fs.thethirdbookofswords-第24部分

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oddess　of　Love　herself　before　his　eyes；　he　could　not　have　looked　at　any　of　them　if　he　had　tried。
　The　barge；　under　a　control　that　had　to　be　more　than　natural；　came　drifting　very　slowly　and　precisely　toward　Denis　on　the　island。　From　inside　the　cabin　…　he　thought　…　there　came　a　strain　of　music；　lovely　as　the　perfume；　to　waft　across　the　small　width　of　water　that　remained。　Every　note　was　framed　in　perfect　silence　now　that　the　silvery　trickle　from　the　oars　had　stopped。
　With　an　undulating　movement　Aphrodite　rose　from　her　couch；　to　stand　in　a　pose　of　unstrained　grace。
　〃Young　man？〃　she　called　to　Denis　softly。　The　voice　of　the　goddess　was　everything　that　her　appearance　had　suggested　it　might　be。　〃I　must　speak　with　you。〃
　Denis　started　toward　her　and　stumbled。　He　discovered　that　it　was　necessary　to　make　his　way　around　some　large　and　unfamiliar　object　…　oh　yes；　it　was　his　canoe　…　that　somehow　happened　to　be　right　in　his　path。
　〃Lady；〃　he　choked　out；　〃I　am　yours　to　mand。　What　would　you　have　of　me？〃　At　this　point　he　became　aware　that　he　had　just　fallen　on　his　knees　with　a　loud　squelching　sound；　right　in　the　riverside　mud。　This　would　not　have　mattered　in　the　least；　except　that　it　might　tend　to　make　the　goddess　think　that　he　was　clumsy；　and　when　he　got　up；　she　was　sure　to　see　how　muddy　his　white　robes　had　got；　and　he　feared　that　she　might　laugh。
　So　far；　thank　all　the　gods　and　goddesses；　she　was　not　laughing　at　him。
　〃Young　man；〃　said　Aphrodite；　〃I　know　that　you　are　carrying　two　Swords　with　you。　I　understand　that　one　of　them　is　the　one　that　heals。　And　the　other。。。　well；　I　forget　at　the　moment　what　they　told　me　about　the　other。　But　that　doesn't　matter　just　now。　I　want　you　to　hand　both　of　them　over　to　me　at　once。　If　you　are　quick　enough　about　it　I　will　perhaps　allow　you　to　kiss　me。〃　The　goddess　paused　for　just　a　moment；　and　gave　Denis　a　tiny　smile。　〃Who　knows　what　I　might　allow；　on　such　a　romantic　night　as　this？〃
　〃Kiss　me；〃　Denis　echoed　vacantly。　Then；　giving　a　mad　bound；　he　was　up　out　of　the　mud　and　on　his　feet；　stumbling　and　splashing　about。　He　had　to　find　the　two　Swords　she　was　talking　about　…　where　were　they；　anyway？　…　and　give　them　to　her。　What　else　was　he　going　to　do　with　them；　anyway？　They　were　in　the　canoe。。。　where　was　the　canoe？
　He　tripped　over　it　and　almost　tumbled　himself　back　into　the　mud　before　he　really　saw　it。　Then　he　broke　a　fingernail　getting　the　craft　turned　rightside　up。
　Aphrodite　encouraged　him　in　a　friendly　way。　〃That's　it。　They're　hidden　right　in　the　bottom　of　your　little　boat　or　whatever　it　is　there　…　but　then　I　suppose　you　know　that。〃　The　goddess　sounded　mildly　impatient　with　his　clumsiness　…　how　could　she　not　be？　But　she　did　not　yet　sound　angry；　Denis　silently　offered　thanks。
　He　thought　he　was　going　to　lose　another　finger…nail　getting　the　trick　board　pried　up。　Then　he　realized　that　he　would　do　a　lot　better　prying　with　a　knife　instead。
　Aphrodite　slowly　approached　the　near　side　rail　of　her　luxurious　barge。　Gracefully　she　knelt　there　upon　a　small　mound　of　silken　cushions；　between　two　of　her　inhumanly　beautiful　rowers。　They　paid　her　no　attention。
　〃Be　quick；　young　man！　I　need　what　you　are　going　to　give　me。〃　The　goddess　beckoned　with　one　hand；　and　her　voice；　melded　with　her　laughter；　stretched　out　in　silken　double　meaning。　Her　laughter；　Denis　desperately　assured　himself；　was　not　really　meant　to　be　unkind。　Yet　still　it　somehow　wounded　him。
　He　pried　with　his　knife；　and　the　small　nails　holding　the　board　came　squeaking　out。　The　hidden　partment　lay　open；　its　contents　exposed　to　moonlight。
　Aphrodite；　to　get　a　better　look；　gave　a　pert　little　kneeling　jump；　a　movement　of　impossible　grace　that　made　the　softer　portions　of　her　body　bounce。　What　color　was　her　hair？　Denis　asked　himself　desperately。　And　what　about　her　skin？　In　the　moonlight　he　could　not　tell；　and　anyway　it　did　not　matter　in　the　least。　And　was　she　really　tall　or　short；　voluptuous　or　thin？　From　moment　to　moment　all　those　things　seemed　to　change；　with　only　the　essence　of　her　sex　remaining　constant。
　Now　she　was　standing　at　the　rail　of　her　craft。　The　barge　continued　to　drift　minutely　in　toward　shore；　ignoring　the　current　even　though　the　oars　were　raised　and　idle。
　〃Be　quick；　young　man；　be　quick。〃　There　was　a　hint　of　impatience　in　her　voice。
　Denis；　groping　almost　sightlessly　for　his　treasure　to　hand　it　over；　felt　his　hand　fall　first　upon　Woundhealer。　Somehow　he　could　identify　the　Sword　from　its　first　touch。　Humbly　he　brought　it　out；　sheathed　as　it　was；　and　with　a　kind　of　genuflection　handed　it　over；　hilt…first；　to　the　goddess。　She　accepted　it；　with　a　sprightly　one…handed　gesture　that　showed　how　strong　her　smooth　young…looking　arm　could　be。
　She　held　the　Sword　of　Mercy　sheathed；　and　said：　〃The　other　one　now。　And　then　I　believe　that　perhaps　you　will　have　earned　a　kiss。〃
　He　fumbled　in　the　bottom　of　the　canoe　again；　and　brought　out　Doomgiver。
　This　Sword　he　held　with　one　hand　supporting　its　sheathed　blade；　and　the　other　holding　the　hilt；　and　through　the　hilt　he　felt　a　flow　of　strange　and　unfamiliar　power。　It　gave　him　a　sense　of　steady　certitude。　The　sheath　seemed　to　fall　free　of　itself；　the　Sword　was　drawn。
　Denis　straightened　up；　intending　to　present　this　Sword　as　well　to　the　goddess。　But　when　his　eyes　fell　on　her　he　was　shocked　to　see　that　she　was　changed。
　Or　was　the　change　in　him　…　and　not　in　her？
　Aphrodite　let　fall　her　arm　that　had　been　extended　to　receive　the　second　Sword。　She　stepped　back；　her　other　hand　still　holding　the　sheathed　Sword　of　Mercy。
　Again　Denis　pondered：　What　does　she　really　look　like？　But　still　the　moonlight　（he　thought　it　was　the　moonlight）　made　it　quite　impossible　to　tell。
　Certainly　more　lovely　than　any　mortal　woman　could　ever　be。　Yet　now；　since　he　had　drawn　the　second　Sword；　he　thought　she　was　in　some　way　inferior　to　even　the　least　of　human　mortals。　In　some　way　she　was　…　unreal。
　He　realized　that　he　did　not　want　her　now。
　Power　was　still　flowing　from　the　Sword…hilt　into　his　hand。　In　sudden　curiosity　he　looked　at　what　his　fingers　gripped。　He　saw　in　moonlight；　without　understanding；　the　simple　hollow　white　circle　that　marked　the　black。
　Wonder　of　wonders；　the　goddess　appeared　to　be　fighting　some　inner　struggle　with　herself。
　〃Give　me。。。〃she　began　to　say；　in　a　voice　that　still　fought　to　be　manding。　But　after　those　first　two　words　her　voice　faltered　and　her　speech　broke　off。
　She　sagged　back　from　the　railing　of　her　barge　（Denis　was　shocked　to　see　how　graceless　the　movement　was）；　and　stopped　half…kneeling　on　her　silken　pillows　once　more。　The　cloud　of　her　moonlit　hair　concealed　her　face。
　〃No；〃　she　contradicted　herself；　speaking　now　in　yet　another　voice；　much　softer。　〃No；　do　not　give　it　to　me　now。　I　am　a　goddess；　and　I　could　take　it　from　you。　But　I　will　not。〃
　Denis's　arm　that　held　the　Sword　of　Justice　faltered；　and　the　blade　sank　down　slowly　at　his　side。　It　hung　in　his　hand　like　a　dead　weight；　though　still　its　power　flowed。　He　felt　an　overwhelming　pity　for　the　goddess；　mixed　with　a　slight　disgust。
　〃Do　not　give　it　to　me；〃　repeated　Aphrodite；　in　her　soft　and　newly　thoughtful　voice。　〃That　would　cause　harm　to　you。〃　After　a　pause　she　went　on；　marveling　to　herself。　〃So；　this　is　love。　I　have　always　wondered；　and　never　known　what　it　was　like。　I　see　it　can　be　terrible。〃
　She　raised　her　head　until　her　wide…spaced　eyes　were　visible　under　the　cloud　of　moonlit　hair。　〃I　see。。。　that　your　name　is　Denis；　my　beloved。　And　you　have　known　a　score　of　women　before　now；　and　dreamed　of　a　thousand　more。　Yet　you　have　never　really　known　any　of　them。　Nor　will　you；　can　you；　ever　really　know　a　goddess；　I　suppose。〃　And　Aphrodite　gave　a　sigh；　her　bosom　heaving。
　Denis　could　only　stand　there　unfortably。　He　felt　more　pity　for　this　lovely　woman　than　he　could　bear；　and　he　wished　that　she　would　go　away。　At　the　same　time　he　wanted　to　let　go　of　the　Sword　in　his　right　hand；　he　wanted　to　throw　it　in　the　river。　It　seemed　to　him　that　his　life　had　been　much　more　intense　and　glorious　just　a　few　moments　ago；　before　he　had　drawn　Doomgiver。　But　the　Sword　would　not　let　him　throw　it　away　just　now；　any　more　than　it　would　allow　the　goddess　to　take　it　from　him。
　〃I　love　you；　Denis；〃　the　goddess　Aphrodite　said。
　He　made　an　incoheren