srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第69部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

es。　Within　a　short　time；　Revelstone　was　under　assault　all　along　its　south　and　north　faces。
　　　　But　the　ancient　Giants　who　made　Lord's　Keep　had　built　well　to　defend　against　such　an　attack。　Even　the　lowest　parapets　were　high　off　the　ground；　they　could　be　sealed　off；　so　that　the　attackers　were　denied　access　to　the　city；　they　were　defended　by　positions　higher　still　in　the　walls。　And　Warmark　Quaan　had　drilled　the　Warward　year　after　year；　preparing　it　for　just　this　kind　of　battle。　The　prearranged　defenses　of　the　Keep　sprang　into　action　instantly　as　alarms　sounded　throughout　the　city。　Warriors　left　secondary　tasks　and　ran　to　the　battlements；　relays　formed　to　supply　the　upper　defenses　with　arrows　and　other　weapons；　concerted　Eoman　charged　the　Cavewights　and　ur…viles　which　breached　the　lower　abutments。　Then　came　Lore　wardens；　Hirebrands；　Gravelingases。　Lorewardens　repulsed　the　attacks　with　songs　of　power；　while　Hirebrands　set　fire　to　the　ladders；　and　Gravelingases　braced　the　walls　themselves　against　the　strength　of　the　Cavewights。
　　　　As　he　manded　the　struggle　from　a　coign　in　the　upper　walls；　Quaan　soon　saw　that　his　warriors　could　have　repulsed　this　assault　if　they　had　not　been　outnumbered　thirty　or　more　to　one…if　every　life　in　his　army　had　not　been　so　vital；　and　every　life　in　the　Raver's　so　insignificant。　But　the　Warward　was　outnumbered；　it　needed　help。　In　response　to　the　fragmentary　reports　which　reached　him　from　the　Close…reports　of　fire　and　power　and　immense　relief…he　sent　an　urgent　messenger　to　summon　the　Lords　to　Revelstone's　aid。
　　　　The　messenger　found　High　Lord　Mhoram　in　the　Close；　but　Mhoram　did　not　respond　to　Quaan's　call。　It　only　reached　the　outskirts　of　his　mind；　and　he　held　it　gently　distant；　away　from　himself。　When　he　heard　one　of　the　guards　explain　to　the　messenger　what　had　transpired　in　the　fire…ruined　Close；　he　let　his　own　awareness　of　the　battle　slip　away…let　all　thought　of　the　present　danger　drop　from　him；　and　gave　himself　to　the　melding　of　the　Lords。
　　　　They　sat　on　the　slumped　floor　around　the　graveling　pit　with　their　staffs　on　the　stone　before　them…Trevor　and　Loerya　on　Mhoram's　left；　Amatin　on　his　right。　In　his　trembling　hands；　the　krill　blazed　in　hot　affirmation　of　white　gold。　Yet　he　barely　saw　the　light；　his　eyes　were　heat…scorched；　and　he　was　blinded　by　tears　of　release　that　would　not　stop。　Through　the　silent　contact　of　the　meld；　he　spread　strength　about　him；　and　shared　knowledge　which　had　burdened　him　more　than　he　had　ever　realized。　He　told　his　fellow　Lords　how　he　had　been　able　to　remove　the　krill　from　its　stone　rest；　and　why　now　it　did　not　burn　his　vulnerable　flesh。
　　　　He　could　feel　Amatin　shrink　from　what　he　said；　feel　Trevor　shake　with　a　pain　that　only　in　part　came　from　his　injury；　feel　Loerya　appraise　his　munication　as　she　might　have　appraised　any　new　weapon。　To　each　of　them；　he　gave　himself；　he　showed　them　his　conviction；　his　understanding；　his　strength。　And　he　held　the　proof　in　his　hands；　so　that　they　could　not　doubt　him。　With　such　evidence　shining　amid　the　ravage　of　the　Close；　they　followed　the　process　which　had　led　him　to　his　secret　knowledge　and　shared　the　dismay　which　had　taught　him　to　keep　it　secret。
　　　　Finally；　Lord　Amatin　framed　her　question　aloud。　It　was　too　large　for　silence；　it　required　utterance；　so　that　Revelstone　itself　could　hear　it。　She　swallowed　awkwardly；　then　floated　words　in　the　untarnished　acoustics　of　the　chamber。　〃So　it　is　we…we　ourselves　who　have…for　so　many　generations　the　Lords　themselves　have　inured　themselves　to　the　power　of　Kevin's　Lore。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　Lord；〃　Mhoram　whispered；　knowing　that　everyone　in　the　Close　could　hear　him。
　　　　〃The　Oath　of　Peace　has　prevented…〃
　　　　〃Yes；　Lord。〃
　　　　Her　breathing　shuddered　for　a　moment。　〃Then　we　are　lost。〃
　　　　Mhoram　felt　the　lorn　dilemma　in　her　words　and　stood　up　within　himself；　pulling　the　authority　of　his　High　Lordship　about　his　shoulders。　〃No。〃
　　　　〃Without　power；　we　are　lost；〃　she　countered。　〃Without　the　Oath　of　Peace；　we　are　not　who　we　are；　and　we　are　lost。〃
　　　　〃Thomas　Covenant　has　returned；〃　responded　Loerya。
　　　　Brusquely；　Amatin　put　this　hope　aside。　〃Nevertheless。　Either　he　has　no　power；　or　his　power　violates　the　Peace　with　which　we　have　striven　to　serve　the　Land。　Thus　also　we　are　lost。〃
　　　　〃No；〃　the　High　Lord　repeated。　〃Not　lost。　We…and　ur…Lord　Covenant…must　find　the　wisdom　to　attain　both　Peace　and　power。　We　must　retain　our　knowledge　of　who　we　are；　or　we　will　despair　as　Kevin　Land…waster　despaired；　in　Desecration。　Yet　we　must　also　retain　this　knowledge　of　power；　or　we　will　have　failed　to　do　our　utmost　for　the　Land。　Perhaps　the　future　Lords　will　find　that　they　must　turn　from　Kevin's　Lore…that　they　must　find　lore　of　their　own；　lore　which　is　not　so　apt　for　destruction。　We　have　no　time　for　such　a　quest。　Knowing　the　peril　of　this　power；　we　must　cling　to　ourselves　all　the　more；　so　that　we　do　not　betray　the　Land。〃
　　　　His　words　seemed　to　ring　in　the　Close；　and　time　passed　before　Amatin　said　painfully；　〃You　offer　us　things　which　contradict　each　other；　and　tell　us　that　we　must　preserve　both；　achieve　both　together。　Such　counsel　is　easily　spoken。〃
　　　　In　silence；　the　High　Lord　strove　to　share　with　her　his　sense　of　how　the　contradiction　might　be　mastered；　made　whole；　he　let　his　love　for　the　Land；　for　Revelstone；　for　her；　flow　openly　into　her　mind。　And　he　smiled　as　he　heard　Lord　Trevor　say　slowly；　〃It　may　be　done。　I　have　felt　something　akin　to　it。　What　little　strength　I　have　returned　to　me　when　the　Keep's　need　became　larger　for　me　than　my　fear　of　the　Keep's　foe。〃
　　　　〃Fear；〃　Loerya　echoed　in　assent。
　　　　And　Mhoram　added；　〃Fear…or　hatred。〃
　　　　A　moment　later；　Amatin　began　to　weep　quietly　in　prehension。　With　Loerya　and　Trevor；　Mhoram　wrapped　courage　around　her　and　held　her　until　her　dread　of　her　own　danger；　her　own　capacity　to　Desecrate　the　Land；　relaxed。　Then　the　High　Lord　put　down　the　krill　and　opened　his　eyes　to　the　Close。
　　　　Dimly；　blurrily；　his　sight　made　out　Hearthrall　Tohrm　and　Trell。　Trell　still　huddled　within　himself；　shirking　the　horror　of　what　he　had　done。　And　Tohrm　cradled　his　head；　miserating　in　rhadhamaerl　grief　with　the　torment　of　soul　which　could　turn　a　Gravelingas　against　beloved　stone。　They　were　silent；　and　Mhoram　gazed　at　them　as　if　he　were　to　blame　for　Trell's　plight。
　　　　But　before　he　could　speak；　another　messenger　from　Warmark　Quaan　arrived　in　the　Close；　demanded　notice。　When　the　High　Lord　looked　up　at　him；　the　messenger　repeated　Quaan's　urgent　call　for　help。
　　　　〃Soon；〃　Mhoram　sighed；　〃soon。　Tell　my　friend　that　we　will　e　when　we　are　able。　The　Lord　Trevor　is　wounded。　I　am〃…with　a　brief　gesture；　he　indicated　the　scalded　skin　of　his　head…〃the　Lord　Amatin　and　I　must　have　food　and　rest。　And　the　Lord　Loerya…〃
　　　　〃　I　will　go；〃　Loerya　said　firmly。　〃　I　have　not　yet　fought　as　I　should　for　Revelstone。''　To　the　messenger；　she　responded；　''Take　me　to　the　place　of　greatest　need；　then　carry　the　High　Lord's　reply　to　Warmark　Quaan。〃　Moving　confidently；　as　if　the　new　discovery　of　power　answered　her　darkest　doubts；　she　climbed　the　stairs　and　followed　the　warrior　away　toward　the　south　wall　of　the　Keep。
　　　　As　she　departed；　she　sent　the　guards　to　call　the　Healers　and　bring　food。　The　other　Lords　were　left　alone　for　a　short　time；　and　Tohrm　took　that　opportunity　to　ask　Mhoram　what　was　to　be　done　with　Trell。
　　　　Mhoram　gazed　around　the　ruined　galleries　as　if　he　were　trying　to　estimate　the　degree　to　which　he　had　failed　Trell。　He　knew　that　generations　of　rhadhamaerl　work　would　be　required　to　restore　some　measure　of　the　chamber's　useful　Tightness；　and　tears　blurred　his　vision　again　as　he　said　to　Tohrm；　〃The　Healers　must　work　with　him。　Perhaps　they　will　be　able　to　restore　his　mind。〃
　　　　〃What　will　be　the　good？　How　will　he　endure　the　knowledge　of　what　he　has　done？〃
　　　　〃We　must　help　him　to　endure。　I　must　help　him。　We　must　attempt　all　healing；　no　matter　how　difficult。　And　I　who　have　failed　him　cannot　deny　the　burden　of　his　need　now。〃
　　　　〃Failed　him？〃　Trevor　asked。　The　pain　of　his　injury　had　drawn　the　blood　from　his　face；　but　he　had　not　lost　the　mood　which　had　inspired　him　to　bear　such　a　great　share　of　the　Keep's　defense。　〃In　what　way？　You　did　not　cause　his　despair。　Had　you　treated　him　with　distrust；　you　would　have　achieved　nothing　but　the　confirmation　of　his　distress。　Distrust…vindicates　itself。〃
　　　　Mhoram　nodded。　〃And　I　distrusted…I　distrusted　all。　I　kept　knowledge　secret　even　while　I　knew　the　keeping　wrong。　It　is　fortunate　that　the　harm　was　no　greater。〃
　　　　〃Yet　you　could　not　prevent…〃
　　　　〃Perhaps。　And　perhaps…if　I　had　shared　my　knowledge　with　him；　so　that　he　had　known　his　peril…known…　Perhaps　he　might　have　found　the　strength　to　remember　himself…remember　that　he　was　a　Gravelingas　of　the　rhadhamaerl；　a　lover　of　stone。〃
　　　　Tohrm　agreed　stiffly；　and　his　sympathy　for　Trell　made　him　say；　〃You　have　erred；　High　Lord。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　Hearthrall；〃　Mhoram　replied　with　deep　gentleness　in　his　voice。　〃I　am　who　I　am…both　human　and　mortal。　I　have…much　to　learn。〃
　　　　Tohrm　blinked　fiercely；　ducked　his　head。　The　tautness　of　his　shoulders　looked　like　anger；　but　Mhoram　had　shared　an　ordeal　with　the　Hearthrall；　and　understood　him　better。
　　　　A　moment　later；　several　Healers　hurried　into　the　Close。　They　brought