srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第28部分

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　　　　Before　he　had　worked　his　way　twenty　yards　down　the　ravine；　Covenant　knew　that　he　was　not　yet　strong　enough　to　travel。　Lassitude　clogged　his　muscles；　and　what　little　energy　he　had　he　needed　to　defend　himself　from　the　penetrating　cold。　At　first　he　resolved　to　endure　despite　his　weakness。　But　by　the　time　he　had　hauled　himself　halfway　up　the　rift　which　led　to　the　mountainside　overlooking　Mithil　Stonedown；　he　understood　that　he　could　not　go　on　without　help。　If　he　were　to　acplish　the　purpose　which　grew　obscurely　in　the　back　of　his　mind；　he　would　have　to　learn　how　to　accept　help。
　　　　He　leaned　panting　against　the　stone。　〃Foamfollower。〃
　　　　The　Giant　bent　near　him。　〃Yes；　my　friend。〃
　　　　〃Foamfollower…I　can't　make　it　alone。〃
　　　　Chuckling　gently；　Foamfollower　said；　〃Nor　can　I。　My　friend；　there　is　fort…in　some　panionships。〃　He　lifted　Covenant　effortlessly　into　his　arms；　carried　him　in　a　half…sitting　position　so　that　Covenant　could　see　ahead。　Though　he　only　needed　one　arm　to　bear　Covenant's　weight；　he　put　the　graveling　pot　into　Covenant's　hands。　The　warm　light　revealed　that　Foamfollower　was　grinning　as　he　said；　〃This　is　hazardous　for　me。　It　is　possible　that　being　of　use　may　bee　a　dangerous　habit。〃
　　　　Gruffly；　Covenant　muttered；　〃That　sounds　like　something　I　might　say。〃
　　　　Foamfollower's　grin　broadened。　But　Triock　threw　back　a　warning
　　　　scowl；　and　the　Giant　made　no　other　response。
　　　　Moments　later；　Triock　covered　his　graveling　pot。　At　a　nod　from　Foamfollower；　Covenant　did　the　same。　The　Giant　placed　the　urn　in　his　sack。　Without　any　light　to　give　them　away；　the　group　climbed　out　of　the　rift　onto　the　exposed　mountainside　high　above　the　Mithil　valley。
　　　　Under　the　heavy　darkness；　they　could　see　nothing　below　them　but　the　distant　watch　fires　smoldering　like　sparks　in　cold　black　tinder。　Covenant　could　not　gauge　how　far　away　the　fires　were；　but　Foamfollower　said　tightly；　〃It　is　a　large　band。　They　will　gain　the　Stonedown　by　dawn…as　Slen　said。〃
　　　　〃Then　we　must　make　haste；''　snapped　Triock。　He　swung　away　to　the　left；　moving　swiftly　along　the　unlit　ledge。
　　　　The　Giant　followed　at　once；　and　his　long　strides　easily　matched　Triock's　trotting　pace。　Soon　they　had　left　the　ledge；　crossed　from　it　to　more　gradual　slopes　as　their　trail　worked　downward　into　the　valley。　Slowly；　Covenant　could　feel　the　air　thickening。　With　the　warmth　of　the　graveling　pot　resting　against　his　chest；　he　began　to　feel　stronger。　He　made　an　effort　to　remember　what　this　trail　had　looked　like　in　the　spring；　but　no　memories　came；　he　could　not　escape　the　impression　of　bare　bleakness　which　shone　through　the　night　at　him。　He　sensed　that　if　he　could　have　seen　the　unrelieved　rock　faces　of　the　mountains；　or　the　imposed　lifelessness　of　the　foothills；　or　the　blasted　tree　trunks；　or　the　Mithil　River　writhing　in　ice；　he　would　have　been　dismayed。　He　was　not　yet　ready　for　dismay。
　　　　Ahead　of　him；　Triock　began　to　run。
　　　　Foamfollower's　jogging　shook　other　thoughts　out　of　Covenant's　mind；　and　he　began　to　concentrate　in　earnest　on　the　gloomy　night。　By　squinting　grotesquely；　he　found　that　he　could　adjust　his　sight　somewhat　to　the　dark；　apparently　his　eyes　were　remembering　their　Land…born　penetration。　As　Foamfollower　hurried　him　down　the　trail；　he　made　out　the　high　loom　of　the　mountains　on　his　left　and　the　depth　of　the　valley　on　his　right。　After　a　while；　he　caught　vague；　pale　glimpses　of　the　ice…gnarled　river。　Then　the　trail　neared　the　end　of　the　valley；　and　swung　down　in　a　wide　arc　toward　the　Mithil。　When　Foamfollower　had　pleted　the　turn；　Covenant　saw　the　first　dim　lightening　of　dawn　behind　the　eastern　peaks。
　　　　Their　pace　became　more　urgent。　As　dawn　leaked　into　the　air；　Covenant　could　see　shadowy　clouts　of　snow　jumping　from　under　the　beat　of　Triock's　feet。　Foamfollower's　strong　respiration　filled　his　ears；　and　behind　it　at　odd　intervals　he　heard　the　river　straining　in　sharp　creaks　and　groans　against　the　weight　of　its　own　freezing。　He　began　to　feel　a　need　to　get　down　from　the　Giant's　arms；　either　to　separate　himself　from　this　urgency　or　to　run　toward　it　on　his　own。
　　　　Then　Quirrel　slowed　abruptly　and　stopped。　Triock　and　Foamfollower　caught　up　with　her；　found　her　with　another　Stonedownor　woman。　The　woman　whispered　quickly；　〃Triock；　the　people　are　ready。　Enemies　approach。　They　are　many；　but　the　scouts　saw　no　Cavewights　or　ur…viles。　How　shall　we　fight　them？〃
　　　　As　she　spoke；　Covenant　dropped　to　the　ground。　He　stamped　his　feet　to　speed　the　circulation　in　his　knees　and　stepped　close　to　Triock　so　that　he　could　hear　what　was　said。
　　　　〃Someone　among　them　has　eyes；〃　Triock　responded。　〃They　hunt　the　High　Wood。〃
　　　　〃So　say　the　elders。〃
　　　　〃We　will　use　it　to　lure　them。　I　will　remain　on　this　side　of　the　Stonedown…away　from　them；　so　that　they　must　search　all　the　homes　to　find　me。　The　houses　will　disrupt　their　formations；　e　between　them。　The　Stonedown　itself　and　surprise　will　aid　us。　Tell　the　people　to　conceal　themselves　on　this　side…behind　the　walls；　in　the　outer　houses。　Go。〃
　　　　The　woman　turned　and　ran　toward　the　Stonedown。　Triock　followed　her　more　slowly；　giving　instructions　to　Quirrel　and　Yeurquin　as　he　moved。　With　Foamfollower　at　his　side；　Covenant　hurried　after　them；　trying　to　figure　out　how　to　keep　himself　alive　when　the　fighting　started。　Triock　seemed　sure　that　the　marauders　were　after　the　lomillialor；　but　Covenant　had　other　ideas。　He　was　prepared　to　believe　that　this　band　of　Foul's　creatures　had　e　for　him　and　the　white　gold。
　　　　He　panted　his　way　up　a　long　hill　behind　Triock；　and　when　they　topped　it；　he　found　himself　overlooking　the　crouched　stone　shapes　of　the　village。　In　the　unhale　dawn；　he　made　out　the　rough；　circular　configuration　of　the　Stonedown；　its　irregular　houses；　most　of　them　flat…roofed　and　single…storied；　stood　facing　inward　around　its　open　center；　the　gathering　place　for　its　people。
　　　　In　the　distance；　near　the　mouth　of　the　valley；　were　the　fires　of　the　marauders。　They　moved　swiftly；　as　if　they　had　the　scent　of　prey　in　their　nostrils。
　　　　Triock　stopped　for　a　moment　to　peer　through　the　gloom　toward　them。　Then　he　said　to　Foamfollower；　〃If　this　also　goes　astray；　I　leave　the　High　Wood　and　the　Unbeliever　in　your　care。　You　must　do　what　I　cannot。〃
　　　　〃It　must　not　go　astray；〃　Foamfollower　replied。　〃We　cannot　allow　it。　What　is　there　that　I　could　do　in　your　stead？〃
　　　　Triock　jerked　his　head　toward　Covenant。　〃Forgive　him。〃
　　　　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　he　started　at　a　lope　down　the　hill。
　　　　Covenant　rushed　to　catch　up　with　him；　but　his　dead　feet　slipped　so　uncertainly　through　the　snow　that　he　could　not　move　fast　enough。　He　did　not　overtake　Triock　until　they　were　almost　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　There　Covenant　grabbed　his　arm；　stopped　him；　and　panted　steamily　into　his　face；　〃Don't　forgive　me。　Don't　do　any　more　violence　to　yourself　for　me。　Just　give　me　a　weapon　so　I　can　defend　myself。〃
　　　　Triock　struck　Covenant's　hand　away。　〃A　weapon；　Unbeliever？〃　he　barked。　''　Use　your　ring。〃　But　a　moment　later　he　controlled　himself；　fought　down　his　bitterness。　Softly；　he　said；　〃Covenant；　perhaps　one　day　we　will　e　to　prehend　each　other；　you　and　I。〃　Reaching　into　his　cloak；　he　drew　out　a　stone　dagger　with　a　long　blade；　and　handed　it　to　Covenant　gravely；　as　if　they　were　rades。　Then　he　hastened　away　to　join　the　people　scurrying　toward　their　positions　on　the　outskirts　of　the　village。
　　　　Covenant　regarded　the　knife　as　if　it　were　a　secret　asp。　For　a　moment；　he　was　uncertain　what　to　do　with　it；　now　that　he　had　a　weapon；　he　could　not　imagine　using　it。　He　had　had　other　knives；　the　implications　of　which　were　ambiguous。　He　looked　questioningly　up　at　Foamfollower；　but　the　Giant's　attention　was　elsewhere。　He　was　staring　intently　toward　the　approach　of　the　fires；　and　his　eyes　held　a　hot；　enthusiastic　gleam；　as　if　they　reflected　or　remembered　slaughter。　Covenant　winced　inwardly。　He　passed　the　knife　back　and　forth　between　his　hands；　almost　threw　it　away；　then　abruptly　opened　his　jacket　and　slid　the　blade　under　his　belt。
　　　　〃Now　what？〃　he　demanded；　trying　to　distract　Foamfollower's　stare。　〃Do　we　just　stand　here；　or　should　we　start　running　around　in　circles？〃
　　　　The　Giant　looked　down　sharply　and　his　face　darkened。　〃They　fight　for　their　homes；〃　he　sai