rh.conanthewarrior-第14部分

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s；　and　asked　where　they　led。
　　〃Those　lead　to　adjoining　chambers；〃　answered　the　woman；　indicating　the　doors　on　right　and　left。　〃That　one？〃…pointing　to　a　copper…bound　door　opposite　that　which　opened　into　the　corridor…〃leads　to　a　corridor　which　runs　to　a　stair　that　descends　into　the　catabs。　Do　not　fear；　naught　can　harm　you　here。〃
　　〃Who　spoke　of　fear？〃　snapped　Valeria。　〃I　just　like　to　know　what　sort　of　harbor　I'm　dropping　anchor　in。　No；　I　don't　want　you　to　sleep　at　the　foot　of　my　couch。　I'm　not　accustomed　to　being　waited　on…not　by　women；　anyway。　You　have　my　leave　to　go。〃
　　Alone　in　the　room；　the　pirate　shot　the　bolts　on　all　the　doors；　kicked　off　her　boots　and　stretched　luxuriously　out　on　the　couch。　She　imagined　Conan　similarly　situated　across　the　corridor；　but　her　feminine　vanity　prompted　her　to　visualize　him　as　scowling　and　muttering　with　chagrin　as　he　cast　himself　on　his　solitary　couch；　and　she　grinned　with　gleeful　malice　as　she　prepared　herself　for　slumber。
　　Outside；　night　had　fallen。　In　the　halls　of　Xuchotl　the　green　fire…jewels　blazed　like　the　eyes　of　prehistoric　cats。　Somewhere　among　the　dark　towers；　a　night　wind　moaned　like　a　restless　spirit。　Through　the　dim　passages；　stealthy　figures　began　stealing；　like　disembodied　shadows。
　　Valeria　awoke　suddenly　on　her　couch。　In　the　dusky　emerald　glow　of　the　fire…gems　she　saw　a　shadowy　figure　bending　over　her。　For　a　bemused　instant　the　apparition　seemed　part　of　the　dream　she　had　been　dreaming。　She　had　seemed　to　lie　on　the　couch　in　the　chamber　as　she　was　actually　lying；　while　over　her　pulsed　and　throbbed　a　gigantic　black　blossom　so　enormous　that　it　hid　the　ceiling。　Its　exotic　perfume　pervaded　her　being；　inducing　a　delicious；　sensuous　languor　that　was　something　more　and　less　than　sleep。　She　was　sinking　into　scented　billows　of　insensible　bliss；　when　something　touched　her　face。　So　supersensitive　were　her　drugged　senses；　that　the　light　touch　was　like　a　dislocating　impact；　jolting　her　rudely　into　full　wakefulness。　Then　it　was　that　she　saw；　not　a　gargantuan　blossom；　but　a　dark…skinned　woman　standing　above　her。
　　With　the　realization　came　anger　and　instant　action。　The　woman　turned　lithely；　but　before　she　could　run　Valeria　was　on　her　feet　and　had　caught　her　arm。　She　fought　like　a　wildcat　for　an　instant；　and　then　subsided　as　she　felt　herself　crushed　by　the　superior　strength　of　her　captor。　The　priate　wrenched　the　woman　around　to　face　her；　caught　her　chin　with　her　free　hand　and　forced　her　captive　to　meet　her　gaze。　It　was　the　sullen　Yasala；　Tascela's　maid。
　　〃What　the　devil　were　you　doing　bending　over　me？　What's　that　in　your　hand？〃
　　The　woman　made　no　reply；　but　sought　to　cast　away　the　object。　Valeria　twisted　her　arm　around　in　front　of　her；　and　the　thing　fell　to　the　floor…a　great　black　exotic　blossom　on　a　jade…green　stem；　large　as　a　woman's　head；　to　be　sure；　but　tiny　beside　the　exaggerated　vision　she　had　seen。
　　〃The　black　lotus！〃　said　Valeria　between　her　teeth。　〃The　blossom　whose　scent　brings　deep　sleep。　You　were　trying　to　drug　me！　If　you　hadn't　accidentally　touched　my　face　with　the　petals；　you'd　have…why　did　you　do　it？　What's　your　game？〃
　　Yasala　maintained　a　sulky　silence；　and　with　an　oath　Valeria　whirled　her　around；　forced　her　to　her　knees　and　twisted　her　arm　up　behind　her　back。
　　〃Tell　me；　or　I'll　tear　your　arm　out　of　its　socket！〃
　　Yasala　squirmed　in　anguish　as　her　arm　was　forced　excruciatingly　up　between　her　shoulder　blades；　but　a　violent　shaking　of　her　head　was　the　only　answer　she　made。
　　〃Slut！〃　Valeria　cast　her　from　her　to　sprawl　on　the　floor。　The　pirate　glared　at　the　prostrate　figure　with　blazing　eyes。　Fear　and　the　memory　of　Tascela's　burning　eyes　stirred　in　her；　rousing　all　her　tigerish　instincts　of　self…preservation。　These　people　were　decadent；　any　sort　of　perversity　might　be　expected　to　be　encountered　among　them。　But　Valeria　sensed　here　something　that　moved　behind　the　scenes；　some　secret　terror　fouler　than　mon　degeneracy。　Fear　and　revulsion　of　this　weird　city　swept　her。　These　people　were　neither　sane　nor　normal；　she　began　to　doubt　if　they　were　even　human。　Madness　smoldered　in　the　eyes　of　them　all…all　except　the　cruel；　cryptic　eyes　of　Tascela；　which　held　secrets　and　mysteries　more　abysmal　than　madness。
　　She　lifted　her　head　and　listened　intently。　The　halls　of　Xuchotl　were　as　silent　as　if　it　were　in　reality　a　dead　city。　The　green　jewels　bathed　the　chamber　in　a　nightmare　glow；　in　which　the　eyes　of　the　woman　on　the　floor　glittered　eerily　up　at　her。　A　thrill　of　panic　throbbed　through　Valeria；　driving　the　last　vestige　of　mercy　from　her　fierce　soul。
　　〃Why　did　you　try　to　drug　me？〃　she　muttered；　grasping　the　woman's　black　hair；　and　forcing　her　head　back　to　glare　into　her　sullen；　long…lashed　eyes。　〃Did　Tascela　send　you？〃
　　No　answer。　Valeria　cursed　venomously　and　slapped　the　woman　first　on　one　cheek　and　then　the　other。　The　blows　resounded　through　the　room；　but　Yasala　made　no　outcry。
　　〃Why　don't　you　scream？〃　demanded　Valeria　savagely。　〃Do　you　fear　someone　will　hear　you？　Whom　do　you　fear？　Tascela？　Olmec？　Conan？〃
　　Yasala　made　no　reply。　She　crouched；　watching　her　captor　with　eyes　baleful　as　those　of　a　basilisk。　Stubborn　silence　always　fans　anger。　Valeria　turned　and　tore　a　handful　of　cords　from　a　near…by　hanging。
　　〃You　sulky　slut！〃　she　said　between　her　teeth。　〃I'm　going　to　strip　you　stark　naked　and　tie　you　across　that　couch　and　whip　you　until　you　tell　me　what　you　were　doing　here；　and　who　sent　you！〃
　　Yasala　made　no　verbal　protest；　nor　did　she　offer　any　resistance；　as　Valeria　carried　out　the　first　part　of　her　thereat　with　a　fury　that　her　captive's　obstinacy　only　sharpened。　Then　for　a　space　there　was　no　sound　in　the　chamber　except　the　whistle　and　crackle　of　hard…woven　silken　cords　on　naked　flesh。　Yasala　could　not　move　her　fast…bound　hands　or　feet。　Her　body　writhed　and　quivered　under　the　chastisement；　her　head　swayed　from　side　to　side　in　rhythm　with　the　blows。　Her　teeth　were　sunk　into　her　lower　lip　and　a　trickle　of　blood　began　as　the　punishment　continued。　But　she　did　not　cry　out。
　　The　pliant　cords　made　no　great　sound　as　they　encountered　the　quivering　body　of　the　captive；　only　a　sharp　crackling　snap；　but　each　cord　left　a　red　streak　across　Yasala's　dark　flesh。　Valeria　inflicted　the　punishment　with　all　the　strength　of　her　war…hardened　arm；　with　all　the　mercilessness　acquired　during　a　life　where　pain　and　torment　were　daily　happenings；　and　with　all　the　cynical　ingenuity　which　only　a　woman　displays　toward　a　woman。　Yasala　suffered　more；　physically　and　mentally；　than　she　would　have　suffered　under　a　lash　wielded　by　a　man；　however　strong。
　　It　was　the　application　of　this　feminine　cynicism　which　at　last　tamed　Yasala。
　　A　low　whimper　escaped　from　her　lips；　and　Valeria　paused；　arm　lifted；　and　raked　back　a　damp　yellow　lock。　〃Well；　are　you　going　to　talk？〃　she　demanded。　〃I　can　keep　this　up　all　night；　if　necessary。〃
　　〃Mercy！〃　whispered　the　woman。　〃I　will　tell。〃
　　Valeria　cut　the　cords　from　her　wrists　and　ankles；　and　pulled　her　to　her　feet。　Yasala　sank　down　on　the　couch；　half　reclining　on　one　bare　hip；　supporting　herself　on　her　arm；　and　writhing　at　the　contact　of　her　smarting　flesh　with　the　couch。　She　was　trembling　in　every　limb。
　　〃Wine！〃　she　begged；　dry…lipped；　indicating　with　a　quivering　hand　a　gold　vessel　on　an　ivory　table。　〃Let　me　drink。　I　am　weak　with　pain。　Then　I　will　tell　you　all。〃
　　Valeria　picked　up　the　vessel；　and　Yasala　rose　unsteadily　to　receive　it。　She　took　it；　raised　it　toward　her　lips…then　dashed　the　contents　full　into　the　Aquilonian's　face。　Valeria　reeled　backward；　shaking　and　clawing　the　stinging　liquid　out　of　her　eyes。　Through　a　smarting　mist　she　saw　Yasala　dart　across　the　room；　fling　back　a　bolt；　throw　open　the　copperbound　door　and　run　down　the　hall。　The　pirate　was　after　her　instantly；　sword　out　and　murder　in　her　heart。
　　But　Yasala　had　the　start；　and　she　ran　with　the　nervous　agility　of　a　woman　who　has　just　been　whipped　to　the　point　of　hysterical　frenzy。　She　rounded　a　corner　in　the　corridor；　yards　ahead　of　Valeria；　and　when　the　pirate　turned　it；　she　saw　only　an　empty　hall；　and　at　the　other　end　a　door　that　gaped　blackly。　A　damp　moldy　scent　reeked　up　from　it；　and　Valeria　shivered。　That　must　be　the　door　that　hed　to　the