fs.thefirstbookofswords-第35部分

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r　larva。　It　looked　very　much　like　the　one　in　the　tank　inside　the　temple；　except　that　the　two　forearms　of　this　one　were　connected；　grown　into　one　piece　with　a　transverse　straight　gray　shaft　that　went　on　past　the　left　arm　to　end　in　a　spearhead。
　　　The　larva　let　out　a　strange　thin　cry　when　it　was　torn　up　from　the　muck；　and　spat　a　jet　of　bright　water　from　its　tiny　mouth。　Then　it　lay　as　limp　as　a　broken　puppet　in　the　huge　furry　hand。
　　　The　giant　shook　it　once　in　Nestor's　direction；　as　if　to　emphasize　to　the　man　the　fact　of　its　existence。　The　larva　made　no　response　to　the　shaking。　〃This　outh　cannot　breathe；〃　the　giant　said。　〃Or　even　eat　or　drink；　much　less　speak；　or　sing。　It　can　only　whine　as　you　have　just　heard；　or　howl。　It　can　only　make　noises　that　I　think　are　intended　to　inspire　human　terror。〃
　　　Nestor　gestured　helplessly　with　the　sword　that　he　still　carried。　〃I　do　not　understand。〃
　　　〃Nor　do　I；　as　yet。　I　had　feared　for　a　time　that　the　gods　themselves；　or　some　among　them；　were　for　their　own　reasons　causing　these　things　to　e　into　existence。　Just　as；　for　their　own　reasons；　some　of　the　gods　decided　that　you　should　be　given　great　power　to　kill　dragons。　But　so　far　I　can　discover　no　connection　between　the　two　gifts。　So　I　do　not　know　if　it　is　the　gods　who　are　raising　these　larvae；　or　some　magician　of　great　power。　Whoever　is　doing　it；　I　must　find　a　way　to　stop　it。　The　life　energies　of　the　land　about　the　swamp　will　be　exhausted　to　no　good　purpose。　Already　the　crops　in　nearby　fields　are　failing；　human　beings　are　sickening　with　hunger。〃
　　　Nestor；　looking　at　the　larva；　tried　to　think。　〃I　believe　I　can　tell　you　one　thing。　I　doubt　that　the　gods　had　any　hand　in　making　these。　Because　the　swords　made　by　the　gods　are　beautiful　things　in　themselves；　whatever　the　purpose　behind　them　may　be。〃　And　Nestor　raised　the　weapon　in　his　right　hand。
　　　The　giant；　looking　at　the　sword；　rumbled　out　what　might　have　been　a　quotation：
　　　　　　　　　　　〃Gong　roads　the　Sword　of　Fury　makes
　　　　　　　　　　　Hard　walls　it　builds　around　the　soft。。。　〃
　　　Nestor　waited　for　more　that　did　not　e。　Then　he　lowered　the　sword；　and　suddenly　demanded：　〃Why　do　you　deny　that　you　are　a　god　yourself？〃
　　　The　enormous　furred　fist　tightened。　The　gray　carapace　of　the　larva　resisted　that　pressure　only　for　a　moment；　then　broke　with　an　ugly　noise。　Gray　foulness　in　a　variety　of　indistinct　shapes　gushed　from　the　broken　torso。　What　Nestor　could　see　of　the　spill　in　the　moonlight　reminded　him　more　of　dung　than　of　anything　else。　The　gray　limbs　twitched。　Wildly；　the　spear　waved　once　and　was　still。
　　　The　giant　cast　the　wreckage　from　him　with　a　splash；　then　washed　his　hands　of　it　in　the　black　water　of　the　swamp。　He　said：　〃I　am　too　small　and　weak　by　far；　to　be　a　proper　god　for　humankind。〃
　　　Nestor　was　almost　angry。　〃You　are　larger　than　Hermes　was；　and　I　did　not　doubt　the　divinity　of　Hermes　for　a　moment　once　I　had　seen　him。　Nor　have　I　any　doubts　about　you。　Is　this　some　riddle　with　which　you　are　testing　me？　If　so；　I　am　too　tired　and　worn　right　now　to　deal　with　riddles。〃　And　too　much　in　need　of　help。　Indeed；　the　feeling　of　strength　and　well…being　that　Nestor　had　experienced　when　the　giant　first　touched　him　was　rapidly　declining　into　weariness　again。
　　　The　other　gazed　at　him　for　a　moment　in　silence；　and　then　in　silence　waded　out　of　the　swamp。　The　mud　of　the　swamp　would　not　stick　to　his　fur；　which　still　glimmered　faintly；　radiant　on　the　edge　of　vision。　He　paced　back　in　the　direction　of　the　center　of　the　island；　where　stood　the　temple。
　　　Nestor；　following；　had　to　trot　in　his　effort　to　keep　up。　He　cried　to　the　giant's　back：　〃You　are　no　demon；　surely？〃
　　　The　other　answered　without　turning；　maintaining　his　fast　pace。　〃I　surely　am　not。〃
　　　Nestor　surprised　himself；　and　ran。　Almost　staggering　with　the　effort；　he　got　ahead　of　the　giant　and　confronted　him　face　to　face。　With　his　path　thus　blocked；　the　giant　halted。　Nestor　was　breathing　hard；　as　if　from　a　long　run；　or　as　if　he　had　been　fighting。　Leaning　on　his　sword；　he　said：　〃Before　I　saw　Hermes　face　to　face；　I　did　not　believe　in　the　gods　at　all。　But　I　have　seen　him；　and　I　believe。　And　now　when　I　see　…　well；　slay　me　for　it　if　you　will。。。〃
　　　Surprising　himself　again；　he　went　down　on　one　knee　before　the　other。　He　had　the　feeling　that　his　heart；　or　something　else　vital　inside　him；　was　about　to　burst；　overloaded　by　feelings　he　did　not；　could　not；　understand。
　　　The　giant　rumbled：　〃I　will　not　slay　you。　I　will　not　knowingly　kill　any　human　being。〃
〃。。。but　whether　you　admit　you　are　a　god　or　not；　I　know　you。　I　recognize　you　from　a　hundred　prayers　and　stories。　You　are　the　Beastlord；　God　of　Healing；　Draffut。〃
Chapter　10
　　　The　high　gray　walls　of　Kind　Sir　Andrew's　castle　were　growing　higher　still；　and　darkening　into　black　against　the　sunset。　Mark　watched　their　slow　approach　from　his　place　in　the　middle　of　the　wagon's　seat。　Barbara；　slumping　tiredly　for　once；　was　at　his　right；　and　Ben　at　his　left　with　driver's　reins　in　hand。
　　　Now　that　their　road　had　emerged　from　the　forest　and　brought　the　castle　into　view；　Barbara　stirred；　and。　broke　a　silence　that　had　lasted　for　some　little　time。　〃I　guess　we're　as　ready　as　can　be。　Let's　go　right　on　in。〃
　　　No　one　else　said　anything　immediately。　From　its　battered　cage　back　in　the　wagon's　covered　rear；　the　battered　dragon　chirped。　Ben　looked　unhappy　about　their　imminent　arrival；　but　he　twitched　the　reins　without　argument　and　clucked　to　the　team；　trying　to　rouse　the　limping；　weary　loadbeasts　to　an　enthusiasm　he　obviously　did　not　feel　himself。　Earlier　in　the　day　Ben　had　suggested　that　they　ought　to　travel　more　slowly　though　they　were　late　already；　delaying　their　arrival　at　Sir　Andrew's　fair　for　one　more　day；　giving　Nestor　one　more　chance　to　catch　up　with　them　before　they　got　there。　But　Ben　hadn't　argued　this　idea　very　strongly。　Mark　thought　now　that　neither　Ben　nor　Barbara　really　believed　any　longer　that　Nestor　was　going　to　catch　up　with　them　at　all。
　　　As　for　Mark　himself；　he　pretty　well　had　to　believe　that　Nestor　was　going　to　meet　them　somewhere；　with　Townsaver　in　hand。　Otherwise　Mark's　sword　was　truly　lost。
　　　It　had　been　pretty　well　established；　in　the　few　days　that　the　three　of　them　had　been　traveling　without　Nestor；　that　Barbara　was　now　the　one　in　charge。　She　was　little　if　any　older　than　Ben　was　…　Mark　guessed　she　was　about　seventeen　…　and　probably　not　half　Ben's　weight。　But　such　details　seemed　to　have　little　to　do　with　determining　who　was　in　charge。　Barbara　had　stepped　in　and　made　decisions　when　they　had　to　be　made；　and　had　held　the　little　group　and　the　enterprise　together。
　　　Before　they'd　left　the　place　where　the　wagon　had　tipped；　shed　had　them　cut　off　the　ears　of　the　freshly　dead　landwalker；　and　nail　them　to　the　front　of　the　wagon　as　trophies　to　show　their　hunting　prowess。　Later　she'd　got　Ben　and　Mark　to　tighten　up　all　the　loosened　wagon　parts　as　well　as　possible；　and　then　to　help　her　wash　and　mend　the　cloth　cover。　All　their　clothes　had　been　washed　and　mended　too；　since　the　great　struggle　in　the　mud。　Mark　thought　that　the　outfit　looked　better　now　that　it　had　when　he'd　joined　up。
　　　After　the　fight　they'd　traveled　as　fast　as　they　could　for　some　hours。　Then；　when　they'd　reached　a　secluded　spot　along　a　riverbank；　Barbara　had　decreed　a　layover　for　a　whole　night　and　a　day。　The　animals　had　been　given　a　chance　to　eat　and　drink　and　rest；　and　their　hurts　had　been　tended。　Medicine　of　supposed　magical　power　had　been　applied　to　Mark's　burned　face；　and　it　had　seemed　to　help；　a　little。　That　night　Ben　had　made　his　one　real　effort　to　assert　himself；　deciding　that　he　wanted　to　sleep　in　the　wagon　too。　But　it　had　been　quickly　established　who　was　now　in　mand。　Ben　had　wound　up　snoring　on　the　ground　again。
　　　A　small　hidden　partment　directly　under　the　wagon's　seat　held　a　secret　hoard　of　coin；　tightly　wrapped　in　cloth　to　keep　it　from　jingling　when　the　wagon　moved。　Ben　and　Barbara　knew　already　of　the　existence　of　this　cache；　and　during　that　day　of　rest　they'd　brought　out　the　money　in　Mark's　presence　and　counted　it　up。　It　amounted　to　no　fortune；　in　fact　to　less　than　Mark　had　sometimes　seen　in　his　father's　hands　back　at　the　mill。　Nestor's　success　in　hunting　dragons　evidentl