第32部分(第2/7 页)

oll。　But　occasionally；　there　will　be　trumpets　followed　by　an　announcement。　Usually；　this　will　be　a　call　to　a　feast。　When　food　is　scarce；　the　Gamemakers　will　invite　the　players　to　a　banquet；　somewhere　known　to　all　like　the　Cornucopia；　as　an　inducement　to　gather　and　fight。　Sometimes　there　is　a　feast　and　sometimes　thereˇs　nothing　but　a　loaf　of　stale　bread　for　the　tributes　to　pete　for。　I　wouldnˇt　go　in　for　the　food；　but　this　could　be　an　ideal　time　to　take　out　a　few　petitors。

Claudius　Templesmithˇs　voice　booms　down　from　overhead；　congratulating　the　six　of　us　who　remain。　But　he　is　not　inviting　us　to　a　feast。　Heˇs　saying　something　very　confusing。　Thereˇs　been　a　rule　change　in　the　Games。　A　rule　change！　That　in　itself　is　mind　bending　since　we　donˇt　really　have　any　rules　to　speak　of　except　donˇt　step　off　your　circle　for　sixty　seconds　and　the　unspoken　rule　about　not　eating　one　another。　Under　the　new　rule；　both　tributes　from　the　same　district　will　be　declared　winners　if　they　are　the　last　two　alive。　Claudius　pauses；　as　if　he　knows　weˇre　not　getting　it；　and　repeats　the　change　again。

The　news　sinks　in。　Two　tributes　can　win　this　year。　If　theyˇre　from　the　same　district。　Both　can　live。　Both　of　us　can　live。

Before　I　can　stop　myself；　I　call　out　Peetaˇs　name。

PART　III

〃THE　VICTOR〃

19

I　clap　my　hands　over　my　mouth；　but　the　sound　has　already　escaped。　The　sky　goes　black　and　I　hear　a　chorus　of　frogs　begin　to　sing。　Stupid！　I　tell　myself。　What　a　stupid　thing　to　do！　I　wait；　frozen；　for　the　woods　to　e　alive　with　assailants。　Then　I　remember　thereˇs　almost　no　one　left。

Peeta；　whoˇs　been　wounded；　is　now　my　ally。　Whatever　doubts　Iˇve　had　about　him　dissipate　because　if　either　of　us　took　the　otherˇs　life　now　weˇd　be　pariahs　when　we　returned　to　Distr