rj.thegreathunt-第46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！


that　we　are　riding　across。〃
　　　　　　　〃I've　seen　an　old　map；〃　Rand　replied　in　a　tight　voice。　〃I　know　about　the　nations　that　aren't　there　anymore。　Maredo；　and　Goaban；　and　Carralain。　But　there　wasn't　any　Hardan　on　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃There　were　once　others　that　are　gone　now；　too；〃　Loial　said。　〃Mar　Haddon；　which　is　now　Haddon　Mirk；　and　Almoth。　Kintara。　The　War　of　the　Hundred　Years　cut　Artur　Hawkwing's　empire　into　many　nations；　large　and　small。　The　small　were　gobbled　up　by　the　large；　or　else　united；　like　Altara　and　Murandy。　Forced　together　would　be　a　better　word　than　united；　I　suppose。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　what　happened　to　them？〃　Mat　demanded。　Rand　had　not　noticed　Perrin　and　Mat　ride　up　to　join　them。　They　had　been　at　the　rear；　as　far　from　Rand　al'Thor　as　they　could　get；　the　last　he　had　seen。
　　　　　　　〃They　could　not　hold　together；〃　the　Ogier　replied。　〃Crops　failed；　or　trade　failed。　People　failed。　Something　failed　in　each　case；　and　the　nation　dwindled。　Often　neighboring　countries　absorbed　the　land；　when　the　nations　were　gone；　but　they　never　lasted；　those　annexations。　In　time；　the　land　truly　was　abandoned。　Some　villages　hang　on　here　and　there；　but　mostly　they　have　all　gone　to　wilderness。　It　is　nearly　three　hundred　years　since　Harad　Dakar　was　finally　abandoned；　but　even　before　that　it　was　a　shell；　with　a　king　who　could　not　control　what　happened　inside　the　city　walls。　Harad　Dakar　itself　is　pletely　gone　now；　I　understand。　All　the　towns　and　cities　of　Hardan　are　gone；　the　stone　carted　away　by　farmers　and　villagers　for　their　own　use。　Most　of　the　farms　and　villages　made　with　it　are　gone；　too。　So　I　read；　and　I've　seen　nothing　to　change　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃It　was　quite　a　quarry；　Harad　Dakar；　for　almost　a　hundred　years；〃　Ingtar　said　bitterly。　〃The　people　left；　finally；　and　then　the　city　was　hauled　away；　stone　by　stone。　All　faded　away；　and　what　has　not　gone　is　fading。　Everything；　everywhere；　fading。　There　is　hardly　a　nation　that　truly　controls　the　land　it　claims　on　a　map；　and　there　is　hardly　a　land　that　claims　today　on　a　map　what　it　did　even　a　hundred　years　ago。　When　the　War　of　the　Hundred　Years　ended；　a　man　rode　from　one　nation　into　another　without　end　from　the　Blight　to　the　Sea　of　Storms。　Now　we　can　ride　through　wilderness　claimed　by　no　nation　for　almost　the　whole　of　the　land。　We　in　the　Borderlands　have　our　battle　with　the　Blight　to　keep　us　strong；　and　whole。　Perhaps　they　did　not　have　what　they　needed　to　keep　them　strong。　You　say　they　failed；　Builder？　Yes；　they　failed；　and　what　nation　standing　whole　today　will　fail　tomorrow？　We　are　being　swept　away；　humankind。　Swept　away　like　flotsam　on　a　flood。　How　long　until　there　is　nothing　left　but　the　Borderlands？　How　long　before　we；　too；　go　under；　and　there　is　nothing　left　but　Trollocs　and　Myrddraal　all　the　way　to　the　Sea　of　Storms？〃
　　　　　　　There　was　a　shocked　silence。　Not　even　Mat　broke　it。　Ingtar　rode　lost　in　his　own　dark　thoughts。
　　　　　　　After　a　time　the　scouts　came　galloping　back；　straight　in　the　saddles；　lances　erect　against　the　sky。　〃A　village　ahead；　my　Lord。　We　were　not　seen；　but　it　lies　directly　in　our　line　of　march。〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　shook　himself　out　of　his　brown　study；　but　did　not　speak　until　they　had　reached　the　crest　of　a　low　ridge　looking　down　on　the　village；　and　then　it　was　only　to　mand　a　halt　while　he　dug　a　looking　glass　from　his　saddlebags　and　raised　it　to　peer　at　the　village。
　　　　　　　Rand　studied　the　village　with　interest。　It　was　as　big　as　Emond's　Field；　though　that　was　not　very　big　pared　to　some　of　the　towns　he　had　seen　since　leaving　the　Two　Rivers；　much　less　the　cities。　The　houses　were　all　low　and　plastered　with　white　clay；　and　they　appeared　to　have　grass　growing　on　sloping　roofs。　A　dozen　windmills；　scattered　through　the　village；　turned　lazily；　their　long；　cloth…covered　arms　flashing　white　in　the　sun。　A　low　wall　encircled　the　village；　grassy　dirt　and　chest　high；　and　outside　that　was　a　wide　ditch　with　sharpened　stakes　thick　in　the　bottom。　There　was　no　gate　in　the　one　opening　he　could　see　in　the　wall；　but　he　supposed　it　could　be　blocked　easily　enough　with　a　cart　or　wagon。　He　could　not　see　any　people。
　　　　　　　〃Not　even　a　dog　in　sight；〃　Ingtar　said；　returning　the　looking　glass　to　his　saddlebags。　〃Are　you　sure　they　did　not　see　you？〃　he　asked　the　scouts。
　　　　　　　〃Not　unless　they　have　the　Dark　One's　own　luck；　my　Lord；〃　one　of　the　men　replied。　〃We　never　crested　the　rise。　We　didn't　see　anyone　moving　then　either；　my　Lord。〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　nodded。　〃The　trail；　Hurin？〃
　　　　　　　Hurin　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃Toward　the　village；　my　Lord。　Straight　to　it；　as　near　as　I　can　tell　from　here。〃
　　　　　　　〃Watch　sharp；〃　Ingtar　manded；　gathering　his　reins。　〃And　do　not　believe　that　they're　friendly　just　because　they　smile。　If　there　is　anyone　there。〃　He　led　them　down　toward　the　village　at　a　slow　walk；　and　reached　up　to　loosen　his　sword　in　its　scabbard。
　　　　　　　Rand　heard　the　sounds　of　others　behind　him　doing　the　same。　After　a　moment；　he　eased　his；　too。　Trying　to　stay　alive　was　not　the　same　as　trying　to　be　a　hero；　he　decided。
　　　　　　　〃You　think　these　people　would　help　Darkfriends？〃　Perrin　asked　Ingtar。　The　Shienaran　was　slow　in　answering。
　　　　　　　〃They　have　no　great　love　for　Shienarans；〃　he　said　finally。　〃They　think　we　should　protect　them。　Us；　or　the　Cairhienin。　Cairhien　did　claim　this　land；　once　the　last　King　of　Hardan　died。　All　the　way　to　the　Erinin；　they　claimed　it。　They　could　not　hold　it；　though。　They　gave　up　the　claim　nearly　a　hundred　years　ago。　The　few　people　who　still　live　here　don't　have　to　worry　about　Trollocs　this　far　south；　but　there　are　plenty　of　human　brigands。　That's　why　they　have　the　wall；　and　the　ditch。　All　their　villages　do。　Their　fields　will　be　hidden　in　hollows　around　here；　but　no　one　will　live　outside　the　wall。　They　would　swear　fealty　to　any　king　who　would　give　them　his　protection；　but　we　have　all　we　can　do　against　the　Trollocs。　They　do　not　love　us　for　it；　though。〃　As　they　reached　the　opening　in　the　low　wall；　he　added　again；　〃Watch　sharp！〃
　　　　　　　All　the　streets　led　toward　a　village　square；　but　there　was　no　one　in　the　streets；　no　one　peering　from　a　window。　Not　even　a　dog　moved；　not　so　much　as　a　chicken。　Nothing　living。　Open　doors　swung；　creaking　in　the　wired；　counterpoint　to　the　rhythmic　squeak　of　the　windmills。　The　horses'　hooves　sounded　loud　on　the　packed　dirt　of　the　street。
　　　　　　　〃Like　at　the　ferry；〃　Hurin　muttered；　〃but　different。〃　He　rode　hunched　in　his　saddle；　head　down　as　if　he　were　trying　to　hide　behind　his　own　shoulders。　〃Violence　done；　but　。。。　I　don't　know。　It　was　bad　here。　It　smells　bad。〃
　　　　　　　〃Uno；〃　Ingtar　said；　〃take　one　file　and　search　the　houses。　If　you　find　anyone；　bring　them　to　me　in　the　square。　Do　not　frighten　them　this　time；　though。　I　want　answers；　not　people　running　for　their　lives。〃　He　led　the　other　soldiers　toward　the　center　of　the　village　as　Uno　got　his　ten　dismounted。
　　　　　　　Rand　hesitated；　looking　around。　The　creaking　doors；　the　squealing　windmills；　the　horses'　hooves；　all　made　too　much　noise；　as　if　there　were　not　another　sound　in　the　world。　He　scanned　the　houses。　The　curtains　in　an　open　window　beat　against　the　outside　of　the　house。　They　all　seemed　lifeless。　With　a　sigh　he　got　down　and　walked　to　the　nearest　house；　then　stopped；　staring　at　the　door。
　　　　　　　It's　just　a　door。　What　are　you　afraid　of？　He　wished　he　did　not　feel　as　if　there　was　something　waiting　on　the　other　side。　He　pushed　it　open。
　　　　　　　Inside　was　a　tidy　room。　Or　had　been。　The　table　was　set　for　a　meal；　ladder…back　chairs　gathered　around；　some　plates　already　served。　A　few　flies　buzzed　above　bowls　of　turnips　and　peas；　and　more　crawled　on　a　cold　roast　sitting　in　its　own　congealed　grease。　There　was　a　slice　half　carved　from　the　roast；　the　fork　still　standing　stuck　in　the　meat　and　the　carving　knife　lying　partway　in　the　platter　as　if　dropped。　Rand　stepped　inside。
　　　　　　　Blink。
　　　　　　　A　smiling；　bald…headed　man　in　rough　clothes　laid　a　slice　of　meat　on　a　plate　held　by　a　woman　with　a　worn　face。　She　was　smiling；　too；　though。　She　added　peas　and　turnips　to　the　plate　and　passed　it　to　one　of　the　children　lining　the　table。　There　were　half　a　dozen　children；　boys　and　girls；　from　nearly　grown　down　to　barely　tall　enough　to　look　over　the　table。　The　woman　said　something；　and　the　girl　taking　the　plate　from　her　laughed。　The　man　started　to　cut　another　slice。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　another　girl　screamed；　pointing　at　the　door　to　the　street。　The　man　dropped　the　carving　knife　and　whirled；　then　he　screamed；　too；　face　tight　with　horror；　and　snatched　up　a　child。　The　woman　grabbed　another；　and　motioned　desperately　to　the　others；　her　mouth　working　frantically；　silently。　They　all　scrabbled　toward　a　door　in　the　back　of　the　room。
　　　　　　　That　door　burst　open；　and　…
　　　　　　　Blink。
　　　　　　　Rand　could　not　move。　The　flies　buzzing　over　the　table　sounded　louder。　His　breath　made　a　cloud　in　front　of　his　mouth。
　　　　　　　Blink。
　　　　　　　A　smiling；　bald…headed　man　in　rough　clothes　laid　a　slice　of　meat　on　a　plate　held　by　a　woman　with　a　worn　face。　She　was　smiling；　too；　though。　She　added　peas　and　turnips　to　the　plate　and　passed　it　to　one　of　the　children　lining　the　table。　There　were　half　a　dozen　children；　boys　and　girls；　from　nearly　grown　down　to　barely　tall　enough　to　look　over　the　table。　The　woman　said　something；　and　the　girl　taking　the　plate　from　her　laughed。　The　man　started　to　cut　another