srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第70部分

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d　understood　him　better。
　　　　A　moment　later；　several　Healers　hurried　into　the　Close。　They　brought　with　them　two　stretchers；　and　carefully　bore　Trell　away　in　one。　Lord　Trevor　they　carried　in　the　other；　peremptorily　ignoring　his　protests。　Tohrm　went　with　Trell。　Soon　Mhoram　and　Amatin　were　left　with　the　warrior　who　brought　their　food；　and　a　Healer　who　softly　applied　a　soothing　ointment　to　the　High　Lord's　burns。
　　　　Once　Mhoram's　hurts　had　been　treated；　he　dismissed　the　warrior　and　the　Healer。　He　knew　that　Amatin　would　want　to　speak　with　him；　and　he　cleared　the　way　for　her　before　he　began　to　eat。　Then　he　turned　to　the　food。　Through　his　weariness；　he　ate　deliberately；　husbanding　his　strength　so　that　when　he　was　done　he　would　be　able　to　return　to　his　work。
　　　　Lord　Amatin　matched　his　silence；　she　seemed　to　match　the　very　rhythm　of　his　jaws；　as　if　his　example　were　her　only　support　in　the　face　of　a　previously　unguessed　peril。　Mhoram　sensed　that　her　years　of　devotion　to　Kevin's　Wards　had　left　her　peculiarly　unprepared　for　what　he　had　told　her；　her　trust　in　the　Lore　of　the　Old　Lords　had　been　exceedingly　great。　So　he　kept　silent　while　he　ate；　and　when　he　was　done；　he　remained　still；　resting　himself　while　he　waited　for　her　to　speak　what　was　in　her　heart。
　　　　But　her　question；　when　it　came；　took　a　form　he　had　not　anticipated。　〃High　Lord；〃　she　said　with　a　covert　nod　toward　the　krill；　〃if　Thomas　Covenant　has　returned　to　the　Land…who　summoned　him？　How　was　that　call　performed？　And　where　is　he？〃
　　　　〃Amatin…〃　Mhoram　began。
　　　　〃Who　but　the　Despiser　could　do　such　a　thing？〃
　　　　〃There　are…〃
　　　　〃And　if　this　is　not　Lord　Foul's　doing；　then　where　has　Covenant　appeared？　How　can　he　aid　us　if　he　is　not　here？〃
　　　　〃He　will　not　aid　us。〃　Mhoram　spoke　firmly　to　stop　the　tumble　of　her　questions。　〃If　there　is　help　to　be　found　in　him；　it　will　be　aid　for　the　Land；　not　aid　for　us　against　this　siege。　There　are　other　places　from　which　he　may　serve　the　Land…yes；　and　other　summoners　also。　We　and　Lord　Foul　are　not　the　only　powers。　The　Creator　himself　may　act　to　meet　this　need。〃
　　　　Her　waifish　eyes　probed　him；　trying　to　locate　the　source　of　his　serenity。　〃I　lack　your　faith　in　this　Creator。　Even　if　such　a　being　lives；　the　Law　which　preserves　the　Earth　precludes…　Do　not　the　legends　say　that　if　the　Creator　were　to　break　the　arch　of　Time　to　place　his　hand　upon　the　Earth；　then　the　arch　and　all　things　in　it　would　e　to　an　end；　and　the　Despiser　would　be　set　free？〃
　　　　〃That　is　said；〃　Mhoram　affirmed。　〃I　do　not　doubt　it。　Yet　the　doom　of　any　creation　is　upon　the　head　of　its　Creator。　Our　work　is　enough　for　us。　We　need　not　weary　ourselves　with　the　burdens　of　gods。〃
　　　　Amatin　sighed。　〃You　speak　with　conviction；　High　Lord。　If　I　were　to　say　such　things；　they　would　sound　glib。〃
　　　　〃Then　do　not　say　them。　I　speak　only　of　what　gives　me　courage。　You　are　a　different　person　and　will　have　a　different　courage。　Only　remember　that　you　are　a　Lord；　a　servant　of　the　Land…remember　the　love　that　brought　you　to　this　work；　and　do　not　falter。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　High　Lord；〃　she　replied；　looking　intensely　into　him。　〃Yet　I　do　not　trust　this　power　which　makes　Desecration　possible。　I　will　not　hazard　it。〃
　　　　Her　gaze　turned　him　back　to　the　krill。　Its　white　gem　flamed　at　him　like　the　light　of　a　paradox；　a　promise　of　life　and　death。　Slowly；　he　reached　out　and　touched　its　hilt。　But　his　exaltation　had　faded；　and　the　krill's　heat　made　him　withdraw　his　hand。
　　　　He　smiled　crookedly。　〃Yes；〃　he　breathed　as　if　he　were　speaking　to　the　blade；　〃it　is　a　hazard。　I　am　very　afraid。''　Carefully；　he　took　a　cloth　from　within　his　robe；　carefully；　he　wrapped　the　krill　and　set　it　aside　until　it　could　be　taken　to　a　place　where　the　Lorewardens　could　study　it。　Then　he　glanced　up　and　saw　that　Amatin　was　trying　to　smile　also。
　　　　〃e；　sister　Amatin；〃　he　said　to　her　bravery；　〃we　have　delayed　our　work　too　long。〃
　　　　Together；　they　made　their　way　to　the　battle；　and　with　Lord　Loerya　they　called　fire　from　their　staffs　to　throw　back　the　hordes　of　the　Despiser。
　　　　The　three　were　joined　late　in　the　afternoon　by　a　bandaged　and　hobbling　Trevor。　But　by　that　time；　Revelstone　had　survived　the　worst　frenzy　of　Satansfist's　assault。　The　Lords　had　given　the　Warward　the　support　it　needed。　Under　Quaan's　stubborn　mand；　the　warriors　held　back　the　onslaught。　Wherever　the　Lords　worked；　the　casualties　among　the　defenders　dropped　almost　to　nothing；　and　the　losses　of　the　attackers　increased　vastly。　In　this　kind　of　battle；　the　ur…viles　could　not　focus　their　power　effectively。　As　a　result；　the　Lords　were　able　to　wreak　a　prodigious　ruin　among　the　Cavewights　and　other　creatures。　Before　the　shrouded　day　had　limped　into　night；　samadhi　Raver　called　back　his　forces。
　　　　But　this　time　he　did　not　allow　the　Keep　to　rest。　His　attacks　began　again　shortly　after　dark。　Under　the　cover　of　cold　winter　blackness；　ur…viles　rushed　forward　to　throw　liquid　vehemence　at　the　battlements；　and　behind　them　tight　panies　of　creatures　charged；　carrying　shields　and　ladders。　Gone　now　was　the　haphazard　fury　of　the　assault；　the　unconcerted　wild　attempt　to　breach　the　whole　Keep　at　once。　In　its　place　were　precision　and　purpose。　Growling　with　hunger；　the　hordes　shaped　themselves　to　the　task　of　wearing　down　Revelstone　as　swiftly　and　efficiently　as　possible。
　　　　In　the　days　that　followed；　there　was　no　let　to　the　fighting。　Satansfist　controlled　his　assaults　so　that　his　losses　did　not　significantly　outrun　the　constant　arrival　of　his　reinforcements；　but　he　exerted　pressure　remorselessly；　allowing　the　warriors　no　respite　in　which　to　recover。　Despite　Quaan's　best　efforts　to　rotate　his　Eoman　and　Howard；　so　that　each　could　rest　in　turn；　the　Warward　grew　more　and　more　weary…and　weary　warriors　were　more　easily　slain。　And　those　who　fell　could　not　be　replaced。
　　　　But　the　Warward　did　not　have　to　carry　the　burden　of　this　battle　alone。　Gravelingases　and　Hirebrands　and　Lore　wardens　fought　as　well。　People　who　had　no　other　urgent　work…homeless　farmers　and　Cattleherds；　artists；　even　older　children…took　over　supporting　tasks；　they　supplied　arrows　and　other　weapons；　stood　sentry　duty；　ran　messages。　Thus　many　Eoman　were　freed　for　either　bat　or　rest。　And　the　Lords　rushed　into　action　whenever　Quaan　requested　their　aid。　They　were　potent　and　pelling；　in　their　separate　ways；　they　fought　with　the　hard　strength　of　people　who　knew　themselves　capable　of　Desecration　and　did　not　intend　to　be　driven　to　that　extreme。
　　　　Thus　Lord's　Keep　endured。　Eoman　after　Eoman　fell　in　battle　every　day；　food　stores　shrank；　the　Healers'　supplies　of　herbs　and　poultices　dwindled。　Strain　carved　the　faces　of　the　people；　cut　away　fortable　flesh　until　their　skulls　seemed　to　be　covered　by　nothing　but　pressure　and　apprehension。　But　Revelstone　protected　its　inhabitants；　and　they　endured。
　　　　At　first；　the　Lords　concentrated　their　attention　on　the　needs　of　the　battle。　Instinctively；　they　shied　away　from　their　dangerous　knowledge。　They　spent　their　energy　in　work　and　fighting；　rather　than　in　studying　last　resorts。　But　when　the　continuous　adumbrations　of　assault　had　echoed　through　the　Keep　for　six　days；　High　Lord　Mhoram　found　that　he　had　begun　to　dread　the　moment　when　Satansfist　would　change　his　tactics…when　the　Raver　and　his　master　were　ready　to　use　the　Stone　and　the　Staff　again。　And　during　the　seventh　night；　Mhoram's　sleep　was　troubled　by　dim　dreams　like　shadows　of　his　former　visionary　nightmares。　Time　and　again；　he　felt　that　he　could　almost　hear　somewhere　in　the　depths　of　his　soul　the　sound　of　an　Unfettered　One　screaming。　He　awoke　in　an　inchoate　sweat；　and　hastened　upland　to　see　if　anything　had　happened　to　the　Unfettered　One　of　Glimmermere。
　　　　The　One　was　safe　and　well；　as　were　Loerya's　daughters。　But　this　did　not　relieve　Mhoram。　It　left　a　chill　in　the　marrow　of　his　bones　like　an　echo　of　winter。　He　felt　sure　that　someone；　somewhere；　had　been　slain　in　torment。　Straightening　himself　against　the　shiver　of　dread；　he　called　the　other　Lords　to　a　Council；　where　for　the　first　time　he　raised　the　question　of　how　their　new　knowledge　could　be　used　against　the　Despiser。
　　　　His　question　sparked　unspoken　trepidations　in　them　all。　Amatin　stared　widely　at　the　High　Lord；　Trevor　winced；　Loerya　studied　her　hands…and　Mhoram　felt　the　acuteness　of　their　reaction　as　if　they　were　saying；　Do　you　think　then　that　we　should　repeat　the　work　of　Kevin　Landwaster？　But　he　knew　they　did　not　intend　that　accusation。　He　waited　for　them；　and　at　last　Loerya　found　her　voice。　〃When　you　defended　the　Close…you　worked　against　another's　wrong。　How　will　you　control　this　power　if　you　initiate　it？〃
　　　　Mhoram　had　no　answer。
　　　　Shortly；　Trevor　forced　himself　to　add；　〃We　have　nothing　through　which　we　could　channel　such　might。　It　is　in　my　heart　that　our　staffs　would　not　suffice…they　would　not　be　strong　to　control　power　of　that　extent。　We　lack　the　Staff　of　Law；　and　I　know　of　no　other　tool　equal　to　this　demand。〃
　　　　〃And；〃　Amatin　said　sharply；　〃this　knowledge　in　which　you　dare　to　put　your　faith　did　not　suffice　for　High　Lord　Kevin　son　of　Loric。　It　only　increased　the　cost　of　his　despair。　I　have…I　have　given　my　life　to　his　Lore；　and　I　speak　truly。　Such　power　is　a　snare　and　a　delusion。　It　cannot　be　controlled。　It　strikes　the　hand　that　wields　it。　Better　to　die　in　the