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〃We cannot； Miriamele。 We are sorry。〃
〃Then let me go to sleep。〃 She crawled away toward the wall of the cavern and curled herself in her cloak。 The dwarrows did not hinder her； but began talking among themselves again。 The sound of their voices； melodious and inprehensible as cricket calls； followed her down into sleep。
22
A Sleeping Dragon
Only please； God； don't let him be gone！
The wheel carried Simon upward。 If Guthwulf still spoke in the darkness below； Simon could not hear him above the creak of the wheel and the clanking of the heavy chains。
Guthwulf！ Could it be the same man Simon had so often glimpsed； the High King's Hand with his fierce face？ But he had led the siege against Naglimund； had been one of King Elias' most powerful friends。 What would he be doing here？ It must be someone else。 Still； whoever he was； at least he had a human voice。
〃Can you hear me？〃 Simon croaked as the wheel brought him down again。 Blood； regular as the tide at evening； was rushing into his head once more。
〃Yes；〃 Guthwulf hissed。 〃Don't speak so loudly。 I have heard others here； and I think they would hurt me。 They would take away all I have left。〃
Simon could see him； a dim； bent figure…but large； as the King's Hand had been； broad shoulders evident despite his stoop。 He held his head in an odd way； as though it hurt him。
〃Can I have 。。。 more water？〃
Guthwulf dipped his hands into the sluice beneath the wheel； as Simon swung low enough to reach； he poured the water over the prisoner's face。 Simon gasped and begged for more。 Guthwulf filled his palms three more times before Simon rose out of reach。 〃You are on 。。。 on a wheel？〃 the man said； as though he could not quite believe it。
His thirst quenched for the first time in days； Simon wondered at the question。 Was he simple…minded？ How could anyone who wasn't blind doubt it was a wheel？
Suddenly Guthwulf's odd way of holding his head made sense。 Blind。 Of course。 No wonder he had felt at Simon's face。
〃Are you 。。 。 Earl Guthwulf？〃 Simon asked as the wheel headed downward again。 〃The Earl of Utanyeat？〃 Remembering what his benefactor had said； he kept his voice low。 He had to repeat the question when he was nearer。
〃I 。。。 think I was。〃 The earl's hands hung limply； drip… ping。 〃In another life。 Before my eyes were gone。 Before the sword took me。。。〃
The sword？ Had he been blinded in battle？ In a duel？ Simon dismissed the thought： there were more important things to think about。 His belly was full of water； but nothing else。 〃Can you bring me food？ No； can you free me？ Please！？ They are tormenting me； torturing me！〃 So many words rasped his tender throat and he broke into a fit of coughing。
〃Free you。。。 ？〃 Guthwulf sounded distinctly shaken。 〃But。。。 you do not wish to be here？ I'm sorry； things are。。。 so different。 I have trouble remembering。〃
He's a madman。 The only person who might help me； and he's mad！
Aloud； he said： 〃Please。 I am suffering。 If you don't help me； I'll die here。〃 A sob choked him。 Talking about it suddenly made it real。 〃I don't want to die！〃
The wheel began to carry him up again。
〃I 。。。 could not。 The voices will not let me do anything；〃 Guthwulf whispered。 'They tell me that I must go and hide； or someone will take everything I have from me。〃 His voice took on a horribly wistfiil tone。 〃But I could hear you there； making noises； breathing。 I knew you were a real thing； and I wanted to hear your voice。 I have not spoken to anyone for so long。〃 His words grew faint as the wheel took Simon away。 〃Are you the one who left me food？〃
Simon had no idea what the blind man was talking about； but heard him hesitating； troubled by Simon's pain。 〃I did！〃 He tried to be heard above the wheel without shouting。 Was the man out of hearing？ 〃I did！ I brought you food！〃
Please let him be there when I get back； Simon prayed。 Please let him be there。 Please。
As Simon neared the bottom again； Guthwulf reached out his hand once more and let it trail across Simon's features。 〃You fed me。 I do not know。 I am afraid。 They will take everything from me。 The voices are so loud！〃 He shook his shaggy head。 〃I cannot think now。 The voices are very loud。〃 Abruptly； he turned and lurched away across the cavern and vanished into the shadows。
〃Guthwulf！〃 Simon cried。 〃Don't leave me！〃
But the blind man was gone。
The touch of a human hand； the sound of a voice； had awakened Simon to his terrible pain once more。 The passing hours or days or weeks…he had long since given up trying to mark time…had begun to smear into a gradually increasing nothingness； he had been floating in fog； drifting slowly away from the lights of home。 Now he was back again； and suffering。
The wheel turned。 Sometimes； when all the forge chamber's torches were lit； he saw masked； soot…blackened men hustling past him； but none ever spoke to him。 Inch's helpers brought him water with excruciating infrequency； and did not waste words on him when they did。 On a few occasions he even saw the huge overseer standing silently； watching as the wheel bore Simon around。 Strangely； Inch did not seem interested in gloating： he came only to inspect Simon's misery； as a house…holder might pause to mark the progress of his vegetable garden while on the way to some other duty。
The pain in Simon's limbs and belly was so constant that he could not remember what it was like to feel any other way。 It rolled through him as though his body were only a sack to contain it…a sack being tossed from hand to hand by careless laborers。 With each rotation of the wheel； the pain rushed to Simon's head until it seemed his skull would burst； then pushed through his empty； aching guts to lodge in his feet once more； so that it seemed he stood on blazing coals。
Neither did the hunger go away。 It was a gentler panion than the agony of his limbs； but still a dull and unceasing hurt。 He could feel himself being less with every revolution…less human； less alive； less interested into holding onto whatever made him Simon。 Only a dim flame of vengefulness； and an even dimmer spark of hope that someday he might e home to his friends； kept him clinging to the remains of his life。
I am Simon； he told…himself until it was hard to remember what that meant。 I won't let them take that。 I am Simon。
The wheel turned。 He turned with it。
Guthwulf did not return to speak to him。 Once； as he floated in a haze of misery； Simon felt the person who gave him water touch his face； but he could not move his lips to make a sound of inquiry。 If it was the blind man； he did not stay。
Even as Simon felt himself shrinking away to nothingness； the forge chamber seemed to grow larger。 Like the vision the glowing speck had shown him； it seemed opened to the entire world…or rather； it seemed that the world had collapsed in upon the foundry； so that often Simon felt himself to be in many different places at the same moment。
He felt himself trapped upon the empty； snow…chilled heights； burning with the dragon's blood。 The scar upon his face was a searing ago