fs.thesecondbookofswords-第30部分

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o　Ben　than　it　had　on　the　night　of　his　great　escape；　when　it　had　seemed　to　him　that　he　stepped　on　thorns　with　almost　every　stride。　Indeed　the　whole　scene；　before　his　eyes　now　for　the　first　time　in　daylight；　looked　unfamiliar。　His　confidence　declined　in　his　ability　to　find　the　cave　again　without　the　aid　of　magic。
　　　The　monkbird　came　back　to　report　the　way　was　clear；　and　was　promptly　sent　out　again。　The　humans　climbed　over　the　brink　and　moved　cautiously　inland；　Doon　in　the　lead。
　　　The　black　flutterer　returned　almost　at　once。　Perching　on　Golok's　shoulder；　it　gave　him　what　sounded　like　a　report　of　a　landwalker　inland；　almost　exactly　in　the　same　direction　that　they　were　heading。
　　　〃How　far？〃
　　　It　jabbered　something　to　its　master；　something　unintelligible　to　the　others。
　　　Golok　explained。　〃Almost　a　kilometer；　I　think。　Horizontal　distances　are　hard　for　it　to　estimate。　Dart　seems　to　be　telling　me　that　the　dragon's　eating　something。〃
　　　The　Sword　was　pointing　in　the　same　direction　still。
　　　Doon　chewed　at　his　mustache；　a　sign　of　nervousness　that　Ben　had　not　observed　in　him　before。　〃You　tell　me；　big　man；　that　it　should　not　be　nearly　a　kilometer　from　here　to　the　cave。〃
　　　〃Nothing　like　that　far；　no。〃
　　　〃Then　likely　we'll　be　able　to　get　in；　before。。。　we'll　chance　it。〃　Again　Doon　led　the　way　inland；　advancing　quickly。
　　　Golok　relaunched　his　airborne　scout；　and　Dart　flew　inland　at　low　altitude。　And　returned　in　a　few　moments；　this　time　chattering　urgently。
　　　〃The　dragon's　moving　toward　us；〃　Golok　translated。　〃ing　straight　this　way。〃　Then　the　youth　ran　ahead　of　Doon；　who　had　paused　to　listen　to　the　warning。　〃Let　me　get　out　in　front　of　you；〃　Golok　urged；　〃and　try　to　manage　it。　It's　accustomed　to　being　managed；　from　what　you　tell　me。〃
　　　〃Manage　a　dragon？〃　But　Doon　let　Golok　get　out　ahead；　then　led　the　others　in　a　quick　advance。
　　　Ben；　even　as　he　trotted　forward；　drew　Dragonslicer　from　its　sheath。　Beside　him　he　saw　Mark　pulling　his　longbow　off　his　back　and　reaching　for　an　arrow。　Hubert　paused　for　a　moment；　to　throw　his　weight　on　the　crossbow；　cock　it；　and　set　the　trigger。
　　　You　had　to　hit　a　big　landwalker　right　in　the　open　mouth；　Ben　was　thinking；　or　in　the　tiny　target　of　its　eye；　to　do　yourself　any　good　even　with　a　crossbow　bolt。。。　and　now　already　he　could　hear　the　first　chiming　of　the　dragon。　It　was　out　of　sight　behind　hillocks；　but　no　longer　very　far　ahead。　It　had　to　be　ing　on　to　meet　them。
　　　Ben　scrambled　up　the　nearest　hillock　to　get　a　better　look。　Golok　had　climbed　another　mound；　some　twenty　five　or　thirty　meters　ahead；　and　from　its　top　he　was　already　talking　and　crooning　and　gesturing　to　the　monster。
　　　Not　the　same　dragon　I　saw　that　night；　thought　Ben；　this　one's　a　little　smaller。　Some　twenty　meters　beyond　Golok　it　had　paused；　leaning　with　one　of　its　forearms　on　a　mound　three　meters　high；　so　that　for　a　moment　it　made　a　parody　of　some　irate　proprietor　behind　a　counter。　It　was　angry　at　Golok　for　being　where　he　was；　it　was　probably　angered　by　his　mere　existence。　Ben　could　hear　the　anger　in　the　near…musical　chiming　of　its　voice。　So　far　it　did　not　appear　to　have　noticed　Ben；　or　any　of　the　others。　It　bowed　its　head　once　toward　Golok；　as　if　in　some　kind　of　formal　acknowledgement　of　his　existence；　and　then　without　further　warning　it　came　after　him　in　a　clumsy…looking　charge。　Fire　sighed　and　whistled　in　its　nostrils。
　　　People　near　Ben　were　scrambling　wildly　to　and　from　among　the　rocks。　Golok　abandoned　the　useless　position　of　his　mound　in　a　surprisingly　graceful　leap。　A　few　long　strides　and　he　had　scrambled　up　atop　another；　farther　from　the　people　and　the　dragon　and　a　little　closer　to　the　cliffs。　He　was　still　gesturing　and　singing；　and　something　in　his　method　took　effect。　The　dragon's　movements　slowed　abruptly；　the　charge　declining　into　a　mere　advance。　The　monkbird　was　flying　like　a　sparrow　round　the　dragon's　head；　as　if　trying　to　distract　it；　but　Dart　received　no　attention。
　　　Doon；　near　Ben's　elbow；　whispered　fiercely：　〃Indosuaros？〃
　　　The　wizard's　whispered　answer　was　just　as　taut。　〃We　must　use　no　magic　here；　if　we　can　possibly　avoid　it。　There　will　be　traces　of　our　passage；　if　we　do。〃
　　　Ben　could　sense　Doon's　indecision。　The　Baron　wanted　to　get　his　party　into　the　cave　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　if　possible　without　an　open　bat　against　the　dragon。　Yet　at　the　same　time　he　did　not　want　to　lose　Golok；　or　even　to　separate　from　him。
　　　Golok　made　yet　another　sideways　withdrawal；　leading　the　dragon　still　farther　out　of　their　indicated　path。　And　again　it　lurched　and　lunged　toward　him；　this　time　punctuating　its　advance　with　the　sideways　sweep　of　a　clawed　forelimb　against　a　mound。　Rocks　scattered；　flying　as　if　cast　by　some　giant's　sling。
　　　That　movement　was　enough　for　Mark。　His　longbow　twanged　at　a　range　of　no　more　than　twenty　meters。　The　straight　shaft；　driven；　Ben　knew；　by　a　thirty…kilo　pull；　struck　within　a　handsbreadth　of　the　moving　dragon's　right　eye。　The　arrowhead　broke　on　one　of　the　small　scales　there；　the　shaft　rebounded　like　a　twig。　The　dragon　paid　it　not　the　least　attention。
　　　Doon　was　whispering　again。　〃I　don't　want　to　lose　my　beastmaster　before　we　even　get　below。　We'll　need　him　there。　We've　got　to　save　him；　kill　the　dragon　if　we　must。〃
　　　And　if　we　can；　thought　Ben。　Still　the　creature　was　advancing；　in　fits　and　starts；　toward　Golok。　The　youth　with　his　best　efforts　was　managing　to　blunt　the　edge　of　its　wrath　for　seconds　at　a　time；　but　not　to　turn　it　away。　He　dodged；　retreated；　tried　to　stand　his　ground；　and　was　forced　back　again。
　　　Golok　was　gradually　being　driven　back　toward　the　edge　of　the　cliffs；　now　only　a　few　meters　behind　him。　Seven　other　people；　working　from　one　rock　shelter　to　the　next；　were　following　as　closely　as　they　dared。
　　　〃Go　over　the　edge；〃　Ben　called　to　him；　trying　to　make　his　voice　no　louder　than　was　necessary　for　the　youth　to　hear；　fearing　to　startle　the　beast　into　another　forward　rush。　〃Over　the　brink；　and　hang　on。　It　won't　see　you　then。　Maybe　it。。。〃
　　　Again；　abruptly；　the　dragon　charged　at　Golok；　this　time　with　a　thundering　full　roar。　The　subtle　nets　of　control；　woven　of　beast…master's　lore；　had　given　way　totally　at　last。
　　　Both　Mark　and　Hubert；　meanwhile；　had　maneuvered　away　from　Ben；　so　that　the　dragon　was　charging　more　or　less　in　their　direction　and　they　had　a　good　shot　at　the　roof　of　the　open　mouth。　Ben；　scrambling　forward　as　fast　as　he　could　toward　the　dragon's　flank　with　Dragonslicer　gripped　in　both　hands；　thought　that　even　so　the　chance　was　small　that　the　bowmen　could　hit　the　brain；　and　that　even　if　you　hit　the　brain　your　problems　with　a　landwalker　were　not　over　necessarily。。。　Already　Dragonslicer's　powers　had　awakened；　and　Ben　could　feel　the　Sword；　hear　it；　shrilling　as　he　ran。
　　　Golok　had　fallen；　scrambling；　near　the　brink。　Longbow　shaft　and　crossbow　bolt；　simultaneously；　entered　the　open　mouth　that　loomed　above　him。　There　was　an　explosion　of　fire　that　gutted　the　dragon's　left　cheek　outwards；　the　jolt　of　liquid　hell　that　was　to　have　been　projected　at　Golok　went　spewing　and　sizzling　away　instead；　some　of　it　over　the　cliff's　edge；　some　to　spill　upon　the　nearby　rocks。　One　of　the　missiles　had　burst　a　firegland　in　the　cheek。
　　　Ariane　was　yelling　bravely；　and　slinging　stones　at　the　dragon；　whether　accurately　or　not　made　no　difference　in　the　least。　The　two　wizards　were　sensibly　lying　low。
　　　Drooling　flame；　and　certainly　now　aware　of　pain；　the　monster　turned　toward　the　other　people　who　beset　it。　Doon；　scrambling　desperately　over　and　around　rocks；　behind　the　enemy　now；　struck　with　Wayfinder　at　one　of　its　hind　legs；　aiming　for　a　spot　where　there　should　be　a　tendon　beneath　the　scales。　The　heavy；　razor…edged　blade　rebounded　like　a　toy　sword　from　an　anvil。　The　dragon　did　not　see　or　feel　him。
　　　It　saw　Ben　though；　and　it　heard　him。　The　Sword　of　Heroes　was　in　his　hands；　making　its　shrill　sound；　and　now　he　felt　the　more…than…human　power　of　the　weapon　flow　into　his　arms。
　　　As　always；　the　great　damned　beasts　were　unpredictable。　At　the　last　moment　the　dragon　turned　again　away　from　Ben；　and　bent　to　pick　up　the　screaming　Golok　in　its　left　forelimb。　Ben　could　see　the　youth's　legs；　still　livi