uleg.thetombsofatuan-第20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！


e　me　kill　you。　The　way　I　killed　those　others。　And　I　would　not。　What　right　has　she？　And　she　defied　the　Nameless　Ones　and　mocked　them；　and　I　set　a　curse　upon　her。　And　since　then　I've　been　afraid　of　her；　because　it's　true　what　Manan　said；　she　doesn't　believe　in　the　gods。　She　wants　them　to　be　forgotten；　and　she'd　kill　me　while　I　slept。　So　I　didn't　sleep。　I　didn't　go　back　to　the　Small　House。　I　stayed　in　the　Hall　all　last　night；　in　one　of　the　lofts；　where　the　dancing　dresses　are。　Before　it　was　light　I　went　down　to　the　Big　House　and　stole　some　food　from　the　kitchen；　and　then　I　came　back　to　the　Hall　and　stayed　there　all　day。　I　was　trying　to　find　out　what　I　should　do。　And　tonight。。。　tonight　I　was　so　tired；　I　thought　I　could　go　to　a　holy　place　and　go　to　sleep；　she　might　be　afraid　to　e　there。　So　I　came　down　to　the　Undertomb。　That　great　cave　where　I　first　saw　you。　And。。。　and　she　was　there。　She　must　have　e　in　by　the　red　rock　door。　She　was　there　with　a　lantern。　Scratching　in　the　grave　that　Manan　dug；　to　see　if　there　was　a　corpse　in　it。　Like　a　rat　in　a　graveyard；　a　great　fat　black　rat；　digging。　And　the　light　burning　in　the　Holy　Place；　the　dark　place。　And　the　Nameless　Ones　did　nothing。　They　didn't　kill　her　or　drive　her　mad。　They　are　old；　as　she　said。　They　are　dead。　They　are　all　gone。　I　am　not　a　priestess　any　more。〃
　　The　man　stood　listening；　his　band　still　on　hers；　his　head　a　little　bent。　Some　vigor　had　e　back　into　his　face　and　stance；　though　the　scars　on　his　cheek　showed　livid　gray；　and　there　was　dust　yet　on　his　clothes　and　hair。
　　〃I　went　past　her；　through　the　Undertomb。　Her　candle　made　more　shadows　than　light；　and　she　didn't　hear　me。　I　wanted　to　go　into　the　Labyrinth　to　get　away　from　her。　But　when　I　was　in　it　I　kept　thinking　that　I　heard　her　following　me。　All　through　the　corridors　I　kept　hearing　somebody　behind　me。　And　I　didn't　know　where　to　go。　I　thought　I　would　be　safe　here；　I　thought　my　Masters　would　protect　me　and　defend　me。　But　they　don't；　they　are　gone；　they　are　dead。。。〃
　　〃It　was　for　them　you　wept　…for　their　death？　But　they　are　here；　Tenar；　here！〃
　　〃How　should　you　know？〃　she　said　listlessly。
　　〃Because　every　instant　since　I　set　foot　in　the　cavern　under　the　Tombstones；　I　have　striven　to　keep　them　still；　to　keep　them　unaware。　All　my　skills　have　gone　to　that；　I　have　spent　my　strength　on　it。　I　have　filled　these　tunnels　with　an　endless　net　of　spells；　spells　of　sleep；　of　stillness；　of　concealment；　and　yet　still　they　are　aware　of　me；　half　aware；　half　sleeping；　half　awake。　And　even　so　I　am　all　but　worn　out；　striving　against　them。　This　is　a　most　terrible　place。　One　man　alone　has　no　hope；　here。　I　was　dying　of　thirst　when　you　gave　me　water；　yet　it　was　not　the　water　alone　that　saved　me。　It　was　the　strength　of　the　hands　that　gave　it。〃　As　he　said　that；　he　turned　her　hand　palm　upward　in　his　own　for　a　moment；　gazing　at　it；　then　he　turned　away；　walked　a　few　steps　about　the　room；　and　stopped　again　before　her。　She　said　nothing。
　　〃Did　you　truly　think　them　dead？　You　know　better　in　your　heart。　They　do　not　die。　They　are　dark　and　undying；　and　they　hate　the　light：　the　brief；　bright　light　of　our　mortality。　They　are　immortal；　but　they　are　not　gods。　They　never　were。　They　are　not　worth　the　worship　of　any　human　soul。〃
　　She　listened；　her　eyes　heavy；　her　gaze　fixed　on　the　flickering　lantern。
　　〃What　have　they　ever　given　you；　Tenar？〃
　　〃Nothing；〃　she　whispered。
　　〃They　have　nothing　to　give。　They　have　no　power　of　making。　All　their　power　is　to　darken　and　destroy。　They　cannot　leave　this　place；　they　are　this　place；　and　it　should　be　left　to　them。　They　should　not　be　denied　nor　forgotten；　but　neither　should　they　be　worshiped。　The　Earth　is　beautiful；　and　bright；　and　kindly；　but　that　is　not　all。　The　Earth　is　also　terrible；　and　dark；　and　cruel。　The　rabbit　shrieks　dying　in　the　green　meadows。　The　mountains　clench　their　great　hands　full　of　hidden　fire。　There　are　sharks　in　the　sea；　and　there　is　cruelty　in　men's　eyes。　And　where　men　worship　these　things　and　abase　themselves　before　them；　there　evil　breeds；　there　places　are　made　in　the　world　where　darkness　gathers；　places　given　over　wholly　to　the　Ones　whom　we　call　Nameless；　the　ancient　and　holy　Powers　of　the　Earth　before　the　Light；　the　powers　of　the　dark；　of　ruin；　of　madness。。。　I　think　they　drove　your　priestess　Kossil　mad　a　long　time　ago；　I　think　she　has　prowled　these　caverns　as　she　prowls　the　labyrinth　of　her　own　self；　and　now　she　cannot　see　the　daylight　any　more。　She　tells　you　that　the　Nameless　Ones　are　dead；　only　a　lost　soul；　lost　to　truth；　could　believe　that。　They　exist。　But　they　are　not　your　Masters。　They　never　were。　You　are　free；　Tenar。　You　were　taught　to　be　a　slave；　but　you　have　broken　free。〃
　　She　listened；　though　her　expression　did　not　change。　He　said　no　more。　They　were　silent；　but　it　was　not　the　silence　that　had　been　in　that　room　before　she　entered。　There　was　the　breathing　of　two　of　them　now；　and　the　movement　of　life　in　their　veins；　and　the　burning　of　the　candle　in　its　lantern　of　tin；　a　tiny；　lively　sound。
　　〃How　is　it　that　you　know　my　name？〃
　　He　walked　up　and　down　the　room；　stirring　up　the　fine　dust；　stretching　his　arms　and　shoulders　in　an　effort　to　shake　off　the　numbing　chill。
　　〃Knowing　names　is　my　job。　My　art。　To　weave　the　magic　of　a　thing；　you　see；　one　must　find　its　true　name　out。　In　my　lands　we　keep　our　true　names　hidden　all　our　lives　long；　from　all　but　those　whom　we　trust　utterly；　for　there　is　great　power；　and　great　peril；　in　a　name。　Once；　at　the　beginning　of　time；　when　Segoy　raised　the　isles　of　Earthsea　from　the　ocean　deeps；　all　things　bore　their　own　true　names。　And　all　doing　of　magic；　all　wizardry；　hangs　still　upon　the　knowledge　…the　relearning；　the　remembering…　of　that　true　and　ancient　language　of　the　Making。　There　are　spells　to　learn；　of　course；　ways　to　use　the　words；　and　one　must　know　the　consequences；　too。　But　what　a　wizard　spends　his　life　at　is　finding　out　the　names　of　things；　and　finding　out　how　to　find　out　the　names　of　things。〃
　　〃How　did　you　find　out　mine？〃
　　He　looked　at　her　a　moment；　a　deep　clear　glance　across　the　shadows　between　them；　he　hesitated　a　moment。　〃I　cannot　tell　you　that。　You　are　like　a　lantern　swathed　and　covered；　hidden　away　in　a　dark　place。　Yet　the　light　shines；　they　could　not　put　out　the　light。　They　could　not　hide　you。　As　I　know　the　light；　as　I　know　you；　I　know　your　name；　Tenar。　That　is　my　gift；　my　power。　I　cannot　tell　you　more。　But　tell　me　this：　what　will　you　do　now？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃
　　〃Kossil　has　found　an　empty　grave；　by　now。　What　will　she　do？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　If　I　go　back　up；　she　can　have　me　killed。　It　is　death　for　a　High　Priestess　to　lie。　She　could　have　me　sacrificed　on　the　steps　of　the　Throne　if　she　wanted。　And　Manan　would　have　to　really　cut　off　my　head　this　time；　instead　of　just　lifting　the　sword　and　waiting　for　the　Dark　figure　to　stop　it。　But　this　time　it　wouldn't　stop。　It　would　e　down　and　cut　off　my　head。〃
　　Her　voice　was　dull　and　slow。　He　frowned。　〃If　we　stay　here　long；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　going　to　go　mad；　Tenar。　The　anger　of　the　Nameless　Ones　is　heavy　on　your　mind。　And　on　mine。　It's　better　now　that　you're　here；　much　better。　But　it　was　a　long　time　before　you　came；　and　I've　used　up　most　of　my　strength。　No　one　can　withstand　the　Dark　Ones　long　alone。　They　are　very　strong。〃　He　stopped；　his　voice　had　sunk　low；　and　he　seemed　to　have　lost　the　thread　of　his　speech。　He　rubbed　his　hands　over　his　forehead；　and　presently　went　to　drink　again　from　the　flask。　He　broke　off　a　hunch　of　bread　and　sat　down　on　the　chest　opposite　to　eat　it。
　　What　he　said　was　true；　she　felt　a　weight；　a　pressure　on　her　mind；　that　seemed　to　darken　and　confuse　all　thought　and　feeling。　Yet　she　was　not　terrified；　as　she　had　been　ing　through　the　corridors　alone。　Only　the　utter　silence　outside　the　room　seemed　terrible。　Why　was　that？　She　had　never　feared　the　silence　of　the　underearth　before。　But　never　before　had　she　disobeyed　the　Nameless　Ones；　never　had　she　set　herself　against　them。
　　She　gave　a　little　whimpering　laugh　at　last。　〃Here　we　sit　on　the　greatest　treasure　of　the　Empire；〃　she　said。　〃The　God…king　would　give　all　his　wives　to　have　one　chest　of　it。　And　we　haven't　even　opened　a　lid　to　look。〃
　　〃I　did；〃　said　the　Sparrowhawk；　chewing。
　　〃In　the　dark？〃
　　〃I　made　a　little　light。　The　werelight。　It　was　hard　to　do；　here。　Even　with　my　staff　it　would　have　been　hard；　and　without　it；　it　was　like　trying　to　light　a　fire　with　wet　wood　in　the　rain。　But　it　came　at　last。　And　I　found　what　I　was　after。〃
　　She　raised　her　face　slowly　to　look　at　him。　〃The　ring？〃
　　〃The　half…ring。　You　have　the　other　half。〃
　　〃I　have　it？　The　other　half　was　lost…〃
　　〃And　found。　I　wore　it　on　a　chain　around　my　neck。　You　took　it　off；　and　asked　me　if　I　couldn't　afford　a　better　talisman。　The　only　talisman　better　than　half　the　Ring　of　Erreth…Akbe　would　be　the　whole。　But　then；　as　they　say；　half　a　loaf's　better　than　none。　So　you　now　have　my　half；　and　I　have　yours。〃　He　smiled　at　her　across　the　shadows　of　the　tomb。
　　〃You　said；　when　I　took　it；　that　I　didn't　know　what　to　do　with　it。〃
　　〃That　was　true。〃
　　〃And　you　do　know？〃
　　He　nodded。
　　〃Tell　me。　Tell　me　what　it　is；　the　ring；　and　how　you　came　upon　the　lost　half；　and　how　you　came　here；　and　why。　All　this　I　must　know；　then　maybe　I　will　see　what　to　do。〃
　　〃Maybe　y