tg.stone of tears-第164部分

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　Richard　was　gentler　about　it　than　Gratch。　The　gar　would　put　its　mouth　around　Richard’s　arm；　though；　thankfully；　at　least　it　never　bit。　Its　needle…sharp　fangs　were　long　enough　to　easily　go　all　the　way　through　his　arm；　and　he　had　seen　the　gar　splinter　bone　with　those　teeth。
　
　Richard　brought　the　wrestling　match　to　an　end　by　sitting　up　on　the　stump。　Gratch　sat　straddling　him；　arms；　legs；　and　wings　wrapped　around　him。　It　nuzzled　against　Richard’s　shoulder。　Gratch　knew　that　at　dawn　Richard　left。
　
　Richard　spied　a　rabbit　in　the　underbrush；　some　distance　off；　and　thought　that　perhaps　Sister　Verna　would　appreciate　some　meat　for　breakfast。　‘Gratch；　I　need　a　rabbit。’
　
　Gratch　climbed　off　his　lap　as　Richard　took　up　his　bow。　After　the　arrow　was　off；　he　told　the　gar　to　bring　him　the　rabbit；　but　not　to　eat　it。　Gratch　had　learned　to　retrieve；　and　was　happy　to　do　it；　he　always　got　what　was　left　of　the　skinning　and　gutting。
　
　After　Richard　was　done　and　had　bid　Gratch　good…bye；　he　hiked　back　to　camp。　His　mind　wandered　back　to　the　vision　of　Kahlan　he　had　had　in　the　tower；　and　the　things　she　had　told　him。　The　sight　of　her　being　beheaded　haunted　him。　He　recalled　her　words：
　
　‘Speak　if　you　must　these　words；　but　not　of　this　vision。　‘Of　all　there　were；　but　a　single　one　born　of　the　magic　to　bring　forth　truth　will　remain　alive　when　the　shadow’s　threat　is　lifted。　Therefore　es　the　greater　darkness　of　the　dead。　For　there　to　be　a　chance　at　life’s　bond；　this　one　in　white　must　be　offered　to　her　people；　to　bring　their　joy　and　good　cheer。’’
　
　He　knew　who　the　‘this　one　in　white’　was。　He　knew　what　‘bring　their　joy　and　good　cheer’　meant。
　
　He　thought；　too；　about　the　prophecy　that　Sister　Verna　had　told　him　of；　the　one　that　said；　‘He　is　the　bringer　of　death；　and　he　shall　so　name　himself。’　She　claimed　the　prophecy　said　that　the　holder　of　the　sword　is　able　to　call　the　dead　forth；　call　the　past　into　the　present。　He　wondered；　and　worried；　what　that　could　mean。
　
　At　the　camp；　he　found　Sister　Verna　squatted　at　the　fire；　cooking　bannock。　The　aroma　made　his　stomach　grumble。　The　sparsely　wooded　country　was　ing　to　life　with　sounds　of　animals　and　bugs　heralding　the　dawn。　Clusters　of　small；　dark　birds　sang　from　the　tall；　thinly　foliated　trees；　and　gray　squirrels　chased　each　other　up　and　down　their　branches。　Richard　hung　the　the　skewer　with　the　rabbit　over　the　fire　as　Sister　Verna　continued　to　mind　the　bannock。
　
　‘I　brought　you　some　breakfast。　I　thought　you　might　like　some　meat。’
　
　She　gave　only　a　grunt　of　acknowledgment。
　
　‘You　still　angry　with　me　for　saving　your　life　yesterday？’
　
　She　carefully　laid　another　small　stick　on　the　fire。　‘I　am　not　angry　with　you　for　saving　my　life；　Richard。’
　
　‘I　thought　you　said　your　Creator　hated　lies。　Do　you　think　he　believes　you？　I　don’t。’
　
　Her　face　turned　so　red　Richard　thought　her　curly　hair　might　catch　fire。　‘You　will　not　speak　blasphemy。’
　
　‘And　lying　is　not？’
　
　‘You　do　not　understand；　Richard；　why　I’m　angry。’
　
　Richard　sat　on　the　ground　and；　grasping　his　ankles；　folded　his　legs　in。　‘Maybe　I　do。　You’re　supposed　to　be　my　protector。　Not　the　other　way　around。　Maybe　you　feel　that　you　have　failed。　But　I　don’t　feel　that　you　failed。　We　both　just　did　what　we　had　to；　to　survive。’
　
　‘Did　what　we　must？’　Fine　wrinkles　radiated　around　her　eyes　as　they　narrowed。　‘As　I　recall　from　the　book；　when　Bonnie；　Geraldine；　and　Jessup　led　the　people　across　the　poison　river；　some　of　those　people　died。’
　
　Richard　smiled　to　himself。　‘So　you　really　did　read　it。’
　
　‘I　told　you　I　did！　That　was　foolhardy。　We　could　have　been　killed　taking　that　risk。’
　
　‘We　didn’t　have　any　choice。’
　
　‘You　always　have　a　choice；　Richard。　That　is　what　I　am　trying　to　teach　you。’　She　sat　back　on　her　heels。　‘The　wizards　who　created　that　place　thought　they　had　no　choice；　but　they　made　things　worse。　You　were　using　your　Han　back　there；　and　you　were　doing　it　without　understanding　the　consequences。’
　
　‘What　choice　did　we　have？’
　
　Hands　on　her　knees；　she　leaned　forward。　‘We　always　have　a　choice；　Richard。　You　were　lucky；　this　time；　that　your　use　of　magic　didn’t　get　you　killed。’
　
　‘What　are　you　talking　about？’
　
　Sister　Verna　drew　a　saddlebag　close　and　started　rummaging　through　it；　finally　pulling　out　a　green　cloth　bag。　‘You　got　some　blood　from　that　beast　on　your　arm。　Did　any　of　the　bugs　bite　you？’
　
　‘On　my　legs。’
　
　‘Show　me。’
　
　Richard　pulled　up　his　pant　legs　and　showed　her　the　swollen；　red　bites。　She　shook　her　head　and；　whispering　to　herself；　pulled　first　one　and　then　a　second　bottle　from　the　bag。
　
　With　a　stick　found　on　the　ground　nearby；　she　dipped　a　white　paste　from　one　bottle　and　wiped　it　onto　the　flat　of　a　knife　blade。　She　threw　the　stick　in　the　fire。　Taking　up　another　stick；　she　dipped　a　dark　paste　from　the　other　bottle　and　mixed　it　with　the　light　on　the　flat　of　the　blade；　then　spread　it　along　the　edge。　She　threw　the　second　stick；　with　some　of　the　mixed　paste　on　it；　into　the　fire。　Richard　flinched　when　it　exploded　in　a　white…hot　ball　of　fire　that　lifted　skyward；　dissipating　as　it　rose；　turning　to　a　boiling　cloud　of　black　smoke。
　
　She　held　up　the　knife　to　reveal　a　gray　paste　spread　on　the　blade。　‘Light　and　dark；　earth　and　sky。　Magic；　to　heal　what　would　otherwise　kill　you　by　tonight。　You　have　a　way　of　getting　yourself　out　onto　thin　limbs；　Richard。　Each　step　you　take　only　makes　your　predicament　worse。　Now；　e　over　here；　closer。’
　
　Richard　dug　his　heels　in　and　scooted　around　the　fire。　‘Were　you　trying　to　decide　whether　or　not　you　were　going　to　help　me？’
　
　‘Of　course　not。　This　is　made　from　powerful　magic；　constructed　magic；　to　smother　the　venom　injected　into　you　by　the　conjured　creatures。　Too　soon；　and　the　cure　would　kill　you。　Too　late；　the　bites　would　kill　you。　It　must　be　the　right　kind　of　magic；　at　the　right　time。　I　was　simply　waiting　for　the　proper　time。’
　
　Richard　wanted　to　argue　with　her；　but　instead　said；　‘Thank　you　for　helping　me。’　She　frowned　at　him　before　leaning　over　his　bites。　‘Sister；　how　was　I　making　things　worse？’
　
　‘You　were　being　reckless。　Using　magic　is　dangerous；　not　only　to　others；　but　to　the　one　who　calls　it　forth　as　well。’
　
　Richard　winced　as　she　drew　the　edge　across　one　of　the　bites；　first　one　way；　then　the　other；　cutting　an　X　on　it。　The　sting　made　his　eyes　water。
　
　‘How　can　it　be　dangerous　to　me？’
　
　She　concentrated　as　she　leaned　over　his　leg；　whispering　an　incantation　while　stroking　the　knife　across　his　swollen　flesh。　He　tried　not　to　jump　when　she　cut　the　next　bite。　She　was　only　making　light　cuts；　but　they　stung　fiercely。
　
　‘It　is　like　starting　a　fire　in　the　center　of　a　tinder　dry　wood。　You　find　yourself　in　the　center　of　the　fire；　in　the　center　of　what　you　have　started。　What　you　did　was　foolish　and　dangerous。’
　
　‘Sister　Verna；　I　was　trying　to　stay　alive。’
　
　She　jabbed　a　finger　at　one　of　the　painful　bites。　‘And　look　what　happened！　If　I　don’t　heal　you；　you’ll　die。’　She　finished　with　his　legs　and　turned　her　attention　to　his　arm。　‘When　we　were　being　attacked　by　those　beasts；　you　thought　to　save