srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第15部分

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He　wanted　to　try　it；　but　the　Lorewardens'　refused　to　let　him。　Too　dangerous。　They　took　his　idea　to　study；　and　sent　to　Revelstone　for　a　Lord　to　help　them　decide　how　to　test　his　theory。
　〃Well；　he　didn't　want　to　wait。　He　left　the　Loresraat。　and　climbed　a　few　miles　up　into　the　western　hills　of　；　Trothgard　until　he　thought　he　was　far　enough　away　to　work　in　peace。　Then　he　started　the　ritual。　Somehow；　the　Lorewardens　felt　the　power　he　was　using；。　and　went　after　him。　But　they　were　too　late。　He　succeeded…in　a　manner　of　speaking。　When　he　was　done；　。　I　was　lying　there　on　the　grass；　and　he…　He　had　burned　himself　to　death。　Some　of　the　Lorewardens　think　he　caught　the　fire　that　should　have　killed　me。　As　they　said；　it　was　too　dangerous。
　〃The　Lorewardens　took　me　in；　cared　for　me；　put　hurtloam　on　my　hands…even　on　my　eyesockets。　Before　long；　I　began　having　visions。　Colors　and　shapes　started　to　jump　at　me　out　of　the…out　of　whatever　it　was　I　was　used　to。　This　round；　white…orange　circle　passed　over　me　every　day…but　I　didn't　know　what　it　was。　I　didn't　even　know　it　was　‘round。'　I　had　no　visual　concept　of　‘round。'　But　the　visions　kept　getting　stronger。　Finally；　Elena…she　was　the　Lord　who　came　down　from　Revelstone；　only　she　wasn't　High　Lord　then…she　told　me　that　I　was　learning　to　see　with　my　mind…as　if　my　brain　were　actually　starting　to　see　through　my　forehead。　I　didn't　believe　it；　but　she　showed　me。　She　demonstrated　how　my　sense　of　spatial　relationships　fitted　what　I　was　‘seeing；'　and　how　my　sense　of　touch　matched　the　shapes　around　me。〃

　He　paused　for　a　moment；　remembering。　Then　he　said　strongly；　〃I'll　tell　you…I　never　think　about　going　back。　How　can　I？　I'm　here；　and　I　can　see。　The　Land's　given　me　a　gift　I　could　never　repay　in　a　dozen　lifetimes。　I've　got　too　big　a　debt…　The　first　time　I　stood　on　the　top　of　Revelwood　and　looked　over　the　valley　where　the　Rill　and　Llurallin　rivers　e　together　the　first　time　in　my　life　that　I　had　ever　seen…the　first　time；　Covenant；　I　had　ever　even　known　that　such　sights　existed…I　swore　I　was　going　to　win　this　war　for　the　Land。　Lacking　missiles　and　bombs；　there　are　other　ways　to　fight。　It　took　me　a　little　while　to　convince　the　Lords…just　long　enough　for　me　to　outsmart　all　the　best　tacticians　in　the　Wayward。　Then　they　made　me　their　Warmark。　Now　I'm　just　about　ready。　A　difficult　strategic　problem…we're　too　far　from　the　best　line　of　defense；　Landsdrop。　And　I　haven't　heard　from　my　scouts。　I　don't　know　which　way　Foul　is　going　to　try　to　get　at　us。　But　I　can　beat　him　in　a　fair　fight。　I'm　looking　forward　to　it。
　〃Go　back？　No。　Never。〃
　Hile　Troy　had　been　speaking　in　a　level　tone；　as　if　he　did　not　want　to　expose　his　emotions　to　his　auditor。　But　Covenant　could　hear　an　undercurrent　of　enthusiasm　in　the　words…a　timbre　of　passion　too　unruly　to　be　concealed。
　Now　Troy　leaned　toward　Covenant　intently；　and　his　ready　indignation　came　back　into　his　voice。　〃In　fact；　I　can't　understand　you　at　all。　Do　you　know　that　this　whole　place〃…he　indicated　Revelstone　with　a　brusque
　gesture…〃revolves　around　you？　White　gold。　The　wild　magic　that　destroys　peace。　The　Unbeliever　who　found　the　Second　Ward　and　saved　the　Staff　of　Law…unwillingly；　I　hear。　For　forty　years；　the　Loresraat　and　the　Lords　have　worked　for　a　way　to　get　you　back。　Don't　get　me　wrong…they've　done　everything　humanly　possible　to　try　to　find　other　ways　to　defend　the　Land　They've　built　up　the　Warward；　racked　their　brains　over　the　Lore；　risked　their　necks　on　things　like　Mhoram's　trip　to　Foul's　Creche。　And　they're　scrupulous。　They　insist　that　they　accept　your　ambivalent　position。　They　insist　that　they　don't　expect　you　to　save　them。　All　they　want　is　to　make　it　possible　for　the　wild　magic　to　aid　the　Land；　so　they　won't　have　to　reproach　themselves　for　neglecting　a　possible　hope。　But　I　tell　you…they　don't　believe　there　is　any　hope　but　you。
　〃You　know　Lord　Mhoram。　You　should　have　some　idea　of　just　how　tough　that　man　is。　He's　got　backbone　v　he　hasn't　even　touched　yet。　Listen。　He　screams　in‘　his　sleep。　His　dreams　are　that　bad。　I　heard　him　once。　He…　I　asked　him　the　next　morning　what　possessed　him。　In　that　quiet；　kind　voice　of　his；　he　told　me　that　the　Land　would　die　if　you　didn't　save　it。
　〃Well；　I　don't　believe　that　Mhoram　or　no　A　Mhoram。　But　he　isn't　the　only　one。　High　Lord　Elena　eats；　drinks；　and　sleeps　Unbeliever。　Wild　magic　and　white　gold；　Covenant　Ringthane。　Sometimes　I　think　r　she's　obsessed。　She〃
　But　Covenant　could　not　remain　silent　any　longer。：　He　could　not　stand　to　be　held　responsible　for　so　much　mitment。　Roughly；　he　cut　in；　〃Why？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　She　doesn't　even　know　you。〃
　〃No。　I　mean；　why　is　she　High　Lord…instead　of　Mhoram？〃
　〃What　does　it　matter？〃　said　Troy　irritably。　〃The　Council　chose　her。　A　couple　of　years　ago…when　Osondrea；　the　old　High　Lord；　died。　They　put　their；：　minds　together…you　must　have　noticed　when　you　were　here　before　how　the　Lords　can　pool　their　thoughts；　think　together…and　she　was　elected。〃　As　he　spoke；　the　irritation　faded　from　his　tone。　〃They　e　said　she　has　some　special　quality；　some　inner　mettle　that　makes　her　the　best　leader　for　this　war。　Maybe　I　don't　know　what　they　mean…but　I　know　she's　got　something。　She's　impossible　to　refuse。　I　would　fight　with　stew　forks　and　soup　spoons　against　Foul
　〃So　I　don't　understand　you。　You　may　be　the　last　man　alive　who's　seen　the　Celebration　of　Spring。　And　there　she　stands；　looking　like　all　the　allure　of　the　Land　put　together…practically　begging　you。　And　you！〃　Troy　struck　the　table　with　his　hand；　brandished　his　empty　sockets　at　Covenant。　〃You　refuse。〃
　Abruptly；　he　slapped　his　sunglasses　back　on；　and　flung　away　from　the　table　to　pace　the　room　again；　as　if　he　could　not　sit　still　in　the　face　of　Covenant's　perversity。
　Covenant　watched　him；　seething　at　the　freedom　of　Troy's　judgment…the　trust　he　placed　in　his　own　rectitude。　But　Covenant　had　heard　something　else　in　Troy's　voice；　a　different　explanation。　Probing　bluntly；　he　asked；　〃Is　Mhoram　in　love　with　her；　too？〃
　At　that；　Troy　spun；　pointed　a　finger　rigid　with　accusation　at　the　Unbeliever。　〃You　know　what　I　think？　You're　too　cynical　to　see　the　beauty　here。　You're　too　cheap。　You've　got　it　made　in　your　‘real'　world；　with　all　those　royalties　rolling　in。　So　what　if　you're　sick？　That　doesn't　stop　you　from　getting　rich。　ing　here　just　gets　in　the　way　of　hacking　out　more　best…sellers。　Why　should　you　fight　the　Despiser？　You're　just　like　him　yourself。〃
　Before　the　Warmark　could　go　on；　Covenant　rasped　thickly；　〃Get　out。　Shut　up　and　get　out。〃
　〃Forget　it。　I'm　not　going　to　leave　until　you　give　me　one…〃
　〃Get　out。〃
　〃…one　good　reason　for　the　way　you're　acting。　I'm　not　going　to　walk　away　and　let　you　destroy　the　Land　just　because　the　Lords　are　too　scrupulous　to　lean　on　you。〃
　〃That's　enough！〃　Covenant　was　on　his　feet。　His　hurt　blazed　up　before　he　could　catch　hold　of　himself。　〃Don't　you　even　know　what　a　leper　is？〃
　〃What　difference　does　that　make？　It's　no　worse　than　not　having　any　eyes。　Aren't　you　healthy　here？〃
　　Mustering　all　the　force　of　his　injury；　his　furious　grief；　Covenant　averred；　〃No！〃　He　waved　his　hands。
　〃Do　you　call　this　health？　It's　a　lie！〃
　That　cry　visibly　stunned　Troy。　The　black　assertion　of　his　sunglasses　faltered；　the　inner　aura　of　his　spirit　was　confused　by　doubt。　For　the　first　time；　he　looked：　like　a　blind　man。
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　he　said　softly。
　He　faced　the　onslaught　of　Covenant's　glare　for　a；　moment　longer。　Then　he　turned　and　left　the　room；　moving　quietly；　as　if　he　had　been　humbled。
　
　
　SIX：　The　High　Lord
　
　WHEN　evening　came；　Thomas　Covenant　sat　on　his　balcony　to　watch　the　sun　set　behind　the　Westron　Mountains。　Though　summer　was　hardly　past；　there　was　a　gleam　of　white　snow　on　many　of　the　peaks。　As；　the　sun　dropped　behind　them；　the　western　sky　shone　with　a　sharing　of　cold　and　fire。　White　silver　reflected；　from　the　snow　across　the　bottom　of　a　glorious　sky；　an　orange…gold　gallant　display　sailing　with　full　canvas‘　over　the　horizon。
　Covenant　watched　it　bleakly。　A　scowl　knotted　his　forehead　like　a　fist。　He　had　spent　the　afternoon　in　useless　rage；　but　after　a　time　his　anger　at　Troy　had　died　down　among　the　embers　of　his　protest　against　being　summoned　to　the　Land。　Now　he　felt　cold　at　heart；　desolate　and　alone。　The　resolve　he　had　expressed　to　Mhoram；　his　determination　to　survive；　seemed　pretentious…fey　and　anile。　And　the　frown。'　clenched　his　forehead　as　if　the　flesh　over　his　skull　refused　to　admit　that　it　had　been　healed。
　He　was　thinking　of　jumping　from　the　balcony。　To　quell　his　fear　of　heights；　he　would　have　to　wait　until；　the　darkness　of　the　night　was　plete；　and　he　could　no　longer　see　the　ground。　But　considered　in　that　way；　the　idea　both　attracted　and　repelled　him。　It　offended　his　leper's　training；　heaped　ridicule　on　everything　he　had　already　endured　to　cling　to　life。　It　spoke　of　a　defeat…　that　was　as　bitter　as　starkest　gall　to　him。　But　he　yearned　for　relief　from　his　dilemma。　He　felt　as　dry　as　a　wasteland；　and　rationalizations　came　easily。　Chiefest　of　these　was　the　argument　that　since　the　Land　was　not　real　it　could　not　kill　him；　a　death　here　would　only　force　him　back　into　the　reality　that　was　the　only　thing　in　which　he　could　believe。　In　his　aloneness；　he　could　not　tell　whether　that　argument　expressed　courage　or　cowardice。
　Slo