tg.stone of tears-第15章

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　It　was　a　formidable　task。　The　further　the　event　in　question　was　from　the　fork；　the　more　difficult　it　was　to　know　if　it　was　of　the　false　fork；　or　of　the　true。　Worse；　it　was　difficult　to　tell　if　two　prophecies；　one　following　another；　belonged　together。　or　if　they　were　to　happen　a　thousand　years　apart。　Sometimes　the　events　themselves　helped　them　to　decipher　where　it　was　to　be　placed　chronologically；　but　only　sometimes。　The　further　in　time　from　the　fork；　the　more　difficult　was　the　task　of　relating　them。
　
　The　effort　would　take　years；　and　even　then；　they　could　be　sure　only　of　acplishing　part　of　it。　To　this　day；　they　could　not　know　with　confidence　if　they　were　reading　a　true　prophecy；　or　the　descendant　of　a　false　fork　in　the　past。　For　this　reason；　some　considered　the　prophecies　unreliable　at　best；　useless　at　worst。　But　if　they　now’knew　of　a　fork；　and　more　importantly；　knew　the　true　and　the　false　branches；　they　would　have　a　valuable　guide。
　
　She　sank　back　into　the　chair。　‘How　important　is　the　prophecy　that　forked？’
　
　‘It　is　a　core　prophecy。　There　could　be　none　more　important。’
　
　Decades。　It　wouldn’t　take　years；　it　would　take　decades。　A　core　prophecy　touched　almost　everything。　Her　insides　fluttered。　This　was　like　going　blind。　Until　the　tainted　fruit　of　the　false　fork　could　be　culled；　they　couldn’t　trust　anything。
　
　She　looked　up　into　his　eyes。　‘You　do　know　which　it　was　that　forked？’
　
　He　smiled　proudly。　‘I　know　the　false　fork；　and　the　true。　I　know　what　has　e　to　pass。’
　
　Well；　at　least　there　was　that。　She　felt　a　ripple　of　excitement。　If　Nathan　could　tell　her　which　fork　was　true；　and　which　was　false；　and　the　nature　of　each　branch；　it　would　be　valuable　information　indeed。　Since　the　prophecies　were　not　in　chronological　order；　there　was　no　way　to　simply　follow　a　branch；　but　this　would　be　a　very　good　start：　they　would　know　right　where　to　begin。　Better　yet；　they　had　learned　of　it　as　it　happened；　and　not　years　later。
　
　‘You　have　done　well；　Nathan。’　He　grinned　like　a　child　who　had　pleased　his　mother。　‘Bring　a　chair　close；　and　tell　me　of　the　fork。’
　
　Nathan　seemed　drawn　up　in　the　excitement　as　he　pulled　a　chair　to　the　side　of　the　desk。　He　flounced　down　in　it；　squirming　like　a　puppy　with　a　stick。　She　hoped　she　wouldn’t　have　to　hurt　him　to　get　this　stick　out　of　his　mouth。
　
　‘Nathan；　can　you　tell　me　the　prophecy　that　has　forked？’
　
　His　eyes　twinkled　with　mischief。　‘Are　you　sure　you　want　to　know；　Sister　Margaret？　Prophecies　are　dangerous。　The　last　time　I　told　one　to　a　pretty　lady；　thousands　died。　You　said　so　yourself。’
　
　‘Nathan；　please。　It’s　late。　This　is　very　important。’
　
　The　mirth　left　his　face。　‘I　don’t　remember　the　words；　exactly。’
　
　She　doubted　the　truth　of　that；　when　it　came　to　prophecies；　Nathan’s　mind　saw　the　words　as　if　they　were　written　on　a　stone　tablet。　She　put　a　reassuring　hand　on　his　arm。　That　is　to　be　understood。　I　know　it　is　difficult　to　remember　every　word。　Tell　it　as　best　you　can。’
　
　‘Well；　let’s　see。’　He　looked　at　the　ceiling　as　he　stroked　his　chin　with　his　thumb　and　fingertips。　‘It　is　the　one　that　says　something　about　the　one　from　D’Hara　who　would　shadow　the　world　by　counting　shadows。’
　
　‘That’s　very　good；　Nathan。　Can　you　remember　more？’　She　knew　he　probably　remembered　it　word　for　word；　but　he　liked　to　be　coaxed。　‘It　would　be　a　tremendous　help　to　me。’　He　eyed　her　a　moment　and　then　nodded。　‘By　winter’s　breath；　the　counted　shadows　shall　bloom。　If　the　heir　to　D’Hara’s　vengeance　counts　the　shadows　true；　his　umbra　will　darken　the　world。　If　he　counts　false；　then　his　life　is　forfeit。’
　
　‘A　forked　prophecy　indeed。　This　had　been　the　first　full　day　of　winter’s　season。’　She　didn’t　know　what　the　prophecy　meant；　but　she　knew　of　it。　This　one　was　the　matter　of　much　study　and　debate　down　in　the　vaults；　and　worry　over　which　year　this　prophecy　might　e　to　pass。　‘And　which　fork　has　the　prophecy　taken？’
　
　His　face　turned　grim。　The　worst　one。’　Her　fingers　fumbled　with　a　button。　‘We　are　to　fall　under　the　shadow　of　this　one　from　D’Hara？’
　
　‘You　should　study　the　prophecies　closer；　Sister。　The　following　prophecy　goes　on　to　say：　Should　the　forces　of　forfeit　be　loosed；　the　world　will　be　shadowed　yet　by　darker　lust　through　what　has　been　rent。　Salvation’s　hope；　then；　will　be　as　slim　as　the　white　blade　of　the　one　born　True。’　He　leaned　closer　and　whispered；　The　only　one　of　darker　lust；　Sister　Margaret；　would　be　the　Lord　of　Anarchy。’
　
　She　whispered　a　prayer。　‘May　the　Creator　shelter　us　in　his　light。’
　
　His　smile　was　mocking。　The　prophecy　says　nothing　about　the　Creator　ing　to　our　aid；　Sister。　If　it　is　protection　you　seek；　you　had　better　follow　the　true　fork。　It　is　in　that　way　He　has　offered　you　a　glimmer　of　hope　for　defense　from　what　will　be。’
　
　She　smoothed　the　folds　of　her　dress　on　her　lap。　‘Nathan；　I　don’t　know　what　this　prophecy　means。　We　can’t　follow　the　true　and　false　forks　if　we　don’t　know　what　it　means。　You　said　you　know　those　forks。　Can　you　tell　me？　Can　you　tell　me　a　prophecy　on　each　fork；　one　that　leads　each　way；　so　we　may　follow　their　path？’
　
　‘Vengeance　under　the　Master　will　extinguish　every　adversary。　Terror；　hopelessness；　and　despair　will　reign　free。’　He　peered　at　her　intently　with　one　eye。　This　one　leads　down　the　false　fork。’
　
　She　wondered　how　it　was　possible　for　the　true　prophecy　to　be　worse。　‘And　one　of　the　true　fork？’
　
　‘A　close　prophecy　after　the　true　fork　says：　Of　all　there　were；　but　a　single　one　born　of　the　magic　to　bring　forth　truth　will　remain　alive　when　the　shadow’s　threat　is　lifted。　Therefore　es　the　greater　darkness　of　the　dead。　For　there　to　be　a　chance　at　life’s　bond；　this　one　in　white　must　be　offered　to　her　people；　to　bring　their　joy　and　good　cheer。’
　
　Margaret　pondered　these　two　prophecies。　She　didn’t　recall　either。　The　first　seemed　simple　enough　to　understand。　They　could　follow　the　false　branch；　for　a　ways；　anyway；　from　this　one。　The　second　was　more　oblique；　but　seemed　as　if　it　could　be　deciphered　with　a　little　study。　She　recognized　it　as　a　prophecy　about　a　Confessor。　The　reference　to　‘one　in　white’　meant　the　Mother　Confessor。
　
　Thank　you　Nathan。　This　will　make　the　false　fork　easier　to　follow。　The　other；　the　true　fork；　will　be　a　little　harder；　but　with　this　prophecy　to　lead　the　way；　we　should　be　able　to　reason　it　out。　We　will　just　have　to　look　for　prophecies　leading　away　from　this　event。　Somehow　she　is　to　bring　happiness　to　her　people。’　That　brought　a　small　smile　to　her　lips。　‘It　sounds　as　if　maybe　she　is　to　be　wed；　or　something　of　that　nature。’
　
　The　Prophet　blinked　at　her；　then　threw　his　head　back　and　howled。　He　rose　to　his　feet；　roaring　in　laughter　until　he　coughed　and　choked。　He　turned　back　to　her；　his　face　red。
　
　‘You　pompous　fools！　The　way　you　Sisters　strut　around　as　if　what　you　do　is　meaningful；　as　if　you　even　knew　what　you　were　doing！　You　remind　me　of　a　yard　of　chickens；　cackling　to　one　another　as　if　they　thought　they　understood　higher　mathematics！　I　cast　the　grain　of　prophecy　at　your　feet；　and　you　cluck　and　scratch　at　the　dirt；　and　then　peck　at　gravel！’
　
　For　the　first　time　since　she　became　a　Sister；　she　felt　small　and　ignorant。　‘Nathan；　that　will　be　quite　enough。’
　
　‘Idiots；’　he　hissed。
　
　He　lurched　toward　her　so　quickly　it　frightened　her。　Before　she　knew　it；　she　had　released　a　bolt　of　power。　It　dropped　him　to　his　knees。　He　clutched　at　his　chest　as　he　gasped。　Margaret　recalled　her　power　almost　instantly；　sorry　she　had　reacted　in　this　manner：　out　of　fear。
　
　‘I　apologize；　Nathan。　You　frightened　me。　Are　you　all　right？’
　
　He　grasped　the　chair　back；　drawing　himself　up　into　it　as　he　gasped。　He　nodded。　She　sat　still；　ill　at　ease；　waiting　for　him　to　recover。
　
　A　grim　smile　spread　on　his　lips。　‘Frightened　you；　did　I？　Would　you　like　to　be　really　frightened？　Would　you　like　me　to　show　you　a　prophecy？　Not　tell　you　the　words；　but　show　it　to　you？　Show　it　to　you　the　way　it　was　meant　to　be　passed　on？　I　have　never　shown　a　Sister　before。　You　all　study　them　and　think　you　can　decipher　their　meaning　from　the　words；　but　you　don’t　understand。　That　is　not　the　true　way　they　work。’