srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第29部分

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　hard　again；　in　spite　of　the　pain　in　his　chest。　He　had　to　swallow　down　a　quick　sour　taste　before　he　could　master　his　voice　enough　to　answer　the　knock。
　The　door　opened；　and　Bannor　entered　the　room。　〃The　High　Lord　wishes　to　speak　with　you；〃　he　said　without　inflection。　〃Will　you　e？〃
　Yes；　Covenant　muttered　grimly　to　himself。　Of　course。　Do　I　have　a　choice？　Holding　his　chest　to　keep　himself　from　wincing；　he　strode　out　of　his　suite　and　down　the　hall。
　He　started　in　the　direction　of　the　Close。　He　expected　that　Elena　would　want　to　make　her　anger　at　him　public…to　make　him　writhe　before　the　assembled　disapproval　of　Revelstone。　He　could　have　avoided　Trell；　it　would　have　cost　him　nothing　more　than　one　instant　of　simple　trust　or　considerateness。　But　Bannor　soon　steered　him　into　other　corridors。　They　passed　through　a　small；　heavy　door　hidden　behind　a　curtain　in　one　of　the　meeting　halls；　and　went　down　a　long；　twisting　stairwell　into　a　deep　part　of　the　Keep　unfamiliar　to　Covenant。　The　stair　ended　in　a　series　of　passages　so　irregular　and　dim　that　they　confused　him　until　he　knew　nothing　about　where　he　was　except　that　he　was　deep　in　the　gut…rock　of　Revelstone…deeper　than　the　private　quarters　of　the　Lords。
　But　before　long　Bannor　halted；　facing　a　blank　wall　of　stone。　In　the　dim　light　of　one　torch；　he　spread　his　arms　to　the　wall　as　if　he　were　invoking　it；　and　spoke　three　words　in　a　language　that　came　awkwardly　to　his　tongue。　When　he　lowered　his　arms；　a　door　became　visible。　It　swung　inward；　admitting　the　Bloodguard　and　Covenant　to　a　high；　brilliant　cavern。
　The　makers　of　Revelstone　had　done　little　to　shape　or　work　this　spacious　cave。　They　had　given　it　a　smooth　floor；　but　had　left　untouched　the　raw　rough　stone　of　its　walls　and　ceiling；　and　they　had　not　altered　the　huge　rude　columns　which　stood　thickly　through　it　like　massive　tree　trunks；　reaching　up　from　the　floor　to　take　the　burden　of　the　ceiling　upon　their　shoulders。　However；　the　whole　cavern　was　lit　by　large　urns　of　graveling　placed　between　the　columns　so　that　all　the　surfaces　of　the　walls　and　columns　were　clearly　illumined。
　Displayed　on　these　surfaces　everywhere　were　works　of　art。　Paintings　and　tapestries　hung　on　the　walls；　large　sculptures　and　carvings　rested　on　stands　between　the　columns　and　urns；　smaller　pieces；　carvings　and　statuettes　and　stoneware　and　suru…pa…maerl　works；　sat　on　wooden　shelves　cunningly　attached　to　the　columns。
　In　his　fascination；　Covenant　forgot　why　he　had　been　brought　here。　He　began　moving　around　the　hall；　looking　avidly。　The　smaller　works　caught　his　attention　first。　Many　of　them　appeared　in　some　way　charged　with　action；　imminent　heat；　as　。if　they　had　been　captured　in　a　moment　of　incarnation；　but　the　differences　in　materials　and　emotions　were　enormous。　Where　an　oaken　figure　of　a　woman　cradling　a　baby　wept　protectively　over　the　griefs　and　hurts　of　children；　a　similar　granite　subject　radiated　confident　generative　power；　where　a　polished　Gildenlode　flame　seemed　to　yearn　upward；　a　suru　pa…maerl　blaze　expressed　fort　and　practical　warmth。　Studies　of　children　and　Ranyhyn　and　Giants　abounded；　but　scattered　among　them　were　darker　subjects　roynish　ur…viles；　strong；　simpleminded　Cavewights；　and　mad；　valorous　Kevin；　reft　of　judgment　and　foresight　but　not　courage　or　passion　by　sheer　despair。　There　was　little　copying　of　nature　among　them；　the　materials　used　were　not　congenial　to　mirroring　or　literalism。　Instead；　they　revealed　the　prehending　hearts　of　their　makers。　Covenant　was　entranced。
　Bannor　followed　him　as　he　moved　around　the　columns；　and　after　a　while　the　Bloodguard　said；　〃This　is　the　Hall　of　Gifts。　All　these　were　made　by　the　people　of　the　Land；　and　given　to　the　Lords。　Or　to　Revelstone。〃　He　gazed。　about　him　with　unmoved　eyes。　〃They　were　given　for　honor　or　love。　Or　to　be　seen。　But　the　Lords　do　not　desire　such　gifts。　They　say　that　no　one　can　possess　such　things。　The　treasure　es　from　the　Land；　and　belongs　to　the　Land。　So　all　gifts　given　to　the　Lords　are　placed　here；　so　that　any　who　wish　it　may　behold　them。〃
　Yet　Covenant　heard　something　deeper　in　Bannor's　voice。　Despite　its　monotone；　it　seemed　to　articulate　a　glimpse　of　the　hidden　and　unanswerable　passion　which　bound　the　Bloodguard　to　the　Lords。　But　Covenant　did　not　pursue　it；　did　not　intrude　on　it。
　From　among　the　first　columns；　he　was　drawn　to　a　large；　thick　arras　hanging　on　one　of　the　walls。　He　recognized　it。　It　was　the　same　work　he　had　once　tried　to　destroy。　He　had　thrown　it　out　of　his　room　in　the　watchtower　in　a　fit　of　outrage　at　the　fable　of　Berek's　life…and　at　the　blindness　which　saw　himself　as　Berek　reborn。　He　could　not　be　mistaken。　The　arras　was　tattered　around　the　edges；　and　had　a　carefully　repaired　rent　down　its　center　halfway　through　the　striving；　irenic　figure　of　Berek　Halfhand。　In　scenes　around　the　central　figure；　it　showed　the　hero's　soul…journey　to　his　despair　on　Mount　Thunder；　and　to　his　discovery　of　the　Earthpower。　From　it；　Berek　gazed　out　at　the　Unbeliever　with　portents　in　his　eyes。
　Roughly；　Covenant　turned　away；　and　a　moment　later　he　saw　High　Lord　Elena　walking　toward　him　from　the　opposite　side　of　the　hall。　He　remained　where　he　was；　watched　her。　The　Staff　of　Law　in　her　right　hand　increased　the　stateliness　and　authority　of　her　step；　but　her　left　hand　was　open　in　wele。　Her　robe　covered　her　without　disguising　either　the　suppleness　or　the　strength　of　her　movements。　Her　hair　hung　loosely　about　her　shoulders；　and　her　sandals　made　a　whispering　noise　on　the　stone。
　Quietly；　she　said；　〃Thomas　Covenant；　be　wele　to　the　Hall　of　Gifts。　I　thank　you　for　ing。〃
　She　was　smiling　as　if　she　were　glad　to　see　him。
　That　smile　contradicted　his　expectations；　and　he　distrusted　it。　He　studied　her　face；　trying　to　discern　her　true　feelings。　Her　eyes　invited　study。　Even　while　they　regarded　him；　they　seemed　to　look　beyond　him　or　into　him　or　through　him；　as　if　the　space　he　occupied　were　shared　by　something　entirely　different。　He　thought　fleetingly　that　perhaps　she　did　not　actually；　concretely；　see　him　at　all。
　As　she　approached；　she　said；　〃Do　you　like　the　Hall？　The　people　of　the　Land　are　fine　artists；　are　they　not？〃　But　when　she　neared　him；　she　stopped　short　with　a　look　of　concern；　and　asked；　〃Thomas　Covenant；　are　you　in　pain？〃
　He　found　that　he　was　breathing　rapidly　again。　The　air　in　the　Hall　seemed　too　rarefied　for　him。　When　he　shrugged　his　shoulders；　he　could　not　keep　the　ache　of　the　movement　off　his　face。
　Elena　reached　her　hand　toward　his　chest。　He　half　winced；　thinking　that　she　meant　to　strike　him。　But　she　only　touched　his　bruised　ribs　gently　with　her　palm　for　a　moment；　then　turned　away　toward　Bannor。　〃Bloodguard；〃　she　said　sharply；　〃the　ur…Lord　has　been　hurt。　Why　was　he　not　taken　to　a　Healer？〃
　〃He　did　not　ask；〃　Bannor　replied　stolidly。
　〃Ask？　Should　help　wait　for　asking？〃
　Bannor　met　her　gaze　flatly　and　said　nothing；　as　if　he　considered　his　rectitude　to　be　self…evident。　But　the　reproach　in　her　tone　gave　Covenant　an　unexpected　pang。　In　Bannor's　defense；　he　said；　〃I　don't　need　didn't　need　it。　He　kept　me　alive。〃
　She　sighed　without　taking　her　eyes　off　the　Bloodguard。　〃Well；　that　may　be。　But　I　do　not　like　to　see　you　harmed。〃　Then；　relenting；　she　said；　〃Bannor；　the　ur…Lord　and　I　will　go　upland。　Send　for　us　at　once　if　there　is　any　need。〃
　Bannor　nodded；　bowed　slightly；　and　left　the　Hall。
　When　the　hidden　door　was　closed　behind　him；　Elena　turned　back　to　Covenant。　He　tensed　instinctively。　Now；　he　muttered　to　himself。　Now　she'll　do　it。　But　to　all　appearances　her　irritation　was　gone。　And　she　made　no　reference　to　the　arras；　she　seemed　unaware　of　the　connection　between　him　and　that　work。　With　nothing　but　innocence　in　her　face；　she　said；　〃Well；　Thomas　Covenant。　Do　you　like　the　Hall？　You　have　not　told　me。〃
　He　hardly　heard　her。　Despite　her　pleasant　expression；　he　could　not　believe　that　she　did　not　intend　to　task　him　for　his　encounter　with　Trell。　But　then　he　saw　concern　mounting　in　her　cheeks　again；　and　he　hurried　to　cover　himself。
　〃What？　Oh；　the　Hall。　I　like　it　fine。　But　isn't　it　a　little　out　of　the　way？　What　good　is　a　museum　if　people　can't　get　to　it？〃
　〃All　Revelstone　knows　the　way。　Now　we　are　alone；　but　in　times　of　peace…or　in　times　when　war　is　more　distant…there　are　always　people　here。　And　the　children　in　the　schools　spend　much　time　here；　learning　of　the　crafts　of　the　Land。　Craftmasters　e　from　all　the　Land　to　share　and　increase　their　skills。　The　Hall　of　Gifts　is　thus　deep　and　concealed　because　the　Giants　who　wrought　the　Keep　deemed　such　a　place　fitting　and　because　if　ever　Revelstone　is　whelmed　the　Hall　may　be　hidden　and　preserved；　in　hope　of　the　future。〃
　For　an　instant；　the　focus　of　her　gaze　seemed　to　swing　closer　to　him；　and　her　vision　tensed　as　if　she　meant　to　burn　her　way　through　his　skull　to　find　out　what　he　was　thinking。　But　then　she　turned　away　with
　a　gentle　smile；　and　walked　toward　another　wall　of　the　cavern。　〃Let　me　show　you　another　work；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　by　one　of　our　rarest　Craftmasters；　Ahanna　daughter　of　Hanna。　Here。〃
　He　followed；　and　stopped　with　her　before　a　large　picture　in　a　burnished　ebony　frame。　It　was　a　dark　work；　but　glowing　bravely　near　its　center　was　a　figure　that　he　recognized　immediately：　Lord　Mhoram。　The　Lord　stood　alone　in　a　hollow　tightly　surrounded　by　black　fiendi