srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第11部分

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ill　omen。〃
　　　　Mhoram　gripped　himself　with　a　stern　hand。　〃All　omens　are　ill　in　these　times。　Despite　is　abroad　in　the　Land。　For　that　reason　we　are　Lords。　The　Land　would　not　require　us　if　there　were　no　harm　at　work　against　it。〃
　　　　Without　meeting　Mhoram's　gaze；　Amatin　replied；　〃If　that　is　our　purpose；　then　we　do　not　serve　it。''　Her　anger　and　pain　bined　to　give　her　a　tone　of　defiance。　She　held　her　palms　flat　on　the　table　and　watched　them　as　if　she　were　trying　to　push　them　through　the　stone。　〃Only　Callindrill　of　all　the　Lords　lifted　his　hand　in　Revelwood's　defense。　He　burned　in　my　place。''
　　　　'　'No！''　the　High　Lord　snapped　at　once。　He　had　hoped　to　deal　with　the　issues　before　the　Council　on　other　terms；　but　now　that　Amatin　had　spoken；　he　could　not　back　away。　〃No；　Lord　Amatin。　You　cannot　take　upon　your　shoulders　responsibility　for　the　death　of　Callindrill　Faer…mate。　He　died　in　his　own　place；　by　his　own　choice。　When　you　believed　that　you　were　no　longer　the　Lord　best　suited　to　watch　over　Revelwood；　you　expressed　your　belief　to　the　Council。　The　Council　accepted　your　belief　and　asked　Lord　Callindrill　to　take　that　burden　upon　himself。
　　　　〃At　the　same　time；　the　Council　decided　that　the　defenders　of　the　Land　should　not　spend　themselves　in　a　costly　and　bootless　battle　for　Revel…wood。〃　As　he　spoke；　the　tightness　around　his　eyes　expressed　how　hard；　how　poignantly　hard；　that　decision　had　been　to　make。　〃The　home　of　the　Loresraat　was　not　made　for　war；　and　could　not　be　well　defended。　The　Council　decided　for　the　sake　of　the　Land　that　we　must　save　our　strength；　put　it　to　its　best　use　here。　Callindrill　chose〃…the　authority　of　Mhoram's　tone　faltered　for　an　instant…〃Lord　Callindrill　Faer…mate　chose　otherwise。　There　is　no　blame　for　you　in　this。〃
　　　　He　saw　the　protest　in　her　eyes　and　hastened　to　answer　her。　He　did　not　want　to　hear　her　thought　uttered　aloud。　〃Further；　I　tell　you　that　there　is　no　blame　for　us　in　the　wisdom　or　folly；　victory　or　defeat；　of　the　way　we　have　elected　to　defend　the　Land。　We　are　not　the　Creators　of　the　Earth。　Its　final　end　is　not　on　our　heads。　We　are　creations；　like　the　Land　itself。　We　are　accountable　for　nothing　but　the　purity　of　our　service。　When　we　have　given　our　best　wisdom　and　our　utterest　strength　to　the　defense　of　the　Land；　then　no　voice　can　raise　accusation　against　us。　Life　or　death；　good　or　ill…victory　or　destruction…we　are　not　required　to　solve　these　riddles。　Let　the　Creator　answer　for　the　doom　of　his　creation。〃
　　　　Amatin　stared　at　him　hotly；　and　he　could　feel　her　probing　the　estranged；　secret　place　in　his　heart。　Speaking　barely　above　a　whisper；　she　said；　〃Do　you　blame　Callindrill　then？　There　is　no　'best　wisdom'　in　his　death。〃
　　　　The　misdirection　of　her　effort　to　understand　him　pained　the　High　Lord；　but　he　answered　her　openly。　〃You　are　not　deaf　to　me；　Lord　Amatin；　I　loved　Callindrill　Faer…mate　like　a　brother。　I　have　no　wisdom　or　strength　or　willingness　to　blame　him。〃
　　　　〃You　are　the　High　Lord。　What　does　your　wisdom　teach　you？〃
　　　　〃I　am　the　High　Lord；〃　Mhoram　affirmed　simply。　〃I　have　no　time　for　blame。〃
　　　　Abruptly；　Loerya　joined　the　probing。　〃And　if　there　is　no　Creator？　Or　if　the　creation　is　untended？〃
　　　　〃Then　who　is　there　to　reproach　us？　We　provide　the　meaning　of　our　own　lives。　If　we　serve　the　Land　purely　to　the　furthest　limit　of　our　abilities；　what　more　can　we　ask　of　ourselves？〃
　　　　Trevor　answered；　〃Victory；　High　Lord。　If　we　fail；　the　Land　itself　reproaches　us。　It　will　be　made　waste。　We　are　its　last　preservers。〃
　　　　The　force　of　this　thrust　smote　Mhoram。　He　found　that　he　still　lacked　the　courage　to　retort　nakedly；　Better　failure　than　desecration。　Instead；　he　turned　the　thrust　with　a　wry　smile　and　said；　〃The　last；　Lord　Trevor？　No。　The　Haruchai　yet　live　within　their　mountain　fastness。　In　their　way；　they　know　the　name　of　the　Earthpower　more　surely　than　any　Lord。　Ramen　and　Ranyhyn　yet　live。　Many　people　of　the　South　and　North　Plains　yet　live。　Many　of　the　Unfettered　yet　live。　Caerroil　Wildwood；　Forestal　of　Garroting　Deep；　has　not　passed　away。　And　somewhere　beyond　the　Sunbirth　Sea　is　the　homeland　of　the　Giants…yes；　and　of　the　Elohim　and　Bhrathair；　of　whom　the　Giants　sang。　They　will　resist　Lord　Foul's　hold　upon　the　Earth。〃
　　　　〃But　the　Land；　High　Lord！　The　Land　will　be　lost！　The　despiser　will　wrack　it　from　end　to　end。''
　　　　At　once；　Mhoram　breathed　intensely；　〃By　the　Seven！　Not　while　one　flicker　of　love　or　faith　remains　alive！〃
　　　　His　eyes　burned　into　Trevor's　until　the　Lord's　protest　receded。　Then　he　turned　to　Loerya。　But　in　her　he　could　see　the　disfortable　fear　for　her　daughters　at　work；　and　he　refrained　from　touching　her　torn　feelings。　Instead；　he　looked　toward　Amatin　and　was　relieved　to　see　that　much　of　her　anger　had　fallen　away。　She　regarded　him　with　an　expression　of　hope。　She　had　found　something　in　him　that　she　needed。　Softly；　she　said；　〃High　Lord；　you　have　discovered　a　way　in　which　we　may　act　against　this　doom。〃
　　　　The　High　Lord　tightened　his　hold　upon　himself。　〃There　is　a　way。〃　Raising　his　head；　he　addressed　all　the　people　in　the　Close。　〃My　friends；　Satansfist　Raver　has　burned　Revelwood。　Trothgard　is　now　in　his　hands。　Soon　he　will　begin　to　march　upon　us。　Scant　days　remain　before　the　siege　of　Revelstone　begins。　We　can　no　longer　delay。''　The　gold　in　his　eyes　flared　as　he　said；　〃We　must　attempt　to　summon　the　Unbeliever。〃
　　　　At　this；　a　stark　silence　filled　the　Close。　Mhoram　could　feel　waves　of　surprise　and　excitement　and　dread　pouring　down　on　him　from　the　galleries。　Warmark　Quaan's　passionate　objection　struck　across　his　shoulders。　But　he　waited　in　the　silence　until　Lord　Loerya　found　her　voice　to　say；　〃That　is　impossible。　The　Staff　of　Law　has　been　lost。　We　have　no　means　for　such　a　summoning。〃　The　soft　timbre　of　her　voice　barely　covered　its　hard　core。
　　　　Still　Mhoram　waited；　looking　toward　the　other　Lords　for　answers　to　Loerya's　claim。　After　a　long　moment；　Trevor　said　hesitantly；　〃But　the　Law　of　Death　has　been　broken。〃
　　　　〃And　if　the　Staff　has　been　destroyed；〃　Amatin　added　quickly；　〃then　the　Earthpower　which　it　held　and　focused　has　been　released　upon　the　Land。　Perhaps　it　is　accessible　to　us。〃
　　　　〃And　we　must　make　the　attempt；〃　said　Mhoram。　〃For　good　or　ill；　the　Unbeliever　is　inextricably　linked　to　the　Land's　doom。　If　he　is　not　here；　he　cannot　defend　the　Land。〃
　　　　〃Or　destroy　it！〃　Quaan　rasped。
　　　　Before　Mhoram　could　respond；　Hearthrall　Borillar　was　on　his　feet。　He　said　in　a　rush；　〃The　Unbeliever　will　save　the　Land。〃
　　　　Quaan　growled；　〃This　is　odd　confidence；　Hearthrall。〃
　　　　〃He　will　save；〃　Borillar　said　as　if　he　were　surprised　at　his　own　temerity。　Seven　years　ago；　when　he　had　met　Covenant；　he　had　been　the　youngest　Hirebrand　ever　to　take　the　office　of　Hearthrall。　He　had　been　acutely　aware　of　his　inexperience；　and　he　was　still　deferential…a　fact　which　amused　his　friend　and　fellow　Hearthrall；　Tohrm。　〃When　I　met　the　Unbeliever；　I　was　young　and　timid…afraid。〃　Tohrm　grinned　impishly　at　the　implication　that　Borillar　was　no　longer　young　and　timid。　〃Ur…Lord　Covenant　spoke　kindly　to　me。''
　　　　He　sat　down　again；　blushing　in　embarrassment。　But　no　one　except　Tohrm　smiled；　and　Tohrm's　smile　was　always　irrepressible。　It　expressed　only　amused　fondness；　not　mockery。　The　pitch　of　Borillar's　conviction　seemed　to　reproach　the　doubts　in　the　Close。　When　Lord　Loerya　spoke　again；　her　tone　had　changed。　With　a　searching　look　at　the　young　Hearthrall；　she　said；　〃How　shall　we　make　this　attempt？〃
　　　　Mhoram　gravely　nodded　his　thanks　to　Borillar；　then　turned　back　to　the　Lords。　〃I　will　essay　the　summoning。　If　my　strength　fails；　aid　me。〃　The　Lords　nodded　mutely。　With　a　final　look　around　the　Close；　he　sat　down；　bowed　his　head；　and　opened　his　mind　to　the　melding　of　the　Lords。
　　　　He　did　so；　knowing　that　he　would　have　to　hold　back　part　of　himself；　prevent　Trevor　and　Loerya　and　Amatin　from　seeing　into　his　secret。　He　was　taking　a　great　risk。　He　needed　the　consolation；　the　sharing　of　strength　and　support；　which　a　plete　mind　melding　could　give；　yet　any　private　weakness　might　expose　the　knowledge　he　withheld。　And　in　the　melding　his　fellow　Lords　could　see　that　he　did　withhold　something。　Therefore　it　was　an　expensive　rite。　Each　meld　drained　him　because　he　could　only　protect　his　secret　by　giving　fortitude　rather　than　receiving　it。　But　he　believed　in　the　meld。　Of　all　the　lore　of　the　new　Lords；　only　this　belonged　solely　to　them；　the　rest　had　e　to　them　through　the　Wards　of　Kevin　Landwaster。　And　when　it　was　practiced　purely；　melding　brought　the　health　and　heart　of　any　Lord　to　the　aid　of　all　the　others。
　　　　As　long　as　the　High　Lord　possessed　any　pulse　of　life　or　thew　of　strength；　he　could　not　refuse　to　share　them。
　　　　At　last；　the　contact　was　broken。　For　a　moment；　Mhoram　felt　that　he　was　hardly　strong　enough　to　stand；　the　needs　of　the　other　Lords；　and　their　concern　for　him；　remained　on　his　shoulders　like　an　unnatural　burden。　But　he　understood　himself　well　enough　to　know　that　in　some　ways　he　did　not　have　the　ability　to　surrender。　Instead；　he　had　an　instinct　for　absolute　exertions　which　frightened　him　whenever　he　thought　of　the　Ritual　of　Desecration。　After　a　momentary　rest；　he　rose　to　his　feet　and　took　up　his　staff。　Bearing　it　like　a　standard；　he　walked　around　the　table　to　the　stairs　and　started　down　towa