¡¶srdonaldson.theillearthwar¡·

ÏÂÔر¾Êé

Ìí¼ÓÊéÇ©

srdonaldson.theillearthwar- µÚ94½Ú


°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·­Ò³£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
the¡¡song¡¡wrapped¡¡him¡¡in¡¡its¡¡enchantments¡¡and¡¡preserved¡¡him¡¡from¡¡all¡¡care¡£
¡¡And¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡no¡¡concern¡¡when¡¡he¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Warward¡¡was¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡behind¡¡him¡£¡¡Except¡¡for¡¡Lord¡¡Callindrill£»¡¡Troy£»¡¡Amorine£»¡¡Hiltmark¡¡Quaan£»¡¡and¡¡two¡¡Bloodguard£»¡¡Terrel¡¡and¡¡Morril£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡alone¡£¡¡But¡¡he¡¡was¡¡not¡¡anxious£»¡¡the¡¡song¡¡assuaged¡¡him¡¡with¡¡peace¡¡and¡¡trust¡£¡¡It¡¡led¡¡him¡¡onward¡¡and¡¡still¡¡onward¡¡through¡¡a¡¡measureless¡¡night¡¡into¡¡the¡¡dawn¡¡of¡¡a¡¡new¡¡day¡£
¡¡With¡¡the¡¡return¡¡of¡¡light£»¡¡he¡¡found¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡moving¡¡through¡¡a¡¡woodland¡¡profuse¡¡with¡¡purple¡¡and¡¡white¡¡orchids¡£¡¡Their¡¡soft£»¡¡pure¡¡colors¡¡fell¡¡in¡¡with¡¡the¡¡music¡¡as¡¡if¡¡they¡¡were¡¡the¡¡notes¡¡Caerroil¡¡Wildwood¡¡sang¡£¡¡They¡¡folded¡¡Mhoram¡¡closely¡¡in¡¡the¡¡consolation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡melody¡£¡¡With¡¡a¡¡wide£»¡¡unconscious¡¡smile¡¡he¡¡let¡¡himself¡¡go¡¡as¡¡if¡¡the¡¡current¡¡which¡¡carried¡¡him¡¡were¡¡an¡¡anodyne¡¡for¡¡all¡¡his¡¡hurts¡£
¡¡His¡¡strange¡¡speed¡¡was¡¡more¡¡apparent¡¡now¡£¡¡Already¡¡through¡¡gaps¡¡in¡¡the¡¡overhanging¡¡foliage£»¡¡he¡¡could¡¡see¡¡the¡¡paired¡¡spires¡¡of¡¡Melenkurion¡¡Skyweir£»¡¡the¡¡tallest¡¡peaks¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Westron¡¡Mountains¡£¡¡He¡¡could¡¡see¡¡the¡¡high£»¡¡sheer¡¡plateau¡¡of¡¡Rivenrock¡¡as¡¡the¡¡struggle¡¡it¡¡concealed¡¡continued¡£¡¡Eruptions¡¡and¡¡muffled¡¡booms¡¡came¡¡echoing¡¡from¡¡the¡¡depths¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mountain£»¡¡and¡¡red¡¡bursts¡¡of¡¡force¡¡struck¡¡the¡¡sky¡¡at¡¡irregular¡¡intervals¡£¡¡But¡¡still¡¡he¡¡was¡¡untouched¡£¡¡His¡¡speed£»¡¡his¡¡exhilarating£»¡¡easy¡¡swiftness£»¡¡filled¡¡his¡¡heart¡¡with¡¡gay¡¡glee¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡covered¡¡thirty¡¡or¡¡forty¡¡leagues¡¡since¡¡entering¡¡the¡¡Deep¡£¡¡He¡¡felt¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡walk¡¡that¡¡way¡¡forever¡£
¡¡But¡¡the¡¡day¡¡passed¡¡with¡¡the¡¡same¡¡timeless¡¡evanescence¡¡that¡¡had¡¡borne¡¡him¡¡through¡¡the¡¡night¡£¡¡Soon¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡was¡¡close¡¡to¡¡setting£»¡¡yet¡¡he¡¡had¡¡no¡¡sense¡¡of¡¡duration£»¡¡no¡¡weary¡¡or¡¡hungry¡¡physical¡¡impression¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡traveled¡¡all¡¡day¡£
¡¡Then¡¡the¡¡song¡¡changed¡¡again¡£¡¡Gradually£»¡¡it¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡floated¡¡him¡¡forward¡£¡¡The¡¡end¡¡of¡¡his¡¡wafting¡¡filled¡¡him¡¡with¡¡quiet¡¡sadness£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡accepted¡¡it¡£¡¡The¡¡thunders¡¡and¡¡eruptions¡¡of¡¡Rivenrock¡¡were¡¡now¡¡almost¡¡due¡¡southwest¡¡of¡¡him¡£¡¡He¡¡judged¡¡that¡¡he¡¡and¡¡his¡¡panions¡¡were¡¡nearing¡¡the¡¡Black¡¡River¡£
¡¡The¡¡song¡¡led¡¡him¡¡straight¡¡through¡¡the¡¡Forest¡¡to¡¡a¡¡high¡¡bald¡¡hill¡¡that¡¡stood¡¡up¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡woodland¡¡like¡¡a¡¡wen¡¡of¡¡barrenness¡£¡¡Beyond¡¡it£»¡¡he¡¡could¡¡hear¡¡a¡¡rush¡¡of¡¡water¡­the¡¡Black¡¡River¡­but¡¡the¡¡hill¡¡itself¡¡caught¡¡his¡¡attention£»¡¡restored¡¡some¡¡measure¡¡of¡¡his¡¡self¡­awareness¡£¡¡The¡¡soil¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hill¡¡was¡¡pletely¡¡lifeless£»¡¡as¡¡if¡¡in¡¡past¡¡ages¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡drenched¡¡with¡¡too¡¡much¡¡death¡¡ever¡¡to¡¡bloom¡¡again¡£¡¡And¡¡just¡¡below¡¡its¡¡crown¡¡on¡¡the¡¡near¡¡side¡¡stood¡¡two¡¡rigid¡¡trees¡¡like¡¡sentinels£»¡¡witnesses£»¡¡ten¡¡yards¡¡or¡¡more¡¡apart¡£¡¡They¡¡were¡¡as¡¡dead¡¡as¡¡the¡¡hill¡­blackened£»¡¡bereft¡¡of¡¡limbs¡¡and¡¡leaves£»¡¡sapless¡£¡¡Each¡¡dead¡¡trunk¡¡had¡¡only¡¡one¡¡bough¡¡left¡£¡¡Fifty¡¡feet¡¡above¡¡the¡¡ground£»¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡reached¡¡toward¡¡each¡¡other£»¡¡and¡¡their¡¡limbs¡¡interwove¡¡to¡¡form¡¡a¡¡crossbar¡¡between¡¡them¡£
¡¡This¡¡was¡¡Gallows¡¡Howe£»¡¡the¡¡ancient¡¡slaying¡¡place¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Forestall¡£¡¡Here£»¡¡according¡¡to¡¡the¡¡legends¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Land£»¡¡Caerroil¡¡Wildwood¡¡and¡¡his¡¡brethren¡¡had¡¡held¡¡their¡¡assizes¡¡in¡¡the¡¡long¡­past¡¡ages¡¡when¡¡the¡¡One¡¡Forest¡¡still¡¡struggled¡¡for¡¡survival¡£¡¡Here¡¡the¡¡Ravers¡¡who¡¡had¡¡e¡¡within¡¡the¡¡Forestall'¡¡grasp¡¡had¡¡been¡¡executed¡£
¡¡Now¡¡moksha¡¡Fleshharrower¡¡hung¡¡from¡¡the¡¡gibbet¡£¡¡Black¡¡fury¡¡congested¡¡his¡¡face£»¡¡his¡¡swollen¡¡tongue¡¡protruded¡¡like¡¡contempt¡¡between¡¡his¡¡teeth£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡eyes¡¡stared¡¡emptily¡£¡¡A¡¡rictus¡¡of¡¡hate¡¡strained¡¡and¡¡stretched¡¡all¡¡his¡¡muscles¡£¡¡His¡¡dying¡¡frenzy¡¡had¡¡been¡¡so
¡¡extravagant¡¡that¡¡many¡¡of¡¡his¡¡blood¡¡vessels¡¡had¡¡ruptured£»¡¡staining¡¡his¡¡skin¡¡with¡¡dark¡¡hemorrhages¡£
¡¡As¡¡Lord¡¡Mhoram¡¡gazed¡¡upward¡¡through¡¡the¡¡thickening¡¡dusk£»¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡suddenly¡¡tired¡¡and¡¡thirsty¡£¡¡Several¡¡moments¡¡passed¡¡before¡¡he¡¡noticed¡¡that¡¡Caerroil¡¡Wildwood¡¡was¡¡nearby¡£¡¡The¡¡Forestal¡¡stood¡¡to¡¡one¡¡side¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hill£»¡¡singing¡¡quietly£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡eyes¡¡shone¡¡with¡¡a¡¡red¡¡and¡¡silver¡¡light¡£
¡¡At¡¡Mhoram's¡¡side£»¡¡Warmark¡¡Troy¡¡stirred¡¡as¡¡if¡¡he¡¡were¡¡awakening£»¡¡and¡¡asked¡¡dimly£»¡¡¡¨What¡¡is¡¡it£¿¡¡What¡¡do¡¡you¡¡see£¿¡¨
¡¡Mhoram¡¡had¡¡to¡¡swallow¡¡several¡¡times¡¡before¡¡he¡¡could¡¡find¡¡his¡¡voice¡£¡¡¡¨It¡¡is¡¡Fleshharrower¡£¡¡The¡¡Forestal¡¡has¡¡slain¡¡him¡£¡¨
¡¡A¡¡sharp¡¡intensity¡¡crossed¡¡Troy's¡¡face£»¡¡as¡¡if¡¡he¡¡were¡¡straining¡¡to¡¡see¡£¡¡Then¡¡he¡¡smiled¡£¡¡¡¨Thank¡¡God¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨It¡¡is¡¡a¡¡worthy¡¡bargain£»¡¨¡¡Caerroil¡¡Wildwood¡¡sang¡£¡¡¡¨I¡¡know¡¡that¡¡I¡¡cannot¡¡slay¡¡the¡¡spirit¡¡of¡¡a¡¡Raver¡£¡¡But¡¡it¡¡is¡¡a¡¡great¡¡satisfaction¡¡to¡¡kill¡¡the¡¡flesh¡£¡¡He¡¡is¡¡garroted¡£¡¨¡¡His¡¡eyes¡¡flared¡¡redly¡¡for¡¡a¡¡moment£»¡¡then¡¡faded¡¡toward¡¡silver¡¡again¡£¡¡¡¨Therefore¡¡do¡¡not¡¡think¡¡that¡¡I¡¡have¡¡rescinded¡¡my¡¡word¡£¡¡Your¡¡people¡¡are¡¡unharmed¡£¡¡The¡¡presence¡¡of¡¡so¡¡many¡¡faithless¡¡mortals¡¡disturbed¡¡the¡¡trees¡£¡¡To¡¡shorten¡¡their¡¡disfort£»¡¡I¡¡have¡¡sent¡¡your¡¡people¡¡out¡¡of¡¡Garroting¡¡Deep¡¡to¡¡the¡¡north¡£¡¡But¡¡because¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bargain£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡price¡¡yet¡¡to¡¡be¡¡paid£»¡¡I¡¡have¡¡brought¡¡you¡¡hers¡£¡¡Behold¡¡the¡¡retribution¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Forest¡£¡¨
¡¡Something¡¡in¡¡his¡¡high¡¡clear¡¡voice¡¡made¡¡Mhoram¡¡shudder¡£¡¡But¡¡he¡¡remembered¡¡himself¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡ask£»¡¡¡¨What¡¡has¡¡bee¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Raver's¡¡Stone£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡great¡¡evil£»¡¨¡¡the¡¡Forestal¡¡hummed¡¡severely¡£¡¡¡¨I¡¡have¡¡destroyed¡¡it¡£¡¨
¡¡Quietly£»¡¡Lord¡¡Mhoram¡¡nodded¡£¡¡¡¨That¡¡is¡¡well¡£¡¨¡¡Then¡¡he¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡focus¡¡his¡¡attention¡¡on¡¡the¡¡matter¡¡of¡¡Caerroil¡¡Wildwood's¡¡price¡£¡¡He¡¡wanted¡¡to¡¡argue¡¡that¡¡Troy¡¡should¡¡not¡¡be¡¡held¡¡to¡¡the¡¡bargain£»¡¡the¡¡Warmark¡¡had¡¡not¡¡understood¡¡what¡¡was¡¡being¡¡asked¡¡of¡¡him¡£¡¡But¡¡while¡¡Mhoram¡¡was¡¡still¡¡searching¡¡for¡¡words£»¡¡Terrel¡¡distracted¡¡him¡£¡¡Silently£»¡¡the¡¡Bloodguard¡¡pointed¡¡away¡¡upriver¡£
¡¡The¡¡night¡¡was¡¡almost¡¡plete£»¡¡only¡¡open¡¡starlight
¡¡and¡¡the¡¡glow¡¡of¡¡Caerroil¡¡Wildwood's¡¡eyes¡¡illumined¡¡Gallows¡¡Howe¡£¡¡But¡¡when¡¡the¡¡Lord¡¡followed¡¡Terrel's¡¡indication£»¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡two¡¡different¡¡lights¡£¡¡Far¡¡in¡¡the¡¡distance£»¡¡Rivenrock's¡¡fiery¡¡holocaust¡¡was¡¡visible¡£¡¡The¡¡violence¡¡there¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡approaching¡¡its¡¡climacteric¡£¡¡The¡¡fires¡¡spouted¡¡furiously£»¡¡and¡¡dark¡¡thunder¡¡rolled¡¡over¡¡the¡¡Deep¡¡as¡¡if¡¡great¡¡cliffs¡¡were¡¡cracking¡£¡¡The¡¡other¡¡light¡¡was¡¡much¡¡closer¡£¡¡A¡¡small£»¡¡grave£»¡¡white¡¡gleam¡¡shone¡¡through¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡between¡¡Mhoram¡¡and¡¡the¡¡river¡£¡¡As¡¡he¡¡looked¡¡at¡¡it£»¡¡it¡¡moved¡¡out¡¡of¡¡sight¡¡beyond¡¡the¡¡Howe¡£
¡¡Someone¡¡was¡¡traveling¡¡through¡¡Garroting¡¡Deep¡¡along¡¡the¡¡Black¡¡River¡£
¡¡An¡¡intuition¡¡clutched¡¡Lord¡¡Mhoram£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡once¡¡he¡¡found¡¡he¡¡was¡¡afraid¡£¡¡Glimpses¡¡and¡¡visions¡¡which¡¡he¡¡had¡¡forgotten¡¡during¡¡the¡¡past¡¡days£»¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡him¡£¡¡Quickly£»¡¡he¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Forestal¡£¡¡¡¨Who¡¡es£¿¡¡Have¡¡you¡¡made¡¡other¡¡bargains£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨If¡¡I¡¡have£»¡¨¡¡sang¡¡the¡¡Forestal£»¡¡¡¨they¡¡are¡¡no¡¡concern¡¡of¡¡yours¡£¡¡But¡¡these¡¡two¡¡pass¡¡on¡¡sufferance¡£¡¡They¡¡have¡¡not¡¡spoken¡¡to¡¡me¡£¡¡I¡¡allow¡¡them¡¡because¡¡the¡¡light¡¡they¡¡bear¡¡presents¡¡no¡¡peril¡¡to¡¡the¡¡trees¡­and¡¡because¡¡they¡¡hold¡¡a¡¡power¡¡which¡¡I¡¡must¡¡respect¡£¡¡I¡¡am¡¡bound¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Law¡¡of¡¡creation¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Melenkurion£¡¡¨¡¡Mhoram¡¡breathed¡£¡¡¡¨Creator¡¡preserve¡¡us£¡¡¨¡¡Catching¡¡hold¡¡of¡¡Troy's¡¡arm£»¡¡he¡¡started¡¡up¡¡the¡¡bald¡¡hill¡£¡¡His¡¡panions¡¡hastened¡¡after¡¡him¡£¡¡He¡¡passed¡¡the¡¡gibbet£»¡¡gained¡¡the¡¡crest¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Howe£»¡¡and¡¡looked¡¡down¡¡beyond¡¡it¡¡at¡¡the¡¡river¡£
¡¡Two¡¡men¡¡climbed¡¡the¡¡hill¡¡toward¡¡him¡¡from¡¡the¡¡riverbank¡£¡¡One¡¡of¡¡them¡¡held¡¡a¡¡shining¡¡stone¡¡in¡¡his¡¡right¡¡hand£»¡¡and¡¡supported¡¡his¡¡rade¡¡with¡¡his¡¡left¡¡arm¡£¡¡They¡¡moved¡¡painfully£»¡¡as¡¡if¡¡they¡¡ascended¡¡against¡¡a¡¡weight¡¡of¡¡barrenness¡£¡¡When¡¡they¡¡were¡¡near¡¡the¡¡hilltop£»¡¡in¡¡full¡¡view¡¡of¡¡all¡¡Mhoram's¡¡pany£»¡¡they¡¡stopped¡£
¡¡Slowly£»¡¡Bannor¡¡held¡¡up¡¡the¡¡orcrest¡¡so¡¡that¡¡it¡¡lighted¡¡the¡¡crest¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Howe¡£¡¡With¡¡a¡¡nod£»¡¡he¡¡acknowledged¡¡the¡¡Lords¡£
¡¡When¡¡Thomas¡¡Covenant¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡all¡¡the¡¡people¡¡on¡¡the¡¡hill¡¡were¡¡watching¡¡him£»¡¡he¡¡pushed¡¡away¡¡from¡¡Bannor's¡¡support£»¡¡stood¡¡on¡¡his¡¡own¡£¡¡The¡¡exertion¡¡cost¡¡him¡¡a¡¡sharp¡¡effort¡£¡¡As¡¡he¡¡stood£»¡¡he¡¡wavered¡¡unsteadily¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡orcrest¡¡light£»¡¡his¡¡forehead¡¡gleamed¡¡atrociously¡£¡¡His¡¡eyes¡¡held¡¡a¡¡sightless¡¡stare¡­a¡¡stare¡¡without¡¡object£»¡¡and¡¡yet¡¡of¡¡such¡¡intensity¡¡that¡¡his¡¡eyes¡¡appeared¡¡to¡¡be¡¡crossed£»¡¡as¡¡if¡¡he¡¡were¡¡so¡¡conscious¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡duplicities¡¡that¡¡he¡¡could¡¡not¡¡see¡¡singly¡£¡¡His¡¡hands¡¡clenched¡¡each¡¡other¡¡against¡¡his¡¡chest¡£¡¡But¡¡then¡¡a¡¡fierce¡¡blast¡¡from¡¡Rivenrock¡¡struck¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡almost¡¡lost¡¡his¡¡balance¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡forced¡¡to¡¡reach¡¡his¡¡halfhand¡¡toward¡¡Bannor¡£¡¡The¡¡movement¡¡bared¡¡his¡¡left¡¡fist¡£
¡¡On¡¡his¡¡wedding¡¡finger£»¡¡the¡¡argent¡¡ring¡¡throbbed¡¡hotly¡£
¡¡
¡¡
¡¡PART¡¡III
¡¡The¡¡Blood¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Earth
¡¡
¡¡
¡¡TWENTY¡­ONE£º£»¡¡Lena's¡¡Daughter
¡¡
¡¡
¡¡TROY¡¡had¡¡called¡¡Thomas¡¡Covenant's¡¡Unbelief¡¡a¡¡bluff¡£¡¡But¡¡Covenant¡¡was¡¡not¡¡playing¡¡a¡¡mental¡¡game¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡a¡¡leper¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡fighting¡¡for¡¡his¡¡life¡£
¡¡Unbelief¡¡was¡¡his¡¡only¡¡defense¡¡against¡¡the¡¡Land£»¡¡his¡¡only¡¡way¡¡to¡¡control¡¡the¡¡intensity£»¡¡the¡¡potential¡¡suicide£»¡¡of¡¡his¡¡response¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Land¡£¡¡He¡¡felt¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡lost¡¡every¡¡other¡¡form¡¡of¡¡self¡­protection¡£¡¡And¡¡without¡¡self¡¡protection¡¡he¡¡would¡¡end¡¡up
СÌáʾ£º°´ »Ø³µ [Enter] ¼ü ·µ»ØÊéÄ¿£¬°´ ¡û ¼ü ·µ»ØÉÏÒ»Ò³£¬ °´ ¡ú ¼ü ½øÈëÏÂÒ»Ò³¡£ ÔÞһϠÌí¼ÓÊéÇ©¼ÓÈëÊé¼Ü