登陆注册
5167500000072

第72章

"They came long before dusk," she said."By the night before Yuruk had won to Ruszark, the city of Cherkis;and long before dawn they were on their way hither.This the black dog I slew told me.""But Yuruk was with us here at dawn yesterday," I gasped.

"A night has passed since then," she said, "and another night is almost gone."Stunned, I considered this.If this were true--and not for an instant did I doubt her--then not for a few hours had we lain there at the foot of the living wall in the Hall of the Cones--but for the balance of that day and that night, and another day and part of still another night.

"What does she say?" Drake stared anxiously into my whitened face.I told him.

"Yes." Norhala spoke again."The dusk before the last dusk that has passed I returned to my house.The maid was there and sorrowing.She told me you had gone into the valley, prayed me to help you and to bring you back.Icomforted her, and something of--the peace--I gave her;but not all, for she fought against it.A little we played together, and I left her sleeping.I sought you and found you also sleeping.I knew no harm would come to you, and I went my ways--and forgot you.Then I came here again --and found Yuruk and these the maid had slain."The great eyes flashed.

"Now do I honor the maid for the battle that she did,"she said, "though how she slew so many strong men I do not know.My heart goes out to her.And therefore when I bring her back she shall no more be plaything to Norhala, but sister.And with you it shall be as she wills.

And woe to those who have taken her!"

She paused, listening.From without came a rising storm of thin wailings, insistent and eager.

"But I have an older vengeance than this to take," the golden voice tolled somberly."Long have I forgotten--and shame I feel that I had forgot.So long have I forgotten all hatreds, all lusts, all cruelty--among--these--"She thrust a hand forth toward the hidden valley."Forgot --dwelling in the great harmonies.Save for you and what has befallen I would never have stirred from them, I think.

But now awakened, I take that vengeance.After it is done"--she paused--"after it is over I shall go back again.For this awakening has in it nothing of the ordered joy I love--it is a fierce and slaying fire.I shall go back--"The shadow of her far dreaming flitted over, softened the angry brilliancy of her eyes.

"Listen, you two!" The shadow of dream fled."Those that I am about to slay are evil--evil are they all, men and women.Long have they been so--yea, for cycles of suns.

And their children grow like them--or if they be gentle and with love for peace they are slain or die of heartbreak.

All this my mother told me long ago.So no more children shall be born from them either to suffer or to grow evil."Again she paused, nor did we interrupt her musing.

"My father ruled Ruszark," she said at last."Rustum he was named, of the seed of Rustum the Hero even as was my mother.They were gentle and good, and it was their ancestors who built Ruszark when, fleeing from the might of Iskander, they were sealed in the hidden valley by the falling mountain.

"Then there sprang from one of the families of the nobles--Cherkis.Evil, evil was he, and as he grew he lusted for rule.On a night of terror he fell upon those who loved my father and slew; and barely had my father time to fly from the city with my mother, still but a bride, and a handful of those loyal to him.

"They found by chance the way to this place, hiding in the cleft which is its portal.They came, and they were taken by--Those who are now my people.Then my mother, who was very beautiful, was lifted before him who rules here and she found favor in his sight and he had built for her this house, which now is mine.

"And in time I was born--but not in this house.Nay--in a secret place of light where, too, are born my people."She was silent.I shot a glance at Drake.The secret place of light--was it not that vast vault of mystery, of dancing orbs and flames transmuted into music into which we had peered and for which sacrilege, I had thought, had been thrust from the City? And did in this lie the explanation of her strangeness? Had she there sucked in with her mother's milk the enigmatic life of the Metal Hordes, been transformed into half human changeling, become true kin to them? What else could explain--"My mother showed me Ruszark," her voice, taking up once more her tale, checked my thoughts."Once when Iwas little she and my father bore me through the forest and through the hidden way.I looked upon Ruszark--a great city it is and populous, and a caldron of cruelty and of evil.

同类推荐
  • 说郛

    说郛

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 黄帝阴符经讲义

    黄帝阴符经讲义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Damnation of Theron Ware

    The Damnation of Theron Ware

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • THE ILIAD

    THE ILIAD

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 和浙西李大夫霜夜对

    和浙西李大夫霜夜对

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 太元武尊

    太元武尊

    鼎元大陆,强者为尊,在这里弱者渺小若蝼蚁,强者浩大如山岳;甚至一些至强者可以劈江断海,开山裂石;更有大神通者可破碎虚空,斩破轮回!大学生龙啸天偶得玉鼎穿越到一落魄少爷身上,靠着玉鼎中无尽的丹方以平庸的资质一步步踏上无上巅峰,成为了即使是天才也要仰望的存在!后一步步强大,重返家乡报仇。在修仙界做出了一番事业。修为分为练气、筑基、心动、金丹、阴虚、元婴、分神、渡劫八个阶段
  • 王爷,夺个皇位给你坐

    王爷,夺个皇位给你坐

    姚玉被鸳鸯佩带到了古代,没有谈情说爱过得她,一来就变成了新娘子,糊里糊涂的嫁进了王府,而娶她的王府三公子,却是个爹不亲娘不爱的人,两个命运相似的人,要如何面对王府中的争斗,如何面对重重难关!
  • 肖复兴 天堂兄弟

    肖复兴 天堂兄弟

    本书为随笔作品集。本书涵盖了肖复兴先生以往音乐随笔集的全部精华和他近几年对音乐更深层次的沉淀,可以说是其音乐评论中里程碑式的总结。
  • 落英殇

    落英殇

    万物因她而生,情缘由她来结。世态炎凉,一念历劫,看透人心之冰寒。回首,却见红灯高挂枝头。情劫未了,回归大陆,会于九天之苍穹。言笑,宛若神坻初下人间。缘结依旧,桃花眼眸,忘却天下之嘈杂。执手,只愿江山依旧,你则安好。
  • 炒股实战秘笈:量价二次买入法

    炒股实战秘笈:量价二次买入法

    本书主要围绕股票的二次买入价值,以二次买入思维改变了起初投资者的习惯性操作模式,真正做到了投资思维的创新。
  • 笑了

    笑了

    叶勐,河北省作协会员。作品见于《人民文学》《芙蓉》等期刊。小说《老正是条狗》入选《2005年短篇小说年选》。《亡命之徒》电影改编。《塞车》被译成英文。《为什么要把小说写得这么好》获2008年度河北十佳优秀作品奖。现为河北省文学院签约作家。
  • 赢在起跑线上

    赢在起跑线上

    人生就像一场马拉松,做到赢在起跑线上,才能从容应对接下来的挑战。
  • 狂夫人

    狂夫人

    强强!女强!VS男强!一个是穿越而来的黑道千金一个是卑贱出身的异姓酷王爷都是京城里跺一跺脚就能引起一场狂震的大人物他们是对手、是知己是爱人、是朋友、是克星…那一场场仿佛要将你骨头都吞掉的欢爱那关于年轻时候最澎湃的激情所有人都是他们的配角世界毁灭都抵不上一句“我高兴”!哦,怎么可以活得那么肆意?没有人可以走进他们的世界除了你这个疯狂的女人除了你这个闷骚的男人该死,你总能让我发狂!发癫!然后发春…那被挑起的火热,让我们用彼此的体温熄灭。——————————————————————————————————————————推荐:好友瑾瑜的新作!!《从了吧师太》新文写尼姑与和尚道士三角恋的!《总裁的复仇女友》蓝眸蓝媚
  • 财富家成长故事(激励学生成长的名人故事)

    财富家成长故事(激励学生成长的名人故事)

    有时候,父母的一个眼神、一句话语,就可以让孩子的性格发生改变,受益或受害终生。“教育绝非单纯的文化传递,教育之所以为教育,正在于它是一种人格心灵的‘唤醒’,这是教育的核心所在。”
  • 河流

    河流

    尤里·瓦西里耶维奇·邦达列夫 俄罗斯当代“战壕派”现实主义作家,一九二四年三月十五日生于奥尔斯克市,反法西斯卫国战争期间一直在炮兵部队服役,军衔少尉,曾两度负伤。战后进入苏联作家协会高尔基文学院学习,毕业后开始职业作家生涯。上世纪八、九十年代任苏联作家协会理事会书记兼俄罗斯联邦作家协会理事会副主席,曾获社会主义劳动英雄勋章,两获苏联国家奖章。其早期作品,着力于战争题材的创作,真实描写战争的血腥残酷,取得巨大成功。后期作品,多侧重对社会生活和人类命运的哲理思考和探索。文吉 八〇年代生人,毕业于首都某外语院校俄语专业,曾于俄联邦国立喀山师范大学求学,现在湖北某高校任教。