fs.thefirstbookofswords-第47部分

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stor's　shaking　hands　was　gradually　dying　too。
　　　Gasping　with　exhaustion；　his　skin　slippery　everywhere　with　sweat　and　in　places　with　his　own　blood；　he　took　one　staggering　step　forward。　The　long；　sloping　hill　of　rubble　was　still　before　him；　and　he　still　stood　at　the　top　of　it　alive。　He　looked　round　him　for　something；　some　deadwood　figure；　to　strike　at　with　the　sword。　But　none　of　those　that　were　still　in　sight　were　still　erect。
　　　He　could　still　hear；　starting　to　fade　with　distance　now；　the　myriad　whining　voices　of　the　larvae…army。　Those　gray　ranks　had　split　around　the　temple　and　gone　on。　But　not　all　of　them。　Over　a　broad；　fan…shaped　area　of　the　slope　immediately　in　front　of　Nestor；　the　hill　had　gained　a　new　layer　of　rubble。　It　was　the　debris　of　a　hundred　gray　bodies；　hewn　by　Townsaver　into　chunks　of　melting　mud。
　　　Those　fallen　bodies　were　all　quiet　now。　Nothing　but　the　returning　rain　moved　on　the　whole　slope。
　　　Stray　drops　of　rain　touched　Nestor's　face。　And　he　turned　round　slowly　in　his　tracks；　looking　dazedly　at　the　equally　dazed　people　who　had　been　fighting　beside　him；　and　covering　his　back。　He　saw　that　two　of　the　men　had　gone　down；　their　clubs　still　in　hand。　And　one　of　the　women　had　been　butchered；　along　with　her　small　child。　But　all　of　the　other　people　were　still　alive。　They　were　mostly　cowering　in　corners　now；　and　some　of　them　were　hurt。　Townsaver's　shrieking　blur　had　covered　almost　the　whole　wide　doorway。
　　　　　　　　　　　。。。hard　walls　it　builds　around　the　soft
　　　Only　now　did　Nestor　bee　fully　aware　of　the　small　wounds　he　himself　had　sustained；　here　and　there。　He　had　tried　when　he　could　to　use　the　sword　to　parry；　to　protect　his　own　skin　as　much　as　possible。　But　the　magic　power　that　drove　the　sword　in　bat　had　been　in　ultimate　control；　and　it　had　been　less　interested　in　saving　him　than　in　hacking　down　the　foe。
　　　A　dart　was　still　stuck　loosely　in　Nestor's　shirt；　scratching　him　when　he　moved；　and　drawing　blood。　As　he　pulled　the　small　shaft　loose　and　threw　it　away　he　wondered　whether　it　might　be　poisoned。　Too　late　now　to　worry　about　it　if　it　was。
　　　At　least　he　could　still　move；　in　the　circumstances；　he　could　hardly　ask　for　more。　He　looked　once　more　at　the　stunned　survivors；　who　remained　where　they　were；　numbly　looking　back　at　him。　Then　he　scrambled　down　across　the　slope　that　was　littered　with　the　bodies　of　his　foes；　and　up　another　hill　of　ruins。　He　was　heading　for　the　highest　remaining　point　of　the　temple's　roof。　From　up　there　he　should　be　able　to　see　a　maximum　distance　across　the　swamp　in　every　direction。
　　　Clinging　to　that　precarious　remnant　of　a　roof；　Nestor　could　see　in　the　distance　the　waves　of　the　larvae…army　that　had　broken　on　his　strongpoint　and　then　rolled　on；　rejoining　like　waves　of　water　when　they　were　past　the　temple。　The　sight　gave　him　a　strange　feeling。　The　hundred　larvae　that　he　had　destroyed　were　suddenly　as　nothing。
　　　From　this　high　place　Nestor　could　see　something　else　as　well。　It　was　a　sight　that　made　him　hurry　down；　passing　as　quickly　as　he　could　the　people　he　and　the　sword　had　saved；　and　who　had　now　decided　that　they　wanted　to　prostrate　themselves　before　him　as　before　a　god。　His　body　shaking　now　with　fatigue；　relief；　and　perhaps　with　poison；　Nestor　made　his　way　down　to　the　ground　level　of　the　temple；　and　then　out　of　the　building　to　the　south。
　　　In　another　moment；　Draffut；　who　in　Nestor's　view　from　the　roof　had　been　only　a　distant；　toylike　figure；　was　ing　around　a　corner　of　the　temple　from　the　southwest。　The　giant　moved　in　vast　strides；　his　twolegged　walk　covering　ground　faster　than　any　human　run。　A　flying　dragon　of　moderate　size；　perhaps　the　very　one　that　Nestor　had　earlier　spoken　to；　was　flitting　along　near　Draffut's　head；　almost　as　if　it　were　planning　to　attack　him。　But　Draffut　ignored　the　flying　thing；　and　it　did　him　no　harm。
　　　The　small　mob　of　refugees　had　followed　Nestor　down　to　ground　level。　Draffut　was　obviously　known　to　them；　and　a　very　wele　sight；　Nestor　supposed　it　was　hope　of　the　giant's　protection　that　had　brought　them　fleeing　to　the　island　in　the　first　place。　Now　they　offered　Draffut　worship；　and　clamored　to　him　at　length。　The　giant　answered　them　in　their　own　language。　With　his　huge　hands　he　raised　them　from　their　knees；　and　touched　their　wounds　and　healed　them。
　　　Then　one　of　his　enormous　hands　reached　out　for　Nestor；　who　once　more　felt　its　restoring　power。　As　his　touch　healed；　Draffut　said　to　him：　〃You　have　fought　well　here。　And　with　the　use　of　more　than　ordinary　powers；　if　what　these　people　tell　me　is　correct。〃
　　　〃It　probably　is。　Thank　you　again；　Healer…who…is…not…a…god。〃　The　shaking　was　gone　from　Nestor's　body；　and　the　places　where　his　small　wounds　had　been　were　whole。　He　felt　healthy；　to　a　degree　that　made　the　long　fight　just　past　seem　as　unreal　as　a　dream。　He　was　surprised　at　a　passing　feeling　that；　along　with　the　fear　and　pain；　something　valuable；　had　been　wiped　away。
　　　〃Yes；〃　Nestor　went　on；　〃there　were　very　many　of　them。　Very　many；　including　your　pet　that　rose　up　in　advance　of　the　others　and　tried　to　kill　me。　The　sword　gave　me　no　more　than　ordinary　service　against　that　one。〃
　　　Abstractedly　Draffut　lifted　one　of　his　huge　wrists；　and　the　flying　dragon　perched　on　it　like　a　falcon。　〃My　airborne　scouts；〃　the　giant　rumbled；　〃tell　me　that　the　Great　Swamp　is　being　invaded　from　the　west　by　a　large　human　army。　Its　soldiers　wear　the　black　and　silver　of　Yambu；　and　it　may　be　that　the　queen　herself　is　leading　them。〃
　　　〃Ah。〃　Nestor　felt　shaken　by　the　news；　he　bent　to　take　up　again　the　sword　he　had　cast　down　when　Draffut　reached　out　to　him。　Nestor　like　everyone　else　had　heard　of　that　queen　and　of　her　power。　〃I　suppose　that　her　objective　is　not　the　conquest　of　the　swamp。〃
　　　〃And　I　suppose　that　it　is　probably　the　domain　of　Kind　Sir　Andrew。　The　sorcerers　of　her　army　chant　their　spells　as　they　march；　and　all　across　the　swamp　the　larvae　that　they　have　cultivated　from　afar　rise　up　and　form　in　ranks　to　follow　them。〃
　　　〃So；〃　said　Nestor。　〃We　know　now　who　is　responsible　for　the　larvae。　And　why　is　this　army　being　led　against　Sir　Andrew　in　particular？　And　why　just　now？〃
　　　Draffut　made　a　motion　of　his　arm；　so　that　the　dragon　flew　up　from　his　wrist；　it　had　rested；　and　now　with　vigorous　wingstrokes　went　off　on　its　own　business。　Draffut　said：　〃Two　of　the　god…swords；　at　least；　are　there　now。　A　tempting　booty　to　be　taken；　would　you　not　agree？〃
　　　Nestor　looked　at　the　refugees；　who　were　following　the　talk　with　reverence　if　little　understanding。　He　said　to　Draffut：　〃One　sword　at　least　is　there；　and　that　one　mine。　I　suppose　if　the　Queen　of　Yambu　knew　where　it　was；　and　its　importance；　she　might　risk　much　to　take　it。　As　would　Duke　Fraktin；　or　a　hundred　others；　I　am　sure。　So　what　are　we　to　do？　I'd　risk　much　myself　to　get　it　back。〃
　　　Draffut　said：　〃You　should　go　to　Sir　Andrew；　and　warn　him。　And　do　what　you　can；　with　that　you　have　there　in　your　hand；　to　help　him。　Now　that　we　know　who　is　raising　the　Gray　Horde；　and　where　it　is　being　led；　I　no　longer　feel　that　I　must　remain　in　the　swamp。　In　fact；　there　is　somewhere　else　I　want　to　go　now；　and　we　can　go　part　of　the　way　together。〃
　　　Again　Draffut　held　brief　conversation　with　the　surviving　swamp…folk。　Then　he　explained　to　Nestor：　〃I　have　told　them　that　they　can　return　to　their　village　now；　on　another　island　not　far　from　here。　They　will　be　safer　there　than　here；　if　powers　should　e　seeking　here　for　followers　of　mine。〃
　　　〃What　powers　might　those　be？〃
　　　〃I　mean　to　go；〃　said　Draffut；　〃and　start　an　argument　with　the　gods。　Or　with　some　of　them　at　least。　Are　you　ready　to　depart？〃
　　　Nestor　had　no　baggage　to　bring　with　him　except　the　sword。　Which　was；　he　now　observed；　an　awkward　thing　to　have　to　carry　in　one's　hand　for　any　length　of　time。　This　difficulty　loomed　larger　when　he　realized　that　he　was　going　to　have　to　ride　a　long　way　on　Draffut's　shoulders；　and　that　he　might　at　times　want　both　hands　free　to　hang　on　with。　Draffut；　suggesting　a　solution；　sent　Nestor　to　rummage　in　a　certain　room　of　the　temple　that　he　had　not　found　in　his　own　explorations；　a　long…abandoned　guardhouse　or　arsenal。　Much　of　the　weaponry　stored　therein　had　rusted　and　rotted　away；　but　Nestor　turned　up　a　copper　scabba