srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第32章

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rim　to　center　until　all　the　blood　and　gore　had　been　washed　from　the　houses　and　swept　from　the　ground　of　the　village。
　　　　Covenant　did　not　help　them。　After　his　recent　exertions；　he　was　too　weak　for　such　labor。　But　he　felt　cold；　upright；　and　passionate；　ballasted　by　the　new　granite　of　his　purpose。　He　went　with　Lena；　Slen；　and　the　Circle　of　elders　to　the　banks　of　the　river；　and　there　helped　treat　the　injuries　of　the　Stonedownors。　He　cleaned　and　bound　wounds；　removed　slivers　of　broken　weapons；　amputated　mangled　fingers　and　toes。　When　even　the　elders　faltered；　he　took　the　blue…hot　blade　and　used　it　to　clean　the　sores　which　covered　Foamfollower's　chest　and　back。　His　fingers　trembled　at　the　task；　and　his　halfhand　slipped　on　the　knife's　handle；　but　he　pressed　fire　into　the　Giant's　oaken　muscles　until　all　the　sucker　wounds　had　been　　seared。
　　　　Foamfollower　took　a　deep　breath　that　shuddered　with　pain；　and　said；　〃Thank　you；　my　friend。　That　is　a　grateful　fire。　You　have　made　it　somewhat　like　the　caamora。〃　But　Covenant　threw　down　the　blade　without　answering；　and　went　to　plunge　his　shaking　hands　into　the　icy　waters　of　the　Mithil。　All　the　while；　a　deep　rage　mounted　within　him；　grew　up　his　soul　like　slow　vines　reaching　toward　savagery。
　　　　Later；　when　all　the　wounded　had　been　given　treatment；　Slen　and　the　elders　cooked　a　meal　for　the　whole　village。　Sitting　in　the　new　cleanliness　of　the　open　center；　the　people　ate　hot　savory　stew　with　unleavened　bread；　cheese；　and　dried　fruit。　Covenant　joined　them。　Throughout　the　meal；　Lena　tended　him　like　a　servant。　But　he　kept　his　eyes　down；　stared　at　the　ground　to　avoid　her　face　and　all　other　faces；　he　did　not　wish　to　be　distracted　from　the　process　taking　place　within　him。　With　cold　determination；　he　ate　every　scrap　of　food　offered　to　him。　He　needed　nourishment　for　his　purpose。
　　　　After　the　meal；　Triock　made　new　arrangements　for　the　protection　of　the　Stonedown。　He　sent　scouts　back　out　to　the　Plains；　designed　tentative　plans　against　another　attack；　asked　for　volunteers　to　carry　word　of　the　rock…destroying　creatures　to　the　Stonedown's　nearest　neighbors；　thirty　leagues　away。　Then　at　last　he　turned　to　the　matter　of　Covenant's　decision。
　　　　Yeurquin　and　Quirrel　sat　down　on　either　side　of　Triock　as　he　faced　the　village。　Before　he　began；　he　glanced　at　Foamfollower；　who　stood　nearby。　Obliquely；　Covenant　observed　that　in　the　place　of　his　ruined　jerkin　Foam…follower　now　wore　an　armless　sheepskin　cloak。　It　did　not　close　across　his　chest；　but　it　covered　his　shoulders　and　back　like　a　vest。　He　nodded　in　response　to　Triock's　mute　question；　and　Triock　said；　〃Well；　then。　Let　us　delay　no　longer。〃　In　a　rough；　sardonic　tone；　he　added；　〃We　have　had　rest　enough。
　　　　〃My　friends；　here　is　ur…Lord　Thomas　Covenant；　Unbeliever　and　white　gold　wielder。　For　good　or　ill；　the　Giant　and　I　have　brought　him　to　the　Land。　You　know　the　lore　which　has　been　abroad　in　the　Land　since　that　day　seven　and　forty　years　ago　when　the　Unbeliever　first　came　to　Mithil　Stonedown　from　Kevin's　Watch。　You　see　that　he　es　in　the　semblance　of　Berek　Halfhand；　Heartthew　and　Lord…Fatherer；　and　bears　with　him　the　talisman　of　the　wild　magic　which　destroys　peace。　You　have　heard　the　ancient　song：
　　　　And　with　the　one　word　of　truth　or　treachery；　he　will　save　or　damn　the　Earth　because　he　is　mad　and　sane；　cold　and　passionate；　lost　and　found。
　　　　He　is　among　us　now　so　that　he　may　fulfill　all　his　prophecies。
　　　　〃My　friends；　a　blessing　in　the　apparel　of　disease　may　still　right　wrongs。　And　treachers　in　any　other　garb　remain　accursed。　I　know　not　whether　we　have　wrought　life　or　death　for　the　Land　in　this　matter。　But　many　brave　hearts　have　held　hope　in　the　name　of　the　Unbeliever。　The　Lorewardens　of　the　Loresraat　saw　omens　of　good　in　the　darkest　deeds　which　cling　to　Covenant's　name。　And　it　was　said　among　them　that　High　Lord　Mhoram　does　not　falter　in　his　trust。　Each　of　you　must　choose　your　own　faith。　I　choose　to　support　the　High　Lord's　trust。〃
　　　　〃I；　also；〃　said　Foamfollower　quietly。　〃I　have　known　both　Mhoram　son　of　Variol　and　Thomas　Covenant。〃
　　　　Omens；　hell！　Covenant　muttered　to　himself。　Rape　and　betrayal。　He　sensed　that　Lena　was　gathering　herself　to　make　some　kind　of　avowal。　To　prevent　her；　he　pushed　glaring　to　his　feet。　〃That's　not　all；〃　he　grated。　〃Tamarantha　and　Prothall　and　Mhoram　and　who　knows　how　many　others　thought　that　I　was　chosen　for　this　by　the　Creator　or　whoever's　responsible　in　the　end。　Take　consolation　in　that　if　you　can。　Never　mind　that　it's　just　another　way　of　saying　I　chose　myself。　The　idea　itself　isn't　so　crazy。　Creators　are　the　most　helpless　people　alive。　They　have　to　work　through　unsufferable…they　have　to　work　through　tools　as　blunt　and　misbegotten　and　useless　as　myself。　Believe　me；　it's　easier　just　to　burn　the　world　down；　reduce　it　to　innocent　or　clean　or　at　least　dead　ash。　Which　may　be　what　I'm　doing。　How　else　could　I…？〃
　　　　With　an　effort；　he　stopped　himself。　He　had　already　iterated　often　enough　the　fundamental　unbelief　with　which　he　viewed　the　Land；　he　had　no　reason　to　repeat　that　it　was　a　delusion　spawned　by　his　abysmal　incapacity　for　life。　He　had　gone　beyond　the　need　for　such　assertions。　Now　he　had　to　face　their　consequences。　To　begin；　he　broached　a　tangent　of　what　was　in　his　heart。　〃Did　any　of　you　see　a　break　in　the　clouds…sometime…maybe　a　couple　nights　ago？〃
　　　　Triock　stiffened。　〃We　saw；〃　he　said　gruffly。
　　　　〃Did　you　see　the　moon？〃
　　　　〃It　was　full。〃
　　　　〃It　was　green！〃　Covenant　spat。　His　vehemence　cracked　his　swollen　lip；　and　a　trickle　of　blood　started　down　his　chin。　He　scrubbed　the　blood　away　with　his　numb　fingers；　steadied　himself　on　the　stone　visage　of　his　purpose。　Ignoring　the　stares　of　the　Stonedownors；　he　went　on；　〃Never　mind。　Never　mind　that。　Listen。　I'll　tell　you　what　we're　going　to　do。　I'll　tell　you　what　you're　going　to　do。〃
　　　　He　met　Triock's　gaze。　Triock's　lips　were　white　with　tension；　but　his　eyes　crouched　in　their　sockets　as　if　they　ached　to　flinch　away　from　what　they　beheld。　Covenant　scowled　into　them。　〃You're　going　to　find　some　way　to　let　Mhoram　know　I'm　here。〃
　　　　For　an　instant；　Triock　gaped　involuntarily。　Then　he　drew　himself　up　as　if　he　were　about　to　start　yelling　at　Covenant。　Seeing　this；　Foamfollower　interposed；　〃Ur…Lord；　do　you　know　what　you　ask？　Revelstone　is　three　hundred　leagues　distant。　In　the　best　of　times；　even　a　Giant　could　not　gain　the　high　halls　of　Lord's　Keep　in　less　than　fifteen　days。〃
　　　　〃And　the　Plains　are　a　swarm　with　marauders！''　barked　Triock。　〃From　here　to　the　joining　of　the　Black　and　Mithil　rivers；　a　strong　band　might　fight　and　dodge　its　way　in　twenty　days。　But　beyond…in　the　Center　Plains…are　the　fell　legions　of　the　Gray　Slayer。　All　the　Land　from　Andelain　to　the　Last　Hills　is　under　their　dominion。　With　twenty　thousand　warriors；　I　could　not　battle　my　way　even　to　the　Soulsease　River　in　twice　or　ten　times　fifty　days。''
　　　　Covenant　began；　〃I　don't　give　a　bloody　damn　what…〃
　　　　Flatly；　Quirrel　interrupted　him。　〃Further；　you　must　not　call　upon　the　Ranyhyn　for　aid。　The　creatures　of　the　Gray　Slayer　prize　Ranyhyn…flesh。　The　Ranyhyn　would　be　taken　and　eaten。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　care！〃　Covenant　fumed。　〃It　doesn't　matter　what　you　think　is　possible　or　impossible。　Everything　here　is　impossible。　If　we　don't　start　doing　the　impossible　now；　it'll　be　too　late。　And　Mhoram　has　got　to　know。''
　　　　〃Why？〃　Anger　still　crackled　in　Triock's　voice；　but　he　was　watching　Covenant　closely　now；　scrutinizing　him　as　if　he　could　see　something　malignant　growing　behind　Covenant's　belligerence。
　　　　Under　Triock's　gaze；　Covenant　felt　too　ashamed　to　admit　that　he　had　already　refused　a　summons　from　Mhoram。　He　could　taste　the　outrage　with　which　all　the　Stonedownors　would　greet　such　a　confession。　Instead；　he　replied；　〃Because　it　will　make　a　difference　to　him。　If　he　knows　where　I　am…if　he　knows　what　I'm　doing…it'll　make　a　difference。　He'll　know　what　to　do。〃
　　　　〃What　can　he　do？　Revelstone　is　besieged　by　an　army　as　unanswerable　as　the　Desert。　High　Lord　Mhoram　and　all　the　Council　are　prisoners　in　Lord's　Keep。　We　are　less　helpless　than　they。〃
　　　　〃Triock；　you're　making　a　big　mistake　if　you　ever　assume　that　Mhoram　is　helpless。〃
　　　　〃The　Unbeliever　speaks　truly；〃　Foamfollower　said。　〃The　son　of　Variol　is　a　man　of