tg.stone of tears-第41章

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　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　by　a　beast　sent　by　covetous　hands；　to　watch　over　it；　until　that　person　could　e　for　the　book。　So　he　rescued　it。　I　know　now　that　they　were　the　hands　of　Darken　Rahl；　but　at　the　time　we　didn’t　know　that；　my　father　said　he　had　to　take　it　because　otherwise　it　would　be　stolen　by　those　hands。
　
　‘He　feared　that　person　might　eventually　find　it；　so　he　had　me　memorize　it。　All　of　it。　He　said　I　had　to　know　every　word；　so　that　someday　I　could　return　the　knowledge　to　the　keeper　of　the　book。　He　didn’t　know　that　Zedd　was　the　book’s　keeper。　It　took　me　years　to　memorize　every　word　of　the　book。　He　never　looked　in　it；　he　said　that　was　for　only　me　to　do。　After　I　had　learned　it　all　perfectly；　we　burned　the　book。　I’ll　never　forget　that　day。　Light　and　sound　and　strange　forms　came　forth　as　the　book　burned。’
　
　‘Magic；’　she　whispered；　knowingly。
　
　He　nodded　as　he　rested　his　wrist　over　his　eyes　again。　‘My　father　died　keeping　the　book　from　Darken　Rahl。　He　was　a　hero。　He　saved　us　all　by　his　actions。’
　
　Kahlan　tried　to　think　of　how　to　put　words　to　the　things　she　was　thinking；　the　things　she　knew。　‘Zedd　told　us　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows　was　kept　in　his　keep。　How　did　your　father　get　it？’
　
　‘He　never　told　me　that。’
　
　‘Richard；　I　was　born　and　raised　in　Aydindril。　I　spent　a　good　portion　of　my　life　in　the　Wizard’s　Keep。　It’s　a　huge　fortress。　In　times　long　ago；　hundreds　of　wizards　lived　there。　When　I　grew　up；　there　were　only　the　six；　and　none　were　wizards　of　the　First　Order。
　
　‘It　is　not　an　easy　place　to　enter。　I　was　able　to　because　I’m　a　Confessor；　and　needed　to　learn　from　books　kept　there。　All　the　Confessors　had　access　to　the　keep。　But　it　was　protected；　by　magic；　from　any　others　entering。’
　
　‘If　you’re　asking；　I　don’t　know　how　my　father　did　it。　He　was　a　pretty　smart　man；　he　must　have　figured　it　out。’
　
　‘If　the　book　was　in　the　Keep　itself；　maybe。　There　were　wizards　and　Confessors　ing　and　going；　and　at　times　others　were　permitted　to　enter。　Perhaps　someone　could　have　found　a　way　to　sneak　in。　Even　once　inside；　there　are　areas　protected　more　strongly　by　magic。　Areas　even　I　could　not　enter。
　
　‘But　Zedd　said　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows　was　an　important　book　of　magic；　very　important。　He　said　he　kept　it　in　his　keep：　the　wizard　of　the　First　Order’s　keep。　That　is　altogether　different。　It’s　separate　from　the　rest；　part　of　the　larger　Keep；　but　set　off　by　itself。
　
　‘I’ve　walked　the　long　ramparts　to　the　First　Wizard’s　Keep。　There　is　a　beautiful　view　of　Aydindril　from　there。　Just　walking　the　ramparts；　I　could　feel　the　awesome　power　of　the　spells　that　protect　that　place。　It　made　your　skin　crawl。　If　you　went　close　enough；　the　power　of　the　protection　spells　made　the　hair　lift　off　your　shoulders　and　stick　out　in　all　directions；　popping　and　snapping　with　little　sparks。　If　you　went　closer　still；　the　spells　filled　you　with　a　sensation　of　dread　so　strong　you　couldn’t　force　your　feet　to　take　another　step；　or　your　lungs　to　draw　another　breath。
　
　‘Since　Zedd　left　the　Midlands；　before　we　were　born；　none　had　entered　the　First　Wizard’s　Keep。　The　other　wizards　tried。　To　enter；　there　is　a　plate　you　must　touch。　It　is　said　touching　the　plate　is　like　touching　the　frozen　heart　of　the　Keeper　himself。　If　the　magic　doesn’t　recognize　you　as　one　permitted　entry；　you　cannot　gain　entrance。　Touching　the　plate　without　at　least　the　protection　of　your　own　magic；　or　even　just　getting　close　enough　to　the　spells　themselves；　can　be　death。
　
　‘Since　I　was　young；　and　first　went　to　the　Keep　to　learn　from　the　books；　the　wizards　had　been　trying　to　get　in。　They　wanted　to　know　what　was　inside。　The　First　Wizard　was　gone；　and　they　thought　they　should　take　an　inventory；　thought　they　should　at　least　know　what　was　in　there。
　
　‘They　never　succeeded。　Not　one　of　them　was　ever　able　to　so　much　as　place　a　hand　to　the　plate。　Richard；　if　five　wizards　of　the　Third　Order；　and　one　of　the　Second；　could　not　get　in；　how　did　your　father？’
　
　He　sighed。　‘I　wish　I　had　an　answer　for　you；　Kahlan；　but　I　don’t。’
　
　She　didn’t　want　to　dash　his　hopes；　give　irrefutable　life　to　his　fears；　but　she　had　to。　The　truth　was　the　truth。　He　had　to　know　that　truth　about　himself。
　
　‘Richard；　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows　was　a　book　of　instruction　for　magic。　It　was　magic。’
　
　‘I　have　no　doubt　of　that。　I　know　what　I　saw　when　we　burned　it。’
　
　She　stroked　the　back　of　his　hand　with　her　finger。　There　were　other　books　of　instruction　for　magic　in　the　Keep：　less　important　ones。　The　wizards　let　me　look　at　them。　When　I　would　read　them；　I　would　get　to　a　place　in　the　books；　and　a　strange　thing　would　happen；　sometimes　after　only　a　few　words；　sometimes　after　a　few　pages：　I　would　forget　what　I　had　just　read。　I　couldn’t　remember　a　word　of　it。　Not　a　single　word。　I　would　go　back　and　read　it　again；　and　the　same　thing　would　happen。
　
　‘The　wizards　would　smile　watching　me；　and　then　they　would　laugh。　After　a　while　of　trying　to　read　the　books；　and　not　knowing　what　I　had　just　read；　I　finally　got　frustrated　and　asked　what　was　happening。　They　told　me　that　books　of　instruction　for　magic　are　protected　by　powerful　spells　invoked　at　certain　words　in　the　books。　They　said　none　but　one　with　the　gift　could　read　a　book　of　magic　instruction　and　remember　so　much　as　a　single　word。　Those　six　wizards　were　wizards　by　calling；　not　by　the　gift。　Even　they　couldn’t　read　all　the　books　and　know　what　they　said；　only　the　less　important　ones；　and　only　then　because　of　their　training。
　
　‘Zedd　told　us　that　the　Book　of　Counted　Shadows　was　one　of　the　most　important　books　in　the　Keep；　so　important　it　was　kept　in　the　First　Wizard’s　enclave。
　
　‘Richard；　you　would　never　have　been　able　to　memorize　it　if　you　didn’t　have　the　gift。　There　is　no　other　way。　Somehow；　your　father　must　have　known；　that　is　why　he　chose　you　to　learn　it。’
　
　Her　head　was　still　resting　on　his　shoulder；　and　she　felt　his　breathing　halt　for　a　moment　as　he　realized　the　significance　of　what　she　had　told　him。　‘Richard；　do　you　still　remember　the　book？’
　
　His　voice　came　low　and　distant。　‘Every　word。’
　
　Though　I　heard　you　recite　it；　and　I　know　you　spoke　it　all；　I　cannot　remember　a　word　of　what　you　said。　The　magic　of　certain　words　erased　it　all　from　my　mind。　I　don’t　know　how　you　used　it　to　defeat　Darken　Rahl。’
　
　The　first　of　the　book　said　that　if　the　words　were　being　told　to　the　one　who　controlled　the　boxes　of　Orden；　and　not　read　by　that　person；　then　the　only　way　that　person　could　know　the　words　were　true　was　with　the　use　of　a　Confessor。　Rahl　thought　you　had　taken　me　with　your　power；　and　so　he　thought　I　was　speaking　all　the　words　true。　I　did　speak　the　words　true；　but　I　left　out　an　important　part　at　the　end　so　he　would　pick　the　box　that　would　kill　him。’
　
　‘You　see？　You　still　remember　the　words。　You　could　not　do　that　if　you　didn’t　have　the　gift；　the　magic　would　prevent　it。　Richard；　if　we　are　going　to　get　out　of　this；　we　have　to　at　least　face　the　truth；　and　then　think　of　what　to　do　about　it。
　
　‘My　love；　you　have　the　gift。　You　have　magic。　I’m　sorry；　but　that　is　the　truth　of　it。’
　
　He　let　out　an　exasperated　breath。　‘I　guess　I　just　so　badly　didn’t　want　it　to　be　that　I　have　been　trying　to　talk　myself　out　of　it。　But　things　don’t　work　that　way。　I　hope　you　don’t　think　me　a　fool。　Thank　you　for　loving　me　enough　to　make　me　see　the　truth。’
　
　‘You　are　no　fool。　You　are　my　love。　We　will　think　of　something。’　She　kissed　the　back　of　his　hand　and　they　watched　the　sky　in　silence。　It　was　a　dark；　cold　gray；　a　mirror　to　her　mood。
　
　‘I　wish　you　could　have　met　my　father。　He　was　a　special　person。　I　guess　even　I　never　knew　how　special。　I　miss　him。’　He　stared　off　into　his　own　thoughts。　‘What　of　your　father？’
　
　Kahlan　twisted　a　strand　of　her　hair　around　her　finger。　‘My　father　was　mate　to　my　mother；　mate　to　a　Confessor。　He　was　not　a　father　in　the　way　a　man　is　a　father　to　other　children。　He　had　been　taken　by　her　power；　and　there　was　nothing　to　him　but　his　devotion　to　her。　He　paid　heed　to　me　only　to　please　my　mother；　only　because　I　was　born　to　her。