[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
forever."
"Arawn swore to return it after a time," said Orwen. "But when the
time came, he broke his oath to us, as might be expected."
"Ill-advised," murmured Orgoch.
"And since he wouldn't give it back," Orddu said, "what else could
we do? We went and took it."
"Great Belin!" cried the bard. "You three ladies ventured into the
heart of Annuvin and carried the thing out? How did you ever manage?"
Orddu smiled. "There are a number of ways, my curious sparrow. We
could have flooded Annuvin with darkness and floated the cauldron out. We
could have put all the guards to sleep. Or we could have turned ourselves
into--- well, no matter--- let us say we could have used a variety of methods.
In any case, the cauldron is here again.
"And," the enchantress added, "here it will stay. No, no," she said,
raising a hand to Taran. "I can see you'd like to have it, but that's out of
the question. Much too dangerous for wandering chicks like you. My goodness,
we shouldn't sleep at night. No, no, not even for the sake of little Dallben.
Page 88
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"In fact," Orddu went on, "you'd be much safer being toads than
having anything to do with the Black Crochan." She shook her head. "Better
yet, we could change you into birds and have you fly back to Caer Dallben
immediately.
"No indeed," she continued, rising from the table and taking hold of
Taran's shoulders. "Off you ducklings must go and never give a second thought
to the Crochan. Tell dear little Dallben and Prince Gwydion we're terribly
sorry, and if there's anything else we can possibly do... But not that. Oh, my
no."
Taran started to protest, but Orddu cut him short and guided him
rapidly to the door, while the other enchantresses hustled the companions
after him.
"You may sleep in the shed tonight, my chickens," said Orddu. "Then,
first thing in the morning, away with you to little Dallben. And you shall
decide whether you'd rather go on your legs. Or," she added, this time without
a smile, "on a pair of your own wings."
"Or," muttered Orgoch, "hopping all the way."
Chapter 13
The Plan
THE DOOR SLAMMED SHUT behind them and once again the companions
found themselves outside the cottage.
Page 89
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Well, I like that!" Eilonwy cried indignantly. "After all their
talk of dear little Dallben and sweet little Dallben, they've turned us out!"
"Better turned out than into, if you take my meaning," said the
bard. "A Fflam is always kind to animals, but somehow I can't bring myself to
feel I should like to actually become one!"
"No, oh, no!" Gurgi cried fervently. "Gurgi, too, wants to stay as
he is--- bold and clever!"
Taran turned back to the cottage and began pounding on the door.
"They must listen to us!" he declared. "They didn't even take time to think it
over." But the door did not open, and though he ran to the window and rapped
long and loud, the enchantresses did not show themselves again.
"I'm afraid that's your answer," said Fflewddur. "They've said all
they intend to say--- and perhaps it's for the best. And I have the uneasy
feeling all that knocking and thumping might--- well, you don't know but what
those, ah, ladies get upset at noises."
"We can't just go away," Taran replied. "The cauldron is in their
hands and, friends of Dallben or not, there's no telling what they'll do with
it. I fear them and I distrust them. You heard the way the one called Orgoch
was talking. Yes, I can well imagine what she'd have done to Dallben." He
shook his head gravely. "This is what Gwydion warned against. Whoever has the
cauldron can be a mortal threat to Prydain, if they choose to be."
"At least Ellidyr hasn't found it," Eilonwy said. "That's something
to be grateful for."
"If you want the advice of one who is, after all, the oldest of us
here," said the bard, "I think we should do well to hurry home and let Dallben
and Gwydion attend to the matter. After all, Dallben should know how to deal
with those three."
"No," Taran answered, "that I will not do. We should lose precious
days in travel. The Huntsmen failed to get the cauldron back. But who knows
what Arawn will attempt next? No, we dare not leave the thing here."
"For once," declared Eilonwy, "I agree. We've come this far and we
shall have to go on to the end. I don't trust those enchantresses either. They
Page 90
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
wouldn't sleep if they thought we had the cauldron? I shall certainly have
nightmares if I think of them with it! Not to mention Arawn! I believe no one,
human or otherwise, should have that much power."
She shuddered. "Ugh! There go the ants on my back again!"
"Yes, well, it's true," Fflewddur began. "But the fact remains---
they have that wretched pot and we don't. They're there and we're here, and it
looks very much as though it will stay that way."
Taran was thoughtful a moment. "When Arawn wouldn't give the
cauldron back to them," he said, "they went and took it. Now, since they won't
let us have the cauldron, I see only one way: we shall have to take it."
"Steal it?" cried the bard. His worried expression changed rapidly
and his eyes brightened. "I mean," he dropped his voice to a whisper, "steal
it? Now there's a thought," he went on eagerly. "Never occurred to me. Yes,
yes, that's the way," he added with excitement. "Now, that has some style and
flair to it!"
"One difficulty," Eilonwy said. "We don't know where they've hidden
the cauldron, and they evidently aren't going to let us in to find out."
Taran frowned. "I wish Doli were here; we'd have no trouble at all.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]