srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第98部分

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　She　recognized　the　importance　of　his　self…revelation。　〃Then　why　do　you　now　wish　to　cut　it　away？〃
　He　trembled　to　think　of　the　risks　he　was　taking。　But　he　needed　freedom；　and　his　bargain　promised　to　provide　it。　Striving　to　keep　the　fear　of　discovery　out　of　his　voice；　he　told　her　as　much　of　the　truth　as　he　could　afford。
　〃I've　made　another　deal…like　the　one　I　made　with　the　Ranyhyn。　I'm　not　trying　to　prove　that　the'　Land　isn't　real　anymore。〃　In　the　back　of　his　mind；　he　pleaded；　Please　don't　ask　me　anything　else。　I　don't　want　to　lie　to　you。
　She　probed　him　with　her　eyes。　〃Do　you　believe；　then　…do　you　accept　the　Land？〃
　In　his　relief；　he　almost　sighed　aloud。　He　could　look　at　her　squarely　to　answer　this。　〃No。　But　I'm　willing　to　stop　fighting　about　it。　You've　done　so　much　for　me〃
　〃Ah；　beloved！〃　she　breathed　with　sudden　intensity。　〃I　have　done　nothing…I　have　only　followed　my　heart。　Within　my　Lord's　duty；　I　would　do　anything　for　you。〃
　He　seemed　to　see　her　affection　for　him　in　the　very　hue　of　her　skin。　He　wanted　to　lean　forward；　touch　her；　kiss　her；　but　the　presence　of　the　Bloodguard　restrained　him。　Instead；　he　handed　her　the　knife。
　He　was　abdicating　himself　to　her；　and　she　knew　it。　A　glow　of　pleasure　filled　her　face　as　she　took　the　knife。　〃Do　not　fear；　beloved；〃　she　whispered。　〃I　will　preserve　you。〃
　Carefully；　as　if　she　were　performing　a　rite；　she　drew　close　to　him　and　began　to　cut　his　beard。
　He　winced　instinctively　when　the　blade　first　touched　him。　But　he　gritted　himself　into　stillness；　locked　his　jaw；　told　himself　that　he　was　safer　in　her　hands　than　in　his　own。　He　could　feel　the　deadliness　of　the　keen　edge　as　it　passed　over　his　flesh…it　conjured　up　images　of　festering　wounds　and　gangrene…but　he　closed　his　eyes；　and　remained　motionless。
　The　knife　tugged　at　his　beard；　but　the　sharpness　of　the　blade　kept　the　pull　from　being　painful。　And　soon　her　fingers　found　his　knotted　jaw　muscles。　She　stroked　his　clenching　to　reassure　him。　With　an　effort；　he　opened　his　eyes。　She　met　his　gaze　as　if　she　were
　smiling　through　a　mist　of　love。　Gently；　she　tilted　back　his　head；　and　cleaned　the　beard　away　from　。his　neck　with　smooth；　confident　strokes。
　Then　she　was　done。　His　bared　flesh　felt　vivid　in　the　air；　and　he　rubbed　his　face　with　his　hands；　relishing　the　fresh　texture　of　his　cheeks　and　neck。　Again；　he　wanted　to　kiss　Elena。　To　answer　her　smile；　he　stood　up　and　said；　〃Now　I'm　ready。　Let's　go。〃
　She　grasped　the　Staff　of　Law；　sprang　lightly　to　her　feet。　In　a　tone　of　high　gaiety；　she　said　to　Amok；　〃Will　you　now　lead　us　to　the　Seventh　Ward？〃
　Amok　beckoned　brightly；　as　if　he　were　inviting　her　to　a　game；　and　started　once　more　toward　the　place　where　the　cleft　of　Rivenrock　vanished　under　Melenkurion　Skyweir。　Morin　quickly　repacked　his　bundle；　and　placed　himself　behind　Amok；　Elena　and　Covenant　followed　the　First　Mark；　and　Bannor　brought　up　the　rear。
　In　this　formation；　they　began　the　last　phase　of　their　quest　for　the　Power　of　mand。
　They　crossed　the　plateau　briskly：　Amok　soon　reached　the　juncture　of　cliff　and　cleft。　There　he　waved　to　his　panions；　grinned　happily；　and　jumped　into　the　crevice。
　Covenant　gasped　in　spite　of　himself；　and　hurried　with　Elena　to　the　edge。　When　they　peered　into　the　narrow　blackness　of　the　chasm；　they　saw　Amok　standing　on　a　ledge　in　the　opposite　wall。　The　ledge　began　fifteen　or　twenty　feet　below　and　a　few　feet　under　the　overhang　of　the　mountain。　It　was　not　clearly　visible。　The　blank　stone　and　shadowed　dimness　of　the　cleft　formed　a　featureless　abyss。　Amok　seemed　to　be　standing　on　darkness　which　led　to　darkness。
　〃Hellfire！〃　Covenant　groaned　as　he　looked　down。　He　felt　dizzy　already。　〃Forget　it。　Just　forget　I　ever　mentioned　it。〃
　T
　〃e！〃　said　Amok　cheerfully。　〃Follow！〃　His　voice　sounded　over　the　distant；　subterreanean　gush　of　the　river。　With　an　insouciant　stride；　he　moved　away　into　the　mountain。　At　once；　the　gloom　swallowed　him　pletely。
　Morin　glanced　at　the　High　Lord。　When　she　nodded；
　he　leaped　into　the　cleft；　landed　where　Amok　had　been　standing　a　moment　before。　He　took　one　step　to　the　side；　and　waited。
　〃Don't。　be　ridiculous；〃　Covenant　muttered　as　if　he　were　talking　to　the　dank；　chill　breeze　which　blew　out　of　the　crevice。　〃I'm　no　Bloodguard。　I'm　just　ordinary　flesh　and　blood。　I　get　dizzy　when　I　stand　on　a　chair。　Sometimes　I　get　dizzy　when　I　just　stand。〃
　The　High　Lord　was　not　listening　to　him。　She　murmured　a　few　old　words　to　the　Staff；　and　watched　intently　as　it　burst　into　flame。　Then　she　stepped　out　into　the　darkness。　Morin　caught　her　as　her　feet　touched　the　ledge。　She　moved　past　him；　and　positioned　herself　so　that　the　light　of　the　Staff　illuminated　the　jump　for　Covenant。
　The　Unbeliever　found　Bannor　looking　at　him　speculatively。
　〃Go　on　ahead；〃　said　Covenant。　〃Give　me　time　to　get　up　my　courage。　I'll　catch　up　with　you　in　a　year　or　two。〃　He　was　sweating　again；　and　his　perspiration　stung　the　scraped　skin　of　his　cheeks　and　neck。　He　looked　up　at　the　mountain　to　steady　himself；　efface　the　effects　of　the　chasm　from　his　mind。
　Without　warning；　Bannor　caught　him　from　behind；　lifted　him；　and　carried　him　to　the　cleft。
　〃Don't　touch　me！〃　Covenant　sputtered。　He　tried　to　break　free；　but　Bannor's　grip　was　too　strong。　〃By　hell！　I…！〃　His　voice　scaled　into　a　yell　as　Bannor　threw　him　over　the　edge。
　Morin　caught　him　deftly；　and　placed　him；　wideeyed　and　trembling；　on　the　ledge　at　Elena's　side。
　A　moment　later；　Bannor　made　the　jump；　and　the　First　Mark　passed　Covenant　and　Elena　to　stand　between　her　and　Amok。　Covenant　watched　their　movements　through　a　stunned　fog。　Numbly；　he　pressed　his　back　against　the　solid　stone；　and　stared　into　the　chasm　as　if　it　were　a　tomb。　Some　time　seemed　to　pass　before　he　noticed　the　High　Lord's　reassuring　hold　on　his　arm。
　〃Don't　touch　me；〃　he　repeated　aimlessly。　〃Don't　touch　me。〃
　When　she　moved　away；　he　followed　her　automatically；　turning　his　back　on　the　sunlight　and　open　sky　above　the　cleft。
　He　rubbed　his　left　shoulder　against　the　stone　wall；　and　kept　close　to　Elena；　stayed　near　her　light。　The　Staff　s　incandescence　cast　a　viridian　aura　over　the　High　Lord's　party；　and　reflected　garishly　off　the　dark；　flat　facets　of　the　stone。　It　illuminated　Amok's　path　without　penetrating　the　gloom　ahead。　The　ledgenever　more　than　three　feet　widemoved　steadily　downward。　Above　it；　the　ceiling　of　the　cleft　slowly　expanded；　took　on　the　dimensions　of　a　cavern。　And　the　cleft　itself　widened　as　if　it　ran　toward　a　prodigious　hollow　in　the　core　of　Melenkurion　Skyweir。
　Covenant　felt　the　yawning　rent　in　the　mountain　rock　as　if　it　were　beckoning　to　him；　urging　him　seductively　to　accept　the　drowsy　abandon　of　vertigo；　trust　the　chasm's　depths。　He　pressed　himself　harder　against　the　stone；　and　clung　to　Elena's　back　with　his　eyes。　Around　him；　darkness…　and　massed　weight　squeezed　the　edges　of　the　Staffs　light。　And　at　his　back；　he　could　hear　the　hovering　vulture　wings　of　his　private　doom。　Gradually；　he　understood　that　he　was　walking　into　a　crisis。
　Underground）　he　rasped　harshly　at　his　improvidence。　He　could　not　forget　how　he　had　fallen　into　a　crevice　under　Mount　Thunder。　That　experience　had　brought　him　face…to…face　with　the　failure　of　his　old　promise；　his　bargain　with　the　Ranyhyn。　Hellfire）　He　felt　he　had　done　nothing　to　ready　himself　for　an　ordeal　of　caves。
　Ahead　of　him；　the　High　Lord　followed　Morin　and　Amok。　They　adjusted　themselves　to　her　pace；　and　she　moved　as　fast　as　she　safely　could　on　the　narrow　ledge。　Covenant　was　hard　pressed　to　keep　up　with　her。　Her　speed　increased　his　apprehension；　it　made　him　feel　that　the　rift　was　spreading　its　jaws　beside　him。　He　labored　fearfully　down　the　ledge。　It　demanded　all　his　concentration。
　He　had　no　way　to　measure　duration　or　distance　had　nothing　with　which　to　judge　time　except　the　accumulation　of　his　fear　and　strain　and　weariness…but　gradually　the　character　of　the　cavern's　ceiling　changed。　It　spread　out　like　a　dome。　After　a　while；　Elena's　fire
　lit　only　one　small　arc　of　the　stone。　Around　it；　spectral　shapes　peopled　the　darkness。　Then　the　rough　curve　of　rock　within　the　Staff's　light　became　gnarled　and　pitted；　like　the　slow　clenching　of　a　frown　on　the　cave's　forehead。　And　finally　the　frown　gave　way　to　stalactites。　Then　the　upper　air　bristled　with　crooked　old　shafts　and　spikes…poised　spears　and　misdriven　nails…pending　lamias…slow；　writhed　excrescences　of　the　mountain's　inner　sweat。　Some　of　these　had　fiat　facets　which　reflected　the　Staff's　fire　in　fragments；　casting　it　like　a　chiaroscuro　into　the　recessed　groins　of　the　cavern。　And　others　leaned　toward　the　ledge　as　if　they　were　straining　ponderously　to　strike　the　heads　of　the　human　interlopers。
　For　some　distance；　the　stalactites　grew　thicker；　longer；　more　intricate；　until　they　filled　the　dome　of　the　cavern。　When　Covenant　mustered　enough　fortitude　to　look　out　over　the　crevice；　he　seemed　to　be　gazing　into　a　blue…lit；　black；　inverted　forest…a　packed　stand　of　gnarled　and　ominous　old　trees　with　their　roots　in　the　ceiling。　They　created　the　impression　that　it　was　possible；　on　the　sole　trail　of　the　ledge；　for　him　to　lose　his　way。
　The　sensation　excoriated　his　stumbling　fear。　When　Elena　came　abruptly　to　a　stop；　he　almost　hung　his　arms　around　her。
　Beyond　her　in　the　Staffs　velure　light；　he　saw　that　a　massive