself。　What　kind　of　knight　would　do　that？
　　　　　　　He　got　to　his　feet　and　stretched；　noting　the　dull　ache　in　his　ankle。　Perhaps　just　a　foray　out　to　get　some　water　and　see　the　lay　of　the　land。　Certainly　it　would　be　best　to　do　such　things　while　it　was　still　dark。
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　Simon　stood　uncertainly　in　the　shadows　outside　Green　Angel　Tower。　The　Inner　Bailey's　haphazard　roofs　made　a　familiar　jumble　against　the　night　sky；　but　Simon　did　not　feel　at　all　fortable。　It　was　not　just　that　he　was　an　outlaw　in　his　childhood　home；　although　that　was　disconcerting　enough：　there　was　also　something　strange　in　the　air　that　he　could　not　name；　but　which　he　nevertheless　could　sense　quite　clearly。　The　maddening　slipperiness　of　the　world　belowground　had　somehow　seeped　up　into　the　everyday　stones　of　the　castle　itself。　When　he　tilted　his　head　to　one　side；　he　could　almost　see　the　buildings　ripple　and　change　at　the　edge　of　his　sight。　Faint　blurs　of　light；　like　phantom　flames；　seemed　to　flicker　along　the　edges　of　walls；　then　quickly　vanish。
　　　　　　　The　Hayholt；　too？　Had　all　the　world　broken　loose　from　its　moorings？　What　was　happening？
　　　　　　　With　some　difficulty；　he　nerved　himself　to　go　exploring。
　　　　　　　Although　it　seemed　the　great　castle　was　deserted；　Simon　soon　discovered　it　was　not。　The　Inner　Bailey　was　dark　and　quiet；　but　voices　whispered　down　corridors　and　behind　closed　doors；　and　there　were　lights　in　many　of　the　higher　windows。　He　also　heard　snatches　of　music；　odd　tunes　and　odder　voices　that　made　him　want　to　arch　like　a　cat　and　hiss。　As　he　stood　in　the　deep　concealing　shadows　of　the　Hedge　Garden；　he　decided　that　the　Hayholt　had　somehow　bee　spoiled；　a　fruit　left　to　sit　for　too　long　now　grown　soft　and　rotten　beneath　the　outer　shell。　He　could　not　quite　say　what　was　wrong；　but　the　whole　of　the　Inner　Bailey；　the　place　that　had　been　the　center　of　Simon's　childhood　world；　seemed　to　have　sickened。
　　　　　　　He　went　stealthily　to　the　kitchen；　the　lesser　pantry；　the　chapel…even；　in　a　moment　of　high　daring；　to　the　antechamber　of　the　throne　room；　which　opened　onto　the　gardens。　All　the　outer　doors　were　barred。　He　could　find　no　entrance　anywhere。　Simon　could　not　remember　any　time　before　when　that　had　been　so。　Was　the　king　frightened　of　spies；　of　a　siege？　Or　were　the　barriers　not　to　keep　out　intruders；　but　to　make　sure　that　those　who　were　inside　remained　there？　He　breathed　quietly　and　thought。　There　were　windows　that　could　not　be　closed；　he　knew；　and　other　secret　ways…but　did　he　want　to　risk　such　difficult　entrances？　There　might　be　fewer　people　about　at　night；　but　judging　by　the　barred　doors；　those　who　were　up；　especially　if　they　were　sentries；　would　be　even　more　alert　to　unexpected　noises。
　　　　　　　Simon　returned　to　the　kitchen　and　pulled　himself　up　into　the　branches　of　a　small；　barren　apple　tree；　then　climbed　from　there　onto　the　ledge　of　the　high　window。　The　thick　glass　was　gone；　but　the　window　slot　had　been　wedged　fall　of　stones；　there　would　be　no　way　to　remove　them　without　making　a　terrible　clatter。　He　cursed　silently　and　descended。
　　　　　　　He　was　sore　and　still　terribly　hungry；　despite　the　luxury　of　a　whole　onion。　He　decided　that　he　had　wasted　his　time　on　the　doors　of　the　Inner　Bailey。　On　the　far　side　of　the　moat；　though；　the　Middle　Bailey　might　prove　less　well…protected。
　　　　　　　There　were　several　distressingly　naked　patches　of　ground　between　the　two　baileys。　Despite　not　having　seen　a　single　guard　or；　in　fact；　a　single　other　person；　Simon　had　to　force　himself　to　cross　these　open　stretches；　each　time　he　dashed　for　the　safety　of　shadows　as　soon　as　he　was　clear。　The　bridge　across　the　moat　was　the　most　unnerving　part。　He　began　to　cross　it　and　then　changed　his　mind　twice。　It　was　at　least　thirty　ells　long；　and　if　someone　appeared　while　he　was　in　the　middle；　he　would　be　as　obvious　as　a　fly　walking　on　a　white　wall。
　　　　　　　At　last　he　blew　out　a　shaky　breath；　drew　in　a　deep　gasp　of　air；　and　sprinted　across。　His　steps　sounded　as　loud　to　him　as　thunder。　He　forced　himself　to　slow　down　and　cross　at　a　silent　walk；　despite　the　thumping　of　his　heart。　When　he　reached　the　far　side　he　ducked　into　a　shed　where　he　sat　until　he　felt　steady　again。
　　　　　　　You're　doing　well；　he　told　himself。　No　one's　around。　Nothing　to　fear。
　　　　　　　He　knew　that　was　a　lie。
　　　　　　　Plenty　to　fear；　he　amended。　But　no　one's　caught　you　yet。　Not　in　a　while；　anyway。
　　　　　　　As　he　got　to　his　feet；　he　could　not　help　wondering　why　the　bridge　over　the　moat　had　been　down　in　the　first　place　if　all　the　doors　were　barred　and　windows　blocked　against　some　feared　attack。
　　　　　　　And　why　wasn't　Green　Angel　Tower　locked　up？　He　could　think　of　no　answer。
　　　　　　　Before　he　had　taken　a　hundred　paces　across　the　muddy　thoroughfare　in　the　center　of　Middle　Bailey；　he　saw　something　that　made　him　shrink　back　into　the　darkness　again；　his　terrors　suddenly　returned…this　time　with　reason。
　　　　　　　An　army　was　camped　in　the　bailey。
　　　　　　　It　had　taken　him　some　long　moments　to　realize　it；　since　so　few　fires　burned；　and　since　the　tents　were　made　of　dark　cloth　that　was　almost　invisible　in　the　night；　but　the　entire　bailey　seemed　to　be　full　of　armed　men。　He　could　see　perhaps　a　half　dozen　on　the　nearer　outskirts；　sentries　by　the　look　of　them；　cloaked　and　helmeted　and　carrying　long　pikes。　In　the　dim　light　he　could　not　see　much　of　their　faces。　Even　as　he　stood　hidden　in　a　crack　between　two　of　the　bailey's　buildings；　wondering　what　to　do　next；　another　pair　of　cloaked　and　hooded　figures　passed　him。　They　also　carried　long　spears；　but　he　could　see　immediately　that　they　were　different。　Something　in　the　way　they　carried　themselves；　something　in　their　graceful；　deceptively　swift　strides；　told　him　beyond　doubt　that　these　were　Norns。
　　　　　　　Simon　sank　farther　back　into　the　concealing　darkness；　trembling。　Would　they　know　he　was　here？　Could　they　。。。smell　him？
　　　　　　　Even　as　he　wondered；　the　black…robed　creatures　paused　only　a　short　way　from　his　hiding　place；　alert　as　hunting　dogs。　Simon　held　his　breath　and　willed　himself　to　total　stillness。　After　a　long　wait；　the　Norns　abruptly　turned　in　unison；　as　though　some　wordless　munication　had　passed　between　them；　and　continued　on　their　way。　Simon　waited　a　few　shaky　moments；　then　cautiously　poked　his　head　around　the　wall。　He　could　not　see　them　against　the　darkness；　but　he　could　see　the　human　soldiers　move　out　of　their　way；　quick　as　men　avoiding　a　snake。　For　an　instant　the　Norns　were　silhouetted　against　one　of　the　watchfires；　twin　hooded　shapes　that　seemed