uleg.thefarthestshore-第33部分

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　　Arren　nodded；　though　his　teeth　were　chattering　and　he　felt　cold　to　his　very　bones。　〃How　did；〃　he　began；　but　his　jaw　and　lips　would　not　obey　him　yet。
　　Ged　understood　him。　〃They　came　at　his　summoning。　This　is　what　he　promises：　eternal　life。　At　his　word　they　may　return。　At　his　bidding　they　must　walk　upon　the　hills　of　life；　though　they　cannot　stir　a　blade　of　grass。〃
　　〃Is　he…　is　he　then　dead　too？〃
　　Ged　shook　his　head；　brooding。　〃The　dead　cannot　summon　the　dead　back　into　the　world。　No；　he　has　the　powers　of　a　living　man；　and　more。。。　But　if　any　thought　to　follow　him；　he　tricked　them。　He　keeps　his　power　for　himself。　He　plays　King　of　the　Dead；　and　not　only　of　the　dead。。。　But　they　were　only　shadows。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　why　I　fear　them；〃　Arren　said　with　shame。
　　〃You　fear　them　because　you　fear　death；　and　rightly：　for　death　is　terrible　and　must　be　feared；〃　the　mage　said。　He　laid　new　wood　on　the　fire　and　blew　on　the　small　coals　under　the　ashes。　A　little　flare　of　brightness　bloomed　on　the　twigs　of　brushwood；　a　grateful　light　to　Arren。　〃And　life　also　is　a　terrible　thing；〃　Ged　said；　〃and　must　be　feared　and　praised。〃
　　They　both　sat　back；　wrapping　their　cloaks　close　about　them。　They　were　silent　a　while。　Then　Ged　spoke　very　gravely。　〃Lebannen；　how　long　he　may　tease　us　here　with　sendings　and　with　shadows；　I　do　not　know。　But　you　know　where　he　will　go　at　last。〃
　　〃Into　the　dark　land。〃
　　〃Aye。　Among　them。〃
　　〃I　have　seen　them　now。　I　will　go　with　you。〃
　　〃Is　it　faith　in　me　that　moves　you？　You　may　trust　my　love；　but　do　not　trust　my　strength。　For　I　think　I　have　met　my　match。〃
　　〃I　will　go　with　you。〃
　　〃But　if　I　am　defeated；　if　my　power　or　my　life　is　spent；　I　cannot　guide　you　back；　you　cannot　return　alone。〃
　　〃I　will　return　with　you。〃
　　At　that　Ged　said；　〃You　enter　your　manhood　at　the　gate　of　death。〃　And　then　he　said　that　word　or　name　by　which　the　dragon　had　twice　called　Arren；　speaking　it　very　low：　〃Agni…　Agni　Lebannen。〃
　　After　that　they　spoke　no　more；　and　presently　sleep　came　back　into　them；　and　they　lay　down　by　their　small　and　briefly　burning　fire。
　　The　next　morning　they　walked　on；　going　north　and　west；　this　was　Arren's　decision；　not　Ged's；　who　said；　〃Choose　us　our　way；　lad；　the　ways　are　all　alike　to　me。〃　They　made　no　haste；　for　they　had　no　goal；　waiting　for　some　sign　from　Orm　Embar。　They　followed　the　lowest；　outmost　range　of　hills；　mostly　within　sight　of　the　ocean。　The　grass　was　dry　and　short；　blowing　and　blowing　forever　in　the　wind。　The　hills　rose　up　golden　and　forlorn　upon　their　right；　and　on　their　left　lay　the　salt　marshes　and　the　western　sea。　Once　they　saw　swans　flying；　far　away　in　the　south。　No　other　breathing　creature　did　they　see　all　that　day。　A　kind　of　weariness　of　dread；　of　waiting　for　the　worst；　grew　in　Arren　all　day　long。　Impatience　and　a　dull　anger　rose　in　him。　He　said；　after　hours　of　silence；　〃This　land　is　as　dead　as　the　land　of　death　itself！〃
　　〃Do　not　say　that；〃　the　mage　said　sharply。　He　strode　on　a　while　and　then　went　on；　in　a　changed　voice；　〃Look　at　this　land；　look　about　you。　This　is　your　kingdom；　the　kingdom　of　life。　This　is　your　immortality。　Look　at　the　hills；　the　mortal　hills。　They　do　not　endure　forever。　The　hills　with　the　living　grass　on　them；　and　the　streams　of　water　running。。。　In　all　the　world；　in　all　the　worlds；　in　all　the　immensity　of　time；　there　is　no　other　like　each　of　those　streams；　rising　cold　out　of　the　earth　where　no　eye　sees　it；　running　through　the　sunlight　and　the　darkness　to　the　sea。　Deep　are　the　springs　of　being；　deeper　than　life；　than　death。。。〃
　　He　stopped；　but　in　his　eyes　as　he　looked　at　Arren　and　at　the　sunlit　hills　there　was　a　great；　wordless；　grieving　love。　And　Arren　saw　that；　and　seeing　it　saw　him；　saw　him　for　the　first　time　whole；　as　he　was。
　　〃I　cannot　say　what　I　mean；〃　Ged　said　unhappily。
　　But　Arren　thought　of　that　first　hour　in　the　Fountain　Court；　of　the　man　who　had　knelt　by　the　running　water　of　the　fountain；　and　joy；　as　clear　as　that　remembered　water；　welled　up　in　him。　He　looked　at　his　panion　and　said；　〃I　have　given　my　love　to　what　is　worthy　of　love。　Is　that　not　the　kingdom　and　the　unperishing　spring？〃
　　〃Aye；　lad；〃　said　Ged；　gently　and　with　pain。
　　They　went　on　together　in　silence。　But　Arren　saw　the　world　now　with　his　panion's　eyes　and　saw　the　living　splendor　that　was　revealed　about　them　in　the　silent；　desolate　land；　as　if　by　a　power　of　enchantment　surpassing　any　other；　in　every　blade　of　the　windbowed　grass；　every　shadow；　every　stone。　So　when　one　stands　in　a　cherished　place　for　the　last　time　before　a　voyage　without　return；　he　sees　it　all　whole；　and　real；　and　dear；　as　he　has　never　seen　it　before　and　never　will　see　it　again。
　　As　evening　came　on　serried　lines　of　clouds　rose　from　the　west；　borne　on　great　winds　from　the　sea；　and　burnt　fiery　before　the　sun；　reddening　it　as　it　sank。　As　he　gathered　brushwood　for　their　fire　in　a　creek…valley；　in　that　red　light；　Arren　glanced　up　and　saw　a　man　standing　not　ten　feet　from　him。　The　man's　face　looked　vague　and　strange；　but　Arren　knew　him；　the　Dyer　of　Lorbanery；　Sopli；　who　was　dead。
　　Behind　him　stood　others；　all　with　sad；　staring　faces。　They　seemed　to　speak；　but　Arren　could　not　hear　their　words；　only　a　kind　of　whispering　blown　away　by　the　west　wind。　Some　of　them　came　toward　him　slowly。
　　He　stood　and　looked　at　them；　and　again　at　Sopli；　and　then　he　turned　his　back　on　them；　stooped；　and　picked　up　one　more　stick　of　brushwood；　though　his　hands　shook。　He　added　it　to　his　load；　and　picked　up　another；　and　one　more。　Then　he　straightened　and　looked　back。　There　was　no　one　in　the　valley；　only　the　red　light　burning　on　the　grass。　He　returned　to　Ged　and　set　down　his　load　of　firewood；　but　he　said　nothing　of　what　he　had　seen。
　　All　that　night；　in　the　misty　darkness　of　that　land　empty　of　living　souls；　when　he　woke　from　fitful　sleep　he　heard　about　him　the　whispering　of　the　souls　of　the　dead。　He　steadied　his　will；　and　did　not　listen；　and　slept　again。
　　Both　he　and　Ged　woke　late；　when　the　sun；　already　a　hands'　breadth　above　the　hills；　broke　free　at　last　from　fog　and　brightened　the　cold　land。　As　they　ate　their　small　morning　meal　the　dragon　came；　wheeling　above　them　in　the　air。　Fire　shot　from　his　jaws；　and　smoke　and　sparks　from　his　red　nostrils；　his　teeth　gleamed　like　blades　of　ivory　in　that　lurid　glare。　But　he　said　nothing；　though　Ged　hailed　him；　crying　in　his　language；　〃Hast　found　him；　Orm　Embar？〃
　　The　dragon　threw　back　his　head　and　arched　his　body　strangely；　raking　the　wind　with　his　razor　talons。　Then　he　set　off　flying　fast　to　the　west；　looking　back　at　them　as　he　went。
　　Ged　gripped　his　staff　and　struck　it　on　the　ground。　〃He　cannot　speak；〃　he　said。　〃He　cannot　speak！　The　words　of　the　Making　are　taken　from　him；　and　he　is　left　like　an　adder；　like　a　tongueless　worm；　his　wisdom　dumb。　Yet　he　can　lead；　and　we　can　follow！〃　Swinging　up　their　light　packs　on　their　backs；　they　strode　westward　across　the　hills；　as　Orm　Embar　had　flown。
　　Eight　miles　or　more　they　went；　not　slackening　that　first；　swift；　steady　pace。　Now　the　sea　lay　on　either　hand；　and　they　walked　on　a　long；　falling　ridge…back　that　ran　down　at　last　through　dry　reeds　and　winding　creek…beds　to　an　outcurving　beach　of　sand；　colored　like　ivory。　This　was　the　westernmost　cape　of　all　the　lands；　the　end　of　earth。
　　Orm　Embar　crouched　on　that　ivory　sand；　his　head　low　like　an　angry　cat's　and　his　breath　ing　in　gasps　of　fire。　Some　way　before　him；　between　him　and　the　long；　low　breakers　of　the　sea；　stood　a　thing　like　a　hut　or　shelter；　white；　as　if　built　of　long…beached　driftwood。　But　there　was　no　driftwood　on　this　shore　which　faced　no　other　land。　As　they　came　closer　Arren　saw　that　the　ramshackle　walls　were　built　up　of　great　bones：　whales'　bones；　he　thought　at　first；　and　then　saw　the　white　triangles　edged　like　knives；　and　knew　they　were　the　bones　of　a　dragon。
　　They　came　to　the　place。　Sunlight　on　the　sea　glittered　through　crevices　between　the　bones。　The　lintel　of　the　doorway　was　a　thighbone　longer　than　a　man。　On　it　stood　a　human　skull；　staring　with　hollow　eyes　at　the　hills　of　Selidor。
　　They　stopped　there；　and　as　they　looked　up　at　the　skull　a　man　came　out　of　the　doorway　under　it。　He　wore　an　armor　of　gilt　bronze　of　ancient　fashion；　it　was　rent　as　if　by　hatchet　blows；　and　the　jeweled　scabbard　of　his　sword　was　empty。　His　face　was　stern；　with　arched；　black　brows　and　narrow　nose；　his　eyes　were　dark；　keen；　and　sorrowful。　There　were　wounds　on　his　arms　and　in　his　throat　and　side；　they　bled　no　longer；　but　they　were　mortal　wounds。　He　stood　erect　and　still；　and　looked　at　them。
　　Ged　took　one　step　toward　him。　They　were　somewhat　alike；　thus　face　to　face。
　　〃Thou　art　Erreth…Akbe；〃　Ged　said。　The　other　gazed　at　him　steadily　and　nodded　once；　but　did　not　speak。
　　〃Even　thou；　even　thou　must　do　his　bidding。〃　Rage　was　in　Ged's　voice。　〃O　my　lord；　and　best　and　bravest　of　us　all；　rest　in　thy　honor　and　in　death！〃　And　raising　his　hands；　Ged　brought　them　down　in　a　great　gesture；　saying　again　those　words　he　had　spoken　to　the　multitudes　of　the　dead。　His　hands　left　behind　on　the　air　a　moment　a　broad；　bright　track。　When　it　was　gone；　the　armored　man　was　gone；　and　only　the　sun　dazzled　on　the　sand　where　he　had　stood。
　　Ged　struck　at　the　house　of　bones　with　his　staff；　and　it　fell　and　vanished　away。　Nothing　of　it　was　l