fs.thefirstbookofswords-第48部分

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Much　of　the　weaponry　stored　therein　had　rusted　and　rotted　away；　but　Nestor　turned　up　a　copper　scabbard　that　fit　Townsaver　tolerably　well。　To　make　the　necessary　belt；　he　used　the　sword　itself　to　cut　a　length　of　tough　vine　from　the　temple　wall。
　　　The　surviving　swamp…people　and　their　canoes　had　already　disappeared　back　into　their　native　habitat　when　Draffut；　with　Nestor　clinging　to　his　back；　left　solid　land　behind　and　strode　into　the　morass；　heading　to　the　northeast。　Draffut's　long　wading　strides　soon　overtook　the　paddlers；　the　people　in　the　canoes　made　way　for　him；　waving　as　they　pulled　aside。
　　　For　half　an　hour　or　so；　Draffut　made　steady　and　uneventful　progress。　If　any　of　the　multitude　of　lifeforms　large　and　small　that　inhabited　the　marsh　ever　considered　molesting　the　Beast…Lord　in　his　passage；　Nestor　at　least　was　not　aware　of　it。　Draffut　never　went　more　than　waist…deep　in　the　water　and　mud；　and　Nestor　was　easily　able　to　keep　himself　dry。　Now　and　then　he　had　to　dodge　a　tree…branch；　but　that　was　his　most　serious　immediate　problem。　He　clung　with　both　hands　to　his　mount's　glowing　fur；　and　was　actually　beginning　to　enjoy　himself。　It　seemed　to　Nestor　that　sometimes　even　the　thorntrees　bent　aside　before　the　giant　reached　them。
　　　This　pleasant　interval　ended　abruptly　just　as　Draffut　was　mounting　a　ridge　of　dry；　paratively　high　ground。　At　that　point　a　large　warbeast；　armored　and　collared　in　the　colors　of　Yambu；　sprang　in　ambush　at　the　Beast…Lord　from　a　brake　of　reeds。　The　giant's　reaction　was　practically　instantaneous；　before　Nestor　could　draw　his　sword；　Draffut　had　caught　the　attacker　in　midair；　as　if　he　were　playing　with　a　kitten。　But　then　the　giant　threw　the　warbeast　violently；　so　that　the　flying；　screaming　body　broke　tree　branches　and　vanished　behind　a　screen　of　trees　some　thirty　meters　distant　before　it　splashed　into　the　swamp。
　　　Almost　as　if　in　response；　there　came　a　distant；　whistling　call；　that　sounded　like　some　hunter's　cry。　Nestor　had　heard　similar　signals　used　to　control　warbeasts。　Draffut　paused　for　a　moment；　turning　to　gaze　over　the　treetops　to　his　left；　then　he　moved　swiftly　off　to　his　right；　walking　at　a　greater　speed　than　ever。　Now　Nestor　had　to　clap　his　half…drawn。sword　back　into　its　scabbard　and　once　more　hold　tight　with　both　hands。
　　　〃The　advance　guard　of　Yambu；〃　said　Draffut　over　his　shoulder；　in　what　he　used　for　a　low　voice。　〃We　will　outspeed　them　if　we　can。〃
　　　Looking　back；　Nestor　saw　more　warbeasts　already　in　pursuit。　He　counted　three；　and　there　might　well　be　more。　Hundreds　of　meters　farther　back；　beyond　the　great　catlike　creatures；　he　could　see　the　first　advancing　elements　of　a　human　army；　some　of　them　mounted　and　some　in　boats。　He　announced　this　to　Draffut's　ear；　but　the　giant　did　not　bother　to　answer。　Draffut　was　almost；　but　not　quite；　running　now。　Maybe；　thought　Nestor；　his　size　and　build　made　a　real　run　an　impossibility　for　him。　Nestor　had　considerable　conference　in　Draffut's　powers；　but　at　the　same　time　the　man　could　almost　feel　those　huge　warbeast　talons　fastening　on　him　from　behind。。。
　　　The　chase　went　on。　From　time　to　time　Nestor　reported；　in　a　voice　he　strove　to　keep　calm；　that　their　pursuers　were　catching　up。　Then　abruptly　Draffut　stopped；　and　calmly　turned　to　stand　his　ground。
　　　〃It　is　no　use；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　too　fast。　And　they　are　maddened　with　the　lust　to　fight；　and　will　not　listen　to　me。〃　With　one　hand　he　lifted　Nestor　from　his　shoulders；　and　placed　the　man　in　a　high　crotch　of　a　dead　tree。　〃Defend　yourself；〃　the　Beast…Lord　laconically　advised　him；　and　turned　to　do　the　same。
　　　A　moment　later；　half　a　dozen　warbeasts；　hot　on　the　trail；　came　bounding　out　of　the　brush　nearby。　Draffut　cuffed　the　first　one　to　e　in　reach；　grabbed　and　threw　another　by　its　tail；　and　had　to　pick　a　third　one　from　his　fur　when　it　was　actually　brave　enough　to　leap　on　him。　He　hurled　it　into　the　remaining　three。　With　that　all　of　the　warbeasts　that　were　still　able　to　move　scattered　in　flight；　emitting　uncharacteristic　yelps。　Nestor；　his　sword　drawn　and　ready　though　showing　no　special　powers；　had　nothing　to　do。　Which；　under　the　circumstances；　was　quite　all　right　with　him。
　　　Draffut　had　just　retrieved　Nestor　from　his　high　perch　when　a　new　figure　appeared。　It　was　the　form　of　a　woman　with　long　black　hair；　her　body　clothed　in　light　armor　of　ebony　and　silver；　on　another　ridge　or　island　of　dry　land　about　a　hundred　meters　distant　to　the　west。　She　was　mounted　on　a　gray　warbeast　of　such　a　size　that　Nestor　for　an　instant　thought　it　was　a　dragon。
　　　Beneath　the　cloudy　sky；　the　woman's　armor　flashed　as　if　it　were　catching　desert　sunshine。　She　brandished　a　silver　needle　of　a　sword；　and　she　was　shouting　something　in　their　direction。
　　　The　words　came　clearly　in　her　penetrating　voice：　〃Remove　yourself　from　my　army's　path；　great　beast；　or　I　will　set　men　to　fight　against　you！　I　know　your　weakness；　they'll　kill　you　soon　enough。　And　who　is　that　you　carry？〃
　　　Nestor　had　heard　of　people　who　rode　on　warbeasts；　but　never　before　had　he　seen　it　done。　As　he　resumed　his　seat　on　Draffut's　shoulders；　the　giant　roared　back：　〃Rather　remove　your　bloodmad　warbeasts　from　my　path！　Or　else　I　will　send　you　dragons　enough　to　make　your　march　through　the　swamp　much　more　interesting。〃　Without　waiting　to　see　what　effect　his　words　might　have；　he　turned　and　stalked　away；　resuming　his　passage　to　the　north。　There　was　no　observable　pursuit。
　　　〃That　was　the　Silver　Queen　herself。　Yambu；〃　said　Nestor　to　Draffut's　ear　a　little　later。　The　ment　was　undoubtedly　unnecessary；　but　the　man　was　unable　to　let　the　encounter　pass　without　saying　something　about　it。
　　　〃Indeed。〃　The　huge　voice　came　rumbling　up　through　Draffut's　neck　and　head。　〃There　are　elements　of　humanity　that　I　sometimes　wish　I　were　able　to　fight　against。〃
　　　Once　more　they　were　traversing　bog　and　thicket　at　what　would　have　been　a　good　speed　for　a　riding…beast　on　flat；　cleared　ground。　Some　time　passed　in　silence；　except　for　the　quick　plash　and　thud　of　Draffut's　feet；　while　Nestor　pondered　many　things。　Then　he　asked：　〃You　said　that　you　are　planning　to　go　and　start　an　argument　with　the　gods？〃
　　　〃I　must；〃　said　Draffut。　And　that　was　all　the　answer　to　his　question　that　Nestor　ever　got。
　　　But　little　further　conversation　was　exchanged。　Nestor　weled　the　fort　of　his　ride；　and　watched　the　sun　move　in　and　out　of　clouds　in　the　western　sky。　By　the　time　Draffut　stopped　again；　some　hours　had　passed　and　the　reddening　sun　was　almost　down。　Imperceptibly　the　land　had　changed；　continuous　marsh　giving　way　to　intermittent　bogs　bridged　by　dry　land。　Once　Nestor　saw　herdsmen　watching　from　a　distance。
　　　The　giant　set　Nestor　down　carefully　on　dry　ground；　and　said　to　him：　〃Go　north　from　here；　and　you　will　find　Sir　Andrew。　From　here　on　north　the　land　is　solid　enough　for　you　to　walk；　and　savage　beasts　are　fewer。　My　own　way　from　here　lies　to　the　east。〃
　　　〃I　wish　you　good　luck；〃　said　Nestor。　And　then；　when　he　had　looked　to　the　east；　he　would　have　said　something　more；　for　never　until　now　had　he　known　the　sunset　fires　of　Vulcan's　forge　to　be　so　bright　that　they　could　be　seen　from　this　far　west。
But　Draffut　was　already　gone。
Chapter　16
　　　When　Dame　Yoldi　took　Mark　for　the　first　time　to　her　workroom；　he　discovered　it　not　to　be　the　dismal；　forbidding　chamber　that　he　had　for　some　reason　expected。　Rather　it　was　open；　cleanly　decorated　with　things　of　nature；　and　as　light　as　the　dying；　cloudy　day　outside　could　make　it；　entering　narrow　windows。
　　　The　enchantress　lighted　tapers；　from　a　small　oil　lamp　that　was　already　burning。　She　distributed　a　few　of　these　in　the　otherwise　dark　corners　of　the　room；　and　placed　two　more　on　the　central　table　where　Dragonslicer　now　rested　on　a　white　linen　cloth。　Most　of　the　floor　space　in　the　room　was　open；　while　shelves　round　all　the　walls　contained　an　armament　of　magic；　arrayed　in　books　and　bottles；　boxes；　jars；　and　bags。　One　set　of　open　dishes　held　grain　and　dried　fruit；　another　set　what　looked　like　plain　water　and　dry　earth。　Yoldi　made　Mark　sit　down　at　the　table　near　the　sword；　where　she　made　him　fortable；　and　gave　him　a　delicious　drink；　not　quite　like　anything　he　had　ever　tasted　before。　Then　she　began　to　question　him　closely　about　hi