tg.stone of tears-第17章

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　what　they　are　not　meant　to　hear；　so　I　must　keep　all　but　another　prophet　a　prisoner　of　their　ignorance。　It　is　the　will　of　He　who　has　given　the　gift；　and　all　else。　Had　He　meant　you　to；　He　would　have　given　you　the　key　with　your　gift；　but　He　has　not。’
　
　‘Nathan；　there　are　others　who　would　hurt　you　until　you　revealed　it　to　them。’
　
　‘I　will　not　reveal　it　to　them；　no　matter　how　much　they　hurt　me。　They　will　kill　me　before　I　do　so。’　He　tilted　his　head　toward　her。　‘And　they　won’t　try；　unless　you　tell　them。’
　
　She　stared　at　him；　seeing　him　differently　than　she　had　ever　seen　him　before。　None　before　had　ever　been　as　devious　as　he。　He　was　the　only　one　they　had　never　been　able　to　trust。　All　the　others　had　told　the　truth　about　their　gift　and　its　capabilities；　but　they　knew　Nathan　lied；　knew　he　was　not　telling　them　all　he　was　able　to　do。　She　wondered　what　he　knew；　what　he　was　capable　of。
　
　‘I　will　go　to　my　grave　with　what　you　have　shown　me；　Nathan。’
　
　He　closed　his　eyes　and　nodded。　‘Thank　you；　child。’
　
　There　were　other　Sisters　who　would　have　hurt　him　for　addressing　a　Sister　so。　She　was　not　one　of　them。　She　stood　and　straightened　her　dress。
　
　‘In　the　morning；　I　will　tell　those　in　the　vaults　of　the　prophecy　that　has　forked；　and　of　the　ones　on　the　false　and　on　the　true　branches。　They　will　have　to　decipher　them　as　best　they　can；　with　what　the　Creator　has　given　them。’
　
　That　is　the　way　it　is　meant　to　be。’
　
　She　returned　the　ink；　pen；　and　sand　shaker　to　the　desk　drawer。　‘Nathan；　why　did　you　want　the　Prelate　to　e？　I　don’t　recall　you　ever　asking　for　her　before。’
　
　When　she　looked　up；　he　was　studying　her　with　cool　detachment。
　
　‘That；　too；　Sister　Margaret；　is　not　for　you　to　know。　Do　you　wish　to　bring　me　pain；　to　attempt　to　make　me　tell　you？’
　
　She　picked　up　the　book　of　prophecy　off　the　desk。　‘No；　Nathan；　I　will　not　do　that。’
　
　‘Then；　will　you　deliver　a　message　to　the　Prelate　for　me？’　She　nodded；　sniffling　back　the　tears　that　still　burned　at　her　eyes。　‘What　would　you　have　me　tell　her？’
　
　‘Will　you　take　this；　too；　to　your　grave；　and　tell　no　other　but　the　Prelate？’
　
　‘If　you　wish　it；　although　I　don’t　see　why。　You　can　trust　the　Sisters。
　
　‘No。　Margaret；　I　want　you　to　listen　to　me。　When　it　is　the　Keeper　you　battle；　you　must　not　trust　anyone。　I　am　taking　a　dangerous　chance　in　trusting　you；　and　the　Prelate。　Trust　no　one。’　His　bunched　eyebrows　gave　him　a　frightening　look。　‘Only　those　you　trust　can　betray　you。’
　
　‘All　right；　Nathan。　What　is　the　message？’
　
　He　peered　intently　at　her。　At　last　his　words　came　in　a　whisper。　Tell　her　that　the　pebble　is　in　the　pond。’
　
　Margaret　blinked　at　him。　‘What　does　that　mean？’
　
　‘You　have　been　frightened　enough；　child。　Don’t　tempt　your　endurance　again。’
　
　‘Sister　Margaret；　Nathan；’　she　said　softly。　‘I　am　not　‘child；’　but　Sister　Margaret。　Please　treat　me　with　the　respect　I　am　accorded。’
　
　He　smiled。　‘Forgive　me；　Sister　Margaret。’　Sometimes　his　eyes　ran　shivers　up　her　spine。　‘One　more　thing；　Sister　Margaret。’
　
　‘What　is　it？’
　
　He　reached　out　and　brushed　a　tear　from　her　cheek。　‘I　don’t　really　know　of　your　death。’　She　sighed　inwardly　with　relief。　‘But　I　do　know　something　else　of　importance　pertaining　to　you。　Of　importance　in　the　battle　with　the　Keeper。’
　
　‘If　it　will　help　me　to　bring　the　Creator’s　light　upon　the　world；　then　tell　me。’
　
　He　seemed　to　draw　himself　inward；　looking　out　at　her　as　if　from　a　great　distance。　‘A　time　will　e；　soon；　when　you　stumble　upon　something；　and　you　will　have　need　to　know　the　answer　to　a　question。　I　don’t　know　the　question；　but　when　you　have　the　need　to　find　the　answer；　e　to　me；　and　that；　I　will　know。　This；　too；　you　must　tell　no　other。’
　
　Thank　you；　Nathan。’　She　reached　out　and　touched　his　hand。　The　Creator’s　blessing　on　His　child。’
　
　‘No　thank　you；　Sister。　I　do　not　wish　anything　more　from　the　Creator。’
　
　She　stared　at　him　in　surprise。　‘Because　we　keep　you　locked　inhere？’
　
　His　small　smile　returned。　There　are　many　different　kinds　of　prisons；　Sister。　As　far　as　I　am　concerned；　His　blessings　are　tainted。　The　only　thing　worse　than　being　touched　by　the　Creator　is　being　touched　by　the　Keeper。　And　of　that；　I　am　not　even　resolved。’
　
　She　took　her　hand　back。　‘I　will　still　pray　for　you；　Nathan。’
　
　‘If　you　care　so　much　for　me；　then　free　me。’
　
　‘I’m　sorry；　I　can’t　do　that。’
　
　‘You　mean；　you　won’t　do　that。’
　
　‘Look　at　it　how　you　will；　but　you　must　remain　here。’
　
　At　last　he　turned　away　from　her。　She　started　for　the　door。
　
　‘Sister？　Would　you　send　a　woman　to　visit　me？　To　spend　a　night　or　two　with　me？’
　
　The　pain　in　his　voice　almost　made　her　weep。　‘I　thought　you　would　be　beyond　that　age。’
　
　He　slowly　turned　to　her。　‘You　have　a　lover；　Sister　Margaret。’
　
　She　reeled　at　this。　How　could　he　know？　He　didn’t　know；　he　was　guessing。　She　was　young；　and　thought　attractive　by　some。　Of　course　she　would　be　interested　in　men。　He　was　only　guessing。　But　then；　none　of　the　Sisters　knew　what　he　was　able　to　do。
　
　He　was　the　only　wizard　they　couldn’t　trust　to　be　truthful　about　his　powers。
　
　‘You　listen　to　gossip；　Nathan？’
　
　He　smiled。　‘Tell　me；　Sister　Margaret；　do　you　have　the　day　planned　out　in　advance；　when　you　will　be　too　old　for　love；　even　if　it　is　only　for　a　time　as　fleeting　as　a　night？　Exactly　how　old；　Sister；　is　it；　when　we　lose　the　need　for　love？’
　
　She　stood　silent；　ashamed；　for　a　time。　‘I　will　go　myself；　Nathan；　into　the　city；　and　bring　back　a　woman　to　visit　you　for　a　time。　Even　if　I　must　pay　her　price　myself。　I　can’t　pledge　she　will　be　beautiful　to　your　eyes；　as　I　don’t　know　what　your　eyes　fancy；　but　I　can　vow　she　will　not　be　empty　between　the　ears；　as　I　think　you　value　this　more　than　you　will　admit。’
　
　She　saw　a　single　tear　fall　from　the　corner　of　his　eye。　‘Thank　you；　Sister　Margaret。’
　
　‘But　Nathan；　you　must　promise　me　you　will　tell　her　no　prophecy。’
　
　He　bowed　his　head　slightly。　‘Of　course；　Sister。　I　swear　it　on　my　word　as　a　wizard。’
　
　‘I　mean　it；　Nathan。　I　do　not　wish　to　have　a　part　in　being　responsible　for　people　dying。　Not　only　men　died　in　those　battles；　but　women；　too。　I　could　not　bear　having　a　part　in　it。’
　
　His　eyebrows　lifted。　‘Not　even；　Sister　Margaret；　if　one　of　those　women　would　bear；　had　she　lived；　a　boy　child　who　would　grow　into　a　brutal　tyrant　who　would　go　on　to　torture　and　slaughter　tens　of　thousands　upon　tens　of　thousands　of　innocent　people；　women　and　children　among　them？　Not　even；　Sister；　if　you　had　a　chance　to　choke　off　this　fork　of　a　terrible　prophecy？’
　
　She　stood　stunned；　frozen。　At　last　she　made　herself　blink。　‘Nathan；’　she　whispered；　‘are　you　saying　。。。’
　
　‘Good　night；　Sister　Margaret。’　He　turned　and　strode　off　to　the　solitude　of　his　small　garden；　pulling　up　his　black　hood　as　he　went。
　
　
　CHAPTER　6
　
　The　wind　ripped　at　her；　tugging　at　her　clothes　and　snapping　the　loose　ends。　After　yesterday’s　tangled　mess；　Kahlan　was　at　least　glad　she　had　thought　to　tie　back　her　hair。　She　clung　to　Richard　for　dear　life；　pressing　the　side　of　her　face　against　his　back　as　she　squeezed　her　eyes　tightly　shut。
　
　It　was　happening　again　…　the　thick　feeling　of　growing　heavy　that　made　the　knot　in　the　pit　of　her　stomach　sink　lower　of　its　own　accord。　She　thought　she　might　be　sick。　She　was　afraid　to　open　her　eyes；　she　knew　what　always　happened　when　she　felt　heavy　like　this。　Richard　called　back　for　her　to　look。
　
　She　opened　her　eyes　just　a　little；　peeking　through　narrow；　squinting　slits。　As　she　suspected；　the　world　was　tilted　at　a　crazy　angle。　Her　head　spun　sickeningly。　Why　did　the　dragon　have　to　tip　over　whenever　it　made　a　turn？　She　could　feel　herself　being　pressed　against　the　red　scales。　She　couldn’t　understand　why　she　wasn’t　falling　off。
　
　Richard　had　told　her　he　had　figured　out　that　it　was　just　like　when　you　swung　a　bucket　of　water　around　over　your　head　and　the　water　didn’t　fall　out。　She　had　never　swung　a　bucket　of　water　over　her　head　and　wasn’t　entirely　sure　he　was　telling　the　truth　about　the　water　not　falling　out。　She　looked　longingly　at