tg.wizardfirstrule-第89章

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id　not　speak　to　them　or　even　acknowledge　that　he　knew　they　were　there。　The　spirits　were　in　his　eves。
　
　Kahlan　and　Richard　sat　in　silence　in　the　empty；　dark　room；　waiting。　She　picked　at　the　heel　of　her　boot；　trying　not　to　think　about　what　it　was　she　had　mitted　herself　to；　yet　unable　to　think　of　anything　else。
　
　Richard　would　be　unarmed；　without　his　sword；　his　protection。　But　she　would　not　be　without　her　power。　She　would　be　his　protection。　Though　she　had　not　spoken　it；　that　was　the　other　reason　she　had　to　be　in　there。　If　anything　went　wrong；　it　was　going　to　be　she　who　died；　not　him；　that　much　she　knew。　She　would　see　to　it。　She　steeled　herself；　went　into　herself。　She　heard　the　Bird　Man　call　out　Richard's　name。　He　rose　to　his　feet。
　
　〃Let's　hope　this　works。　If　it　doesn't；　we're　in　a　lot　of　trouble。　I'm　glad　I'll　have　you　there。〃　It　was　a　warning；　to　stay　alert。
　
　She　nodded。　〃Just　remember；　Richard；　these　are　our　people　now；　we　belong。　They　want　to　help　us；　they　will　be　doing　their　best。〃
　
　Kahlan　sat　hugging　her　knees；　waiting；　until　her　name　was　called；　then　went　out　into　the　cool；　dark　night。　The　Bird　Man　sat　against　the　wall　of　the　spirit　house；　on　the　little　bench。　She　could　see　in　the　dark　that　he　was　naked；　symbols　painted　in　jagged　lines；　stripes　and　whorls　all　over　his　body；　his　silver　hair　down　around　his　bare　shoulders。　Chickens　roosted　on　a　short　wall　nearby；　watching。　A　hunter　stood　near　the　Bird　Man。　Coyote　hides；　clothes；　and　Richard's　sword　lay　at　his　feet。
　
　〃Remove　your　clothes；　〃　the　Bird　Man　said。
　
　〃What　is　this？〃　she　asked；　pointing　at　the　hunter。
　
　〃He　is　here　to　take　the　clothes。　They　are　taken　to　the　elders'　platform；　for　the　people　to　see　that　we　are　in　a　gathering。　Before　dawn；　he　will　return　them；　to　let　the　people　know　that　the　gathering　is　at　an　end。　〃
　
　〃Well；　tell　him　to　turn　around。　〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　gave　the　order。　The　hunter　turned　around。　She　gripped　the　tongue　of　her　belt；　yanked　it　free　from　the　catch。　She　paused；　looking　down　at　the　Bird　Man。
　
　〃Child；　〃　he　said　softly；　〃tonight　you　are　neither　man　nor　woman。　You　are　a　Mud　Person。　Tonight；　1　am　neither　man　nor　woman。　I　am　a　spirit　guide。　〃
　
　She　nodded；　removed　her　clothes；　and　stood　before　him；　the　cold　night　air　on　her　naked　flesh。　He　scooped　a　handful　of　white　mud　from　one　of　the　pots。　His　hands　paused　before　her。　She　waited。　He　was　clearly　skittish　about　doing　this；　despite　what　he　said。　Seeing　was　one　thing；　touching　quite　another。
　
　Kahlan　reached　out；　took　his　hand；　and　pulled　it　firmly　against　her　belly；　feeling　the　cold　mud　squish　against　her。
　
　〃Do　it；〃　she　ordered。
　
　When　finished；　they　pulled　the　door　open　and　went　inside；　he　sitting　among　the　circle　of　painted　elders；　she　opposite　him；　next　to　Richard。　Black　and　white　lines　swept　diagonally　across　Richard's　face　in　dramatic　tangles；　a　mask　they　all　wore　for　the　spirits。　The　skulls　that　had　sat　on　the　shelf　were　arranged　in　the　center　of　the　circle。　A　small　fire　burned　slowly　in　the　fireplace　behind　her；　giving　off　an　odd；　acrid　smell。　The　elders　stared　fixedly　ahead　as　they　rhythmically　chanted　words　she　couldn't　understand。　The　Bird　Man's　far…off　eyes　came　up。　The　door　closed　of　its　own　accord。
　
　〃From　now；　until　we　are　finished；　near　dawn；　no　one　may　go　out；　no　one　may　e　in。　The　door　is　barred　by　the　spirits。　〃
　
　Kahlan's　eyes　swept　the　room；　but　saw　nothing。　A　shiver　ran　up　her　spine。　The　Bird　Man　took　a　woven　basket　sitting　near　him　and　reached　inside。　He　pulled　out　a　small　frog；　then　passed　the　basket　to　the　next　elder。　Each　took　a　frog　and　began　rubbing　its　back　against　the　skin　of　his　chest。　When　the　basket　reached　her；　she　held　it　between　her　hands　and　looked　up　at　the　Bird　Man。
　
　〃Why　do　we　do　this？〃
　
　〃These　are　red　spirit　frogs；　very　hard　to　find。　They　have　a　substance　on　their　backs　that　makes　us　forget　this　world；　and　allows　us　to　see　the　spirits。　〃
　
　〃Honored　elder；　1　may　be　one　of　the　Mud　People；　but　1　am　also　a　Confessor。　I　must　always　hold　back　my　power。　If　I　forget　this　world；　I　may　not　be　able　to　do　that。　〃
　
　〃It　is　too　late　to　back　out　now。　The　spirits　are　with　us。　They　have　seen　you；　seen　the　symbols　on　you　that　open　their　eyes。　You　may　not　leave。　If　one　is　here　who　is　blind　to　them；　they　will　kill　that　person；　and　steal　their　spirit。　I　understand　your　problem；　but　I　cannot　help　you。　You　will　just　have　to　do　your　best　to　hold　back　your　power。　If　you　cannot　do　so；　then　one　of　us　will　be　lost。　It　is　a　price　we　will　have　to　pay。　If　you　want　to　die；　then　leave　your　frog　in　the　basket。　If　you　want　to　stop　Darken　Rahl；　take　it　out。　〃
　
　She　stared　wide…eyed　into　his　grim　face；　then　reached　into　the　basket。　The　frog　wriggled　and　kicked　in　her　hand　as　she　passed　the　basket　to　Richard；　telling　him　what　to　do。　Swallowing　hard；　she　pushed　the　cold　slimy　back　of　the　frog　against　her　chest；　between　her　breasts；　to　the　one　place　on　her　where　there　were　no　symbols　painted；　pushed　it　around　in　circles　as　the　others　had　done。　Where　the　slime　touched　her　skin；　it　felt　tingly；　tight。　The　feeling　spread　through　her。　The　sounds　of　the　drums　and　the　boldas　grew　in　her　ears　until　it　seemed　as　if　the　sound　was　the　only　thing　in　the　world。　Her　body　vibrated　with　the　beat。　In　her　mind；　she　took　hold　of　her　power；　held　it　tightly；　concentrated　on　her　control　of　it；　then；　hoping　it　was　enough；　she　felt　herself　drift　away。
　
　Everyone　took　the　hand　of　the　person　to　each　side。　The　walls　of　the　room　swam　away　from　her　vision。　Her　consciousness　undulated；　like　ripples　on　a　pond；　floating；　bobbing；　pitching。　She　felt　herself　beginning　to　spin　in　a　circle　with　the　others；　around　and　around　the　skulls　in　the　center。　The　skulls　brightened；　lighting　the　faces　of　everyone　in　the　circle。　They　were　all　swallowed　into　a　soft　void　of　nothingness。　Shafts　of　light；　from　the　center；　spun　with　them。
　
　All　around；　shapes　closed　in。　In　terror；　she　recognized　what　they　were。
　
　Shadow　things。
　
　Unable　to　get　a　scream　out；　her　breath　caught　in　her　throat；　she　squeezed　Richard's　hand。　She　had　to　protect　him。　She　tried　to　get　up；　to　throw　herself　over　him　so　they　couldn't　touch　him。　But　her　body　wouldn't　move。　She　realized　with　horror　that　it　was　because　hands；　hands　of　the　shadow　things；　were　on　her。　She　struggled；　struggled　to　get　up；　to　protect　Richard。　Her　mind　raced　with　panic。　Had　they　already　killed　her？　Was　she　dead？　Was　she　no　more　than　a　spirit　now？　Unable　to　move？　The　shadow　things　stared　down　at　her。　Shadow　things　didn't　have　faces。　These　did。　Mud　People　faces。
　
　They　weren't　shadow　things；　she　realized　with　a　wave　of　relief；　the　were　the　ancestors'　spirits。　She　caught　her　breath；　eased　the　panic　back　down。　Relaxed　herself。；
　
　〃Who　calls　this　gathering？〃
　
　It　was　the　spirits　speaking。　All　of　them。　Together。　The　sound；　hollow；　flat；　dead；　almost　took　her　breath　away。　But　it　was　the　Bird　Man's　mouth　that　moved。
　
　〃Who　calls　this　gathering？〃　they　repeated。
　
　〃This　man　does；　〃　she　said；　〃this　man　beside　me。　Richard　With　The　Temper〃
　
　They　floated　between　the　elders；　gathering　into　the　center　of　the　circle。
　
　〃Release　his　hands。　〃
　
　Kahlan　and　Savidlin　let　go　of　Richard's　hands。　The　spirits　spun　in　the　center　of　the　circle；　then；　in　a　rush；　they　came　out　in　a　line；　passing　through　Richard's　body。
　
　He　inhaled　sharply；　threw　his　head　back；　and　screamed　in　agony　as　they　swept　through　him。
　
　Kahlan　jumped。　The　spirits　all　hovered　behind　him。　The　elders　all　closed　their　eyes。
　
　〃Richard！〃
　
　His　head　came　back　down。　〃It's　all　right。　I'm　all　right；〃　he　managed　in　a　hoarse　voice；　but　he　was　clearly　still　in　pain。
　
　The　spirits　moved　around　the　circle；　behind　the　elders；　then　settled　into　their　bodies；　both　spirit　and　man；　in　the　same　place　at　the　same　time。　It　gave　the　elders　a　soft；　indefinite　appearance　around　the　edges。　Their　eyes　e　open。
　
　〃Why　have　you　called　us？〃　the　Bird　Man　asked；　in　their　hollow；　harmonic　voices。
　
　She　leaned　a　little　toward　Richard；　keeping　her　eyes　on　the　Bird　Man。　〃They　want　you　to　say　why　you　called　this　gathering。〃
　
　Richard　took　a　few　deep　breaths；　recovering　from　what　they　had　done　to　him。
　
　〃I　called　this　gathering　because　I　must　find　an　object　of　magic　before　Darken　Rahl　finds　it。　Before　he　can　use　it。〃　Kahlan　translated　as　the　spirits　talked　to　Richard　through　the　elders。
　
　〃How　many　men　have　you　killed？〃　Savidlin　asked　with　spirit　voices。
　
　Richard　answered　without　hesitation。　〃Two。〃
　
　〃Why？〃　Hajanlet　asked　in　their　haunting　tones。
　
　〃To　keep　them　from　killing　me。〃
　
　〃Both？〃
　
　He　thought　a　moment。　〃The　first　one　I　killed　in　self…defense。　The　second　I　killed　in　defense　of　a　friend。〃
　
　'　〃Do　you　think　the　defense　of　a　friend　gives　you　the　right　to　kill？〃　Arbrin's　mouth　moved　this　time。
　
　〃Yes。〃
　
　〃Suppose　he　was　going　to　kill　your　friend　only　to　defend　the　life　of　his　friend？〃
　
　Richard　took　a　deep　breath。　〃What's　the　point　of　the　question？〃
　
　〃The　point　is；　according　to　what　you　believe；　that　you　think　it　is　justified　to　kill　in　the　defense　of　a　friend；　then　if　he　was　killing　to　defend　a　friend；　he　had　the　right　to　kill　your