uleg.thefarthestshore-第25部分

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　　Sparrowhawk　got　up　stiffly；　for　he　was　still　far　from　being　fully　healed　of　his　wound。　〃I　am　tired　of　sitting　about；〃　he　said。　〃I　shall　grow　fat　in　idleness。〃　He　began　to　pace　the　length　of　the　raft；　and　Arren　joined　him。　They　talked　a　little　as　they　walked；　Arren　told　Sparrowhawk　how　he　spent　his　days；　who　his　friends　among　the　raft…folk　were。　Sparrowhawk's　restlessness　was　greater　than　his　strength；　which　soon　gave　out。　He　stopped　by　a　girl　who　was　weaving　nilgu　on　her　loom　behind　the　House　of　the　Great　Ones；　asking　her　to　seek　out　the　chief　for　him；　and　then　returned　to　his　shelter。　There　the　chief　of　the　raft…folk　came；　greeting　him　with　courtesy；　which　the　mage　returned；　and　all　three　of　them　sat　down　together　on　the　spotted　sealskin　rugs　of　the　shelter。
　　〃I　have　thought；〃　the　chief　began；　slowly　and　with　a　civil　solemnity；　〃of　the　things　you　have　told　me。　Of　how　men　think　to　e　back　from　death　into　their　own　bodies；　and　seeking　to　do　this　forget　the　worship　of　the　gods　and　neglect　their　bodies　and　go　mad。　This　is　an　evil　matter　and　a　great　folly。　Also　I　have　thought；　What　has　it　to　do　with　us？　We　have　nothing　to　do　with　other　men；　their　islands　and　their　ways；　their　makings　and　unmakings。　We　live　on　the　sea　and　our　lives　are　the　sea's。　We　do　not　hope　to　save　them；　we　do　not　seek　to　lose　them。　Madness　does　not　e　here。　We　do　not　e　to　land；　nor　do　the　land…folk　e　to　us。　When　I　was　young；　we　spoke　sometimes　with　men　who　came　on　boats　to　the　Long　Dune；　when　we　were　there　to　cut　the　raft…logs　and　build　the　winter　shelters。　Often　we　saw　sails　from　Ohol　and　Welwai　（so　he　called　Obehol　and　Wellogy）　following　the　grey　whales　in　the　autumn。　Often　they　followed　our　rafts　from　afar；　for　we　know　the　roads　and　meeting　places　of　the　Great　Ones　in　the　sea。　But　that　is　all　I　ever　saw　of　the　land…folk；　and　now　they　e　no　longer。　Maybe　they　have　all　gone　mad　and　fought　with　one　another。　Two　years　ago　on　the　Long　Dune　looking　north　to　Welwai　we　saw　for　three　days　the　smoke　of　a　great　burning：　And　if　that　were　so；　what　is　it　to　us？　We　are　the　Children　of　the　Open　Sea。　We　go　the　sea's　way。〃
　　〃Yet　seeing　a　landsman's　boat　adrift　you　came　to　it；〃　said　the　mage。
　　〃Some　among　us　said　it　was　not　wise　to　do　so；　and　would　have　let　the　boat　drift　on　to　sea's　end；〃　the　chief　answered　in　his　high；　impassive　voice。
　　〃You　were　not　one　of　them。〃
　　〃No。　I　said；　though　they　be　land…folk；　yet　we　will　help　them；　and　so　it　was　done。　But　with　your　undertakings　we　have　nothing　to　do。　If　there　is　a　madness　among　the　land…folk；　the　land…folk　must　deal　with　it。　We　follow　the　road　of　the　Great　Ones。　We　cannot　help　you　in　your　search。　So　long　as　you　wish　to　stay　with　us；　you　are　wele。　It　is　not　many　days　till　the　Long　Dance；　after　it　we　return　northward；　following　the　eastern　current　that　by　summer's　end　will　bring　us　round　again　to　the　seas　by　the　Long　Dune。　If　you　will　stay　with　us　and　be　healed　of　your　hurt；　this　will　be　well。　Or　if　you　will　take　your　boat　and　go　your　way；　this　too　will　be　well。〃
　　The　mage　thanked　him；　and　the　chief　got　up；　slight　and　stiff　as　a　heron；　and　left　them　alone　together。
　　〃In　innocence　there　is　no　strength　against　evil；〃　said　Sparrowhawk；　a　little　wryly。　〃But　there　is　strength　in　it　for　good。。。　We　shall　stay　with　them　a　while；　I　think；　till　I　am　cured　of　this　weakness。〃
　　〃That　is　wise；〃　said　Arren。　Sparrowhawk's　physical　frailty　had　shocked　and　moved　him；　he　had　determined　to　protect　the　man　from　his　own　energy　and　urgency；　to　insist　that　they　wait　at　least　until　he　was　free　of　pain　before　they　went　on。
　　The　mage　looked　at　him；　somewhat　startled　by　the　pliment。
　　〃They　are　kind　here；〃　Arren　pursued；　not　noticing。　〃They　seem　to　be　free　of　that　sickness　of　soul　they　had　in　Hort　Town　and　the　other　islands。　Maybe　there　is　no　island　where　we　would　have　been　helped　and　weled；　as　these　lost　people　have　done。〃
　　〃You　may　well　be　right。〃
　　〃And　they　lead　a　pleasant　life　in　summer。。。〃
　　〃They　do。　Though　to　eat　cold　fish　one's　whole　life　long；　and　never　to　see　a　pear…tree　in　blossom　or　taste　of　a　running　spring；　would　be　wearisome　at　last！〃
　　So　Arren　returned　to　Star's　raft；　worked　and　swam　and　basked　with　the　other　young　people；　talked　with　Sparrowhawk　in　the　cool　of　the　evening；　and　slept　under　the　stars。　And　the　days　wore　on　toward　the　Long　Dance　of　midsummer's　eve；　and　the　great　rafts　drifted　slowly　southward　on　the　currents　of　the　open　sea。
　
　Orm　Embar
　
　　All　night　long；　the　shortest　night　of　the　year；　torches　burned　on　the　rafts；　which　lay　gathered　in　a　great　circle　under　the　thick…starred　sky；　so　that　a　ring　of　fires　flickered　on　the　sea。　The　raft…folk　danced；　using　no　drum　or　flute　or　any　music　but　the　rhythm　of　bare　feet　on　the　great；　rocking　rafts；　and　the　thin　voices　of　their　chanters　ringing　plaintive　in　the　vastness　of　their　dwelling　place　the　sea。　There　was　no　moon　that　night；　and　the　bodies　of　the　dancers　were　dim　in　the　starlight　and　torchlight。　Now　and　again　one　flashed　like　a　fish　leaping；　a　youth　vaulting　from　one　raft　to　the　next：　long　leaps　and　high；　and　they　vied　with　one　another；　trying　to　circle　all　the　ring　of　rafts　and　dance　on　each；　and　so　e　round　before　the　break　of　day。
　　Arren　danced　with　them；　for　the　Long　Dance　is　held　on　every　isle　of　the　Archipelago；　though　the　steps　and　songs　may　vary。　But　as　the　night　drew　on；　and　many　dancers　dropped　out　and　settled　down　to　watch　or　doze；　and　the　voices　of　the　chanters　grew　husky；　he　came　with　a　group　of　high…leaping　lads　to　the　chief's　raft　and　there　stopped；　while　they　went　on。
　　Sparrowhawk　sat　with　the　chief　and　the　chiefs　three　wives；　near　the　temple。　Between　the　carven　whales　that　made　its　doorway　sat　a　chanter　whose　high　voice　had　not　flagged　all　night　long。　Tireless　he　sang；　tapping　his　hands　on　the　wooden　deck　to　keep　the　time。
　　〃What　does　he　sing　of？〃　Arren　asked　the　mage；　for　he　could　not　follow　the　words；　which　were　all　held　long；　with　trills　and　strange　catches　on　the　notes。
　　〃Of　the　grey　whales　and　the　albatross　and　the　storm。
　　They　do　not　know　the　songs　of　the　heroes　and　the　kings。　They　do　not　know　the　name　of　Erreth…Akbe。　Earlier　he　sang　of　Segoy；　how　he　established　the　lands　amid　the　sea；　that　much　they　remember　of　the　lore　of　men。　But　the　rest　is　all　of　the　sea。〃
　　Arren　listened：　he　heard　the　singer　imitate　the　whistling　cry　of　the　dolphin；　weaving　his　song　about　it。　He　watched　Sparrowhawk's　profile　against　the　torchlight；　black　and　firm　as　rock；　saw　the　liquid　gleam　of　the　chief's　wives'　eyes　as　they　chatted　softly；　felt　the　long；　slow　dip　of　the　raft　on　the　quiet　sea；　and　slipped　gradually　toward　sleep。
　　He　roused　all　at　once：　the　chanter　had　fallen　silent。　Not　only　the　one　near　whom　they　sat；　but　all　the　others；　on　the　rafts　near　and　far。　The　thin　voices　had　died　away　like　a　faroff　piping　of　sea　birds；　and　it　was　still。
　　Arren　looked　over　his　shoulder　to　the　east；　expecting　dawn。　But　only　the　old　moon　rode　low；　just　rising；　golden　among　the　summer　stars。
　　Then　looking　southward　he　saw；　high　up；　yellow　Gobardon；　and　below　it　the　eight　panions；　even　to　the　last：　the　Rune　of　Ending　clear　and　fiery　above　the　sea。　And　turning　to　Sparrowhawk；　he　saw　the　dark　face　turned　to　those　same　stars。
　　〃Why　do　you　cease？〃　the　chief　was　asking　the　singer。　〃It　is　not　daybreak；　not　even　dawn。〃
　　The　man　stammered　and　said；　〃I　do　not　know。〃
　　〃Sing　on！　The　Long　Dance　is　not　ended。〃
　　〃I　do　not　know　the　words；〃　the　chanter　said；　and　his　voice　rose　high　as　if　in　terror。　〃I　cannot　sing。　I　have　forgotten　the　song。〃
　　〃Sing　another；　then！〃
　　〃There　are　no　more　songs。　It　is　ended；〃　the　chanter　cried；　and　bent　forward　till　he　crouched　on　the　decking；　and　the　chief　stared　at　him　in　amazement。
　　The　rafts　rocked　beneath　their　sputtering　torches；　all　silent。　The　silence　of　the　ocean　enclosed　the　small　stir　of　life　and　light　upon　it　and　swallowed　it。　No　dancer　moved。
　　It　seemed　to　Arren　then　that　the　splendor　of　the　stars　dimmed；　and　yet　no　daylight　was　in　the　east。　A　horror　came　on　him；　and　he　thought；　〃There　will　be　no　sunrise。　There　will　be　no　day。〃
　　The　mage　stood　up。　As　he　did　so　a　faint　light；　white　and　quick；　ran　along　his　staff；　burning　clearest　in　the　rune　that　was　set　in　silver　in　the　wood。　〃The　dance　is　not　ended；〃　he　said；　〃nor　the　night。　Arren；　sing。〃
　　Arren　would　have　said；　〃I　cannot；　lord！〃…　but　instead　he　looked　at　the　nine　stars　in　the　south；　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　sang。　His　voice　was　soft　and　husky　at　first；　but　it　grew　stronger　as　he　sang；　and　the　song　was　that　oldest　song；　of　the　Creation　of　Ea；　and　the　balancing　of　the　dark　and　the　light；　and　the　making　of　green　lands　by　him　who　spoke　the　first　word；　the　Eldest　Lord；　Segoy。
　　Before　the　song　was　ended；　the　sky　had　paled　to　greyish…blue；　and　in　it　only　the　moon　and　Gobardon　still　burned　faintly。　The　torches　hissed　in　the　wind　of　dawn。　Then；　the　song　done；　Arren　was　silent；　and　the　dancers　who　had　gathered　to　listen　returned　quietly　from　raft　to　raft；　as　the　light　brightened　in　the　east。
　　〃That　is　a　good　song；〃　the　chief　said。　His　voice　was　uncertain；　though　he　strove　to　speak　impassively。　〃It　would　not　be　well　to　end　the　Long　Dance　before　it　is　pleted。　I　will　have　the　lazy　chanters　beaten　with　nilgu　thongs。〃
　　〃fort　them；　rather