fs.thefirstbookofswords-第1部分

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　　　In　what　felt　to　him　like　the　first　cold　morning　of　the　world；　he　groped　for　fire。
　　　It　was　a　high　place　where　he　searched；　a　lifeless；　wind…scoured　place；　a　rough；　forbidding　shelf　of　black　and　splintered　rock。　Snow；　driven　by　squalls　of　frigid　air；　streamed　across　the　black　rock　in　white　powder；　making　shifting　veils　of　white　over　layers　of　gray　ancient　ice　that　was　almost　as　hard　as　the　rock　itself。　Dawn　was　in　the　sky；　but　still　hundreds　of　kilometers　away；　as　distant　as　the　tiny　sawteeth　of　the　horizon　to　the　northwest。　The　snowfields　and　icefields　along　that　far　edge　of　the　world　were　beginning　to　glow　with　a　reflected　pink。
　　　Ignoring　cold　and　wind；　and　mumbling　to　himself；　the　searcher　paced　in　widening　circles　on　his　high　rugged　shelf　of　land。　One　of　his　powerful　legs　was　deformed；　enough　to　make　him　limp。　He　was　searching　for　warmth；　and　for　the　smell　of　sulphur　in　the　air；　for　anything　that　might　lead　him　to　the　fire　he　needed。　But　his　sandalled　feet　were　too　leathery　and　unfeeling　to　feel　warmth　directly　through　the　rocks；　and　the　wind　whipped　away　the　occasional　traces　of　volcanic　fumes。
　　　Presently　the　searcher　concentrated　his　attention　on　the　places　where　rock　protruded　through　the　rough　skin　of　ice。　When　he　found　a　notable　bare　spot；　he　kicked；　stamped　with　his　hard　heels；　at　the　ice　around　its　rim；　watching　critically　as　the　ice　shattered。　Yes；　here　was　a　place　where　the　frost　was　a　trifle　less　hard；　the　grip　of　cold　just　a　little　weaker。　Somewhere　down　below　was　warmth。　And　warmth　meant；　ultimately；　fire。
　　　Looking　for　a　way　down　to　the　mountains　heart；　the　searcher　moved　in　a　swift　limp　around　one　of　its　shoulders。　He　had　guessed　right；　before　him　now　loomed　a　great　crevice；　exhaling　a　faintly　sulphurous　atmosphere；　descending　between　guardian　rocks。　He　went　straight　to　that　hard…lipped　mouth；　but　just　as　he　entered　it　he　paused；　looking　up　at　the　sky　and　once　more　muttering　something　to　himself。　The　sky；　brightening　with　the　impending　dawn；　was　almost　entirely　clear；　flecked　in　the　distance　with　scattered　clouds。　At　the　moment　it　conveyed　no　messages。
　　　The　searcher　plunged　down　into　the　crevice；　which　quickly　narrowed　to　a　few　meters　wide。　Grunting；　making　up　new　words　to　groan　with　as　he　squeezed　through；　he　steadily　descended。　He　was　sure　now　that　the　fire　he　needed　was　down　here；　not　very　far　away。　When　he　had　gone　down　only　a　little　way　he　could　already　begin　to　hear　the　dragon…roar　of　its　voice；　as　it　came　scorching　up　through　some　natural　chimney　nearby　to　ultimately　emerge　he　knew　not　where。　So　he　continued　to　work　his　way　toward　the　sound；　moving　among　a　tumble　of　house…sized　boulders　that　had　been　thrown　here　like　children's　blocks　an　age　ago　when　some　upper　cornice　of　the　mountain　had　collapsed。
　　　At　last　the　searcher　found　the　roaring　chimney；　and　squeezed　himself　close　enough　to　reach　in　a　hand　and　sample　the　feeling　of　the　fire　when　it　came　up　in　its　next　surge。　It　was　good　stuff　this　flame；　with　its　origin　even　deeper　in　the　earth　than　he　had　hoped。　A　better　fire　than　he　could　reasonably　have　expected　to　find；　even　for　such　fine　work　as　he　had　now　to　do。
　　　Having　found　his　fire；　he　climbed　back　to　the　windblasted　surface　and　the　dawn。　At　the　rear　of　the　high　shelf　of　rock；　right　against　the　face　of　the　next　ascending　cliff；　was　a　place　somewhat　sheltered　from　the　wind。　Here　he　now　decided　to　put　the　forge。　The　chosen　site　was　a　recess；　almost　a　cave；　a　natural　grotto　set　into　the　cliff　that　towered　tremendously　higher　yet：　Out　of　this　cave　and　around　it；　more　fissure　chimneys　were　splintered　into　the　black　basalt　of　the　face；　chimneys　through　which　nothing　now　rose　but　the　cold　howling　wind；　drifting　a　little　snow。　The　searcher's　next　task　was　to　bring　the　earthfire　here　somehow；　in　a　form　both　physically　and　magically　workable；　the　work　he　had　to　do　with　the　fire　meant　going　deeply　into　both　those　aspects　of　the　world。　He　could　see　now　that　he　would　have　to　transport　and　rebuild　the　fire　in　earthgrown　wood…that　would　mean　another　delay；　here　on　the　treeless　roof　of　the　world。　But　minor　delays　were　unimportant；　pared　with　the　requirement　of　doing　the　job　right。
　　　From　the　corner　of　his　eye；　as　he　stood　contemplating　his　selected　forge…site；　he　caught　sight　of　powers　that　raced　airborne　across　a　far　corner　of　the　dawn。　He　turned　his　head；　to　see　in　the　distant　sky　a　flickering　of　colors；　lights　that　were　by　turns　foul　and　gentle。　Probably；　he　thought　to　himself；　they　are　only　at　some　sport　that　has　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　me　or　my　work。　Yet　he　remained　standing　motionless；　watching　those　skycolors　and　muttering　to　himself；　until　the　flying　powers　were　gone；　and　he　was　once　again　utterly　and　absolutely　alone。
　　　Then　he　clambered　down　the　surface　of　the　barren　mountainside；　moving　methodically；　moving　swiftly　and　nimbly　despite　one　twisted　leg。　He　continued　going　down　for　almost　a　thousand　meters；　to　the　level　where　the　highest　real　trees　began　to　grow。　Having　reached　that　level　he　paused　briefly；　regarding　the　sky　once　more；　scanning　it　in　search　of　messages　that　did　not　e。　Wind；　trapped　and　funneled　here　between　the　peaks；　blasted　his　hair　and　beard　that　were　as　thick　and　wild　as　fur；　whipped　at　his　scorched　garments　of　fur　and　leather；　rattled　the　dragonscales　he　wore　as　ornaments。
　　　And　now；　suddenly；　names　began　to　e　and　go　in　his　awareness。　It　was　as　if　he　saw　them　flickering　like　those　magical　powers　that　flew　across　the　sky。　He　thought：　I　am　called　Vulcan。　I　am　the　Smith。　And　he　realized　that　descending　even　this　moderate　distance　from　the　upper　heights　had　caused　him　to　start　thinking　in　human　language。
　　　To　get　the　size　and　quantity　of　logs　he　wanted　for　his　fire；　he　had　to　go　a　little　farther　down　the　slope。　Still　the　highest　human　settlements　were　considerably　below　him。　The　maplike　spread　of　farms　and　villages；　the　sight　of　a　distant　castle　on　a　hill；　all　registered　in　his　perception；　but　only　as　background　scenery　with　no　immediate　significance。　His　mind　was　on　the　task　of　gathering　logs。　Here；　where　the　true　forest　started；　finding　logs　was　not　difficult；　but　they　tended　to　be　from　twisted　trees；　awkwardly　shaped。　It　occurred　to　the　Smith　that　an　ax；　some　kind　of　chopping　tool；　would　be　a　handy　thing　to　have　for　this　part　of　the　job：　but　the　only　physical　tools　he　had；　besides　his　hands；　were　those　of　his　true　art；　and　they　were　all　back　at　the　site　he'd　chosen　for　his　forge。　His　hands　were　all　he　really　needed；　though；　clumsy　though　they　could　sometimes　be　with　wood。　If　a　log　was　too　awkward；　he　simply　broke　it　until　it　wasn't。　At　last；　with　a　huge　bundle　that　even　his　arms　could　scarcely　clasp；　he　started　back　up　the　mountainside。　His　limp　was　a　little　more　noticeable　now。
　　　During　his　absence　the　anvil　and　all　his　other　ancient　metalworking　tools　had　arrived　at　the　forge…site；　and　were　dumped　there　in　glorious　disorder。　Vulcan　put　down　his　firewood；　and　arranged　everything　in　an　orderly　array　around　the　exact　place　where　he　had　decided　that　the　fire　should　be。　When　he　had　finished；　the　sun　was　disappearing　behind　the　east　face　of　the　mountain　that　towered　above　his　head。
　　　Pausing　briefly　to　survey　what　he　had　done　so　far；　he　puffed　his　breath　a　little；　as　if　he　might　be　in　need　of　rest。　Now；　to　go　down　into　the　earth　and　bring　up　fire。　He　was　beginning　to　wish　he　had　some　slaves　on　hand；　helpers　to　handle　some　of　these　time…consuming　details。　The　hour　was　approaching　when　he　himself　would　have　to　concentrate　almost　entirely　upon　his　real　work。　He　longed　to　see　the　metal　glowing　in　the　forge；　and　feel　a　hammer　in　his　hand。
　　　Instead；　gripping　one　five…meter　log　under　his　arm　like　a　long　spear；　he　descended　for　the　second　time　into　the　maze　of　crevices　that　ran　beneath　the　upper　mountain。　Through　this　maze　he　worked　his　way　back　toward　the　place　where　fire　and　thunder　rose　sporadically　through　convoluted　chimneys。　This　time　he　approached　the　place　by　a　slightly　different　route；　and　could　see　the　reflected　red　glow　of　earthfire　shining　from　ahead　to　meet　him。　That　glow　when　it　encountered　daylight　seemed　to　wink；　as　if　in　astonishment　at　having　found　this　place　of　air　so　different　from　the　lower　hell　in　which　i