fs.thesecondbookofswords-第34部分
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eature。 The monkbird came speeding back to Ariane's shoulder； where once more it clung tight in fear。 It brought with it a taste of choking dust； and at the same time an acrid； poisonous odor drifted to the humans' nostrils from the far reaches of the cave。
Doon； muttering demon…oaths between sudden fits of coughing； had his Sword out and was aiming it at various portions of the cave。 But he obtained no response until he pointed it back into the tunnel； in the direction from which the expedition had just e。 He looked so black at this that even Indosuaros thought it wise to make no ment at the moment。
Meanwhile Mark was looking back into the cave； and something he saw there kindled an idea。 He pulled off his headlamp； and； bending down； placed it on the floor； focusing a tight beam of light upon some rocks in the cave that were twenty or thirty meters distant。
〃Turn off all the lights but this one；〃 he told the others。 〃I'm trying to see something。〃
The Baron； on the verge of issuing new orders； hesitated and then did as he had been told。 The other people muttered questions and protests； mingled with their sneezes and coughs。 But in a moment Mark's was the only lamp alight。
He straightened up again。 〃Look。 My lamp isn't moving at all； it's resting on the floor。 Watch the light。〃
From a few bright facets of the distant rock； spots of brilliance were being reflected back into the tunnel； glowing dimly on walls and ceiling and on the faces of the people。
〃Look。〃
The spots of light were all in motion。 It was a slow movement； steady and concerted。 It appeared that the fixed rock； the whole cave out there； was turning past the tunnel's mouth； in a gradual unvarying rotation。 Looking closely at the cave； it was obvious that the perspective of it had changed in the short time the party had been standing in front of it。
People coughed in the fading traces of the poisonspores； and marveled。
〃That can't be right。〃
〃But it is moving。〃
〃I think；〃 said Mark； 〃that I know what's happening。 Let's get out of this dust； back through the tunnel。 I'll tell you there。〃
The others were ready enough to go； and Doon to lead the way。 In a short time they had climbed back through the twisting tunnel and re…entered the large cylindrical room。
There Mark offered his explanation。 〃It isn't the cave down there that's moving； it's us。 I mean all twelve of these tunnels； and the room we're standing in。 What looks like the hub of a wheel here〃 … and he thumped his hand upon the circular dais … 〃really is just that。 And look up here； around the end of the shaft where we came down。 You see what look like loose masonry joints。 The two parts are free to turn past each other。 Indosuaros； when we were still up there in daylight you said that you could sense something huge down here； something of the Old World。〃
〃I did feel that。〃 The wizard tilted back his head and closed his eyes。 〃And I feel it now。 Technology。〃 And as before； he curled his lip contemptuously at the word。
Doon was incredulous。 〃A whole section of this cliff； with the twelve tunnels running through it like the spokes of a wheel？ It would have to be big enough to build a village on。〃
Hubert chimed in： 〃A slab of that size； rotating all the time？ Without even making noise； or … nobody could build such a thing。 Nobody could。。。 〃 But he let it die away there。 He knew； like the Baron and everyone else； that the Old World had made a thousand wonders just as great。
Mark said to Doon： 〃But it means that the Sword must have been right； both times。 If we'd been quick enough to follow the first tunnel that it chose； we'd have e out in the right place。。。 don't you see； the rotating tunnels must match up with a fixed one； or some exit； cut in the solid rock somewhere around the wheel。 The twelve tunnel mouths probably turn past it； one after another。 At least some of them must。〃
〃Actually；〃 put in Ben； 〃there could be more than twelve tunnel…mouths； depending on how the tunnels branch inside the wheel。〃
Doon shook his head； as if to clear it。 〃Let's try what Wayfinder can tell us now。〃
This time the Sword indicated a pletely different tunnel； not the next one in order around the wall。
〃I see；〃 said Ben。 〃They bend and twist； as we've seen； and probably some of them cross over and under each other； within the thickness of the wheel。〃
〃I wonder； then；〃 asked Hubert。 〃How do the priests who e here ever manage to find their way in and out？ Have they some spell to stop the wheel？〃
〃Technology won't stop and start on spells。 They might know； from the time of day when they enter from outside； which tunnel will be properly aligned when they get down here。〃
〃We've not proven this mad idea yet；〃 growled the Baron。 〃This time we go with Wayfinder in front of us。 e on！〃
〃Aye； we'd better use Wayfinder；〃 muttered Mark。 〃I just thought … there may be other tunnel exits in the fixed rock around the wheel； that could lead to something even worse than that cave we just came from。〃
Again the group filed single into a chosen tunnel。 This time Hubert； anxious now to stay close to Doon in this uncertainty； managed to get right behind him。
Again the tunnel twisted and went down。 Again its explorers came to one cross passage； but this time the alternate way was not blocked。 The Sword made its choice； pointing to the right。 Again； after they had followed it a little farther； the tunnel they were in straightened … but this time something different was visible beyond its ending。
Its mouth； as Mark had predicted； was nearly aligned with a matching opening beyond a modest gap。 Here； with the stator and rotor of the great system only a couple of meters apart at the farthest； the slow…creeping rotation of the central wheel was much easier to see。
The tunnel in which they had arrived widened out considerably just at the end。 The aperture opposite closely matched it in both size and shape； each was equipped with a stone step just at the lip； as if to facilitate the easy leap； no more than a long stride； facilitate between them。 The intervening space was deep enough to almost swallow up their light beams； but less than two meters wide。 The other opening was also equipped with handgrips； elementary metal studs； set into masonry sockets on both sides of it。
The Sword urged them straight ahead； across the slowly misaligning gap。 Doon leaped out first； and landed lightly on the step。 He at once moved up another step； into the other tunnel； which appeared to slope downward sharply from just inside its entrance。 With his hand that did not hold the Sword； he motioned imperiously for the others to lose no time in following。
Ben took a step forward； that would have been followed by a jump； but for the sudden drag of Ariane's hand upon his sleeve。 He halted his movement and turned to meet her eyes； saw them for a moment looking entranced and almost sightless。
In the moment when Ben delayed； Hubert； with the crossbow jouncing lightly on his back leaped out and landed。
Under Hubert's feet the first step of stone fell free at one end like a trapdoor； slamming back against the wall。 His hands； grabbing in reflex for the iron studs； for anything to hold； clutched at flat slippery stone。 The metal projections； moving in concert with the falling stone； had slid back into their sockets。 Hubert's fingers banged helplessly at the smooth surface and were gone； as he fell with a maddened scream into the gap between the walls。
Doon had spun around and tried to grab him； but no human being could have moved quickly enough。 Nor could any of the people who were still on the inner； slow…turning wall react in time。 Mark； looking down into the narrow chasm； could see Hubert's Old World headlamp turning and bouncing； bouncing and turning again； receding with the body that still wore it。 The man's screams had already ceased。 The light flashed and flickered in its spinning fall； at one instant revealing fantastic rock formations that in the next instant were again plunged into darkness。
The light bounced once more and was still。 The bea
