tg.wizardfirstrule-第161部分

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　〃I'm　sorry　I　hurt　a　child；　regardless　of　who　the　child　was。　But　in　this　case；　I　would　call　it　premature　punishment。〃
　
　Rahl's　face　remained　pleasant；　the　hint　of　a　smile　still　on　his　lips。　〃We　are　going　to　have　a　long　time　together；　you　and　I。　I　am　going　to　teach　you　of　the　pain　I　endured；　and　more。　You　will　know　what　it　was　like。〃
　
　Zedd　gave　a　bitter　look。　〃Nothing　could　match　the　pain　you　have　already　given　me。〃
　
　Darken　Rahl　licked　his　fingertips　as　he　turned　away。　〃We　will　see。〃
　
　Zedd　watched　in　hopeless　frustration　as　Rahl　returned　to　stand　once　more　in　front　of　Richard。　〃Richard！〃　Zedd　screamed。　〃Don't　help　him！　Kahlan　would　rather　die　than　have　you　help　him！〃
　
　Richard　looked　blankly　to　the　wizard　before　he　gazed　up　at　Darken　Rahl。　〃I'll　do　anything　if　you　don't　hurt　her。〃
　
　Darken　Rahl　motioned　him　to　his　feet。　〃You　have　my　word；　my　son。　If　you　do　as　I　ask。〃　Richard　nodded。　〃Recite　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows。〃　Zedd　reeled　in　shock。　Richard　turned　to　Kahlan。
　
　〃What　should　I　do；　Mistress？〃
　
　Kahlan　struggled　against　Michael；　against　the　knife　at　her　throat；　screamed　muffled　words　against　the　gag。
　
　Rahl's　voice　was　calm；　gentle。　〃Recite　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows；　Richard；　or　I　will　have　Michael　start　by　cutting　off　her　fingers　one　at　a　time。　The　longer　you　remain　silent；　the　more　he　will　cut　her。〃
　
　Richard　spun　back　to　Rahl；　panic　in　his　eyes。　〃Verification　of　the　truth　of　the　words　of　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows；　if　spoken　by　another；　rather　than　read　by　the　one　who　mands　the　boxes；　can　only　be　insured　by　the　use　of　a　Confessor　。　。　。　。　〃
　
　Zedd　sank　to　the　ground。　He　couldn't　believe　what　he　was　hearing。　As　he　listened　to　Richard　reading　out　the　book；　he　knew　it　was　true；　he　recognized　the　unique　syntax　of　a　book　of　magic。　Richard　couldn't　be　making　it　up。　It　was　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows。　Zedd　didn't　have　the　strength　to　wonder　at　how　Richard　had　learned　it。
　
　The　world　as　they　knew　it　was　ending。　This　was　the　first　day　of　the　rule　of　Rahl。　All　was　lost。　Darken　Rahl　had　won。　The　world　was　his。
　
　Zedd　sat　numbly；　listening。　Some　of　the　words　themselves　were　magic；　and　none　but　one　with　the　gift　could　keep　the　words　in　his　head；　the　magic　would　erase　the　whole　of　it　at　certain　magic　trigger　words。　Protection　against　unseen　circumstances。　Protection　against　just　anyone　getting　hold　of　the　magic　within。　That　Richard　could　recite　them　was　proof　he　was　born　to　it。　Born　of　and　to　the　magic。　As　much　as　Richard　hated　the　magic；　he　was　magic；　as　the　prophecies　foretold。
　
　Zedd　mourned　the　things　he　had　done。　Mourned　that　he　had　tried　to　protect　Richard　from　the　forces　that　would　have　sought　to　use　him；　had　they　known　what　he　was。　。Those　born　with　the　gift　were　always　vulnerable　when　they　were　young。　Darken　Rahl　was　proof　of　that。　Zedd　had　deliberately　chosen　not　to　teach　Richard；　as　a　way　of　protecting　him　from　those　forces　learning　of　him。　Zedd　had　always　feared；　and　hoped；　that　Richard　had　the　gift；　but　had　hoped　he　would　grow　before　it　manifested　itself；　and　then　Zedd　might　have　the　time　to　teach　him　when　he　was　strong　enough；　when　he　was　old　enough。　And　before　it　could　kill　him。　It　had　been　a　futile　effort。　It　had　e　to　no　good　end。　Zedd　guessed　that　he　had　always　known　Richard　had　the　gift；　was　someone　special。　Everyone　who　knew　Richard　knew　he　was　someone　special。　Rare。　The　mark　of　magic。
　
　Zedd　wept　as　he　recalled　the　time　he　had　enjoyed　with　Richard。　They　had　been　good　years。　None　had　been　better　in　his　life。　The　years　away　from　the　magic。　To　have　someone　love　him　without　fear；　and　only　for　himself。　To　be　a　friend。
　
　Richard　read　out　the　book　without　hesitation　or　a　single　falter。　Zedd　marveled　that　he　knew　it　so　perfectly；　and　caught　himself　being　proud；　but　then　wished　Richard　weren't　so　talented。　Much　of　what　he　recited　was　about　things　already　finished　with；　such　as　removing　the　covers　from　the　boxes；　but　Darken　Rahl　didn't　stop　him　or　hurry　him　over　those　sections　for　fear　that　he　might　miss　something。　He　let　Richard　recite　it　at　his　own　pace；　and　stood　mute；　listening　carefully。　Occasionally；　Rahl　had　him　repeat　a　section；　to　be　sure　he　had　it　right；　and　stood　absorbed　in　thought　as　Richard　told　of　sun　angles；　of　clouds；　of　wind　patterns。
　
　The　afternoon　wore　on；　Richard　reciting；　Rahl　standing　before　him　listening；　Michael　with　a　knife　at　Kahlan's　throat；　the　two　guards　holding　her　arms；　Chase　frozen　in　place；　his　hand　halfway　to　his　sword；　and　Zedd　sitting　on　the　ground；　doomed；　locked　in　his　invisible　prison。　Zedd　realized　that　the　procedure　for　opening　the　boxes　was　going　to　take　longer　than　he　would　have　thought。　It　would　take　all　night。　There　were　enchantments　to　be　drawn。　That　was　the　reason　Darken　Rahl　needed　so　much　sorcerer's　sand。　The　boxes　had　to　be　placed　just　so；　the　winter's　first　sun　touching　them；　dictating　their　position　once　they　each　cast　a　shadow。
　
　Each　box；　although　they　looked　identical；　cast　a　different　shadow。　As　the　sun　sank　lower　in　the　sky；　the　fingers　of　shadows　grew　away　from　each　box。　One　of　the　boxes　cast　a　single　finger　of　shadow；　another　cast　two　fingers　of　shadow；　and　the　third　cast　three。　Now　he　knew　why　it　was　called　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows。
　
　At　the　proper　places　in　the　book；　Darken　Rahl　had　Richard　stop　while　the　enchantments　were　drawn　in　the　sorcerer's　sand。　Some　of　the　spells　were　called　by　names　Zedd　had　never　heard　before。　But　Rahl　had。　He　drew　without　hesitation。　When　darkness　fell；　he　lit　torches　in　a　ring　around　the　sand。　Under　the　light　of　the　torches；　he　drew　the　enchantments　as　they　were　called　for。　Everyone　stood　in　silence；　watching　as　he　carefully　drew　in　the　sand。　Zedd　was　impressed　by　his　level　of　skill　at　drawing　the　charms；　and　was　more　than　a　little　uneasy　at　seeing　underworld　runes。
　
　The　geometric　patterns　were　plex；　and　Zedd　knew　they　must　be　done　without　error；　and　in　the　proper　order；　each　line　drawn　at　the　proper　time；　in　the　proper　sequence。　They　could　not　be　corrected　or　erased　and　started　over　if　there　was　a　mistake。　A　mistake　was　death。
　
　Zedd　had　known　wizards　who　had　spent　years　studying　a　spell　before　they　would　dare　to　attempt　drawing　it　in　sorcerer's　sand；　for　fear　of　making　a　fatal　mistake。　Darken　Rahl　didn't　look　to　be　having　the　slightest　trouble。　His　steady　hand　moved　with　precision。　Zedd　had　never　seen　a　wizard　of　his　talents。　At　least；　he　thought　bitterly；　they　would　be　killed　by　the　best。　He　couldn't　help　admiring　the　level　of　mastery。　It　was　a　magnitude　of　proficiency　he　had　never　witnessed　before。
　
　All　of　this　endeavor　was　simply　to　tell　which　box　was　the　one　Rahl　wanted；　he　could　open　one　at　any　time；　the　book　stated。　Zedd　knew　from　other　books　of　instruction　that　all　this　effort　was　a　precaution　against　the　magic　being　used　easily。　No　one　was　simply　going　to　decide　to　be　the　master　of　the　world。　and　read　how　in　a　book　of　magic。　Zedd；　as　much　as　he　knew；　didn't　have　the　required　knowledge　to　carry　out　the　instructions。　Darken　Rahl　had　been　studying　for　this　moment　almost　his　whole　life。　His　father　had　probably　begun　the　instruction　when　he　was　young。　Zedd　wished　the　wizard's　fire　that　had　killed　his　father　had　killed　Darken　Rahl；　too。　He　considered　that　thought　a　moment；　and　then　took　it　back。
　
　At　dawn；　after　all　the　enchantments　were　drawn；　the　boxes　were　placed　on　them；　each　box；　distinguished　by　the　number　of　shadows　it　threw；　was　placed　on　a　specific　drawing。　Spells　were　cast。　As　the　rays　of　sun　from　the　second　day　of　winter　lit　the　stone；　the　boxes　were　placed　on　the　altar　once　more。　Zedd　was　amazed　to　see　that　the　boxes　that　had　thrown　a　particular　number　of　shadows　the　day　before　now　threw　a　different　number…　another　precaution。　As　directed；　the　boxes　were　rearranged　so　the　one　throwing　a　single　shadow　was　to　the　left；　the　one　that　threw　two　was　in　the　center；　and　the　one　that　threw　three　was　to　the　right。
　
　Darken　Rahl　stared　at　the　black　boxes。　〃Continue。〃　‘
　
　Without　hesitation；　Richard　went　on。　〃Once　so　arranged；　Orden　is　at　the　ready　to　be　manded。　Where　one　shadow　is　insufficient　to　gain　the　power　to　sustain　the　life　of　the　player；　and　three　more　than　can　be　tolerated　by　all　life；　the　balance　is　struck　by　opening　the　box　with　two　shadows；　one　shadow　for　yourself；　and　one　for　the　world　that　would　be　yours　to　mand　by　the　power　of　Orden。　One　world　under　one　mand　is　marked　by　the　box　with　two　shadows。　Open　it　to　gain　your　reward。　〃
　
　Darken　Rahl's　face　turned　slowly　to　Richard。　〃Go　on。〃
　
　Richard　blinked。　〃Rule　as　you　have　chosen。　That　is　the　end。〃
　
　〃There　。　must　be　more。〃
　
　〃No；　Master　Rahl。　Rule　as　you　have　chosen。　That's　the　end；　the　last　words。〃
　
　Rahl　grabbed　Richard's　throat。　〃Did　you　learn　it　all？　The　entire　book？〃
　
　〃Yes；　Master　Rahl。〃
　
　Rahl's　face　reddened。　〃That　can't　be　right！　That　isn't　the　right　box！　The　box　with　two　shadows　is　the　one　that　will　kill　me！　I　told　you；　I　learned　that　much！　I　learned　which　one　will　kill　me！〃
　
　〃I　have　told　you　every　word　true。　Every　single　word。〃
　
　Darken　Rahl　released　his　throat。　〃I　don't　believe　you。〃　He　looked　to　Michael。　〃Cut　her　throat。〃
　
　Richard　fell　to　his　knees　with　a　scream。　〃Please！　You　gave　me　your　word！　You　said　if　I　told　you；　you　wouldn't　harm　her！　Please！　I　have　told　you　the　truth！〃
　
　Rahl　held　his　hand　up　to　Michael；　but　kept　his　eyes　on　Richard。　〃I　don't　believe　you。　Unless　you　tell　me　the　truth；　right　now；　I　will　cut　her　open。　I　will　kill　your　mistress。〃
　
　〃No！〃　Richard　screamed。　〃I　have　told　you　the　truth！　I　can't　tell　you　anything　different；　it　would　be　a　lie！〃
　
　〃Last　chance；　Richard。　Tell　me　the　truth；　or　she　dies。〃
　
　〃I　can't　tell　you　anything　differently；〃　Richard　cried。　〃Anything　different　would　be　a　lie。　I　have　told　you　every　word　true。〃
　
　Zedd　came　to　his　feet。　He　watched　the　knife　at　Kahlan's　throat；　her；　green　eyes　were　wide；　he　watched　Darken　Rahl。　Rahl　had　obviously　found　some　of　the　information　from　a　source　other　than　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows；　and　that　information　was　in　conflict　with　the　information　in　the　book。　This　was　not　unmon；　surely　Darken　Rahl　must　know　that。　When　there　was　a　conflict；　the　information　in　the　instruction　book　for　that　spe