srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第85部分

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　you。　I　do　not　doubt　that　a　Giant　may　find　a　tunnel　within　the　maze。　But　on　that　road　all　Corruption's　defending　armies　stand　before　you。　You　cannot　pass。
　　　　〃I　will　tell　you　of　a　passage　through　the　Shattered　Hills　on　their　southward　side。　The　narrowest　point　of　Hotash　Slay　is　there；　where　the　lava　pours　through　a　gash　in　the　cliff　into　the　Sea。　A　Giant　may　find　crossing　in　that　place。〃　He　spoke　as　if　he　were　discussing　a　convenient　path　among　mountains；　not　an　approach　to　the　Corrupter　of　the　Bloodguard。　〃In　that　way；　it　may　be　that　you　will　take　Ridjeck　Thome　by　surprise。〃
　　　　Foamfollower　absorbed　this　information；　and　nodded。　Then　he　listened　closely　while　Bannor　detailed　his　route　through　the　maze　of　Kurash　Qwellinir。　Covenant　tried　to　listen　also；　but　his　attention　wandered。　He　seemed　to　hear　Landsdrop　calling　to　him。　Imminent　vertigo　foiled　his　concentration。　Elena；　he　breathed　to　himself。　He　called　her　up　in　his　mind；　hoping　that　her　image　would　steady　him。　But　the　emerald　radiance　of　her　fate　made　him　wince　and　groan。
　　　　No！　he　averred　into　the　approach　of　dizziness。　It　doesn't　have　to　be　that　way。　It's　my　dream。　I　can　do　something　about　it。
　　　　Foamfollower　and　Bannor　were　looking　at　him　strangely。　His　fingers　gripped　them　feebly；　urgently。　He　could　not　take　his　eyes　off　the　waterfall's　rush。　It　called　him　downward　like　the　allure　of　death。
　　　　He　took　a　deep　breath。　Finger　by　finger；　he　forced　himself　to　release　his　friends。　〃Let's　get　going；〃　he　murmured。　〃I　can't　stand　any　more　waiting。〃
　　　　The　Giant　hefted　his　sack。　〃I　am　ready；〃　he　said。　〃Our　supplies　are　scant…but　we　have　no　recourse。　We　must　hope　for　aliantha　on　the　Lower　Land。〃
　　　　Without　looking　away　from　the　Fall；　Covenant　addressed　Bannor。　He　could　not　ask　the　Bloodguard　to　change　his　decision；　so　he　said；　〃You'll　bury　Triock？　He's　earned　a　decent　grave。〃
　　　　Banner　nodded；　then　said；　〃I　will　do　another　thing　also。''　He　reached　one　hand　into　his　short　robe　and　drew　out　the　charred　metal　heels　of　the　Staff　of　Law。　〃I　will　bear　these　to　Revelstone。　When　the　time　of　my　end　es　upon　me；　I　will　return　to　the　mountain　home　of　the　Haruchai。　On　the　way；　I　will　visit　Revelstone…if　the　Lords　and　Lord's　Keep　still　stand。　I　know　not　what　value　may　remain　in　this　metal；　but　perhaps　the　survivors　of　this　war　will　find　some　use　for　it。〃
　　　　Thank　you；　Covenant　whispered　silently。
　　　　Banner　put　the　bands　away　and　bowed　once　briefly　to　Covenant　and　Foamfollower。　〃Look　for　help　wherever　you　go；〃　he　said。　〃Even　in　the　Spoiled　Plains；　Corruption　is　not　entirely　master。〃　Before　they　could　reply；　he　turned　and　trotted　away　toward　the　Colossus。　As　he　passed　over　the　hilltop；　his　back　told　them　as　clearly　as　speech　that　they　would　never　see　him　again。
　　　　Bannor！　Covenant　groaned。　Was　it　that　bad？　He　felt　bereft；　deserted；　as　if　half　his　support　had　been　taken　away。
　　　　〃Gently；　my　friend；〃　Foamfollower　breathed。　〃He　has　turned　his　back　on　vengeance。　Two　thousand　years　and　more　of　pure　service　were　violated　for　him…yet　he　chooses　not　to　avenge　them。　Such　choices　are　not　easily　made。　They　are　not　easily　borne。　Retribution…ah；　my　friend；　retribution　is　the　sweetest　of　all　dark　sweet　dreams。〃
　　　　Covenant　found　himself　still　staring　at　the　waterfall。　The　plex　plunge　of　the　river　had　a　sweetness　all　its　own。　He　shook　himself。　〃Hell…fire。〃　The　emptiness　of　his　curses　seemed　appropriate　to　his　condition。　〃Are　we　going　to　do　it　or　aren't　we？〃
　　　　〃We　will　go。〃　Covenant　felt　the　Giant's　gaze　on　him　without　meeting　it。　〃Covenant…ur…Lord…there　is　no　need　for　you　to　endure　this　descent。　Close　your　eyes；　and　I　will　bear　you　as　I　did　from　Kevin's　Watch。〃
　　　　Covenant　hardly　heard　himself　answer；　''That　was　a　long　time　ago。''　Vertigo　was　beginning　to　reel　in　his　head。　〃I've　got　to　do　this　for　myself。　For　a　moment；　he　let　slip　his　resistance　and　almost　fell　to　his　knees。　As　the　suction　tugged　at　his　mind；　he　prehended　that　he　would　have　to　go　into　it　rather　than　away　from　it；　that　the　only　way　to　master　vertigo　was　to　find　its　center。　Somewhere　in　the　center　of　the　spinning　would　be　an　eye；　a　core　of　stability。　〃Just　go　ahead…so　you　can　catch　me。''　Only　in　the　eye　of　the　whirl　could　he　find　solid　ground。
　　　　Foamfollower　regarded　him　dubiously；　then　started　down　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff　near　the　Fall。　With　Covenant　limping　in　his　wake；　he　went　to　the　rim；　glanced　down　to　pick　the　best　place　for　a　descent；　then　lowered　himself　out　of　sight　over　the　edge。
　　　　Covenant　stood　for　a　moment　teetering　on　the　lip　of　Landsdrop。　The　Fall　yawed　abysmally　from　side　to　side；　it　beckoned　to　him　like　relief　from　delirium。　It　was　such　an　easy　answer。　As　his　vertigo　mounted；　he　did　not　see　how　he　could　refuse　it。
　　　　But　its　upsurge　made　his　pulse　hammer　in　his　wounded　forehead。　He　spun　around　that　pain　as　if　it　were　a　pivot；　and　found　that　the　seductive　panic　of　the　plunge　was　fading。　The　simple　hope　that　vertigo　had　a　firm　center　seemed　to　make　his　hope　e　true。　The　whirl　did　not　stop；　but　its　hold　on　him　receded；　withdrew　into　the　background。　Slowly；　the　pounding　in　his　forehead　eased。
　　　　He　did　not　fall。
　　　　He　felt　as　weak　as　a　starving　penitent…hardly　able　to　carry　his　own　weight。　But　he　knelt　on　the　edge；　lowered　his　legs　over　the　rim。　Clinging　to　the　top　of　the　cliff　with　his　arms　and　stomach；　he　began　to　hunt　blindly　for　footholds。　Soon　he　was　crawling　backward　down　Landsdrop　as　if　it　were　the　precipice　of　his　personal　future。
　　　　The　descent　took　a　long　time；　but　it　was　not　particularly　difficult。　Foamfollower　protected　him　all　the　way　down　each　stage　of　the　broken　cliff。　And　the　steeper　drops　were　moderated　by　enough　ledges　and　cracks　and　hardy　scrub　brush　to　make　that　whole　stretch　of　the　cliff　passable。　The　Giant　had　no　trouble　finding　a　route　Covenant　could　manage；　and　Covenant　eventually　gained　a　measure　of　confidence；　so　that　he　was　able　to　move　with　less　help　down　the　last　stages　to　the　foothills。
　　　　When　at　last　he　reached　the　lower　ground；　he　took　his　drained　nerves　straight　to　the　pool　at　the　foot　of　the　Fall　and　dropped　into　the　chill　waters　to　wash　away　the　accumulated　sweat　of　his　fear。
　　　　While　Covenant　bathed；　Foamfollower　filled　his　water　jug　and　drank　deeply　at　the　pool。　This　might　be　the　last　safe　water　they　would　find。　Then　the　Giant　set　out　the　graveling　for　Covenant。　As　the　Unbeliever　dried　himself；　he　asked　Foamfollower　how　long　their　food　supplies　would　last。
　　　　The　Giant　grimaced。　〃Two　days。　Three　or　four；　if　we　find　aliantha　a　day　or　two　into　the　Spoiled　Plains。　But　we　are　far　from　Foul'　s　Creche。　Even　if　we　were　to　run　straight　into　Soulcrusher's　arms；　we　would　have　three　or　tour　foodless　days　within　us　before　he　made　sustenance　unnecessary。〃　Then　he　grinned。　〃But　it　is　said　that　hunger　teaches　many　things。　My　friend；　a　wealth　of　wisdom　awaits　us　on　this　journey。〃
　　　　Covenant　shivered。　He　had　had　some　experience　with　hunger。　And　now　the　possibility　of　starvation　lay　ahead　of　him；　his　forehead　had　been　reinjured；　he　would　have　to　walk　a　long　distance　on　bare　feet。　One　by　one　the　conditions　of　his　return　to　his　own　life　were　being　met。　As　he　tightened　the　sash　of　his　robe；　he　muttered　sourly；　〃I　heard　Mhoram　say　once　that　wisdom　is　only　skin…deep。　Or　something　like　that。　Which　means　that　lepers　must　be　the　wisest　people　in　the　world。〃
　　　　〃Are　they？〃　the　Giant　asked。　〃Are　you　wise；　Unbeliever？〃
　　　　〃Who　knows？　If　I　am…wisdom　is　overrated。〃
　　　　At　this；　Foamfollower's　grin　broadened。　〃Perhaps　it　is…perhaps　it　is。　My　friend；　we　are　the　two　wisest　hearts　in　the　Land…we　who　march　thus　weaponless　and　unredeemed　into　the　very　bosom　of　the　Despiser。　Verily；　wisdom　is　like　hunger。　Perhaps　it　is　a　very　fine　thing…but　who　would　willingly　partake　of　it？〃
　　　　Despite　the　absence　of　the　wind；　the　air　was　still　wintry。　Knuckles　of　ice　clenched　the　rocky　borders　of　the　pool　where　the　spray　of　the　Fall　had　frozen；　and　Foamfollower's　breath　plumed　wetly　in　the　humid　air。　Covenant　needed　to　move　to　warm　himself；　keep　up　his　courage。　〃It's　not　fine；〃　he　grated；　half　to　himself。　〃But　it's　useful。　e　on。〃
　　　　Foamfollower　repacked　his　graveling；　then　swung　the　sack　onto　his　broad　shoulder；　and　led　Covenant　away　from　Landsdrop　along　the　river。
　　　　Night　stopped　them　when　they　had　covered　only　three　or　four　leagues。　But　by　that　time　they　had　left　behind　the　foothills　and　the　last　vestiges　of　the　un…Spoiled　flatland　which　had　at　one　time；　ages　ago　in　the　history　of　the　Earth；　stretched　from　the　Southron　Wastes　north　to　the　Sarangrave　and　Lifeswallower；　the　Great　Swamp。　They　were　down　in　the　bosk　of　the　Ruinwash。
　　　　Gray；　brittle；　dead　brush　and　trees…cottonwoods；　junipers；　once…beautiful　tamarisks…stood　up　out　of　the　dried　mud　on　both　sides　of　the　stream；　occupying　ground　which　had　once　been　part　of　the　riverbed。　But　the　Ruinwash　had　shrunk　decades　or　centuries　ago；　leaving　partially　fertile　mud　on　either　side…mud　in　which　a　scattering　of　tough　trees　and　brush　had　eked　out　a　bare　existence　until　Lord　Foul's　preternatural　winter　had　blasted　them。　As　darkness　soaked　into　the　air　as　if　it　were　oozing　out　of　the　ground；　the　trees　became　spectral　shapes　of　forbidding　which　made　the　bosk　almost　impassable。　Covenant　resigned　himself　to　camping　ther