tg.wizardfirstrule-第122章

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　〃You　want　to　keep　sleeping　with　her？〃　he　whispered　real　soft。
　
　Rachel　held　her　breath。
　
　〃No；〃　Kahlan　whispered　back；　〃I'll　take　my　watch。〃
　
　Rachel　could　hear　her　putting　on　her　cloak　and　going　outside。　She　listened　to　which　way　Kahlan's　feet　went。　After　he　put　some　more　wood　in　the　fire；　Richard　lay　down；　close。　She　could　see　the　inside　of　the　wayward　pine　brighten。　She　knew　Richard　was　watching　her；　she　could　feel　his　eyes　on　her　back。　She　wanted　so　much　to　tell　him　how　mean　Kahlan　really　was；　and　ask　him　to　run　away　with　her。　He　was　such　a　nice　man；　and　his　hugs　were　the　bestest　things　in　the　whole　world。　He　reached　over　and　pulled　the　blanket　up　around　her　tighter；　tucking　it　under　her　chin。　Tears　ran　down　her　cheeks。
　
　She　could　hear　him　lie　on　his　back　and　pull　his　blanket　up。　Rachel　waited　until　she　heard　his　even　breathing　and　she　knew　he　was　asleep　before　she　slipped　out　from　under　the　blanket
　
　CHAPTER　36
　KA14LAN　TURNED　EXPECTANTLY　WHEN　he　batted　a　limb　out　of　the　way　as　he　pushed　into　the　wayward　pine　and　flopped　down　in　front　of　the　fire。　He　pulled　his　pack　across　the　ground　and　started　jamming　things　in　it。
　
　〃Well？〃　。
　
　Richard　shot　her　an　angry　glare。　〃I　found　her　tracks；　going　west；　back　the　way　we　came。　They　join　the　trail　a　few　hundred　yards　out。　They're　hours　old。〃　He　pointed　to　the　ground　at　the　back　of　the　wayward　pine。　〃That's　where　she　went　out。　She　circled　around　you　through　the　woods；　well　clear　of　us。　I've　tracked　men　who　didn't　want　to　be　found；　and　their　trails　were　easier　to　follow。　She　walks　on　top　of　things；　roots；　rocks；　and　she's　too　little　to　make　a　print　where　another　would。　Did　you　see　her　arms？〃
　
　〃I　saw　long　bruises。　They　are　from　a　switch。〃
　
　〃No；　I　mean　scratches。〃
　
　〃I　saw　no　scratches。〃
　
　〃Exactly。　Her　dress　had　burrs　on　it；　she's　been　through　the　bramble；　yet　she　had　no　scratches　on　her　arms。　She's　tender；　so　she　avoids　brushing　up　against　anything。　An　adult　would　just　push　past；　leave　a　trail　of　disturbed　or　broken　branches。　She　almost　never　touches　anything。　You　should　see　the　trail　I　left；　going　through　the　bushes　trying　to　track　her；　a　blind　man　could　follow　it。　She　moves　through　the　underbrush　like　air。　Even　when　she　was　back　on　the　trail；　I　couldn't　tell　for　a　while。　Her　feet　are　bare；　she　doesn't　like　stepping　in　water　or　mud…it　makes　her　feet　colder…so　she　steps　where　it's　dry；　where　you　can't　see　her　passing。〃
　
　〃I　should　have　seen　her　leaving。〃
　
　He　realized　Kahlan　thought　he　was　blaming　her。　He　let　out　an　exasperated　breath。　〃It's　not　your　fault；　Kahlan。　If　I　had　been　standing　watch；　I　wouldn't　have　seen　her　go　either。　She　didn't　want　to　be　seen。　She's　one　smart　little　girl。〃
　
　It　didn't　seem　to　make　her　feel　any　better。　〃But　you　can　track　her；　right？〃
　
　He　gave　her　a　sidelong　glance。　〃I　can。〃　He　reached　to　his　breast。　〃I　found　this　in　my　shirt　pocket。〃　He　lifted　an　eyebrow。　〃By　my　heart。〃　He　pulled　out　the　lock　of　Rachel's　hair；　tied　with　the　vine。　He　twisted　it　in　his　fingers。　〃To　remember　her　by。〃
　
　Kahlan's　face　was　ashen　as　she　rose。　〃This　is　my　fault。〃　She　pushed　out　of　the　wayward　pine。　He　tried　to　grab　her　arm；　but　she　tore　away　from　him。
　
　Richard　set　his　pack　aside　and　followed。　Kahlan　stood　off　a　ways；　her　arms　folded　below　her　breasts；　her　back　to　him。　She　stared　off　into　the　woods。
　
　〃Kahlan；　it　isn't　your　fault。〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃It　was　my　hair。　Didn't　you　see　the　fear　in　her　eyes　when　she　looked　at　my　hair？　I　have　seen　that　look　a　thousand　times。　Do　you　have　any　idea　what　it's　like　to　frighten　people；　even　children；　all　the　time？〃　He　didn't　answer。　〃Richard？　Cut　my　hair　for　me？〃
　
　〃What？〃
　
　She　turned　to　him；　pleading　in　her　eyes。　〃Cut　it　off　for　me？〃
　
　He　watched　the　hurt　in　her　eyes。　〃Why　haven't　you　just　cut　it　yourself？〃
　
　She　turned　away。　〃I　cannot。　The　magic　will　not　allow　a　Confessor　to　cut　her　own　hair。　If　we　try；　it　brings　pain　so　great；　it　prevents　us　from　doing　so。〃
　
　〃How　could　that　be？〃　〃Remember　the　pain　you　suffered；　from　the　magic　of　the　sword；　when　you　killed　a　man　the　first　time？　It　is　the　same　pain。　It　will　render　a　Confessor　unconscious　before　the　task　can　be　acplished。　I　tried　only　once。　Every　Confessor　tries　once。　But　only　once。　Our　hair　must　be　cut　by　another　when　it　needs　trimming。　But　none　would　dare　to　cut　it　all　of。〃　She　turned　to　him　once　more。　〃Will　you　do　it　for　me？　Will　you　cut　my　hair？〃
　
　He　looked　away　from　her　eyes；　to　the　brightening　slate　blue　sky；　trying　to　understand　what　it　was　he　was　feeling；　what　it　was　she　must　be　feeling。　There　was　so　much　he　didn't　know　about　her；　still。　Her　life；　her　world；　was　a　mystery　to　him。　There　had　been　a　time　when　he　wanted　to　know　it　all。　Now　he　knew　he　never　could；　the　gulf　between　them　was　filled　with　magic。　Magic；　designed；　it　seemed；　explicitly　to　keep　them　apart。
　
　His　eyes　returned　to　her。　〃No。〃。
　
　〃May　I　know　why？〃
　
　〃Because　I　respect　you　for　who　you　are。　The　Kahlan　I　know　wouldn't　want　to　fool　people　by　trying　to　make　them　think　she　is　less　than　she　is。　Even　if　you　did　fool　some；　it　would　change　nothing。　You　are　who　you　are：　the　Mother　Confessor。　We　all　can　be　no　more；　or　less；　than　who　we　are。〃　He　smiled。　〃A　wise　woman；　a　friend　of　mine；　told　me　that　once。〃
　
　〃Any　man　would　leap　for　the　chance　to　cut　a　Confessor's　hair。〃
　
　〃Not　this　one。　This　one　is　your　friend。〃
　
　She　gave　a　nod；　her　arms　still　folded　against　her　stomach。　〃She　must　be　cold。　She　didn't　even　take　a　blanket。〃
　
　〃She　didn't　take　any　food　either；　other　than　that　loaf　of　bread　she's　saving　for　some　reason；　and　she　was　starving。〃
　
　Kahlan　smiled　at　last。　〃She　ate　more　than　you　and　me　together。　At　least　her　belly　is　full。　Richard；　when　she　gets　to　Homers　Mill　。　。　。〃
　
　〃She　isn't　going　to　Homers　Mill。〃
　
　Kahlan　came　closer。　〃But　that's　where　her　grandmother　is。〃
　
　Richard　shook　his　head。　〃She　doesn't　have　a　grandmother。　When　she　said　her　grandmother　was　in　Homers　Mill；　and　I　told　her　she　couldn't　go　there；　she　didn't　even　falter。　She　simply　said　she　would　go　somewhere　else。　She　never　gave　it　a　thought；　never　asked　about　her　grandmother；　or　even　raised　an　objection。　She's　running　from　something。〃
　
　〃Running？　Maybe　from　whoever　put　those　bruises　on　her　arms。〃
　
　〃And　on　her　back。　Whenever　my　hand　touched　one；　she　flinched；　but　she　didn't　say　anything。　She　wanted　to　be　hugged　that　badly。〃　Kahlan's　brow　wrinkled　with　sorrow。　〃I'd　say　she　was　running　from　whoever　cut　her　hair　like　that。〃
　
　〃Her　hair？〃
　
　He　nodded　again。　〃It　was　meant　to　mark　her；　maybe　as　property。　No　one　would　cut　someone's　hair　like　that；　except　to　give　a　message。　Especially　in　the　Midlands；　where　everyone　pays　so　much　attention　to　hair。　It　was　deliberate；　a　message　of　power　over　her。　That's　why　I　cut　it　for。　her；　to　remove　the　mark。〃
　
　Kahlan　stared　at　nothing　in　particular。　〃That　was　why　she　was　so　happy　to　have　it　cut　even；〃　she　whispered。
　
　〃There　is　more　to　it；　though；　than　simply　running　away。　She　lies　easier　than　a　gambler。　She　lies　with　the　ease　of　someone　who　has　a　powerful　need。〃
　
　Her　eyes　came　to　his　again。　〃Like　what？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know。〃　He　sighed。　〃But　it　has　something　to　do　with　that　loaf　'of　bread。〃
　
　〃The　bread？　Do　you　really　think　so？〃
　
　〃She　had　no　shoes；　no　cloak；　nothing　but　her　doll。　It's　her　most　precious　possession；　she's　devoted　to　it；　yet　she　let　us　touch　it。　But　she　wouldn't　let　us　get　within　an　arm's　length　of　that　loaf　of　bread。　I　don't　know　much　about　the　magic　in　the　Midlands；　but　where　I　e　from；　a　little　girl　will　not　value　a　loaf　of　bread　more　than　her　doll；　and　I　don't　think　it's　any　different　here。　Did　you　see　the　look　in　her　eyes　when　you　reached　for　the　bread；　and　she　snatched　it　away？　If　she　had　had　a　knife；　and　you　hadn't　backed　off；　she　would　have　used　it　on　you。〃
　
　〃Richard；〃　she　admonished；　〃you　can't　really　believe　that　about　a　little　girl。　A　loaf　of　bread　couldn't　be　that　important　to　her。〃
　
　〃No？　You　said　yourself　she　ate　as　much　as　both　of　us　put　together。　I　was　beginning　to　think　she　was　related　to　Zedd。　Explain　why　if　she　was　half　starved；　she　hadn't　even　nibbled　on　that　loaf　of　bread：〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃There　is　something　going　on；　and　that　loaf　of　bread　is　at　the　center　of　it。〃
　
　Kahlan　took　a　step　toward　him。　〃So；　we're　going　after　her？〃
　
　Richard　felt　the　weight　of　the　tooth　against　his　chest。　He　took　a　deep　breath；　letting　it　out　slowly。　〃No。　As　Zedd　is　fond　of　saying；　nothing　is　ever　easy。　How　can　we　justify　going　after　one　little　girl；　to　solve　the　riddle　of　her　loaf　of　bread；　while　Rahl　goes　after　the　box？〃
　
　She　took　his　hand　in　one　of　hers；　looked　down　at　it。　〃I　hate　what　Darken　Rahl　does　to　us；　the　way　he　twists　us。〃　She　squeezed　his　hand。　〃She　got　into　our　hearts　awfully　quick。〃
　
　Richard　gave　her　a　one…armed　hug。　〃That　she　did。　She's　one　special　little　girl。　I　hope　she　finds　what　she's　after；　and　that　she　is　safe。〃　He　let　go　…of　Kahlan　and　started　for　the　wayward　pine；　to　get　their　things。　〃Let's　get　moving。〃
　
　Neither　wanted　to　think　about　how　they　felt；　that　they　were　deserting　Rachel；　condemning　her　to　the　embrace　of　dangers　she　knew　not