tg.wizardfirstrule-第179章

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　Richard　said　nothing；　his　mind　racing　in　a　thousand　directions　at　once。　Think　of　the　solution；　he　told　himself；　not　the　problem。
　
　〃How　did　you　get　the　covering　off　that　box；　without　the　book？〃
　
　〃The　Book　of　Counted　Shadows　is　not　the　only　source　of　in…；　formation　about　the　boxes。　There　are　other　places　that　are　of　aid　to　me。〃　He　looked　down　at　the　dark　box。　〃It　took　a　full　day；　and　every　talent　I　have；　to　get　the　covering　off。〃　He　looked　back　up；　lifting　an　eyebrow。　〃It's　held　on　with　magic；　you　know。　But　I　did　it；　and　I　will　be　able　to　do　it　to　the　other　two。〃
　
　It　was　discouraging　that　Rahl　had　managed　to　get　the　covering　off。　To　open　a　box；　the　covering　had　to　be　removed。　Richard　had　hoped　that　without　the　book；　Rahl　wouldn't　be　able　to　figure　out　how　to　remove　the　covers；　and　not　be　able　to　open　a　box。　That　hope　was　now　lost。
　
　Richard　stared　blankly　at　the　jeweled　box。　〃Page　twelve　of　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows。　Under　the　heading　Shedding　the　Covers；　it　says：　The　covering　on　the　boxes　may　be　removed　by　anyone　with　the　knowledge；　not　only　the　one　who　has　put　them　in　play。〃　Richard　reached　out　and　lifted　the　jeweled　box　off　the　granite。　〃Page　seventeen；　third　paragraph　down　on　the　page。　…If　not；　however；　in　the　hours　of　darkness；　but　in　the　hours　of　the　sun；　the　covering　may　be　removed　from　the　second　box　in　the　following　manner。　Hold　the　box　where　the　sun　may　touch　it；　and　face　north。　If　there　be　clouds；　hold　the　box　where　the　sun　would　touch　it　if　they　were　not　present；　but　face　the　west。〃　Richard　held　the　box　up　in　the　late…day　sunlight。　〃Turn　the　box　that　the　small　end　with　the　blue　stone　may　face　the　quadrant　with　the　sun。　The　yellow　stone　is　to　face　asp。　〃　Richard　turned　the　box。　〃With　the　second　finger　of　the　right　hand　on　the　yellow　stone　in　the　center　of　the　top；　place　the　thumb　of　the　right　hand　on　the　clear　stone　in　the　corner　of　the　bottom。　〃　Richard　grasped　the　box　as　directed。　〃Place　the　first　finger　of　the　left　hand　on　the　blue　stone　on　the　side　facing　away；　the　thumb　of　the　left　hand　on　the　ruby　stone　of　the　side　closest。　〃　Richard　placed　his　fingers　so。　〃Clear　your　mind　of　all　thought；　and　in　its　place；　put　nothing　but　the　image　of　white　with　a　square　of　black　in　its　center。　Pull　the　two　hands　apart；　taking　the　covering　away　with　them。〃
　
　As　Rahl　watched；　Richard　cleared　his　mind；　pictured　white　with　black　in　the　center；　and　pulled。　The　cover　made　a　clicking　sound；　and　came　apart。　He　held　the　box　just　over　the　granite　and　pulled　the　cover　away　as　if　he　were　putting　an　egg　in　a　frying　pan。　Two　equally　black　boxes　sat　side　by　side；　seeming　as　if　they　would　suck　the　light　from　the　room。
　
　〃Remarkable。〃　Rahl　breathed。　〃And　you　know　every　part　of　the　book　this　well？〃
　
　〃Every　word。〃　Richard　glared。　〃What　I　have　told　you　will　be　of　no　aid　in　removing　the　third　cover；　however。　They　each　e　off　differently。〃
　
　Rahl　gave　a　little　wave　of　his　hand。　〃No　matter。　I　will　get　it　off。〃　He　held　an　elbow　in　one　hand　and　touched　a　finger　of　the　other　to　his　chin；　absorbed　in　thought。　〃You　are　free　to　go。〃
　
　Richard　frowned。　〃What　do　you　mean；　I　am　free　to　go？　Aren't　you　going　to　try　to　get　the　book　out　of　me？　Kill　me？〃
　
　Rahl　shrugged。　〃It　would　do　me　no　good。　The　ways　I　have　of　getting　information　from　you　would　damage　your　brain。　The　information　would　be　disjointed。　°　If　it　were　anything　else；　I　would　be　able　to　put　the　pieces　together；　and　figure　it　out；　but　I　can　see　the　book　is　too　specific　for　that。　The　information　would　only　end　up　being　spoiled；　and　of　no　use　to　me。　You；　therefore；　are　of　no　use　to　me　right　now；　so　you　may　go。〃
　
　Richard　was　worried。　There　was　something　more　to　this。　〃Just　like　that？　I　may　go？　You　must　know　I　will　try　to　stop　you。〃
　
　Rahl　licked　his　fingers。　His　eyes　came　up。　〃I'm　not　worried　about　anything　you　could　do。　But　you　must　be　back　here　in　one　week；　when　I　open　the　boxes；　if　you　care　at　all　what　happens　to　everyone。〃
　
　Richard　narrowed　his　eyes。　〃What　do　you　mean；　if　I　care　what　happens　to　everyone？〃
　
　〃In　one　week；　on　the　first　day　of　winter；　I'm　going　to　open　one　of　the　boxes。　I　have　been　able　to　learn；　from　sources　other　than　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows；　the　same　sources　that　told　me　how　I　might　remove　the　cover；　how　to　tell　which　box　it　is　that　would　kill　me。　Beyond　that；　I　will　have　to　guess。　If　I　open　the　right　one；　I　will　rule　unchallenged。　If　I　open　the　other；　the　world　will　be　destroyed。〃
　
　〃You　would　let　that　happen？〃
　
　Darken　Rahl's　eyebrows　lifted　as　he　leaned　toward　Richard。　〃One　world；　or　no　world。　That　is　the　way　it　shall　be。〃
　
　〃I　don't　believe　you。　You　don't　know　which　box　will　destroy　you。〃
　
　〃Even　if　I　were　lying；　I　would　still　have　two　chances　in　three　of　having　my　way。　You　would　have　only　one　in　three　of　it　working　out　in　your　favor。　Not　good　odds；　for　you。　But；　I'm　not　lying。　Either　the　world　is　destroyed；　or　I　rule　it。　You　must　decide　which　you　would　rather　have　happen。　If　you　don't　help　me；　and　I　open　the　wrong　box；　I　will　be　destroyed；　along　with　everyone　else；　including　those　you　care　for。　If　you　don't　help　me；　and　I　open　the　one　I　want；　then　I　will　turn　Kahlan　over　to　Constance；　for　training。　A　good　long　training。　You　will　watch　the　whole　thing　before　I　kill　you。　Then　Kahlan　will　bear　me　a　son；　an　heir。　A　son　who　will　be　a　Confessor。〃
　
　Richard　went　cold　with　pain　worse　than　any　Denna　had　given　him。　〃You　are　trying　to　make　me　an　offer　of　some　sort？〃
　
　Rahl　nodded。　〃If　you　e　back　in　time；　and　help　me；　you　will　be　permitted　to　go　about　your　life。　I　will　let　you　be。〃
　
　〃What　about　Kahlan？〃
　
　〃She　will　live　here；　in　the　People's　Palace；　and　be　treated　like　a　queen。　She　will　have　every　fort　any　woman　could'　have；　the　kind　of　life　a　Confessor　is　used　to。　Something　you　could　never　provide　her。　She　will　live　a　life　of　peace　and　safety；　and　she　will　bear　me　the　Confessor　son　I　wish。　Either　way；　she　will　bear　me　a　son。　That　is　my　choice。　Your　choice　is　how：　as　Constance's　pet；　or　as　a　queen。　So　you　see？　I　think　you　will　be　back。　And　if　I　am　wrong。。。〃　He　shrugged。　〃One　world；　or　no　world。〃
　
　Richard　could　hardly　breathe。　〃I　don't　think　you　know　which　box　will　destroy　you。〃
　
　〃You　will　have　to　decide　what　you　will　believe。　I　feel　no　need　to　convince　you。〃　His　expression…darkened。　〃Choose　wisely；　my　young　friend。　You　may　not　like　the　choices　I　have　given　you；　but　you　will　like　the　results　of　not　helping　me　even　less。　Not　all　choices　in　life　are　ones　you　would　like；　but　those　are　all　that　are　presented　to　you。　Sometimes　you　must　choose　what　is　better　for　the　ones　you　love　than　yourself。〃
　
　〃I　still　don't　think　you　know　which　box　will　kill　you；〃　Richard　Whispered。
　
　〃Think　what　you　will；　but　ask　yourself　if　you　are　willing　to　bet　Kahlan's　future　with　Constance　on　what　you　think。　Even　if　you　were　right；　it　still　gives　you　only　one　chance　in　three。〃
　
　Richard　felt　empty；　devastated。　〃Am　I　free　to　go　now？〃
　
　〃Well；　there　are　a　few　other　matters　you　may　want　to　know　about。〃
　
　Richard　felt　himself　abruptly　paralyzed；　as　if　invisible　hands　were　gripping　him。　He　couldn't　move　a　muscle。　Darken　Rahl　reached　into　Richard's　pocket　and　took　out　the　leather　pouch　with　the　night　stone。　Richard　fought　against　the　force　that　held　him；　but　could　not　move。　Rahl　dumped　the　night　stone　in…his　hand。　He　held　it　up　in　his　palm；　smiling。
　
　Shadow　things　began　to　materialize。　They　gathered　around　Rahl；　their　numbers　growing。　Richard　wished　he　could　back　away；　but　he　couldn't　move。
　
　〃Time　to　go　home；　my　friends。〃
　
　The　shadows　began　swirling　around　Rahl；　faster　and　faster；　until　they　were　a　blur　of　gray。　A　howl　rose　as　they　were　sucked　into　the　night　stone　in　a　whirl　of　shadows　and　shapes。　Silence。　They　were　gone。　The　night　stone　turned　to　ash　in　Rahl's　palm。　He　blew　on　it　and　the　ash　puffed　into　the　air。
　
　〃The　Old　One　has　been　checking　on　you；　using　the　night　stone　to　find　where　you　are。　The　next　time　he　searches；　he　is　going　to　have　a　very　unpleasant　experience。　He　is　going　to　find　himself　in　the　underworld。〃
　
　Richard　was　furious　at　what　Darken　Rahl　was　doing　to　Zedd；　and　he　was　furious　that　he　couldn't　move；　that　he　was　helpless　an