fs.thesecondbookofswords-第40部分

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　But　we　of　the　profession；　from　the　moment　that　we　enter；　are　engaged　by　the　local　powers　in　a　continuous　struggle。　We　undergo　a　ceaseless　assault　upon　our　specially　developed　senses。　I　am　strong　enough　to　bear　it。　Regrettably；　my　faithful　helper　here　was　not　…　not　without　me　at　his　side　to　aid　him。〃
　　　Doon　demanded：　〃Why　did　you　let　him　play　the　leader　until　now？〃
　　　〃Oh　yes；　that。　As　you　must　know；　Baron；　being　a　leader　has　its　problems　as　well　as　its　advantages。　It　elevates　one；　but　often　as　a　target。　I　could　not　be　sure　at　first　about　you　and　your　men；　whether　or　not　you　were　really　just　the　simple　adventurers　that　you　appeared　to　be。　There　was　a　whiff　of　something　subtle　and　dangerous　about　you　…　I　think　now　that　it　was　the　Sword；　no　more。。。　Well；　Baron；　you　have　it　in　your　hand　again。　Are　we　going　on；　or　not？　I　am　ready　to　follow；　if　you　will　lead　the　way。〃
　　　Doon；　looking　half　entranced　himself；　inspected　the　weapon　in　his　hand。　He　felt　of　it；　and　tried　it　once　or　twice　in　and　out　of　the　scabbard。　Then　like　a　sleep…walker　he　raised　it　ahead　of　him；　moved　it　to　right　and　left　and　back　again。
　　　〃But　what　about。。。〃　Ben；　looking　down　upon　the　crumpled　robes　of　Indosuaros；　began　a　protest。　Then　he　realized　that　those　garments　were　no　longer　tenanted　by　any　human　form。
　　　Ariane；　reluctant　to　believe　that；　lifted　the　robes　and　shook　them。　A　giant　spider　leaped　out　and　went　running　away　into　the　grass。
　　　The　Sword　…　the　real　Sword；　for　the　first　time　here　in　the　sealing　of　magic　…　directed　Doon　at　an　angle　away　from　the　curving　stream。　With　haggard　confidence　he　followed　its　guidance　again。　Mitspieler；　having　picked　up　Indosuaros'　rings；　and　taken　what　he　wanted　from　the　contents　of　his　pack；　marched　second　in　the　shortened　line。　Ariane　was　in　the　middle；　with　Mark　just　behind　her　and　Ben　to　guard　the　rear。
　　　The　real　Sword　neither　followed　the　stream　nor　kept　to　what　looked　like　a　straight　line　among　the　trees。　Instead　it　subjected　its　users　to　sudden　and　apparently　purposeless　shifts　of　course。　They　walked　fifty　meters　in　a　straight　line；　then　turned　a　sharp　corner　and　walked　straight　in　a　new　direction　for　forty　meters　more。　This　was　followed　by　another　turn；　after　which　it　seemed　to　Mark　that　they　moved　in　the　arc　of　a　great　lefthanded　circle；　and　yet　another　change；　after　which　they　walked　a　circle　curving　to　the　right。　Mark　was　just　beginning　to　wonder　if　even　the　genuine　Sword　were　now　malfunctioning；　when　through　the　treetops　ahead　he　caught　sight　of　what　looked　like　a　familiar　line　of　cliffs。
　　　The　rock　formation　was　no　more　than　about　fifty　meters　away　when　it　first　became　visible；　they　had　hiked　no　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　meters　or　so　from　the　place　where　they　had　seen　the　last　of　Indosuaros。　Now　the　Sword　guided　them　rapidly　toward　the　rocks；　though　their　course　was　still　not　quite　a　straight　line。　Once　more　the　inescapable　stream　appeared；　curving　toward　the　explorers；　flowing　in　the　direction　of　the　cliffs。　In　a　few　moments　they　were　close　enough　for　Mark　to　see　where　the　current　tumbled　precipitously　into　a　cave　that　opened　just　at　the　cliffs'　base。
　　　Looking　higher　on　the　rocky　wall；　he　tried　to　locate　the　entrance　through　which　they　had　e　into　this　realm　of　magic；　at　what　now　seemed　like　some　time　in　the　remote　past。　The　cliffs　looked　very　much　the　same；　but　if　the　entrance　cave　was　actually　here　he　could　not　see　it。
　　　Doon　now　led　them　wading　into　the　shallow　water。　They　followed　the　course　of　the　stream　bed　almost　to　the　cave；　before　stepping　out　onto　a　dry　path；　that　switchbacked　its　way　down　into　the　earth　beside　the　stream。　The　water　disappeared　now　into　a　jumble　of　rocks；　though　the　tumbling　roar　of　it　stayed　with　them。
　　　The　stream　reappeared　near　the　bottom　of　the　dark　cliff；　its　channel　now　bee　a　plex　of　artificial　basins　and　waterfalls；　followed　by　a　paved　ditch　at　the　bottom。
　　　As　the　false　sunlight　faded　out　pletely　behind　the　expedition；　another　kind　of　light　came　into　view；　ahead　of　them。　It　took　them　some　time　to　get　down　near　its　source。
Chapter　13
　　　The　reddish　light　ahead　emanated　from　fierce　torch…like　flames；　flames　that　sprang　from　many　vents　high　on　the　sides　of　another　great　cave。　These　torch…flames　appeared　to　consume　invisible　fuel；　as　if　they　fed　on　jets　of　gas　flowing　somehow　from　inside　the　earth。　So　large　was　this　cave　that　only　parts　of　it　were　effectively　illuminated　by　this　strange　light；　its　size　was　therefore　hard　to　estimate；　but　certainly　it　was　enormous。
　　　Here　again　the　stream　vanished。　This　time　its　disappearance　had　an　air　of　permanence；　as　it　dove　into　a　broad　pipe　or　conduit　of　what　looked　like　ancient　masonry；　with　its　intake　covered　by　a　heavy；　rusted　grill；　and　from　this　point　on　even　the　sound　of　the　stream　faded；　until　soon　it　was　altogether　gone。
　　　And　here　the　path　pleted　its　descent　into　this　new　cave；　across　a　fan　of　fallen　rubble。　Mark　could　make　out　sections　of　high　wall　still　standing　on　either　side　of　the　path。　It　appeared　that　some　defensive　works　had　once　stood　here；　had　been　breached　by　some　powerful　attack；　and　then　had　never　been　repaired。　And　indeed　the　dark　hillside　that　the　party　was　now　descending　looked　in　the　headlamps'　beams　like　some　dream　of　an　old　battlefield；　with　fragments　of　old　bones　and　rusted　weapons　mingled　with　the　earth　and　the　fallen　stones　of　the　wall。
　　　Now；　from　somewhere　ahead；　a　new　sound　was　suddenly　audible。　It　was　dull　and　thick；　heavy　and　rhythmic；　loud　as　a　great　slow　drum；　ominous　as　a　troubled　heart。
　　　〃Our　presence　has　been　noted；　I'm　afraid；〃　Mitspieler　mented　on　hearing　it。　〃I　will　do　what　I　can；　but　I　advise　you　to　be　ready　to　fight。〃
　　　At　a　distance　of　twenty　meters　or　so　ahead；　the　cave's　illumination　was　somewhat　brighter。　There　the　walls　narrowed　in；　bringing　the　towering　gas…flames　a　little　closer　on　either　hand。　At　about　the　same　place；　the　slope　of　the　rubbled　hillside　gentled；　until　there　ceased　to　be　a　slope　at　all。　The　drum；　if　such　it　was；　continued　sounding　somewhere　in　the　distance。　It　was　acpanied　now　by　other　dull；　booming　sounds；　that　made　Mark　think　of　the　stone　lids　of　sarcophagi　falling　back。　He　wished　that　image　had　not　e　to　him；　for　now　in　the　middle　distance；　beyond　the　narrowing　of　the　cave；　he　could　see　long　rows　of　what　might　be　couches；　or；　in　the　poor　light；　elevated　coffins。　He　saw；　or　imagined　that　he　saw；　draped　human　forms　recumbent　upon　some　of　these；　or　perhaps　in　them。　And　he　thought　or　imagined　that　some　of　these　forms　were　stirring　into　action　as　the　great　war　drum　quickened　its　beat　slightly。。。
　　　。。。　but　there　were　two　drums；　Mark　realized　now；　and　probably　no　sarcophagi…lids　at　all。　He　thought　of　focusing　his　lamp's　beam　into　the　distance　to　make　sure；　but　decided　not　to　risk　disturbing　whoever　might　be　there　with　a　bright　light。
　　　Doon　and　his　four　followers　continued　their　advance。　But　now；　directly　in　their　path；　just　at　the　place　where　the　cave　narrowed　and　the　flames　were　brighter；　a　limping　human　form　appeared　to　bar　their　way。　This　figure；　armed　with　shield　and　spear　and　helmet；　was　quickly　joined　by　another　and　another。　More　appeared；　until　there　were　ten　in　all；　all　in　motley　clothing　and　irregularly　armed　and　armored。　Unmatching　uniforms；　faded　or　shredded；　hung　upon　unhealthy…looking　bodies；　some　scrawny　and　some　bloated。　The　thin　men　were　so　thin　that　for　a　moment　Mark　feared　that　he　and　his　panions　were　about　to　encounter　skeletons　animated　by　some　new　power　of　magic；　but　this　impression　passed　as　they　drew　closer。
　　　The　force　assembled　to　oppose　them　acted　more　effectively　than　their　first　appearance　had　suggested。　When　their　leader　barked　a　short　mand　it　was　vigorously　executed。　Their　weapons；　drawn　and　presented　now；　were　in　some　cases　little　more　than　bars　of　rust；　but　they　were　held　in　firm　readiness。
　　　He　who　acted　the　part　of　their　officer　now　slouched　a　step　forward　from　the　center　of　the　patchwork　line。　〃The　password！〃　he　demanded；　facing　toward　Doon's　advancing　group。　His　voice　was　a　dry　croak；　as　if　the　throat　that　formed　it　might　not　have　been　used　for　a　long　time。。。　〃Give　me　the　password！〃
　　　〃In　a　moment〃　Doon　called　back；　quite　calmly。　〃I　hav