tg.wizardfirstrule-第99章

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　Richard　couldn't　begin　to　imagine　what　sort　of　creature　Samuel　was。　There　was　something　familiar；　unsettling；　about　him。　He　wasn't　very　tall；　but　he　was　powerfully　strong。　Richard's　jaw　still　throbbed　from　where　Samuel　had　hit　him；　and　his　neck　and　head　ached　from　having　his　head　pounded　on　the　ground
　
　Long　arms　nearly　reached　the　ground　as　Samuel　walked　along　in　an　odd　waddle；　muttering　over　and　over　that　he　didn't　want　to　be　cooked。　Short；　dark　pants　held　up　with　straps　were　all　he　wore。　His　feet　were　as　disproportionately　large　as　his　hands　and　arms。　His　belly　was　round　and　full；　with　what；　Richard　could　only　wonder。　There　was　no　hair　on　him　anywhere；　and　his　skin　looked　as　if　it　hadn't　been　in　the　sunlight　in　years。　From　time　to　time；　Samuel　would　snatch　up　a　stick；　or　a　rock；　and　say　〃Mine！　Gimme！〃　to　no　one　in　particular；　only　to　soon　lose　interest　and　drop　his　latest　find。
　
　Keeping　a　sharp　eye　on　both　the　woods　and　Samuel；　Richard　followed　the　panion；　prodding　him　to　move　faster。　He　was　afraid　for　Kahlan；　and　he　was　furious　at　himself。　Old　John；　or　the　Calthrop；　whatever　it　was；　had　pletely　taken　him　in。　He　couldn't　believe　how　stupid　he　had　been。　He　had　fallen　for　the　story　because　he　had　wanted　to　believe；　had　wanted　so　badly　to　see　Zedd。　The　very　thing　he　had　always　told　others　not　to　do。　And　there　he　was；　giving　the　monster　the　information　it　then　repeated　back　to　him　as　proof。　He　was　furious　at　how　stupid　he　had　been。　He　was　also　painfully　ashamed。
　
　People　believe　things　because　they　want　to；　he　had　told　Kahlan；　and　so　had　he；　and　now　the　witch　woman　had　her。　The　very　thing　she　had　been　so　afraid　of；　and　because　he　had　been　so　stupid；　had　let　his　guard　down。　It　seemed　that　every　time　he　let　his　guard　down；　she　was　the　one　who　paid　the　price。　If　the　witch　woman　harmed　Kahlan；　she　would　find　out　what　the　wrath　of　a　Seeker　was　all　about；　he　vowed　to　himself。
　
　Once　again　he　reprimanded　himself。　He　was　letting　his　imagination　get　away　from　him。　If　Shota　wanted　to　kill　her；　she　would　have　done　so　on　the　spot。　She　wouldn't　be　taking　her　back　to　Agaden　Reach。　But　why　take　her　back　to　the　Reach？　Unless；　as　Samuel　put　it；　she　wanted　to　play　with　her。　Richard　tried　to　put　that　thought　out　of　his　mind。　It　had　to　be　him　she　wanted；　not　Kahlan。　That　was　probably　why　the　Calthrop　left　so　quickly；　the　witch　woman　had　scared　it　off。
　
　When　they　reached　the　fork　they　had　passed　before；　Samuel　took　them　immediately　down　the　left　path。　It　was　getting　dark；　but　the　panion　didn't　slow。　The　trail　started　climbing　up　steep　switch…　backs；　and　soon　they　were　out　of　the　trees；　onto　an　open　trail　across　the　rock；　climbing　steadily　toward　the　jagged；　snow…covered　peaks。
　
　In　the　moonlit　snow；　Richard　could　see　two　sets　of　footprints；　one　of　them　Kahlan's。　A　good　sign；　he　thought；　she　was　still　alive。　It　didn't　look　like　Shota　intended　to　kill　her。　At　least　not　right　away。
　
　Skirting　the　bottom　of　the　snowcaps；　the　path　led　over　the　bottom　fringes　of　the　snow；　which　was　wet；　heavy；　and　hard　to　walk　through。　Without　Samuel　leading　the　way；　knowing　where　this　pass　was；　Richard　realized　it　would　take　days　to　make　it　over　these　peaks。　The　cold　wind　whipped　through　the　gaps　in　the　rock；　pulling　away　long　thin　clouds　of　their　breath　in　the　frigid　air。　Samuel　was　shivering。　Richard　put　on　his　cloak；　then　pulled　Kahlan's　out　of　the　pack　Samuel　was　carrying。
　
　〃This　belongs　to　the　pretty　lady。　You　may　wear　it；　for　now；　to　keep　warm。〃
　
　Samuel　snatched　the　cloak　out　of　his　hands。　〃Mine！　Gimme！〃
　
　〃If　you're　going　to　be　like　that；　then　I　won't　let　you　wear　it。〃　Richard　pulled　the　rope　taut　and　yanked　the　cloak　back。
　
　〃Please！　Samuel　cold；〃　he　whined。　〃Please？　Wear　the　pretty　lady's　cloak？〃
　
　Richard　handed　it　back。　This　time　the　panion　took　it　slowly；　and　put　it　around　his　shoulders。　The　little　creature　made　Richard's　skin　crawl。　He　took　out　a　piece　of　tava　bread　and　ate　it　as　they　walked　along。　Samuel　kept　looking　over　his　shoulder；　watching　Richard　eat。　When　he　could　stand　it　no　longer；　Richard　offered　Samuel　a　piece。
　
　The　big　hands　reached　out。　〃Mine！　Gimme！〃　Richard　pulled　the　bread　back；　out　of　reach。　Pleading　yellow　eyes　looked　up　at　him　in　the　moonlight。　〃Please？〃　Richard　carefully　put　the　bread　into　his　eager　hands。
　
　Samuel　made　small　talk　as　he　they　trudged　through　the　snow。　He　had　eaten　the　bread　in　one　bite。　Richard　knew　if　given　the　chance；　Samuel　would　slit　his　throat　without　a　second　thought。　He　seemed　to　be　a　creature　devoid　of　any　redeeming　qualities。
　
　〃Samuel；　why　does　Shota　keep　you　around？〃
　
　He　looked　back　over　his　shoulder；　his　yellow　eyes。　set　in　a　puzzled　frown。　〃Samuel　panion。〃　〃And　won't　your　mistress　be　angry　with　you　for　leading　me　to　her？〃
　
　Samuel　made　a　gurgling　sound　that　Richard　took　for　laughter。　〃Mistress　not　afraid　of　Seeker。〃
　
　…＋
　
　Near　dawn；　at　the　edge　of　a　descent　into　a　dark　wood；　Samuel's　long　arm　pointed　downward。　〃Agaden　Reach；〃　he　gurgled。　He　looked　back　over　his　shoulder　with　a　taunting　grin。　〃Mistress。〃
　
　The　heat　was　oppressive　in　the　wood。　Richard　took　off　his　cloak　and　put　it　in　his　pack；　then　stuffed　Kahlan's　back　in　hers。　Samuel　watched　without　protest。　He　seemed　happy；　confident；　to　be　back　in　the　Reach。　Richard　pretended　he　could　see　where　they　were　going；　not　wanting　to　give　the　panion　any　idea　that　he　was　almost　blind　in　the　thick　darkness。　Richard　let　himself　be　guided　along　by　the　rope；　like　a　blind　man。　Samuel　loped　along　as　if　it　were　bright　as　midday。　Whenever　he　turned　his　hairless　head　back　to　Richard；　his　yellow　eyes　shone　like　twin　lanterns。
　
　As　the　light　of　dawn　slowly　suffused　the　wood；　Richard　could　begin　to　see　large　trees　all　about；　trailers　of　moss　wafting　down；　boggy　patches　with　vapor　rising　from　the　black；　murky　water；　pairs　of　eyes　that　watched　and　blinked　from　the　shadows。　Hollow　calls　echoed　through　the　mist　and　vapor　as　he　stepped　carefully　over　the　tangle　of　roots。　The　place　reminded　him　a　little　of　the　Skow　Swamp。　It　smelled　just　as　rank。
　
　〃How　much　farther？〃
　
　〃Close。〃　Samuel　grinned。
　
　Richard　took　up　the　slack　on　the　rope。　〃Just　remember；　if　anything　goes　wrong；　you　die　first。〃
　
　The　grin　faded　from　the　bloodless　lips。
　
　Here　and　there　in　the　mud　Richard　could　see　the　same　pair　of　footprints　that　he　had　seen　in　the　snow。　Kahlan　was　still　walking。　Dark　forms　followed；　keeping　to　the　shadows；　the　thick　brush；　sometimes　letting　out　whoops　and　howls。　Richard　wondered；　and　worried；　if　they　were　more　things　like　Samuel。　Or　worse。　Some　followed　in　the　treetops；　just　beyond　sight。　Despite　his　best　efforts　to　halt　it；　a　shiver　went　up　his　spine。
　
　Samuel　skirted　off　the；　path；　around　the　twisted　roots　of　a　squat；　fat…trunked　tree。
　
　〃What're　you　doing？〃　Richard　asked；　pulling　the　panion　to　a　halt。
　
　Samuel　grinned　back　at　him。　〃Watch。〃　He　picked　up　a　stout　stick；　big　as　his　wrist；　and　threw　it　with　an　underhand　swing　into　the　roots　of　the　tree。　The　roots　whipped　out；　knotting　around　the　stick；　pulling　it　under　the　tangled　mass。　Richard　heard　it　snapping　apart。　Samuel　gurgled　with　laughter。
　
　As　the　sun　climbed　higher；　the　woods　of　Agaden　Reach　seemed　to　bee　even　darker。　Dead　branches　twisted　together　overhead；　and　mist　occasionally　drifted　across　their　way。　At　times　Richard　couldn't　even　see　Samuel　on　the　other　end　of　the　wet　rope。　But　always　he　could　hear　things：　scratching；　clawing；　whistling；　things　clicking　at　them　from　just　out　of　sight。　Sometimes　the　mist　twirled　and　spun　at　the　passing　of　creatures　darting　by；　near　but　unseen。
　
　Richard　remembered　what　Kahlan　had　said：　they　were　going　to　die。　He　tried　to　put　the　thought　out　of　his　head。　She　had　told　him　she　had　never　met　the　witch　woman；　only　heard　others　speak　of　her。　But　what　she　had　heard　had　terrified　her。　Those　who　went　in　never　came　out。　Not　even　a　wizard　would　go　into　Agaden　Reach；　she　had　said。　But　still；　it　was　secondhand　knowledge；　she　hadn't　ever　met　Shota。　Maybe　the　stories　were　exaggerated。　His　eyes　scanned　the　menacing；　forbidding　woods。　And　maybe　not。
　
　From　ahead；　through　the　tangles　mass　of　trees；　came　light；　sunlight；　and　the　sound　of　rushing　water。　The　farther　they　went；　the　brighter　it　became。　Soon　they　reached　the　edge　of　the　dark　wood。　The　trail　simply　ended。　Samuel　gurgled　with　glee。
　
　Spread　out　far　below　was　a　long　valley；　green；　bright；　lit　by　the　sun。　Gigantic　rocky　peaks　soared　almost　straight　up　all　around　it。　Fields　of　golden　grasses　among　stands　of　oak；　beech；　and　maple　set　in　rich　autumn　colors　rippled　in　the　breeze。　In　the　dark　forest　where　they　stood；　it　felt　like　standing　in　night；　looking　out　on　day。　Water　tumbled　off　the　rocks　beside　them；　down　the　vertical　drop；　disappearing　soundlessly　through　the　air　until　it　reached　the　clear　pools　and　streams　below；　where　it　made　a　distant　roar　and　a　hiss。　Spray　drifted　up　past　them；　wetting　their　faces。
　
　Samuel　pointed　down　into　the　valley。　〃Mistress。〃
　
　Richard　nodded　and　had　him　move　on。　Samuel　led　them　through　a　labyrinth　of　brush；　tight　trees；　and　fern…covered　boulders；　to　a　place　Richard　would　never　have　found　without　his　little　guide：　a　trail　hidden　behind　rocks　and　v