"Ursula K. LeGuin - Earthsea 5 - The Other Wind" - читать интересную книгу автора (Le Guin Ursula K)

The old healer was more hesitant. "It's not in the body that we cross the wall, since the
body of one who dies stays here. And if a mage goes there in vision, his sleeping body
is still here, alive. And so we call that voyager… we call what makes that journey from
the body, the soul, the spirit."
"But my wife took my hand," Alder said. He could not say again to them that she had
kissed his mouth. "I felt her touch."
"So it seemed to you," the Summoner said.
"If they touched bodily, if a link was made," the Herbal said to the Summoner, "might
that not be why the other dead can come to him, call to him, even touch him?"
"That is why he must resist them," said the Summoner, with a glance at Alder. His
eyes were small, fiery.
Alder felt it as an accusation, and not a fair one. He said, "I try to resist them, my lord.
I have tried. But there are so many of them—and she's with them—and they're
suffering, crying out to me."
"They cannot suffer," the Summoner said. "Death ends all suffering."
"Maybe the shadow of pain is pain," said the Herbal. "There are mountains in that
land, and they are called Paln."
The Doorkeeper had scarcely spoken until now. He said in his quiet, easy voice,
"Alder is a mender, not a breaker. I don't think he can break that link."
"If he made it he can break it," the Summoner said.
"Did he make it?"
"I have no such art, my lord," Alder said, so frightened by what they were saying that
he spoke angrily.
"Then I must go down among them," said the Summoner.
"No, my friend," said the Doorkeeper, and the old Herbal said, "You last of us all."
"But this is my art."
"And ours."
"Who then?"
The Doorkeeper said, "It seems Alder is our guide. Having come to us for help, maybe
he can help us. Let us all go with him in his vision—to the wall, though not across it."


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Le Guin, Ursula - [Earthsea 05] The Other Wind

So that night, when late and fearfully Alder let sleep overcome him, and found himself
on the grey hill, the others were with him: the Herbal, a warm presence in the chill; the
Doorkeeper, elusive and silvery as starlight; and the massive Summoner, the bear, a
dark strength.
This time they were standing not where the hill ran down into the dark, but on the near
slope, looking up to the top. The wall in this place ran along the crest of the hill and
was low, little more than knee height. Above it the sky with its few small stars was
perfectly black.
Nothing moved.
It would be hard to walk uphill to the wall, Alder thought. Always before it had been
below him.
But if he could go to it maybe Lily would be there, as she had been the first time.
Maybe he could take her hand, and the mages would bring her back with him. Or he
could step over the wall where it was so low and come to her.
He began to walk up the hill. It was easy, it was no trouble, he was almost there.