tg.stone of tears-第85部分

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have　gone　unnoticed。　What　are　you　getting　at？’
　
　‘Well；　if　the　veil　has　never　been　torn；　how　could　the　screel…ings　have　been　sent　before？　How　would　we　know　what　they　were？　How　could　they　have　a　name　already　put　to　them？’
　
　It　was　Richard’s　turn　to　frown。　‘Maybe　we　only　know　them　as　screelings　because　they　have　been　named　in　the　prophecy。’
　
　‘You　have　read　this　prophecy？’
　
　‘Well；　no。　Kahlan　told　it　to　me。’
　
　‘And　she　read　it　herself；　with　her　own　eyes；　yes？’
　
　‘No。　She　learned　it　when　she　was　young。’　Richard’s　irritated　frown　deepened。　‘In　a　song。　She　learned　it　from　wizards。’
　
　‘In　a　song。’　Sister　Verna　didn’t　look　over；　but　her　smile　widened。　‘Richard；　I　do　not　mean　to　belittle　your　fears；　but　things　repeated；　over　and　over；　especially　in　a　song；　have　a　way　of　changing。
　
　‘As　for　prophecies；　well；　they　are　harder　to　understand　than　a　witch　woman。　We　have　vaults　full　of　them　at　the　palace。　As　part　of　your　studies；　perhaps　you　will　be　allowed　to　work　with　them。　I　have　read　all　of　them　we　have；　and　I　can　tell　you　that　they　are　beyond　the　minds　of　most。　If　you　aren’t　cautious；　you　can　find　a　prophecy　that　will　say　whatever　you　want　to　hear。　Or　at　least　you　will　think　it　is　what　you　want　to　hear。　Some　wizards　devote　their　lives　to　the　study　of　them；　and　yet　even　they　understand　only　a　tiny　fraction　of　their　truth。’
　
　‘This　is　a　danger　not　to　be　taken　so　lightly。’
　
　‘Do　you　think　the　veil　is　torn　that　simply？　Have　faith；　Richard。　The　Creator　placed　the　veil。　Have　faith　in　Him。’
　
　Richard　rode　in　silence　for　a　time。　Sister　Verna　did　seem　to　make　sense。　He　felt　as　if　his　understanding　of　the　world　was　tilting。
　
　But　it　was　difficult　for　him　to　think　too　hard　on　the　subject；　Kahlan　kept　creeping　back　into　his　mind。　His　anguish　at　her　wanting　him　to　put　on　a　collar　to　prove　his　love；　knowing　it　would　take　him　from　her；　tore　at　his　heart。　The　betrayal　burned　painfully　in　his　chest。
　
　He　picked　at　the　reins　with　his　thumbnail。　At　last　he　turned　once　more　to　the　Sister。　‘That’s　not　all。　I　haven’t　told　you　the　worst　of　it。’
　
　She　smiled　a　motherly　smile。　‘There　is　more？　Tell　me　then。　Perhaps　I　can　put　your　fears　to　rest。’
　
　Richard　let　out　a　deep　breath；　trying　to　release　at　least　a　little　of　the　pain　with　it。　‘The　man　I　killed；　Darken　Rahl；　my　father；　well；　when　he　died；　he　was　sent　to　the　underworld。　To　the　Kee　。。。　the　Nameless　One。　Last　night；　he　escaped。　Escaped　through　the　tear　in　the　veil。　He　is　back　in　this　world；　back　to　tear　the　veil　the　rest　of　the　way。’
　
　‘And　you　know　he　was　sent　to　the　Nameless　One。　You　were　in　the　underworld　to　see　him　arrive　there；　at　the　side　of　the　Nameless　One；　yes？’
　
　The　woman　had　a　way　of　poking　his　temper　awake。　He　tried　to　ignore　the　sting　of　the　jab。　‘I　talked　to　him　when　he　came　back　to　this　world。　He　told　me。　He　told　me　he　was　here　to　tear　the　veil　the　rest　of　the　way。　He　said　the　Keeper　would　have　us　all。　A　dead　man；　e　back　to　this　world。　Do　you　see？　The　only　way　his　spirit　could　be　here　is　if　he　came　through　the　veil。’
　
　‘You　were　just　sitting　there；　and　this　dead　man　walked　up　and　spoke　to　you；　yes？’
　
　Richard　frowned　deeply　at　her；　but　she　didn’t　look　over　to　see　it。　‘It　was　at　a　gathering；　with　the　Mud　People。　I　was　trying　to　talk　to　their　ancestors’　spirits；　to　try　to　find　out　how　to　close　the　veil；　and　he　appeared。’
　
　‘Ahhh。’　She　nodded　in　satisfaction。　‘I　see。’
　
　‘What　does　that　mean！’
　
　Sister　Verna’s　face　set　into　an　expression　of　tolerance；　born　of　explaining　things　to　children。　‘Did　the　Mud　People　have　you　drink　or　eat　some　sacred　potion　before　you　saw　this　spirit？’
　
　‘No！’
　
　‘You　simply　sat　down　with　them　and　saw　spirits；　yes？’
　
　‘Well；　not　exactly。　There　is　a　banquet　first。　For　a　couple　of　days。　The　elders　eat　and　drink　special　things。　But　I　never　did。　Then　we　were　painted　with　mud；　and　then　I　went　into　the　spirit　house　with　the　seven　elders。　We　sat　in　a　circle；　and　they　chanted　awhile。　Then　they　passed　around　a　basket　and　we　took　out　a　spirit　frog；　and　rubbed　the　slime　from　its　back　onto　our　skin。　。。。’
　
　‘Frogs。’　Sister　Verna　looked　over。　‘Red　frogs；　yes？’
　
　‘Yes。　Red　spirit　frogs。’
　
　With　a　smile　she　looked　back　ahead。　‘I　know　of　them。　And　it　made　your　skin　tingle；　yes？　And　it　is　then　you　saw　spirits？’
　
　That’s　a　pretty　simplistic　version；　but　I　guess　you　could　distill　it　down　like　that。　What　are　you　trying　to　say？’
　
　‘You　have　traveled　the　Midlands　often？　You　have　seen　many　of　her　peoples？’
　
　‘No。　I’m　from　Westland。　I　don’t　know　much　about　the　people　of　the　Midlands。’
　
　She　nodded　to　herself　again。　There　are　many　peoples　in　the　Midlands；　unbelievers；　who　do　not　know　of　the　light　of　the　Creator。　They　worship　all　sorts　of　things。　Idols　and　spirits　and　such。　They　are　savages　who　hold　to　customs　of　worship　centered　around　these　false　beliefs。　They　mostly　have　one　thing　in　mon。　They　use　sacred　food　or　drink　to　help　them　‘see’　their　‘spirit　protectors。’’
　
　She　looked　over　to　make　sure　he　was　paying　attention。　The　Mud　People　apparently　use　the　substance　on　the　red　frogs　to　help　them　have　these　visions　of　what　they　wish　to　see。’
　
　‘Visions？’
　
　‘The　Creator　has　placed　many　plants　and　animals　in　our　world　for　us　to　use。　The　power　of　these　things　work　in　invisible　ways。　A　tea；　for　example；　of　the　bark　of　willow　can　help　reduce　a　fever。　We　can’t　see　it　work；　but　we　know　it　does。　There　are　many　things　that　if　eaten　will　make　us　sick；　even　kill　us。　The　Creator　gave　us　minds　to　learn　the　difference。　There　are　some　things　that　if　eaten；　or　in　the　case　of　the　red　frogs；　rubbed　into　our　skin；　will　make　us　see　things；　just　as　we　see　things　when　we　dream。
　
　‘Savages　who　don’t　know　better　think　the　things　they　see　are　real。　That　is　what　happened　to　you。　You　rubbed　the　slime　of　a　red　frog　into　your　skin　and　it　gave　you　visions。　Your　rightful　fear　of　the　Nameless　One　made　it　all　the　more　real　to　you。　If　these　‘spirits’　were　real；　why　would　you　need　to　use　some　special　plant；　or　food；　or　drink；　or　in　this　case；　red　frogs；　to　see　and　talk　to　them？
　
　‘Please　don’t　think　I　am　mocking　you；　Richard。　The　visions　can　seem　very　real。　When　you　are　under　their　influence；　they　can　seem　as　real　as　anything。　But　they　are　not。’
　
　Richard　was　reluctant　to　believe　the　Sister’s　explanation；　but　he　understood　what　she　was　talking　about。　From　a　young　age；　Zedd　had　taken　him　into　the　woods　to　find　special　plants　to　help　people：　aum　to　take　away　pain　and　help　minor　wounds　heal　faster；　and　wattle　root　to　ease　the　pain　of　deeper　wounds。　Zedd　had　showed　him　other　plants　that　would　help　fevers；　digestion；　the　pain　of　childbirth；　dizzy　spells；　and　he　had　also　told　him　about　plants　to　avoid；　plants　that　were　dangerous；　and　plants　that　would　make　people　see　things　that　weren’t　there：　visions。
　
　But　he　didn’t　think　he　had　imagined　Darken　Rahl。　‘He　burned　me。’　Richard　tapped　his　shirt　where　the　bandage　was。　‘I　couldn’t　have　been　having　visions。　Darken　Rahl　was　there；　he　reached　out　and　touched　me；　and　it　burned　my　skin。　Pm　not　imagining　that。’