tg.wizardfirstrule-第82章

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ahl；　and　I　defeat　him；　I　will　e　back；　and　。　。　。〃　He　pulled　his　finger　across　his　throat　in　a　quick　gesture　that　needed　no　translation。
　
　The　Bird　Man　sat　stone…faced；　no　quick　retort　at　hand。　〃We　wish　only　to　be　left　alone；　〃　he　said　at　last。
　
　Richard　shrugged；　looking　down　at　the　ground。　〃I　can　understand　that。　I　too　wished　only　to　be　left　alone。〃　His　eyes　came　up。　〃Darken　Rahl　killed　my　father；　and　sends　evil　spirits　that　haunt　me　in　my　father's　guise。　He　sends　men　to　try　to　kill　Kahlan。　He　brings　down　the　boundary；　to　invade　my　homeland。　His　minions　have　struck　down　my　two　oldest　friends。　They　lie　in　a　deep　sleep；　near　death；　but　at　least　they　will　live　。　。　。　unless　he　is　successful　the　next　time。　Kahlan　has　told　me　of　many　he　has　killed。　Children；　stories　that　would　make　your　heart　sick。〃　He　nodded；　his　voice　soft；　hardly　more　than　a　whisper。　〃Yes；　my　friend；　I　too　wished　only　to　be　left　alone。　On　the　first　day　of　winter；　if　Darken　Rahl　gains　the　magic　he　seeks；　he　will　have　a　power　no　one　can　stand　against。　Then　it　will　be　too　late。〃　His　hand　went　to　his　sword。　Kahlan's　eyes　widened。　〃If　he　were　here；　in　my　place；　he　would　pull　this　sword　and　have　your　help　or　have　your　head。〃　He　took　his　hand　away。　〃That；　my　friend；　is　why　I　cannot　harm　you　if　you　choose　not　to　help　me。〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　sat　quiet　and　still　for　a　while。　〃I　can　see　now　that　I　do　not　want　Darken　Rahl　for　an　enemy。　Or　you。　〃　He　got　up　and　went　to　the　door；　casting　the　hawk　into　the　sky。　The　Bird　Man　sat　once　more；　sighing　heavily　with　the　weight　of　his　thoughts。　〃Your　words　seem　to　flow　true；　but　1　cannot　know　for　sure　yet。　It　would　also　seem　that　although　you　want　us　to　help　you；　you　also　wish　to　help　us。　I　believe　you　are　sincere　in　this。　It　is　a　wise　man　who　seeks　help　by　helping；　and　not　by　threats　or　tricks。　〃
　
　〃If　I　wanted　to　get　your　help　by　tricks；　I　would　have。　let　you　believe　me　to　be　a　spirit。〃
　
　The　corners　of　the　Bird　Man's　mouth　turned　up　in　a　small　smile。　〃If　we　had　held　a　gathering；　we　would　have　discovered　you　were　not。　A　wise　man　would　suspect　that　too。　So　which　reason　is　it　that　made　you　tell　the　truth？　You　did　not　want　to　trick　us；　or　you　were　afraid　to？〃
　
　Richard　smiled　back。　〃In　truth？　Both。〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　nodded。　〃Thank　you　for　the　truth。　〃
　
　Richard　sat　quietly；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　let　it　out　slowly。　〃So；　Bird　Man；　I　have　told　you　my　tale。　You　must　judge　it　true　or　not。　Time　works　against　me。　Will　you　help？〃
　
　〃It　is　not　that　simple。　My　people　look　to　me　for　direction。　If　you　asked　for　food；　I　could　say　‘Give　him　food；'　and　they　would　do　so。　But　you　have　asked　for　a　gathering。　That　is　different。　The　council　of　seers　are　the　six　elders　you　spoke　to；　plus　myself。　They　are　old　men；　firm　in　the　ways　of　their　past。　An　outsider　has　never　been　given　a　gathering　before；　never　been　permitted　to　disturb　the　peace　of　our　ancestors'　。spirits。　Soon　these　six　will　join　the　ancestors'　spirits；　and　they　do　not　want　to　think　they　will　be　called　from　the　spirit　world　for　an　outsider's　needs。　If　they　break　the　tradition；　they　will　be　forever　burdened　with　the　results。　I　cannot　order　them　to　do　this。　〃
　
　〃It　is　not　only　an　outsider's　needs；〃　Kahlan　said；　telling　them　both　her　words。　〃Helping　us　also　helps　the　Mud　People。〃
　
　〃Maybe　in　the　end；　〃　the　Bird　Man　said；　〃but　not　in　the　beginning。　〃　〃What　if　I　were　one　of　the　Mud　People？〃　Richard　asked；　his　eyes　narrowing。
　
　〃Then　they　would　call　the　gathering　for　you；　and　not　violate　the　tradition。　〃
　
　〃Could　you　make　me　one　of　the　Mud　People？〃
　
　The　Bird　Man's　silver…gray　hair　glistened　in　the　firelight　as　he　considered。　〃If　you　were　to　first　do　something　that　helped　our　people；　something　that　benefited　them；　with　no　advantage　to　you；　proved　you　were　a　man　of　good　intentions　toward　us；　doing　so　without　promise　of　aid　for　your　help；　and　the　elders　wished　it；　1　could。　〃
　
　〃And　once　you　named　me　as　one　of　the　Mud　People；　I　could　ask　for　a　gathering。　and　they　would　call　it？〃
　
　〃If　you　were　one　of'　us；　they　would　know　you　had　our　interests　in　your　heart。　They　would　call　a　council　of　seers　to　help　you。　〃
　
　〃And　if　they　called　the　council；　would　they　be　able　to　tell　me　where　the　object　I　seek　is　located？〃
　
　〃1　cannot　answer　that。　Sometimes　the　spirits　will　not　answer　our　questions；　sometimes　they　do　not　know　the　answers　to　our　questions。　There　is　no　guarantee　that　we　could　help　you；　even　if　we　held　a　gathering。　All　I　could　promise　is　that　we　would　try　our　best。　〃
　
　Richard　looked　down　at　the　ground；　thinking。　With　his　finger；　he　pushed　some　dirt　into　one　of　the　puddles　where　the　rain　dripped。
　
　〃Kahlan；〃　he　asked　quietly；　〃do　you　know　of　anyone　else　who　would　have　the　power　to　tell　us　where　to　look　for　the　box？〃
　
　Kahlan　had　been　giving　this　consideration　all　day。　〃I　do。　But　of　all　the　ones　I　know　of；　I　do　not　know　of　any　who　would　be　any　more　eager　to　help　us　than　the　Mud　People　are。　Some　would　kill　us　just　for　asking。〃
　
　〃Well；　of　the　ones　who　wouldn't　kill　us　just　for　asking；　how　far　away　are　they？〃
　
　〃Three　weeks；　at　least；　north；　through　very　dangerous　country　controlled　by　Rahl。〃
　
　〃Three　weeks；〃　Richard　said　out　loud　with　a　heavy　tone　of　disappointment。
　
　〃But　Richard；　the　Bird　Man　is　able　to　promise　us　precious　little。　If　you　could　find　a　way　to　help　them；　if　it　pleases　the　elders；　if　they　ask　the　Bird　Man　to　name　you　one　of　the　Mud　People；　if　the　council　of　seers　can　get　an　answer；　if　the　spirits　even　know　the　answer　。　。　。　if；　if；　if。　Many　opportunities　for　a　wrong　step。〃
　
　〃Was　it　not　you　who　told　me　I　would　have　to　win　them　over？〃　he　asked　with　a　smile。
　
　〃It　was。〃
　
　〃So；　what　do　you　think？　Do　you　think　we　should　stay　and　try　to　convince　them　to　help；　or　we　should　go　to　find　the　answers　elsewhere'？〃
　
　She　shook　her　head　slowly。　〃I　think　you　are　the　Seeker；　and　you　will　have　to　decide。〃
　
　He　smiled　again。　〃You　are　my　friend。　I　could　use　your　advice。〃
　
　She　hooked　some　hair　behind　her　ear。　〃I　don't　know　what　advice　to　give；　Richard；　and　my　life；　too；　depends　upon　you　making　the　right　choice。　But　as　your　friend；　I　have　faith　that　you　will　decide　wisely。〃
　
　〃Will　you　hate　me；〃　he　grinned；　〃if　I　make　the　wrong　choice'？〃
　
　She　looked　into　his　gray　eyes；　eyes　that　could　see　into　her；　eyes　that　made　her　weak　with　longing。　〃Even　if　you　choose　wrong；　and　it　costs　me　my　life；〃　she　whispered；　swallowing　back　the　lump　in　her　throat；　〃I　could　never　hate　you。〃
　
　He　looked　away　from　her；　back　down　at　the　dirt　awhile；　then　once　again　up　to　the　Bird　Man。　〃Do　your　people　like　having　roofs　that　leak？〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃Would　you　like　it　if　water　dripped　on　your　face　when　you　were　asleep？〃
　
　Smiling；　Richard　shook　his　head。　〃Then　why　don't　you　make　roofs　that　don't　leak？〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　shrugged。　〃Because　it　cannot　be　done。　We　have　no　materials　at　hand　to　use。　Clay　bricks　are　too　heavy　and　would　fall　down。　Wood　is　too　scarce；　it　must　be　carried　long　distances。　Grass　is　all　we　have；　and　it　leaks。　〃
　
　Richard　took　one　of　the　pottery　bowls　and　turned　it　upside　down　under　one　of　the　drips。　〃You　have　clay　from　which　you　make　pottery。〃
　
　〃Our　ovens　are　small；　we　could　not　make　a　pot　that　big；　and　besides；　it　would　crack；　then　it　too　would　leak。　It　cannot　be　done。　〃
　
　〃It　is　a　mistake　to　say　something　cannot　be　done　simply　because　you　don't　know　how　to　do　it。　I　would　not　be　here　otherwise。〃　He　said　this　gently；　without　malice。　〃Your　people　are　strong；　and　wise。　I　would　be　honored　if　the　Bird　Man　would　allow　me　to　teach　his　people　how　to　make　roofs　that　do　not　leak；　and　also　let　the　smoke　out　at　the　same　time。〃
　
　The　Bird　Man　considered　this　without　showing　any　emotion。
　
　〃If　you　could　do　this；　it　would　be　a　great　benefit　to　my　people；　and　they　would　give　you　many　thanks。　But　I　can　make　no　promises　beyond　that。　〃
　
　Richard　shrugged。　〃None　asked　for。〃
　
　〃The　answer　may　still　be　no。　You　must　accept　that；　if　that　is　the　answer；　and　bring　no　harm　to　my　people。　〃
　
　〃I　will　do　my　best　for　your　people；　and　hope　only　that　they　judge　me　fairly。〃
　
　〃Then　you　are　free　to　try；　but　I　cannot　see　how　you　wil