sheritepper.necromancer nine-第15部分
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good to see my friends again。〃 And then he was at my side saying； 〃And what have we to do？〃
Perhaps I told him； perhaps he simply knew。 I cannot really describe what it is like。 Sometimes it is like telling another person something； sometimes it is like talking to oneself； sometimes simply like knowing。 Within me I felt his arms reach up； up along the cliff face； higher and higher to the rimrock fifty manheights or more above； to grasp the stones there and move them； one； two； a dozen； slowly down and down until they began to roll and fall； to tumble clacking against others； knocking；； more and more； down； an avalanche of stone； toward my hidden closet behind the stone； a rumbling roar as I shrieked to the man who watched me； 〃Look out！ Rock fall！〃 One glimpse of his face； a white oval around the round hole of a dark scream。
Then I could feel nothing and hear nothing except the grating roar of the stones。 Still Wafnor reached out to them； stacking this one and that one as they fell； arranging them over me； over and around like a cave while outside the shuddering cave the stones still fell for long moments into a shattered silence。
There were cracks among the stones around me； little crevices to let in the air and the sound。 Through these I could hear the whinnying of beasts； snorts； cries of men； Izia's scream as she tugged animals away from the tumbling stones。 Wafnor reached out once more； across the camp to the place my horse was tethered with my pack and saddle still upon him； urged him away into the trees； out of sight of the camp。 calmed the horse there to wait for me。 Then Wafnor did nothing； I did nothing； and we merely waited and listened to the sounds。
〃Where is he？〃 Laggy Nap； raging。
A voice in answer； shaky； almost hysterical。 〃I don't know。 He was against the rock； up in there； and it came down on top of him。 He screamed at me to look out。 You heard him scream。 It came down right on top of him 。。。 buried 。。。 covered over。
〃Devils take it；〃 Nap screamed。 〃What started the fail？〃
〃Just started。 Nothing。 Didn't see anything。 No people； nothing moving。 No thunder； nothing like that。 Just started 。。。
〃Shadow men？ Did you see shadow men？〃
〃Nothing； sir。 Nothing at all。 He screamed； and the rocks were ing down。〃
Nap once more； this time strident； calling in his servitors。 〃Get up here； you lot。 We'll have to dig him out！〃 He sounded frantic。 Dig me out？ And why？ This was unexpected； but Wafnor did not seem disturbed。 He reached high once again； sent a few small stones cascading at Nap's feet； followed by a medium…sized boulder or two。 High above I could feel Wafnor's hands upon the megalith； swaying it。
〃Get back； get back。 The whole wall looks to e down。 Oh； why did he e up here against the wall。 Izia！ Did he say anything to you？〃
Her voice。 〃You know he did not； sir。 He has said nothing to me out of your hearing。 And now he is dead。
〃I was told to bring him；〃 Nap snarled。 〃Bring him to the west； to Tallman and the mumble…mouths。 How can I go empty…handed？〃
〃Why would they do anything to you？ It is not your fault the cliff fell。 It is ill luck； but not your doing。〃
〃I have had ill luck since the Shifter sold you to me； fool。 Ill luck all the years of our travel。 I would you were dead beneath that rock instead of the one I was told to bring。〃 I heard the sound of a blow； a scream； then long silence。
A man's voice at last。 〃Surely even they understand things that happen which are not foreseen。〃
〃Which are nor foreseen！ Yes！ But which should have been foreseen。 I will demand they give a Seer to serve me。 Perhaps more than one。 When we arrive； I will demand 。。。〃
〃Do we continue on this road； sir？〃
〃No。 This road goes nowhere。 We came this way only to follow that troublesome Necromancer； that death's…head； that son of a loathsome toad。 Oh； I came this way only to trap him； and now he is trapped too deep for me to reach！ We go back to River Haws； and north almost to Hell's Maw； then west by Cagihiggy water。 We can take no time for food。 We go now！〃
I heard a voice saying something weary and hopeless about Hell's Maw； and the sound of another blow。 Then were the rattle of harness； the creaking of wheels； the voices of men and one woman dying away to the east； gone。 Then long gone。 I waited； not moving。 Nap was tricky。 He might think to leave someone to watch。 Night came。 I slept。 Morning came； and Wafnor moved the stones aside。 I was born into the world like a revenant to a Necromancer's call； squinting in the sun。 When I whistled； my horse came from the trees where Wafnor had held him throughout the night。 We needed water； he and I； and only when that was taken care of did we ride on to the west。 I should have been cheered； but was not。 My escape； my safety were shadowed by Izia's continuing captivity； and she was in my mind during the morning hours； so much so that at last I decided it would do her no good； nor me； this brooding。 So； I set my mind firmly upon Mavin's words； 〃Befriend the shadows。〃 e evening； I would try to do her bidding。
The way led upward。 From a lonely height I could look back along the trail to see a small trail of dust on the eastern horizon。
Was that Laggy Nap？ Izia？ Was there something I should have done which I had not？ Within me was a kind of consultation。 and voices came to tell me there was nothing I could have done； not then； that there were more urgent things for me to do。 Still； I felt the queasiness of one who leaves a needful task undone。 Though I tried not to think of her； she was much in my mind。
And still in my mind in the evening。 I watched from beside my fire； waiting for evidence of shadow men。 I saw nothing； heard nothing except an occasional interruption of insect sounds as though something might have walked among them。 Morning came； gray and dripping； and I rode on west to another evening and another fire。 I reached out to Trandilar； begged her for a blandishment； a beguilement to charm birds； small beasts； whatever might be within sight or smell of me。 She let it flow through me and breathe into the air； a perfume； a subtle fragrance of desire。 Watching quiet greeted it； a silent attention。 I could not say how I knew they were there； but I knew it。 I slept at last； weary with waiting for them to e to me。
In the morning I journeyed beside a stream which became a small river。 I had e high onto a tilted upland that slanted down toward the west； and the river I followed was fed from all sides by swiftly flowing rivulets making conversational noises over the polished stones of their beds。 By day's end I began to smell something strange； a vast wetness； like that of the Gathered Waters； but different in some way I could not describe。 Suddenly； the air before me was full of rainbows； the river plunged away through a notch in the land； and I could see the waters below； a mighty sea stretching beyond sight into the west。 The evening wind was in my face； thrusting the waters onto the beach below in long bers of white。 A twisting path wound down the face of the cliffs； and at the bottom the beaches reached away north and south in a smooth curve into which the elevated land behind me dropped and vanished。 Some little distance to the north was an inlet bordered with trees； a grassy bank； a pool of still water over which white flowers nodded their heads and devil's needles dipped glassy wings。 The horse stumbled with tiredness； I licked lips wet with salt and almost fell when I dismounted。 There was no sound but water talk； yet I knew something was watching me； had been watching me for days。 I was too weary to eat so only pulled the saddle from the horse and rolled myself into a blanket to sleep dreamlessly。
It was dark when I woke； dark lit by a half moon。 Some sound had wakened me； some cry。 I stared across the moonlit waters to see a boat； a long； low boat like those carried on larger ships。 It seemed empty； but I had heard a cry。 The boat showed only as an outline against a kind of glow； a subtle luminescence； nebulous and equivocal。 It drifted toward me； grated on the pebbles of the beach and rocked there； each wave threatening to carry it out once more。 In my sleep…befuddled mind it seemed fortuitous； a boat to carry m
