fs.thesecondbookofswords-第5部分

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　　　Candlelight　had　been　sealed　down　into　the　earth　now；　along　with　yells　and　wrath；　but　the　cold　torch　lay　as　brilliant　as　ever　on　the　ground。　Ben；　who　wanted　to　pull　darkness　round　him　like　a　cloak；　left　it　where　it　was。　He　turned　and　ran　into　the　night。　He　had　already　considered　taking　Radulescu's　riding　beast；　and　had　rejected　the　idea。　Where　he　planned　to　go　his　own　feet　would　serve　him　better。
　　　That　mode　of　travel　had　its　drawbacks　too。　Almost　at　once　Ben　banged　his　feet　on　rocks　concealed　in　darkness；　and　tore　his　legs　on　thorns。　He　had　to　slow　down　to　a　quick　walk；　to　keep　from　breaking　a　shin　or　toe。　If　he　crippled　himself　now；　the　damage　would　very　soon　bee　permanent。　He　was　moving；　he　hoped；　south　and　a　little　east；　trying　to　angle　toward　the　coastline　with　its　irregular　brink　of　cliffs　somewhere　not　far　ahead。　Ben　had　in　mind　a　plan　of　sorts。　It　was　not　an　elaborate　plan；　having　necessarily　been　made　on　very　short　notice。　That　might　be　just　as　well。
　　　What　he　had　feared　was　going　to　happen　next　now　happened；　and　almost　immediately。　Once　more　the　dragon's　chiming　snort　came　clearly　through　the　night；　this　time　from　right　behind　Ben；　and　disconcertingly　close。　The　officer　Radulescu；　though　sealed　into　the　cave　and　probably　injured；　had　been　able　to　release　the　binding　magic。　Now　Ben　could　hear　the　monster　ing　after　him；　the　sounds　audible　through　the　unceasing　wind　and　his　own　heavy　breathing　as　he　trotted。　He　heard　the　crunch　and　roll　of　stones　beneath　the　dragon's　feet；　the　breaking　of　thorny　bushes　as　it　trod　them　down。
　　　Very　little　of　Ben's　bulk　was　fat。　And　he　had　been　known　to　dash　for　short　distances　at　a　speed　that　others　found　surprising。　But　running　was　not　really　his　strong　point；　and　he　knew　that　he　was　not　going　to　outrun　a　landwalker；　nobody　was；　not　even　on　a　fast　and　level　track；　which　this　certainly　was　not。　Running　all　out；　gambling　against　the　chance　of　broken　toes　and　shins；　he　angled　more　sharply　toward　the　east　and　the　invisible　clifftop。
　　　Now　those　huge　feet　behind　him；　terrible　in　the　slow　length　of　stride　that　gained　on　him；　had　settled　into　what　was　certainly　direct　pursuit。　The　groundshaking　rhythm　of　that　walk　grew　perilously　near；　and　nearer　still。　Ben；　the　experienced　dragon　hunter；　made　himself　wait　until　the　last　possible　moment　before　he　tore　his　trailing　cloak　free　of　its　last　clasp　and　flung　it　up　into　the　wind　behind'　him。　He　dared　not　break　stride　or　turn　his　head　to　find　out　what　effect　the　action　had。
　　　Two　of　his　own　strides　later；　his　ears　told　him　that　the　effort　at　distraction　had　been　at　least　a　momentary　success。　There　was　a　thunder…roar　behind　him　that　came　from　a　little　closer　than　the　sky；　and　the　earthquivering　pursuit　faltered。
　　　Ben　managed　to　get　in　twenty　more　gasping　strides　before　he　could　hear　the　dragon　ing　after　him　again。　And　then　he　came　near　running　clean　off　the　cliff's　edge　before　he　saw　it　in　the　night。　Just　in　time　he　managed　to　throw　himself　down；　clinging　to　the　very　brink。　He　clambered　over　it　as　carefully　as　possible；　groping　with　his　feet　and　legs　for　some　kind　of　solidity　below。　At　last　his　sandals　scraped　on　rock；　found　purchase　of　a　kind。　As　he　had　hoped；　the　steepness　of　the　cliffside　here　was　not　quite　too　much　for　human　hands　and　feet。　Ben　let　go　of　his　grip　on　the　edge　and　found　places　lower　down　where　he　could　hang　on　with　his　hands。　Then　he　tried　to　extend　his　feet　downward　once　more。
　　　Now；　when　he　could　have　used　some　lightning　to　see　by；　it　had　ceased　almost　entirely。　Ben　clung　to　one　rock　after　another　that　he　could　barely　see；　working　his　way　slowly　down　the　cliff。　And　even　more　slowly　he　made　some　progress　to　the　south　along　its　face。　For　the　present　he　could　no　longer　hear　the　dragon。　It　might　have　given　up　on　chasing　him。　Or　it　might　not。　They　were　like　that；　unpredictable。
　　　With　no　lightning　in　the　sky；　the　ocean　a　hundred　meters　down　was　pletely　invisible。　Just　as　well；　no　doubt。　But　Ben　could　still　hear　its　waves；　rending　themselves　on　rock。　Breathing　devout　prayers　to　Ardneh　and　to　Draffut；　those　two　most　merciful　of　gods；　groping　for　one　handhold　and　foothold　below　another；　half　expecting　each　moment　to　be　his　last；　Ben　fumbled　his　way　down　the　face　of　the　cliff　toward　the　absolute　darkness　of　the　sea。
Chapter　2
　　　The　tall　young　man　stood　on　the　bank　of　a　small；　muddy　stream；　looking　around　him　uncertainly　in　bright　sunlight。　Even　in　broad　day；　and　even　with　the　distant　mountains　in　the　east　to　give　a　landmark；　he　could　not　be　sure　that　the　village　he　was　looking　for　had　ever　existed　on　this　spot。
　　　Still；　he　was　almost　sure。
　　　He　could　remember　that　most　of　the　surrounding　territory　had　once　been　prosperous　farming　and　grazing　land。　No　more。　It　was　largely　abandoned　now。　And　here；　where　the　Aldan　had　once　run　clean　and　fair；　this　mucky　and　unrecognizable　stream　now　followed　a　strangely　altered　course　through　a　sadly　altered　countryside。　Even　the　distant　mountains　bore　new　scars。　So　much　had　everything　changed　that　the　young　man　remained　uncertain　of　precisely　where　he　was　until　his　eye　discovered　a　portion　of　a　remembered　millwheel　sticking　up　out　of　a　bank　of　earth　amid　the　dried　stalks　of　last　year's　weeds。
　　　Only　one　corner　of　one　broad　wooden　blade　was　visible；　but　the　young　man　knew　what　it　was　at　once。　Staring　at　that　cracked　and　splitting　wood；　he　let　himself　sink　down　on　the　ground　beside　it。　This　sitting　was　the　heavy　movement　of　an　old　man；　though　the　youth　could　hardly　have　been　more　than　twenty　at　the　most。　His　tanned　face　under　its　ragged　growth　of　beard　was　still　unlined；　though　from　the　expression　in　which　it　was　set　it　seemed　that　lines　ought　to　be　there；　and　already　the　blue…gray　eyes　were　old。
　　　The　bow　and　quiver　that　rode　on　the　young　man's　broad　back　looked　well…used；　as　did　the　long　knife　sheathed　at　his　side。　He　might　have　been　a　hunter　or　a　ranger；　perhaps　a　military　scout。　Parts　of　his　clothing　and　equipment　were　of　leather；　and　some　of　these　might　once　have　been　ponents　of　a　more　formal　soldier's　outfit。　If　so；　their　identifying　colors　had　long　since　been　cut　or　bleached　away。　The　young　man's　hair　was　moderately　short；　as　if　it　might　be　in　the　process　of　growing　out　from　a　close　military　or　priestly　cut。
　　　He　now　put　out　a　hand；　large　and　tanned　deeply　like　his　face；　and　as　rough…worn　as　his　clothing。　With　it　he　touched　the　visible　corner　of　the　decaying　millwheel　blade。　He　let　his　hand　rest　there　briefly　on　the　old　wood；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　feel　something　in　it。　Meanwhile　he　raised　his　eyes　toward　the　eastern　mountains。
　　　There　was　a　faint　sound　behind　the　young　man；　as　of　someone　or　something　moving　through　the　thicket　there　to　the　west。　He　turned　quickly；　without　getting　up；　then　sat　still；　watching　the　thicket　carefully。　In　his　position　he　was　half　hidden　by　the　rise　of　the　earthen　bank。
　　　Presently　a　half…grown　boy　dressed　in　ragged　homespun　emerged　from　the　scrubby　growth　of　bushes。　The　boy　was　carrying　a　pail　crudely　fashioned　out　of　bark；　and　was　obviously　ing　to　the　stream　for　water。　He　was　almost　at　the　water's　edge　before　he　caught　sight　of　the　motionless　young　man　watching　him；　and　came　to　a　vaguely　alarmed　halt。
　　　An　Emperor's　child　for　sure；　the　young　man　thought；　surveying　that　small　dirty　figure　in　wretched　clothing。　〃Hello；　young　one；〃　he　said　aloud。
　　　The　boy　did　not　answer。　He　stood　there　holding　the　empty　pail；　shifting　his　weight　from　one　bare　foot　to　the　other　as　if　uncertain　whether　he　ought　to　run　away　or　try　to　go　on　about　his　business。
　　　〃Hello；　I　say。　Have　you　been　living　around　here　very　long？〃
　　　Still　no　answer。
　　　〃My　name's　Mark。　I　mean　you　no　harm。　I　used　to　live　near　here　myself。〃
　　　Now　the　boy　moved　again。　Still　keeping　a　wary　eye　on　Mark；　he　waded　into　the　stream。　He　bent　his　head　to　fill　the　pail；　then　looked　up；　tossing　back　long　greasy　hair。　He　said：　〃We　been　here　a　year　now。〃
　　　Mark　nodded　encouragingly。　〃Five　years　ago；〃　he　said；　〃there　was　a　whole　village　here。　A　big　sawmill　stood　right　about　where　I'm　sitting　now。〃　And　he　moved　a　hand　in　a　vague　gesture　that　ought　to　have　included　the　village　street。　Only　five　years　ago；　he　marveled　silently。　I