uplift4.brightnessreef-第55章

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　　XVIII。　THE　BOOK　OF　THE　SLOPE
　　Legends
　　It　is　said　that　earlier　generations　interpreted　the　Scrolls　in　ways　quite　different　than　we　do　now；　in　our　modern　mons。
　　Without　doubt；　each　wave　of　immigrants　brought　to　the　Slope　a　new　crisis　of　faith；　from　which　beliefs　emerged　restructured；　changed。
　　At　the　start；　every　fresh　arrival　briefly　held　advantages；　bearing　godlike　tools　from　the　Five　Galaxies。　Newers　kept　these　powers　for　intervals　ranging　from　a　few　months　to　more　than　eight　years。　This　helped　each　sept　establish　a　secure　base　for　their　descendants；　as　humans　did　at　Biblos；　the　hoon　on　Hawph　Island；　and　the　g'Kek　at　Dooden　Mesa。
　　Yet　each　also　knew　its　handicaps…a　small　founding　population　and　ignorance　about　how　to　live　a　primitive　existence　on　an　unknown　world。　Even　the　haughty　gray　queens　conceded　they　must　accept　certain　principles；　or　risk　vendetta　from　all　the　others　bined。　The　Covenant　of　Exile　set　rules　of　population　control；　concealment；　and　Jijo…preservation；　as　well　as　proper　ways　to　handle　dross。　These　fundamentals　continue　to　this　day。
　　It　is　all　too　easy　to　forget　that　other　matters　were　settled　only　after　mordant　struggle。
　　For　instance；　bitter　resistance　to　the　reintroduction　of　metallurgy；　by　urrish　smiths；　was　only　partly　based　on　qheuens　protecting　their　tool…monopoly。　There　was　also　a　sincere　belief；　on　the　part　of　many　hoon　and　traeki；　that　the　innovation　was　sacrilege。　To　this　day；　some　on　the　Slope　will　not　touch　reforged　Buyur　steel　or　let　it　in　their　villages　or　homes；　no　matter　how　many　times　the　sages　rule　it　safe　for　temporary　use。
　　Another　remnant　belief　can　be　seen　among　those　puritans　who　despise　books。　While　paper　itself　can　hardly　be　faulted…it　decays　well　and　can　be　used　to　reprint　copies　of　the　Scrolls…there　is　still　a　dissident　minority　who　call　the　Biblos　trove　a　vanity　at　best；　and　an　impediment　to　those　whose　goal　should　lie　in　blessed　ignorance。　In　the　early　days　of　human　life　on　Jijo；　such　sentiments　were　exploited　by　urrish　and　qheuen　foes…until　the　great　smiths　discovered　profit　in　the　forging　of　type；　and　book…addiction　spread　unstoppably　throughout　the　mons。
　　Strangely；　it　is　the　most　recent　crisis…of…faith　that　shows　the　least　leftover　effects　today。　If　not　for　written　accounts；　it　would　be　difficult　to　believe　that；　only　a　century　ago；　there　were　many　on　the　Slope　who　loathed　and　feared　the　newly　arrived　Holy　Egg。　Yet　at　the　time　there　were　serious　calls　for　the　Explosers　Guild　to　destroy　it！　To　demolish　the　stone…that…sings；　lest　it　give　away　our　hiding　place　or；　worse；　distract　the　Six　away　from　following　the　same　path　already　blamed　by　glavers。
　　〃If　it　is　not　in　the　Scrolls；　it　cannot　be　sacred。〃
　　That　has　always　been　the　declaration　of　orthodoxy；　since　time　immemorial。　And　to　this　day　it　must　be　confessed…there　is　no　mention　in　the　Scrolls　of　anything　even　remotely　like　the　Egg。
　　
　　Rety
　　DARK；　CLAMMY；　STIFLING。　Rety　didn't　like　the　cave。　It　must　be　the　stale；　dusty　air　that　made　her　heart　pound　so。　Or　else　the　painful　scrapes　on　her　legs；　after　sliding　down　a　twisty　chute　to　this　underground　grotto；　from　a　narrow　entrance　in　a　boo…shrouded　cleft。
　　Or　maybe　what　made　her　jumpy　was　the　way　shapes　kept　crowding　in　from　all　sides。　Each　time　Rety　whirled　with　her　borrowed　lantern；　the　creepy　shadows　turned　out　to　be　knobs　of　cold；　dead　rock。　But　a　little　voice　seemed　to　say…Always。。。　so　far！　But　a　real　monster　may　wait　around　the　next　bend。
　　She　set　her　jaw　and　refused　to　listen。　Anyone　who　called　her　scared　would　be　a　liar！
　　Does　a　scared　person　slink　into　dark　places　at　night？　Or　do　things　they　was　told　not　to　do；　by　all　the　big　fat　chiefs　of　the　Six？
　　A　weight　wriggled　in　her　belt　pouch。　Rety　reached　past　the　fur…lined　flap　to　stroke　the　squirming　creature。　〃Don't　spook；　yee。　It's　just　a　big　hole　in　the　groun'。〃
　　A　narrow　head　and　a　sinuous　neck　snaked　toward　her；　three　eyes　glittering　in　the　soft　flamelight。　A　squeaky　voice　protested。
　　〃yee　not　spooked！　dark　good！　on　plains；　li'l　man…urs　love　hidey…holes；　till　find　warm　wife！〃
　　〃Okay；　okay。　I　didn't　mean…〃
　　〃yee　help　nervous　wife！〃
　　〃Who're　you　calling　nervous；　you　little…〃
　　Rety　cut　short。　Maybe　she　should　let　yee　feel　needed；　if　it　helped　him　keep　his　own　fear　under　control。
　　〃ow！　not　so　tight！〃　The　male　yelped；　echoes　fleeing　down　black　corridors。　Rety　quickly　let　go　and　stroked　yee's　ruffled　mane。　〃Sorry。　Look；　I　bet　we're　gettin'　close；　so　let's　not　talk　so　much；　okay？〃
　　〃okay；　yee　shut　up。　wife　do　too！〃
　　Rety's　lips　pressed。　Then　anger　flipped　into　a　sudden　urge　to　laugh。　Whoever　said　male　urs　weren't　smart　must've　never　met　her　〃husband。〃　yee　had　even　changed　his　accent；　in　recent　days；　mimicking　Rety's　habits　of　speech。
　　She　raised　the　lantern　and　resumed　picking　her　way　through　the　twisty　cavern；　surrounded　by　a　sparkle　of　strange　mineral　formations；　reflecting　lamplight　off　countless　glittering　facets。　It　might　have　been　pretty　to　look　at；　if　she　weren't　obsessed　with　one　thing　alone。　An　item　to　reclaim。　Something　she　once；　briefly；　had　owned。
　　My　ticket　off　this　mudball。
　　Rety's　footprints　appeared　to　be　the　first　ever　laid　in　the　dust…which　wasn't　surprising；　since　just　qheuens；　and　a　few　humans　and　urs；　had　a　knack　for　travel　underground；　and　she　was　smaller　than　most。　With　luck；　this　tunnel　led　toward　the　much　larger　cave　she　had　seen　Lester　Cambel　enter　several　times。　Following　the　chief　human　sage　had　been　her　preoccupation　while　avoiding　the　group　of　frustrated　men　and　women　who　wanted　her　to　help　guide　them　over　the　mountains。　Once　she　knew　for　sure　where　Cambel　spent　his　evenings；　she　had　sent　yee　scouring　the　underbrush　till　he　found　this　offshoot　opening；　bypassing　the　guarded　main　entrance。
　　The　little　guy　was　already　proving　pretty　darn　useful。　To　Rety's　surprise；　married　life　wasn't　so　bad；　once　you　got　used　to　it。
　　There　was　more　tight　wriggling　and　writhing。　At　times；　she　had　to　squirm　sideways　or　slide　down　narrow　chutes；　making　yee　plain　when　he　got　squeezed。　Beyond　the　lantern's　dim　yellow　puddle；　she　heard　soft　tinkling　sounds　as　water　dripped　into　black　pools；　slowly　sculpting　weird　underground　shapes　out　of　Jijo's　raw　mineral　juices。　With　each　step　Rety　fought　a　tightness　in　her　chest；　trying　to　ignore　her　tense　imagination；　which　pictured　her　in　the　twisty　guts　of　some　huge　slumbering　beast。　The　rocky　womb　kept　threatening　to　close　in　from　all　sides；　shutting　the　exits；　then　grinding　her　to　dust。
　　Soon　the　way　narrowed　to　a　corkscrew　horizontal　tube　that　was　tight　even　for　her。　She　had　to　send　yee　ahead　before　attempting　the　contorted　passage；　pushing　the　lantern　along　in　front　of　her。
　　Yee's　tiny　hooves　clattered　on　gritty　limestone。　Soon　she　heard　a　wele　hoarse　whisper。
　　〃is　good！　hole　opens　up；　little　ways　more；　e　wife；　faster！〃
　　His　chiding　almost　made　her　snort　angrily…not　a　wise　idea　with　her　cheek；　nose；　and　mouth　scraping　rank　dust。　Contorting　her　body　to　turn　the　next　corner；　she　suddenly　felt　certain　the　walls　were　moving！
　　She　recalled　what　Dwer's　brother　had　said　about　this　region；　when　he　led　her　down　that　last　stretch　to　the　Glade；　past　steaming　sulfur　vents。　Lark　had　called　this　a　land　of　earthquakes；　and　seemed　to　think　it　a　good　thing！
　　Twisting　uneasily；　her　hip　jammed　in　a　stone　cleft。
　　I'm　caught！
　　Thought　of　entrapment　sent　a　whimpering　moan　surging　past　flecked　lips　as　she　thrashed；　banging　her　knee　agonizingly。　The　world　really　was　closing　in！
　　Her　forehead　struck　stone；　and　pain…dazzles　swarmed　her　dimming　vision。　The　candle　lantern　rattled　from　her　clutching　fingertips；　almost　toppling　over。
　　〃easy；　wife！　stop！　stay！〃
　　The　words　bounced　off　the　warped　mirror　of　her　panic。　Stubbornly；　Rety　kept　striving　against　cold　stone；　groaning　and　pushing　futilely。。。　until。。。
　　Something　clicked　inside　her。　All　at　once；　she　went　limp；　suddenly　resigned　to　let　the　mountain　do　whatever　it　wanted　with　her。
　　Moments　after　she　stopped　fighting；　the　walls　miraculously　seemed　to　stop　moving。　Or　had　it　been　her；　all　along？
　　〃better　now？　good…good；　now　move　left　leg。。。　left！　good；　stop　now。　okay　roll　other　way。　go…o…o…ood　wife！〃
　　His　tiny　voice　was　a　lifeline　she　clutched　for　the　few　duras…for　the　eternity…that　it　took　to　win　free。　At　last；　the　clutch　of　the　stony　passage　eased；　and　she　slithered　down　a　sandy　bank　in　a　flowing；　almost　liquid　liberation　that　felt　just　like　being　born。
　　When　next　she　looked　up；　yee　had　the　lantern　cradled　in　both　arms；　bowing　with　forelegs　bent。
　　〃good　brave　wife！　no　wife　ever　like　yee's　amazing　wife！〃
　　This　time　Rety　could　not　hold　it　in。　She　covered　her　mouth　with　both　hands；　yet　her　escaping　laughter　bounced　off　the　fluted　walls。　bed　by　stalactites；　it　came　back　as　a　hundred　soft　echoes　of　her　joy　to　be　alive。
　　The　sage　was　pondering　her　bird。
　　He　peered　at　it；　wrote　on　a　notepad；　then　poked　it　with　some　shiny　tool。
　　Rety　seethed。　The　gold…green　machine　was　hers。　Hers！　She　had　pursued　it　from　the　southern　marshes　to　the　Rimmers；　rescued　it　from　a　greedy　mule…spider；　won　it　with　her　sweat；　suffering；　and　dreams。　She　would　choose　who；　if　anybody；　got　to　study　it。
　　Anyway；　what　was　a　savage　shaman　going　to　achieve　with　his　crude　glass　lenses　and　such？　The　tools　lying　near　the　bird　might　have　impressed　the　old　Rety；　who　thought　Dwer's　hunting　bow　was　so　great。　But　all　that　changed　after　meeting　Besh；　Rann；　and　the　other　star…humans。　Now　she　knew…despite　all　his　airs；　Lester　Cambel　was　just　like　Jass　or　Bom；　or　any　of　the　other　idiots　back　in　the　Gray　Hills。　Stupid　braggarts。　Bullies。　Always　taking　things　that　didn't　belong　to　them。
　　Under　the　bright　flare　of　a　mirrored　oil　lamp；　Cambel　flipped　through　a　book。　Its　pages　crackled；　as　if　they　had　not　been　turned　in　a　very　long　time。　Rety　couldn't　make　out　much　from　her　vantage　point；　perched　on　a　cleft　high　up　one　craggy　cavern　wall。　Not　that　she　could　read；　anyway。　Most　of　each　page　seemed　to　be　taken　up　with　drawings　with　lots　of　little　crisscrossing　lines。　Nothing　much　resembled　a　bird。
　　e　on；　yee；　she　thought；　restlessly。　I'm　countin'　on　you！
　　She　was　taking　a　big　risk。　The　little　male　had　assured　her　he　could　handle　it；　but　what　if　he　got　lost　while　sneaking　around　to　the　other　side？　Or　forgot　his　lines？　Rety　would　be　furious　if　the　little　guy　wound　up　getting　hurt！
　　Cambel's　assistant　stood　up　and　left　the　chamber；　perhaps　on　some　brief　errand；　or　else　to　retire　for　the　night。　Either　way；　this　was　a　perfect　time！　e　on；　yee！
　　After　so　long　writhing　through　dark　passages；　always　fearful　the　little　candle　would　go　out；　Rety　found　the　cool　brilliance　of　the　sage's　lamp　harsh　to　the　eyes。　With　reluctance　she　had　blown　out　her　own　light　while　creeping　the　last　few　meters；　lest　its　glow　draw　attention。　Now　she　regretted　it。　What　if　I　have　to　retreat　the　way　I　came？　She　couldn't　willingly　face　that　path　again。　But　as　a　last　resort；　if　someone　were　chasing　her。。。　？
　　Too　bad　she　had　no　way　to　restart　the　candle。　Maybe　I　should've　learned　to　use　one　of　those　〃match〃　things　the　Slopies　boast　about。　She　had　been　too　awed　by　the　sudden　burst　of　flame　to　pay　close　attention　when　Dwer；　and　later　U