uleg.thetombsofatuan-第15节

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　　Manan　stared　in　melancholy　consternation；　wheezing。　〃Little　mistress…〃
　　〃I　want　the　man　to　live；　Manan。　He'll　die　of　the　cold；　look　how　he　shakes　now。〃
　　〃Your　garment　will　be　defiled。　The　Priestess'　garment。　He　is　an　unbeliever；　a　man；〃　Manan　blurted；　his　small　eyes　wrinkling　up　as　if　in　pain。
　　〃Then　I　shall　burn　the　cloak　and　have　another　woven！　e　on；　Manan！〃
　　At　that　he　stooped；　obedient；　and　let　the　prisoner　flop　off　his　back　onto　the　black　cloak。　The　man　lay　still　as　death；　but　the　pulse　beat　heavy　in　his　throat；　and　now　and　then　a　spasm　made　his　body　shiver　as　it　lay。
　　〃He　should　be　chained；〃　said　Manan。
　　〃Does　he　look　dangerous？〃　Arha　scoffed；　but　when　Manan　pointed　out　an　iron　hasp　set　into　the　stones；　to　which　the　prisoner　could　be　fastened；　she　let　him　go　fetch　a　chain　and　band　from　the　Room　of　Chains。　He　grumbled　off　down　the　corridors；　muttering　the　directions　to　himself；　he　had　been　to　and　from　the　Painted　Room　before　this；　but　never　by　himself。
　　In　the　light　of　her　single　lantern　the　paintings　on　the　four　walls　seemed　to　move；　to　twitch；　the　uncouth　human　forms　with　great　drooping　wings；　squatting　and　standing　in　a　timeless　dreariness。
　　She　knelt　and　let　water　drop；　a　little　at　a　time；　into　the　prisoner's　mouth。　At　last　he　coughed；　and　his　hands　reached　up　feebly　to　the　flask。　She　let　him　drink。　He　lay　back　with　his　face　all　wet；　besmeared　with　dust　and　blood；　and　muttered　something；　a　word　or　two　in　a　language　she　did　not　know。
　　Manan　returned　at　last；　dragging　a　length　of　iron　links；　a　great　padlock　with　its　key；　and　an　iron　band　which　fitted　around　the　man's　waist　and　locked　there。　〃It's　not　tight　enough；　he　can　slip　out；〃　he　grumbled　as　he　locked　the　end　link　onto　the　ring　set　in　the　wall。
　　〃No；　look。〃　Feeling　less　fearful　of　her　prisoner　now；　Arha　showed　that　she　could　not　force　her　hand　between　the　iron　band　and　the　man's　ribs。　〃Not　unless　he　starves　longer　than　four　days。〃
　　〃Little　mistress；〃　Manan　said　plaintively；　〃I　do　not　question；　but。。。　what　good　is　he　as　a　slave　to　the　Nameless　Ones？　He　is　a　man；　little　one。〃
　　〃And　you　are　an　old　fool；　Manan。　e　along　now；　finish　your　fussing。〃
　　The　prisoner　watched　them　with　bright；　weary　eyes。
　　〃Where's　his　staff；　Manan？　There。　I'll　take　that；　it　has　magic　in　it。　Oh；　and　this；　this　I'll　take　too；〃　and　with　a　quick　movement　she　seized　the　silver　chain　that　showed　at　the　neck　of　the　man's　tunic；　and　tore　it　off　over　his　head；　though　he　tried　to　catch　her　arms　and　stop　her。　Manan　kicked　him　in　the　back。　She　swung　the　chain　over　him；　out　of　his　reach。　〃Is　this　your　talisman；　wizard？　Is　it　precious　to　you？　It　doesn't　look　like　much；　couldn't　you　afford　a　better　one？　I　shall　keep　it　safe　for　you。〃　And　she　slipped　the　chain　over　her　own　head；　hiding　the　pendant　under　the　heavy　collar　of　her　woolen　robe。
　　〃You　don't　know　what　to　do　with　it；〃　he　said；　very　hoarse；　and　mispronouncing　the　words　of　the　Kargish　tongue；　but　clearly　enough。
　　Manan　kicked　him　again；　and　at　that　he　made　a　little　grunt　of　pain　and　shut　his　eyes。
　　〃Leave　off；　Manan。　e。〃
　　She　left　the　room。　Grumbling；　Manan　followed。
　　That　night；　when　all　the　lights　of　the　Place　were　out；　she　climbed　the　hill　again；　alone。　She　filled　her　flask　from　the　well　in　the　room　behind　the　Throne；　and　took　the　water　and　a　big；　flat；　unleavened　cake　of　buckwheat　bread　down　to　the　Painted　Room　in　the　Labyrinth。　She　set　them　just　within　the　prisoner's　reach；　inside　the　door。　He　was　asleep；　and　never　stirred。　She　returned　to　the　Small　House；　and　that　night　she　too　slept　long　and　sound。
　　In　early　afternoon　she　returned　alone　to　the　Labyrinth。　The　bread　was　gone；　the　flask　was　dry；　the　stranger　was　sitting　up；　his　back　against　the　wall。　His　face　still　looked　hideous　with　dirt　and　scabs；　but　the　expression　of　it　was　alert。
　　She　stood　across　the　room　from　him　where　he　could　not　possibly　reach　her；　chained　as　be　was；　and　looked　at　him。　Then　she　looked　away。　But　there　was　nowhere　particular　to　look。　Something　prevented　her　speaking。　Her　heart　beat　as　if　she　were　afraid。　There　was　no　reason　to　fear　him。　He　was　at　her　mercy。
　　〃It's　pleasant　to　have　light；〃　he　said　in　the　soft　but　deep　voice；　which　perturbed　her。
　　〃What's　your　name？〃　she　asked；　peremptory。　Her　own　voice；　she　thought；　sounded　unmonly　high　and　thin。
　　〃Well；　mostly　I'm　called　Sparrowhawk。〃
　　〃Sparrowhawk？　Is　that　your　name？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃What　is　your　name；　then？〃
　　〃I　cannot　tell　you　that。　Are　you　the　One　Priestess　of　the　Tombs？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃What　are　you　called？〃
　　〃I　am　called　Arha。〃
　　〃The　one　who　has　been　devoured　…　is　that　what　it　means？〃　His　dark　eyes　watched　her　intently。　He　smiled　a　little。　〃What　is　your　name？〃
　　〃I　have　no　name。　Do　not　ask　me　questions。　Where　do　you　e　from？〃
　　〃From　the　Inner　Lands；　the　West。〃
　　〃From　Havnor？〃
　　It　was　the　only　name　of　a　city　or　island　of　the　Inner　Lands　that　she　knew。
　　〃Yes；　from　Havnor。〃
　　〃Why　did　you　e　here？〃
　　〃The　Tombs　of　Atuan　are　famous　among　my　people。〃
　　〃But　you're　an　infidel；　an　unbeliever。〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃Oh　no；　Priestess。　I　believe　in　the　powers　of　darkness！　I　have　met　with　the　Unnamed　Ones；　in　other　places。〃
　　〃What　other　places？〃
　　〃In　the　Archipelago　…the　Inner　Lands…　there　are　places　which　belong　to　the　Old　Powers　of　the　Earth；　like　this　one。　But　none　so　great　as　this　one。　Nowhere　else　have　they　a　temple；　and　a　priestess；　and　such　worship　as　they　receive　here。〃
　　〃You　came　to　worship　them；〃　she　said；　jeering。
　　〃I　came　to　rob　them；〃　he　said。
　　She　stared　at　his　grave　face。　〃Braggart！〃
　　〃I　knew　it　would　not　be　easy。〃
　　〃Easy！　It　cannot　be　done。　If　you　weren't　an　unbeliever　you'd　know　that。　The　Nameless　Ones　look　after　what　is　theirs。〃
　　〃What　I　seek　is　not　theirs。〃
　　〃It's　yours；　no　doubt？〃
　　〃Mine　to　claim。〃
　　〃What　are　you　then…　a　god？　a　king？〃　She　looked　him　up　and　down；　as　he　sat　chained；　dirty；　exhausted。　〃You　are　nothing　but　a　thief！〃
　　He　said　nothing；　but　his　gaze　met　hers。
　　〃You　are　not　to　look　at　me！〃　she　said　shrilly。
　　〃My　lady；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　not　mean　offense。　I　am　a　stranger；　and　a　trespasser。　I　do　not　know　your　ways；　nor　the　courtesies　due　the　Priestess　of　the　Tombs。　I　am　at　your　mercy；　and　I　ask　your　pardon　if　I　offend　you。〃
　　She　stood　silent；　and　in　a　moment　she　felt　the　blood　rising　to　her　cheeks；　hot　and　foolish。　But　he　was　not　looking　at　her　and　did　not　see　her　blush。　He　had　obeyed；　and　turned　away　his　dark　gaze。
　　Neither　spoke　for　some　while。　The　painted　figures　all　around　watched　them　with　sad；　blind　eyes。
　　She　had　brought　a　stone　jug　of　water。　His　eyes　kept　straying　to　that；　and　after　a　time　she　said；　〃Drink；　if　you　like。〃
　　He　hitched　himself　over　to　the　jug　at　once；　and　hefting　it　as　lightly　as　if　it　were　a　wine　cup；　drank　a　long；　long　draft。　Then　he　wet　a　corner　of　his　sleeve；　and　cleaned　the　grime　and　bloodclot　and　cobweb　off　his　face　and　hands　as　best　he　could。　He　spent　some　while　at　this；　and　the　girl　watched。　When　he　was　done　he　looked　better；　but　his　cat…bath　had　revealed　the　scars　on　one　side　of　his　face：　old　scars　long　healed；　whitish　on　his　dark　skin；　four　parallel　ridges　from　eye　to　jawbone；　as　if　from　the　scraping　talons　of　a　huge　claw。
　　〃What　is　that？〃　she　said。　〃That　scar。〃
　　He　did　not　answer　at　once。
　　〃A　dragon？〃　she　said；　trying　to　scoff。　Had　she　not　e　down　here　to　make　mock　of　her　victim；　to　torment　him　with　his　helplessness？
　　〃No；　not　a　dragon。〃
　　〃You're　not　a　dragonlord；　at　least；　then。〃
　　〃No；〃　he　said　rather　reluctantly；　〃I　am　a　dragonlord。　But　the　scars　were　before　that。　I　told　you　that　I　had　met　with　the　Dark　Powers　before；　in　other　places　of　the　earth。　This　on　my　face　is　the　mark　of　one　of　the　kinship　of　the　Nameless　Ones。　But　no　longer　nameless；　for　I　learned　his　name；　in　the　end。〃
　　〃What　do　you　mean？　What　name？〃
　　〃I　cannot　tell　you　that；〃　he　said；　and　smiled；　though　his　face　was　grave。
　　〃That's　nonsense；　fool's　babble；　sacrilege。　They　are　the　Nameless　Ones！　You　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about…〃
　　〃I　know　even　better　than　you；　Priestess；〃　he　said；　his　voice　deepening。　〃Look　again！〃　He　turned　his　head　so　she　must　see　the　four　terrible　marks　across　his　cheek。
　　〃I　don't　believe　you；〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　shook。
　　〃Priestess；〃　he　said　gently；　〃you　are　not　very　old；　you　can't　have　served　the　Dark　Ones　very　long。〃
　　〃But　I　have。　Very　long！　I　am　the　First　Priestess；　the　Reborn。　I　have　served　my　masters　for　a　thousand　years　and　a　thousand　years　before　that。　I　am　their　servant　and　their　voice　and　their　hands。　And　I　am　their　vengeance　on　those　who　defile　the　Tombs　and　look　upon　what　is　not　to　be　seen！　Stop　your　lying　and　your　boasting；　can't　you　see　that　if　I　say　one　word　my　guard　will　e　and　cut　your　head　off　your　shoulders？　Or　if　I　go　away　and　lock　this　door；　then　nobody　will　e；　ever；　and　you'll　die　here　in　the　dark；　and　those　I　serve　will　eat　your　flesh　and　eat　your　soul　and　leave　your　bones　here　in　the　dust？〃
　　Quietly；　he　nodded。
　　She　stammered；　and　finding　no　more　to　say；　swept　out　of　the　room　and　bolted　the　door　behind　her　with　a　clang。　Let　him　think　she　wasn't　ing　back！　Let　him　sweat；　there　in　the　dark；　let　him　curse　and　shiver　and　try　to　work　his　foul；　useless　spells！
　　But　in　her