uleg.thetombsofatuan-第4部分

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nk。　The　branches　were　green；　the　only　green　trees　within　miles　of　the　Place。　Everything　else；　from　horizon　to　horizon；　was　a　dull；　tawny；　desert　color；　except　that　the　mountains　had　a　silvery　bluish　tinge　from　the　first　buds　of　the　flowering　sage。
　　〃Oh；　I　don't　know　what　for。　I'd　just　like　to　see　something　different。　It's　always　the　same　here。　Nothing　happens。〃
　　〃All　that　happens　everywhere；　begins　here；〃　said　Arha。
　　〃Oh；　I　know。。。　But　I'd　like　to　see　some　of　it　happening！〃
　　Penthe　smiled。　She　was　a　soft；　fortable…looking　girl。　She　scratched　the　soles　of　her　bare　feet　on　the　sunwarmed　rocks；　and　after　a　while　went　on；　〃You　know；　I　used　to　live　by　the　sea　when　I　was　little。　Our　village　was　right　behind　the　dunes；　and　we　used　to　go　down　and　play　on　the　beach　sometimes。　Once　I　remember　we　saw　a　fleet　of　ships　going　by；　way　out　at　sea。　The　ships　looked　like　dragons　with　red　wings。　Some　of　them　had　real　necks；　with　dragon　heads。　They　came　sailing　by　Atuan；　but　they　weren't　Kargish　ships。　They　came　from　the　west；　from　the　Inner　Lands；　the　headman　said。　Everybody　came　down　to　watch　them。　I　think　they　were　afraid　they　might　land。　They　just　went　by；　nobody　knew　where　they　were　going。　Maybe　to　make　war　in　Karego…At。　But　think　of　it；　they　really　came　from　the　sorcerers'　islands；　where　all　the　people　are　the　color　of　dirt　and　they　can　all　cast　a　spell　on　you　easy　as　winking。〃
　　〃Not　on　me；〃　Arha　said　fiercely。　〃I　wouldn't　have　looked　at　them。　They're　vile　accursed　sorcerers。　How　dare　they　sail　so　close　to　the　Holy　Land？〃
　　〃Oh；　well；　I　suppose　the　God…king　will　conquer　them　some　day　and　make　them　all　slaves。　But　I　wish　I　could　see　the　sea　again。　There　used　to　be　little　octopuses　in　the　tide　pools；　and　if　you　shouted　‘Boo！'　at　them　they　turned　all　white。　…There　es　that　old　Manan；　looking　for　you。〃
　　Arha's　guard　and　servant　was　ing　slowly　along　the　inner　side　of　the　wall。　He　would　stoop　to　pull　a　wild　onion；　of　which　he　held　a　large；　limp　bunch；　then　straighten　up　and　look　about　him　with　his　small；　dull；　brown　eyes。　He　had　grown　fatter　with　the　years；　and　his　hairless　yellow　skin　glistened　in　the　sun。
　　〃Slide　down　part　way　on　the　men's　side；〃　Arha　hissed；　and　both　girls　wriggled　lithe　as　lizards　down　the　far　side　of　the　wall　until　they　could　cling　there　just　below　the　top；　invisible　from　the　inner　side。　They　heard　Manan's　slow　footsteps　ing　by。
　　〃Hoo！　Hoo！　Potato　face！〃　crooned　Arha；　a　whispering　jeer　faint　as　the　wind　among　the　grasses。
　　The　heavy　tread　halted。　〃Ho　there；〃　said　the　uncertain　voice。　〃Little　one？　Arha？〃
　　Silence。
　　Manan　went　forward。
　　〃Hoo…oo！　Potato　face！〃
　　〃Hoo；　potato　belly！〃　Penthe　whispered　in　imitation；　and　then　moaned；　trying　to　suppress　giggles。
　　〃Somebody　there？〃
　　Silence。
　　〃Oh　well；　well；　well；〃　the　eunuch　sighed；　and　his　slow　feet　went　on。　When　he　was　gone　over　the　shoulder　of　the　slope；　the　girls　scrambled　back　up　onto　the　top　of　the　wall。　Penthe　was　pink　with　sweat　and　giggles；　but　Arha　looked　savage。
　　〃The　stupid　old　bellwether；　following　me　around　everywhere！〃
　　〃He　has　to；〃　Penthe　said　reasonably。　〃It's　his　job；　looking　after　you。〃
　　〃Those　I　serve　look　after　me。　I　please　them；　I　need　please　nobody　else。　These　old　women　and　half…men；　these　people　should　leave　me　alone。　I　am　the　One　Priestess！〃
　　Penthe　stared　at　the　other　girl。　〃Oh；〃　she　said　feebly；　〃oh；　I　know　you　are；　Arha…〃
　　〃Then　they　should　let　me　be。　And　not　order　me　about　all　the　time！〃
　　Penthe　said　nothing　for　a　while；　but　sighed；　and　sat　swinging　her　plump　legs　and　gazing　at　the　vast；　pale　lands　below；　that　rose　so　slowly　to　a　high；　vague；　immense　horizon。
　　〃You'll　get　to　give　the　orders　pretty　soon；　you　know；〃　she　said　at　last；　quietly。　〃In　two　more　years　we　won't　be　children　any　more。　We'll　be　fourteen。　I'll　go　into　the　Godking's　temple；　and　things　will　be　about　the　same　for　me。　But　you'll　really　be　the　High　Priestess　then。　Even　Kossil　and　Thar　will　have　to　obey　you。〃
　　The　Eaten　One　said　nothing。　Her　face　was　set；　her　eyes　under　black　brows　caught　the　light　of　the　sky　in　a　pale　glitter。
　　〃We　ought　to　go　back；〃　Penthe　said。
　　〃No。〃
　　〃But　the　weaving　mistress　might　tell　Thar。　And　soon　it'll　be　time　for　the　Nine　Chants。〃
　　〃I'm　staying　here。　You　stay；　too。〃
　　〃They　won't　punish　you；　but　they　will　punish　me；〃　Penthe　said　in　her　mild　way。　Arha　did　not　reply。　Penthe　sighed；　and　stayed。　The　sun　was　sinking　into　haze　high　above　the　plains。　Far　away　on　the　long；　gradual　slant　of　the　land；　sheep　bells　clanked　faintly　and　lambs　bleated。　The　spring　wind　blew　in　dry；　faint　gusts；　sweetsmelling。
　　The　Nine　Chants　were　nearly　over　when　the　two　girls　returned。　Mebbeth　had　seen　them　sitting　on　the　‘Men's　Wall'　and　had　reported　this　to　her　superior；　Kossil；　High　Priestess　of　the　Godking。
　　Kossil　was　heavy…footed；　heavy…faced。　Without　expression　in　face　or　voice　she　spoke　to　the　two　girls；　telling　them　to　follow　her。　She　led　them　through　the　stone　hallways　of　the　Big　House；　out　the　front　door；　up　the　knoll　to　the　Temple　of　Atwah　and　Wuluah。　There　she　spoke　with　the　High　Priestess　of　that　temple；　Thar；　tall　and　dry　and　thin　as　the　legbone　of　a　deer。
　　Kossil　said　to　Penthe；　〃Take　off　your　gown。〃
　　She　whipped　the　girl　with　a　bundle　of　reed　canes；　which　cut　the　skin　a　little。　Penthe　bore　this　patiently；　with　silent　tears。　She　was　sent　back　to　the　weaving　room　without　supper；　and　the　next　day　also　she　would　go　without　food。　〃If　you　are　found　climbing　over　the　Men's　Wall　again；〃　Kossil　said；　〃there　will　be　very　much　worse　things　than　this　happen　to　you。　Do　you　understand；　Penthe？〃　Kossil's　voice　was　soft；　but　not　kindly。　Penthe　said；　〃Yes；〃　and　slipped　away；　cowering　and　flinching　as　her　heavy　clothing　rubbed　the　cuts　on　her　back。
　　Arha　had　stood　beside　Thar　to　watch　the　whipping。　Now　she　watched　Kossil　clean　the　canes　of　the　whip。
　　Thar　said　to　her；　〃It　is　not　fitting　that　you　be　seen　climbing　and　running　with　other　girls。　You　are　Arha。〃
　　She　stood　sullen　and　did　not　reply。
　　〃It　is　better　that　you　do　only　what　is　needful　for　you　to　do。　You　are　Arha。〃
　　For　a　moment　the　girl　raised　her　eyes　to　Thar's　face；　then　to　Kossil's；　and　there　was　a　depth　of　hate　or　rage　in　her　look　that　was　terrible　to　see。　But　the　thin　priestess　showed　no　concern；　rather　she　confirmed；　leaning　forward　a　little；　almost　whispering；　〃You　are　Arha。　There　is　nothing　left。　It　was　all　eaten。〃
　　〃It　was　all　eaten；〃　the　girl　repeated；　as　she　had　repeated　daily；　all　the　days　of　her　life　since　she　was　six。
　　Thar　bowed　her　head　slightly；　so　did　Kossil；　as　she　put　away　the　whip。　The　girl　did　not　bow；　but　turned　submissively　and　left。
　　After　the　supper　of　potatoes　and　spring　onions；　eaten　in　silence　in　the　narrow；　dark　refectory；　after　the　chanting　of　the　evening　hymns；　and　the　placing　of　the　sacred　words　upon　the　doors；　and　the　brief　Ritual　of　the　Unspoken；　the　work　of　the　day　was　done。　Now　the　girls　might　go　up　to　the　dormitory　and　play　games　with　dice　and　sticks；　so　long　as　the　single　rushlight　burned；　and　whisper　in　the　dark　from　bed　to　bed。　Arha　set　off　across　the　courts　and　slopes　of　the　Place　as　she　did　every　night；　to　the　Small　House　where　she　slept　alone。
　　The　night　wind　was　sweet。　The　stars　of　spring　shone　thick；　like　drifts　of　daisies　in　spring　meadows；　like　the　glittering　of　light　on　the　April　sea。　But　the　girl　had　no　memory　of　meadows　or　the　sea。　She　did　not　look　up。
　　〃Ho　there；　little　one！〃
　　〃Manan；〃　she　said　indifferently。
　　The　big　shadow　shuffled　up　beside　her；　starlight　glinting　on　his　hairless　pate。
　　〃Were　you　punished？〃
　　〃I　can't　be　punished。〃
　　〃No。。。　That's　so。。。〃
　　〃They　can't　punish　me。　They　don't　dare。〃
　　He　stood　with　his　big　hands　hanging；　dim　and　bulky。　She　smelled　wild　onion；　and　the　sweaty；　sagey　smell　of　his　old　black　robes；　which　were　torn　at　the　hem；　and　too　short　for　him。
　　〃They　can't　touch　me。　I　am　Arha；〃　she　said　in　a　shrill；　fierce　voice；　and　burst　into　tears。
　　The　big；　waiting　hands　came　up　and　drew　her　to　him；　held　her　gently；　smoothed　her　braided　hair。　〃There；　there。　Little　honeyb；　little　girl。。。〃　She　heard　the　husky　murmur　in　the　deep　hollow　of　his　chest；　and　clung　to　him。　Her　tears　stopped　soon；　but　she　held　onto　Manan　as　if　she　could　not　stand　up。
　　〃Poor　little　one；〃　he　whispered；　and　picking　the　child　up　carried　her　to　the　doorway　of　the　house　where　she　slept　alone。　He　set　her　down。
　　〃All　right　now；　little　one？〃
　　She　nodded；　turned　from　him；　and　entered　the　dark　house。
　
　The　Prisoners
　　
　　Kossil's　steps　sounded　along　the　hallway　of　the　Small　House；　even　and　deliberate。　The　tall；　heavy　figure　filled　the　doorway　of　the　room；　shrank　as　the　priestess　bowed　down　touching　one　knee　to　the　floor；　swelled　as　she　straightened　to　her　full　height。
　　〃Mistress。〃
　　〃What　is　it；　Kossil？〃
　　〃I　have　been　permitted　to　look　after　certain　matters　pertaining　to　the　Domain　of　the　Nameless　Ones；　until　now。　If　you　so　desire；　it　is　now　time　for　you　to　learn；　and　see；　and　take　charge　of　these　matters；　which　you　have　not　yet　remembered　in　this　life。〃
　　The　girl　had　been　sitting　in　her　windowless　room；　supposedly　meditating；　actually　doing　nothing　and　thinking　almost　nothing。　It　took　some　time　for　the　fixed；　dull；　haughty　expression　of　he