第16节

d attentively as Clearwater put questions to Mr Snow

about her newly-discovered power which, like Cadillac's prodigious

memory, was a gift of the Sky Voices, sent with the blessing of their

great mother Mo-Town. Mr Snow explained many things, emphasising that

the effort needed to guide the power and shape it to his, or her, will

drained the life-force from the summoner. Thus, the greater the force

unleashed, the greater the power needed to control it. Great power

should only be summoned in extremis because it could, in untrained

hands, result in the death of the one who sought to wield it.

This was why Clearwater had fainted when she had saved Cadillac from

Shakatak; the summoner was left weakened after the power had passed

through their body. He, or she, had then to wait until their

life-force had been restored before the power could be used again. It

followed that, in times of danger, the skill of the summoner had to be

employed judiciously otherwise he, or she, might find their powers

depleted when they were needed most.

When it was Cadillac's turn to speak he said, 'I am troubled that I do

not hear the Sky Voices."

Mr Snow smiled. 'You will hear them when you are ready to listen."

'Then teach me how to listen."

Mr Snow shook his head. 'The heads of the young are filled with the

sounds of the world. The trumpets of vainglory.

The dark murmur of earth-longings. With age, your tuner ear may learn

to shut out such noises. Only then will you discover that the great

truths are gifts that come wrapped in silence."

'I have a gift of which I have not yet spoken,' said Cadillac.

'A pupil should not conceal knowledge from his master,' said Mr Snow.

Cadillac laughed. 'Nothing is hidden from you, Old One."

'True,' admitted Mr Snow. His eyes twinkled. 'Though I do not send my

mind into your hut at the dark of the moon."

Clearwater put her hands over her nose and mouth and eyed Cadillac over

her fingertips.

Cadillac took a deep breath to avoid stammering from embarrassment. 'I

did not speak because I was not sure whether it was a true gift or

nothing more than dream-stuff fashioned by a haft-empty mind." He

hesitated. 'I see pictures in the stones."

Mr Snow nodded soberly. Clearwater listened, wide-eyed.

'Not all stones,' explained Cadillac. 'Only those which are ..." He

groped for the right word.

'... seeing stones,' said Mr Snow.

'Yes." Cadillac reached towards the bank of the stream and picked up a

smooth rock the size of a large apple. 'This one says nothing." He

ran a finger round its circumference.

'The seeing stones have a ring of soft golden light. I cannot always

see it but if I hold one of these stones in my hand and take its

essence into my mind, I see pictures. Whether they are in the stone or

in my mind I cannot tell but -' Cadillac shook his head and sighed

regretfully, 'I do not understand them."

Mr Snow nodded again. 'The power is difficult to master.

The pictures you saw could have been from the past, or from the

future.

They are of the place where the stone lies. Stored memories, visions

of things yet to come, sealed like reflections of the cloud-filled sky

on the surface of the endless River of Time."

'Can you teach me to make sense of these things?"

Mr Snow shook his head. 'No. The art of seer-ship cannot be taught.

He who has the gift must learn to use it himself."

'So,' said Cadillac. 'I am wordsmith and seer. Might not the power of

the summoner enter me in the days to come - as it has been given to

Clearwater?"

'It might,' said Mr Snow.

Cadillac weighed up the old man and squared his shoulders. 'The shadow

of Talisman is upon me,' he said boldly. 'Am I to be the Thrice-Gifted

One?"

Mr Snow closed his eyes as if seeking guidance.

Clearwater reached out silently and took hold of Cadillac's hand.

Their eyes met briefly then returned to Mr Snow but he did not reply,