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！
She sighed without taking her eyes off the Bloodguard。 〃Well； that may be。 But I do not like to see you harmed。〃 Then； relenting； she said； 〃Bannor； the ur…Lord and I will go upland。 Send for us at once if there is any need。〃
Bannor nodded； bowed slightly； and left the Hall。
When the hidden door was closed behind him； Elena turned back to Covenant。 He tensed instinctively。 Now； he muttered to himself。 Now she'll do it。 But to all appearances her irritation was gone。 And she made no reference to the arras； she seemed unaware of the connection between him and that work。 With nothing but innocence in her face； she said； 〃Well； Thomas Covenant。 Do you like the Hall？ You have not told me。〃
He hardly heard her。 Despite her pleasant expression； he could not believe that she did not intend to task him for his encounter with Trell。 But then he saw concern mounting in her cheeks again； and he hurried to cover himself。
〃What？ Oh； the Hall。 I like it fine。 But isn't it a little out of the way？ What good is a museum if people can't get to it？〃
〃All Revelstone knows the way。 Now we are alone； but in times of peace…or in times when war is more distant…there are always people here。 And the children in the schools spend much time here； learning of the crafts of the Land。 Craftmasters e from all the Land to share and increase their skills。 The Hall of Gifts is thus deep and concealed because the Giants who wrought the Keep deemed such a place fitting and because if ever Revelstone is whelmed the Hall may be hidden and preserved； in hope of the future。〃
For an instant； the focus of her gaze seemed to swing closer to him； and her vision tensed as if she meant to burn her way through his skull to find out what he was thinking。 But then she turned away with
a gentle smile； and walked toward another wall of the cavern。 〃Let me show you another work；〃 she said。 〃It is by one of our rarest Craftmasters； Ahanna daughter of Hanna。 Here。〃
He followed； and stopped with her before a large picture in a burnished ebony frame。 It was a dark work； but glowing bravely near its center was a figure that he recognized immediately： Lord Mhoram。 The Lord stood alone in a hollow tightly surrounded by black fiendish shapes which were about to fall on him like a flood； deluge him utterly。 His only weapon was his staff； but he wielded it defiantly； and in his eyes was a hot； potent look of extremity and triumph； as if he had discovered within himself some capacity for peril that made him unconquerable。
Elena said respectfully； 〃Ahanna names this ‘Lord Mhoram's Victory。' She is a prophet； I think。〃 。
The sight of Mhoram in such straits hurt Covenant； and he took it as a reproach。 〃Listen；〃 he said。 〃Stop playing around with me like this。 If you've got something to say； say it。 Or take Troy's advice； and lock me up。 But don't do this to me。〃
〃Playing around？ I do not understand〃
〃Hellfire！ Stop looking so innocent。 You got me down here to let me have it for that run…in with Trell。 Well； get it over with。 I can't stand the suspense。〃
The High Lord met his glare with such openness that he turned away； muttering under his breath to steady himself。
〃Ur…Lord。〃 She placed an appealing hand on his arm。 〃Thomas Covenant。 How can you believe such thoughts？ How can you understand us so little？ Look at me。 Look at me！〃 She pulled his arm until he turned back to her； faced the sincerity she expressed with every line of her face。 〃I did not ask you here to torment you。 I wished to share my last hour in the Hall of Gifts with you。 This war is near…near…and I will not soon stand here again。 As for the Warmark …I do not take counsel from him concerning you。 If there is any blame in your meeting with Trell； it is mine。 I did not give you clear warning of my fears。 And I did not see the extent of the danger…else I would have told all the Bloodguard to prevent your meeting。
〃No； ur…Lord。 I have no hard words to speak to you。 You should reproach me。 I have endangered your life； and cost Trell Atiaran…mate my grandfather his last self…respect。 He was helpless to heal his daughter and his wife。 Now he will believe that he is helpless to heal himself。〃
Looking at her； Covenant's distrust fell into dust。 He took a deep breath to clean stale air from his lungs。 But the movement hurt his ribs。 The pain made him fear that she would reach toward him； and he mumbled quickly； 〃Don't touch me。〃
For an instant； she misunderstood him。 Her fingers leaped from his arm； and the otherness of her vision flicked across him with a virulence that made him flinch； amazed and baffled。 But what she saw corrected her misapprehension。 The focus of her gaze left him； she extended her hand slowly to place her palm on his chest。
〃I hear you；〃 she said。 〃But I must touch you。 You have been my hope for too long。 I cannot give you up。 He took her wrist with the two fingers and thumb of his right hand； but he hesitated a moment before he removed her palm。 Then he said； 〃What happens to Trell now？ He broke his Oath。 Is anything done to him？〃
〃Alas； there is little we can do。 It lies with him。 We will try to teach him that an Oath which has been broken may still be kept。 But it was not his intent to harm you…he did not plan his attack。 I know him； and am sure of this。 He has known of your presence in Revelstone； yet he made no effort to seek you out。 No； he was overe by his hurt。 I do not know how he will recover。〃
As she spoke； he saw that once again he had failed F to prehend。 He had been thinking about punishment rather than healing。 Hugging his sore ribs； he said； 〃You're too gentle。 You've got every right to hate me。〃
She gave him a look of mild exasperation。 〃Neither
Lena my mother nor I have ever hated you。 It is impossible for us。 And what would be the good？ Without you； I would not be。 It may be that Lena would have married Triock； and given birth to a daughter…but that daughter would be another person。 I would not be who I am。〃 A moment later； she smiled。 〃Thomas Covenant； there are few children in all the history of the Land who have ridden a Ranyhyn。〃
〃Well； at least that part of it worked out。〃 He shrugged aside her questioning glance。 He did not feel equal to explaining the bargain he had tried to make with the Ranyhyn…or the way in which that bargain had failed him。
A mood of constraint came between them。 Elena turned away from it to look again at 〃Lord Mhoram's Victory。〃
〃This picture disturbs me；〃 she said。 〃Where am I？ If Mhoram is thus sorely beset； why am I not at his side？ How have I fallen； that he is so alone？〃 She touched the picture lightly； brushed her fingertips over Mhoram's lone； beleaguered； invincible stance。 〃It is in my heart that this war will go beyond me。〃
The thought stung her。 Suddenly she stepped back from the painting； stood tall with the Staff of Law planted on the stone before her。 She shook her head so that her brown…and…honey hair snapped as if a wind blew about her shoulders； and breathed intensely； 〃No！ I will see it ended！ Ended！〃
As she repeated Ended； she struck the floor with the Staff's iron heel。 An instant of bright blue fire ignited in the air。 The stone lurched under Covenants feet； and he near