按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
He nodded。
〃Tell me。 Tell me what it is； the ring； and how you came upon the lost half； and how you came here； and why。 All this I must know； then maybe I will see what to do。〃
〃Maybe you will。 Very well。 What is it； the Ring of Erreth…Akbe？ Well； you can see that it's not precious looking； and it's not even a ring。 It's too big。 An armring； perhaps； yet it seems too small for that。 No man knows who it was made for。 Elfarran the Fair wore it once； before the Isle of Solea was lost beneath the sea； and it was old when she wore it。 And at last it came into the hands of Erreth…Akbe。。。 The metal is hard silver； pierced with nine holes。 There's a design like waves scratched on the outside； and nine Runes of Power on the inside。 The half you have bears four runes and a bit of another； and mine likewise。 The break came right across that one symbol； and destroyed it。 It is what's been called； since then； the Lost Rune。 The other eight are known to Mages： Pirr that protects from madness and from wind and fire； Ges that gives endurance； and so on。 But the broken rune was the one that bound the lands。 It was the Bond…Rune； the sign of dominion； the sign of peace。 No king could rule well if he did not rule beneath that sign。 No one knows how it was written。 Since it was lost there have been no great kings in Havnor。 There have been princes and tyrants； and wars and quarreling among all the lands of Earthsea。
〃So the wise lords and Mages of the Archipelago wanted the Ring of Erreth…Akbe； that they might restore the lost rune。 But at last they gave up sending men out to seek it； since none could take the one half from the Tombs of Atuan； and the other half； which Erreth…Akbe gave to a Kargish king； was lost long since。 They said there was no use in the search。 That was many hundred years ago。
〃Now I e into it thus。 When I was a little older than you are now； I was on a。。。 chase； a kind of hunt across the sea。 That which I hunted tricked me； so that I was cast up on a desert isle； not far off the coasts of Karego…At and Atuan； south and west of here。 It was a little islet； not much more than a sandbar； with long grassy dunes down the middle； and a spring of salty water； and nothing else。
〃Yet two people lived there。 An old man and woman； brother and sister； I think。 They were terrified of me。 They had not seen any other human face for… how long？ Years； tens of years。 But I was in need； and they were kind to me。 They had a but of driftwood； and a fire。 The old woman gave me food； mussels she pulled from the rocks at low tide； dried meat of seabirds they killed by throwing stones。 She was afraid of me； but she gave me food。 Then when I did nothing to frighten her； she came to trust me； and she showed me her treasure。 She had a treasure； too。。。 It was a little dress。 All of silk stuff； with pearls。 A little child's dress； a princess' dress。 She was wearing uncured sealskin。
〃We couldn't talk。 I didn't know the Kargish tongue then； and they knew no language of the Archipelago； and little enough of their own。 They must have been brought there as young children； and left to die。 I don't know why； and doubt that they knew。 They knew nothing but the island； the wind； and the sea。 But when I left she gave me a present。 She gave me the lost half of the Ring of Erreth…Akbe。〃
He paused for a while。
〃I didn't know it for what it was； no more than she did。 The greatest gift of this age of the world； and it was given by a poor old foolish woman in sealskins to a silly lout who stuffed it into his pocket and said ‘Thanks！' and sailed off。。。 Well； so I went on； and did what I had to do。 And then other things came up； and I went to the Dragons' Run； westward； and so on。 But all the time I kept the thing with me； because I felt a gratitude towards that old woman who had given me the only present she had to give。 I put a chain through one of the holes pierced in it； and wore it； and never thought about it。 And then one day on Selidor； the Farthest Isle； the land where Erreth…Akbe died in his battle with the dragon Orm…on Selidor I spoke with a dragon； one of that lineage of Orm。 He told me what I wore upon my breast。
〃He thought it very funny that I hadn't known。 Dragons think we are amusing。 But they remember Erreth…Akbe； him they speak of as if he were a dragon； not a man。
〃When I came back to the Inmost Isles； I went at last to Havnor。 I was born on Gont； which lies not far west of your Kargish lands； and I had wandered a good deal since； but I had never been to Havnor。 It was time to go there。 I saw the white towers； and spoke with the great men； the merchants and the princes and the lords of the ancient domains。 I told them what I had。 I told them that if they liked； I would go seek the rest of the ring in the Tombs of Atuan； in order to find the Lost Rune； the key to peace。 For we need peace sorely in the world。 They were full of praise； and one of them even gave me money to provision my boat。 So I learned your tongue； and came to Atuan。〃
He fell silent； gazing before him into the shadows。
〃Didn't the people in our towns know you for a Westerner； by your skin； by your speech？〃
〃Oh； it's easy to fool people；〃 he said rather absently； 〃if you know the tricks。 You make some illusion…changes； and nobody but another Mage will see through them。 And you have no wizards or Mages here in the Kargish lands。 That's a queer thing。 You banished all your wizards long ago； and forbade the practice of the Art Magic； and now you scarcely believe in it。〃
〃I was taught to disbelieve in it。 It is contrary to the teachings of the Priest Kings。 But I know that only sorcery could have got you to the Tombs； and in at the door of red rock。〃
〃Not only sorcery； but good advice also。 We use writing more than you； I think。 Do you know how to read？〃
〃No。 It is one of the black arts。〃
He nodded。 〃But a useful one；〃 he said。 〃An ancient unsuccessful thief left certain descriptions of the Tombs of Atuan； and instructions for entering； if one were able to use one of the Great Spells of Opening。 All this was written down in a book in the treasury of a prince of Havnor。 He let me read it。 So I got as far as the great cavern…〃
〃The Undertomb。〃
〃The thief who wrote the way to enter thought that the treasure was there； in the Undertomb。 So I looked there； but I had the feeling that it must be better hidden； farther on in the maze。 I knew the entrance to the Labyrinth； and when I saw you； I went to it； thinking to hide in the maze and search it。 That was a mistake； of course。 The Nameless Ones had hold of me already； bewildering my mind。 And since then I have grown only weaker and stupider。 One must not submit to them； one must resist； keep one's spirit always strong and certain。 I learned that a long time ago。 But it's hard to do； here； where they are so strong。 They are not gods； Tenar。 But they are stronger than any man。〃
They were both silent for a long time。
〃What else did you find in the treasure chests？〃 she asked dully。
〃Rubbish。 Gold； jewels； crowns； swords。 Nothing to which any man alive has any claim。。。 Tell me this； Tenar。 How were you chosen to be the Priestess of the Tombs？〃
〃When the First Priestess dies they go looking all through Atuan for a girl…baby born on the night the Priestess died。 And they always find one。 Because it is the Priestess reborn。 When the child is five they bring it here to the Place。 And when it is six it is given to the Dark Ones and its soul is eaten by them。 And so it belongs to them； and has belonged to them since the beginning days。 And it has no name。〃
〃Do you believe that？〃
〃I have always believed it。〃
〃Do you believe it now？〃
She said nothing。
Again the shadowy silence fell between them。 After a long time she said； 〃Tell me。。。 tell me about the dragons in the West。〃
〃Tenar； what will you do？ We can't sit here telling each other tales until the candle burns out； and the darkness es again。〃
〃I don't know what to do。 I am afraid。〃 She sat erect on the stone chest； her hands clenched one in the other； and spoke loudly； like one in pain。 She said； 〃I am afraid of the dark。〃
He answered softly。 〃You must make a choice。 Either you must leave me； lock the door； go up to your altars and give me to your Masters； then go to the Priestess Kossil and make your peace with her …and that is the end of the story… or； you must unlock the door； and go out of it； with me。 Leave the Tombs； leave Atuan； and e with me oversea。 And that is the beginning of the story。 You must be Arha； or you must be Tenar。 You cannot be both。〃
The deep voice was gentle and certain。 She looked through the shadows into his face； which was hard and scarred； but had in it no cruelty； no deceit。
〃If I leave the service of the Dark Ones； they will kill me。 If I leave this place I will die。〃
〃You will not die。 Arha will die。〃
〃I cannot。。。〃
〃To be reborn one must die； Tenar。 It is not so hard as it looks from the other side。〃
〃They would not let us get out。 Ever。〃
〃Perhaps not。 Yet it's worth trying。 You have knowledge； and I have skill； and between us we have。。。〃 He paused。
〃We have the Ring of Erreth…Akbe。〃
〃Yes； that。 But I thought also of anothe