tg.wizardfirstrule-第50部分

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t　the　boundary　will　be　down　soon。　Have　him　tell　Michael　to　gather　the　army　to　protect　Westland　from　Rahl's　forces。　They　must　be　prepared　to　fight　at　any　invasion。　They　must　not　let　Westland　fall　as　did；　the　Midlands。　Any　forces　that　e　across　must　be　deemed　invaders。　Have　him　tell　Michael　that　Rahl　is　the　one　who　killed　our　father　and　those　who　e；　do　not　e　in　peace。　We　are　at　war；　and　I　am　already　joined　in　battle。　If　my　brother　or　the　army　fails　to　heed　my　warning；　then　Chase　is　to　abandon　the　service　of　the　government　and　gather　the　boundary　wardens　to　stand　against　Rahl's　legions。　His　army　was　virtually　unopposed　when　they　took　the　Midlands。　If　they　have　to　shed　blood　freely　to　take　Westland；　maybe　they　will　lose　their　spirit。　Tell　him　to　show　no　mercy　to　the　enemy；　take　no　prisoners。　I　take　no　joy　in　giving　these　orders；　but　it's　the　way　Rahl　fights；　and　either　we　meet　him　on　his　terms　or　we　die　on　them。　If　Westland　is　taken；　I　expect　the　wardens　to　extract　a　terrible　price　before　they　fall。　After　Chase　has　the　army　and　wardens　in　place；　he　is　free　to　e　to　my　aid；　if　he　chooses　to　do　so；　as　above　all　else　we　must　stop　Rahl　from　getting　all　three　boxes。〃　Richard　looked　down　at　the　ground。　〃Have　him　tell　my　brother　that　I　love　him　and　I　miss　him。〃　He　looked　up　and　gauged　Adie's　expression。　〃Can　you　remember　all　that？〃
　
　〃I　do　not　think　I　could　forget　if　I　wanted　to。　I　will　tell　the　warden　your　words。　What　would　you　have　me　tell　the　wizard？〃
　
　Richard　smiled。　〃That　I'm　sorry　we　couldn't　wait　for　him；　but　I　know　he　will　understand。　When　he　is　able；　he　will　find　us　by　the　night　stone。　I　hope　by　then　to　have　found　one　of　the　boxes。〃
　
　〃Strength　to　the　Seeker；〃　Adie　said　in　a　rasp；　〃and　you　too；　child。　Grim　times　lie　ahead。〃　
　
　CHAPTER　18
　THE　TRAIL　was　WIDE　enough　to　allow　Richard　and　Kahlan　to　walk　side　by　side　after　they　left　Adie's　place。　Clouds　hung　thick　and　threatening；　but　the　rain　held　off。　Both　wrapped　their　cloaks　tight。　Damp；　brown　pine　needles　matted　the　path　through　the　forest。　There　was　little　brush　among　the　big　trees；　allowing　an　open　view　for　a　good　distance。　Ferns　covered　the　ground　in　feathery　swaths　through　the　trees；　and　dead　wood　lay　in　it　here　and　there　as　if　asleep　in　a　bed。　Squirrels　scolded　the　two　of　them　as　they　hiked　along；　while　birds　sang　with　monotonous　conviction。
　
　Richard　picked　at　the　branch　of　a　small　balsam　fir　as　they　walked　past；　stripping　the　needles　between　his　thumb　and　the　crook　of　his　first　finger。
　
　〃Adie　is　more　than　she　seems；〃　he　said　at　last。
　
　Kahlan　looked　up　at　him　as　they　walked。　〃She　is　a　sorceress。〃
　
　Richard　glanced　sideways　at　her　in　surprise。　〃Really？　I　don't　know　exactly　what　a　sorceress　is。〃
　
　〃Well；　she　is　more　than　us；　but　less　than　a　wizard。〃
　
　Richard　smelled　the　aromatic　fragrance　of　the　balsam　needles；　then　cast　them　aside。　Maybe　she　was　more　than　he；　Richard　thought；　but　he　wasn't　at　all　sure　she　was　more　than　Kahlan。　He　remembered　the　look　on　Adie's　face　when　Kahlan　had　grabbed　her　by　the　wrist。　It　had　been　a　look　of　fear。　He　remembered　the　look　on　Zedd's　face　when　he　had　first　seen　her。　What　power　did　she　have　that　could　frighten　a　sorceress　and　a　wizard？　What　had　she　done　that　had　caused　thunder　without　sound？　She　had　done　it　twice　that　he　knew　of；　once　with　the　quad；　and　once　with　Shar；　the　night　wisp。　Richard　remembered　the　pain　that　had　followed。　A　sorceress　greater　than　Kahlan？　He　wondered。
　
　〃What's　Adie　doing　living　here；　in　the　pass？〃
　
　Kahlan　pushed　some　of　her　hair　back　over　her　shoulder。　〃She　became　tired　of　people　ing　to　her　all　the　time；　wanting　spells　and　potions。　She　wanted　to　be　left　alone　to　study　whatever　it　is　a　sorceress　studies；　some　sort　of　higher　summons；　as　she　called　it。〃
　
　〃Do　you　think　she　will　be　safe　when　the　boundary　fails？〃
　
　〃I　hope　so。　I　like　her。〃
　
　〃Me　too；〃　he　added　with　a　smile。
　
　The　trail；　climbing　sharply　in　places；　forced　them　to　go　single　file　at　times　as　it　twisted　along　steep　rocky　hillsides　and　over　ridges。　Richard　let　Kahlan　go　first　so　he　could　keep　an　eye　on　her；　make　sure　she　didn't　wander　off　the　path。　At　times　he　had　to　point　out　the　trail；　his　experience　as　a　guide　making　it　plain　to　him；　but　not　to　her　unpracticed　eye。　Other　times　the　trail　was　a　well…defined　rut。　The　woods　were　thick。　Trees　grew　from　splits　in　the　rock　that　pushed　up　above　the　leaf　litter。　Mist　drifted　among　the　trees。　Roots　bulging　from　cracks　provided　handholds　as　they　climbed　the　abrupt　inclines。　His　legs　ached　from　the　effort　of　descending　extreme　drops　in　the　dark　trail。
　
　Richard　wondered　what　they　were　going　to　do　once　they　reached　the　Midlands。　He　had　depended　on　Zedd　to　let　him　know　the　plan　once　they　crossed　the　pass；　and　now　they　were　without　Zedd；　without　a　plan。　He　felt　kind　of　foolish　to　be　charging　into　the　Midlands。　What　was　he　going　to　do　once　they　crossed　over？　Stand　there　and　look　around；　divine　where　the　box　was　and　then　be　off　after　it？　Didn't　sound　like　a　good　plan　to　him。　They　didn't　have　time　to　wander　about　aimlessly；　hoping　they　would　e　across　something。　No　one　was　going　to　be　waiting　for　him；　waiting　to　tell　him　where　to　go　next
　
　They　reached　a　steep　jumble　of　rock。　The　trail　went　straight　up　the　face。　Richard　surveyed　the　terrain。　It　would　be　easier　to　go　around；　rather　than　climb　over　the　jut　of　rock；　but　he　finally　decided　against　it；　the　thought　that　the　boundary　could　be　anywhere　making　up　his　mind。　There　must　be　a　reason　the　trail　went　this　way。　He　went　first　and　took　Kahlan's　hand；　helping　to　pull　her　up。
　
　As　he　walked；　Richard's　thoughts　continued　nagging　at　him。　Someone　had　hidden　one　of　the　boxes；　or　Rahl　would　have　it　already。　If　Rahl　couldn't　find　it；　how　was　Richard　to？　He　didn't　know　anyone　in　the　Midlands；　he　didn't　know　where　to　look。　But　someone　knew　where　the　last　box　was；　and　that　was　how　they　had　to　find　it。　They　couldn't　look　for　the　box；　they　had　to　look　for　someone　who　would　be　able　to　tell　them　where　it　was。
　
　Magic；　he　thought　suddenly。　The　Midlands　was　a　land　of　magic。　Maybe　someone　with　magic　could　tell　where　the　box　was。　They　had　to　look　for　someone　with　the　right　kind　of　magic。　Adie　could　tell　things　about　him　without　ever　having　seen　him　before。　There　had　to　be　someone　with　the　kind　of　magic　that　could　tell　him　where　the　box　was　without　ever　having　seen　it。　Then；　of　course；　they　had　to　convince　that　person　to　tell　them。　But　maybe　if　someone　was　hiding　their　knowledge　from　Darken　Rahl；　he　would　be　glad　to　help　stop　him。　It　seemed　there　were　too　many　wishes　and　hopes　in　his　thoughts。
　
　But　there　was　one　thing　he　did　know：　even　if　Rahl　got　all　the　boxes；　without　the　book　he　wasn't　going　to　know　which　box　was　which。　As　they　walked　along；　Richard　recited　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows　to　himself；　trying　to　find　a　way　to　stop　Rahl。　Since　it　was　an　instruction　book　for　the　boxes；　it　should　have　a　way　to　stop　their　use；　but　there　was　nothing　like　that　in　the　book。　The　actual　explanation　of　what　each　box　would　do；　directives　to　determine　which　box　was　which；　and　how　to　open　one；　took　up　only　a　relatively　small　portion　at　the　end　of　the　book。　Richard　understood　this　part　well；　as　it　was　clear　and　precise。　Most　of　the　book；　though；　was　taken　up　with　directions　for　countering　unforeseen　eventualities；　resolving　problems　that　could　prevent　the　holder　of　the　boxes　from　succeeding。　The　book　even　started　out　with　how　to　verify　the　truth　of　the　instructions。
　
　If　he　could　create　one　of　these　problems；　he　could　stop　Rahl；　since　Rahl　didn't　have　the　book　to　help　him。　But　most　of　the　problems　were　things　he　had　no　way　of　bringing　about；　problems　with　sun　angles　and　clouds　on　the　day　of　opening。　And　a　lot　of　it　made　no　sense　to　him。　It　spoke　of　things　he　had　never　heard　of。　Richard　told　himself　to　stop　thinking　of　the　problem；　and　to　think　of　the　solution。　He　would　go　through　the　book　again。　He　cleared　his　mind　and　started　at　the　beginning。
　
　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　。　。　。　。　。
　
　By　late　afternoon；　Richard　and　Kahlan　were　sweating　freely　with　the　effort　of　the　hike。　As　they　crossed　a　small　stream；　Kahlan　stopped　and　dipped　a　cloth　in　the　water　and　used　it　to　wipe　her　face。　Richard　thought　it　was　a　good　idea。　When　they　came　to　the　next　stream；　he　stopped　to　do　the　same。　The　clear　water　was　shallow　as　it　ran　over　a　bed　of　round　stones。　He　balanced　on　a　flat　rock　as　he　squatted　to　soak　a　cloth　in　the　cold　water。
　
　When　he　stood　up；　Richard　saw　the　shadow　thing。　He　froze　instantly。
　
　Off　through　the　woods　there　was　something　standing　partly　behind　a　tree　trunk。　It　wasn't　a　person；　but　was　about　that　size；　with　no　definite　shape。　It　looked　like　a　person's　shadow　standing　up　in　the　air。　The　shadow　thing　didn't　move。　Richard　blinked　and　squinted　his　eyes　trying　to　tell　if　he　was　really　seeing　what　he　thought　he　was　seeing。　Maybe　it　was　just　a　trick　of　the　dim　afternoon　light；　a　shadow　of　a　tree　he　mistook　for　something　more。
　
　Kahlan　had　continued　to　walk　along　the　trail。　Richard　came　quickly　up　behind　her　and　put　his　hand　on　the　small　of　her　back；　below　her　pack；　so　she　wouldn't　stop。　He　leaned　over　her　shoulder　and　whispered　in　her　ear。
　
　〃Look　to　the　left；　off　through　the　trees。　Tell　me　what　you　see。〃
　
　He　kept　his　hand　on　her　back；　kept　her　walking　along　as　she　turned　her　head；　looking　off　to　the　trees。　Her　eyes　searched　as　she　held　her　hair　back；　out　of　the　way。　Then　she　saw　the　thing。
　
　〃What　is　it？〃　she　whispered；　looking　back　to　his　face。
　
　He　was　a　little　surprised。　〃I　don't　know。　I　thought　maybe　you　could　tell　me。〃　She　shook　her　head。　The　shadow　remained　motionless。　Maybe　it　was　nothing；　a　trick　of　the　light；　he　tried　to　tell　himself。　He　knew　that　wasn't　true。
　
　〃Maybe　it's　one　of　the　beasts　Adie　told　us　about；　and　it　can't　see　us；〃　he　offered。
　
　She　gave　him　a　sidelong　glance。　〃Beasts　have　bones。〃
　
　Kahlan　was　right；　of　course；　but　he　had　been　hoping　she　would　have　agreed　with　the　idea。　As　they　moved　quickly　down　the　trail；　the　shadow　thing　stayed　where　it　was　and　they　were　soon　out　of　sight