srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第36部分

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　not　fail　while　we　have　life　or　power　to　meet　the　need。　I　am　High　Lord　Elena。　I　speak　in　the　presence　of　Revelstone　itself。〃
　Troy　recognized　the　ritual　greeting　of　friends；　but　the　Manethrall　gazed　up　at　Elena　darkly；　as　if　unwilling　to　respond。　Then　she　turned　to　her　right；　and　said　in　a　low；　bitter　voice　unlike　the　usual　nickering　tones　of　the　Ramen；　〃I　know　you；　Lord　Mhoram。〃　Without　waiting　for　a　response；　she　moved　on。　〃And　I　know　you；　Covenant　Ringthane。〃　As　she　looked　at　him；　the　quality　of　her　bitterness　changed　markedly。　Now　it　was　not　weariness　and　defeat　and　old　Ramen　resentment　of　the　Lords　for　presuming　to　ride　the　Ranyhyn；　but　something　else。　〃You　demanded　the　Ranyhyn　at　night；　when　no　mortal　may　demand　them　at　all。　Yet　they　answered…one　hundred　proud　Manes；　more　than　most　Ramen　have　ever　seen　in　one　place。　They　reared　to　you；　in　homage　to　the　Ringthane。　And　you　did　not　ride。〃　Her　voice　made　clear　her　respect　for　such　an　act；　her　awe　at　the　honor　which　the　Ranyhyn　had　done　this　man。　〃Covenant　Ringthane；　do　you　know　me？〃
　Covenant　stared　at　her　intensely；　with　a　look　of　pain　as　if　his　forehead　were　splitting。　Several　moments　passed　before　he　said　thickly；　〃Gay。　You're…you　were　Winhome　Gay。　You　waited　on…you　were　at　Manhome。〃
　The　Manethrall　returned　his　stare。　〃Yes。　But　you　have　not　changed。　Forty…one　summers　have　ridden　past　me　since　you　visited　the　Plains　of　Ra　and　Manhome；　and　would　not　eat　the　food　I　brought　to　you。　But　you　are　changeless。　I　was　a　child　then；　a　Winhome　then；　barely　near　my　Cording…and　now　I　am　a　tired　old　woman；　far　from　home；　and　you　are　young。　Ah；　Covenant　Ringthane；　you　treated　me　roughly。〃
　He　faced　her　with　a　bruised　expression；　the　memories　she　called　up　were　sore　in　him。　After　another　moment；　she　raised　her　hands　until　her　palms　were　turned　outward　level　with　her　head；　and　bowed　to　him　in　the　traditional　Ramen　gesture　of　greeting。　〃Covenant　Ringthane；　I　know　you。　But　you　do　not　know　me。　I　am　not　Winhome　Gay；　who　passed　her　Cording　and　studied　the　Ranyhyn　in　the　days　when　Manhome　was　full　of　tales　of　your　Quest…when　Manethrall　Lithe　returned　from　the　dark　underground；　and　from　seeing　the　Fire…Lions　of　Mount　Thunder。　And　I　am　not　Cord　Gay；　who　became　a　Manethrall；　and　later　heard　the　word　of　the　Lords　asking　for　Ramen　scouts　to　search　the　Spoiled　Plains　between　Landsdrop　and　the　Shattered　Hills。　This　requesting　word　was　heard；　though　these　same　Lords　knew　that　all　the　life　of　the　Ramen　is　on　the　Plains　of　Ra；　in　the　tending　of　the　Ranyhyn…yes；　heard；　and　accepted　by　Manethrall　Gay；　with　the　Cords　in　her　watch。　She　undertook　the　task　of　scouting　because　she　hated　Fangthane　the　Render；　and　because　she　admired　Manethrall　Lithe；　who　dared　to　leave　sunlight　for　the　sake　of　the　Lords；　and　because　she　honored　Covenant　Ringthane；　the　bearer　of　white　gold；　who　did　not　ride　when　the　Ranyhyn　reared　to　him。　Now　that　Manethrall　Gay　is　no　more。〃
　As　she　said　this；　her　fingers　hooked　into　claws；　and　her　exhausted　legs　bent　into　the　semblance　of　a　fighting　crouch。　〃I　am　Manethrall　Rueold　bearer　of　the　flesh　of　her　who　was　named　Gay。　I　have　seen　Fangthane　marching；　and　all　the　Cords　in　my　watch　are　dead。〃　Then　she　sagged；　and　her　proud　head　dropped　low。　〃And　I　have　e　here…I；　who　should　never　have　left　the　Plains　of　home。　I　have　e　here；　to　the　Lords　who　are　said　to　be　the　friends　of　the　Ranyhyn；　in　no　other　name　but　grief。〃
　While　she　spoke；　the　Lords　kept　silence；　and　all　the　Close　watched　her　in　anxious　suspense；　torn　between　respect　for　her　fatigue　and　desire　to　hear　what　she　had
　to　say。　But　Troy　heard　dangerous　vibrations　in　her　voice。　Her　tone　carried　a　pitch　of　recrimination　which　she　had　not　yet　articulated　clearly。　He　was　familiar　with　the　grim；　suppressed　outrage　that　filled　all　the　Ramen　when　any　human　had　the　insolence；　the　almost　blasphemous　audacity；　to　ride　a　Ranyhyn。　But　he　did　not　understand　it。　And　he　was　impatient　for　the　Manethrall's　news。
　Rue　seemed　to　sense　the　increasing　tension　around　her。　She　stepped　warily　away　from　Covenant；　and　addressed　all　her　audience　for　the　first　time。　〃Yes；　it　is　said　that　the　Lords　are　our　friends。　It　is　said。　But　I　do　not　know　it。　You　e　to　the　Plains　of　Ra　and　give　us　tasks　without　thought　for　the　pain　we　feel　on　hills　which　are　not　our　home。　You　e　to　the　Plains　of　Ra；　and　offer　yourselves　to　the　generosity　of　the　Ranyhyn　as　if　you　were　an　honor　for　some　Mane　to　accept。　And　when　you　are　accepted；　as　the　Bloodguard　are　accepted…five　hundred　Manes　thrilled　like　chattel　to　purposes　not　their　own…you　call　the　Ranyhyn　away　from　us　into　danger；　where　none　can　protect；　where　the　flesh　is　rent　and　the　blood　spilt；　with　no　amanibhavam　to　stem　the　pain　or　forestall　death。　Ah；　Ranyhyn！
　〃Do　not　flex　your　distrust　at　me。　I　know　you　all。〃
　In　a　soft；　careful　voice；　containing　neither　protest　nor　apology；　the　High　Lord　said；　〃Yet　you　have　e。〃

　〃Yes；〃　Manethrall　Rue　returned　in　tired　bitterness；　〃I　have　e。　I　have　fled；　and　endured；　and　e。　I　know　we　are　united　against　Fangthane；　though　you　have　betrayed　us。〃
　Lord　Verement　stiffened　angrily；　but　Elena　controlled　him　with　a　glance；　and　said；　still　softly　and　carefully；　to　Rue；　〃In　what　way　betrayed？〃
　〃Ah；　the　Ramen　do　not　forget。　In　tales　preserved　in　Manhome　from　the　age　of　mighty　Kelenbhrabanal；　we　know　Fangthane；　and　the　wars　of　the　Old　Lords。　Always；　when　Fangthane　built　his　armies　in　the　Lower　Land；　the　Old　Lords　came　to　the　ancient　battleground　north　of　the　Plains　of　Ra　and　the　Roamsedge　River；　and　fought　at　Landsdrop；　to　forbid　Fangthane　from　the　Upper　Land。　So　the　Ranyhyn　were　preserved；　for　the　enemy　could　not　turn　his　teeth　to　the　Plains　of　Ra　while　fighting　the　Lords。　And　in　recognition；　the　Ramen　left　their　hills　to　fight　with　the　Lords。
　〃But　you…！　Fangthane　marches；　and　your　army　is　here。　The　Plains　of　Ra　are　left　without　defense　or　help。〃
　〃That　was　my　idea。〃　His　impatience　made　Troy　sound　sharper　than　he　intended。
　〃For　what　reason？〃　A　dangerous　challenge　pulsed　in　her　quiet　tone。
　〃I　think　they　were　good　reasons；〃　he　responded。　Impelled　by　an　inner　need　to　reassure　himself　that　he　had　not　been　wrong；　he　spoke　swiftly。　〃Think　about　it。　You're　right…every　time　in　the　past　that　Foul　has　built　up　an　army；　the　Lords　have　gone　to　fight　him　at　Landsdrop。　And　every　time；　they've　lost。　They've　been　pushed　back。　There　are　too　many　different　ways　up　from　the　Lower　Land。　And　the　Lords　have　been　too　far　from　their　supplies　and　support。　Sure；　they　put　up　a　good　fight…and　that　takes　some　of　the　pressure　off　the　Plains　of　Ra　because　Foul　is　occupied　elsewhere。　But　the　Lords　lose。　Whole　Eoward　get　hacked　to　pieces；　and　the　Warward　has　to　retreat　on　the　run　just　to　stay　alive　long　enough　to　regroup　and　fight　the　same　fight　all　over　again；　farther　west…closer　to　Revelstone。
　〃And　that's　not　all。　This　time；　Foul　might　be　building　his　army　farther　north…in　Sarangrave　Flat　north　of　the　Defiles　Course。　He's　never　done　that　before。　But　back　then　the　Giants　always　kept　the　north　Sarangrave　clear。　This　time〃…he　winced　at　the　thought　of　the　Giants…〃this　time　it's　different。　If　we　marched　an　army　down　to　you　while　Foul　was　on　his　way　north　of　Mount　Thunder　toward　Revelstone；　we'd　be　helpless　to　stop　him　from　attacking　the　Keep。　Revelstone　might　fall。　So　I　made　the　decision。　We　wait　here。
　〃Don't　get　me　wrong…we're　not　abandoning　you。　The　fact　is；　I　don't　think　you're　in　that　much　danger。　Look；　suppose　Foul　has　an　army　of　fifty　thousand　or　even　a　hundred　thousand。　How　long　is　it　going　to　take　him　to　conquer　the　Plains　of　Ra？〃
　〃He　will　not；〃　Rue　breathed　between　her　teeth。
　The　Warmark　nodded。　〃And　even　if　he　does；　it'll　take　him　years。　You're　too　good　at　hunting…he　can't　beat　you　on　your　own　ground。　You　and　the　Ranyhyn　will　run　circles　around　his　troops；　and　every　time　they　turn　their　backs；　you'll　throttle　a　few　score　of　them。　Even　if　he　outnumbers　you　fifty　to　one；　you'll　just　send　the　Ranyhyn　into　the　mountains；　and　keep　chipping　away　at　him　for　God　knows　how　long。　He'll　need　years　to　do　it。　Even　assuming　we　are　not　attacking　his　rear。　No；　until　he's　got　the　Lords　beaten；　he　can't　afford　to　tackle　you。　That's　why　I've　been　thinking　all　along　that　he　would　e　north。〃
　He　stopped；　and　faced　Rue　squarely　with　his　argument。　The　recital　of　his　reasoning　calmed　him；　he　knew　that　his　logic　was　sound。　And　the　Manethrall　was　forced　to　acknowledge　it。　After　considering　his　explanation　for　a　time；　she　sighed；　〃Ah；　very　well。　I　see　your　reasons。　But　I　do　not　like　such　ideas。　You　juggle　risk　for　the　Ranyhyn　too　freely。〃
　Tiredly；　she　turned　back　toward　Elena。　〃Hear　me；　High　Lord；〃　she　said　in　a　gray；　empty　voice。　〃I　will　speak　my　message；　for　I　am　weary　and　must　rest；　e　what　may。
　〃I　have　journeyed　here　from　the　Shattered　Hills　which　surround　and　defend　Foul's　Creche。　I　left　that　maimed　place　when　I　saw　a　great　army　issuing　from　the　Hills。　It　marched　as　straight　as　the　eye　sees　toward　Landsdrop　and　the　Fall　of　the　River　Landrider。　It　was　an　army　dire　and　numberless…I　could　not　guess　its　size；　and　did　not　wait　to　count。　With　the　four　Cords　in　my　watch；　I　fled　so　that　I　might　keep　my　word　to　the　Lords。〃
　The　south　way；　Troy　breathed　to　himself。　At　once；　his　brain　took　hold　of　the　information；　concrete