srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第34部分

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！


　
　SEVEN　
　Message　to　Revelstone
　
　　　　Though　his　jaws　ached　with　protests；　Triock　gave　the　orders　which　sent　several　of　his　rades　hurrying　to　collect　supplies　for　Covenant；　Foamfollower；　and　Lena。　In　that　moment；　the　giving　of　those　orders　seemed　to　be　the　hardest　thing　he　had　ever　done。　The　restraint　which　had　allowed　Covenant　to　live　seven　and　forty　years　ago　paled　by　parison。　The　exertions　which　had　brought　Covenant　to　the　Land　now　lost　their　meaning。　Lena　Atiaran…daughter's　desire　to　acpany　the　Unbeliever　turned　all　Triock's　long　years　of　devotion　to　dust　and　loss；　and　all　his　lavish　love　had　been　wasted。
　　　　Yet　he　could　not　refuse　her…could　not；　though　he　had　the　authority　to　do　so。　He　was　one　of　Mithil　Stonedown's　Circle　of　elders；　and　by　old　Stonedown　tradition；　even　marriages　and　long　journeys　were　subject　to　the　approval　of　the　Circle。　Furthermore；　he　was　the　acknowledged　leader　of　Mithil　Stonedown's　defense。　He　could　have　manded　Lena　to　stay　at　home；　and　if　his　reasons　were　valid；　all　the　Stonedown　would　have　fought　to　keep　her。
　　　　His　reasons　were　valid。　Lena　was　old；　half　confused。　She　might　hamper　Covenant's　movements；　she　might　even　risk　his　life　again；　as　she　had　so　recently。　She　would　be　in　danger　from　all　the　enemies　between　Mithil　Stonedown　and　Foul's　Creche。　Covenant　was　the　one　man　responsible　for　her　condition；　the　man　who　had　permanently　warped　the　channel　of　her　life。　And　he；　Triock　son　of　Thuler…he　loved　her。
　　　　Yet　he　gave　the　orders。　He　had　never　loved　Lena　in　a　way　which　would　have　enabled　him　to　control　her。　At　one　time；　he　had　been　ready　to　break　his　Oath　of　Peace　for　her；　but　throughout　most　of　his　life　now　he　had　kept　it　for　her。　He　had　done　his　utmost　to　raise　her　daughter　free　of　shame　and　outrage。　He　could　not　begin　now　to　refuse　the　cost　of　a　love　to　which　he　had　so　entirely　given　himself。
　　　　Once　that　ordeal　was　over；　he　grew　somewhat　calmer。　In　the　back　of　his　heart；　he　believed　that　if　there　were　any　hope　for　the　Land　in　Thomas　Covenant；　it　depended　upon　Covenant's　responses　to　Lena。　Then　his　chief　bitterness　lay　in　the　fact　that　he　himself　could　not　acpany　Covenant　could　not　go　along　to　watch　over　Lena。　He　had　his　own　work　to　do；　work　which　he　acknowledged　and　approved。　Through　the　yearning　clench　of　his　jaws；　he　told　himself　that　he　would　have　to　rely　on　Saltheart　Foamfollower。
　　　　With　a　brusque　movement；　he　pushed　the　gray　snow　out　of　his　eyes　and　looked　toward　the　Giant。　Foamfollower　met　his　gaze；　came　over　to　him；　and　said；　〃Be　easy　at　heart；　my　friend。　You　know　that　I　am　not　an　inconsiderable　ally。　I　will　do　all　I　can　for　both。〃
　　　　〃Take　great　care；〃　Triock　breathed　through　his　teeth。　〃The　eyes　which　saw　our　work　upon　Kevin's　Watch　are　yet　open。　We　did　not　close　them　in　this　battle。〃
　　　　Foamfollower　studied　this　thought　for　a　moment；　then　said；　〃If　that　is　true；　then　it　is　you　who　must　take　the　greatest　care。　You　bear　your　High　Wood　into　the　hazard　of　the　South　Plains。〃
　　　　Triock　shrugged。　〃High　Wood　or　white　gold…we　must　all　tread　cunningly。　I　can　send　none　of　my　people　with　you。〃
　　　　With　a　nod　of　approval；　the　Giant　said；　〃I　would　refuse　if　they　were　offered。　You　will　need　every　sword。　The　mountains　where　you　will　seek　this　Unfettered　One　are　many　leagues　distant；　and　you　will　be　required　to　fight　much　of　your　way。〃
　　　　The　clench　of　Triock's　teeth　made　his　voice　rasp　harshly。　〃I　take　none　but　Quirrel　and　Yeurquin　with　me。〃
　　　　Foamfollower　started　to　protest；　but　Triock　cut　him　off。　〃I　need　the　speed　of　few　panions。　And　Mithil　Stonedown　stands　now　in　its　gravest　peril。　For　the　first　time；　we　have　given　open　battle　to　the　marauders。　With　the　power　we　revealed　on　Kevin's　Watch；　and　the　strength　of　our　victory　here；　we　have　declared　beyond　question　that　we　are　not　mere　vagabond　warriors；　seeking　refuge　in　lifeless　homes。　We　have　defended　our　Stonedown…we　are　an　unbeaten　people。　Therefore　the　enemy　will　return　against　us　with　a　host　to　dwarf　this　last　band。　No；　Rockbrother；〃　he　concluded　grimly；　〃every　war…ready　hand　must　remain　to　hold　what　we　have　won…lest　our　foes　break　upon　the　Stonedown　like　a　wave　and　leave　not　one　home　standing。〃
　　　　After　a　moment；　Foamfollower　sighed。　〃I　hear　you。　Ah；　Triock…　these　are　grave　times　indeed。　I　will　rest　easier　when　my　friend　Mhoram　son　Of　Variol　has　received　word　of　what　we　do。〃
　　　　〃You　believe　I　will　succeed？〃
　　　　〃Who　can　if　you　cannot？　You　are　hardy　and　knowledgeable；　familiar　with　plains　and　mountains…and　marauders。　You　have　accepted　the　need；　though　your　feet　yearn　to　follow　other　paths。　Those　who　pursue　their　heart's　desire　risk　more　subtle　failures　and　treacheries。　In　some　ways；　it　is　well　to　leave　your　soul　wish　in　other　hands。〃　He　spoke　musingly；　as　if　in　his　thoughts　he　were　paring　Triock's　position　with　his　own。　〃You　can　acplish　this　message　purely。〃
　　　　〃I　reap　one　other　blessing　also；〃　Triock　returned　through　a　mouthful　of　involuntary　gall。　〃The　burden　of　mercy　falls　on　your　shoulders。　Perhaps　you　will　bear　it　more　easily。〃
　　　　Foamfollower　sighed　again；　then　smiled　gently。　〃Ah；　my　friend；　I　know　nothing　of　mercy。　My　own　need　for　it　is　too　great。〃
　　　　The　sight　of　Foamfollower's　smiling　regret　made　Triock　wish　that　he　could　protest　against　what　the　Giant　said。　But　he　understood　only　too　well　the　plex　loss　and　rue　which　weighed　on　Foamfollower。　Instead；　he　returned　the　best　smile　he　could　manage　and　saluted　Foamfollower　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart。　Then　he　turned　away　to　make　his　own　preparations　for　travel。
　　　　In　a　short　time；　he　packed　blankets；　an　extra　cloak；　a　small　stoneware　pot　of　graveling；　supplies　of　dried　meat；　cheese；　and　fruit；　and　a　knife　to　replace　the　one　he　had　given　Covenant；　in　a　knapsack。　He　took　only　a　few　moments　to　whet　his　sword；　and　to　secure　his　lomillialor　rod　in　the　tunic　belt　under　his　cloak。　Yet　when　he　returned　to　the　open　center　of　the　Stonedown；　he　found　Covenant；　Foamfollower；　and　Lena　ready　to　depart。　Lena　carried　her　own　few　belongings　in　a　pack　like　his；　Foamfollower　had　all　the　supplies　for　the　three　of　them　in　his　leather　sack；　which　he　slung　easily　over　his　shoulder；　and　Covenant's　wounded　face　held　a　look　of　intentness　or　frustration；　as　if　only　the　hurt　on　his　mouth　kept　him　from　plaining　impatiently。　In　that　look；　Triock　caught　a　glimpse　of　how　fragile　Covenant's　avowed　hatred　was。　It　did　not　appear　to　be　a　sustaining　Passion。　Triock　shivered。　A　foreboding　distrust　told　him　that　Thomas　Covenant's　resolve　or　passion　would　not　suffice。
　　　　But　he　clenched　the　thought　to　himself　as　he　returned　Foamfollower's　final　salute。　There　was　nothing　he　could　say。　And　a　moment　later；　the　Giant　arid　his　two　panions　had　disappeared　northward　between　the　houses。
　　　　Their　footmarks　filled　with　snow　and　faded　from　sight　until　Mithil　Stonedown　seemed　to　retain　no　record　of　their　passing。
　　　　Gruffly；　Triock　said　to　Yeurquin　and　Quirrel；　〃We　also　must　depart　We　must　leave　this　valley　while　the　snow　holds。〃
　　　　His　two　friends　nodded　without　question。　Their　faces　were　empty　of　expression；　they　looked　like　people　from　whom　bat　had　drained　all　other　considerations…carried　their　short　javelins　as　if　the　killing　of　enemies　were　their　sole　interest。　From　them；　Triock　drew　a　kind　of　serenity。　He　was　no　High　Wood　wielder　to　them；　no　bearer　of　burdens　which　would　have　bent　the　back　of　a　Lord。　He　was　only　a　man；　fighting　as　best　he　could　for　the　Land；　without　pretensions　to　wisdom　or　prophecy。　This　was　a　proper　role　for　a　Cattleherd　in　times　of　war；　and　he　weled　it。
　　　　Girded　by　the　readiness　of　his　panions；　he　went　to　the　other　elders　and　spent　a　short　time　discussing　with　them　Mithil　Stonedown's　precautions　against　future　attacks。　Then　he　left　his　home　to　them　and　went　out　into　the　snow　again　as　if　it　were　the　duty　of　his　life。
　　　　Flanked　by　Quirrel　and　Yeurquin；　he　left　the　village　by　the　northward　road；　and　crossed　without　stealth　the　stone　bridge　to　the　western　side　of　the　valley。　He　wanted　to　make　good　time　while　the　snow　cover　lasted；　so　he　stayed　on　the　easiest　route　until　he　neared　the　end　of　the　horn　of　mountains　which　formed　the　Mithil　valley's　western　wall。　At　that　point；　he　moved　off　the　road　and　started　up　into　the　foothills　that　clung　around　t