tg.wizardfirstrule- 第112节

　
　〃How　much　farther？〃
　
　〃Close。〃　Samuel　grinned。
　
　Richard　took　up　the　slack　on　the　rope。　〃Just　remember；　if　anything　goes　wrong；　you　die　first。〃
　
　The　grin　faded　from　the　bloodless　lips。
　
　Here　and　there　in　the　mud　Richard　could　see　the　same　pair　of　footprints　that　he　had　seen　in　the　snow。　Kahlan　was　still　walking。　Dark　forms　followed；　keeping　to　the　shadows；　the　thick　brush；　sometimes　letting　out　whoops　and　howls。　Richard　wondered；　and　worried；　if　they　were　more　things　like　Samuel。　Or　worse。　Some　followed　in　the　treetops；　just　beyond　sight。　Despite　his　best　efforts　to　halt　it；　a　shiver　went　up　his　spine。
　
　Samuel　skirted　off　the；　path；　around　the　twisted　roots　of　a　squat；　fat…trunked　tree。
　
　〃What're　you　doing？〃　Richard　asked；　pulling　the　panion　to　a　halt。
　
　Samuel　grinned　back　at　him。　〃Watch。〃　He　picked　up　a　stout　stick；　big　as　his　wrist；　and　threw　it　with　an　underhand　swing　into　the　roots　of　the　tree。　The　roots　whipped　out；　knotting　around　the　stick；　pulling　it　under　the　tangled　mass。　Richard　heard　it　snapping　apart。　Samuel　gurgled　with　laughter。
　
　As　the　sun　climbed　higher；　the　woods　of　Agaden　Reach　seemed　to　bee　even　darker。　Dead　branches　twisted　together　overhead；　and　mist　occasionally　drifted　across　their　way。　At　times　Richard　couldn't　even　see　Samuel　on　the　other　end　of　the　wet　rope。　But　always　he　could　hear　things：　scratching；　clawing；　whistling；　things　clicking　at　them　from　just　out　of　sight。　Sometimes　the　mist　twirled　and　spun　at　the　passing　of　creatures　darting　by；　near　but　unseen。
　
　Richard　remembered　what　Kahlan　had　said：　they　were　going　to　die。　He　tried　to　put　the　thought　out　of　his　head。　She　had　told　him　she　had　never　met　the　witch　woman；　only　heard　others　speak　of　her。　But　what　she　had　heard　had　terrified　her。　Those　who　went　in　never　came　out。　Not　even　a　wizard　would　go　into　Agaden　Reach；　she　had　said。　But　still；　it　was　secondhand　knowledge；　she　hadn't　ever　met　Shota。　Maybe　the　stories　were　exaggerated。　His　eyes　scanned　the　menacing；　forbidding　woods。　And　maybe　not。
　
　From　ahead；　through　the　tangles　mass　of　trees；　came　light；　sunlight；　and　the　sound　of　rushing　water。　The　farther　they　went；　the　brighter　it　became。　Soon　they　reached　the　edge　of　the　dark　wood。　The　trail　simply　ended。　Samuel　gurgled　with　glee。
　
　Spread　out　far　below　was　a　long　valley；　green；　bright；　lit　by　the　sun。　Gigantic　rocky　peaks　soared　almost　straight　up　all　around　it。　Fields　of　golden　grasses　among　stands　of　oak；　beech；　and　maple　set　in　rich　autumn　colors　rippled　in　the　breeze。　In　the　dark　forest　where　they　stood；　it　felt　like　standing　in　night；　looking　out　on　day。　Water　tumbled　off　the　rocks　beside　them；　down　the　vertical　drop；　disappearing　soundlessly　through　the　air　until　it　reached　the　clear　pools　and　streams　below；　where　it　made　a　distant　roar　and　a　hiss。　Spray　drifted　up　past　them；　wetting　their　faces。
　
　Samuel　pointed　down　into　the　valley。　〃Mistress。〃
　
　Richard　nodded　and　had　him　move　on。　Samuel　led　them　through　a　labyrinth　of　brush；　tight　trees；　and　fern…covered　boulders；　to　a　place　Richard　would　never　have　found　without　his　little　guide：　a　trail　hidden　behind　rocks　and　vines；　at　the　edge　of　the　precipice；　leading　down　the　wall　of　the　valley。　As　they　descended；　the　trail　offered　panoramic　views　of　the　beautiful　country　below：　the　trees　looking　small　in　patches　over　the　gentle　hills；　the　streams　meandering　among　the　fields　and　banks；　the　sky　a　bright　blue　overhead。
　
　In　the　center　of　it　all；　set　among　a　carpet　of　grand　trees；　was　a　beautiful　palace　of　breathtaking　grace　and　splendor。　Delicate　spires　stretched　into　the　air；　wispy　bridges　spanned　the　high　gaps　between　towers；　stairs　spiraled　around　turrets。　Colorful　flags　and　streamers　atop　every　point　snapped　lightly　and　flew　lazily　in　the　wind。　The　magnificent　palace　seemed　to　be　reaching　joyously　to　the　sky。
　
　Richard　stood　silent　for　a　moment；　mouth　agape；　staring；　hardly　able　to　believe　what　he　was　seeing。　He　loved　his　home　of　Hartland；　but　there　was　no　place　there　to　pare　to　this。　This　was；　quite　simply；　the　most　beautiful　place　he　had　ever　seen。　He　never　would　have　imagined　that　a　vision　of　such　exquisite　loveliness　even　existed。
　
　The　two　of　them　started　off　again；　down　the　valley's　edge。　In　places；　there　were　steps；　thousands　of　them；　cut　from　the　stone　of　the　wall；　twisting；　tunneling　and　turning　downward；　sometimes　spiraling　back　on　themselves；　going　underneath　the　ones　above。　Samuel　sprang　down　them　as　if　he　had　done　it　a　thousand　times　before。　He　was　obviously　thrilled　to　be　home　again；　near　the　protection　of　his　mistress。
　
　At　the　bottom；　in　the　sunlight；　a　road　led　off　through　the　tree　dotted　hills　and　warm　grass　fields。　Samuel　bounded　along　in　his　odd　gait；　gurgling　to　himself。　Richard　took　in　the　slack　once　in　a　while　to　remind　him　who　still　held　the　other　end　of　the　rope
　
　AS　they　crossed　the　valley　floor；　following　a　clear　stream　for　a　time；　moving　ever　closer　to　the　palace；　the　trees　became　a　little　thicker；　closer　together；　each　a　magnificent　specimen；　shading　road　or　field　from　the　bright　sun。　The　road　took　them　gently　uphill。　At　the　top　of　a　rise；　the　trees　seemed　as　if　they　were　gathered；　sheltering；　surrounding　a　place　before　them。　Richard　could　see　the　spires　of　the　palace　off　through　the　branches　ahead。
　
　They　entered　a　shady；　still；　enveloping　cathedral　of　trees。
　
　Richard　could　hear　the　gentle　sound　of　water　running　through　mossy　rock。　Hazy　streamers　of　sunlight　penetrated　the　quiet；　muted　area。　There　was　the　sweet　smell　of　grass　and　leaves。
　
　Samuel's　arm　stretched　out。　Richard　looked　where　he　pointed；　to　the　center　of　the　open；　sheltered　place。　There　sat　a　rock；　water　bubbling　up　from　a　spring　in　its　center　ran　down　the　sides　into　a　little　stream　dotted　with　rich；　green；　mossy　rocks。　A　woman　in　a　long　white　dress；　soft　brown　hair；　with　her　back　to　him；　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　rock；　in　the　dappled　sunlight；　running　her　fingers　through　the　clear　water。　Even　from　the　back；　she　looked　somehow　familiar。
　
　〃Mistress；〃　Samuel　said；　glassy…eyed。　He　pointed　again；　off　to　the　side　of　the　road；　closer　to　them。　〃Pretty　lady。〃
　
　Richard　could　see　Kahlan　standing　stiffly。　There　was　something　odd　about　her。　Something　was　on　her；　moving。　Samuel　turned　his　blotchy　head　back；　pointing　a　long　gray　finger　at　the　rope。　He　looked　up　at　Richard　with　one　yellow　eye。
　
　〃Seeker　promises；〃　he　said　in　a　low　growl。
　
　Richard　untied　the　rope；　took　Kahlan's　pack　off　the　panion's　shoulder；　and　laid　it　on　the　ground。　Samuel　curled　his　bloodless　lips　up　at　Richard；　hissing；　then　abruptly　skittered　off　into　the　shadows；　sitting　in　a　squat　to　watch。
　
　Richard　swallowed　hard　as　he　walked　to　Kahlan；　a　tight　knot　in　his　stomach。　With　a　jolt；　he　saw　at　last　what　it　was　that　was　moving　on　her。
　
　Snakes。
　
　Kahlan　was　covered　by　a　writhing　mass　of　snakes。　The　ones　he　recognized　were　all　poisonous。　Big；　fat　ones　were　wrapped　around　her　legs；　one　coiled　tightly　around　her　waist；　constricting；　others　were　wrapped　around　her　arms；　which　hung　at　her　sides
　
　Small　snakes　squiggled；　tunneling　through　her　thick　hair；　flicking　their　tongues　out；　others　curled　around　her　neck；　still　more　slithered　down　the　front　of　her　shirt；　poking　their　heads　out　between　the　buttons。　He　struggled　to　control　his　breathing　as　he　approached　her。　His　heart　was　pounding。　Tears　ran　down　Kahlan's　cheeks；　and　she　shook　the　slightest　bit。
　
　〃Be　still；〃　he　said　in　a　quiet　voice。　〃I'll　get　them　off。〃
　
　〃No！〃　she　whispered　back。　Her　eyes；　wide　with　panic；　met　his。　〃If　you　touch　them；　or　if　I　move；　they　will　bite　me。〃
　
　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　tried　to　reassure　her；　〃I'll　get　you　out　of　this。〃
　
　〃Richard；〃　she　said　in　a　pleading　whisper；　〃I'm　dead。　Leave　me。　Get　out　of　here。　Run。〃
　
　He　felt　as　if　an　invisible　hand　were　constricting　his　throat。　In　her　eyes；　he　could　see　how　she　was　struggling　to　control　her　panic。　He　tried　to　look　as　calm　as　he　could；　to　hearten　her。　〃I'm　not　leaving　you；〃　he　breathed。
　
　〃Please；　Richard；〃　she　whispered　hoarsely；　〃for　me；　before　it's　too　late。　Run。〃
　
　A　thin；　poisonous　banded　viper；　its　tail　coiled　in　her　hair；　dropped　its　head　dow