tg.stone of tears-第40章

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　She　grinned。　‘It　is　with　your　arms　around　me。’
　
　‘Pay　attention　to　what　you’re　doing；’　he　scolded。
　
　Kahlan　took　aim　and　shot。　He　said　it　was　better　and　told　her　to　try　again。　She　shot　a　few　more　arrows；　and　thought　she　might　have　even　hit　the　bundled　grass　once。　She　drew　the　bowstring　again；　trying　to　hold　the　bow　steady。　Suddenly；　he　tickled　her　stomach。　She　doubled　over　squealing　and　laughing；　trying　to　get　his　fingers　off　her。
　
　‘Stop　it！’　She　laughed　breathlessly；　trying　to　twist　away　from　him。　‘Stop　it！　Richard！　I　can’t　shoot　when　you’re　doing　that！’
　
　He　put　his　fists　on　his　hips。　‘You　have　to　be　able　to。’
　
　She　frowned　up　at　him　as　she　panted。　‘What　do　you　mean？’
　
　‘Besides　being　able　to　hit　what　you　want；　you　have　to　be　able　to　shoot　no　matter　what　is　happening。　If　you　can’t　shoot　when　you’re　laughing；　how　can　you　shoot　when　you’re　afraid？　Just　you　and　the　target；　that’s　all　there　is。　Nothing　else　matters。　You　have　to　be　able　to　block　everything　else　out。
　
　‘If　a　wild　boar　is　charging　you；　you　can’t　think　about　how　afraid　you　are；　or　what　will　happen　if　you　miss。　You　have　to　be　able　to　make　the　shot　under　pressure。　Or　else　have　a　tree　close　by　you　can　climb。’
　
　‘But；　Richard；　you　can　do　it　because　you　have　the　gift。　I　can’t　do　that。’
　
　‘Nonsense。　The　gift　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　It’s　simple　concentration。　Here；　I’ll　talk　you　through　it。　Nock　an　arrow。’
　
　He　stood　behind　her　again；　pulling　her　hair　off　her　neck；　leaning　close；　looking　over　her　shoulder；　and　whispering　in　her　ear　as　she　drew　the　bowstring　back。　He　whispered　what　she　should　feel；　how　she　should　breathe；　where　she　should　look；　what　she　should　see。　He　talked　in　a　way　that　made　the　words　melt　into　nothingness；　and　instead　made　images　form　in　her　head。　Only　three　things　existed：　the　arrow；　the　target；　and　his　words。　She　was　in　a　world　of　silence。
　
　When　everything　else　winked　out；　the　target　seemed　to　grow　larger　in　her　vision；　drawing　the　arrow　to　it。　His　words　made　her　feel　it；　made　her　do　things　without　understanding　them。　She　relaxed　and　exhaled；　holding　herself　still　without　taking　another　breath。　She　could　feel　it；　feel　the　target。　She　knew　when　it　was　time；　when　it　was　right。
　
　Lightly；　like　a　breath　of　air；　the　arrow　left　of　its　own　accord；　as　if　it　had　decided　to　go　on　its　own。　In　the　quiet；　she　could　see　the　feathers　clear　the　bow；　feel　the　string　hit　the　bracer；　she　could　see　the　target　pulling　the　arrow；　she　could　hear　the　arrow　hit　the　X。　She　felt　air　rush　back　into　her　lungs。
　
　It　was　almost　like　when　she　released　her　Confessor’s　power。　It　was　magic；　Richard’s　magic。　His　words　were　magic。　It　was　like　having　a　new　vision。
　
　She　felt　as　if　she　were　ing　awake　from　a　dream。　The　world　came　back。　She　almost　fell　against　him。
　
　Kahlan　turned　and　threw　her　arms　around　his　neck；　still　gripping　the　bow　in　one　hand。　‘Richard；　that　was　wonderful。　The　target　came　to　me！’
　
　‘See？　I　told　you　you　could　do　it。’
　
　She　kissed　his　nose。　‘I　didn’t　do　it；　you　did　it。　I　was　just　holding　the　bow　instead　of　you。’
　
　He　smiled。　‘No。　You　did　it。　I　just　showed　your　mind　how。　That’s　what　teaching　is。　I　was　simply　teaching　you。　Do　it　again。’
　
　Kahlan　had　lived　around　wizards　all　her　life。　She　knew　the　way　wizards　did　things。　That　was　the　way　Richard　had　done　it。　He　spoke　to　her　the　way　wizards　spoke。　It　was　the　gift　speaking；　she　knew；　even　if　he　wouldn’t　admit　it。
　
　As　she　shot　more　arrows；　he　talked　less。　Without　his　words　guiding　her；　it　was　harder　to　get　the　feel；　but　now　and　again　she　did。　She　could　tell　when　she　was　doing　it　herself；　without　him。　It　seemed　to　be　as　he　said；　like　intense　concentration。
　
　As　she　started　to　learn　to　block　the　world　out　as　she　aimed；　he　began　to　do　things　to　try　to　distract　her。　At　first　he　just　rubbed　her　stomach。　It　made　her　smile　until　he　told　her　to　stop　thinking　about　what　he　was　doing　and　think　only　about　what　she　must　do。　After　a　few　hours；　she　could　shoot　while　he　tickled　her。　Sometimes。　It　was　an　exhilarating　feeling　to　be　able　to　feel　where　the　arrow　needed　to　be。　She　couldn’t　do　it　very　often；　but　when　it　happened　it　felt　wonderful。　Addictive。
　
　‘It’s　magic；’　she　told　him。　‘That’s　what　you’re　doing。　Magic。’
　
　‘No；　it’s　not。　Everyone　can　do　it。　Chandalen’s　men　are　doing　it　when　they　shoot。　Everyone　who　gets　good　enough　does　it。　It’s　your　own　mind　doing　it。　I　just　helped　by　showing　you。　If　you　had　practiced　long　enough；　you　would　have　learned　it　by　yourself　before　now。　Just　because　you　don’t　know　how　something　is　done　doesn’t　make　it　magic。’
　
　She　gave　him　a　sidelong　glance。　‘I’m　not　so　sure。　You　shoot。　Let　me　tickle　you　while　you　try　to　shoot。’
　
　‘After　we　have　something　to　eat。　And　you　practice　some　more。’
　
　They　flattened　a　circle　of　grass；　like　a　nest；　and　lay　on　their　backs；　watching　the　birds　wheel　in　the　sky　as　they　ate　tava　bread　wrapped　around　greens；　handfuls　of　kuru；　and　drank　water　from　a　skin。　The　surrounding　grass　protected　them　a　little；　so　the　wind　didn’t　feel　quite　so　cold。　She　laid　her　head　on　his　shoulder　as　they　watched　the　sky　in　silence。　She　knew　they　were　both　wondering　what　they　were　going　to　do。
　
　‘Maybe；’　Richard　said　at　last；　‘I　could　partition　my　mind　again；　to　control　the　headaches。　Darken　Rahl　said　that　was　what　I　had　done。’
　
　‘You　talked　to　him？　You　talked　to　Darken　Rahl？’
　
　‘Yes。　Actually；　he　did　most　of　the　talking。　I　mostly　listened。　He　told　me　a　lot　of　things。　I　don’t　believe　all　of　them。　He　told　me　George　Cypher　wasn’t　my　father。　He　told　me　I　had　partitioned　my　mind；　and　that　I　have　the　gift。　He　told　me　I　had　been　betrayed。　Because　of　what　Shota　said　…　that　you　and　Zedd　would　both　use　your　magic　against　me　…　I　thought　one　of　you　had　betrayed　us。　I　never　thought　of　my　brother。
　
　‘Maybe　if　I　could　figure　out　how　to　partition　my　mind　again；　I　could　control　the　headaches　so　they　wouldn’t　kill　me。　Maybe　that’s　what　the　Sisters　teach。　I’ve　already　done　it　once；　so　if　I　could　do　it　again；　I　might　be　able　to　save　myself　without　。。。’
　
　He　rested　an　arm　over　his　eyes；　not　wanting　to　finish　the　thought　out　loud。　‘Kahlan；　maybe　I　don’t　have　the　gift。　It　could　just　be　the　Wizard’s　First　Rule。’
　
　‘What　do　you　mean？’
　
　‘Zedd　told　us　that　much　of　what　people　believe　is　wrong。　The　First　Rule　can　make　you　believe　something　is　true　either　because　you　want　it　to　be　true；　or　because　you’re　afraid　it　might　be。　I’m　afraid　of　having　the　gift；　and　that　fear　makes　me　accept　the　possibility　that　what　the　Sisters　say　is　true。　It　could　be　there　are　other　reasons　the　Sisters　want　me　to　think　I　have　the　gift；　and　that　it　isn’t　true。　Maybe　I　don’t　have　it。’
　
　‘Richard；　do　you　really　think　you　can　dismiss　all　the　other　things　that　have　happened？　Zedd　said　you　have　the　gift；　Darken　Rahl　said　you　have　the　gift；　the　Sisters　say　you　have　the　gift；　even　Scarlet　says　you　have　the　gift。’
　
　‘Scarlet　doesn’t　know　what　she　is　talking　about；　I　don’t　trust　the　Sisters；　and　do　you　think　I　would　believe　anything　Darken　Rahl　said？’
　
　‘And　what　about　Zedd？　Do　you　think　Zedd　is　lying？　Or　that　he　doesn’t　know　what　he　is　talking　about？　You　have　told　me　you　think　he　is　the　smartest　man　you　know。　Besides；　he　is　a　wizard　of　the　First　Order。　Do　you　really　think　a　wizard　of　the　First　Order　wouldn’t　know　the　gift　when　he　saw　it？’
　
　‘Zedd　could　be　wrong。　Just　because　he’s　smart；　that　doesn’t　mean　he　knows　everything。’
　
　Kahlan　thought　a　while　about　his　reluctance　to　accept　that　he　had　the　gift。　She　wished；　for　his　sake；　that　it　could　be　the　way　he　wanted　it；　but　she　knew　the　truth。
　
　‘Richard；　at　the　People’s　Palace；　when　I　touched　you　with　my　power；　and　we　all　thought　it　had　taken　you；　and　didn’t　know　you　had　figured　out　how　not　to　be　consumed　by　the　magic；　you　recited　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows　to　Darken　Rahl；　didn’t　you？’　He　nodded。　‘I　couldn’t　believe　you　did　that。　How　did　you　know　it？　Where　did　you　ever　learn　the　book？’
　
　Richard　sighed。　‘When　I　was　young；　my　father　took　me　to　a　place　where　he　had　it　hidden。　He　told　me　it　was　being　guarded