uleg.thefarthestshore-第30部分

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e　I　met　a　dragon　who　did　not　speak　before　it　struck；　if　only　to　torment　its　prey。。。　Now　we　must　go　forward。　Do　not　look　them　in　the　eye；　Arren。　Turn　aside　your　face　if　you　must。　We'll　go　with　the　world's　wind；　it　blows　fair　from　the　south；　and　I　may　need　my　art　for　other　things。　Hold　her　as　she　goes。〃
　　Lookfar　moved　forward　and　soon　had　on　her　left　a　distant　island　and　on　her　right　the　twin　isles　they　had　seen　first。　These　rose　up　into　low　cliffs；　and　all　the　stark　rock　was　whitened　with　the　droppings　of　the　dragons　and　of　the　little；　black…headed　terns　that　nested　fearlessly　among　them。
　　The　dragons　had　flown　up　high；　and　circled　in　the　upper　air　as　vultures　circle。　Not　one　stooped　down　again　to　the　boat。　Sometimes　they　cried　out　to　one　another；　high　and　harsh　across　the　gulfs　of　air；　but　if　there　were　words　in　their　crying；　Arren　could　not　make　them　out。
　　The　boat　rounded　a　short　promontory；　and　he　saw　on　the　shore　what　he　took　for　a　moment　to　be　a　ruined　fortress。　It　was　a　dragon。　One　black　wing　was　bent　under　it　and　the　other　stretched　out　vast　across　the　sand　and　into　the　water；　so　that　the　e　and　go　of　waves　moved　it　a　little　to　and　fro　in　a　mockery　of　flight。　The　long　snake…body　lay　full　length　on　the　rock　and　sand。　One　foreleg　was　missing；　the　armor　and　flesh　were　torn　from　the　great　arch　of　the　ribs；　and　the　belly　was　torn　open；　so　that　the　sand　for　yards　about　was　blackened　with　the　poisoned　dragon…blood。　Yet　the　creature　still　lived。　So　great　a　life　is　in　dragons　that　only　an　equal　power　of　wizardry　can　kill　them　swiftly。　The　green…gold　eyes　were　open；　and　as　the　boat　sailed　by；　the　lean；　huge　head　moved　a　little；　and　with　a　rattling　hiss　steam　mixed　with　bloody　spray　shot　from　the　nostrils。
　　The　beach　between　the　dying　dragon　and　the　sea's　edge　was　tracked　and　scored　by　the　feet　and　heavy　bodies　of　his　kind；　and　his　entrails　were　trodden　into　the　sand。
　　Neither　Arren　nor　Sparrowhawk　spoke　until　they　were　well　clear　of　that　island　and　heading　across　the　choppy；　restless　channel　of　the　Dragons'　Run；　full　of　reefs　and　pinnacles　and　shapes　of　rock；　toward　the　northern　islands　of　the　double　chain。　Then　Sparrowhawk　said；　〃That　was　an　evil　sight；〃　and　his　voice　was　bleak　and　cold。
　　〃Do　they。。。　eat　their　own　kind？〃
　　〃No。　No　more　than　we　do。　They　have　been　driven　mad。　Their　speech　has　been　taken　from　them。　They　who　spoke　before　men　spoke；　they　who　are　older　than　any　living　thing；　the　Children　of　Segoy　…they　have　been　driven　to　the　dumb　terror　of　the　beasts。　Ah！　Kalessin！　where　have　your　wings　borne　you？　Have　you　lived　to　see　your　race　learn　shame？〃　His　voice　rang　like　struck　iron；　and　he　looked　upward；　searching　the　sky。　But　the　dragons　were　behind；　circling　lower　now　above　the　rocky　isles　and　the　blood…stained　beach；　and　overhead　was　nothing　but　the　blue　sky　and　the　sun　of　noon。
　　There　was　then　no　man　living　who　had　sailed　the　Dragons'　Run　or　seen　it；　except　the　Archmage。　Twenty　years　before　and　more；　he　had　sailed　the　length　of　it　from　east　to　west　and　back　again。　It　was　a　nightmare　and　a　marvel；　to　a　sailor。　The　water　was　a　maze　of　blue　channels　and　green　shoals；　and　among　these；　by　hand　and　word　and　most　vigilant　care；　he　and　Arren　now　picked　their　boat's　way；　between　the　rocks　and　reefs。　Some　of　these　lay　low；　under　or　half…under　the　wash　of　the　waves；　covered　with　anemone　and　barnacle　and　ribbony　sea　fern；　like　water…monsters；　shelled　or　sinuous。　Others　stood　up　in　cliff　and　pinnacle　sheer　from　the　sea；　and　these　were　arches　and　half…arches；　carven　towers；　fantastic　shapes　of　animals；　boar's　backs　and　serpent's　heads；　all　huge；　deformed；　diffuse；　as　if　life　writhed　half…conscious　in　the　rock。　The　sea…waves　beat　on　them　with　a　sound　like　breathing；　and　they　were　wet　with　the　bright；　bitter　spray。　In　one　such　rock　from　the　south　there　was　plainly　visible　the　hunched　shoulders　and　heavy；　noble　head　of　a　man；　stooped　in　pondering　thought　above　the　sea；　but　when　the　boat　had　passed　it；　looking　back　from　the　north；　all　man　was　gone　from　it；　and　the　massive　rocks　revealed　a　cave　in　which　the　sea　rose　and　fell　making　a　hollow；　clapping　thunder。　There　seemed　to　be　a　word；　a　syllable；　in　that　sound。　As　they　sailed　on；　the　garbling　echoes　lessened　and　this　syllable　came　more　clearly；　so　that　Arren　said；　〃Is　there　a　voice　in　the　cave？〃
　　〃The　sea's　voice。〃
　　〃But　it　speaks　a　word。〃
　　Sparrowhawk　listened；　he　glanced　at　Arren　and　back　at　the　cave。　〃How　do　you　hear　it？〃
　　〃As　saying　the　sound　ahm。〃
　　〃In　the　Old　Speech　that　signifies　the　beginning；　or　long　ago。　But　I　hear　it　as　ohb；　which　is　a　way　of　saying　the　end。　Look　ahead　there！〃　he　ended　abruptly；　even　as　Arren　warned　him；　〃Shoal　water！〃　And；　though　Lookfar　picked　her　way　like　a　cat　among　the　dangers；　they　were　busy　with　the　steering　for　some　while；　and　slowly　the　cave　forever　thundering　out　its　enigmatic　word　fell　behind　them。
　　Now　the　water　deepened；　and　they　came　out　from　among　the　phantasmagoria　of　the　rocks。　Ahead　of　them　loomed　an　island　like　a　tower。　Its　cliffs　were　black　and　made　up　of　many　cylinders　or　great　pillars　pressed　together；　with　straight　edges　and　plane　surfaces；　rising　three　hundred　feet　sheer　from　the　water。
　　〃That　is　the　Keep　of　Kalessin；〃　said　the　mage。　〃So　the　dragons　named　it　to　me；　when　I　was　here　long　ago。〃
　　〃Who　is　Kalessin？〃
　　〃The　eldest。。。〃
　　〃Did　he　build　this　place？〃
　　〃I　do　not　know。　I　don't　know　if　it　was　built。　Nor　how　old　he　is。　I　say　'he；'　but　I　do　not　even　know　that。。。　To　Kalessin；　Orm　Embar　is　like　a　yearling　kid。　And　you　and　I　are　like　mayflies。〃　He　scanned　the　terrific　palisades；　and　Arren　looked　up　at　them　uneasily；　thinking　how　a　dragon　might　drop　from　that　far；　black　rim　and　be　upon　them　almost　with　its　shadow。　But　no　dragon　came。　They　passed　slowly　through　the　still　waters　in　the　lee　of　the　rock；　hearing　nothing　but　the　whisper　and　clap　of　shadowed　waves　on　the　columns　of　basalt。　The　water　here　was　deep；　without　reef　or　rock；　Arren　handled　the　boat；　and　Sparrowhawk　stood　up　in　the　prow；　searching　the　cliffs　and　the　bright　sky　ahead。
　　The　boat　passed　out　at　last　from　the　shadow　of　the　Keep　of　Kalessin　into　the　sunlight　of　late　afternoon。　They　were　across　the　Dragons'　Run。　The　mage　lifted　his　head；　like　one　who　sees　what　he　had　looked　to　see；　and　across　that　great　space　of　gold　before　them　came　on　golden　wings　the　dragon　Orm　Embar。
　　Arren　heard　Sparrowhawk's　cry　to　him：　Aro　Kalessin？　He　guessed　the　meaning　of　that；　but　could　make　no　sense　of　what　the　dragon　answered。　Yet　hearing　the　Old　Speech　he　felt　always　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　understanding；　almost　understanding：　as　if　it　were　a　language　he　had　forgotten；　not　one　he　had　never　known。　In　speaking　it　the　mage's　voice　was　much　clearer　than　when　he　spoke　Hardic；　and　seemed　to　make　a　kind　of　silence　about　it；　as　does　the　softest　touch　on　a　great　bell。　But　the　dragon's　voice　was　like　a　gong；　both　deep　and　shrill；　or　the　hissing　thrum　of　cymbals。
　　Arren　watched　his　panion　stand　there　in　the　narrow　prow；　speaking　with　the　monstrous　creature　that　hovered　above　him　filling　half　the　sky；　and　a　kind　of　rejoicing　pride　came　into　the　boy's　heart；　to　see　how　small　a　thing　a　man　is；　how　frail　and　how　terrible。　For　the　dragon　could　have　torn　the　man's　head　from　his　shoulders　with　one　stroke　of　his　taloned　foot；　he　could　have　crushed　and　sunk　the　boat　as　a　stone　sinks　a　floating　leaf；　if　it　were　only　size　that　mattered。　But　Sparrowhawk　was　as　dangerous　as　Orm　Embar；　and　the　dragon　knew　it。
　　The　mage　turned　his　head。　〃Lebannen；〃　he　said；　and　the　boy　got　up　and　came　forward；　though　he　wanted　to　go　not　one　step　closer　to　those　fifteen…foot　jaws　and　the　long；　slit…pupilled；　yellow…green　eyes　that　burned　upon　him　from　the　air。
　　Sparrowhawk　said　nothing　to　him；　but　put　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　spoke　again　to　the　dragon；　briefly。
　　〃Lebannen；〃　said　the　vast　voice　with　no　passion　in　it。　〃Agni　Lebannen！〃
　　He　looked　up；　the　pressure　of　the　mage's　hand　reminded　him；　and　he　avoided　the　gaze　of　the　greengold　eyes。
　　He　could　not　speak　the　Old　Speech；　but　he　was　not　dumb。　〃I　greet　thee；　Orm　Embar；　Lord　Dragon；〃　he　said　clearly；　as　one　prince　greets　another。
　　Then　there　was　a　silence；　and　Arren's　heart　beat　hard　and　labored。　But　Sparrowhawk；　standing　by　him；　smiled。
　　After　that　the　dragon　spoke　again；　and　Sparrowhawk　replied；　and　this　seemed　long　to　Arren。　At　last　it　was　over；　suddenly。　The　dragon　sprang　aloft　with　a　wingbeat　that　all　but　heeled　the　boat　over；　and　was　off。　Arren　looked　at　the　sun　and　found　it　seemed　no　nearer　setting　than　before；　the　time　had　not　really　been　long。　But　the　mage's　face　was　the　color　of　wet　ashes；　and　his　eyes　glittered　as　he　turned　to　Arren。　He　sat　down　on　the　thwart。
　　〃Well　done；　lad；〃　he　said　hoarsely；　〃It　is　not　easy　talking　to　dragons。〃
　　Arren　got　them　food；　for　they　had　not　eaten　all　day；　and　the　mage　said　no　more　until　they　had　eaten　and　drunk。　By　then　the　sun　was　low　to　the　horizon；　though　in　these　northern　latitudes；　and　not　long　past　midsummer；　night　came　late　and　slowly。
　　〃Well；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃Orm　Embar　has；　after　his　fashion；　told　me　much。　He　says　that　the　one　we　seek　is　and　is　not　on　Selidor。。。　It　is　hard　for　a　dragon　to　speak　plainly。　They　do　not　have　plain　minds。　And　even　when　one　of