rh.conanthewarrior-第50部分

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nto　the　town。　You　brought　the　settlers　through　all　right；　but　their　women　and　children　got　into　Velitrium　just　ahead　of　those　painted　devils。　If　the　youth　Balthus　and　old　Slasher　hadn't　held　them　up　awhile；　they'd　have　butchered　every　woman　and　child　in　Conajohara。　I　passed　the　place　where　Balthus　and　the　dog　made　their　last　stand。　They　were　lying　amid　a　heap　of　dead　Picts…I　counted　seven；　brained　by　his　ax；　or　disemboweled　by　the　dog's　fangs；　and　there　were　others　in　the　road　with　arrows　sticking　in　them。　Gods；　what　a　fight　that　must　have　been！〃
　　〃He　was　a　man；〃　said　Conan。　〃I　drink　to　his　shade；　and　to　the　shade　of　the　dog；　who　knew　no　fear。〃　He　quaffed　part　of　the　wine；　then　emptied　the　rest　upon　the　floor；　with　a　curious　heathen　gesture；　and　smashed　the　goblet。　〃The　heads　of　ten　Picts　shall　pay　for　his；　and　seven　heads　for　the　dog；　who　was　a　better　warrior　than　many　a　man。〃
　　And　the　forester；　staring　into　the　moody；　smoldering　blue　eyes；　knew　the　barbaric　oath　would　be　kept。
　　〃They'll　not　rebuild　the　fort？〃
　　〃No；　Conajohara　is　lost　to　Aquilonia。　The　frontier　has　been　pushed　back。　Thunder　River　will　be　the　new　border。〃
　　The　woodsman　sighed　and　stared　at　his　calloused　hand；　worn　from　contact　with　ax…haft　and　sword…hilt。　Conan　reached　his　long　arm　for　the　wine…jug。　The　forester　stared　at　him；　paring　him　with　the　men　about　them；　the　men　who　had　died　along　the　lost　river；　paring　him　with　those　other　wild　men　over　that　river。　Conan　did　not　seem　aware　of　his　gaze。
　　〃Barbarism　is　the　natural　state　of　mankind；〃　the　borderer　said；　still　staring　somberly　at　the　Cimmerian。　〃Civilization　is　unnatural。　It　is　a　whim　of　circumstance。　And　barbarism　must　always　ultimately　triumph。〃



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