mck.harpistinthewind-第19部分

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。　His　throat　ached　with　wonder。　For　a　moment　the　three　minds　drew　from　one　another；　fearlessly；　tentatively。　Then　the　crow　cried；　its　wings　soared　blackly　over　Morgon's　vision。　He　was　left　alone　in　his　mind；　groping　for　something　that　had　gone　out　of　him。　A　crow　fluttered　up；　landed　on　his　shoulder。　He　looked　into　its　eyes。
　　　　　　　He　smiled　slowly。　The　crow；　its　wings　beating　awkwardly；　swooped　to　a　high　branch。　It　missed　its　perch　landing。　Then　it　caught　itself；　and　the　fine　balance　of　instinct　and　knowledge　within　it　wavered。　The　crow　became　Raederle；　dodging　leaves　as　she　changed　shape。
　　　　　　　She　looked　down　at　Morgon；　breathless　and　astonished。　〃Stop　laughing。　Morgon；　I　flew。　Now；　how　in　Hel's　name　do　I　get　down？〃
　　　　　　　〃Fly。〃
　　　　　　　〃I've　forgotten　how！〃
　　　　　　　He　flew　up　beside　her；　one　wing　stiff　with　his　half…healed　wound。　He　changed　shape　again。　The　branch　creaked　a　warning　under　his　weight；　and　she　gasped。　〃We'll　fall　in　the　river！　Morgon；　it's　breaking！〃　She　fluttered　up　again　with　a　squawk。　Morgon　joined　her。　They　streaked　the　sunrise　with　black；　soared　high　above　the　woods　until　they　saw　the　hundreds　of　miles　of　endless　forest　and　the　great　road　hewn　through　it；　crossing　the　realm。　They　rose　until　traders'　wagons　were　only　tiny　lumbering　insects　crawling　down　a　ribbon　of　dust。　They　dropped　slowly；　spiralling　together；　their　wings　beating　the　same　slow　rhythm；　winding　lesser　and　lesser　rings　through　the　sunlight　until　they　traced　one　last　black　circle　above　the　river。　They　landed　among　ferns　on　the　bank；　changed　shape。　They　gazed　at　one　another　wordlessly　in　the　morning。　Raederle　whispered；
　　　　　　　〃Your　eyes　are　full　of　wings。〃
　　　　　　　〃Your　eyes　are　full　of　the　sun。〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　IX
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　THEY　　　FLEW　　　IN　　CROW…SHAPE　　　FOR　　　THE　　　NEXT　　　TWO　weeks。　The　silent　golden　oak　forest　melted　away　at　the　edge　of　the　backlands。　The　road　turned；　pushed　northward　through　rich；　dark　forests　of　pine　whose　silence　seemed　undisturbed　by　the　passage　of　centuries。　It　wound　up　dry　rocky　hills　pounded　the　color　of　brass　by　the　noon　sun；　bridged　chasms　through　which　silvery　veins　of　water…flowing　down　from　the　Lungold　Lakes　flashed　and　roared　against　sheer　walls　of　stone。　Trees　blurred　endlessly　together　in　the　crows'　vision；　ebbed　toward　a　faint　blue　mist　of　mountains　bordering　the　remote　western　edges　of　the　backlands。　By　day　the　sun　fired　the　sky　a　flawless；　metallic　blue。　The　night　shook　stars　from　one　horizon　to　another；　down　to　the　rim　of　the　world。　The　voices　of　the　back…lands；　of　land　and　stone　and　ancient　untamed　wind；　were　too　loud　for　sound。　Beneath　them　lay　a　silence　implacable　as　granite。　Morgon　felt　it　as　he　flew；　he　breathed　it　into　his　bones；　sensed　its　strange；　cold　touch　in　his　heart。　He　would　grope　away　from　it　at　first；　reach　into　Raederle's　mind　to　share　a　vague；　inarticulate　language。　Then　the　silence　wore　slowly　into　the　rhythm　of　his　flight　and　finally　into　a　song。　At　last；　when　he　scarcely　remembered　his　own　language　and　knew　Raederle　only　as　a　dark；　wind…sculpted　shape；　he　saw　the　interminable　trees　part　before　them。　In　the　distance；　the　great　city　founded　by　Ghisteslwchlohm　sprawled　against　the　shores　of　the　first　of　the　Lungold　Lakes；　glinting　of　copper　and　bronze　and　gold　under　the　last　rays　of　the　sun。
　　　　　　　The　crows　beat　a　final　weary　flight　toward　their　destination。　The　forest　had　been　pushed　back　for　miles　around　the　city　to　make　room　for　fields；　pastures；　orchards。　The　cool　scent　of　pine　yielded　to　the　smell　of　harrowed　earth　and　crops　that　teased　at　Morgon's　crow…instincts。　Trader's　Road；　striped　with　shadow；　ran　its　last　scarred　mile　into　the　mouth　of　the　city。　The　gateway　was　a　fragile；　soaring　arch　of　dark　polished　timber　and　white　stone。　The　city　walls　were　immense；　thick；　buttressed　with　arms　of　timber　and　stone　that　rose　high　above　the　buildings　scattered　beyond　the　old　bounds　of　the　city。　Newer　streets　had　made　inroads　into　the　ancient　walls；　lesser　gateways　opened　in　it；　houses　and　shops　had　grow　against；　and　even　on　top　of　the　walls；　as　if　their　builders　had　long　forgotten　the　terror　that　had　flung　the　walls　up　seven　centuries　before。
　　　　　　　The　crows　reached　the　main　gate；　rested　among　the　arches。　The　gates　themselves　looked　as　if　they　had　not　been　closed　for　centuries。　They　were　of　thick　slabs　of　oak；　hinged　and　reinforced　with　bronze。　Birds　were　nesting　on　the　hinges　in　the　shadows。　Within　the　walls；　a　maze　of　cobbled　streets　wandered　away　in　all　directions；　lined　by　brightly　painted　inns；　trade…halls；　merchants'　and　craftsmen's　shops；　houses　with　tapestries　and　flowers　trailing　from　the　windows。　Morgon；　sifting　through　his　crow…vision；　saw　across　the　rooftops　and　chimneys　to　the　north　edge　of　the　city。　The　setting　sun　struck　the　lake　with　a　full；　broad　battery；　spangling　it　with　fire；　until　the　hundred　fishing…boats　moored　at　the　docks　seemed　to　burn　on　the　water。
　　　　　　　He　fluttered　to　the　ground　in　the　angle　between　the　open　gate　and　the　wall　and　changed　shape。　Raederle　followed　him。　They　stood　looking　at　one　another；　their　faces　thin；　stamped　with　the　wildness　and　silence　of　the　backlands；　half…unfamiliar。　Then　Morgon；　remembering　he　had　an　arm；　put　it　around　Raederle's　shoulders　and　kissed　her　almost　tentatively。　The　expression　began　to　e　back　into　her　face。
　　　　　　　〃What　in　Hel's　name　did　we　do？〃　she　whispered。　〃Morgon；　I　feel　as　if　I　have　been　dreaming　for　a　hundred　years。〃
　　　　　　　〃Only　a　couple　of　weeks。　We're　in　Lungold。〃
　　　　　　　〃Let's　go　home。〃　Then　a　strange　look　came　into　her　eyes。　〃What　have　we　been　eating？〃
　　　　　　　〃Don't　think　about　it。〃　He　listened。　The　traffic　through　the　gate　had　almost　stopped；　he　heard　only　one　slow　horseman　preceding　the　twilight　into　the　city。　He　took　her　hand。　〃Let's　go。〃
　　　　　　　〃Where？〃
　　　　　　　〃Can't　you　smell　it？　It's　there；　at　the　edge　of　my　mind。　A　stench　of　power。。。〃
　　　　　　　
　　　　　　　It　drew　him　through　the　twisting　streets。　The　city　was　quiet；　for　it　was　supper　hour；　the　succulent　smells　out　of　inns　they　passed　made　them　both　murmur。　But　they　had　no　money；　and　with　Morgon's　torn　clothing　and　Raederle's　bare　feet；　they　looked　almost　like　beggars。　The　sense　of　decayed；　misused　power　pulled　Morgon　toward　the　heart　of　the　city；　through　wide　streets　full　of　fine　shops　and　wealthy　traders'　houses。　The　streets　sloped　upward　at　the　center　of　the　city。　The　rich　buildings　dwindled　away　at　the　crown　of　the　rising。　The　streets　ended　abruptly。　On　an　immense；　scarred　stretch　of　land　rose　the　shell　of　the　ancient　school；　fashioned　of　the　power　and　art　of　wizardry；　its　open；　empty　walls　gleaming　in　the　last　of　the　light。
　　　　　　　Morgon　stopped。　An　odd　longing　ached　in　him；　as　at　a　glimpse　of　something　he　could　never　have　and　never　knew　before　that　he　might　have　wanted。　He　said　incredulously；　〃No　wonder　they　came。　He　made　it　so　beautiful。。。〃
　　　　　　　Huge　rooms；　broken　open；　half…destroyed；　revealed　the　wealth　of　the　realm。　Shattered　windows　with　jagged　panes　the　colors　of　jewels　were　framed　in　gold。　Inner　walls　blackened　with　fire　held　remnants　of　pale　ash　and　ebony；　of　oak　and　cedar。　Here　and　there；　a　scarred；　fallen　beam　glinted　with　a　joint　work　of　copper　and　bronze。　Long　arched　windows；　through　which　prisms　of　refracted　light　passed；　suggested　the　illusion　of　peace　that　had　lulled　the　restless；　driven　minds　drawn　into　the　school。　From　across　seven　centuries　Morgon　felt　its　illusion　and　its　promise：　the　gathering　of　the　most　powerful　minds　of　the　realm　to　share　knowledge；　to　explore　and　discipline　their　powers。　The　obscure　longing　bruised　his　heart　again；　he　could　not　put　a　name　to　it。　He　stood　gazing　at　the　silent；　ruined　school　until　Raederle　touched　him。　〃What　is　it？〃　〃I　don't　know。　I　wish　。。。　I　wish　I　could　have　studied　here。　The　only　power　I　have　ever　known　is　Ghisteslwchlohm's。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　wizards　will　help　you；〃　she　said；　but　he　found　no　reassurance　in　that。　He　looked　at　her。
　　　　　　　〃Will　you　do　something　for　me？　Go　back　into　crow…shape。　I'll　take　you　on　my　shoulder　while　I　search　for　them。　I　don't　know　what　traps　or　bindings　might　still　linger　here。〃
　　　　　　　She　nodded　tiredly；　without　ment；　and　changed　shape。　She　tucked　herself　under　his　ear；　and　he　stepped　onto　the　grounds　of　the　school。　No　trees　grew　anywhere　on　them；　t