tg.stone of tears-第242章

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　‘Yes。　Sometimes　when　I　concentrated　on　shooting　arrows；　or　when　something　inside　warned　me　of　danger；　or　when　I　was　angry　and　used　the　magic　of　the　sword；　then　they　went　away　for　a　time。’
　
　That’s　because　you　were　bringing　the　gift　into　harmony　with　your　mind。　The　only　thing　required　to　keep　the　gift　from　harming　you　is　a　bit　of　instruction　…　like　I　just　gave　you。
　
　Teaching　wizards　should　be　a　wizard’s　business。　For　a　wizard；　bringing　your　mind　into　harmony　with　your　gift　is　a　simple　matter；　because　it’s　the　male　gift　teaching　the　male　gift。　What　I　have　just　done　with　you　is　enough　to　keep　the　gift　from　harming　you　for　a　good　long　time　…　without　the　Rada’Han。
　
　‘In　the　future；　joining　with　a　wizard　will　take　you　the　next　step；　and　protect　you　until　you　reach　the　following　plain。　It’s　only　important　to　have　help　available　when　you　need　it。　The　Sisters　need　a　hundred　years　to　show　you　what　I　have　just　done。
　
　They　use　the　collar　as　an　excuse　to　take　us　prisoner　for　their　own　purposes。　They　have　their　own　ideas　about　the　training　of　wizards。　Their　idea　is　to　control　wizards。’
　
　‘Why？’
　
　They　think　wizards　are　responsible　for　all　the　evil　that　has　befallen　mankind；　and　if　they　collar　the　power；　control　it；　and　indoctrinate　it；　they　will　bring　the　light　of　their　theology　to　the　people。　They　are　zealots　who　believe　they　are　the　only　ones　who　know　the　true　way　to　eternal　reward　in　the　Creator’s　light。　They　feel　justified　in　using　any　means　to　gain　that　end。’
　
　‘You　mean　that　what　you　have　just　showed　me；　with　my　power；　is　enough　to　keep　the　gift　from　killing　me；　without　the　collar？’
　
　‘It’s　enough　to　keep　the　gift　from　killing　you；　but　it　would　take　many　more　lessons　to　teach　you　to　be　a　real　wizard。　All　I　have　done　is　to　hold　the　stallion’s　bit；　so　he　won’t　buck　you　off。　It　would　take　much　more　work　to　teach　you　to　ride　with　grace。’
　
　Richard　could　feel　the　muscles　in　his　face　draw　tight。　‘If　this　is　true；　then　they　are　kicking　the　rump　of　a　badger。　Thank　you；　for　helping　me。’　Richard　rubbed　his　fingers　together。　‘Nathan；　there　is　great　trouble　ing。　ing　very　soon。　I　need　to　know　a　few　things。　Do　you　know　the　Wizard’s　Second　Rule？’
　
　‘Of　course。　But　you　must　learn　the　first；　before　you　have　the　second。’
　
　‘I　already　know　the　first。　I　killed　Darken　Rahl　with　the　first。　It　states　that　people　can　be　made　to　believe　any　lie；　either　because　they　want　to　believe　it’s　true；　or　because　they　are　afraid　it’s　true。’
　
　‘And　the　counter　to　it？’
　
　The　secret　is　that　there　is　no　counter。　I　must　be　always　vigilant；　knowing　that　I；　too；　am　vulnerable；　and　never　arrogantly　believe　I　am　immune。　I　must　always　be　alert　that　I　can　fall　prey。’
　
　‘Very　good。’
　
　‘And　the　Second　Rule？’
　
　Nathan’s　white　eyebrows　hooded　his　azure　eyes。　The　Second　Rule　involves　unintended　results。’
　
　‘So；　what　is　it？’
　
　‘The　Second　Rule　is　that　the　greatest　harm　can　result　from　the　best　intentions。　It　sounds　a　paradox；　but　kindness　and　good　intentions　can　be　an　insidious　path　to　destruction。　Sometimes　doing　what　seems　right　is　wrong；　and　can　cause　harm。　The　only　counter　to　it　is　knowledge；　wisdom；　forethought；　and　understanding　the　First　Rule。　Even　then；　that　is　not　always　enough。’
　
　‘Good　intentions；　or　doing　right；　can　cause　harm？　Such　as？’
　
　Nathan　shrugged。　‘It　would　seem　kind　to　give　candy　to　a　small　child；　because　they　like　it　so。　Knowledge；　wisdom；　and　forethought　tell　us　that　it　would　make　the　child　sick　if　we　continued　this　‘kindness’　at　the　expense　of　good　food。’
　
　‘That’s　obvious。　Anyone　would　know　that。’
　
　‘Say　a　person　hurts　their　leg；　and　you　bring　them　food　while　they　heal；　but　after　time　they　still　don’t　wish　to　get　up；　because　it　hurts　at　first。　So；　you　continue　to　be　kind　and　bring　them　food。　Over　time；　their　legs　will　shrivel；　and　it　will　be　even　more　painful　to　get　up；　so　you　are　kind　and　continue　bringing　food。　In　the　end；　they　will　be　bedridden；　unable　to　ever　walk　again；　because　of　your　kindness。　Your　good　intentions　have　brought　harm。’
　
　‘I　don’t　think　that　happens　often　enough　to　be　a　problem。’
　
　‘I’m　trying　to　give　you　obvious　examples；　Richard；　so　you　will　be　better　able　to　extrapolate　to　more　difficult　problems；　and　understand　an　obscure　principle。
　
　‘Good　intentions；　being　kind；　can　encourage　the　lazy；　and　motivate　sound　minds　to　bee　indolent。　The　more　help　you　give　them；　the　more　help　they　need。　As　long　as　your　kindness　is　open…ended；　they　never　gain　discipline；　dignity；　or　self…reliance。　Your　kindness　impoverishes　their　humanity。
　
　‘If　you　give　a　coin　to　a　begger　because　he　says　his　family　is　hungry；　and　he　uses　it　to　get　drunk；　and　then　kills　someone；　is　it　your　fault？　No。　He　did　the　killing；　but　had　you　given　him　food　instead；　or　gone　and　given　his　family　food；　the　killing　would　not　have　happened。　It　was　a　good　intention　that　resulted　in　harm。
　
　‘Wizard’s　Second　Rule：　the　greatest　harm　can　result　from　the　best　intentions。　Violation　can　cause　anything　from　disfort；　to　disaster；　to　death。
　
　‘Some　leaders　have　preached　peace；　saying　that　even　self…defense　is　wrong。　It　seems　the　best　of　intentions　to　shun　violence。　In　the　end；　it　often　leads　to　a　slaughter；　where　their　threat　of　violence　in　the　beginning　would　have　prevented　attack；　and　resulted　in　no　violence。　They　put　their　good　intentions　above　the　realities　of　life。　They　accuse　warriors　of　being　bloodthirsty；　when　the　warriors　would　have　actually　prevented　bloodshed。’
　
　‘Are　you　trying　to　say　I　should　feel　no　shame　at　being　a　war　wizard？’
　
　‘It　does　the　sheep　no　good　to　preach　the　goodness　of　a　diet　of　grass；　if　the　wolves　are　of　a　different　mind。’
　
　Richard　felt　as　though　he　were　having　a　conversation　with　Zedd。　‘But　kindness　can’t　always　be　wrong。’
　
　‘Of　course　not。　That’s　where　wisdom　es　in。　You　must　be　wise　enough　to　foresee　the　consequences　of　your　actions。
　
　‘But　the　problem　with　the　Second　Rule　is　that　you　can’t　always　tell　for　sure　whether　you　are　violating　it；　or　simply　doing　right。　Worse；　magic　is　dangerous。　When　you　add　magic　to　the　good　intentions；　violation　of　the　Second　Rule　can　lead　to　catastrophe。
　
　‘Using　magic　is　easy。　Knowing　when　to　use　magic　is　the　hard　part。　Every　time　you　use　it；　you　can　bring　unexpected　ruin。
　
　‘Do　you　know；　Richard；　that　it’s　the　weight　of　one　flake　of　snow　that　is　one　too　many；　and　causes　an　avalanche？　Without　that　one；　last　flake；　the　catastrophe　would　not　happen。　When　using　magic；　you　must　know　which　is　the　one　snowflake　too　many　before　you　add　its　weight。　The　avalanche　will　be　out　of　all　proportion　to　what　you　think　the　weight　of　that　flake　could　invoke。’
　
　Richard　rubbed　his　thumb　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword。　‘Nathan；　I　think　I　may　have　torn　the　veil　because　I　violated　the　Wizard’s　Second　Rule。’
　
　‘You　did。’
　
　‘What　did　I　do？’
　
　‘You　used　your　magic；　through　the　Wizard’s　First　Rule；　to　win。　In　so　doing；　you　fed　magic　to　the　boxes；　the　gateway；　tearing　the　veil。　You　did　it　through　ignorance。　You　didn’t　know　that　the　unintended　results　of　doing　what　seemed　right　could　be　the　destruction　of　all　life。　One　snowflake　indeed。　Magic　is　dangerous。’
　
　‘How　can　I　fix　it？’
　
　The　Stone　of　Tears　must　be　put　back　on　the　Keeper。　The　lock；　the　seal；　must　be　restored。　The　Stone　of　Tears　must　be　sent　back　to　its　rightful　place；　in　the　underworld；　where　it　will　serve　to　restrain　the　Keeper’s　power　in　this　world。　To　do　that　requires　both　powers。
　
　‘The　key　must　then　be　turned　in　the　lock；　so　to　speak；　by　closing　the　gateway。　This　also　requires　both　Magics。　Doing　any　of　this　with　only　one　side　of　the　magic　would　rip　the　veil；　so　a　wizard　with　the　gift　for　only　the　Additive；　such　as　myself；　would　be　of　no　help。　Only　one　such　as　you　can　acplish　the　task。
　
　‘Until　it　is　done；　we　are　in　terrible　danger。　If　you　act　wrongly；　use　the　stone　for　your　own　reasons；　you　have　the　power　to　destroy　the　balance　and　tear　the　veil　the　rest　of　the　way；　sending　us　all　into　eternal　night。’
　
　Richard　stared　at　the　table　while　he　thought。　‘Do　you　know　what　an　‘agent’　is？’
　
　‘