sheritepper.necromancer nine-第7部分
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sigh of wind in the dark firs which bounded it。 Riddle let me go into the place alone； staying well away from me in order that his own； strange 〃Talent〃 not impede mine。 。 。 or Dorn's。 As！ left him； he said； 〃We need to know whence these things came。 What their purpose is。 By whom made。 Can you ask these things？〃
I tried to explain。 〃Riddle； I have not heretofore questioned phantoms to know what knowledge they may have。 Those discarnate ones I raised on this land before were ancient； long past human knowledge； only creatures of dust and hunger； fetches to my need。〃
〃It is said that Necromancers are full of subtlety。〃
〃I will be as subtle as I can。〃 Though it would be Dorn being subtle； rather than Peter。 I took the little Gamesman into my hand； fingers finding it at once in the pouch as though it had struggled through the crowd to e into my grasp。 He came into me like heat； burning my skin at first； then scalding deeper and deeper； nothing wraithy or indistinct about it； rather a man e home into a familiar place。 I was not surprised when he greeted me； 〃Peter。〃
〃Dorn；〃 I whispered。 Before； I had been fearful。 This time I was less so； and perhaps this accounted for my courtesy to him； as though he were my guest。 I explained what we were to do； and he became my tutor。
〃Here and here；〃 he said。 〃Thus and thus。〃 My hand reached out； but it was Dorn who pointed the finger at the grass； Dorn who called the dust and bones within to rise。 Mandor had not been long dead。 The ground cracked and horror came forth； little by little； the worms dropping from it as it rose。 I heard Riddle on the hill behind me choking back a gasp； whether awe or fear I could not tell。
〃Thus and thus；〃 Dorn went on。 〃So and so。〃
The bones became clad in flesh； the flesh in robes of state。 The head became more than a skull； then was crowned once more； until at last what had been so horrible at the end of Mandor's。 life became the beauty I had known in Schooltown； bright and lovely as the sun； graceful as grass； and looking at me from death's eyes。 From this uncanny fetch came a cry of such eerie gladness that my heart chilled。 〃Whole；〃 it cried in a spectral voice。 〃Oh； I am risen whole again〃
I could have wept。 This wholeness was not an intended gift； and yet 。。。 it was one I would have made him during life if I had known how。 〃So and so；〃 said with Dorn within me。 〃You could not have made him so or kept him so in life for any length of time。〃
Riddle called from the hillside； reminding me of our purpose there。 So I asked it； or Dorn did； of those strange crystalline contrivances which Riddle was so concerned about。 The phantom seemed not to understand。
〃These are not things which Mandor knew。 These are things of Huld。 Playthings for Huld。 Magicians made them。 Huld understood them； not Mandor。 Oh； Mandor； whole； whole again 。。。〃
I heard Riddle cursing； then he called to me； 〃I'm sorry； Peter。 Let the pathetic thing go back to its grave。〃
But I was not ready to do that。 I had remembered Mertyn's words concerning those who had vanished。
'Mandor； do you speak with others where you are？ Do the dead talk together？〃
The fetch stared at me with dead eyes； eyes in which a brief； horrible flame flickered； a firefly awareness； a last kindling。
〃In Hell's Maw；〃 it screamed at me。 〃They speak； the dead who linger speak； before they fall to dust； in the pits。 When all is dust； we go； we go。
〃Have you spoken to Himaggery？〃 I asked。 〃To Windlow the Seer？〃 I remembered the names of others Riddle had told me of and asked for them； but the apparition sighed no； no； none of these。
Then it drew itself up and that brief flame lit the empty eyes once more。 〃Words e where Mandor is 。。。 troubling all 。。。 seeking those you seek 。。。 not there 。。。 not in the place 。。。 Peter 。。。 let me be whole； whole； whole。〃
I sobbed to Dorn。 〃Let him be whole； Dorn； as he goes to rest。〃 And so it was the phantom sank into the earth in the guise he had once worn； the kingly crown disappearing at last； in appearance as whole as he had been in Schooltown before his own treachery maimed him。
And I was left alone； Dorn gone； Mandor gone； only Riddle standing high upon the rim as the wind sighed through the black firs and the grasses waved endless farewell on Mandor's grave。 Inside me a small dam seemed to break； a place of swampy fear drained away； and I could turn to Riddle with my face almost calm to go with him back to the millhouse。 He was no more given to talk than I； and we had a silent breakfast； both of us thinking thoughts of old anguish and； I believe； new understanding。
When we had eaten he said； 〃Peter； I will go with you a way north。 I have an errand in that general direction； and it is better never to travel alone。 That is； if I am wele and my own attributes will not inhibit your 。。。 business。〃
I laughed a little。 〃Riddle； my business is a simple one。 I am going in search of my mother who has 。。。 left word of her whereabouts in a place known as 'a city which fears the unborn。' All I know of the place is that it is north of here。〃
〃But； my boy； I know the place；〃 he exclaimed。 〃Or； I should say； I've heard of it。 It is the city of Betand； between the upper reaches of the Banner and 。。。 what is the name of that river？。。。 well； another river to the west。 I will go with you almost that far。 My business will take me east at the wilderness pass。〃
〃Why is it called a city which fears the unborn？〃
〃It seems to me I heard the story； but I've forgotten the details of it。 Something to do with a haunting； some mischance by a wandering Necromancer。 Your Talent is not generally loved； Peter； though I can see that it may be useful。〃
He was being kind； and I helped him by changing the subject。 I was glad enough of his pany； gladder still when he proved to be a better cook than Chance and almost as good a panion as my friend Yarrel had been when we were friends。 On the road we talked of a thousand things； most of them things I had wondered at for years。
One of the things that became apparent was that the Immutables cared little for Gamesmen。 Riddle's toleration of me and of a few others such as Himaggery was not typical。 I asked him why they let Gamesmen exercise Talents at all； feeling as they did。
〃We are not numerous enough to do otherwise；〃 he said。 〃There are fewer Immutables than there are Gamesmen； many fewer。 We do not bear many children； our numbers remain small and our own skills remain unchanging through time。 Immutable； as you would say。 Each of us can suppress the Talent of any Gamesman for some distance around us。 I can be safe from Demons Reading my thoughts or Armigers Flying from above； but I am not safe from an arrow shot from a distance or a flung spear； as you well know。〃
I nodded。 Tossa had died from an arrow wound。
〃So。 those of us with the ability find it safer to band together in towns and enclaves with our own farms and crafters。 Thus we can protect ourselves and our families from any danger save force of simple arms； and this we can oppose with arms of our own。 We could be overrun； I suppose； if any group of Gamesmen chose to do so； but Gamesmen depend too much upon their Talents。 Without the Talent of Beguilement； few if any of their Rulers would be able to lead men into battle。 And； of course； the pawns will not fight us。 They turn to us for help from time to time。〃
〃I would think all pawns would flock to you for protection。〃
〃We could not protect them。 We are too few。〃
〃What do they want； you want； Riddle？ The Immutables？〃
〃We want what any people want； Peter。 We want to feel secure； to live。 We want to be free to admire the work of our own hands。 Even Gamesmen do the same。 Why else their 'schools' and their 'festivals'？ The Gamesmen depend upon the pawns for labor； for the production of grain； fruit； meat。 If we were numerous enough to protect the pawns； and if they came to us； then 。 。 。 then the Gamesmen would fight； even without their help。〃
〃They could till the soil themselves；〃 I offered； somewhat doubtfully。
〃Would they？〃 asked Riddle。 Both he and I knew the answer to that。 Some few would。 Some few probably did； out of preference。 As for the others in their hundreds of tho
