fs.thefirstbookofswords-第57部分

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before；　without　apparent　effort；　while　Mark　moved　ahead；　groping　with　hands　and　feet　for　obstacles　or　branchings　of　the　tunnel。　In　the　blackness　he　used　Coinspinner　like　a　blind　man's　cane；　though；　the　sensation　of　power　emanating　from　it　was　gone　now。　As　they　moved；　Mark　related　in　terse　phrases　how　he　had　picked　up　the　new　sword　from　the　dungeon　floor。　If　Ben　was　impressed；　he　hadn't　breath　enough　to　show　it。
　　　Once　Mark　stumbled　over　the　body　of　a　man　in　partial　armor；　who　must　also　have　entered　the　tunnel　in　flight　and　got　this　far　before　dying　of　wounds。　After　making　sure　that　the　man　was　dead；　Mark　led　the　way　on　past　him；　his　feet　in　slipperiness　that　presently　turned　to　stickiness　on　his　bootsoles。　Horror　had　already　bee　a　monplace；　he　thought　only　that　he　must　not　slip　and　fall。
　　　The　sound　of　dripping　water　was　plainer　now；　and　more　than　once　drops　struck　Mark　on　the　face。　The　general　trend　of　the　passageway　was　down；　though　nowhere　was　the　descent　steep。　Twice　more　Mark　stumbled；　on　discarded　objects　that　clanged　away　on　rock　with　startling　metallic　noise。　And　once　the　sides　of　the　tunnel　pinched　in　so　narrowly　that　Ben　had　to　shift　his　grip　on　Barbara；　and　push　her　limp　form　on　ahead　of　him；　into　the　grasp　of　Mark　waiting　on　the　other　side　of　the　bottleneck。　Mark　when　he　held　her　was　relieved　to　hear　her　groaning；　muttering　something；　he　had　been　worried　that　they　might　be　rescuing　a　corpse。
　　　This　blind　groping　went　on　for　a　long　time；　that　began　to　seem　endless。　Mark　developed　a　new　worry；　that　they　were　somehow　lost　in　a　cave；　trapped　in　some　endless　labyrinth　or　circle。　He　knew　that　others　must　have　taken　the　secret　passage　ahead　of　them；　but；　except　for　one　dead　man　and　a　few　discarded　objects；　those　others　might　as　well　be　somewhere　on　the　other　side　of　the　world　by　now。　At　least　no　pursuers　could　be　heard　ing　after　them。
　　　Mark　continued　tapping　his　way　forward　with　the　sword　he　had　picked　up　in　the　dungeon；　he　had　had　to　put　it　down　when　he　helped　to　get　Barbara　through　the　narrow　place　in　the　tunnel；　and　then　in　pitch　darkness　grope　past　its　razor　edges　to　pick　it　up　again。
　　　At　last　the　fear　of　being　in　a　circular　trap　bothered　Mark　to　the　point　where　he　had　to　stop。　〃Where　are　we；　Ben；　where're　we　going　to　e　out？〃
　　　Ben　had　necessarily　stopped　suddenly　also；　and　Mark　could　hear　the　scraping　of　his　armor　as　he　leaned　against　the　wall　…　as　if　he　were　more　tired　or　more　badly　hurt　than　Mark　had　realized。
　　　〃We　got　to　go　on；〃　Ben　grunted；　Mark　for　some　reason　was　surprised　to　hear　that　his　voice　still　had　in　it　the　almost　fearful　reluctance　as　when　he　and　Barbara　had　used　to　argue　about　hunting　dragons。
　　　〃I　don't　know；　Ben；　if　we're　getting　any。。。〃
　　　〃What　else　can　we　do；　go　back？　e　on。　What　does　your　lucky　sword　tell　you？〃
　　　〃Nothing。〃　But　Ben　was　plainly　right。　Mark　turned　and　led　the　way　again。
　　　They　progressed　in　silence　for　a　time。　Then　Ben　surprised　with　a　remark。　〃I　think　we're　going　west。〃
　　　Mark　saw　immediately　what　that　would　mean。　〃We　can't　be。　This　far　west　from　the　castle？　That'd　be。。。　〃　He　didn't　finish　it　aloud。　Under　the　lake。　Around　him　the　water　dripped。　The　passage　floor　underfoot　now　felt　level；　but　there　was　never　a　puddle。
　　　They　had　e　to　another　tight　place；　and　were　manhandling　Barbara　through　it　when　she　groaned　more　loudly　than　before。　This　time　she　managed　to　produce　some　plain　words：　〃Put　me　down。〃
　　　She　still　couldn't　walk　too　steadily；　but　her　escort　were　vastly　relieved　to　have　her　standing；　asking　questions　about　Nestor　and　Townsaver；　trying　to　find　out　the　situation　as　if　getting　ready　to　give　orders。　They　couldn't　answer　most　of　her　questions；　and　she　was　still　too　weak　to　take　mand。
　　　But　from　that　moment　on　the　journey　changed。
　　　Their　passageway；　as　if　to　signal　that　some　important　transformation　was　close　ahead；　twisted　sharply；　first　left　then　right；　then　dipped　to　a　lower　level　than　ever。　And　then　it　rose　steeply。　And　now　the　first　true　light　they　had　seen　since　leaving　the　dungeon　was　ahead。　At　first　it　was　so　faint　it　would　have　been　invisible　to　any　eyes　less　starved　for　light；　but　as　they　advanced　it　strengthened　steadily。
　　　The　light　was　the　dim　glow　of　a　cloudy；　moonless　night　sky；　and　it　came　down　a　twisted；　narrow　shaft。　Mark；　thinnest　and　most　agile；　climbed　ahead；　and　was　first　to　poke　his　head　out　of　the　earth　among　jagged　rocks；　to　the　sound　of　waves　lapping；　almost　within　reach。　In　the　gloom　he　could　make　out　that　the　rocks　surrounding　him　made　a　sort　of　islet　in　the　lake；　an　islet　not　more　than　five　meters　across；　one　of　a　scattered　number　rising　from　the　water。　By　the　lights　of　both　mon　torch　and　arson　Mark　could　see　Sir　Andrew's　castle　and　its　reflection　in　the　water；　a　good　kilometer　away。　Flames　gusted　from　the　high　tower　windows　even　as　he　watched。
　　　He　didn't　gaze　long　at　that　sight；　but　scrambled　down　into　the　earth　again；　between　the　cloven　rocks　that　must　sometimes　fail　to　keep　waves　from　washing　into　the　passage。　〃Ben？　It's　all　right；　bring　her　up。〃　And　Mark　extended　a　hand　for　Barbara　to　grasp；　while　Ben　pushed　her　from　below。
　　　They　crowded　together　on　the　surface；　peering　between　sharp　rocks　at　the　surrounding　lake。
　　　〃We'll　have　to　make　for　shore　before　morning　…　but　which　direction？〃
　　　Mark　held　up　the　Sword　of　Chance。　When　he　pointed　it　almost　straight　away　from　the　castle；　he　could　feel　something　in　the　hilt。　It　was　impossible　to　see　how　far　away　the　shore　was　in　that　direction。
　　　〃I　can't　swim；〃　Barbara　admitted。
　　　〃And　I　cant　swim　carrying　two　swords；〃　Mark　added。
　　　Ben　said：　〃Maybe　I　can；　if　I　have　to。　Let's　see；　maybe　it　isn't　deep。〃
　　　The　lake　was　only　waist　deep　on　Ben　where　he　first　entered　it。　He　shed　bits　of　armor；　letting　them　sink。　From　that　point；　following　the　indication　of　the　blade　Mark　held　ahead　of　him；　the　three　fugitives　waded　into　indeterminate　gloom。
　　　The　sword　worked　just　as　well　under　the　surface　of　the　water　as　above　it。　At　one　point　Mark　had　to　go　in　to　his　armpits；　but　no　deeper。　From　there　on　the　bottom　rose；　and　already　a　vague　shoreline　of　trees　was　visible　ahead。　The　strip　of　beach；　when　they　reached　it；　was　only　two　meters　wide；　and　waves　lapped　it；　ready　to　efface　whatever　footprints　they　might　leave。
　　　The　sheltering　trees　were　close　to　shore；　and　just　inland　from　their　first　ranks　a　small　clearing　offered　grass　to　rest　on。
　　　For　a　moment。　Then；　just　beyond　the　nearest　thicket；　something　stirred；　making　vague　crackling　sounds　of　movement。　Mark　let　Ben　grab　up　Coinspinner　from　the　grass；　while　he　himself　drew　Dragonslicer　from　its　sheath。
　　　They　moved　forward　cautiously；　around　a　clump　of　bushes。　An　obscure　shape；　big　as　a　landwalker　but　not　as　tall；　moved　in　the　night。　There　was　a　faint　squeal　from　it；　a　muffled　rumble。。。　the　squeal　of　ungreased　axles；　the　rumble　of　an　empty　wagonbody　draped　with　a　torn　scrap　of　cover。
　　　The　two　loadbeasts　harnessed　to　the　empty　wagon　were　skittish；　and　behaved　in　general　as　if　they　had　been　untended　for　some　time。　This　wagon　was　smaller　than　the　one　the　dragonhunters　had　once　owned。　This　one　too　had　some　symbols　or　a　design　painted　on　its　sides；　but　the　night　was　too　dark　for　reading　symbols。　Barbara　murmured　that　this　must　be　the　vehicle　of　some　other　fairgrounds　performer；　whose　team　must　have　bolted　during　the　recent　speedy　evacuation。
　　　There　were　reins；　quite　functional　once　they　were　untangled。　With　Barbara　resting　in　the　back；　Ben　drove　forth　from　thickets　looking　for　a　road。　Dragonslicer　was　at　his　feet；　and　Mark　on　the　seat　at　his　side　with　Coinspinner　in　hand。　The　Sword　of　Chance　was　ing　alive　again；　telling　him　which　way　to　go。
　　　
THE　END
　　　
The　Song　of　Swords
Who　holds　Coinspinner　knows　good　odds
Whichever　move　he　make
But　the　Sword　of　Chance；　to　please　the　gods；
Slips　from　him　like　a　snake。

The　Sword　of　Justice　balances　the　pans
Of　right　and　wrong；　and　foul　and　fair。
Eye　for　an　eye；　Doomgiver　scans
The　fate　of　all　folk　everywhere。

Dragonslicer；　Dragonslicer；　how　d'you　slay？
Reaching　for　the　heart　in　behind　the　scales。
Dragonslicer；　Dragonslicer　where　do　you　stay？
In　the　belly　of　the　g