tg.wizardfirstrule-第36章

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undary。　Richard　and　Kahlan　both　yawned　as　they　rode。　The　forest　thinned；　with　open　patches　of　meadow；　bright　and　green　and　smelling　sweet　in　the　sunshine　as　they　traveled　through　the　hill　country　on　their　journey　south；　the　road　taking　them　temporarily　farther　from　the　mountains　of　the　boundary。　Occasionally　they　passed　small　farms；　their　owners　making　themselves　scarce　when　they　saw　Chase。
　
　The　land　became　less　familiar　to　Richard；　who　rarely　traveled　this　far　south。　He　kept　a　sharp　lookout；　making　note　of　the　landmarks　they　passed。　After　they　ate　a　cold　lunch　in　the　warm　sun；　the　road　began　angling　steadily　closer　to　the　mountains；　until　in　the　late　afternoon　they　were　so　close　to　the　boundary　that　they　began　encountering　the　gray　skeletons　of　trees　killed　by　the　snake　vine。　Even　the　sun　did　little　to　brighten　the　dense　woods。　Chase's　demeanor　became　distant；　harder；　as　he　observed　everything　carefully。　Several　times　he　dismounted；　walking　his　horse　as　he　studied　the　ground；　reading　tracks。
　
　They　crossed　a　stream　that　flowed　out　of　the　mountains；　the　water　churning　sluggish；　cold；　and　muddy。　Chase　stopped　and　sat；　watching　off　into　the　shadows。　The　rest　of　them　waited；　looking　at　one　another　and　toward　the　boundary。　Richard　recognized　the　dead　smell　of　the　vine　drifting　in　the　air。　The　boundary　warden　led　them　a　little　farther；　then　got　off　his　horse　and　squatted；　studying　the　ground。　When　he　rose；　he　handed　the　reins　of　his　horse　to　Zedd。　He　turned　to　them　and　said　simply；　〃Wait。〃　They　watched　him　disappear　into　the　trees　as　they　sat　quietly。　Kahlan's　big　horse　shivered　flies　off　its　hide　as　it　nibbled　grass。
　
　Chase　returned；　pulling　his　black　gauntlets　on；　and　took　the　reins　from　Zedd。　〃I　want　you　three　to　keep　going。　Don't　wait　for　me；　and　don't　stop。　Keep　to　the　road。〃
　
　〃What　is　it？　What　did　you　find？〃　Richard　asked。
　
　Chase　turned　back　and　gave　him　a　dark　look。　〃The　wolves　have　been　feeding。　I'm　going　to　bury　what's　left；　and　then　I'm　going　cross…country；　between　the　boundary　and　you　three。　I　need　to　check　into　something。　Remember　what　I　said。　Don't　stop。　Don't　run　your　horses；　but　keep　up　a　good　pace；　and　keep　your　eyes　sharp。　If　you　think　I'm　gone　too　long；　don't　you　dare　to　think　to　e　back　looking　for　me。　I　know　what　I'm　doing；　and　you　would　never　find　me。　I'll　be　back；　with　you　when　I　can。　Keep　going　until　then；　and　stay　on　the　road。〃
　
　He　mounted；　turned　his　horse；　and　urged　it　into　a　run；　its　hooves　kicking　up　clumps　of　sod　〃Get　moving！〃　Chase　yelled　back　over　his　shoulder。　As　he　disappeared　through　the　trees　Richard　saw　him　reach　up　to　a　short　sword　strapped　over　his　shoulder　and　pull　it　free。　He　knew　Chase　was　lying。　He　wasn't　going　to　bury　anything。　Richard　didn't　like　to　let　his　friend　go　off　alone　like　this；　but　Chase　spent　most　of　his　life　alone　out　here　by　the　boundary；　and　knew　what　he　was　doing；　what　was　necessary　to　protect　them。　Richard　had　to　trust　his　judgment。
　
　〃You　heard　the　man；〃　the　Seeker　said；　〃let's　go。〃
　
　As　the　three　rode　on　through　the　boundary　woods；　rock　outcroppings　grew　in　size　and　twisted　their　route　one　way　and　then　the　other。　The　trees　became　so　thick　that　the　sunlight　was　all　but　banished　from　the　still　forest；　the　road　a　tunnel　through　the　thicket。　Richard　didn't　like　how　close　everything　felt；　and　as　they　moved　quickly　along　they　all　kept　watching　the　deep　shadows　to　their　left。　Branches　hung　across　the　road；　forcing　them　to　duck　under　as　they　passed。　He　couldn't　imagine　how　Chase　cold　travel　through　a　wood　this　thick。
　
　When　the　way　was　wide　enough；　Richard　rode　up　to　Kahlan's　left；　wanting　to　keep　himself　between　her　and　the　boundary。　He　kept　the　reins　in　his　left　hand　to　leave　his　sword　hand　free。　Her　cloak　was　wrapped　close　around　her；　but　he　saw　she　kept　a　hand　near　her　knife。
　
　Off　to　their　left；　in　the　distance；　came　howling；　something　like　a　；wolf　pack；　only　it　wasn't　wolves。　It　was　something　from　the　boundary。　
　
　The　three　jerked　their　heads　toward　the　sound。　The　horses　were　terrified　and　wanted　to　run。　They　had　to　keep　reining　in；　but　at　the　same　time　let　them　have　enough　freedom　to　trot。　Richard　understood　the　way　the　horses　felt。　He　felt　the　urge　to　let　them　go；　but　Chase　had　said　explicitly　not　to　let　them　run。　He　must　have　had　a　reason；　so　they　held　back。　When　the　howling　was　punctuated　with　bloodcurdling　shrieks　that　made　the　hair　on　his　neck　stand　on　end；　it　became　more　difficult　to　force　himself　to　prevent　the　horses　from　running。　The　shrieks　were　wild　cries；　cries　of　the　need　to　kill；　demanding；　desperate。　The　three　rode　at　a　trot　for　almost　an　hour；　but　the　sounds　seemed　to　follow　them。　There　was　nothing　they　could　do　but　continue；　listening；　as　they　went；　to　beasts　from　the　boundary。
　
　Unable　to　stand　it　any　longer；　Richard　pulled　his　horse　to　a　halt；　and　faced　the　woods。　Chase　was　out　there　alone　with　the　beasts。　He　couldn't　bear　any　longer　to　let　his　friend　face　it　alone。　He　had　to　help。
　
　Zedd　turned。　〃We　have　to　keep　moving；　Richard。〃
　
　〃He　may　be　in　trouble。　We　can't　let　him　do　this　alone。〃
　
　〃It's　his　job；　let　him　do　it。〃
　
　〃Right　now；　his　job　isn't　to　be　boundary　warden；　it's　to　get　us　to　the　pass！〃
　
　The　wizard　rode　back　and　spoke　softly。　〃That's　the　job　he's　doing；　Richard。　He's　sworn　to　protect　you　with　his　life。　That　is　what　he　is　doing；　seeing　to　it　you　get　to　the　pass。　You　have　to　get　it　through　your　head。　What　you　are　doing　is　more　important　than　one　man's　life。　Chase　knows　that。　That's　why　he　said　not　to　e　back　for　him。〃
　
　Richard　was　incredulous。　〃You　expect　me　to　let　a　friend　get　himself　killed　if　I　can　help　prevent　it？〃　The　sounds　of　howling　were　getting　closer；
　
　〃I　expect　you　not　to　let　him　die　for　nothing！〃
　
　Richard　stared　at　his　old　friend。　〃But　maybe　we　can　make　the　difference。〃
　
　〃And　maybe　not。〃　The　horses　stamped　about　skittishly。
　
　〃Zedd　is　right；〃　Kahlan　said。　〃Going　after　Chase　is　not　the　brave　thing　to　do；　going　on　when　you　want　to　help　is。〃
　
　Richard　knew　they　were　right；　but　loathed　admitting　it。　He　looked　angrily　toward　Kahlan。　〃You　may　be　in　his　position　one　day！　Then　what　would　you　have　me　do？〃
　
　She　looked　at　him　evenly。　〃I　would　have　you　go　on。〃　…
　
　He　glared　at　her；　not　knowing　what　to　say。　The　shrieks　from　the　woods　were　closer。　Her　face　showed　no　emotion。
　
　〃Richard；　Chase　does　this　all　the　time；　he　will　be　all　right；〃　Zedd　offered　reassuringly。　〃I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　he　was　having　a　good　time。　Later　on　he　will　have　a　good　tale　to　tell。　You　know　Chase。　Some　of　the　tale　might　even　be　true；〃
　
　Richard　was　angry　at　the　two　of　them；　and　at　himself。　He　kicked　his　horse　out　ahead；　taking　the　lead；　not　wanting　to　talk　anymore。　They　left　him　to　his　thoughts；　let　his　horse　trot　ahead。　It　made　him　angry　that　Kahlan　would　think　he　could　leave　her　like　this。　She　was　no　boundary　warden。　He　didn't　like　it　that　saving　them　might　mean　letting　them　get　killed。　It　didn't　make　any　sense。　At　least　he　didn't　want　it　to　make　any　sense。
　
　He　tried　to　ignore　the　shrieks　and　howls　off　in　the　woods。　After　a　time　the　cries　fell　farther　behind。　The　woods　seemed　devoid　of　life；　no　birds　or　rabbits　or　even　mice；　only　the　twisted　trees　and　bramble　and　shadows。　He　listened　carefully　to　make　sure　he　heard　the　other　two　following。　He　didn't　want　to　turn　and　look；　didn't　want　to　face　them。　After　a　while　he　realized　the　howls　had　stopped。　He　wondered　if　that　was　a　good　sign　or　not。
　
　He　wanted　to　tell　them　he　was　sorry；　that　he　was　just　afraid　for　his　friend；　but　he　couldn't。　He　felt　helpless。　Chase　would　be　all　right；　he　told　himself。　He　was　the　head　of　the　boundary　wardens；　not　a；　fool；　and　he　wouldn't　go　into　anything　he　couldn't　handle。　He　wondered　if　there　was　anything　Chase　couldn't　handle。　He　wondered　if　he　would　be　able　to　tell　Emma；　if　something　happened　to　her　husband。
　
　He　was　letting　his　imagination　run　away　with　him。　Chase　was　fine。　Not　only　was　he　fine；　but　he　would　be　furious　with　Richard　for　thinking　these　thoughts；　for　doubting　him。
　
　He　wondered　if　Chase　would　return　before　nightfall。　Should　they　stop　for　the　night　if　he　didn't？　No。　Chase　had　said　not　to　stop。　They　would　have　to　keep　going；　all　night　if　necessary；　until　he　rejoined　them。　He　felt　as　if　the　mountains　were　looming　over　them；　ready　to　pounce。　He　didn't　think　he　had　ever　been　this　close　to　the　boundary。　'　As　concerned　as　he　was　about　Chase；　his　anger　faded。　Richard　turned　and　looked　back　at　Kahlan。　She　gave　him　a　warm　smile；　and　he　returned　it；　feeling　better。　He　tried　to　imagine　what　the　woods　here　had　looked　like　before　so　many　trees　died。　It　might　have　been　a　beautiful　place；　green；　snug；　safe。　Maybe　his　father　had　e　this　way　when　he　had　crossed　the　boundary；　traveled　this　very　road　with　the　book。
　
　He　wondered　if　all　the　trees　near　the　other　boundary　died　before　it　fell。　Maybe　they　could　just　wait　until　this　one　fell；　too；　and　then　go　across。　Maybe　they　didn't　need　to　go　so　far　out　of　their　way　to　the　south；　to　Kings'　Port。　But　why　should　he　think　going　south　was　out　of　the　way？　He　didn't　know　where　to　go　in　the　Midlands；　so　why　was　one　place　better　than　another？　The　box　they　sought　could　just　as　easily　be　in　the　south