uleg.thefarthestshore- 第1节

　
　　In　the　Court　of　the　Fountain　the　sun　of　March　shone　through　young　leaves　of　ash　and　elm；　and　water　leapt　and　fell　through　shadow　and　clear　light。　About　that　roofless　court　stood　four　high　walls　of　stone。　Behind　those　were　rooms　and　courts；　passages；　corridors；　towers；　and　at　last　the　heavy　outmost　walls　of　the　Great　House　of　Roke；　which　would　stand　any　assault　of　war　or　earthquake　or　the　sea　itself；　being　built　not　only　of　stone；　but　of　incontestable　magic。　For　Roke　is　the　Isle　of　the　Wise；　where　the　art　magic　is　taught；　and　the　Great　House　is　the　school　and　central　place　of　wizardry；　and　the　central　place　of　the　House　is　that　small　court　far　within　the　walls；　where　the　fountain　plays　and　the　trees　stand　in　rain　or　sun　or　starlight。
　　The　tree　nearest　the　fountain；　a　well…grown　rowan；　had　humped　and　cracked　the　marble　pavement　with　its　roots。　Veins　of　bright　green　moss　filled　the　cracks；　spreading　up　from　the　grassy　plot　around　the　basin。　A　boy　sat　there　on　the　low　hump　of　marble　and　moss；　his　gaze　following　the　fall　of　the　fountain's　central　jet。　He　was　nearly　a　man；　but　still　a　boy；　slender；　dressed　richly。　His　face　might　have　been　cast　in　golden　bronze；　it　was　so　finely　molded　and　so　still。
　　Behind　him；　fifteen　feet　away　perhaps；　under　the　trees　at　the　other　end　of　the　small　central　lawn；　a　man　stood；　or　seemed　to　stand。　It　was　hard　to　be　certain　in　that　flickering　shift　of　shadow　and　warm　light。　Surely　he　was　there；　a　man　in　white；　standing　motionless。　As　the　boy　watched　the　fountain；　the　man　watched　the　boy。　There　was　no　sound　or　movement　but　the　play　of　leaves　and　the　play　of　the　water　and　its　continual　song。
　　The　man　walked　forward。　A　wind　stirred　the　rowan　tree　and　moved　its　newly　opened　leaves。　The　boy　leapt　to　his　feet；　lithe　and　startled。　He　faced　the　man　and　bowed　to　him。　〃My　Lord　Archmage；〃　he　said。
　　The　man　stopped　before　him；　a　short；　straight；　vigorous　figure　in　a　hooded　cloak　of　white　wool。　Above　the　folds　of　the　laid…down　hood　his　face　was　reddish…dark；　hawk…nosed；　seamed　on　one　cheek　with　old　scars。　The　eyes　were　bright　and　fierce。　Yet　he　spoke　gently。　〃It's　a　pleasant　pace　to　sit；　the　Court　of　the　Fountain；〃　he　said；　and；　forestalling　the　boy's　apology；　〃You　have　traveled　far　and　have　not　rested。　Sit　down　again。〃
　　He　knelt　on　the　white　rim　of　the　basin　and　held　out　his　hand　to　the　ring　of　glittering　drops　that　fell　from　the　higher　bowl　of　the　fountain；　letting　the　water　run　through　his　fingers。　The　boy　sat　down　again　on　the　humped　tiles；　and　for　a　minute　neither　spoke。
　　〃You　are　the　son　of　the　Prince　of　Enlad　and　the　Enlades；〃　the　Archmage　said；　〃heir　of　the　Principality　of　Morred。　There　is　no　older　heritage　in　all　Earthsea；　and　none　fairer。　I　have　seen　the　orchards　of　Enlad　in　the　spring；　and　the　golden　roofs　of　Berila。。。　How　are　you　called？〃
　　〃I　am　called　Arren。〃
　　〃That　would　be　a　word　in　the　dialect　of　your　land。　What　is　it　in　our　mon　speech？〃
　　The　boy　said；　〃Sword。〃
　　The　Archmage　nodded。　There　was　silence　again；　and　then　the　boy　said；　not　boldly；　but　without　timidity；　〃I　had　thought　the　Archmage　knew　all　languages〃
　　The　man　shook　his　head；　watching　the　fountain。
　　〃And　all　names。。。〃
　　〃All　names？　Only　Segoy　who　spoke　the　First　Word；　raising　up　the　isles　from　the　deep　sea；　knew　all　names。　To　be　sure；〃　and　the　bright；　fierce　gaze　was　on　Arren's　face；　〃if　I　needed　to　know　your　true　name；　I　would　know　it。　But　there's　no　need。　Arren　I　will　call　you；　and　I　am　Sparrowhawk。　Tell　me；　how　was　your　voyage　here？〃
　　〃Too　long。〃
　　〃The　winds　blew　ill？〃
　　〃The　winds　blew　fair；　but　the　news　I　bear　is　ill；　Lord　Sparrowhawk。〃
　　〃Tell　it；　then；〃　the　Archmage　said　gravely；　but　like　one　yielding　to　a　child's　impatience；　and　while　Arren　spoke；　he　looked　again　at　the　crystal　curtain　of　water　drops　falling　from　the　upper　basin　into　the　lower；　not　as　if　he　did　not　listen；　but　as　if　he　listened　to　more　than　the　boy's　words。
　　〃You　know；　my　lord；　that　the　prince　my　father　is　a　wizardly　man；　being　of　the　lineage　of　Morred；　and　having　spent　a　year　here　on　Roke　in　his　youth。　Some　power　he　has　and　knowledge；　though　he　seldom　uses　his　arts；　being　concerned　with　the　ruling　and　ordering　of　his　realm；　the　governance　of　cities　and　matters　of　trade。　The　fleets　of　our　island　go　out　westward；　even　into　the　West　Reach；　trading　for　sapphires　and　Ox　hides　and　tin；　and　early　this　winter　a　sea　captain　returned　to　our　city　Berila　with　a　tale　that　came　to　my　father's　ears；　so　that　he　had　the　man　sent　for　and　heard　him　tell　it〃　The　boy　spoke　quickly；　with　assurance。　He　had　been　trained　by　civil；　courtly　people；　and　did　not　have　the　self…consciousness　of　the　young。
　　〃The　sea　captain　said　that　on　the　isle　of　Narveduen；　which　is　some　five　hundred　miles　west　of　us　by　the　ship　lanes；　there　was　no　more　magic。　Spells　had　no　power　there；　he　said；　and　the　words　of　wizardry　were　forgotten。　My　father　asked　him　if　it　was　that　all　the　sorcerers　and　witches　had　left　that　isle；　and　he　answered；　No：　there　were　some　there　who　had　been　sorcerers；　but　they　cast　no　more　spells；　not　even　so　much　as　a　charm　for　kettle…mending　or　the　finding　of　a　lost　needle。　And　my　father　asked；　Were　not　the　folk　of　Narveduen　dismayed？　And　the　sea　captain　said　again；　No；　they　seemed　uncaring。　And　indeed；　he　said；　there　was　sickness　among　them；　and　their　autumn　harvest　had　been　poor；　and　still　they　seemed　careless。　He　said　…I　was　there；　when　he　spoke　to　the　prince…　he　said；　‘They　were　like　sick　men；　like　a　man　who　has　been　told　he　must　die　within　the　year；　and　tells　himself　it　is　not　true；　and　he　will　live　forever。　They　go　about；'　he　said；　‘without　looking　at　the　world。'　When　other　traders　returned；　they　repeated　the　tale　that　Narveduen　had　bee　a　poor　land　and　had　lost　the　arts　of　wizardry。　But　all　this　was　mere　tales　of　the　Reach；　which　are　always　strange；　and　only　my　father　gave　it　much　thought。
　　〃Then　in　the　New　Year；　in　the　Festival　of　the　Lambs　that　we　hold　in　Enlad；　when　the　shepherds'　wives　e　into　the　city　bringing　the　firstlings　of　the　flocks；　my　father　named　the　wizard　Root　to　say　the　spells　of　increase　over　the　lambs。　But　Root　came　back　to　our　hall　distressed　and　laid　his　staff　down　and　said；　‘My　lord；　I　cannot　say　the　spells。'　My　father　questioned　him；　but　he　could　say　only；　‘I　have　forgotten　the　words　and　the　patterning。'　So　my　father　went　to　the　marketplace　and　said　the　spells　himself；　and　the　festival　was　pleted。　But　I　saw　him　e　home　to　the　palace　that　evening；　and　he　looked　grim　and　weary；　and　he　said　to　me；　‘I　said　the　words；　but　I　do　not　know　if　they　had　meaning。'　And　indeed　there's　trouble　among　the　flocks　this　spring；　the　ewes　dying　in　birth；　and　many　lambs　born　dead；　and　some　are。。。　deformed。〃　The　boy's　easy；　eager　voice　dropped；　he　winced　as　he　said　the　word　and　swallowed。　〃I　saw　some　of　them；〃　he　said。　There　was　a　pause。
　　〃My　father　believes　that　this　matter；　and　the　tale　of　Narveduen；　show　some　evil　at　work　in　our　part　of　the　world。　He　desires　the　counsel　of　the　Wise。〃
　　〃That　he　sent　you　proves　that　his　desire　is　urgent；〃　said　the　Archmage。　〃You　are　his　only　son；　and　the　voyage　from　Enlad　to　Roke　is　not　short。　Is　there　more　to　tell？〃
　　〃Only　some　old　wives'　tales　from　the　hills。〃
　　〃What　do　the　old　wives　say？〃
　　〃That　all　the　fortunes　witches　read　in　smoke　and　water　pools　tell　of　ill；　and　that　their　love…potions　go　amiss。　But　these　are　people　without　true　wizardry。〃
　　〃Fortune…telling　and　love…potions　are　not　of　much　account；　but　old　women　are　worth　listening　to。　Well；　your　message　will　indeed　be　discussed　by　the　Masters　of　Roke。　But　I　do　not　know；　Arren；　what　counsel　they　may　give　your　father。　For　Enlad　is　not　the　first　land　from　which　such　tidings　have　e。〃
　　Arren's　trip　from　the　north；　down　past　the　great　isle　Havnor　and　through　the　Inmost　Sea　to　Roke；　was　his　first　voyage。　Only　in　these　last　few　weeks　had　he　seen　lands　that　were　not　his　own　homeland；　bee　aware　of　distance　and　diversity；　and　recognized　that　there　was　a　great　world　beyond　the　pleasant　hills　of　Enlad；　and　many　people　in　it。　He　was　not　yet　used　to　thinking　widely；　and　so　it　was　a　while　before　he　understood。　〃Where　else？〃　he　asked　then；　a　little　dismayed。　For　he　had　hoped　to　bring　a　prompt　cure　home　to　Enlad。
　　〃In　the　South　Reach；