uleg.thetombsofatuan-第21节

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　　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　you　will。　Very　well。　What　is　it；　the　Ring　of　Erreth…Akbe？　Well；　you　can　see　that　it's　not　precious　looking；　and　it's　not　even　a　ring。　It's　too　big。　An　armring；　perhaps；　yet　it　seems　too　small　for　that。　No　man　knows　who　it　was　made　for。　Elfarran　the　Fair　wore　it　once；　before　the　Isle　of　Solea　was　lost　beneath　the　sea；　and　it　was　old　when　she　wore　it。　And　at　last　it　came　into　the　hands　of　Erreth…Akbe。。。　The　metal　is　hard　silver；　pierced　with　nine　holes。　There's　a　design　like　waves　scratched　on　the　outside；　and　nine　Runes　of　Power　on　the　inside。　The　half　you　have　bears　four　runes　and　a　bit　of　another；　and　mine　likewise。　The　break　came　right　across　that　one　symbol；　and　destroyed　it。　It　is　what's　been　called；　since　then；　the　Lost　Rune。　The　other　eight　are　known　to　Mages：　Pirr　that　protects　from　madness　and　from　wind　and　fire；　Ges　that　gives　endurance；　and　so　on。　But　the　broken　rune　was　the　one　that　bound　the　lands。　It　was　the　Bond…Rune；　the　sign　of　dominion；　the　sign　of　peace。　No　king　could　rule　well　if　he　did　not　rule　beneath　that　sign。　No　one　knows　how　it　was　written。　Since　it　was　lost　there　have　been　no　great　kings　in　Havnor。　There　have　been　princes　and　tyrants；　and　wars　and　quarreling　among　all　the　lands　of　Earthsea。
　　〃So　the　wise　lords　and　Mages　of　the　Archipelago　wanted　the　Ring　of　Erreth…Akbe；　that　they　might　restore　the　lost　rune。　But　at　last　they　gave　up　sending　men　out　to　seek　it；　since　none　could　take　the　one　half　from　the　Tombs　of　Atuan；　and　the　other　half；　which　Erreth…Akbe　gave　to　a　Kargish　king；　was　lost　long　since。　They　said　there　was　no　use　in　the　search。　That　was　many　hundred　years　ago。
　　〃Now　I　e　into　it　thus。　When　I　was　a　little　older　than　you　are　now；　I　was　on　a。。。　chase；　a　kind　of　hunt　across　the　sea。　That　which　I　hunted　tricked　me；　so　that　I　was　cast　up　on　a　desert　isle；　not　far　off　the　coasts　of　Karego…At　and　Atuan；　south　and　west　of　here。　It　was　a　little　islet；　not　much　more　than　a　sandbar；　with　long　grassy　dunes　down　the　middle；　and　a　spring　of　salty　water；　and　nothing　else。
　　〃Yet　two　people　lived　there。　An　old　man　and　woman；　brother　and　sister；　I　think。　They　were　terrified　of　me。　They　had　not　seen　any　other　human　face　for…　how　long？　Years；　tens　of　years。　But　I　was　in　need；　and　they　were　kind　to　me。　They　had　a　but　of　driftwood；　and　a　fire。　The　old　woman　gave　me　food；　mussels　she　pulled　from　the　rocks　at　low　tide；　dried　meat　of　seabirds　they　killed　by　throwing　stones。　She　was　afraid　of　me；　but　she　gave　me　food。　Then　when　I　did　nothing　to　frighten　her；　she　came　to　trust　me；　and　she　showed　me　her　treasure。　She　had　a　treasure；　too。。。　It　was　a　little　dress。　All　of　silk　stuff；　with　pearls。　A　little　child's　dress；　a　princess'　dress。　She　was　wearing　uncured　sealskin。
　　〃We　couldn't　talk。　I　didn't　know　the　Kargish　tongue　then；　and　they　knew　no　language　of　the　Archipelago；　and　little　enough　of　their　own。　They　must　have　been　brought　there　as　young　children；　and　left　to　die。　I　don't　know　why；　and　doubt　that　they　knew。　They　knew　nothing　but　the　island；　the　wind；　and　the　sea。　But　when　I　left　she　gave　me　a　present。　She　gave　me　the　lost　half　of　the　Ring　of　Erreth…Akbe。〃
　　He　paused　for　a　while。
　　〃I　didn't　know　it　for　what　it　was；　no　more　than　she　did。　The　greatest　gift　of　this　age　of　the　world；　and　it　was　given　by　a　poor　old　foolish　woman　in　sealskins　to　a　silly　lout　who　stuffed　it　into　his　pocket　and　said　‘Thanks！'　and　sailed　off。。。　Well；　so　I　went　on；　and　did　what　I　had　to　do。　And　then　other　things　came　up；　and　I　went　to　the　Dragons'　Run；　westward；　and　so　on。　But　all　the　time　I　kept　the　thing　with　me；　because　I　felt　a　gratitude　towards　that　old　woman　who　had　given　me　the　only　present　she　had　to　give。　I　put　a　chain　through　one　of　the　holes　pierced　in　it；　and　wore　it；　and　never　thought　about　it。　And　then　one　day　on　Selidor；　the　Farthest　Isle；　the　land　where　Erreth…Akbe　died　in　his　battle　with　the　dragon　Orm…on　Selidor　I　spoke　with　a　dragon；　one　of　that　lineage　of　Orm。　He　told　me　what　I　wore　upon　my　breast。
　　〃He　thought　it　very　funny　that　I　hadn't　known。　Dragons　think　we　are　amusing。　But　they　remember　Erreth…Akbe；　him　they　speak　of　as　if　he　were　a　dragon；　not　a　man。
　　〃When　I　came　back　to　the　Inmost　Isles；　I　went　at　last　to　Havnor。　I　was　born　on　Gont；　which　lies　not　far　west　of　your　Kargish　lands；　and　I　had　wandered　a　good　deal　since；　but　I　had　never　been　to　Havnor。　It　was　time　to　go　there。　I　saw　the　white　towers；　and　spoke　with　the　great　men；　the　merchants　and　the　princes　and　the　lords　of　the　ancient　domains。　I　told　them　what　I　had。　I　told　them　that　if　they　liked；　I　would　go　seek　the　rest　of　the　ring　in　the　Tombs　of　Atuan；　in　order　to　find　the　Lost　Rune；　the　key　to　peace。　For　we　need　peace　sorely　in　the　world。　They　were　full　of　praise；　and　one　of　them　even　gave　me　money　to　provision　my　boat。　So　I　learned　your　tongue；　and　came　to　Atuan。〃
　　He　fell　silent；　gazing　before　him　into　the　shadows。
　　〃Didn't　the　people　in　our　towns　know　you　for　a　Westerner；　by　your　skin；　by　your　speech？〃
　　〃Oh；　it's　easy　to　fool　people；〃　he　said　rather　absently；　〃if　you　know　the　tricks。　You　make　some　illusion…changes；　and　nobody　but　another　Mage　will　see　through　them。　And　you　have　no　wizards　or　Mages　here　in　the　Kargish　lands。　That's　a　queer　thing。　You　banished　all　your　wizards　long　ago；　and　forbade　the　practice　of　the　Art　Magic；　and　now　you　scarcely　believe　in　it。〃
　　〃I　was　taught　to　disbelieve　in　it。　It　is　contrary　to　the　teachings　of　the　Priest　Kings。　But　I　know　that　only　sorcery　could　have　got　you　to　the　Tombs；　and　in　at　the　door　of　red　rock。〃
　　〃Not　only　sorcery；　but　good　advice　also。　We　use　writing　more　than　you；　I　think。　Do　you　know　how　to　read？〃
　　〃No。　It　is　one　of　the　black　arts。〃
　　He　nodded。　〃But　a　useful　one；〃　he　said。　〃An　ancient　unsuccessful　thief　left　certain　descriptions　of　the　Tombs　of　Atuan；　and　instructions　for　entering；　if　one　were　able　to　use　one　of　the　Great　Spells　of　Opening。　All　this　was　written　down　in　a　book　in　the　treasury　of　a　prince　of　Havnor。　He　let　me　read　it。　So　I　got　as　far　as　the　great　cavern…〃
　　〃The　Undertomb。〃
　　〃The　thief　who　wrote　the　way　to　enter　thought　that　the　treasure　was　there；　in　the　Undertomb。　So　I　looked　there；　but　I　had　the　feeling　that　it　must　be　better　hidden；　farther　on　in　the　maze。　I　knew　the　entrance　to　the　Labyrinth；　and　when　I　saw　you；　I　went　to　it；　thinking　to　hide　in　the　maze　and　search　it。　That　was　a　mistake；　of　course。　The　Nameless　Ones　had　hold　of　me　already；　bewildering　my　mind。　And　since　then　I　have　grown　only　weaker　and　stupider。　One　must　not　submit　to　them；　one　must　resist；　keep　one's　spirit　always　strong　and　certain。　I　learned　that　a　long　time　ago。　But　it's　hard　to　do；　here；　where　they　are　so　strong。　They　are　not　gods；　Tenar。　But　they　are　stronger　than　any　man。〃
　　They　were　both　silent　for　a　long　time。
　　〃What　else　did　you　find　in　the　treasure　chests？〃　she　asked　dully。
　　〃Rubbish。　Gold；　jewels；　crowns；　swords。　Nothing　to　which　any　man　alive　has　any　claim。。。　Tell　me　this；　Tenar。　How　were　you　chosen　to　be　the　Priestess　of　the　Tombs？〃
　　〃When　the　First　Priestess　dies　they　go　looking　all　through　Atuan　for　a　girl…baby　born　on　the　night　the　Priestess　died。　And　they　always　find　one。　Because　it　is　the　Priestess　reborn。　When　the　child　is　five　they　bring　it　here　to　the　Place。　And　when　it　is　six　it　is　given　to　the　Dark　Ones　and　its　soul　is　eaten　by　them。　And　so　it　belongs　to　them；　and　has　belonged　to　them　since　the　beginning　days。　And　it　has　no　name。〃
　　〃Do　you　believe　that？〃
　　〃I　have　always　believed　it。〃
　　〃Do　you　believe　it　now？〃
　　She　said　nothing。
　　Again　the　shadowy　silence　fell　between　them。　After　a　long　time　she　said；　〃Tell　me。。。　tell　me　about　the　dragons　in　the　West。〃
　　〃Tenar；　what　will　you　do？　We　can't　sit　here　telling　each　other　tales　until　the　candle　burns　out；　and　the　darkness　es　again。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　to　do。　I　am　afraid。〃　She　sat　erect　on　the　stone　chest；　her　hands　clenched　one　in　the　other；　and　spoke　loudly；　like　one　in　pain。　She　said；　〃I　am　afraid　of　the　dark。〃
　　He　answered　softly。　〃You　must　make　a　choice。　Either　you　must　leave　me；　lock　the　door；　go　up　to　your　altars　and　give　me　to　your　Masters；　then　go　to　the　Priestess　Kossil　and　make　your　peace　with　her　…and　that　is　the　end　of　the　story…　or；　you　must　unlock　the　door；　and　go　out　of　it；　with　me。　Leave　the　Tombs；　leave　Atuan；　and　e　with　me　oversea。　And　that　is　the　beginning　of　the　story。　You　must　be　Arha；　or　you　must　be　Tenar。　You　cannot　be　both。〃
　　The　deep　voice　was　gentle　and　certain。　She　looked　through　the　shadows　into　his　face；　which　was　hard　and　scarred；　but　had　in　it　no　cruelty；　no　deceit。
　　〃If　I　leave　the　service　of　the　Dark　Ones；　they　will　kill　me。　If　I　leave　this　place　I　will　die。〃
　　〃You　will　not　die。　Arha　will　die。〃
　　〃I　cannot。。。〃
　　〃To　be　reborn　one　must　die；　Tenar。　It　is　not　so　hard　as　it　looks　from　the　other　side。〃
　　〃They　would　not　let　us　get　out。　Ever。〃
　　〃Perhaps　not。　Yet　it's　worth　trying。　You　have　knowledge；　and　I　have　skill；　and　between　us　we　have。。。〃　He　paused。
　　〃We　have　the　Ring　of　Erreth…Akbe。〃
　　〃Yes；　that。　But　I　thought　also　of　anothe