srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第42部分

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he　walked　as　if　he　were　fighting　the　deadness　of　his　feet　with　outrage。
　　　　In　the　course　of　that　day；　he　saw　a　few　more　Ranyhyn。　Two　were　uninjured；　but　all　were　gaunt；　weak；　humbled。　All　had　gone　a　long　way　down　the　road　toward　starvation。
　　　　The　sight　of　them　wore　heavily　upon　Lena。　There　was　no　confusion　in　the　way　she　perceived　them；　no　distortion　or　inaccuracy。　Such　vision　consumed　her。　As　time　passed；　her　eyes　sank　back　under　her　brows；　as　if　they　were　trying　to　hide　in　her　skull；　and　dark　circles　like　bruises　grew　around　the　orbs。　She　stared　brittlely　about　her　as　if　even　Covenant　were　dim　in　her　gaze…as　if　she　beheld　nothing　but　the　protruding　ribs　and　fleshless　limbs　of　Ranyhyn。
　　　　Covenant　held　her　arm　as　they　walked；　guided　and　supported　her　as　best　he　could。　Weariness　gradually　became　irrelevant　to　him；　even　the　keen　wind；　flaying　straight　toward　him　across　the　Plains；　seemed　to　lose　its　importance。　He　stamped　along　behind　Kam　like　a　wild　prophet；　e　to　forge　the　Ramen　to　his　will。
　　　　They　reached　the　outposts　of　Kam's　destination　by　midafternoon。　Ahead　of　them；　two　Cords　abruptly　stepped　out　of　a　barren　copse　of　wattle；　and　saluted　Manethrall　Kam　in　the　Ramen　fashion；　with　their　hands　raised　°n　either　side　of　their　heads　and　their　palms　open；　weaponless。　Kam　returned　the　bow；　spoke　to　the　two　briefly　in　a　low；　aspirated　tongue；　then　motioned　for　Covenant；　Lena；　and　Foamfollower　to　continue　on　with　him。　As　they　moved　back　into　the　hills；　he　told　them；　〃My　Cords　were　able　to　summon　only　three　other　Manethralls。　But　four　will　be　enough。〃
　　　　〃Enough？〃　Covenant　asked。
　　　　〃The　Ramen　will　accept　a　judgment　made　by　four　Manethralls。〃
　　　　Covenant　met　Kam's　glare　squarely。　A　moment　later；　the　Manethrall　turned　away　with　an　oddly　daunted　air；　as　if　he　had　remembered　that　Covenant's　claim　on　him　came　from　the　Ranyhyn。　Hurrying　now；　he　led　his　pany　upward　with　the　gray　wind　cutting　at　their　backs。
　　　　They　climbed　across　two　steep　bluffs　which　gave　them　a　panoramic　view　of　the　Plains。　The　hard　open　ground　lay　ruined　below　them；　scorched　with　winter　and　gray　snow　until　it　looked　maimed　and　lifeless。　But　Manethrall　Kam　moved　rapidly　onward；　ignoring　the　sight。　He　took　his　panions　past　the　bluffs　down　into　a　valley　cunningly　hidden　among　rough　knolls　and　hilltops。　This　valley　was　largely　sheltered　from　the　wind；　and　faint；　cultivated　patches　of　unripe　amanibhavam　grew　on　its　sides。　Now　Covenant　remembered　what　he　had　heard　about　amanibhavam　during　his　previous　visit　to　the　Plains　of　Ra。　This　grass；　which　held　such　a　rare　power　of　healing　for　horses；　was　poisonous　to　humans。
　　　　Aside　from　the　grass；　the　valley　contained　nothing　but　three　dead　copses　leaning　at　various　points　against　the　steepest　of　the　slopes。　Manethrall　Kam　walked　directly　toward　the　thickest　one。　As　he　approached；　four　Cords　stepped　out　of　the　wood　to　meet　him。　They　had　a　tense；　frail　air　about　them　which　made　Covenant　notice　how　young　they　were；　even　the　two　older　girls　seemed　to　have　had　their　Cording　thrust　unready　upon　them。　They　saluted　Kam　nervously；　and　when　he　had　returned　their　bow；　they　moved　aside　to　let　him　enter　the　copse。
　　　　Covenant　followed　Banner　into　the　wood　and　found　that　at　its　back　was　a　narrow　rift　in　the　hillside。　The　rift　did　not　close；　but　its　upper　reaches　were　so　crooked　that　Covenant　could　not　see　out　the　top。　Under　his　feet；　a　layer　of　damp；　dead　leaves　muffled　his　steps；　he　passed　in　silence　like　a　shadow　between　the　cold　stone　walls。　A　smell　of　musty　age　filled　his　nostrils；　as　if　the　packed　leaves　had　been　rotting　in　the　rift　for　generations；　and　despite　their　wetness；　he　felt　dim　warmth　radiating　from　them。　No　one　spoke。　Gripping　Lena's　chill　fingers　in　his　numb　hand；　he　moved　behind　Banner　as　the　cleft　bent　irregularly　from　side　to　side　on　its　way　through　the　rock。
　　　　Then　Manethrall　Kam　stopped。　When　Covenant　caught　up　with　him；　he　said　softly；　〃We　now　enter　the　secret　places　of　a　Ramen　covert。　Be　warned；　Ringthane。　If　we　are　not　taught　to　trust　you　and　your　panions；　you　will　not　leave　this　place。　In　all　the　Plains　of　Ra　and　the　surrounding　hills；　this　is　the　last　covert。
　　　　〃At　one　time；　the　Ramen　held　several　such　hidden　places　of　refuge。　In　them　the　Manethralls　tended　the　grievous　wounds　of　the　Ranyhyn　and　trained　Cords　in　the　secret　rites　of　their　Maneing。　But　one　by　one　in　turn　each　covert〃…Kam　fixed　Covenant　with　a　demon…ridden　gaze…〃has　been　betrayed。　Though　we　have　preserved　them　with　our　utterest　skill；　fresh…ur…viles…Cavewights…ill　flesh　in　every　shape…all　have　found　our　hidden　coverts　and　ravaged　them。〃　He　studied　the　Ringthane　as　if　he　were　searching　for　some　sign　which　would　brand　Covenant　as　the　betrayer。　〃We　will　hold　you　here…we　will　kill　your　panions…rather　than　permit　treachery　to　this　place。〃
　　　　Without　allowing　Covenant　time　to　reply；　he　turned　on　his　heel　and　stalked　around　another　bend　in　the　cleft。
　　　　Covenant　followed；　scowling　stormily。　Beyond　the　bend；　he　found　himself　in　a　large　chamber。　The　air　was　dim；　but　he　could　see　well　enough　to　discern　several　Ranyhyn　standing　against　the　walls。　They　were　eating　scant　bundles　of　grass；　and　in　this　closed　space　the　sharp　aroma　of　the　amanibhavam　made　his　head　ring。　All　of　them　were　injured…some　so　severely　that　they　could　hardly　stand。　One　had　lost　the　side　of　its　face　in　a　fight；　another　still　bled　from　a　cruel　fretwork　of　claw…marks　in　its　flanks；　and　two　others　had　broken　legs　which　hung　limply；　with　excruciating　bone…splinters　tearing　the　skin。
　　　　As　he　stared　gauntly　at　them；　they　became　aware　of　him。　A　restless　movement　passed　through　them；　and　their　heads　came　up　painfully；　turning　soft；　miserable　eyes　toward　him。　For　a　long　moment；　they　looked　at　him　as　if　they　should　have　been　afraid　but　were　too　badly　hurt　for　fear。　Then；　in　agony；　even　the　horses　with　broken　legs　tried　to　rear。
　　　　〃Stop　it。　Stop。〃　Covenant　hardly　knew　that　he　was　moaning　aloud。　His　hands　flinched　in　front　of　his　face；　trying　to　ward　off　an　abominable　vision。　〃I　can't　stand　it。〃
　　　　Firmly；　Banner　took　his　arm　and　drew　him　past　the　chamber　into　another　passage　through　the　rock。
　　　　After　a　few　steps；　his　legs　failed　him。　But　Banner　gripped　him；　bore　him　up。　Clutching　with　useless　fingers　at　the　Bloodguard's　shoulders；　he　pulled　himself　around　until　he　was　facing　Bannor。　〃Why？〃　he　panted　into　Bannor's　flat　visage。　〃Why　did　they　do　that？〃
　　　　Banner's　face　and　voice　revealed　nothing。　〃You　are　the　Ringthane。　They　have　made　promises　to　you。〃
　　　　〃Promises。''　Covenant　rubbed　a　hand　over　his　eyes。　The　promises　of　the　Ranyhyn　limped　across　his　memory。　〃Hell　and　blood。''　With　an　effort；　he　pushed　away　from　Banner。　Bracing　himself　against　the　wall　of　the　crevice；　he　clenched　his　trembling　fists　as　if　he　were　trying　to　squeeze　steadiness　out　of　them。　His　fingers　ached　for　the　Despiser's　throat。　〃They　should　be　killed！〃　he　raged　thickly。　〃They　should　be　put　out　of　their　misery！　How　can　you　be　so　cruel？〃
　　　　Manethrall　Kam　spat；　〃Is　that　how　it　is　done　in　your　world；　Ringthane？〃
　　　　But　Bannor　replied　evenly；　〃They　are　the　Ranyhyn。　Do　not　presume　to　offer　them　kindness。　How　can　any　human　decide　the　choices　of　death　and　pain　for　them？〃
　　　　At　this；　Foamfollower　reached　out　and　touched　Banner's　shoulder　in　a　gesture　of　respect。
　　　　Covenant's　jaw　muscles　jumped　as　he　bit　his　shouts　into　silence。　He　followed　the　Giant's　gesture；　turned；　and　looked　grayly　up　at　Foamfollower。　Both　the　Giant　and　Bannor　had　witnessed　his　bargain　with　the　Ranyhyn　forty…seven　years　ago；　when　the　great　horses　had　first　reared　to　him；　Bannor　and　Foamfollower　and　Mhoram　and　Quaan　might　be　the　last　remaining　survivors　of　the　Quest　for　the　Staff　of　Law。　But　they　were　enough。　They　could　accuse　him。　The　Ramen　could　accuse　him。　He　still　did　not　know　all　the　things　of　which　they　could　accuse　him。
　　　　His　wedding　band　hung　loosely　on　his　ring　finger；　he　had　lost　weight；　and　the　white　gold　dangled　as　if　it　were　meaningless。　He　needed　its　power。　Without　power；　he　was　afraid　to　guess　at　the　things　which　were　being　kept　from　him。
　　　　Abruptly；　he　stepped　up　to　Kam；　jabbed　the　Manethrall's　chest　with　one　stiff　finger。　〃By　hell；''　he　muttered　into　Kam's　glare；　〃if　you're　only　doing　this　out　of　pride；　I　hope　you　rot　for　it。　You　could　have　taken　them　south　into　the　mountains…you　could　have　saved　them　from　this。　Pride　isn't　a　good　enough　excuse。〃
　　　　Again　the　ghoul…begotten　hurt　darkened　Kam's　gaze。　〃It　is　not　pride；〃　he　said　softly。　〃The　Ranyhyn　do　not　choose　to　go。〃
　　　　Without　wanting　to；　Covenant　believed　him。　He　could　not　doubt　what　he　saw　in　the　Manethrall。　He　drew　back；　straightened　his　shoulders；　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Then　you'd　better　help　me。　Trust　me　whether　you　want　to　or　not。　I　hate　Foul　just　as　much　as　you　do。〃
　　　　〃That　may　be；〃　Kam　replied；　recovering　his　severity。　〃We　will　not　contradict　the　Ranyhyn　concerning　you。　I　saw…I　would　not　have　believed　if　I　had　not　seen。　To　rear！　Hurt　as　they　are！　You　need　not　fear　us。　But　your　panions　are　another　matter。　The　woman''…he　made　an　effort　to　speak　calmly…〃I　do　not　distrust。　Her　love　for　the　Manes　is　in　her　face。　But　this　Giant…he　must　prove　himself。〃
　　　　〃I　hear　you；　Manethrall；〃　said　Foamfollower　quietly。　〃I　will　respec