fs.thefirstbookofswords-第29部分
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magined a jail like this。 To begin with； light and air were present in quite astonishing quantities。 Yes； the large cell at the end of the row had real windows； man…sized slits extending through the whole thickness of the lower castle wall； like tunnels open to the bright late summer afternoon。 The way it looked； the last prisoner put in there might just have walked out through the window。 In through those embrasures came not only air and light； but additional cheerful sounds。 Outside on Sir Andrew's green the fair was getting under way。
There was also a sound； ing from somewhere else in the dungeon； of water dripping。 But somehow； in this clean； white interior； the sound suggested not dankness and slow time； but rather the outdoor gurgle of a brook。 Or； more aptly； the lapping of a lake。 The castle stood on a modest rise of ground； the highest in the immediate neighborhood； but its back was to a sizable lake； whose surface level was only a little lower than this dungeon floor。
Resting on the floor of the prisoner's cell； not far from the feet of his stool； was a metal dish that held a sizable fragment of bread； bread fresh from the oven today and without insects。 Beside the plate； a small pottery jug held clean drinking water。 At intervals the prisoner involuntarily darted a glance toward the bread； and each time he did so his left foot as if in reflex lifted a trifle from the stool … rung it was on … but in this peculiar dungeon there were evidently no rats to be continually kicked and shooed away。
And each time the prisoner turned his head to look at the plate； his gaze was likely to linger； in sheer disbelief； upon the small vase filled with fresh cut flowers； that stood beside his water jug。
The man who sat outside the cell； so patiently reading aloud from the old book； had not been young for some indeterminate time。 He was broadly built； and quite firmly and positively established in middle age； as if he had no intention at all of ever growing really old。 His clothing was rich in fabric and in workmanship； but simple in cut； and more than ordinarily untidy。 Like his garments； his beard and mustache of sandy gray were marked with traces of his recently concluded lunch； which had obviously prised some richer stuff than bread and water。
At more or less regular intervals； he turned the pages of the old book with powerful though ungraceful fingers； and he continued to read aloud from the book in his slow； strong voice。 It was a knowledgeable voice； and never stumbled； though its owner was translating an old language to a new one as he read。 Still there were hesitations； as if the reader wanted to make very sure of every word before he gave it irrevocable pronunciation。 He read：
〃'And the god Ardneh said to the men and women of the Old World； once only will I stretch forth the power of my hand to save you from the end of your own folly； once only and no more。 Once only will I change the world； that the world may not be destroyed by the hellbomb creatures that you in your pride and carelessness have called up out of the depths of matter。 And once only will I hold my Change upon the world； and the number of the years of Change will be fortynine thousand； nine hundred； and forty…nine。
〃'And the men and women of the Old World said to the god Ardneh； we hear thee and agree。 And with thy Change let the world no longer be called Old； but New。 And we do swear and covenant with thee； that never more shall we kill and rape and rob one another in hope of profit； of revenge； or sport。 And never again shall we bomb and level one another's cities； never again。。。 ' 〃
Here the reader paused； regarding his prisoner sternly。 〃Is something bothering you； sirrah？ You seem distracted。〃
The man inside the cell started visibly。 〃I； Sir Andrew？ No； not I。 Nothing is bothering me。 Unless。。。 well； unless； I mean； it is only that a man tends to feel happier when he's outside a cell than when he's in one。〃 And the prisoner's face； which was an expressive countenance when he wished it to be； brought forth a tentative smile。
Sir Andrew's incipient frown deepened in response。 〃If you think you would be happier outside； then pray do not let your attention wander when I am reading to you。 Your chance of rejoining that happy； sunlit world beyond yon windows depends directly upon your behavior here。 Your willingness to admit past errors； to seek improvement； take instruction； and reform。〃
Kaparu said quickly： 〃Oh； I admit my errors； sir。 I do indeed。 And I can take instruction。〃
〃Fine。 Understand that I am never going to set you free； never； as long as I think you are likely to return to your old habits of robbing innocent travelers。〃
The prisoner； like a child reprimanded in some strict school； now sat up straight。 He became all attention。 〃I am trying； Sir Andrew； to behave well。〃 And he gave another quick glance around his cell； this time as if to make sure that no evidence to the contrary might be showing。
〃You are； are you？ Then listen carefully。〃 Sir Andrew cleared his throat； and returned his gaze to the yellowed page before him。 As he resumed reading； his frown gradually disappeared； and his right hand rose unconsciously from the book； to emphasize key words with vague and clumsy gestures。
〃'。。。and when the full years of the Change had been acplished； Orcus； the Prince of Demons； had grown to his full strength。 And Orcus saw that the god Draffut； the Lord of Beasts and of all human mercy； who sat at the right hand of Ardneh in the councils of the gods； was healing men and women in Ardneh's name； of all manner of evil wounds and sickness。 And when Orcus beheld this he was very wroth。 And he。。。'〃
〃Beg pardon； sir？〃
〃Eh？〃
〃That word； sir。 'Wroth'。 It's not one that I'm especially familiar with。〃
〃Ah。 'Wroth' simply means angry。 Wrathful。〃 Sir Andrew spoke now in a milder tone than before； milder in fact than the voice in which he generally read。 And at the same time his expression grew benign。
Once more he returned to his text。 〃Where was I？ Yes； here。。。'In all the Changed world； only Ardneh himself was strong enough to oppose Orcus。 Under the banner of Prince Duncan of the Offshore Islands； men and women of good will from around the earth rallied to the cause of good； aiding and supporting Ardneh。 And under the banner of the evil Emperor； John Ominor； all men and women who loved evil rallied from all the lands of the earth to。。。'〃
〃Sir？〃
〃Yes； what？〃
〃There's one more thing in there I don't understand； sir。 Did you say this John Ominor was an emperor？〃
〃Hm； hah； yes。 Listening now； are you？ Yes。 The Emperor in those days … we are speaking now； remember； of a time roughly two thousand years in the past； at the end of what is called Ardneh's Change； and when the great battle was fought out between Orcus and Ardneh； and both of them perished … at that time； I say； no man was called emperor unless he was a real power in the world。 Perhaps even its greatest power。 It might be possible to trace a very interesting connection from that to the figure of mockery and fun； which today。。。〃
〃Sir？〃
〃Yes？〃
〃If you don't mind； sir。 Did you say just a moment ago that Ardneh perished？〃
Sir Andrew nodded slowly。 〃You are listening。 But I don't want to get into all that now。 The main thrust of this passage； what you should try to grasp today。。。 but just let me finish reading it。 Where was I？ Ha。 'In all the Changed world； only Ardneh himself。。。' and so forth； we had that。 Hah。 'In most dreadful bat the two strove together。 And Orcus spake to Ardneh； saying。。。' Ah； drat； why must we be interrupted？〃
The prisoner frowned thoughtfully at this； before he realized at just what point the text had been broken off。 Sir Andrew had been perturbed by certain new sounds in the middle distance； sounds steadily drawing near。 A shuffling of feet； a sequential banging open of doors； announced the approach of other human beings。 Presently； at the highest observable turn of the nearby ascending stair； there appeared the bowed legs of an ancient jailer； legs cut off at the knees by a stone arch。 The jai
