uleg.thefarthestshore-第4章

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all　and　arched　ceiling　with　the　Thousand…Leaved　Tree。
　　〃Gont；〃　said　Gamble。　〃He　was　a　village　goatherd　there。〃　；
　　Now；　at　this　plain　and　well…known　fact；　the　boy　from　Enlad　turned　and　looked　with　disapproving　unbelief　at　Gamble。　〃A　goatherd？〃
　　〃That's　what　most　Gontishmen　are；　unless　they're　pirates　or　sorcerers。　I　didn't　say　he　was　a　goatherd　now；　you　know！〃
　　〃But　how　would　a　goatherd　bee　Archmage？〃
　　〃The　same　way　a　prince　would！　By　ing　to　Roke　and　outdoing　all　the　Masters；　by　stealing　the　Ring　in　Atuan；　by　sailing　the　Dragons'　Run；　by　being　the　greatest　wizard　since　Erreth…Akbe　…　how　else？〃
　　They　came　out　of　the　gallery　by　the　north　door。　Late　afternoon　lay　warm　and　bright　on　the　furrowed　hills　and　the　roofs　of　Thwil　Town　and　the　bay　beyond。　There　they　stood　to　talk。　Gamble　said；　〃Of　course　that's　all　long　ago；　now。　He　hasn't　done　much　since　he　was　named　Archmage。　They　never　do。　They　just　sit　on　Roke　and　watch　the　Equilibrium；　I　suppose。　And　he's　quite　old　now。〃
　　〃Old？　How　old？〃
　　〃Oh；　forty　or　fifty。〃
　　〃Have　you　seen　him？〃
　　〃Of　course　I've　seen　him；〃　Gamble　said　sharply。　The　royal　idiot　seemed　also　to　be　a　royal　snob。
　　〃Often？〃
　　〃No。　He　keeps　to　himself。　But　when　I　first　came　to　Roke　I　saw　him；　in　the　Fountain　Court。〃
　　〃I　spoke　with　him　there　today；〃　Arren　said。
　　His　tone　made　Gamble　look　at　him　and　then　answer　him　fully：　〃It　was　three　years　ago。　And　I　was　so　frightened　I　never　really　looked　at　him。　I　was　pretty　young；　of　course。　But　its　hard　to　see　things　clearly　in　there。　I　remember　his　voice；　mostly；　and　the　fountain　running。〃　After　a　moment　he　added；　〃He　does　have　a　Gontish　accent。〃
　　〃If　I　could　speak　to　dragons　in　their　own　language；〃　Arren　said；　〃I　wouldn't　care　about　my　accent。〃
　　At　that　Gamble　looked　at　him　with　a　degree　of　approval；　and　asked；　〃Did　you　e　here　to　join　the　school；　prince？〃
　　〃No。　I　carried　a　message　from　my　father　to　the　Archmage。〃
　　〃Enlad　is　one　of　the　Principalities　of　the　Kingship；　isn't　it？〃
　　〃Enlad；　Ilien；　and　Way。　Havnor　and　Ea；　once；　but　the　line　of　descent　from　the　kings　has　died　out　in　those　lands。　Ilien　traces　the　descent　from　Gemal　Seaborn　through　Maharion；　who　was　King　of　all　the　Isles。　Way；　from　Akambar　and　the　House　of　Shelieth。　Enlad；　the　oldest；　from　Morred　through　his　son　Serriadh　and　the　House　of　Enlad〃
　　Arren　recited　these　genealogies　with　a　dreamy　air；　like　a　well…trained　scholar　whose　mind　is　on　another　subject。
　　〃Do　you　think　we'll　see　a　king　in　Havnor　again　in　our　lifetime？〃
　　〃I　never　thought　about　it　much。〃
　　〃In　Ark；　where　I　e　from；　people　think　about　it。　We're　part　of　the　Principality　of　Ilien　now；　you　know；　since　peace　was　made。　How　long　has　it　been；　seventeen　years　or　eighteen；　since　the　Ring　of　the　King's　Rune　was　returned　to　the　Tower　of　the　Kings　in　Havnor？　Things　were　better　for　a　while　then；　but　now　they're　worse　than　ever。　It's　time　there　was　a　king　again　on　the　throne　of　Earthsea；　to　wield　the　Sign　of　Peace。　People　are　tired　of　wars　and　raids　and　merchants　who　overprice　and　princes　who　overtax　and　all　the　confusion　of　unruly　powers。　Roke　guides；　but　it　can't　rule。　The　Balance　lies　here；　but　the　Power　should　lie　in　the　king's　hands。〃
　　Gamble　spoke　with　real　interest；　all　foolery　set　aside；　and　Arren's　attention　was　finally　caught。　〃Enlad　is　a　rich　and　peaceful　land；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃It　has　never　entered　into　these　rivalries。　We　hear　of　the　troubles　in　other　lands。　But　there's　been　no　king　on　the　throne　in　Havnor　since　Maharion　died：　eight　hundred　years。　Would　the　lands　indeed　accept　a　king？〃
　　〃If　he　came　in　peace　and　in　strength；　if　Roke　and　Havnor　recognized　his　claim。〃
　　〃And　there　is　a　prophecy　that　must　be　fulfilled；　isn't　there？　Maharion　said　that　the　next　king　must　be　a　mage。〃
　　〃The　Master　Chanter's　a　Havnorian　and　interested　in　the　matter；　and　he's　been　dinning　the　words　into　us　for　three　years　now。　Maharion　said；　He　shall　inherit　my　throne　who　has　crossed　the　dark　land　living　and　e　to　the　far　shores　of　the　day。〃
　　〃Therefore　a　mage。〃
　　〃Yes；　since　only　a　wizard　or　mage　can　go　among　the　dead　in　the　dark　land　and　return。　Though　they　do　not　cross　it。　At　least；　they　always　speak　of　it　as　if　it　had　only　one　boundary；　and　beyond　that；　no　end。　What　are　the　far　shores　of　the　day；　then？　But　so　runs　the　prophecy　of　the　Last　King；　and　therefore　someday　one　will　be　born　to　fulfill　it。　And　Roke　will　recognize　him；　and　the　fleets　and　armies　and　nations　will　e　together　to　him。　Then　there　will　be　majesty　again　in　the　center　of　the　world；　in　the　Tower　of　the　Kings　in　Havnor。　I　would　e　to　such　a　one；　I　would　serve　a　true　king　with　all　my　heart　and　all　my　art；〃　said　Gamble；　and　then　laughed　and　shrugged；　lest　Arren　think　he　spoke　with　over…much　emotion。　But　Arren　looked　at　him　with　friendliness；　thinking；　〃He　would　feel　toward　the　king　as　I　do　toward　the　Archmage。〃　Aloud　he　said；　〃A　king　would　need　such　men　as　you　about　him。〃
　　They　stood；　each　thinking　his　own　thoughts；　yet　panionable；　until　a　gong　rang　sonorous　in　the　Great　House　behind　them。
　　〃There！〃　said　Gamble。　〃Lentil　and　onion　soup　tonight。　e　on。〃
　　〃I　thought　you　said　they　didn't　cook；〃　said　Arren；　still　dreamy；　following。
　　〃Oh；　sometimes　…by　mistake…〃
　　No　magic　was　involved　in　the　dinner；　though　plenty　of　substance　was。　After　it　they　walked　out　over　the　fields　in　the　soft　blue　of　the　dusk。　〃This　is　Roke　Knoll；〃　Gamble　said；　as　they　began　to　climb　a　rounded　hill。　The　dewy　grass　brushed　their　legs；　and　down　by　the　marshy　Thwilburn　there　was　a　chorus　of　little　toads　to　wele　the　first　warmth　and　the　shortening；　starry　nights。
　　There　was　a　mystery　in　that　ground。　Gamble　said　softly；　〃This　hill　was　the　first　that　stood　above　the　sea；　when　the　First　Word　was　spoken。〃
　　〃And　it　will　be　the　last　to　sink；　when　all　things　are　unmade；〃　said　Arren。
　　〃Therefore　a　safe　place　to　stand　on；〃　Gamble　said；　shaking　off　awe；　but　then　he　cried；　awestruck；　〃Look！　The　Grove！〃
　　South　of　the　Knoll　a　great　light　was　revealed　on　the　earth；　like　moonrise；　but　the　thin　moon　was　already　setting　westward　over　the　hill's　top；　and　there　was　a　flickering　in　this　radiance；　like　the　movement　of　leaves　in　the　wind。
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　〃It　es　from　the　Grove…　the　Masters　must　be　there。　They　say　it　burnt　so；　with　a　light　like　moonlight；　all　night；　when　they　met　to　choose　the　Archmage　five　years　ago。　But　why　are　they　meeting　now？　Is　it　the　news　you　brought？〃
　　〃It　may　be；〃　said　Arren。
　　Gamble；　excited　and　uneasy；　wanted　to　return　to　the　Great　House　to　hear　any　rumor　of　what　the　Council　of　the　Masters　portended。　Arren　went　with　him；　but　looked　back　often　at　that　strange　radiance　till　the　slope　hid　it；　and　there　was　only　the　new　moon　setting　and　the　stars　of　spring。
　　Alone　in　the　dark　in　the　stone　cell　that　was　his　sleeping…room；　Arren　lay　with　eyes　open。　He　had　slept　on　a　bed　all　his　life；　under　soft　furs；　even　in　the　twenty…oared　galley　in　which　he　had　e　from　Enlad　they　had　provided　their　young　prince　with　more　fort　than　this…a　straw　pallet　on　the　stone　floor　and　a　ragged　blanket　of　felt。　But　he　noticed　none　of　it。　〃I　am　at　the　center　of　the　world；〃　he　thought。　〃The　Masters　are　talking　in　the　holy　place。　What　will　they　do？　Will　they　weave　a　great　magic　to　save　magic？　Can　it　be　true　that　wizardry　is　dying　out　of　the　world？　Is　there　a　danger　that　threatens　even　Roke？　I　will　stay　here。　I　will　not　go　home。　I　would　rather　sweep　his　room　than　be　a　prince　in　Enlad。　Would　he　let　me　stay　as　a　novice？　But　perhaps　there　will　be　no　more　teaching　of　the　art…magic；　no　more　learning　of　the　true　names　of　things。　My　father　has　the　gift　of　wizardry；　but　I　do　not；　perhaps　it　is　indeed　dying　out　of　the　world。　Yet　I　would　stay　near　him；　even　if　he　lost　his　power　and　his　art。　Even　if　I　never　saw　him。　Even　if　he　never　said　another　word　to　me。〃　But　his　ardent　imagination　swept　him　on　past　that；　so　that　in　a　moment　he　saw　himself　face　to　face　with　the　Archmage　once　more　in　the　court　beneath　the　rowan　tree；　and　the　sky　was　dark　and　the　tree　leafless　and　the　fountain　silent；　and　he　said；　〃My　lord；　the　storm　is　on　us；　yet　I　will　stay　by　thee　and　serve　thee；〃　and　the　Archmage　smiled　at　him。。。　But　there　imagination　failed；　for　he　had　not　seen　that　dark　face　smile。
　　In　the　morning