精灵血脉四部曲-第39部分

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ummary　of　the　last　several　years　of　my　life。　I　remember　a　day　on　Kelvin's　Cairn；　looking　out　over　the　tundra　of　Icewind　Dale；　when　young　Wulfgar　and　I　spotted　the　campfires　of　his　nomadic　people。　That　was　the　moment　when　Wulfgar　and　I　truly　became　friends；　the　moment　when　we　came　to　learn　that；　for　all　the　other　uncertainties　in　both　our　lives；　we　would　have　each　other。

I　remember　the　white　dragon；　Icingdeath；　and　the　giant…kin；　Biggrin；　and　how；　without　heroic　Wulfgar　at　my　side；　I　would　have　perished　in　either　of　those　fights。　I　remember；　too；　sharing　the　victories　with　my　friend；　our　bond　of　trust　and　love　tightening—close；　but　never　unfortable。

I　was　not　there　when　he　fell；　could　not　lend　him　the　support　he　certainly　would　have　lent　me。

I　could　not　say　〃Farewell！〃

When　I　die；　will　I　be　alone？　If　not　for　the　weapons　of　monsters　or　the　clutch　of　disease；　I　surely　will　outlive　Catti…brie　and　Regis；　even　Bruenor。　At　this　time　in　my　life　I　do　firmly　believe　that；　no　matter　who　else　might　be　beside　me；　if　those　three　were　not；　I　would　indeed　die　alone。

These　thoughts　are　not　so　dark。　I　have　said　farewell　to　Wulfgar　a　thousand　times。　I　have　said　it　every　time　I　let　him　know　how　dear　he　was　to　me；　every　time　my　words　or　actions　affirmed　our　love。　Farewell　is　said　by　the　living；　in　life；　every　day。　It　is　said　with　love　and　friendship；　with　the　affirmation　that　the　memories　are　lasting　if　the　flesh　is　not。

Wulfgar　has　found　another　place；　another　life—I　have　to　believe　that；　else　what　is　the　point　of　existence？

My　very　real　grief　is　for　me；　for　the　loss　I　know　I　will　feel　to　the　end　of　my　days；　however　many　centuries　have　passed。　But　within　that　loss　is　a　serenity；　a　divine　calm。　Better　to　have　known　Wulfgar　and　shared　those　very　events　that　now　fuel　my　grief；　than　never　to　have　walked　beside　him；　fought　beside　him；　looked　at　the　world　through　his　crystal…blue　eyes。

When　I　die　。　。　。　may　there　be　friends　who　will　grieve　for　me；　who　will　carry　our　shared　joys　and　pains；　who　will　carry　my　memory。

This　is　the　immortality　of　the　spirit；　the　ever…lingering　legacy；　the　fuel　of　grief　。　But　so；　too；　the　fuel　of　faith



—Drizzt　Do'Urden



Chapter　20

Suddenly



Dust　continued　to　settle　in　the　wide　chamber；　dulling　the　flickering　light；　one　of　the　torches　had　been　extinguished　beneath　a　falling　chunk　of　I　stone；　its　glow　snuffed　out　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。　Snuffed　out　like　the　light　in　Wulfgar's　eyes。　When　the　rumbling　finally　stopped；　when　the　larger　pieces　of　collapsed　ceiling　settled；　Catti…brie　turned　herself　about　and　managed　to　sit　up；　facing　the　rubble…filled　alcove。　She　wiped　the　dirt　from　her　eyes；　blinked　through　the　gloom　for　several　long　moments　before　the　grim　truth　of　the　scene　registered　fully。

The　monster's　one　visible　tentacle；　still　wrapped　about　the　young　woman's　ankle；　had　been　cleanly　severed；　its　back　edge；　near　the　rubble；　twitching　reflexively。

Beyond　it　there　was　only　piled　rock。　The　enormity　of　the　situation　overwhelmed　Catti…brie。　She　swayed　to　the　side；　nearly　swooned；　finding　her　strength　only　when　a　burst　of　anger　and　denial　welled　up　within　her。　She　tore　her　feet　free　of　the　tentacle　and　scrambled　ahead　on　all　fours。　She　tried　to　stand；　but　her　head　throbbed；　keeping　her　low。　Again　came　the　wave　of　weak　nausea；　the　invitation　to　fall　back　into　unconsciousness。

Wulfgar！

Catti…brie　crawled　on；　slapped　aside　the　twitching　tentacle；　and　began　digging　into　the　stone　pile　with　her　bare　hands；　scraping　her　skin　and　tearing　a　fingernail　painfully。　How　similar　this　collapse　seemed　to　the　one　that　had　taken　Drizzt　on　the　panions'　first　crossing　of　Mithril　Hall。　But　that　had　been　a　dwarf…designed　trap；　a　rigged　fall　that　dropped　out　the　floor　as　it　had　dropped　out　a　ceiling　block；　sending　Drizzt　careening　safely　into　a　lower　corridor。

This　was　no　rigged　trap；　Catti…brie　reminded　herself；　there　was　no　chute　to　a　lower　chamber。　A　soft　groan；　a　whimper；　escaped　her　lips　and　she　clawed　on；　desperate　to　get　Wulfgar　from　the　crushing　pile；　praying　that　the　rocks　had　collapsed　in　an　angle　that　would　allow　the　barbarian　to　survive。

Then　Bruenor　was　beside　her；　dropping　his　axe　and　shield　to　the　floor　and　going　at　the　pile　with　abandon。　The　powerful　dwarf　managed　to　move　several　large　stones　aside；　but　when　the　outer　rim　of　the　cave…in　had　been　cleared；　he　stopped　his　work　and　stood　staring　blankly　at　the　pile。

Catti…brie　kept　digging；　didn't　notice　her　father's　frown。

After　more　than　two　centuries　of　mining；　Bruenor　understood　the　truth。　The　collapse　was　plete。

The　lad　was　gone。

Catti…brie　continued　to　dig；　and　to　sniffle；　as　her　mind　began　to　tell　her　what　her　heart　continued　to　deny。

Bruenor　put　his　hand　on　her　arm　to　stop　her　from　her　pointless　work；　and　when　she　looked　up　at　him；　her　expression　broke　the　tough　dwarf's　heart。　Her　face　was　grime…covered。　Blood　was　caked　on　one　cheek；　and　her　hair　was　matted　to　her　head。　Bruenor　then　saw　only　Catti…brie's　eyes；　doelike　orbs　of　deepest　blue；　glistening　with　moisture。

Bruenor　slowly　shook　his　head。

Catti…brie　fell　back　to　a　sitting　position；　her　bleeding　hands　limp　in　her　lap；　her　eyes　unblinking。　How　many　times　had　she　and　her　friends　e　so　close　to　this　final　point？　she　wondered。　How　many　times　had　they　escaped　Death's　greedy　clutches　at　the　last　instant？

The　odds　had　caught　up　to　them；　had　caught　up　to　Wulfgar；　here　and　now；　suddenly；　without　warning。

Gone　was　the　mighty　fighter；　leader　of　his　tribe；　the　man　Catti…brie　had　intended　to　marry。　She；　Bruenor；　even　mighty　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　could　do　nothing　to　help　him；　nothing　to　change　what　had　happened。

〃He　saved　me；〃　the　young　woman　whispered。　Bruenor　seemed　not　to　hear　her。　The　dwarf　continually　wiped　at　the　dust　in　his　eyes；　at　the　dust　that　collected　in　the　large　teardrops　that　gathered　and　then　slipped　down；　streaking　his　dirty　cheeks。　Wulfgar　had　been　like　a　son　to　Bruenor。　The　tough　dwarf　had　taken　the　young　Wulfgar—　just　a　boy　back　then—into　his　home　after　a　battle；　ostensibly　as　a　slave　but　in　truth　to　teach　the　lad　a　better　way。　Bruenor　had　molded　Wulfgar　into　a　man　who　could　be　trusted；　a　man　of　honest　character。　The　happiest　day　in　the　dwarf's　life；　even　happier　than　the　day　Bruenor　had　reclaimed　Mithril　Hall；　was　the　day　Wulfgar　and　Catti…brie　had　announced　they　would　wed。

Bruenor　kicked　a　heavy　stone；　the　force　of　his　blow　shifting　it　aside。

There　lay　Aegis…fang。

The　brave　dwarf's　knees　went　weak　at　the　sight　of　the　marvelous　warhammer's　head；　etched　with　the　symbols　of　Dumathoin；　a　dwarven　god；　the　Keeper　of　Secrets　Under　the　Mountain。　Bruenor　forced　deep　breaths　into　his　lungs　and　tried　to　steady　himself　for　a　long　while　before　he　could　manage　the　strength　to　reach　down　and　work　the　hammer　free　of　the　rubble。

It　had　been　Bruenor's　greatest　creation；　the　epitome　of　his　considerable　smithing　abilities。　He　had　put　all　of　his　love　and　skill　into　forging　the　hammer；　he　had　made　it　for　Wulfgar。

Catti…brie's　semistoic　front　collapsed　like　the　ceiling　at　the　sight　of　the　weapon。　Quiet　sobs　made　her　shoulders　bob；　and　she　trembled；　seeming　frail　in　the　dim；　dusty　light。

Bruenor　found　his　own　strength　in　watching　her　display。　He　reminded　himself　that　he　was　the　Eighth　King　of　Mithril　Hall；　that　he　was　responsible　for　his　subjects—and　for　his　daughter。　He　slipped　the　precious　warhammer　into　the　strap　of　his　traveling　pack　and　hooked　an　arm　under　Catti…brie's　shoulder；　hoisting　her　to　her　feet。

〃We　can't　do　a　thing　for　the　boy；〃　Bruenor　whispered。　Catti…brie　pulled　away　from　him　and　moved　back　to　the　pile；　growling　as　she　tossed　several　smaller　stones　aside。　She　could　see　the　futility　of　it　all；　could　see　the　tons　of　dirt　and　stones；　many　of　them　too　large　to　be　moved；　filling　the　alcove。　But　Catti…brie　dug　anyway；　simply　incapable　of　giving　up　on　the　barbarian。　No　other　apparent　course　offered　any　hope。

Bruenor's　hands　gently　closed　about　her　upper　arms。

With　a　snarl；　the　young　woman　shrugged　him　away　and　resumed　her　work。

〃No！〃　Bruenor　roared；　and　he　grabbed　her　again；　forcefully；　lifting　her　from　the　ground　and　hauling　her　back　from　the　pile。　He　put　her　down　hard；　with　his　wide　shoulders　squared　between　her　and　the　pile；　and　whichever　way　Catti…brie　went　to　get　around　him；　Bruenor　shuffled　to　block　her。

〃Ye　can't　do　a　thing！〃　he　shouted　into　her　face　a　dozen　times。

〃I've　got　to　try！〃　she　finally　pleaded　with　him；　when　it　became　obvious　to　her　that　Bruenor　was　not　going　to　let　her　back　to　the　digging。

Bruenor　shook　his　head—only　the　tears　in　his　dark　eyes；　his　obvious　distress；　prevented　Catti…brie　from　punching　him　in　the　face。　She　did　calm　down　then；　stopped　trying　to　slip　past　the　stubborn　dwarf。

〃It's　over；〃　Bruenor　said　to　her。　〃The　boy　。。。　me　boy；　choosed　his　course。　He　gave　himself　for　us；　yerself　and　me。　Don't　ye　do　him　the　dishonor　of　letting　stupid　pains　keep　ye　here；　in　danger。〃

Catti…brie's　body　seemed　to　slump　at　the　undeniable　truth　of　Bruenor's　reasoning。　She　did　not　move　back　to　the　pile；　to　Wulfgar's　burial　cairn；　as　Bruenor　retrieved　his　shield　and　axe。　The　dwarf　came　back　to　her　and　draped　one　arm　about　her　back。

〃Say　yer　good…byes；〃　he　offered；　and　he　silently　waited　a　moment　before　leading　Catti…brie　away；　first　to　her　bow；　then　from　the　chamber；　toward　the　same　entrance　through　which　they　had　e。

Catti…brie　stopped　beside　him　and　regarded　him　and　the　tunnel　curiously；　as　if　questioning　their　course。

〃Pwent　and　the　cat'll　have　to　find　their　own　way　about；〃　Bruenor　answered　her　blank　stare；　misunderstanding　her　confusion。

Catti…brie　wasn't　worried　about　Guenhwyvar。　She　knew　that　nothing　could　bring　the　panther　serious　harm　while　she　still　possessed　the　magical　figurine；　and　she　wasn't　worried　about　the　missing　battlerager　at　all。

〃What　about　Drizzt？〃　she　asked　simply。

〃Me　guess　is　that　the　elf's　alive；〃　Bruenor　answered　with　confidence。　〃One　of　them　drow　asked　me　about　him；　asked　me　where　he　was　at。　He's　alive；　and　he's　got　away　from　them；　and　by　me　own　figuring；　Drizzt's　got　a　better　chance　o'　getting　clear　of　these　tunnels　than　the　two　of　us。　Might　be　that　the　cat's　with　him　even　now。〃

〃And　it　might　be　that　he　needs　us；〃　Catti…brie　argued；　pulling　free　of　Brueno