uleg.thetombsofatuan-第16部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　curse　and　shiver　and　try　to　work　his　foul；　useless　spells！
　　But　in　her　mind's　eye　she　saw　him　stretching　out　to　sleep；　as　she　had　seen　him　do　by　the　iron　door；　serene　as　a　sheep　in　a　sunny　meadow。
　　She　spat　at　the　bolted　door；　and　made　the　sign　to　avert　defilement；　and　went　almost　at　a　run　towards　the　Undertomb。
　　While　she　skirted　its　wall　on　the　way　to　the　trapdoor　in　the　Hall；　her　fingers　brushed　along　the　fine　planes　and　traceries　of　rock；　like　frozen　lace。　A　longing　swept　over　her　to　light　her　lantern；　to　see　once　more；　just　for　a　moment；　the　time…carven　stone；　the　lovely　glitter　of　the　walls。　She　shut　her　eyes　tight　and　hurried　on。
　
　The　Great　Treasure
　　
　　Never　had　the　rites　and　duties　of　the　day　seemed　so　many；　or　so　petty；　or　so　long。　The　little　girls　with　their　pale　faces　and　furtive　ways；　the　restless　novices；　the　priestesses　whose　looks　were　stern　and　cool　but　whose　lives　were　all　a　secret　brangle　of　jealousies　and　miseries　and　small　ambitions　and　wasted　passions…　all　these　women；　among　whom　she　had　always　lived　and　who　made　up　the　human　world　to　her；　now　appeared　to　her　as　both　pitiable　and　boring。
　　But　she　who　served　great　powers；　she　the　priestess　of　grim　Night；　was　free　of　that　pettiness。　She　did　not　have　to　care　about　the　grinding　meanness　of　their　mon　life；　the　days　whose　one　delight　was　likely　to　be　getting　a　bigger　slop　of　lamb　fat　over　your　lentils　than　your　neighbor　got。。。　She　was　free　of　the　days　altogether。　Underground；　there　were　no　days。　There　was　always　and　only　night。
　　And　in　that　unending　night；　the　prisoner：　the　dark　man；　practicer　of　dark　arts；　bound　in　iron　and　locked　in　stone；　waiting　for　her　to　e　or　not　to　e；　to　bring　him　water　and　bread　and　life；　or　a　knife　and　a　butcher's　bowl　and　death；　just　as　the　whim　took　her。
　　She　had　told　no　one　but　Kossil　about　the　man；　and　Kossil　had　not　told　anyone　else。　He　had　been　in　the　Painted　Room　three　nights　and　days　now；　and　still　she　had　not　asked　Arha　about　him。　Perhaps　she　assumed　that　he　was　dead；　and　that　Arha　had　had　Manan　carry　the　body　to　the　Room　of　Bones。　It　was　not　like　Kossil　to　take　anything　for　granted；　but　Arha　told　herself　that　there　was　nothing　strange　about　Kossil's　silence。　Kossil　wanted　everything　kept　secret；　and　hated　to　have　to　ask　questions。　And　besides；　Arha　had　told　her　not　to　meddle　in　her　business。　Kossil　was　simply　obeying。
　　However；　if　the　man　was　supposed　to　be　dead；　Arha　could　not　ask　for　food　for　him。　So；　aside　from　stealing　some　apples　and　dried　onions　from　the　cellars　of　the　Big　House；　she　did　without　food。　She　had　her　morning　and　evening　meals　sent　to　the　Small　House；　pretending　she　wished　to　eat　alone；　and　each　night　took　the　food　down　to　the　Painted　Room　in　the　Labyrinth；　all　but　the　soups。　She　was　used　to　fasting　for　a　day　on　up　to　four　days　at　a　time；　and　thought　nothing　about　it。　The　fellow　in　the　Labyrinth　ate　up　her　meager　portions　of　bread　and　cheese　and　beans　as　a　toad　eats　a　fly：　snap！　it's　gone。　Clearly　he　could　have　done　so　five　or　six　times　over；　but　he　thanked　her　soberly；　as　if　he　were　her　guest　and　she　his　hostess　at　a　table　such　as　she　had　heard　of　in　tales　of　feasts　at　the　palace　of　the　Godking；　all　set　with　roast　meats　and　buttered　loaves　and　wine　in　crystal。　He　was　very　strange。
　　〃What　is　it　like　in　the　Inner　Lands？〃
　　She　had　brought　down　a　little　cross…leg　folding　stool　of　ivory；　so　that　she　would　not　have　to　stand　while　she　questioned　him；　yet　would　not　have　to　sit　down　on　the　floor；　on　his　level。
　　〃Well；　there　are　many　islands。　Four　times　forty；　they　say；　in　the　Archipelago　alone；　and　then　there　are　the　Reaches；　no　man　has　ever　sailed　all　the　Reaches；　nor　counted　all　the　lands。　And　each　is　different　from　the　others。　But　the　fairest　of　them　all；　maybe；　is　Havnor；　the　great　land　at　the　center　of　the　world。　In　the　heart　of　Havnor　on　a　broad　bay　full　of　ships　is　the　City　Havnor。　The　towers　of　the　city　are　built　of　white　marble。　The　house　of　every　prince　and　merchant　has　a　tower；　so　they　rise　up　one　above　the　other。　The　roofs　of　the　houses　are　red　tile；　and　all　the　bridges　over　the　canals　are　covered　in　mosaic　work；　red　and　blue　and　green。　And　the　flags　of　the　princes　are　all　colors；　flying　from　the　white　towers。　On　the　highest　of　all　the　towers　the　Sword　of　Erreth…Akbe　is　set；　like　a　pinnacle；　skyward。　When　the　sun　rises　on　Havnor　it　flashes　first　on　that　blade　and　makes　it　bright；　and　when　it　sets　the　Sword　is　golden　still　above　the　evening；　for　a　while。〃
　　〃Who　was　Erreth…Akbe？〃　she　said；　sly。
　　He　looked　up　at　her。　He　said　nothing；　but　he　grinned　a　little。　Then　as　if　on　second　thoughts　he　said；　〃It's　true　you　would　know　little　of　him　here。　Nothing　beyond　his　ing　to　the　Kargish　lands；　perhaps。　And　how　much　of　that　tale　do　you　know？〃
　　〃That　he　lost　his　sorcerer's　staff　and　his　amulet　and　his　power…　like　you；〃　she　answered。　〃He　escaped　from　the　High　Priest　and　fled　into　the　west；　and　dragons　killed　him。　But　if　he'd　e　here　to　the　Tombs；　there　had　been　no　need　of　dragons。〃
　　〃True　enough；〃　said　her　prisoner。
　　She　wanted　no　more　talk　of　Erreth…Akbe；　sensing　a　danger　in　the　subject。　〃He　was　a　dragonlord；　they　say。　And　you　say　you're　one。　Tell　me；　what　is　a　dragonlord？〃
　　Her　tone　was　always　jeering；　his　answers　direct　and　plain；　as　if　he　took　her　questions　in　good　faith。
　　〃One　whom　the　dragons　will　speak　with；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　a　dragonlord；　or　at　least　that　is　the　center　of　the　matter。　It's　not　a　trick　of　mastering　the　dragons；　as　most　people　think。　Dragons　have　no　masters。　The　question　is　always　the　same；　with　a　dragon：　will　he　talk　with　you　or　will　he　eat　you？　If　you　can　count　upon　his　doing　the　former；　and　not　doing　the　latter；　why　then　you're　a　dragonlord。〃
　　〃Dragons　can　speak？〃
　　〃Surely！　In　the　Eldest　Tongue；　the　language　we　men　learn　so　hard　and　use　so　brokenly；　to　make　our　spells　of　magic　and　of　patterning。　No　man　knows　all　that　language；　or　a　tenth　of　it。　He　has　not　time　to　learn　it。　But　dragons　live　a　thousand　years。。。　They　are　worth　talking　to；　as　you　might　guess。〃
　　〃Are　there　dragons　here　in　Atuan？〃
　　〃Not　for　many　centuries；　I　think；　nor　in　Karego…At。　But　in　your　northernmost　island；　Hur…at…Hur；　they　say　there　are　still　large　dragons　in　the　mountains。　In　the　Inner　Lands　they　all　keep　now　to　the　farthest　west；　the　remote　West　Reach；　islands　where　no　men　live　and　few　men　e。　If　they　grow　hungry；　they　raid　the　lands　to　their　east；　but　that　is　seldom。　I　have　seen　the　island　where　they　e　to　dance　together。　They　fly　on　their　great　wings　in　spirals；　in　and　out；　higher　and　higher　over　the　western　sea；　like　a　storming　of　yellow　leaves　in　autumn。〃　Full　of　the　vision；　his　eyes　gazed　through　the　black　paintings　on　the　walls；　through　the　walls　and　the　earth　and　the　darkness；　seeing　the　open　sea　stretch　unbroken　to　the　sunset；　the　golden　dragons　on　the　golden　wind。
　　〃You　are　lying；〃　the　girl　said　fiercely；　〃you　are　making　it　up。〃
　　He　looked　at　her；　startled。　〃Why　should　I　lie；　Arha？〃
　　〃To　make　me　feel　like　a　fool；　and　stupid；　and　afraid。　To　make　yourself　seem　wise；　and　brave；　and　powerful；　and　a　dragon…lord　and　all　this　and　all　that。　You've　seen　dragons　dancing；　and　the　towers　in　Havnor；　and　you　know　all　about　everything。　And　I　know　nothing　at　all　and　haven't　been　anywhere。　But　all　you　know　is　lies！　You　are　nothing　but　a　thief　and　a　prisoner；　and　you　have　no　soul；　and　you'll　never　leave　this　place　again。　It　doesn't　matter　if　there's　oceans　and　dragons　and　white　towers　and　all　that；　because　you'll　never　see　them　again；　you'll　never　even　see　the　light　of　the　sun。　All　I　know　is　the　dark；　the　night　underground。　And　that's　all　there　really　is。　That's　all　there　is　to　know；　in　the　end。　The　silence；　and　the　dark。　You　know　everything；　wizard。　But　I　know　one　thing　…　the　one　true　thing！〃
　　He　bowed　his　head。　His　long　hands；　copper…brown；　were　quiet　on　his　knees。　She　saw　the　fourfold　scar　on　his　cheek。　He　had　gone　farther　than　she　into　the　dark；　he　knew　death　better　than　she　did；　even　death。。。　A　rush　of　hatred　for　him　rose　up　in　her；　choking　her　throat　for　an　instant。　Why　did　he　sit　there　so　defenseless　and　so　strong？　Why　could　she　not　defeat　him？
　　〃This　is　why　I　have　let　you　live；〃　she　said　suddenly；　without　the　least　forethought。　〃I　want　you　to　show　me　how　the　tricks　of　sorcerers　are　performed。　So　long　as　you　have　some　art　to　show　me；　you'll　stay　alive。　If　you　have　none；　if　it's　all　foolery　and　lies；　why　then　I'll　have　done　with　you。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Very　well。　Go　on。〃
　　He　put　his　head　in　his　hands　a　minute；　and　shifted　his　position。　The　iron　belt　kept　him　from　ever　getting　quite　fortable；　unless　he　lay　down　flat。
　　He　raised　his　face　at　last　and　spoke　very　seriously。　〃Listen；　Arha。　I　am　a　Mage；　what　you　call　a　sorcerer。　I　have　certain　arts　and　powers。　That's　true。　It's　also　true　that　here　in　the　Place　of　the　Old　Powers；　my　strength　is　very　little　and　my　crafts　don't　avail　me。　Now　I　could　work　illusion　for　you；　and　show　you　all　kinds　of　wonders。　That's　the　least　part　of　wizardry。　I　could　work　illusions　when　I　was　a　child；　I　can　do　them　even　here。　But　if　you　believe　them；　they'll　frighten　you；　and　you　may　wish　to　kill　me　if　fear　makes　you　angry。　And　if　you　disbelieve　them；　you'll　see　them　as　only　lies　and　foolery；　as　you　say；　a