tw.togreenangeltower2-第146部分

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ss　returned。　Another　roar　of　thunder　sounded。　The　wind　howled　even　louder。　〃Perhaps　that　is　why　the　Norns　are　not　among　the　archers；〃　Isorn　continued　loudly。　〃Because　they　are　preparing　some　trick；　some　spell…something　we　will　not　like　much。　Oh；　I　saw　horrors　at　Naglimund；　Sludig。　I　pray　Jiriki's　people　are　strong　enough　to　hold　them　back。〃
　　　　　　　〃This　is　madness！〃　Sludig　shouted。　〃I　can　see　almost　nothing！〃
Another　crash　came；　this　one　a　little　softer。　It　was　not　thunder。　〃Praise　Usires！　They　have　brought　the　ram　against　the　gates；〃　Isorn　called；　excited。　〃See；　Sludig；　they　have　struck　the　first　blow！〃　The　black　sword　raised　before　him；　he　spurred　his　horse　forward　a　few　steps。　With　the　sea…dragon　helm　on　his　head　and　his　cloak　whipping　in　the　high　wind；　even　Sludig　could　almost　believe　this　was　Camaris　and　not　his　liege…lord's　son。　〃We　must　find　Hotvig's　riders　and　be　ready　to　go　in　if　they　can　breach　the　gate。〃
　　　　　　　Sludig　looked　in　vain　for　a　messenger　among　the　milling　foot　soldiers。　〃We　should　tell　your　father；〃　he　shouted。
　　　　　　　〃Go；　then。　I　will　wait。　But　hurry；　man。　Who　would　have　thought　we　would　be　so　close　so　soon？〃
　　　　　　　Sludig　tried　to　say　something；　but　it　was　lost　in　the　noise　of　the　storm。　He　turned　his　horse　away　and　rode　back　down　the　hill　toward　Duke　Isgrimnur's　watching　place。

　　　　　　　〃The　ram　is　against　the　gate；〃　Sangfugol　said　exultantly。　〃Look　at　it！　It　is　big　as　three　houses！〃
〃The　gate　is　bigger。〃　Strangyeard　was　shivering。　〃Still；　I　am　astonished　that　there　should　be　so　little　resistance。〃　
　　　　　　　〃You　saw　Erchester。　Everyone　has　fled。　Elias　and　his　pet　wizard　have　made　this　place　a　wasteland。〃
〃But　there　seem　to　be　men　enough　inside　the　walls　to　defend　the　castle。　Why　did　they　dig　no　trenches　to　slow　the　siege　engines？　Why　did　they　lay　up　so　few　stones　to　push　down　on　the　scaling　ladders？〃
　　　　　　　〃The　stones　they　had　did　their　work；〃　Sangfugol　replied；　angry　that　Strangyeard　did　not　share　his　excitement。　〃The　men　who　wound　up　beneath　them　are　as　dead　as　you　could　wish。〃
〃Elysia；　Mother　of　our　Ransomer！〃　The　priest　was　shocked。　〃Sangfugol；　do　not　speak　so　of　our　fallen　soldiers！　I　only　meant　it　is　strange　the　defenders　seem　so　ill…prepared　for　a　siege　Elias　must　have　known　was　ing　for　weeks；　even　months。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　king　has　gone　mad；〃　the　harper　replied。　〃You've　heard　what　those　who　fled　Erkynland　say。　And　there　are　few　left　to　fight　with　him。　This　will　be　no　different　than　prodding　a　bear　out　of　its　cave。　The　bear　is　fierce；　but　it　is　an　animal　for　all　that；　and　must　lose　out　to　the　cleverness　of　men。〃
〃Cleverness？〃　The　archivist　did　his　best　to　shake　the　snow　off　his　blanket。　The　wind　slashed　bitterly　even　through　the　low　barrier　of　stones　they　had　erected。　〃What　have　we　done　that　is　so　clever？　We　have　been　led　by　the　nose　like　oxen　all　along。〃
　　　　　　　Sangfugol　waved　his　hand　airily；　although　he　too　was　trembling　with　cold。　〃Having　Isorn　and　that　Nabban　fellow　pose　as　Camaris　and　Josua…that　was　a　clever　idea；　you　must　admit　。。。　except　for　your　little　suggestion　that　I　be　the　one　to　play　the　prince。　And　going　beneath　the　Hayholt's　walls　by　caverns　and　tunnels…that　is　something　clever　indeed！　The　king　would　not　think　of　that　in　a　thousand　years。〃
　　　　　　　Strangyeard；　who　was　rubbing　his　hands　together　furiously　in　an　effort　to　keep　them　warm；　suddenly　stopped。　〃The　king　might　not…but　his　allies　must　know　of　those　tunnels。〃　His　voice　shook。　〃Surely　the　Norns　must　know。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　why　our　fairy…folk　have　gone　down　after　the　prince　and　Camaris。　I've　seen　them；　Aditu's　brother　and　mother　and　the　rest。　They　can　take　care　of　themselves；　I　have　no　doubt　。。。　even　if　the　Norns　know　about　the　tunnels　and　are　waiting　for　them；　as　you　seem　to　think。〃
　　　　　　　〃That　is　not　what　I　am　thinking。〃　Strangyeard　stood。　Snow　fell　from　him　and　was　promptly　snatched　away　by　the　wind。　〃Not　what　I　am　thinking　at　all。　The　Norns　know　all　about　the　tunnels。〃　He　stepped　over　the　low　wall　of　stones；　knocking　several　loose。
　　　　　　　〃Hi！　What　are　you　doing？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　to　find　Duke　Isgrimnur。　We　are　in　more　danger　than　we　suspected。〃　He　turned　and　waded　downhill　through　the　drifts；　leaning　into　the　wind；　frail　but　determined。
〃Strangyeard！〃　cried　Sangfugol。　〃Blast　it；　I　am　not　staying　here　by　myself。　I'll　e　with　you；　whatever　madness　you're　onto。〃　He　followed　the　archivist　over　the　barrier。　〃You　are　heading　right　toward　the　fighting！〃　he　shouted。　〃You'll　be　shot　with　an　arrow！〃
　　　　　　　〃I　have　to　find　Isgrimnur；〃　Strangyeard　called　back。　Cursing　richly；　the　harper　hurried　after　him。

　　　　　　　〃Isorn's　right；　sire；〃　said　Sludig。　〃If　we　pass　through　the　gate；　we　must　make　a　great　charge。　The　men　have　already　seen　the　Norns　and　they　are　frightened。　If　we　hesitate；　the　advantage　will　be　the　king's　again。　Who　knows　what　will　happen　if　he　makes　a　sortie；　and　us　fighting　uphill？〃
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　stared　at　the　Hayholt's　high　walls。　It　was　only　when　seen　against　a　storm　like　this　that　the　works　of　man；　even　such　a　mighty　construction　as　the　Hayholt；　seemed　truly　small。　Perhaps　they　actually　could　knock　down　the　gate。　Perhaps　Sludig　and　the　others　were　right…Elias'　kingdom　was　a　rotting　fruit　waiting　to　fall　from　the　vine。
　　　　　　　There　was　another　strange；　sputtering　flash　of　lightning　over　the　tower　tops。　Thunder　rolled；　but　following　close　behind　it　came　a　loud　crash　as　the　great　ram　was　swung　forward　into　the　gate。
　　　　　　　〃Go；　then；〃　Isgrimnur　told　Sludig。　His　earl　had　not　dismounted；　but　had　brought　his　steam…puffing　horse　to　the　edge　of　the　wooden　structure　where　the　duke　stood。　〃Hotvig　and　his　riders　are　still　waiting　at　the　edge　of　the　Kynswood。　No；　better　yet；　you　stay　here。〃　Isgrimnur　summoned　one　of　the　newly　returned　outriders　and　gave　him　a　message　for　the　Thrithings…men；　then　sent　him　on　his　way。　〃You　go　back　to　Isorn；　Sludig。　Tell　him　to　hold　fast　and　let　the　first　of　the　men…at…arms　go　through　on　foot。　There　will　be　no　storied　charges　here；　at　least　not　until　I　see　what　Elias　has　waiting。〃
　　　　　　　As　the　duke　spoke；　the　ram　smashed　against　the　Nearulagh　Gate。　The　timbers　seemed　to　sag　inward　a　little　way；　as　though　the　huge　bolts　had　been　loosened。　
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　sire。〃　Sludig　turned　his　charger　toward　the　walls。
　　　　　　　The　ram's　engineers　swung　it　forward　once　more。　The　iron…plated　head　crunched　against　the　barrier。　A　length　of　wood　splintered　away　down　the　length　of　the　gate；　and　even　through　the　storm　noises　Isgrimnur　could　hear　the　excited　shouts　of　men　all　across　the　field。　The　ram　was　pulled　back　and　then　set　in　motion　again。　The　Nearulagh　Gate　shattered　and　fell　inward　in　an　explosion　of　broken　timbers　and　tumbling　statuary。　Snow　swirled　in　the　empty　space。　Isgrimnur　goggled；　almost　unable　to　believe　the　gate　was　down。　When　the　snow　cleared；　a　few　score　of　the　castle's　pikemen　moved　into　the　opening；　braced　against　attack。　No　great　hidden　army　charged　outward。
A　long　moment　passed　as　the　two　forces　eyed　each　other　through　the　snow…flurries。　It　seemed　no　one　could　move；　that　both　sides　were　astonished　by　what　had　happened。　Then　a　small；　golden…helmeted　figure　lifted　a　sword　and　spurred　forward。　A　score　of　mounted　knights　and　several　hundred　foot　soldiers　surged　toward　the　breach　in　the　Hayholt's　walls。
　　　　　　　〃Damn　me；　Isorn！〃　Duke　Isgrimnur　shouted。　He　leaned　so　far　forward　that　he　nearly　lost　his　balance　and　toppled　from　the　observation　platform。　〃e　back！　Where　is　Sludig！？　Studig！　Stop　him！〃　Someone　was　tugging　at　his　sleeve；　pulling　him　back　from　the　edge　of　the　platform；　but　Isgrimnur　paid　the　intruder　no　mind。　〃Can't　he　see　that　it's　too　easy？　Isorn？〃　He　knew　his　voice　could　not　possibly　carry　above　the　tumult。　〃Seriddan！　Where　are　you！？　Ride　after　him…by　Dror's　red　mallet；　where　are　my　messengers！？〃
　　　　　　　〃Duke　Isgrimnur！〃　It　was　Strangyeard　the　archivist；　still　pulling　at　his　sleeve。
　　　　　　　〃Get　away；　damn　you！〃　Isgrimnur　roared。　〃I　do　not　need　a　priest；　I　need　mounted　knights。　Jeremias；　run　to　Seriddan；〃　he　called。　〃Isorn　has　forced　our　hand。　Tell　the　baron　to　ride　in。〃
Strangyeard　was　undaunted。　〃Please；　Duke　Isgrimnur；　you　must　listen　to　me！〃
〃I　have　no　time　for　you　now；　man！　My　son　has　just　charged　in　like　a　fool。　He　must　think　he　is　Camaris…after　all　I　told　him！