fs.thesecondbookofswords-第36部分

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　　　〃I'm　not　surprised；〃　said　Doon。　〃There　are　living　humans　…　well；　in　some　sense　living　…　in　the　garrison；　down　below。　And　the　visiting　priests　must　have　need　of　water；　not　to　mention　the　Whitehands。　So　this　es　from　some　natural　spring。　We'll　rest　here；　then；　wizard；　if　you　can　mark　out　some　safe　boundary　for　us。〃
　　　Again　the　two　magicians　went　to　work。　They　paced　back　and　forth；　mumbling；　gesturing；　watching　things　which　mon　human　eyes　saw　not。　They　walked　apart　and　then　came　back　to　the　others。　Indosuaros　warned　the　group：　〃Stay　within　this　first　loop　of　the　stream；　between　it　and　the　foot　of　the　cliffs。〃
　　　The　territory　so　defined　was　fortably　large；　giving　six　people　plenty　of　area　in　which　to　relax。　It　even　contained　enough　in　the　way　of　trees　and　rocks　and　bushes　to　offer　a　minimum　of　privacy。　People　slipped　off　their　packs　and　laid　their　weapons　down　…　within　handy　reach。
　　　Mark　bent　to　drink　from　the　stream；　conserving　his　carried　water；　and　found　it　clear　and　cold。　Then　with　a　weary　sigh　he　lay　back　in　the　fortable　grass；　letting　his　eyes　close。　Around　him　he　could　hear　the　others　seeking　ease　in　various　ways。
　　　He　meant　to　get　up　in　a　moment；　and　find　Ben　and　confer　with　him　on　the　question　that　now　loomed　large　in　Mark's　own　mind：　Was　it　time　to　give　up　and　turn　back；　or　try　to　do　so？　Already　three　were　dead　out　of　the　small　group　that　Doon　had　started　with。　The　thought　of　Sir　Andrew's　struggling　army　drove　Mark　on；　but　going　on　to　certain　death　was　hardly　going　to　help　Sir　Andrew　or　himself。
　　　The　first　question　was　of　course　whether　it　was　less　dangerous；　or　even　possible；　to　turn　back　now。　Doon　and　the　wizard　would　have　to　be　persuaded；　and　that　might　be　hopeless。　Or　else　Doon；　at　least；　would　probably　have　to　be　fought　…　and　it　was　hard　for　Mark　to　imagine　any　course　very　much　more　dangerous　than　that。。。　Lying　in　the　grass　with　his　eyes　slitted　open；　Mark　was　aware　of　the　dappling　deceptive　sunlight　far　above。　If　he　turned　his　head　slightly　he　could　still　see　the　place　where　they　had　e　out　of　the　cliff。　The　boundary　of　cliff　and　sky　was　still　obscured；　as　if　designedly；　by　the　massed　intervening　foliage　of　the　trees。　He　wondered　if　it　would　be　summer　here　all　year　round。
　　　When　he　closed　his　eyes　pletely；　even　his　dull　ability　to　perceive　magic　could　sense　the　magic　all　around　him；　as　steady　as　the　sound　of　running　water　in　the　stream。　It　was　there；　but　what　it　was　doing　he　did　not　know。
　　　It　was　hard　to　relax；　to　rest。　He　was　afraid。　He　was　almost　ready　to　quit；　and　he　would　have　quit　before　now；　if　Ben　had　not　been　here；　or　if　the　imagined　images　of　Sir　Andrew's　suffering　people　did　not　move　before　him；　hopelessly　fighting　the　Dark　King；　clamoring　for　the　help　that　another　Sword　or　even　two　might　give　their　cause。。。
　　　Someone　was　moving　near　Mark；　very　near；　and　his　eyes　flew　open　and　he　started　up。　Mitspieler　was　almost　within　reach；　on　hands　and　knees；　with　his　right　hand　extended　toward　Mark's　bow　and　quiver　that　lay　nearby　in　the　grass。
　　　The　graying；　pact　man　recoiled　sharply　at　Mark's　sudden　movement。
　　　〃What　do　you　want？〃　Mark　demanded。
　　　〃O…only　a　touch；　young　sir；　I　bring　you　only　a　little　touch　of　something　from　my　master！　To　anoint　your　weapons　with；　that　is。　See？　This！〃　And　Mitspieler　held　up　what　looked　like　a　small　bundle　of　dried　herbs。　〃So　if　you　should　have　need　to　use　your　weapons　here　in　the　realm　of　magic；　they　will　not　betray　you。　I　fear　that　before　we　are　through　it　we　may　encounter　some　creatures　that　are　bigger　than　songbirds。〃
　　　〃All　right。　Next　time　say　something；　don't　e　sneaking　up　on　me　like　that。〃　And　Mark　sat　and　watched　Mitspieler　minister　briefly　to　his　bow　and　arrows；　then　handed　over　his　knife　to　be　given　a　similar　treatment。　Meanwhile　Mark　observed　that　Ben　and　Ariane　were　now　seated　together；　a　few　meters　off；　with　their　heads　close　together　in　conversation。
　　　In　a　little　while　he　was　approaching　to　join　them；　wiping　another　drink　of　fresh　water　from　his　lips　as　he　approached。　But　there　was　a　distraction。　Just　beyond　a　nearby　bush；　Doon　was　arguing　with　Mitspieler　that　his　Sword　needed　no　extra　magical　treatment　of　any　kind；　and　by　all　the　gods　it　was　not　going　to　be　given　any。
　　　The　junior　wizard's　voice　argued　with　this　claim；　but　took　care　to　do　so　diplomatically。　〃Of　course　that　may　be　so；　sir。　May　I　test　it　to　make　sure？〃
　　　Mark　delayed；　watching　and　listening　to　the　confrontation　as　well　as　he　could。
　　　〃What　kind　of　test　are　you　talking　about？〃　Doon　demanded。
　　　〃If　you　would　just　let　me　hold　the　Sword　for　a　moment；　sir。　You　need　not　worry　that　it　will　be　damaged　…　ah；　thank　you。〃　Mark　saw　that　in　one　hand　Mitspieler　was　now　holding　a　bundle　of　fresh…cut　twigs　or　withes；　tied　up　with　an　ornate　cord　that　Mark　remembered　seeing　among　the　contents　of　Indosuaros'　pack。
　　　Mitspieler　went　on。　〃If　truly　your　Sword　needs　no　further　treatment　to　function　well　inside　this　realm　of　magic；　then　it　should　repel　the　twigs　when　I　strike　it　with　them　…　thus。。。〃
　　　There　was　a　bright　flash　that　startled　even　Mark；　who　had　been　more　or　less　expecting　some　spectacular　effect。　Mitspieler　yelled；　and　dropped　the　sheathed　Sword　to　the　grass。　He　threw　away　the　twig　bundle；　which　on　contact　with　Wayfinder　had　burst　violently　into　flame。　Then　he　went　after　the　twigs；　and　kicked　the　bundle　angrily；　to　the　acpaniment　of　Doon's　loud　laughter；　until　it　plunged　into　the　quenching　stream。
　　　Mark　did　not　wait　to　see　if　Indosuaros　might　be　angry　about　the　burning　of　his　fancy　cord；　but　instead　went　on　to　talk　to　Ariane　and　Ben。　He　told　them　what　he　had　seen　and　heard　of　the　incident；　and　it　made　them　smile。　But　presently　they　went　back　to　looking　grim；　as　they　had　when　Mark　first　approached。
　　　Ariane　was　still　taking　care　of　the　monkbird；　and　it　sat　either　on　her　shoulder；　or　on　a　low　branch　nearby；　while　she　talked。
　　　〃It　doesn't　like　this　realm　of　magic　any　more　than　I　do；〃　Ben　observed　about　the　animal。
　　　The　girl　said：　〃I　wish　that　I　could　let　it　go　…　I　feel　that　I'm　holding　it　a　prisoner；　and　I　know　what　it　is　like　to　be　one　of　those。〃
　　　〃But　it　has　nowhere　else　to　go；〃　said　Ben。　Then；　with　a　glance　at　Mark；　he　asked　her：　〃Why　did　you　delay　me　at　the　leap？　You　put　your　hand　on　my　arm　just　as　I　was　about　to　jump；　and　I　think　you　saved　my　life。〃
　　　〃If　I　did　that　…　I　really　don't　remember　why。　I'm　very　glad；　of　course；　if　I　saved　your　life；　but。。。　my　powers　just　work　like　that。　When　they　work　at　all。〃
　　　Mark　said：　〃I'm　sure　that　Doon　is　counting　on　them；　to　help　us　somehow　later　on。　But　I　don't　know　how；　or　when。〃
　　　〃I　wish　I　could　count　on　them；〃　the　girl　answered　in　a　sad　whisper。　〃I　wanted　to　e　here　and　look　for　treasure。　I　thought　it　would　be。。。　I　don't　know　what　I　thought。　Something　easy　and　swift；　I　suppose；　like　breaking　into　a　beehive　and　getting　away　with　the　honey。〃
　　　Mark's　face　cracked　in　a　smile；　as　if　reluctantly。　He　asked　her：　〃Have　you　done　that？〃
　　　Ariane　almost　smiled　in　turn。　〃I　was　not　raised　in　a　palace。　Or　even　in　a　house；　really。　The　people　who　had　me　in　their　charge　were　rough；　in　many　ways。　But。。。　maybe　someday　I'll　tell　you　the　story。　I　knew　I　was　a　queen's　daughter；　but　mine　was　not　the　kind　of　life　that　I　suppose　most　queen's　daughters　have。〃
　　　They　rummaged　in　their　packs　and　began　to　share　some　food。　They　talked　of　inconsequential　things；　until　presently　they　heard　the　Baron's　voice；　warning　everyone　that　it　was　time　to　get　ready　and　move　on。
　　　Doon；　in　good　spirits　again；　took　Sword　in　hand　and　determined　which　direction　to　go　next。　Wayfinder　directed　them　promptly　into　the　forest；　at　an　angle　to　their　right；　away　from　the　uneven　line　of　the　cliffs。　There　was　no　path　at　all　to　be　seen　along　their　route；　and　Mark　routinely　began　to　store　up　minor　landmarks　in　his　memory；　to　provide　a　means　of　finding　his　way　back；　as　he　would　have　done　on　entering　any　unknown　wood。　They　walked　through　grass　and　wildflowers；　past　widely　scattered　bushes　and　an　occasional　upstanding　red…rock　boulder。　The　land　sloped　downward；　very　gradually；　in　the　same　direction　they　were　walking。　The　stream　had　sought　its　own　slope；　curving　away　behind　the