srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第49部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　〃No！〃　Covenant　shrieked。
　　　　When　Lena　charged　again；　Pietten　caught　her　knife　wrist　neatly　and　turned　the　blade　away　from　him。　Slowly；　he　twisted　her　arm；　forcing　her　down。　She　hammered　at　him　with　her　free　hand；　but　he　held　her。　She　could　not　resist　his　strength。　She　fell　to　her　knees。
　　　　〃The　Ranyhyn！〃　she　gasped　to　Covenant。　〃Call　the　Ranyhyn！〃
　　　　〃Lena！〃　Using　the　spear；　he　lunged　to　his　feet；　fell；　tried　to　crawl　forward。
　　　　Slowly；　inexorably；　Pietten　bent　her　backward　until　she　lay　writhing　on　the　ground。　Then　he　pulled　his　sharp　wooden　stave　from　his　belt。　With　one　savage　blow　he　stabbed　her　in　the　stomach；　spiked　her　to　the　frozen　earth。
　　　　Horror　roared　in　Covenant's　head。　He　seemed　to　feel　himself　shattering；　stricken　with　pain；　he　lost　consciousness　momentarily。
　　　　When　he　opened　his　eyes；　he　found　Pietten　standing　in　front　of　him。
　　　　Pietten　was　licking　the　blood　off　his　hand。
　　　　Covenant　tried　to　raise　the　spear；　but　Pietten　snatched　it　from　him。　〃Now；　Ringthane！〃　he　cried　ecstatically。　〃Now　I　will　slay　you。　Kneel　there…grovel　before　me。　Bring　my　dreams　to　life。　I　will　be　fair…I　will　allow　you　a　chance。　From　ten　paces　I　will　hurl　my　spear。　You　may　dodge…if　your　ankle　permits。　Do　so。　I　relish　it。〃
　　　　With　a　grin　like　a　snarl　on　his　face；　he　strode　away；　turned　and　balanced　the　spear　on　his　palm。　〃Do　you　not　choose　to　live？〃　he　jeered。　〃Kneel；　then。　Groveling　bees　you。〃
　　　　Numbly；　as　if　he　did　not　know　what　he　was　doing；　Covenant　raised　the　two　fingers　of　his　right　hand　to　his　mouth　and　let　out　a　weak　whistle。
　　　　A　Ranyhyn　appeared　instantly　over　the　hillcrest；　and　came　galloping　down　into　the　hollow。　It　was　miserably　gaunt；　reduced　by　the　long　winter　to　such　inanition　that　only　its　chestnut　coat　seemed　to　hold　its　skeleton　together。　But　it　ran　like　indomitable　pride　straight　toward　Covenant。
　　　　Pietten　did　not　appear　to　see　it　ing。　He　was　in　a　personal　trance；　exalted　by　blood。　Obliviously；　he　drew　back　his　arm；　bent　his　body　until　his　muscles　strained　with　passion…obliviously　he　launched　the　spear　like　a　bolt　of　retribution　at　Covenant's　heart。
　　　　The　Ranyhyn　veered；　flashed　between　the　two　men；　then　fell　tumbling　like　a　sack　of　dismembered　bones。　When　it　came　to　rest　on　its　side；　both　men　saw　Pietten's　spear　jutting　from　its　bloodstained　coat。
　　　　The　sight　struck　Pietten　like　a　blast　of　chaos。　He　gaped　at　what　he　had　done　in　disbelief；　as　if　it　were　inconceivable；　unendurable。　His　shoulders　sagged；　eyes　stared　widely。　He　seemed　to　lack　language　for　what　he　saw。　His　lips　fumbled　over　meaningless　whimpers；　and　the　muscles　of　his　throat　jerked　as　if　he　could　not　swallow。　If　he　saw　Covenant　crawling　terribly　toward　him；　he　gave　no　sign。　His　arms　dangled　at　his　sides　until　Covenant　reared　up　in　front　of　him　on　one　leg　and　drove　a　sharp　Stonedownor　knife　into　his　chest　with　both　hands。
　　　　Covenant　delivered　the　blow　like　a　double　fistful　of　hate。　Its　momentum　carried　him　forward；　and　he　toppled　across　Pietten's　corpse。　Blood　pumping　from　around　the　blade　scored　his　jacket；　slicked　his　hands；　stained　his　shirt。　But　he　paid　no　attention　to　it。　That　one　blow　seemed　to　have　spent　all　his　rage。　He　pushed　himself　off　the　body；　and　crawled　away　toward　Lena；　dragging　his　broken　ankle　like　a　millstone　of　pain　behind　him。
　　　　When　he　reached　her；　he　found　that　she　was　still　alive。　The　whole　front　of　her　robe　was　soaked；　and　blood　coughed　thinly　between　her　lips；　but　she　was　still　alive。　He　gripped　the　spike　to　draw　it　out。　But　the　movement　drew　a　gasp　of　pain　from　her。　With　an　effort；　she　opened　her　eyes。　They　were　clear；　as　if　she　were　finally　free　of　the　confusion　which　had　shaped　her　life。　After　a　moment；　she　recognized　Covenant；　and　tried　to　smile。
　　　　〃Lena；〃　he　panted。　〃Lena。〃
　　　　〃I　love　you；〃　she　replied　in　a　voice　wet　with　blood。　〃I　have　not　changed。〃
　　　　〃Lena。〃　He　struggled　to　return　her　smile；　but　the　attempt　convulsed　his　face　as　if　he　were　about　to　shriek。
　　　　Her　hand　reached　toward　him；　touched　his　forehead　as　if　to　smooth　away　his　scowl。　〃Free　the　Ranyhyn；〃　she　whispered。
　　　　The　plea　took　her　last　strength。　She　died　with　blood　streaming　between　her　lips。
　　　　Covenant　stared　at　it　as　if　it　were　vituperation。　His　eyes　had　a　feverish　cast；　a　look　of　having　been　blistered　from　within。　No　words　came　to　his　mind；　but　he　knew　what　had　happened。　Rape；　treachery；　now　murder…he　had　done　them　all；　he　had　mitted　every　crime。　He　had　broken　the　promise　he　had　made　after　the　battle　of　Soaring　Woodhelven；　when　he　swore　that　he　would　not　kill　again。　For　a　long　moment；　he　regarded　his　numb　fingers　as　if　they　were　things　of　no　importance。　Only　the　blood　on　them　mattered。　Then　he　pushed　himself　away　from　Lena。　Crawling　like　an　abject　passion；　he　moved　toward　the　Ranyhyn。
　　　　Its　muzzle　was　frothed　with　pain；　and　its　sides　heaved　horridly。　But　it　watched　Covenant's　approach　steadily；　as　if　for　the　first　time　in　its　life　it　was　not　afraid　of　the　bearer　of　white　gold。　When　he　reached　it；　he　went　directly　to　its　wound。　The　spear　was　deeply　embedded；　at　first　he　did　not　believe　he　could　draw　it　out。　But　he　worked　at　it　with　his　hands；　digging　his　elbows　into　the　Ranyhyn's　panting　ribs。　At　last　the　shaft　tore　free。　Blood　pulsed　from　the　wound；　yet　the　horse　lurched　to　its　feet；　stood　wavering　weakly　on　splayed　legs；　and　nuzzled　him　as　if　to　tell　him　that　it　would　live。
　　　　〃All　right；〃　he　muttered；　speaking　half　to　himself。　〃Go　back。　Go…tell　all　the　others。　Our　bargain　is　over。　No　more　bargains。　No　more…''　The　fire　was　falling　into　embers；　and　his　voice　faded　as　if　he　were　losing　strength　along　with　it。　Dark　fog　blew　into　him　along　the　wind。　But　a　moment　later；　he　rallied。　〃No　more　bargains。　Tell　them。〃
　
　The　Ranyhyn　stood　as　if　it　were　unwilling　to　leave　him。
　　　　〃Go　on；〃　he　insisted　thickly。　〃You're　free。　You've　got　to　tell　them。　In　the…in　the　name　of　Kelenbhrabanal；　Father　of　Horses。　Go。〃
　　　　At　the　sound　of　that　name；　the　Ranyhyn　turned　painfully　and　started　to　limp　out　of　the　hollow。　When　it　reached　the　crest　of　the　hill；　it　stopped　and　faced　him　once　more。　For　an　instant；　he　thought　he　could　see　it　silhouetted　against　the　night；　rearing。　Then　it　was　gone。
　　　　He　did　not　wait；　did　not　rest。　He　was　past　taking　any　account　of　the　cost　of　his　actions。　He　caught　up　Pietten's　spear　and　used　it　as　a　staff　to　hold　himself　erect。　His　ankle　screamed　at　him　as　it　dragged　the　ground；　but　he　set　his　teeth　and　struggled　away　from　the　fire。　As　soon　as　he　left　the　range　of　its　warmth；　his　wet　clothing　began　to　freeze。
　　　　He　had　no　idea　where　he　was　headed；　but　he　knew　he　had　to　go。　On　each　breath　that　panted　through　his　locked　teeth；　he　whispered　hate　as　if　it　were　a　question。
　
　ELEVEN　
　The　Ritual　of　Desecration
　
　　　　After　Loerya　left　him；　High　Lord　Mhoram　stayed　on　the　tower　for　the　rest　of　the　night。　He　kept　himself　warm　against　the　bitter　wind　by　calling　up　a　flow　of　power　through　his　staff　from　time　to　time　and　watched　in　silent　dread　as　the　pronged　veins　of　malice　in　the　ground　pulsed　at　Revelstone　like　sick；　green…red　lava　oozing　its　way　into　the　Keep's　courage。　The　ill　might　which　spread　from　samadhi　Raver's　Stone　and　the　staves　of　the　ur…viles　lit　the　night　garishly；　and　at　irregular　intervals；　fervid　sparks　writhed　upward　when　the　attack　met　resistance　in　the　rock　of　the　foothills。
　　　　Though　it　moved　slowly；　the　hungry　agony　of　the　attack　was　now　only　scant　yards　from　Revelstone's　walls。　Through　his　feet；　Mhoram　could　feel　the　Keep　moaning　in　silent　immobility；　as　if　it　ached　to　recoil　from　the　leering　threat　of　those　veins。
　　　　But　that　was　not　why　Mhoram　stood　throughout　the　long　night　exposed　to　the　immedicable　gall　of　the　wind。　He　could　have　sensed　the　progress　of　the　assault　from　anywhere　in　the　Keep；　just　as　he　did　not　need　his　eyes　to　tell　him　how　close　the　inhabitants　of　the　city　were　to　gibbering　collapse。　He　watched　because　it　was　only　by　beholding　Satansfist's　might　with　all　his　senses；　perceiving　it　with　all　his　resources　in　all　its　horror；　that　he　could　deal　with　it。
　　　　When　he　was　away　from　the　sight；　dread　seemed　to　fall　on　him　from　nowhere；　adumbrate　against　his　heart　like　the　knell　of　an　unmotivated　doom。　It　confused　his　thoughts；　paralyzed　his　instincts。　Walking　through　the　halls　of　Revelstone；　he　saw　faces　gray　with　inarticulate　terror；　heard　above　the　constant；　clenched　mumble　of　sobs　children　howling　in　panic　at　the　sight　of　their　parents；　felt　the　rigid　moral　exhaustion　of　the　stalwart　few　who　kept　the　Keep　alive…Quaan；　the　three　Lords；　most　of　the　Lorewardens；　lillianrill；　and　rhadhamaerl。　Then　he　could　hardly　master　the　passion　of　his　futility；　the　passion　which　urged　him　to　strike　at　his　friends　because　it　blamed　him　for　failing　the　Land。　A　wild　hopelessness　moved　in　him；　shouldered　its　way　toward　the　front　of　his　responses。　And　he　alone　of　all　the　Lords　knew　how　to　make　such　hopelessness　bear　fruit。
　　　　But　alone　on　the　watchtower；　with　Satansfist's　army　revealed　below　him；　he　could　clarify　himself；　recognize　what　was　being　done　to　Revel…stone。　The　winter　and　the　attack　assumed　a　different　meaning。　He　no　longer　accused　himself；　he　knew　then　that　no　one　could　be　blamed　for　being　inadequate　in　the　face　of　such　unanswerabl