Read Online Quest for the King by John White - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: John White
Ads: Link
that he is hard to convince! He is
rather suspicious of my vision as a source of truth."
Very soon they found themselves following the river bank, and as
soon as they could they dismounted and led their horses to drink. The
river bed was wide, almost two hundred yards across, though the
actual channel-or rather channels-through which it flowed might
number three or four at any one time. It proceeded in the direction
opposite to the one they were pursuing, constantly dividing and uniting among islands of stone and rock. The water was swift, absolutely
clear, and pale green in color. Its bed was lined with boulders and
small stones, and there were fish to be seen in the five feet or so of
deeper water.
Once the horses were watered they resumed their journey, now
ascending slowly in the direction of the river's source. And because
the river followed many bends, the scenery changed constantly. They
could catch glimpses of peaks and distant mountain ranges both behind them and in front of them.
"I wonder what the river is called," Lisa said to Kurt.
"I've no idea. But surely it must become the Rure higher up. Remember the legend of the magician."
The voice of Alleophaz broke in. "It is the Rure. It is joined by a
smaller river-the Nachash, its most important tributary-which turns
a sharp corner to join it. The river flows from its source in Lake
Nachash, which is bordered by a swamp."
Wesley's mind received a jolt. That confirmed what Lisa said about
Bamah. He saw that they had arrived "in Uncle John's time." Hence
the way the river was flowing. The legend about the sorcerer who built
the bridge now made sense. "Well, I never! The sorcerer and the
bridge!"
"Then this road really will take us to Bamah, and we follow the
river-or some river all the way ..." Kurt turned to interrupt.
"But the Rure is-well, more sedate than this river," his sister said,
frowning.
Alleophaz smiled. "True, and I can see you are familiar with the
country. As for this river, I imagine that it can be dangerous when it
floods. Probably this road gets washed out at times."
All of a sudden Kurt saw with his own eyes the "living column of
smoke" on the road ahead of them. It was on the left-hand side of
the road, the side of the forested slope. Merging with the trees, pale
gray in color, it seemed to Kurt to pulsate with a life all its own.
"Look, Lisa, there it is!"
"There what is?"
"The column of smoke that Alleophaz talked about. Look-thereahead of us on the left!"
"Where? Where? I can't see anything!"
Kurt pointed. "See that tree that leans forward?"
"Yes."
"Well just this side of it-almost right against it."
There was a moment's silence.
"Kurt, I can't see a thing," she said. "You're sure you're not imagining it?"
"You could be looking in the wrong place. Look, it's only ten yards
ahead now! See, right there!"
Lisa shook her head, laughing a little. "Kurt, there's nothing! I can't
see a thing."
Kurt's face was red. "We're passing it now, it's as clear as day!" he
cried in anguish. He turned to his sister, whose face was full of concern.
"Kurt, I'm sorry. I'd see it if I could. But all I see are trees and the
slope of a hill."
Kurt looked back. "It's still there." His shoulders drooped. "It'sit's as clear as a bell-glowing with inner fires of pale blue, just as he
said. Lisa, I'm not making it up!"
At that point the road swung left to follow the nver bank, so that
whatever Kurt saw, or thought he had seen, was lost from view. It was
a point at which the main channel, which must have been fifteen or
twenty feet across, and very deep, flowed with unusual speed. As they
looked at the water flanking the road they saw it fast, deep and only
a foot below the level of the road. On their left there was a face of
rock rising sheer for thirty feet or so. Twenty yards ahead the road
ended abruptly. It had been washed out. Two or three hundred yards
further ahead they could see where a large tree
rather suspicious of my vision as a source of truth."
Very soon they found themselves following the river bank, and as
soon as they could they dismounted and led their horses to drink. The
river bed was wide, almost two hundred yards across, though the
actual channel-or rather channels-through which it flowed might
number three or four at any one time. It proceeded in the direction
opposite to the one they were pursuing, constantly dividing and uniting among islands of stone and rock. The water was swift, absolutely
clear, and pale green in color. Its bed was lined with boulders and
small stones, and there were fish to be seen in the five feet or so of
deeper water.
Once the horses were watered they resumed their journey, now
ascending slowly in the direction of the river's source. And because
the river followed many bends, the scenery changed constantly. They
could catch glimpses of peaks and distant mountain ranges both behind them and in front of them.
"I wonder what the river is called," Lisa said to Kurt.
"I've no idea. But surely it must become the Rure higher up. Remember the legend of the magician."
The voice of Alleophaz broke in. "It is the Rure. It is joined by a
smaller river-the Nachash, its most important tributary-which turns
a sharp corner to join it. The river flows from its source in Lake
Nachash, which is bordered by a swamp."
Wesley's mind received a jolt. That confirmed what Lisa said about
Bamah. He saw that they had arrived "in Uncle John's time." Hence
the way the river was flowing. The legend about the sorcerer who built
the bridge now made sense. "Well, I never! The sorcerer and the
bridge!"
"Then this road really will take us to Bamah, and we follow the
river-or some river all the way ..." Kurt turned to interrupt.
"But the Rure is-well, more sedate than this river," his sister said,
frowning.
Alleophaz smiled. "True, and I can see you are familiar with the
country. As for this river, I imagine that it can be dangerous when it
floods. Probably this road gets washed out at times."
All of a sudden Kurt saw with his own eyes the "living column of
smoke" on the road ahead of them. It was on the left-hand side of
the road, the side of the forested slope. Merging with the trees, pale
gray in color, it seemed to Kurt to pulsate with a life all its own.
"Look, Lisa, there it is!"
"There what is?"
"The column of smoke that Alleophaz talked about. Look-thereahead of us on the left!"
"Where? Where? I can't see anything!"
Kurt pointed. "See that tree that leans forward?"
"Yes."
"Well just this side of it-almost right against it."
There was a moment's silence.
"Kurt, I can't see a thing," she said. "You're sure you're not imagining it?"
"You could be looking in the wrong place. Look, it's only ten yards
ahead now! See, right there!"
Lisa shook her head, laughing a little. "Kurt, there's nothing! I can't
see a thing."
Kurt's face was red. "We're passing it now, it's as clear as day!" he
cried in anguish. He turned to his sister, whose face was full of concern.
"Kurt, I'm sorry. I'd see it if I could. But all I see are trees and the
slope of a hill."
Kurt looked back. "It's still there." His shoulders drooped. "It'sit's as clear as a bell-glowing with inner fires of pale blue, just as he
said. Lisa, I'm not making it up!"
At that point the road swung left to follow the nver bank, so that
whatever Kurt saw, or thought he had seen, was lost from view. It was
a point at which the main channel, which must have been fifteen or
twenty feet across, and very deep, flowed with unusual speed. As they
looked at the water flanking the road they saw it fast, deep and only
a foot below the level of the road. On their left there was a face of
rock rising sheer for thirty feet or so. Twenty yards ahead the road
ended abruptly. It had been washed out. Two or three hundred yards
further ahead they could see where a large tree
Similar Books
