tg.wizardfirstrule-第59章

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ere　at　all。〃
　
　Adie's　white　eyes　regarded　him　with　strained　tolerance。　〃Tell　me；〃　she　said　in　her　dry　rasp；　〃do　you　know　Kahlan's　secret；　the　one　she　keeps　from　you？〃
　
　Richard　said　nothing　and　tried　to　show　no　emotion。　Adie　turned　to　Kahlan。
　
　〃Tell　me；　child；　do　you　know　the　secret　he　keeps　from　you？〃　Kahlan　said　nothing。　Adie　looked　back　to　Richard。　〃Does　the　wizard　know　of　the　secret　you　keep　from　him？　No。　Do　you　know　the　secret　the　wizard　keeps　from　you？　No。　Three　blind　people。　Hmm？　Seems　I　be　able　to　see　better　than　you。〃
　
　Richard　wondered　what　secret　Zedd　was　keeping　from　him。　He　lifted　an　eyebrow。　〃And　which　of　these　secrets　do　you　know；　Adie？〃
　
　She　pointed　a　thin　finger　at　Kahlan。　〃Hers　only。〃
　
　Richard　was　relieved；　but　tried　to　let　his　face　show　nothing。　He　had　been　on　the　verge　of　panic。　〃Everyone　has　secrets；　my　friend；　and　has　a　right　to　keep　them　when　there　is　need。〃
　
　Her　smile　widened。　〃That　be　true；　Richard　Cypher。〃
　
　〃Now；　what　about　these　two？〃
　
　〃Do　you　know　how　to　heal　them？〃　she　asked。
　
　〃No。　If　I　did；　I　obviously　would　have　already　done　so。〃
　
　〃Your　impatience　is　to　be　forgiven；　it　be　only　right　for　you　to　fear　for　the　lives　of　your　friends。　I　bear　you　no　ill　will　for　your　concern。　But　be　at　ease；　they　have　been　receiving　help　from　the　moment　you　brought　them　in。〃
　
　Richard　gave　her　a　confused　look。　〃Really？〃　She　nodded。　〃They　be　struck　down　by　underworld　beasts。　It　will　take　time　for　them　to　wake；　days。　How　many　I　cannot　say。　But　they　be　dry。　Lack　of　water　will　be　the　death　of　them；　therefore　they　must　be　brought　awake　enough　to　drink；　or　they　will　die。　The　wizard　breathes　slow　not　because　he　be　worse；　but　because　that　be　the　way　wizards　save　strength　in　time　of　trouble　they　go　into　a　deeper　sleep。　I　must　bring　them　both　awake　to　drink。　You　will　not　be　able　to　talk　to　them；　they　will　not　know　you；　so　be　not　afraid　when　you　see　it。　Go　to　the　corner；　bring　the　water　bucket。〃
　
　Richard　retrieved　the　water　and　then　helped　Adie　lower　herself　to　sit　cross…legged　at　the　heads　of　Zedd　and　Chase。　She　pulled　Kahlan　down　next　to　her。　She　asked　Richard　to　bring　a　bone　implement　from　the　shelf。
　
　Part　of　it　looked　very　much　like　a　human　thighbone。　The　entire　object　had　a　dark　brown　patina；　and　looked　to　be　ancient。　Down　the　shaft　of　the　bone　were　carved　symbols　Richard　didn't　recognize。　At　one　end　were　two　skull　tops；　one　to　each　side　of　the　ball。　They　had　been　cut　smoothly　into　half　spheres；　and　covered　with　dried　skin　of　some　kind。　In　the　center　of　each　skin　was　a　knot　that　looked　like　a　navel。　Spaced　evenly　around　each　skin；　where　it　stretched　across　the　skull　edge；　were　tufts　of　coarse　black　hair　tied　on　with　beaded　thread　that　matched　that　around　the　neck　of　Adie's　robe。　The　skull　tops　looked　like　they　could　be　human。　Something　inside　rattled。
　
　Richard　handed　it　respectfully　to　Adie。　〃What　makes　the　rattle？〃
　
　Without　looking　up；　she　said；　〃Dried　eyes。〃　　‘
　
　Adie　shook　the　bone　rattle　gently　from　side　to　side　over　the　heads　of　Zedd　and　Chase　while　mumbling　a　chant　in　the　strange　language　in　which　she　had　spoken　to　Kahlan。　The　rattle　made　a　hollow；　wooden　sound。　Kahlan　sat　cross…legged　next　to　her；　head　bowed。　Richard　stood　back　and　watched。
　
　After　ten　or　fifteen　minutes；　Adie　motioned　with　her　hand　for　him　to　e　closer。　Zedd　suddenly　sat　up　and　opened　his　eyes。　Richard　realized　she　wanted　him　to　give　him　water。　She　continued　to　chant　as　he　dipped　the　ladle　in　and　held　it　up　to　Zedd's　mouth。　He　drank　thirstily。　Richard　was　thrilled　to　see　the　old　man　sit　up　and　open　his　eyes；　even　if　he　couldn't　talk；　even　if　he　didn't　know　where　he　was。　Zedd　drank　half　a　bucket　of　water。　When　finished；　he　lay　back　down　and　closed　his　eyes。　Chase　was　next；　and　he　drank　the　other　half　of　the　water。
　
　Adie　handed　Richard　the　bone　rattle　and　asked　him　to　return　it　to　the　shelf。　Next　she　had　him　bring　the　bone　pile　from　the　corner　and　stack　half　over　Zedd's　body；　half　over　Chase's；　directing　him　on　how　to　place　each　bone；　to　some　alignment　that　only　she　could　see　or　understand。　Finally　she　had　him　stack　rib　bones　in　a　wagon…wheel　pattern　with　the　hub　centered　over　each　man's　chest。　When　he　finished；　she　plimented　him　on　doing　a　fine　job；　but　he　felt　no　pride；　because　she　had　directed　his　hand　at　each　turn。　Adie　looked　up　at　him　with　her　white　eyes。
　
　〃Can　you　cook？〃
　
　Richard　thought　about　the　time　Kahlan　had　told　him　that　his　spice　soup　was　like　hers；　and　that　their　two　lands　were　much　the　same。　Adie　was　from　the　Midlands；　maybe　she　would　like　something　from　her　homeland。　He　smiled　at　her。
　
　〃I　would　be　honored　to　make　you　some　spice　soup。〃
　
　She　put　her　hands　together　in　a　swoon。　〃That　would　be　wonderful。　I　have　not　had　a　proper　spice　soup　in　years。〃
　
　Richard　went　to　the　opposite　corner　of　the　room　and　sat　at　the　table；　cutting　up　vegetables　and　mixing　spices。　For　over　an　hour；　as　he　worked；　he　watched　the　two　women　sitting　on　the　floor；　talking　in　the　strange　language。　Two　women　catching　up　on　the　news　from　home；　he　thought　happily。　He　was　in　a　good　mood；　someone　was　finally　doing　something　to　help　Zedd　and　Chase。　Someone　who　knew　what　the　problem　was。　When　he　was　finished　and　had　the　soup　on　the　fire；　he　didn't　want　to　disturb　them…they　looked　like　they　were　enjoying　themselves…so　he　asked　Adie　if　he　could　cut　some　firewood　for　her。　She　seemed　pleased　by　the　idea。
　
　He　went　outside　and　removed　the　tooth　from　around　his　neck；　putting　it　in　his　pocket；　and　left　his　shirt　on　the　porch　to　keep　it　dry。　He　took　the　sword　with　him　to　the　back　of　the　house；　where　Adie　had　told　him　he　would　find　the　firewood　pile。　Placing　logs　on　the　sawbuck；　he　cut　off　pieces　to　length。　Most　of　the　wood　was　birch；　easiest　for　an　old　woman　to　cut。　He　picked　out　the　rock　maple；　excellent　firewood　but　tough　cutting。　The　woods　nearby　were　dark　and　dense；　but　they　didn't　feel　threatening
　
　They　felt。　weling；　enveloping；　safe。　Still；　there　was　the　last　man　of　the　quad　out　there　somewhere；　hunting　Kahlan。
　
　He　thought　about　Michael；　hoped　he　was　safe。　Michael　didn't　know　what　Richard　was　doing　and　probably　wondered　where　he　was。　He　was　probably　worried。　Richard　had　planned　on　going　to　Michael's　house　after　they　left　Zedd's　place；　but　there　had　been　no　time。　Rahl　had　almost　caught　them。　He　wished　he　had　been　able　to　get　word　to　his　brother。　Michael　was　going　to　be　in　great　danger　when　the　boundary　failed。
　
　When　he　tired　of　sawing；　he　split　what　he　had　cut。　It　felt　good　to　use　his　muscles；　to　sweat　from　labor；　to　do　something　that　didn't　require　him　to　think。　The　cool　rain　felt　good　on　his　hot　body；　making　the　work　easier。　To　amuse　himself；　he　imagined　the　wood　was　Darken　Rahl's　head　as　he　brought　the　axe　down。　For　variation　he　sometimes　imagined　it　to　be　a　gar。　When　the　piece　of　wood　was　particularly　tough；　he　imagined　it　to　be　the　red…haired　man's　head。
　
　Kahlan　came　out；　and　asked　him　if　he　was　ready　to　e　eat。　He　。hadn't　even　realized　it　was　getting　dark。　After　she　left；　he　went　to　the　well　and　poured　a　bucket　of　cold　water　over　himself；　washing　off　the　sweat。　Kahlan　and　Adie　were　sitting　at　the　table；　and　since　there　were　only　two　chairs；　he　brought　in　a　log　round　to　sit　on。　Kahlan　set　a　bowl　of　soup　in　front　of　him　as　he　sat　down；　and　handed　him　a　spoon。
　
　〃You　have　given　me　a　wonderful　gift；　Richard；〃　Adie　said。
　
　〃And　what　would　that　be？〃　He　blew　on　a　spoonful　of　soup　to　cool　it。
　
　She　looked　at　him　with　her　white　eyes。　〃Without　taking　offense；　you　have　given　me　the　time　to　talk　to　Kahlan　in　my　native　tongue。　You　cannot　know　what　joy　that　be　for　me。　So　many　years　it　has　been。　You　are　a　very　perceptive　man。　You　are　a　true　Seeker。〃
　
　Richard　beamed　at　her。　〃You　have　given　me　something　very　precious　too。　The　lives　of　my　friends。　Thank　you；　Adie。〃　〃
　
　〃And　your　spice　soup　be　wonderful；〃　she　added；　with　a　hint　of　surprise。
　
　〃Yes。〃　Kahlan　winked　at　him。　〃It's　as　good　as　I　make。〃
　
　〃Kahlan　has　told　me　about　Darken　Rahl；　and　about　the　boundary　failing；〃　Adie　said。　〃It　explains　much。　She　has　told　me　that　you　know　of　the　pass；　and　wish　to　cross　into　the　Midlands。　Now　you　must　decide　what　y