tw.togreenangeltower2-第104节

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！


n。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　shook　her　head。　〃It　wishes　to　be　seen？〃　
　　　　　　　Yis…hadra　pursed　her　wide　mouth　thoughtfully。　〃I　do　not　have　your　tongue　well。　It　。。。　needs？　Needs　to　e　out？〃
　　　　　　　Like　gardeners；　Miriamele　thought　bemusedly。　Tending　the　stone。
　　　　　　　Aloud；　she　said：　〃Do　you　carve　things？　All　the　ruins　of　Asu'a　I've　seen　are　covered　with　beautiful　carvings。　Did　the　dwarrows　do　that？〃
　　　　　　　Tis…hadra　made　an　indecipherable　gesture　with　curled　fingers。　〃We　prepared　some　of　the　walls；　then　the　Zida'ya　created　pictures　there。　But　in　other　places；　we　gave　care　to　the　stone　ourselves；　helping　it。。。　bee。　When　Asu'a　was　built；　Zida'ya　and　Tinukeda'ya　still　worked　side　by　side。〃　Her　tone　was　mournful。　〃Together　we　made　wonderful　things。〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes。　I　saw　some　of　them。〃　She　looked　around。　〃Where　is　Yis…fidri？　I　need　to　talk　to　him。〃
Yis…hadra　appeared　embarrassed。　〃Is　it　I　have　said　something　bad？　I　cannot　speak　your　tongue　as　I　can　the　tongue　of　the　mortals　of　Hernystir。　Yis…fidri　speaks　more　well　than　I。〃
〃No。〃　Miriamele　smiled。　〃Nothing　bad　at　all。　But　he　and　I　were　talking　about　something；　and　I　want　to　talk　to　him　more。〃
　　　　　　　〃Ah。　He　will　e　back　in　a　little　time。　He　has　left　this　place。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　I'll　just　watch　you　work；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　　　　　　　Yis…hadra　returned　the　smile。　〃No。　I　will　tell　you　something　about　the　stone；　if　you　like。　Stones　have　stories。　We　know　the　stories。　Sometimes　I　think　we　know　their　stories　better　than　our　own。〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　sat　down　with　her　back　against　the　wall。　Yis…hadra　continued　with　her　task；　and　as　she　did　so；　she　talked。　Miriamele　had　never　thought　much　about　rocks　and　stone；　but　as　she　listened　to　the　dwarrow's　low；　musical　voice；　she　saw　for　the　first　time　that　they　were　in　a　way　living　things；　like　plants　and　animals…or　at　least　they　were　to　Yis…hadra's　kind。　The　stones　moved；　but　that　movement　took　eons。　They　changed；　but　no　living　thing；　not　even　the　Sithi；　walked　alive　beneath　the　sky　long　enough　to　see　that　change。　The　dwarrow…folk　studied　and　cultivated；　and　even　in　a　way　loved；　the　bones　of　the　earth。　　They　admired　the　beauty　of　glittering　gems　and　shining　metals；　but　they　also　valued　the　layered　patience　of　sandstone　and　the　boldness　of　volcanic　glass。　Every　one　of　them　had　its　own　tale；　but　it　took　a　certain　kind　of　vision　and　wisdom　to　understand　the　slow　stories　that　stones　told。　Yis…fidri's　wife；　with　her　huge　eyes　and　careful　fingers；　knew　them　well。　Miriamele　found　herself　oddly　touched　by　this　strange　creature；　and　for　a　while；　listening　to　Yis…hadra's　slow；　joyful　speech；　she　forgot　even　her　own　unhappiness。

　　　　　　　Tiamak　felt　a　hand　close　around　his　arm。　
　　　　　　　〃Is　that　you？〃　Father　Strangyeard's　voice　sounded　querulous。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　me。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　shouldn't　either　of　us　be　out　on　deck；〃　the　archivist　said。　〃Sludig　will　be　angry。〃
〃Sludig　would　be　right；〃　Tiamak　said。　〃The　kilpa　are　all　around　us。〃　But　still　he　did　not　move。　The　closed　quarters　of　the　ship's　cabin　had　been　making　it　hard　to　think；　and　the　ideas　that　were　moving　at　the　edge　of　his　mind　seemed　too　important　to　lose　just　because　of　a　fear　of　the　sea…creatures…however　worthy　of　fear　they　might　be。
　　　　　　　〃My　sight　is　not　good；〃　Strangyeard　said；　peering　worriedly　into　the　darkness。　He　held　his　hand　beside　his　good　eye　to　shield　against　the　strong　winds。　〃I　should　probably　not　be　walking　the　deck　at　night。　But　I　was　。。。　worried　for　you；　you　were　gone　so　long。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know。〃　Tiamak　patted　the　older　man's　hand　where　it　lay　on　the　weathered　rail。　〃I　am　thinking　about　the　things　I　told　you　earlier…the　idea　I　had　when　Camaris　fought　Benigaris。〃　He　stopped；　noticing　for　the　first　time　the　ship's　odd　movement。　〃Are　we　anchored？〃　he　asked　at　last。
〃We　are。　The　Hayefur　is　not　lit　at　Wentmouth；　and　Josua　feared　to　e　too　close　to　the　rocks　in　darkness。　He　sent　word　with　the　signal…lamp。〃　The　archivist　shivered。　〃It　makes　it　worse；　though；　having　to　sit　still。　Those　nasty　gray　things　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Then　let　us　go　down。　I　think　the　rains　are　returning；　in　any　case。〃　Tiamak　turned　from　the　rail。　〃We　will　warm　some　of　your　wine…a　drylander　custom　I　have　e　to　appreciate…and　think　more　about　the　swords。〃　He　took　the　priest's　elbow　and　led　him　toward　the　cabin　door。　
　　　　　　　〃Surely　this　is　better；〃　Strangyeard　said。　He　braced　himself　against　the　wall　as　the　ship　dipped　into　a　trough　between　the　waves；　then　handed　the　sloshing　cup　to　the　Wrannaman。　〃I　had　better　cover　the　coals。　It　would　be　terrible　if　the　brazier　tipped　over。　Goodness！　I　hope　everyone　else　is　being　careful；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　think　Sludig　is　allowing　few　others　to　have　braziers；　or　even　lanterns；　except　on　deck。〃　Tiamak　took　a　sip　of　the　wine　and　smacked　his　lips。　〃Ah。　Good。　No；　we　are　the　privileged　ones　because　we　have　things　to　read　and　time　is　short。〃
　　　　　　　The　archivist　lowered　himself　to　the　pallet　on　the　floor；　pitching　gently　with　the　motion　of　the　ship。　〃So　I　suppose　we　should　be　back　at　our　work　again。〃　He　drank　from　his　own　cup。　〃Forgive　me；　Tiamak；　but　does　it　not　seem　futile　to　you　sometimes？　Hanging　all　our　hopes　on　three　swords；　two　of　which　are　not　even　ours？〃　He　stared　into　his　wine。
　　　　　　　〃I　came　late　to　these　matters；　in　a　way。〃　Tiamak　made　himself　fortable。　The　rocking　of　the　ship；　however　pronounced；　was　not　that　different　from　the　way　the　wind　rattled　his　house　in　the　banyan　tree。　〃If　you　had　asked　me　a　year　ago　what　chance　there　was　that　I　would　be　aboard　a　boat　sailing　for　Erkynland　to　conquer　the　High　King…that　I　would　be　a　Scrollbearer；　that　I　would　have　seen　Camaris　reborn；　been　captured　by　the　ghants；　saved　by　the　Duke　of　Elvritshalla　and　the　High　King's　daughter　。。。〃　He　waved　his　hand。　〃You　see　what　I　am　saying。　Everything　that　has　happened　to　us　is　madness；　but　when　we　look　back；　it　all　seems　to　have　followed　logically　from　one　moment　to　the　next。　Perhaps　someday　capturing　and　using　the　swords　will　seem　just　as　clear　in　its　sense。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　a　nice　thought。〃　Strangyeard　sighed　and　pushed　his　eyepatch；　which　had　shifted　slightly；　back　into　place。　〃I　like　things　better　when　they　have　already　happened。　Books　may　differ；　one　from　the　other；　but　at　least　most　every　book　claims　to　know　the　truth　and　set　it　out　clearly。〃
　　　　　　　〃Someday　we　will　perhaps　be　in　someone　else's　book；〃　Tiamak　offered；　smiling；　〃and　whoever　writes　it　will　be　very　certain　about　how　everything　came　to　pass。　But　we　do　not　have　that　luxury　now。〃　He　leaned　forward。　〃Now　where　is　the　part　of　the　doctor's　manuscript　that　tells　of　the　forging　of　Sorrow？〃
〃Here；　I　think。〃　Strangyeard　shuffled　through　one　of　the　many　piles　of　parchment　scattered　about　the　room。　〃Yes；　here。〃　He　lifted　it　to　the　light；　squinting。　〃Shall　I　read　something　to　you？〃
Tiamak　held　out　his　hand。　He　had　an　immense　fondness　for　the　Archive　Master；　a　closeness　he　had　not　felt　to　anyone　since　old　Doctor　Morgenes。　〃No；〃　he　said　gently；　〃let　me　read。　Let　us　not　put　your　poor　eyes　to　any　more　work　tonight。〃
　　　　　　　Strangyeard　mumbled　something　and　gave　him　the　sheaf　of　parchment。
　　　　　　　〃It　is　this　bit　about　the　Words　of　Making　that　sticks　in　my　head；〃　Tiamak　said。　〃Is　it　possible　that　all　these　swords　were　made　with　these　same　powerful　Words？〃
　　　　　　　〃But　why　would　you　think　so？〃　Strangyeard　asked。　His　face　became　intent。　〃Nisses'　book；　at　least　as　Morgenes　quotes　it；　does　not　seem　to　say　that。　All　the　swords　came　from　different　places；　and　one　was　forged　by　mortals。〃
〃There　must　be　something　that　links　them　all　together；〃　Tiamak　replied；　〃and　I　can　think　of　nothing　else。　Why　else　should　possessing　them　all　give　us　such　power？〃　He　shuffled　through　the　parchments。　〃Great　magic　went　into　their　forging。　It　must　be　this　magic　that　will　bring　us　power　over　the　Storm　King！〃
As　he　spoke；　the　song　of　a　Niskie　rose　outside；　piercing　the　mournful　sound　of　the　winds。　The　melody　throbbed　with　wild　power；　an　alien　sound　even　more　disturbing　than　the　distant　rumble　of　thunder。
〃If　only　there　were　someone　who　knew　of　the　swords'　forging；〃　Tiamak　murmured　in　frustration；　his　eyes　stared　at　Morgenes'　precise；　ornate　characters；　but　did　not　really　see　them。　The　Niskie　song　rose　higher；　then　vibrated　and　fell　away　on　a　note　of　keening　loss。　〃If　only　we　could　speak　to　the　dwarrows　who　made　Minneyar…but　Eolair　says　they　were　far　to　the　north；　many　leagues　beyond　the　Hayholt。　And　the　Nabbanai　smiths　who　forged　Thorn　are　centuries　dead。〃　He　frowned。　〃So　many　questions　we　have；　and　still　so　few　answers。　This　is　tiring；　Strangyeard。　It　seems　that　every　step　forward　takes　us　two　paces　back　into　confusion。〃
The　archivist　was　silent　while　Tiamak　looked　for　the　well…thumbed　pages　that　described　Ineluki　creating　Sorrow　in　the　forges　below　Asu'a。　〃Here　it　is；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃I　will　read。〃
〃Just　a　moment；〃　said　Strangyeard。　〃Perhaps　the　answer　to　one　is　the　answer　to　both。〃
　　　　　　　Tiamak　looked　up。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　He　dragged　his　thoughts　away　from　the　page　before　him。
　　　　　　　〃Your　other　idea　was　that　somehow　we　have　been　purposely　kept　in　confusion…that　the　Storm　King　has　played　Elias　and　Josua　off　against　each　other　while　he　pursued　some　goal　of　his　own。〃
〃Yes？〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　it　is　not　just　some　secret　goal　he　has　that　he　wishes　to　conceal。　Perhaps　he　also　trie