srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第44节

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　As　the　pany　of　the　Lords　moved　through　the　early　part　of　the　afternoon；　the　country　around　them　changed。　Piles　'of　tumbled　rock　began　to　appear　among　the　trees　and　through　the　greensward；　rugged　boulders　several　times　taller　than　the　riders　thrust　their　heads　out　of　the　ground；　and　smaller　stones　overgrown　with　moss　and　lichen　lay　everywhere。　Soon　the　pany　seemed　to　be　riding　within　the　ancient　rubble　of　a　shattered　mountain；　a　tall；　incongruous　peak　which　had　risen　out　of　the　hills　of　Kurash　Plenethor　until　some　immense　force　had　blasted　it　to　bits。
　They　were　approaching　the　rock　gardens　of　the　Maerl。
　Troy　had　never　taken　the　time　to　study　the　gardens；　but　he　knew　that　they　were　said　to　be　the　place　where　the　best　suru…pa…maerl　Craftmasters　of　the　rhadhamaerl　did　their　boldest　work。　Though　in　the　past　few　years　he　had　ridden　along　this　road　through　the　bristling　rocks　many　times；　he　could　not　say　where　the　gardens　themselves　began。　Except　for　a　steady　increase　in　the　amount　of　rubble　lying　on　or　sticking　through　the　grass；　he　could　locate　no　specific　changes　or　boundaries　until　the　pany　crested　a　hill　above　a　wide　valley。　Then　at　least　he　was　sure　that　he　was　in　one　of　the　gardens。
　Most　of　the　long；　high　hillside　facing　the　valley　was　thickly　covered　with　stones；　as　if　it　had　once　been　the　heart　of　the　ancient　shattered　peak。　The　rocks　clustered　and　bulged　on　all　sides；　raising　themselves　up　in　huge　piles　or　massive　single　boulders；　so　that　virtually　the　only　clear　ground　on　the　steep　slope　was　the　roadway。
　None　of　these　rocks　and　boulders　was　polished　or　chipped　or　shaped　in　any　way；　though　scattered　individual　stones　and　clusters　of　stones　appeared　to　have　had　their　moss　and　lichen　cleaned　away。　And　they　all　seemed　to　have　been　chosen　for　their　natural　grotesquerie。　Instead　of　sitting　or　resting　on　the　ground；　they　jutted　and　splintered　and　scowled　and　squatted　and　gaped；　reared　and　cowered　and　blustered　like　a　mad；　packed　throng　of　troglodytes　terrified　or　ecstatic　to　be　breathing　open　air。　On　its　way　to　the　valley；　the　road　wandered　among　the　weird　shapes　as　if　it　were　lost　in　a　garish　forest；　so　that　as　they　moved　downward　the　riders　were　constantly　in　the　shadow　of　one　tormented　form　or　another。
　Troy　knew　that　the　jumbled　amazement　of　that　hillside　was　not　natural；　it　had　been　made　by　men　for　some　reason　which　he　did　not　grasp。
　On　past　journeys；　he　had　never　been　interested　enough　in　it　to　ask　about　its　significance。　But　now　he　did　not　object　when　High　Lord　Elena　suggested　that　the　pany　go　to　look　at　the　work　from　a　distance。　Across　the　grassy　bottom　of　the　valley　was　another　hill；　even　steeper　and　higher　than　the　one　it　faced。　The　road　turned　left；　and　went　away　along　the　bottom　of　the　valley；　ignoring　the　plainer　hill。　Elena　suggested　that　the　riders　climb　this　hill　to　look　back　at　the　gardens。
　She　spoke　to　her　panions　generally；　but　her　gaze　was　on　Covenant。　When　he　acquiesced　with　a　vague　shrug；　she　responded　as　if　he　had　expressed　the　willingness　of　all　the　riders。
　The　front　of　the　hill　was　too　steep　for　the　horses；　so　they　turned　right　and　cantered　up　the　valley　until　they　found　a　place　where　they　could　swing　around　and　mount　the　hill　from　behind。　As　they　rode；　Troy　began　to　feel　mildly　expectant。　The　High　Lord's　eagerness　to　show　the　view　to　Covenant　invested　it　with　interest。　He　remembered　other　surprises…like　the　Hall　of　Gifts；　which　had　not　interested　him　until　Mhoram　had　practically　dragged　him　to　it。
　At　the　top；　the　hill　bulged　into　a　bare　knoll。　The　riders　left　their　mounts　behind；　and　climbed　the　last　distance　on　foot。　They　moved　quickly；　sharing　Elena's　mood；　and　soon　reached　the　crest。
　Across　the　valley；　the　rock　garden　lay　open　below　them；　displayed　like　a　bas…relief。　From　this　distance；　they　could　easily　see　that　all　its　jumbled　rock　formed　a　single　pattern。
　Out　of　tortured　stone；；　the　makers　of　the　garden　had　designed　a　wide　face…a　broad　countenance　with　lumped　gnarled　and　twisted　features。　The　unevenness　of　the　rock　made　the　face　appear　bruised　and　contorted；　its　eyes　were　as　ragged　as　deep　wounds；　and　the　roadway　cut'　through　it　like　an　aimless　scar。　But　despite　all　this；　the　face　was　stretched　with　a　grin　of　immense　cheerfulness。　The　unexpectedness　of　it　startled　Troy　into　a　low；　glad　burst　of　laughter。
　Though　the　Lords　and　Lorewardens　were　obviously　familiar　with　the　garden；　all　their　faces　shared　a　look　of　joy；　as　if　the　displayed　hilarious　grin　were　contagious。　High　Lord　Elena　clasped　her　hands　together　to　contain　a　surge　of　happiness；　and　Lord　Mhoram's　eyes　glittered　with　keen　pleasure。　Only　Covenant　did　not　smile　or　nod；　or　show　any　other　sign　of　gladness。　His　face　was　as　gaunt　as　a　shipwreck。　His　eyes　held　a　restless；　haggard　look　of　their　own；　and　his　right　hand　fumbled　at　his　ring　in　a　way　that　emphasized　his　two　missing　fingers。　After　a　moment；　he　muttered　through　the　pany's　murmuring；　〃Well；　the　Giants　certainly　must　be　proud　of　you。〃
　His　tone　was　ambiguous；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　say　two　contradictory　things　at　once。　But　his　reference　to　the　Giants　overshadowed　anything　else　he　might　have　meant。　Lord　Amatin's　smile　faltered；　and　a　sudden　scrutinizing　gleam　sprang　from　under　Mhoram's　brows。　Elena　moved　toward　him；　intending　to　speak；　but　before　she　could　begin；　he　went　on；　〃I　knew　a　woman　like　that　once。〃　He　was　striving　to　sound　casual；　but　his　voice　was　awkward。　〃At　the　leprosarium。〃
　Troy　groaned　inwardly；　but　held　himself　still。
　〃She　was　beau…　Of　course；　I　didn't　know　her　then。　And　she　didn't　have　any　pictures　of　herself；　or　if　she　did　she　didn't　show　them。　I　don't　think　she　could　even　stand　to　look　in　the　mirror　anymore。　But　the　doctors　told　me　that　she　used　to　be　beautiful。　She　had　a　smile…　Even　when　I　knew　her；　she　could　still　smile。　It　looked　just　like　that。〃　He　nodded　in　the　direction　of　the　rock　garden；　but　he　did　not　look　at　it。　He　was　concentrating　on　his　memory。
　〃She　was　a　classic　case。〃　As　he　continued；　his　tone　became　harsher　and　more　bitter。　He　articulated　each　word　distinctly；　as　if　it　had　jagged　edges。　〃She　was　exposed　to　leprosy　as　a　kid　in　the　Philippines　or　somewhere…her　parents　were　stationed　there　in　the　military；　I　suppose…and　it　caught　up　with　her　right　after　she　got　married。　Her　toes　went　numb。　She　should　have　gone　to　a　doctor　right　then；　but　she　didn't。　She　was　one　of　those　people　whom　you　can't　interrupt。　She　couldn't　take　time　away　from　her　husband　and　friends　to　worry　about　cold　toes。
　〃So　she　lost　her　toes。　She　finally　went　to　a　doctor　when　her　feet　began　to　cramp　so　badly　that　she　could　hardly　walk；　and　eventually　he　figured　out　what　was　wrong　with　her；　and　sent　her　to　the　leprosarium；　and　the　doctors　there　had　to　amputate。　That　gave　her　some　trouble…it's　hard　to　walk　when　you　don't　have　any　toes…but　she　was　irrepressible。　Before　long　she　was　back　with　her　husband。
　〃But　she　couldn't　have　any　kids。　It's　just　criminal　folly　for　lepers　who　know　better　to　have　any　kids。　Her　husband　understood　that…but　he　still　wanted　children；　and　so　in　due　course　he　divorced　her。　That　hurt　her；　but　she　survived　it。　Before　long；　she　had　a　job　and　new　friends　and　a　new　life。　And　she　was　back　in　the　leprosarium。　She　was　just　too　full　of　vitality　and　optimism　to　take　care　of　herself。　This　time；　two　of　her　fingers　were　numb。
　〃That　cost　her　her　job。　She　was　a　secretary；　and　needed　her　fingers。　And　of　course　her　boss　didn't　want　any　lepers　working　for　him。　But　once　her　disease　was　arrested　again；　she　learned　how　to　type　without　using　those　dead　fingers。　Then　she　moved　to　a　new　area；　got　another　job；　more　new　friends；　and　went　right　on　living　as　if　absolutely　nothing　had　happened。
　〃At　about　this　time…or　so　they　told　me…she　conceived　a　passion　for　folk　dancing。　She'd　learned　something　about　it　in　her　travels　as　a　kid；　and　now　it　became　her　hobby；　her　way　of　making　new　friends　and　telling　them　that　she　loved　them。　With　her　bright　clothes　and　her　smile；　she　was…〃
　He　faltered；　then　went　on　almost　at　once：　〃But　she　was　back　in　the　leprosarium　two　years　later。　She　didn't　have　very　good　footing；　and　she　took　too　many　falls。　And　not　enough　medication。　This　time　she　lost　her　right　leg　below　the　knee。　Her　sight　was　starting　to　blur；　and　her　right　hand　was　pretty　much　crippled。　Lumps　were　growing　in　her　face；　and　her　hair　was　falling　out。
　〃As　soon　as　she　learned　how　to　hobble　around　on　her　artificial　limb；　she　started　folk…dancing　lessons　for　the　lepers。
　〃The　doctors　kept　her　a　long　time；　but　finally　she　convinced　them　to　let　her　out。　She　swore　she　was　going　to　take　better　care　of　herself　this　time。　She'd　learned　her　lesson；　she　said；　and　she　wasn't　ever　ing　back。
　〃For　a　long　time；　she　didn't　e　back。　But　it　wasn't　because　she　didn't　need　to。　Bit　by　bit；　she　was　whittling　herself　away。　When　I　met　her；　she　was　back　at　the　leprosarium　because　a　nursing　home　had　thrown　her　out。　She　didn't　have　anything　left　except　her　smile。
　〃I　spent　a　lot　of　time　in　her　room；　watching　her　lie　there　in　bed…listening　to　her　talk。　I　was　trying　to　get　used　to　the　stench。　Her　face　looked　as　if　the　doctors　hit　her　with　clubs　every　morning；　but　she　still　had　that　smile。　Of　course；　most　of　her　teeth　were　gone　but　her　smile　hadn't　changed。
　〃She　tried　to　teac