tg.wizardfirstrule-第32章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e；　deepening　into　darker　purple　on　the　other。　It　didn't　really　matter；　he　decided。　He　knew　who　he　was　after；　and　there　was　no　doubt　at　all　in　his　mind　about　him　being　the　enemy。　None　Whatsoever。
　
　〃There's　one　more　thing。　One　more　important　thing；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃When　you　use　the　sword　against　an　enemy；　there　is　a　price　to　pay。　Is　that　not　true；　dear　one？〃　He　looked　to　her。　Kahlan　nodded　and　lowered　her　eyes　to　the　ground。　〃The　more　powerful　the　enemy；　the　higher　the　price。　I　am　sorry　it　was　necessary　to　do　that　to　you；　Kahlan；　but　it　is　the　most　important　lesson　Richard　must　learn。〃　She　gave　him　a　small　smile；　letting　him　know　that　she　understood　the　need。　He　turned　back　to　Richard。
　
　〃We　both　know　that　sometimes；　killing　is　the　only　choice；　that　it　has　to　be　classified　as　the　right　thing　to　do。　I　know　you　do　not　need　to　be　told　that　any　time　you　kill；　though；　it　is　a　terrible　thing。　You　live　with　it　always；　and　once　done；　it　cannot　be　undone。　You　pay　a　price　within　yourself；　it　diminishes　you　for　having　done　it。〃；
　
　Richard　nodded；　it　still　made　him　uneasy　that　he　had　killed　the　man　on　Blunt　Cliff。　He　wasn't　sorry　about　what　he　had　done；　he　had　had　no　time　or　other　choice；　but　in　his　mind　he　still　saw　the　man's　face　as　he　went　over　the　edge。
　
　Zedd's　eyes　became　intense。　〃It　is　different　when　you　kill　with　the　Sword　of　Truth；　because　of　the　magic。　The　magic　has　done　your　bidding；　and　it　extracts　a　price。　There　is　no　such　thing　as　pure　good　or　pure　evil；　least　of　all　in　people。　In　the　best　of　us　there　are　thoughts　or　deeds　that　are　wicked；　and　in　the　worst　of　us；　at　least　some　virtue。　An　adversary　is　not　one　who　does　loathsome　acts　for　their　own　sake。　He　always　has　a　reason　that　to　him　is　justification。　My　cat　eats　mice。　Does　that　make　him　bad？　I　don't　think　so；　and　the　cat　doesn't　think　so；　but　I　would　bet　the　mice　have　a　different　opinion。　Every　murderer　thinks　the　victim　needed　killing。
　
　〃I　know　you　don't　want　to　believe　this；　Richard；　but　you　must　listen。　Darken　Rahl　does　the　things　he　does；　because　he　thinks　them　right；　just　as　you　do　the　things　you　do　because　you　think　them　right。　The　two　of　you　are　more　the　same　in　that　than　you　think。　You　want　revenge　on　him　for　killing　your　father；　and　he　wants　revenge　on　me　for　killing　his。　In　your　eyes　he　is　evil；　but　to　his　eyes；　you　are　the　one　who　is　evil。　It　is　all　just　perception。　Whoever　wins　thinks　he　was　in　the　right。　The　loser　will　always　believe　himself　wronged。　It　is　the　same　as　with　the　magic　of　Orden：　the　power　is　simply　there；　one　use　wins　over　the　other。〃
　
　〃The　same？　Have　you　lost　your　mind？　How　could　you　think　we　are　the　same　in　any　way！　He　craves　power！　He　would　chance　destroying　the　world　to　get　it！　I　don't　want　power；　I　just　wanted　to　be　left　alone！　He　murdered　my　father！　He　ripped　his　guts　out！　He's　trying　to　kill　us　all！　How　can　you　saw　we　are　alike？　You　make　it　sound　like　he　isn't　even　dangerous！〃
　
　〃Haven't　you　been　paying　attention　to　what　I　have　just　been　teaching　you？　I　said　you　are　the　same　in　that　you　both　think　you　are　right。　And　that　makes　him　more　dangerous　than　you　can　imagine　because　in　every　other　way　you　are　different。　Darken　Rahl　savors　bleeding　the　life　from　people。　He　hungers　for　their　pain。　Your　sense　of　right　has　bounds；　his　has　none。　His　is　twisted　into　an　all…consuming　lust　to　torture　all　opposition　into　submission；　and　he　considers　any　who　don't　rush　to　bow　before　him　as　opposition。　His　conscience　was　clear　when　he　used　his　bare　hands　to　calmly　extract　your　father's　guts　while　he　was　still　breathing。　He　found　pleasure　in　the；　doing　because　his　distorted　sense　of　right　gives　him　license。　That　is　how　he　is　very　different　from　you。　That　is　how　dangerous　he　is。〃　He　pointed　back　at　Kahlan。　〃Weren't　you　paying　attention？　Didn't　you　see　what　she　was　able　to　do　with　the　sword？　And　how　did　she　do　what　you　could　not？　Hmm？〃
　
　〃Perception；〃　Richard　said；　in　a　much　quieter　voice。　〃She　was　able　to　do　it　because　she　thought　she　was　right。〃
　
　Zedd　thrust　a　finger　in　the　air。　〃Aha！　Perception　is　what　makes　the　threat　even　more　dangerous。〃　The　wizard's　finger　came　down　and　jabbed　Richard's　chest　with　each　word。　〃Just　。　。　。　like　。　。　。　the　sword。〃
　
　Richard　hooked　a　thumb　under　the　baldric　and　let　out　a　deep　breath。　He　felt　as　if　he　were　standing　in　quicksand；　but　he　had　lived　with　Zedd　too　long　to　dismiss　the　things　he　said　simply　because　they　were　hard　to　fathom。　He　longed　for　simplicity；　though。　〃You　mean　that　it's　not　only　what　he　does　that　makes　him　dangerous；　but　also　what　he　feels　justified　in　doing？〃
　
　Zedd　shrugged。　〃Let　me　put　it　another　way。　Who　would　you　be　more　afraid　of；　a　two…hundred…pound　man　who　wants　to　steal　a　loaf　of　bread　from　you；　and　knows　he　is　doing　wrong；　or　a　one　hundred…pound　woman　who　believes；　wrongly；　but　believes　with　all　her　heart；　that　you　stole　her　baby？〃
　
　Richard　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest。　〃I　would　run　from　the　woman。　She　wouldn't　give　up。　She　wouldn't　listen　to　reason。　She　would　be　capable　of　anything。〃
　
　Zedd's　eyes　were　fierce。　〃So　is　Darken　Rahl。　Because　he　thinks　he　is　right；　he　is　that　much　more　dangerous。〃
　
　Richard　returned　the　fierce　expression。　〃I　am　in　the　right。〃
　
　Zedd's　expression　softened。　〃The　mice　think　they　are　in　the　right；　too；　but　my　cat　eats　them　just　。the　same。　I　am　trying　to　teach　you　something；　Richard。　I　don't　want　you　to　get　caught　in　his　claws。〃
　
　Richard　unfolded　his　arms　and　sighed。　〃I　don't　like　it；　but　I　understand。　As　I　have　heard　you　say；　nothing　is　ever　easy。　While　all　of　this　in　interesting；　it　isn't　going　to　frighten　me　away　from　doing　what　it　is　I　must；　what　I　believe　to　be　right。　So　what　is　this　business　about　a　price　to　using　the　Sword　of　Truth？〃
　
　Zedd　held　a　thin　finger　to　Richard's　chest。　〃The　payment　is　that　you　suffer　the　pain　of　seeing　in　yourself　all　your　own　evil；　all　your　own　shortings；　all　the　things　we　don't　like　to　see　in　ourselves；　or　admit　are　there。　And　you　see　the　good　in　the　one　you　have　killed；　suffer　the　guilt　for　having　done　so。〃　Zedd　shook　his　head　sadly。　〃Please　believe　me；　Richard；　the　pain　es　not　only　from　yourself；　but　more　importantly；　from　the　magic；　a　very　powerful　magic；　a　very　powerful　pain。　Do　not　underestimate　it。　It　is　real；　and　it　punishes　your　body；　as　well　as　your　soul。　You　saw　it　in　Kahlan；　and　that　was　from　killing　a　tree。　If　it　had　been　a　man；　it　would　have　been　profound。　This　is　why　anger　is　so…important。　Rage　is　the　only　armor　you　have　against　the　pain；　it　gives'　a　measure　of　protection。　The　stronger　the　enemy；　the　stronger　the　pain。　But　the　stronger　the　rage；　the　stronger　the　shield。　It　makes　you　care　less　about　the　truth　of　what　you　have　done。　In　some　cases　enough　to　not　feel　the　pain。　This　is　why　I　said　the　terrible　things　I　did　to　Kahlan；　things　that　hurt；　and　filled　her　with　rage。　It　was　to　protect　her　when　she　used　the　sword。　You　see　why　I　wouldn't　have　allowed　you　to　take　the　sword；　if　you　weren't　able　to　use　your　anger？　You　would　be　naked　before　the　magic；　it　would　tear　you　apart。〃
　
　Richard　was　a　little　frightened　by　this；　by　the　look　in　Kahlan's　eyes　after　she　had　used　the　sword；　but　it　didn't　dissuade　him。　He　glanced　up　at　the　mountains　of　the　boundary。　They　stood　out；　pale　pink　in　the　light　of　the　setting　sun。　Behind　them；　from　the　east；　darkness　was　ing。　Darkness　ing　for　them。　He　had　to　find　a　way　across　the　boundary；　into　that　darkness。　The　sword　would　help　him；　that　was　what　mattered。　There　was　much　at　stake。　There　was　a　cost　to　everything　in　life；　he　would　pay　this　one。
　
　His　old　friend　placed　his　hands　on　Richard's　shoulders　and　looked　hard　into　his　eyes。　Zedd's　features　were　set　in　grim　warning。
　
　〃Now　I　have　to　tell　you　something　you　are　not　going　to　like。〃　His　fingers　tightened；　almost　painfully。　〃You　cannot　use　the　Sword　of　Truth　on　Darken　Rahl。〃
　
　〃What！〃
　
　Zedd　gave　him　a　shake。　〃He　is　too　powerful。　The　magic　of　Orden　protects　him　during　the　year　of　search。　If　you　try　to　use　the　sword；　you　will　be　dead　before　it　reaches　him。〃
　
　〃This　is　crazy！　First　you　want　me　to　be　the　Seeker　and　take　the　sword；　now　you　tell　me　I　can't　use　it！〃　Richard　was　furious。　He　felt　cheated。
　
　〃Just　against　Rahl；　it　won't　w