tg.stone of tears-第14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！


。　‘What　would　you　have　me　tell　her？’
　
　‘Will　you　take　this；　too；　to　your　grave；　and　tell　no　other　but　the　Prelate？’
　
　‘If　you　wish　it；　although　I　don’t　see　why。　You　can　trust　the　Sisters。
　
　‘No。　Margaret；　I　want　you　to　listen　to　me。　When　it　is　the　Keeper　you　battle；　you　must　not　trust　anyone。　I　am　taking　a　dangerous　chance　in　trusting　you；　and　the　Prelate。　Trust　no　one。’　His　bunched　eyebrows　gave　him　a　frightening　look。　‘Only　those　you　trust　can　betray　you。’
　
　‘All　right；　Nathan。　What　is　the　message？’
　
　He　peered　intently　at　her。　At　last　his　words　came　in　a　whisper。　Tell　her　that　the　pebble　is　in　the　pond。’
　
　Margaret　blinked　at　him。　‘What　does　that　mean？’
　
　‘You　have　been　frightened　enough；　child。　Don’t　tempt　your　endurance　again。’
　
　‘Sister　Margaret；　Nathan；’　she　said　softly。　‘I　am　not　‘child；’　but　Sister　Margaret。　Please　treat　me　with　the　respect　I　am　accorded。’
　
　He　smiled。　‘Forgive　me；　Sister　Margaret。’　Sometimes　his　eyes　ran　shivers　up　her　spine。　‘One　more　thing；　Sister　Margaret。’
　
　‘What　is　it？’
　
　He　reached　out　and　brushed　a　tear　from　her　cheek。　‘I　don’t　really　know　of　your　death。’　She　sighed　inwardly　with　relief。　‘But　I　do　know　something　else　of　importance　pertaining　to　you。　Of　importance　in　the　battle　with　the　Keeper。’
　
　‘If　it　will　help　me　to　bring　the　Creator’s　light　upon　the　world；　then　tell　me。’
　
　He　seemed　to　draw　himself　inward；　looking　out　at　her　as　if　from　a　great　distance。　‘A　time　will　e；　soon；　when　you　stumble　upon　something；　and　you　will　have　need　to　know　the　answer　to　a　question。　I　don’t　know　the　question；　but　when　you　have　the　need　to　find　the　answer；　e　to　me；　and　that；　I　will　know。　This；　too；　you　must　tell　no　other。’
　
　Thank　you；　Nathan。’　She　reached　out　and　touched　his　hand。　The　Creator’s　blessing　on　His　child。’
　
　‘No　thank　you；　Sister。　I　do　not　wish　anything　more　from　the　Creator。’
　
　She　stared　at　him　in　surprise。　‘Because　we　keep　you　locked　inhere？’
　
　His　small　smile　returned。　There　are　many　different　kinds　of　prisons；　Sister。　As　far　as　I　am　concerned；　His　blessings　are　tainted。　The　only　thing　worse　than　being　touched　by　the　Creator　is　being　touched　by　the　Keeper。　And　of　that；　I　am　not　even　resolved。’
　
　She　took　her　hand　back。　‘I　will　still　pray　for　you；　Nathan。’
　
　‘If　you　care　so　much　for　me；　then　free　me。’
　
　‘I’m　sorry；　I　can’t　do　that。’
　
　‘You　mean；　you　won’t　do　that。’
　
　‘Look　at　it　how　you　will；　but　you　must　remain　here。’
　
　At　last　he　turned　away　from　her。　She　started　for　the　door。
　
　‘Sister？　Would　you　send　a　woman　to　visit　me？　To　spend　a　night　or　two　with　me？’
　
　The　pain　in　his　voice　almost　made　her　weep。　‘I　thought　you　would　be　beyond　that　age。’
　
　He　slowly　turned　to　her。　‘You　have　a　lover；　Sister　Margaret。’
　
　She　reeled　at　this。　How　could　he　know？　He　didn’t　know；　he　was　guessing。　She　was　young；　and　thought　attractive　by　some。　Of　course　she　would　be　interested　in　men。　He　was　only　guessing。　But　then；　none　of　the　Sisters　knew　what　he　was　able　to　do。
　
　He　was　the　only　wizard　they　couldn’t　trust　to　be　truthful　about　his　powers。
　
　‘You　listen　to　gossip；　Nathan？’
　
　He　smiled。　‘Tell　me；　Sister　Margaret；　do　you　have　the　day　planned　out　in　advance；　when　you　will　be　too　old　for　love；　even　if　it　is　only　for　a　time　as　fleeting　as　a　night？　Exactly　how　old；　Sister；　is　it；　when　we　lose　the　need　for　love？’
　
　She　stood　silent；　ashamed；　for　a　time。　‘I　will　go　myself；　Nathan；　into　the　city；　and　bring　back　a　woman　to　visit　you　for　a　time。　Even　if　I　must　pay　her　price　myself。　I　can’t　pledge　she　will　be　beautiful　to　your　eyes；　as　I　don’t　know　what　your　eyes　fancy；　but　I　can　vow　she　will　not　be　empty　between　the　ears；　as　I　think　you　value　this　more　than　you　will　admit。’
　
　She　saw　a　single　tear　fall　from　the　corner　of　his　eye。　‘Thank　you；　Sister　Margaret。’
　
　‘But　Nathan；　you　must　promise　me　you　will　tell　her　no　prophecy。’
　
　He　bowed　his　head　slightly。　‘Of　course；　Sister。　I　swear　it　on　my　word　as　a　wizard。’
　
　‘I　mean　it；　Nathan。　I　do　not　wish　to　have　a　part　in　being　responsible　for　people　dying。　Not　only　men　died　in　those　battles；　but　women；　too。　I　could　not　bear　having　a　part　in　it。’
　
　His　eyebrows　lifted。　‘Not　even；　Sister　Margaret；　if　one　of　those　women　would　bear；　had　she　lived；　a　boy　child　who　would　grow　into　a　brutal　tyrant　who　would　go　on　to　torture　and　slaughter　tens　of　thousands　upon　tens　of　thousands　of　innocent　people；　women　and　children　among　them？　Not　even；　Sister；　if　you　had　a　chance　to　choke　off　this　fork　of　a　terrible　prophecy？’
　
　She　stood　stunned；　frozen。　At　last　she　made　herself　blink。　‘Nathan；’　she　whispered；　‘are　you　saying　。。。’
　
　‘Good　night；　Sister　Margaret。’　He　turned　and　strode　off　to　the　solitude　of　his　small　garden；　pulling　up　his　black　hood　as　he　went。
　
　
　CHAPTER　6
　
　The　wind　ripped　at　her；　tugging　at　her　clothes　and　snapping　the　loose　ends。　After　yesterday’s　tangled　mess；　Kahlan　was　at　least　glad　she　had　thought　to　tie　back　her　hair。　She　clung　to　Richard　for　dear　life；　pressing　the　side　of　her　face　against　his　back　as　she　squeezed　her　eyes　tightly　shut。
　
　It　was　happening　again　…　the　thick　feeling　of　growing　heavy　that　made　the　knot　in　the　pit　of　her　stomach　sink　lower　of　its　own　accord。　She　thought　she　might　be　sick。　She　was　afraid　to　open　her　eyes；　she　knew　what　always　happened　when　she　felt　heavy　like　this。　Richard　called　back　for　her　to　look。
　
　She　opened　her　eyes　just　a　little；　peeking　through　narrow；　squinting　slits。　As　she　suspected；　the　world　was　tilted　at　a　crazy　angle。　Her　head　spun　sickeningly。　Why　did　the　dragon　have　to　tip　over　whenever　it　made　a　turn？　She　could　feel　herself　being　pressed　against　the　red　scales。　She　couldn’t　understand　why　she　wasn’t　falling　off。
　
　Richard　had　told　her　he　had　figured　out　that　it　was　just　like　when　you　swung　a　bucket　of　water　around　over　your　head　and　the　water　didn’t　fall　out。　She　had　never　swung　a　bucket　of　water　over　her　head　and　wasn’t　entirely　sure　he　was　telling　the　truth　about　the　water　not　falling　out。　She　looked　longingly　at　the　ground　and　saw　what　Richard　was　pointing　at　…　the　Mud　People’s　village。
　
　Siddin　squealed　with　glee　from　his　place　in　Richard’s　lap　as　Scarlet’s　huge；　leathery　wings　caught　the　air　and　pulled　them　into　a　tight　spiral。　As　the　red　dragon　plummeted　earthward；　the　knot　of　Kahlan’s　stomach　felt　as　if　it　were　ing　up　in　her　throat。　She　didn’t　understand　how　they　could　like　doing　this。　They　enjoyed　it。　They　actually　enjoyed　it！　Arms　stuck　up　in　the　air；　they　were　both　laughing　with　delight；　acting　like　little　boys。　Well；　one　was　a　little　boy；　and　she　guessed　he　had　a　right。
　
　She　suddenly　smiled　and　then　laughed　herself。　Not　at　flying　on　a　dragon；　but　at　seeing　how　happy　Richard　was。　She　would　fly　on　a　dragon　every　day　just　to　see　him　laughing　and　happy。　She　stretched　up　and　kissed　the　back　of　his　neck。　He　brought　his　hands　down　and　rubbed　one　on　each　of　her　legs　She　clasped　them　tighter　around　him　and　forgot　a　little　about　feeling　sick。
　
　Richard　called　forward　for　Scarlet　to　land　in　the　open　field　in　the　center　of　the　village。　The　sun　was　almost　down；　making　the　tan；　plastered；　mud…bricked　buildings　in　the　circle　of　the　village　stand　out　brightly　in　the　slanting　light。　Kahlan　could　smell　the　sweet　smoke　from　the　cooking　fires。　The　long　shadows　trailed　the　people　running　for　cover。　Women　ran　from　the　cooking　shelters　and　men　from　their　weapons　making；　all　shouting　and　calling　out。
　
　She　hoped　they　wouldn’t　be　too　frightened。　The　last　time　Scarlet　had　e　here　she　had　carried　Darken　Rahl；　and　when　he　didn’t　find　Richard　he　had　killed　people。　These　people　didn’t　know　Rahl　had　forced　Scarlet　to　fly　him　around　after　he　had　stolen　her　egg。　Of　course；　even　without　Darken　Rahl　riding　her；　no　one　ever　thought　of　a　red　dragon　as　anything　but　a　deadly　threat。　She　herself　would　have　run　for　her　life　at　seeing　a　red　dragon。　The　red　were　the　most　fearsome　of　all　the　dragons；　and　no　one　would　ever　imagine　doing　anything　with　a　red　dragon　except　trying　to　kill　it；　or　running　for　his　life。
　
　No　one　but　Richard；　that　is。　Who　else　but　Richard　would　think　to　befriend　one？　He　had　risked　his　life　to　get　her　egg　free　from　Rahl’s　control　so　she　would　help　him；　and　in　the　process　had　made　a　friend　for　life；　although　Scarlet　still　professed　her　intent　to　eat　him　someday。　Kahlan　suspected　it　was　some　private　joke　between　the　two；　as　Richard　laughed　whenever　she　said　it。　At　least　Kahlan　hoped　it　was　only　a　joke　…　she　wasn’t　entirely　sure。　Kahlan　looked　down　at　the　village　and　hoped　the　hunters　didn’t　start　shooting　poison　arrows　before　they　saw　who　was　riding　the　red　dragon。
　
　Siddin　suddenly　recognized　his　home。　He　pointed　excitedly；　and　jabbered　to　Richard　in　the　Mud　People’s　language。　Richard　couldn’t　understand　a　word　of　it　but　smiled　and　nodded　and　ruffled　Siddin’s　hair。　They　both　gripped　the　spikes　on　Scarlet’s　back　as　she　pulled　out　of　the　steep　descent。　Dust　swept　up　around　them；　lifted　by　the　fluttering　of　Scarlet’s　huge　wings　as　she　settled　on　the　ground。
　
　Richard　grabbed　hold　of　Siddin　and　sat　the　little　boy　up　on　his　broad　shoulders；　then　stood　up　on　Scarlet’s　back。　The　stiff；　cold　breeze　carried　the　dust　away　to　reveal　a　ragged　ring　of　hunters；　their　bows　drawn；　poison　arrows　pointing　up　at　the　three　of　them。　Kahlan　held　her　breath。
　
　Grinning；　Siddin　waved　both　hands　over　his　head；　as　Richard　had　told　him　to。　Scarlet　held　her　head　down　so　the　Mud　People　could　get　a　clear　view　of　who　was　riding　her。　The　hunters；　astonished；　cautiously　lowered　their　bows。　Kahlan　exhaled　when　she　saw　the　tension　e　off　the　bowstrings。
　
　A　figure　in　buckskin　pants　and　tunic　stepped　through　the　ring　of　hunters。　Long　silver　hair　hung　down；　spreading　over　his　shoulders。　It　was　the　Bird　Man；　his　sun…browned　face　a　picture　of　shock。
　
　‘It’s　me；　Richard！　I　have　returned！　With　your　help；　we　have　defeated　Darken　Rahl。　And；　we　have　brought　Savidlin　and　Weselan’s　son　back。’
　
　The　Bird　Man　looked　to　Kahlan　as　she　translated。　A　beaming　grin　spread　on　his　face。　‘We　wele　you　both　back　to　your　peop