fs.thefirstbookofswords-第56部分

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hat　was　so　wholly　horrible。。。　Two　men　were　hurriedly　carrying　Sir　Andrew　downstairs　on　a　stretcher。　They　had　shoved　their　way　somehow　through　a　melee　on　the　first　floor　of　the　castle；　and　then　had　slammed　a　door　on　a　charging　Yambu　warbeast　to　get　down　to　ground　level。　Their　intention　was　to　carry　their　master　through　the　dungeons　and　then　on　out　through　the　secret　passage　that　here；　as　in　so　many　other　castles；　offered　one　final　hope　when　defenses　and　defenders　failed。
　　　The　bearers　entered　the　long　dungeon　stair。　The　warbeast　had　been　evidence　enough　that　human　attackers；　ing　in　their　own　hordes　on　the　heels　of　the　remnants　of　the　Horde　itself；　were　now　battering　at　the　doors　of　the　keep　above。　Above　were　screams　and　murder；　fire　and　panic；　down　here　there　was　still　almost　silence。
　　　At　any　other　time；　the　sight　of　the　faint　blue　horror　that　hazed　the　air　inside　the　large　end　cell　might　well　have　stopped　the　stretcher…bearers　and　sent　them　running　back。　But　now　they　knew　there　cold　be　no　going　back。　They　set　their　burden　down　in　the　narrow　corridor　that　ran　between　the　cells；　and　one　of　them　ran　on　ahead；　through　a　false　cell　whose　secret　they　knew。　He　meant　to　scout　the　secret　way　ahead　and　make　sure　that　it　was　still　undiscovered　by　the　enemy。　The　other　bearer　meanwhile　crouched　down　by　the　stretcher；　watching　and　resting　with　his　knife　drawn。　He　was　willing　to　die　to　protect　Sir　Andrew；　but　at　the　moment　the　man's　bloodied　face　showed　only　terror　as　he　gazed　in　between　the　bars　of　the　end　cell。
　　　Sir　Andrew；　who　was　still　wearing　portions　of　his　armor　under　the　rough　blanket　that　covered　him；　winced；　and　stirred　restlessly　on　his　pallet。　When　his　eyes　opened　he　was　facing　the　end　cell。　In　there；　behind　the　bars；　the　silent　blue　terror　wavered　and　grew　and　faded　and　came　back；　like　flickering　cool　flames。　All　of　the　seventeen　men　in　that　cell　were　like　candle　wicks；　being　slowly　consumed；　as　from　the　inside　out。
　　　One　shape　among　them　was　clinging　to　the　bars；　and　the　mouth　of　it　was　open　in　a　soundless　yell。
　　　Sir　Andrew　recognized　that　face。　His　own　voice　was　a　weakened　whisper　now。　〃Ah；　Kaparu。　I'm　sorry。。。　I　am　sorry。。。　but　there's　nothing　I　can　do　for　you　now。〃
　　　The　tortured　mouth　of　the　blue…lit　figure　strained　again；　but　still　no　sound　came　out　of　it。
　　　The　knight's　weak　voice　was　sad　but　clear。　〃I　told　you　you　were　my　only　human　prisoner；　Kaparu。　I　had　one　other　captive；　as　you　now　see。。。　no　stone　or　steel　could　have　held　him　in　that　cell；　but　Dame　Yoldi's　good　work　could。。。　he　had　been　half…paralyzed；　you　see；　long　before　we　encountered　him。　Some　skirmish　against　Ardneh；　two　thousand　years　ago。〃
　　　Kaparu　looked　as　if　he　might　be　listening。　His　fingers　were　being　slowly　shredded　from　the　bars。
　　　〃He's　a　demon；　of　course。〃　Sir　Andrew　was　having　some　trouble　with　his　breathing。　〃We've　never　learned　his　name。。。　no　possible　way　we　could　kill　him；　you　see；　not　knowing　where　his　life　is　kept。　And　it　would　have　been　an　atrocity　against　humanity　to　let　him　go。　So。。。　in　there。　And　I　had　the　windows　of　the　cell　made　bigger；　thinking。。。　hopeless　pride　on　my　part；　to　think　that　I　might　someday　teach　a　demon　to　be　good。　That　if　I　let　him　contemplate　the　sunlit　earth；　and　the　people　on　it　who　were　sometimes　happy　when　I　ruled　them。。。　well；　it　was　a　foolish　thought。　I've　never　had　to　worry；　though；　about　anyone　ing　in　those　windows。〃
　　　The　soldier　who　had　gone　scouting　ahead　now　came　scrambling　back　and　said　a　quick　word　to　his　panion。　The　man　who　had　been　waiting　sheathed　his　knife　and　between　them　they　lifted　Sir　Andrew　again　on　his　stretcher。　Not　heeding　the　knight's　weak；　only　half…coherent　protests；　they　bore　him　away　in　the　direction　of　possible　safety。　The　entrance　to　the　secret　tunnel；　which　was　hidden　in　a　cell　wall；　closed　after　them。
　　　For　a　few　moments　then　the　dungeon　was　almost　silent；　and　untenanted；　save　for　what　moved　in　blue　light　in　the　large　cell　at　the　end　of　the　passage。　Then　suddenly　the　door　of　that　cell　clanged　open。　One　man　came　rolling；　crawling　out；　the　grip　of　almost　invisible　blue　tongues　slipping　from　his　body。　The　man　lay　on　the　floor　gasping；　a　drawn　sword　in　his　hand。　Blue　tongues　strained　after　him；　slapped　at　him；　recoiled　from　his　sword；　and　at　last　withdrew　in　disappointment。
　　　The　door　of　the　cell　had　not　been　locked。
　　　Summoning　what　appeared　to　be；　his　last　strength；　the　man　on　the　floor　put　out　an　arm　and　slammed　the　cell　door　shut　behind　him；　which　had　the　effect　of　confining　the　blue　tongues。　Then　he　rolled　over　on　the　floor；　still　lacking　the　strength　to　rise。
　　　〃Luck。。。　〃　he　muttered。　〃Luck。。。　〃
　　　He　fainted　pletely；　and　the　sword　that　had　been　in　his　grasp　slipped　from　his　fingers。　There　was　a　pause　after　the　first　slip　and　then　the　sword　moved；　as　if　of　itself；　a　few　more　centimeters　from　the　inert　hand　that　had　let　it　go。
　　　Moments　later；　a　half…grown　boy　in　torn　clothing；　with　a　burn…scar　half　healed　on　his　face　and　fresher　scratches　on　his　arms　and　legs；　came　bounding　down　the　stairs　and　into　the　dungeon。　He　had　a　swordbelt　strapped　round　his　waist；　and　a　sword；　considerably　too　big　for　him；　in　his　right　hand。
　　　He　stopped　in　his　tracks　at　the　sight　of　the　blue　glow；　and　of　the　man　that　it　illuminated；　sprawled　on　the　floor。　Then　he　darted　forward　and　picked　up　in　his　left　hand　the　sword　that　had　eluded　the　man's　grasp。　The　boy　stood　with　a　heavy　sword　in　each　hand　now；　looking　from　one　to　the　other。　An　expression　of　wonder　grew　on　his　face。
　　　Meanwhile；　the　man　had　roused　himself。　And　now　he　saw　what　had　happened　to　his　sword。　With　a　strangled　cry；　that　sounded　like　some　words　about　a　snake；　he　lunged　with　his　drawn　dagger　at　the　boy。
　　　In　a　startled　reaction　the　boy　jerked　back。　With　the　movement　the　sword　in　his　left　hand　snapped　up　awkwardly；　almost　involuntarily。　The　point　of　it　found　the　hairsbreadth　gap　in　the　armor　of　the　lunging　man；　sliding　between　gorget　and　the　lower　flange　of　helm。
　　　Life　jetted　forth；　blood　black　in　the　blue　light。　〃Luck。。。〃　said　Duke　Fraktin　once　again。　Then　he　fell　backward　and　said　no　more。
　　　Mark　looked　down　at　the　body。　He　could　tell　only　that　it　was　the　carcass　of　some　invader；　clothed　like　five　hundred　others　in　the　Fraktin　white　and　blue。
　　　Now；　on　the　stairs；　not　far　above；　there　was　the　sound　of　fighting。　Quickly　the　clash　was　over；　and　a　man's　voice　asked：　〃Do　we　go　down　and　search？〃
　　　Another　voice　said：　〃No；　look　around　up　here　first。　I　think　the　old　fox's　escape　hatch；　if　he　has　one；　will　be　up　here。〃
　　　There　was　the　sound　of　departing　feet。　Then　silence　in　the　dungeon　again；　except　for　the　distant　drip　of　water。　And　now　the　faint　tink　that　a　sword's…tip　made；　touching　iron　jail　bars　as　its　holder　turned。　Mark　had　sheathed　Dragonslicer　now；　and　was　holding　Coinspinner　in　both　hands。　From　the　moment　he　had　picked　it　up　he　had　been　able　to　feel　some　kind　of　power　flowing　from　its　hilt　into　his　hand。　The　thrumming　he　could　feel　in　the　sword　grew　stronger；　he　discovered；　when　he　aimed　the　point　in　a　certain　direction。
　　　By　what　was　left　of　the　blue　glow　from　the　end　cell；　he　looked　inside　the　other　unlocked　cell　at　which　the　Sword　of　Chance　was　pointing。　Then　he　looked　carefully　at　the　cell's　rear　wall。　In　a　moment　he　had　discovered　the　escape　tunnel's　secret　door。
　　　With　that　door　open；　he　delayed。　He　turned　back；　and　with　his　eyes　half…closed　swung　Coinspinner's　tip　like　a　pass　needle　through　wide　slow　arcs。　Up；　down；　right；　left；　up　again。
　　　There。　In　that　direction；　he　could　feel　the　power　somehow　beginning　to　work；　drawing　an　invisible　line　for　him　up　into　the　castle　above。　Now　slowly　it　swung　again；　by　itself　this　time；　toward　the　head　of　the　stair。
　　　In　another　moment　it　had　brought　him　Ben；　in　bloodied　armor；　carrying　an　unconscious　Barbara。
　　　The　secret　passageway　was　narrow；　and　twisting；　and　very　dark。　Neither　Ben　nor　Mark　had　anything　with　them　to　give　light。　Once　they　had　closed　the　door　on　the　dungeon　and　its　fading　demon…glow；　the　way　ahead　was　inky　black。　Ben　continued　to　carry　Barbara；　as　before；　without　apparent　effort；　while　Mark　moved　ahead；　groping　with　hands　and　feet　for　obstacles　o