tg.wizardfirstrule- 第52节

　
　〃And　if　not？〃　she　pressed。
　
　He　took　the　apple　away　from　his　mouth；　and　looked　at　her。　〃Kahlan；　what　are　you　trying　to　say？〃
　
　〃I　am　saying　that　we　have　to　be　prepared　to　leave　them。　To　go　on。〃
　
　〃We　can't；〃　he　answered　firmly。　〃We　need　them　both。　Remember　when　Zedd　gave　me　the　sword？　He　said　he　wanted　me　to　get　us　across　the　boundary。　He　said　he　had　a　plan。　He　hasn't　told　me　what　that　plan　is。〃　He　looked　out　over　the　water　at　the　hounds。　〃We　need　them；〃　he　repeated。
　
　She　picked　at　the　skin　of　the　apple　wedge。　〃What　if　they　were　to　die　tonight？　Then　what　would　we　do？　We　would　have　to　go　on。〃
　
　Richard　knew　she　was　looking　up　at　him；　but　he　didn't　look　back。　He　understood　her　need　to　stop　Rahl。　He　felt　the　same　hunger；　and　would　let　nothing　stop　them；　even　if　it　meant　leaving　his　friends；　but　it　hadn't　reached　that　point　yet。　He　knew　she　was　only　trying　to　reassure　herself　that　he　had　the　necessary　conviction；　the　required　determination。　She　had　given　up　much　to　her　mission；　lost　much　to　Rahl；　as　he　had。　She　wanted　to　know　he　had　the　ability　to　go　on；　at　any　cost；　to　lead。
　
　The　candles　lit　her　face　softly；　a　small　glow　in　the　darkness。　Reflections　of　the　flames　danced　in　her　eyes。　He　knew　she　didn't　like　saying　these　things　to　him
　
　〃Kahlan；　I'm　the　Seeker；　I　understand　the　weight　of　that　responsibility。　I　will　do　anything　required　to　stop　Darken　Rahl。　Anything。　You　can　place　your　faith　in　that。　I　will　not；　however；　spend　the　lives　of　my　friends　easily。　For　now　we　have　enough　to　worry　about。　Let's　not　invent　new　things。〃
　
　Rain　dripped　into　the　water　from　trees；　sending　hollow　echoes　through　the　darkness。　She　put　her　hand　on　his　arm；　as　if　to　say　she　was　sorry。　He　knew　she　had　nothing　to　be　sorry　for；　she　was　only　trying　to　face　the　truth；　one　possible　truth；　anyway。　He　wanted　to　reassure　her。
　
　〃If　they　don't　get　better；〃　he　said；　holding　her　eyes　with　his；　〃and　if　there　is　a　safe　place　to　leave　them；　with　someone　we　can　trust；　then　we　will　do　so　and　go　on。〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃That　is　all　I　meant。〃
　
　〃I　know。〃　He　finished　his　apple。　〃Why　don't　you　get　some　sleep。　I'll　keep　watch。〃
　
　〃I　couldn't　sleep；〃　she　said；　indicating　the　heart　hounds　with　a　nod　of　her　head；　〃not　with　them　watching　us　like　that。　Or　with　snakes　all　around。〃
　
　Richard　smiled　at　her。　〃All　right；　then；　how　about　if　you　help　me　build　the　litters　for　the　horses　to　pull？　That　way　we　can　get　out　of　here　in　the　morning　as　soon　as　the　hounds　are　gone。〃
　
　She　returned　the　smile　and　got　up。　Richard　retrieved　a　wicked　looking　war　axe　from　Chase　and　found　it　worked　as　well　on　wood　as　on　flesh　and　bone。　He　wasn't　at　all　sure　Chase　would　approved　of　putting　one　of　his　prize　weapons　to　use　in　this　fashion；　in　fact；　he　knew　he　wouldn't。　He　smiled　to　himself。　He　couldn't　wait　to　tell　him。　In　his　mind　he　could　picture　his　big　friend's　disapproving　frown。　Of　course；　Chase　would　have　to　embellish　the　story　with　every　telling。　To　Chase；　a　story　without　embellishment　was　like　meat　without　gravy；　just　plain　dry。
　
　His　friends　had　to　get　better；　he　told　himself。　They　just　had　to。　He　couldn't　bear　it　if　they　died。
　
　It　was　several　hours　before　they　were　finished。　Kahlan　stayed　close　to　him；　as　she　was　afraid　of　the　snakes；　and　the　heart　hounds　watched　them　the　whole　time。　For　a　while　Richard　had　thought　to　use　Chase's　crossbow　to　try　to　get　some　of　the　hounds；　but　finally　decided　against　it：　Chase　would　be　angry　at　him　for　squandering　valuable　bolts　to　no　purpose。　The　hounds　couldn't　get　them；　and　would　be　gone　with　the　light。
　
　When　they　were　finished；　they　checked　the　other　two；　then　sat　down　together　again　by　the　candles。　He　knew　Kahlan　was　tired…he　could　hardly　keep　his　own　eyes　open…but　she　still　didn't　want　to　lie　down　to　sleep；　so　he　had　her　lean　against　him。　In　no　time　her　breathing　slowed　and　she　was　asleep。　It　was　a　fitful　sleep；　he　could　tell　she　was　having　bad　dreams。　When　she　started　whimpering　and　jerking；　he　woke　her。　She　was　breathing　rapidly；　and　almost　in　tears。
　
　〃Nightmares？〃　he　asked；　stroking　her　hair　reassuringly　with　the　backs　of　his　fingers。
　
　Kahlan　nodded　against　him。　〃I　was　dreaming　about　the　thing　from　the　boundary　that　was　around　my　legs。　I　dreamt　it　was　a　big　snake。〃
　
　Richard　put　his　arm　around　her　shoulders　and　hugged　her　tight　against　him。　She　didn't　object；　but　pulled　her　knees　up　and　put　her　arms　around　them　as　she　nuzzled　against　him。　He　worried　that　she　could　hear　his　heart　pounding。　If　she　did；　she　didn't　say　anything　and　was　soon　fast　asleep　again。　He　listened　to　her　breathing；　to　the　frogs；　and　to　the　rain。　She　slept　peacefully。　He　closed　his　fingers　around　the　tooth　under　his　shirt。　He　watched　the　heart　hounds。　They　watched　back。
　
　She　woke　sometime　near　morning　when　it　was　still　dark。　Richard　was　so　tired　he　had　a　headache。　Kahlan　insisted　he　lie　down　and　sleep　while　she　kept　watch。　He　didn't　want　to；　he　wanted　to　continue　holding　her；　but　was　too　sleepy　to　argue。
　
　When　she　gently　shook　him　awake　it　was　morning。　Weak；　gray　light　filtered　through　the　dark　green　of　the　swamp　and　through　heavy　mist　that　made　the　world　seem　small　and　close。　The　water　around　them　looked　as　if　it　had　been　steeped　with　decayed　vegetation；　a　brew　that　rippled　occasionally　with　unseen　life　beneath　the　surface。　Unblinking　black　eyes　pushed　up　through　the　duckweed；　watching　them。
　
　〃The　heart　hounds　are　gone；〃　she　said。　She　looked　drier　than　she　had　last　night。
　
　〃How　long？〃　he　asked；　rubbing　the　cramps　out　of　his　arms。
　
　〃Twenty；　maybe　thirty　minutes。　When　it　got　light　they　suddenly　went　off　in　a　rush。〃　Kahlan　gave　him　a　tin　cup　of　hot　tea。　Richard　gave　her　a　questioning　look。
　
　She　smiled。　〃I　held　it　over　the　candle　until　it　was　hot。〃
　
　He　was　surprised　at　her　inventiveness。　She　gave　him　a　piece　of　dried　fruit　and　ate　some　herself。　He　noticed　the　war　axe　leaning　against　her　leg；　and　thought　to　himself　that　she　knew　how　to　stand　watch。
　
　It　was　still　raining　gently。　Strange　birds　called　out　sharply　in　rapid；　ragged　shrieks　from　across　the　swamp；　while　others　answered　in　the　distance。　Bugs　hovered　inches　above　the　water；　and　occasionally　there　was　an　unseen　splash。
　
　〃Any　change　in　Zedd　or　Chase？〃　he　asked。
　
　She　seemed　reluctant　to　answer。　〃Zedd's　breathing　is　slower。〃
　
　Richard　quickly　went　and　checked。　Zedd　seemed　hardly　alive。　His　face　had　a　sunken；　ashen　look。　He　put　an　ear　to　the　old　man's　chest　and　found　his　heart　to　be　beating　normally；　but　he　was　breathing　slower；　and　he　felt　cold　and　clammy。
　
　〃I　think　we　must　be　safe　from　the　hounds　now。　We　had　better　get　going；　and　see　if　we　can　find　them　some　help；〃　he　said。
　
　Richard　knew　she　was　afraid　of　the　snakes…he　was；　too；　and　told　her　so…but　she　didn't　let　it　interfere　with　that　they　had　to　do。　She　put　her　trust　in　what　he　said；　that　the　snakes　wouldn't　e　near　the　sword；　and　crossed　the　water　without　hesitation　when　he　told　her　to　go。　They　had　to　traverse　the　water　twice；　once　with　Zedd　and　Chase；　and　a　second　time　to　retrieve　the　parts　for　the　litters；　as　they　could　only　be　used　on　dry　land。
　
　They　hooked　up　the　poles　to　the　horses；　but　couldn't　use　them　yet　as　the　tangle　of　roots　on　the　swamp　trail　would…cause　too　jolting　a　ride。　They　would　have　to　wait　until　they　were　on　a　better　road；　once　they　were　clear　of　the　swamp。
　
　It　was　midmorning　before　they　reached　the　better　road。　They　stopped　long　enough　to　lay　their　two　fallen　friends　in　the　litters　and　cover　them　with　blankets　and　oilcloth。　Richard　was　pleased　to　discover　that　the　pole　arrangement　worked　well；　it　didn't　slow　them　at　all；　and　the　mud　helped　them　slide　along　nicely。　He　and　Kahlan　ate　lunch　on　their　horses；　passing　food　back　and　forth　as　they　rode　next　to　each　other。　They　stopped　only　to　check　on　Zedd　and　Chase；　and　continued　on　through　the　rain
　
　…＋
　
　Before　night　came　they　reached　Southaven。　The　town　was　little　more　than　a　collection　of　ramshackle　buildings　and　houses　fit　crookedly　in　among　the　oaks　and　beech；　almost　as　if　to　turn　themselves　away　from　the　road；　from　queries；　from　righteous　eyes。　None　looked　ever　to　have　seen　paint。　Some　had　tin　patches　that　drummed　i