srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第26部分

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　　　　〃You　will　be　safer　there；〃　Foamfollower　said。　He　nodded　toward　a　neighboring　house。　〃I　will　ward　you　from　here。　Stay　low。　They　are　almost　upon　us。〃
　　　　Instinctively；　Covenant　dropped　to　his　belly。
　　　　As　if　on　signal；　he　felt　a　hushed　silence　spring　up　around　him。　No　sound　touched　the　Stonedown　except　the　low；　dislocated　whistle　of　the　wind。　He　felt　acutely　exposed　on　the　roof。　But　even　this　height　made　him　dizzy；　he　could　not　look　or　jump　down。　Hastily；　he　skittered　back　from　the　edge；　then　froze　as　he　heard　the　noise　he　made。　Though　his　movements　were　muffled　by　the　snow；　they　sounded　as　loud　as　betrayal　in　the　stillness。　For　a　moment；　he　could　not　muster　the　courage　to　turn　around。　He　feared　to　find　cruel　faces　leering　at　him　over　the　roof　edge。
　　　　But　slowly　the　apprehension　beating　in　his　temples　eased。　He　began　to　curse　himself。　Spread…eagled　on　the　roof；　he　worked　slowly　around　until　he　was　facing　in　toward　the　center　of　the　Stonedown。
　　　　Across　the　valley；　light　bled　into　the　air　through　the　gray　packed　clouds。　The　clouds　shut　out　any　other　sky　pletely；　and　under　their　cold　weight　the　day　dawned　bleak　and　cheerless；　irremediably　aggrieved。　The　sight　chilled　Covenant　more　than　black　night。　He　could　see　now　more　clearly　than　he　had　from　Kevin's　Watch　that　this　shrouded；　constant　gloom　was　unnatural；　wrong…the　pall　of　Lord　Foul's　maddest　malice。　And　he　was　aghast　at　the　power　it　implied。　Foul　had　the　might　to　distort　the　Earth's　most　fundamental　orders。　It　would　not　exhaust　him　to　crush　one　ineffectual　leper。　Any　purpose　to　the　contrary　was　mere　witless　buffoonery。
　　　　Covenant's　hand　moved　toward　the　knife　as　if　its　stone　edge　could　remind　him　of　fortitude；　tighten　the　moorings　of　his　endurance。　But　a　distant；　clashing　sound；　uncertain　in　the　wind；　cast　all　other　thoughts　from　his　mind。　After　straining　his　ears　briefly；　he　knew　that　he　was　hearing　the　approach　of　the　marauders。
　　　　He　began　to　shiver　as　he　realized　that　they　were　making　no　effort　to　move　quietly。　The　whole　valley　lay　open　before　them；　and　they　had　the　hungry　confidence　of　numbers；　they　came　up　along　the　river　clattering　their　weapons；　defying　the　Stonedownors　to　oppose　them。　Cautiously；　Covenant　slid　into　a　better　position　to　see　over　the　edge　of　the　roof。　His　muscles　trembled；　but　he　locked　his　jaws；　pressed　himself　flat　in　the　snow；　and　peered　through　the　dim　air　toward　the　center　of　the　village　with　an　intensity　of　concentration　that　made　his　head　ache。
　　　　Soon　he　heard　guttural　shouts　and　the　clang　of　iron　on　stone　as　the　marauders　rushed　to　search　the　first　houses。　Still　he　could　see　nothing；　the　roof　line　of　the　village　blocked　his　view。　He　tried　to　keep　his　breathing　low；　so　that　exhaled　vapor　would　not　obscure　his　sight　or　reveal　his　position。　When　he　turned　his　head　to　look　in　other　directions；　he　found　that　he　was　clenching　fistfuls　of　snow；　squeezing　them　into　ice。　He　opened　his　hands；　forced　his　fingers　to　unclaw　themselves；　then　braced　his　palms　flat　on　the　stone　so　that　he　would　be　ready　to　move。
　　　　The　loud　approach　spread　out　over　the　far　side　of　the　village　and　began　to　move　inward；　working　roughly　parallel　to　the　river。　Instead　of　trying　to　surround　and　trap　the　Stonedownors；　the　marauders　were　performing　a　slow　sweep　of　the　village；　disdaining　surprise；　they　maneuvered　so　that　the　people　would　be　forced　to　flee　toward　the　narrow　end　of　the　valley。　Covenant　could　think　of　no　explanation　for　these　tactics　but　red…eyed　confidence　and　contempt。　The　marauders　wanted　to　drive　the　people　into　the　final　trap　of　the　valley's　end；　thus　prolonging　and　sharpening　the　anticipated　slaughter。　Such　malicious　surety　was　frightening；　but　Covenant　found　relief　in　it。　It　was　not　an　approach　designed　to　capture　something　as　reputedly　powerful　as　white　gold。
　　　　But　he　soon　learned　another　explanation。　As　he　strained　his　eyes　to　peer　through　the　dawn；　he　saw　a　sharp　flash　of　green　light　from　the　far　side　of　the　village。　It　lasted　only　an　instant；　and　in　its　wake　a　crumbling　noise　filled　the　air…a　noise　like　the　sound　of　boulders　crushing　each　other。　It　startled　him　so　much　that　he　almost　leaped　to　his　feet　to　see　what　had　happened。　But　he　caught　himself　when　he　saw　the　first　creatures　enter　the　center　of　the　Stonedown。
　　　　Most　of　them　were　vaguely　human　in　outline。　But　their　features　were　tormented；　grotesquely　arranged；　as　if　some　potent　fist　had　clenched　them　at　birth；　twisting　them　beyond　all　recognition。　Eyes　were　out　of　place；　malformed；　noses　and　mouths　bulged　in　skin　that　was　contorted　like　clay　which　had　been　squeezed　between　strong　fingers；　and　in　some　cases　all　the　flesh　of　face　and　scalp　oozed　fluid　as　if　the　entire　head　were　a　running　sore。　And　the　rest　of　their　forms　were　no　healthier。　Some　had　backs　bent　at　demented　angles；　others　bore　extra　arms　or　legs；　still　others　wore　their　heads　between　their　shoulder　blades　or　in　the　center　of　their　chests。　But　one　quality　they　shared：　they　all　reeked　of　perversion　as　if　it　were　the　very　lifeblood　of　their　existence；　and　a　hatred　of　everything　hale　or　well　curdled　their　sight。
　　　　Naked　except　for　food　sacks　and　bands　to　hold　weapons；　they　came　snarling　and　spitting　into　the　open　core　of　Mithil　Stonedown。　There　they　stopped　until　the　shouts　of　their　fellows　told　them　that　the　first　half　of　the　village　was　under　their　control。　Then　a　tall　figure　with　a　knuckled　face　and　three　massive　arms　barked　a　mand　to　the　marauders　behind　her。　In　response；　a　group　moved　into　the　open　circle；　bringing　with　it　three　prodigious　creatures　unlike　the　others。
　　　　These　three　were　as　blind　and　hairless　as　if　they　had　been　spawned　from　ur…viles；　but　they　had　neither　ears　nor　noses。　Their　small　heads　sat　necklessly　on　their　immense　shoulders。　At　the　bottom　of　trunks　as　big　as　hogsheads；　their　short　legs　protruded　like　braces；　and　their　heavy　arms　were　long　enough　to　reach　the　ground。　From　shoulder　to　fingertip；　the　inner　surfaces　of　their　arms　were　covered　with　suckers。　Together；　they　seemed　to　ripple　in　Covenant's　sight；　as　if　within　them　they　carried　so　much　ill　might　that　his　unwarped　eyes　could　not　discern　their　limits。
　　　　On　mand；　the　marauders　led　the　three　to　a　house　at　the　edge　of　the　circle。　They　were　positioned　around　the　building；　and　at　once　they　moved　close　to　the　walls；　spread　their　arms　to　their　fullest　extent；　gripped　the　flat　rock　with　their　suckers。
　　　　Hoarse；　growling　power　began　to　mount　between　them。　Their　might　reached　around　the　house　and　tightened　slowly　like　a　noose。
　　　　Covenant　watched　them　in　blank　dismay。　He　understood　the　marauders'　tactics　now；　the　band　attacked　as　it　did　to　protect　these　three。　With　a　stink　of　attar；　their　power　increased；　tightened；　growled；　until　he　could　see　a　hawser　of　green　force　running　through　them　around　the　house；　squeezing　it　in　implacable　fury。　He　thought　that　he　should　shout　to　the　Stonedownors；　warn　them　of　the　danger。　But　he　was　dry…mouthed　and　frozen　with　horror。　He　hardly　knew　that　he　had　risen　to　his　hands　and　knees　to　gain　a　better　view　of　what　was　happening。
　　　　Moments　passed。　Tension　crackled　in　the　air　as　the　stone　of　the　house　began　to　scream　silently　under　the　stress。　Covenant　gaped　at　it　as　if　the　mute　rock　were　crying　out　to　him　for　help。
　　　　Then　the　noose　exploded　in　a　flash　of　green　force。　The　house　crumbled　inward；　fell　into　itself　until　all　its　rooms　and　furnishings　were　buried　in　rubble。　Its　three　destroyers　stepped　back　and　searched　blindly　around　them　for　more　stone　to　crush。
　　　　Abruptly；　a　woman　screamed…a　raw　shout　of　outrage。　Covenant　heard　her　running　between　the　houses。　He　leaped　to　his　feet　and　saw　a　fleet；　white…haired　woman　dash　past　the　eaves　of　his　roof　with　a　long　knife　clenched　in　both　hands。　In　an　instant；　she　had　raced　beyond　him　toward　the　center　of　the　Stonedown。
　　　　At　once　he　went　after　her。　With　two　quick　steps；　he　threw　himself　like　a　bundle　of　disjointed　limbs　toward　the　next　roof。　He　landed　off　balance；　fell；　and　slid　through　the　snow　almost　to　the　edge　of　the　house。　But　he　picked　himself　up　and　moved　back　to　get　a　running　start　toward　the　next　roof。
　　　　From　that　position；　he　saw　the　woman　rush　into　the　open　circle。　Her　scream　had　alerted　the　marauders；　but　they　were　not　ready　for　the　speed　with　which　she　launched　herself　at　them。　As　she　sprang；　she　stabbed　the　long　knife　with　all　her　strength；　drove　it　hilt…deep　into　the　breast　of　the　three…armed　creature　which　had　been　manding　the　assault。
　　　　The　next　instant；　another　creature　grabbed　her　by　the　hair　and　flung　her　back。　She　lost　her　knife；　fell　out　of　Covenant's　sight　in　front　of　one　of　the　houses。　The　marauders　moved　after　her；　swords　upraised。
　　　　Covenant　leaped　for　the　next　roof。　He　kept　his　balance　as　he　landed　this　time；　ran　across　the　stone；　and　leaped　again。　Then　he　fell　skidding　on　the　roof　of　the　house　which　blocked　the　woman　from　his　sight。　He　had　too　much　momentum　now；　he　could　not　stop。　In　a　cloud　of　snow；　he　toppled　over　the　edge　and　slammed　heavily　to　the　ground　beside　the　woman。
　　　　The　impact　stunned　him。　But　his　sudden　appearance　had　surprised　the　attackers；　and　the　nearest　creature　recoiled　several　steps；　waving　its　sword　defensively　as　if　Covenant　were　a　group　of　warriors。　In　the　interval；　he　shook　red