gc.shadowslinger-第15部分

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　　The　Catabs　had　a　carnal　smell；　but　weaker　than　Shed　had　anticipated。　A　draft　stirred　Asa's　torch。
　　〃Stop；〃　Raven　said。　He　took　the　brand；　examined　the　gap　through　which　they　had　entered；　nodded；　passed　the　torch　back。　〃Lead　on。〃　　The　cavern　widened　and　joined　a　larger　cave。　Asa　halted　halfway　across。　Shed　stopped；　too。　He　was　surrounded　by　bones。　Bones　on　the　cave　floor；　bones　on　racks　on　the　walls；　skeletons　hanging　from　hooks。　Loose　bones　in　tumbles　and　piles；　all　mixed　together。　Skeletons　sleeping　amidst　the　clutter。　Bones　still　within　shreds　of　burial　raiment。　Skulls　leering　from　wooden　pegs　on　the　far　wall；　empty　eyes　sinister　in　the　torchlight。　A　passage　urn　shared　each　peg。
　　
　　There　were　mummified　bodies；　too；　though　only　a　few。　Only　the　rich　demanded　mummification。　Here　riches　meant　nothing。　They　were　heaped　with　all　the　rest。　　Asa　volunteered；　〃This　is　a　real　old　place。　The　Custodians　don't　e　here　anymore；　unless　maybe　to　get　rid　of　loose　bones。　The　whole　cave　is　filled　up　up　that　way；　like　they　just　pushed　them　out　of　the　way。〃
　　〃Let's　look；〃　Raven　said。　　Asa　was　right。　The　cavern　narrowed　and　its　ceiling　descended。　The　passageway　was　choked　with　bones。　Shed　noted　the　absence　of　skulls　and　urns。　　Raven　chuckled。　〃Your　Custodians　aren't　as　passionate　about　the　dead　as　you　thought；　Shed。〃The　chambers　you　see　during　Spring　and　Autumn　Rites　aren't　like　this；〃　Shed　admitted。
　　〃I　don't　guess　anybody　cares　about　the　old　ones　anymore；〃　Asa　said。
　　〃Let's　go　back；〃　Raven　suggested。　As　they　walked；　he　observed；　〃We　all　end　up　here。　Rich　or　poor；　weak　or　strong。〃　He　kicked　a　mummy。　〃But　the　rich　stay　in　better　shape。　Asa；　what's　down　the　other　way？〃
　　〃I　only　ever　went　about　a　hundred　yards。　More　of　the　same。〃　He　was　trying　to　open　a　passage　urn。
　　Raven　grunted；　took　an　um；　opened　it；　dumped　several　coins　onto　his　hand。　He　held　them　near　the　torch。　〃Uhm。　How　did　you　explain　their　age；　Asa？〃
　　〃Money　has　no　provenance；〃　Shed　said。
　　Asa　nodded。　〃And　I　made　out　like　I'd　found　a　buried　treasure。〃
　　〃I　see。　Lead　on。〃
　　Soon　Asa　said；　〃This　is　as　far　as　I　ever　went。〃
　　〃Keep　going。〃
　　They　wandered　till　even　Raven　responded　to　the　oppression　of　the　cavern。　〃Enough。　Back　to　the　surface。〃　Once　up　top；　he　said；　
　　〃Get　the　tools。　Damn。　I'd　hoped　for　better。〃
　　Soon　they　were　back　with　a　spade　and　ropes。　〃Shed；　dig　a　hole　over　there。　Asa；　hang　on　to　this　end　of　the　rope。　When　I　yell；　start　pulling。〃　Raven　descended　into　the　Catabs。
　　Asa　remained　rooted；　as　instructed。　Shed　dug。　After　a　while；　Asa　asked；　〃Shed；　what's　he　doing？〃
　　〃You　don't　know？　I　thought　you　knew　everything　he　did。〃
　　〃I　just　told　Krage　that。　I　couldn't　keep　up　with　him　all　night。''
　　Shed　grimaced；　turned　another　spadeful　of　earth。　He　could　guess　how　Asa　worked。　By　sleeping　somewhere　most　of　the　time。　Spying　would　have　interfered　with　wood…gathering　and　grave…robbing。
　　Shed　was　relieved。　Asa　didn't　know　what　he　and　Raven　had　done。　But　he　would　before　long。
　　He　looked　inside　himself　and　found　little　self…disgust。　Damn！　He　was　accustomed　to　these　crimes　already。　Raven　was　making　him　over　in　his　own　image。
　　Raven　shouted。　Asa　hauled　away。　He　called；　〃Shed；　give　me　a　hand。　I　can't　get　this　by　myself。〃
　　Resigned；　Shed　joined　him。　Their　catch　was　exactly　what　he　expected；　a　mummy　sliding　out　of　the　darkness　like　some　denizen　of　the　deeps　of　yesteryear。　He　averted　his　gaze。　〃Get　his　feet；　Asa。〃
Asa　gagged。　〃My　God；　Shed。　My　God。　What　are　you　doing？〃
〃Be　quiet　and　do　what　you're　told。　That's　the　best　way。　Get　his　feet。〃
　　They　moved　the　body　into　the　brush　near　Shed's　pit。　A　passage　urn　rolled　out　of　a　bundle　tied　upon　its　chest。　The　bundle　contained　another　two　dozen　urns。　So。　The　hole　was　for　burying　empty　urns。　Why　didn't　Raven　fill　his　pockets　down　there？
　　〃Let's　get　out　of　here；　Shed；〃　Asa　whined。
　　〃Back　to　your　rope。〃　Ums　took　time　to　empty。　And　Raven　had　two　men　up　top　with　little　to　do　but　think。　So。　They　were　busy…work。　And　an　incentive；　of　course。　Two　dozen　urns　with　each　cadaver　would　build　up　quite　a　pile。
　　〃Shed。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Where　you　going　to　run　to；　Asa？〃　The　day　was　clear　and　unseasonably　warm；　but　it　was　still　winter。　There　was　no　way　out　of　Juniper。　〃He'd　find　you。　Go　back　to　your　rope。　You're　in　it　now；　like　it　or　not。〃　Shed　resumed　digging。
　　Raven　sent　up　six　mummies。　Each　carried　its　bundle　of　urns。　Then　Raven　returned。　He　studied　Asa's　ashen　face；　Shed's　resignation。　〃Your　turn；　Shed。〃
　　Shed　gulped；　opened　his　mouth；　swallowed　his　protest；　slunk　toward　the　hole。　He　lingered　over　it；　a　hair's　breadth　from　rebellion。
　　〃Move　it；　Shed。　We　don't　have　forever。〃
　　Marron　Shed　went　down　among　the　dead。
　　It　seemed　he　was　in　the　Catabs　forever；　numbly　selecting　cadavers；　collecting　urns；　dragging　his　grisly　booty　to　the　rope。　His　mind　had　entered　another　reality。　This　was　the　dream；　the　nightmare。　At　first　he　did　not　understand　when　Raven　called　for　him　to　e　up。
　　He　clambered　into　gathering　dusk。　〃Is　that　enough？　Can　we　go　now？〃
　　〃No；〃　Raven　replied。　〃We've　got　sixteen。　I　figure　we　can　get　thirty　on　the　wagons。〃
　　〃Oh。　Okay。〃
　　〃You　haul　up；〃　Raven　said。　〃Asa　and　I　will　go　down。〃
　　Shed　hauled。　In　the　silvery　light　of　a　three…quarters　moon　the　dead　faces　seemed　accusing。　He　swallowed　his　loathing　and　placed　each　with　the　others；　then　emptied　ums。
　　He　was　tempted　to　take　the　money　and　run。　He　stayed　more　out　of　greed　than　fear　of　Raven。　He　was　a　partner　this　time。　Thirty　bodies　at　thirty　leva　meant　nine　hundred　leva　to　share　out。　Even　if　he　took　the　small　cut；　he　would　be　richer　than　he'd　ever　dreamed。
　　What　was　that？　Not　Raven's　order　to　haul　away。　It　sounded　like　someone　screaming。　。。。　He　nearly　ran。　He　did　go　to　pieces　momentarily。　Raven's　bellowing　brought　him　together。　The　man's　cold；　calm　contempt　had　vanished。
　　Shed　heaved。　This　one　was　heavy。　He　grunted；　strained。　。　。　。　Raven　came　scrambling　up。　His　clothing　was　torn。　A　bloody　gash　marked　one　cheek。　His　knife　was　red。　He　whirled；　grabbed　the　rope。　〃Pull！〃　he　shouted。　〃Damn　you；　pull！〃
　　Asa　came　out　a　moment　later；　tied　to　the　rope。　〃What　happened？　My　God；　what　happened？''　Asa　was　breathing；　and　that　was　about　it。　　〃Something　jumped　us。　It　tore　him　up　before　I　could　kill　it。〃　　
　　〃A　Guardian。　I　warned　you。　Get　another　torch。　Let's　see　how　bad　he　is。〃　Raven　just　sat　there　panting；　flustered。　Shed　got　the　torch；　lighted　it。　　Asa's　wounds　were　not　as　bad　as　he　had　feared。　There　was　a　lot　of　blood；　and　Asa　was　in　shock；　but　he　wasn't　dying。　〃We　ought　to　get　out　of　here；　Raven。　Before　the　Custodians　e。〃
　　Raven　recovered　his　posure。　〃No。　There　was　only　one。　I　killed　it。　We're　in　this　now。　Let's　get　it　done　right。〃
　　〃What　about　Asa？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　Let's　get　to　work。〃
　　〃Raven；　I'm　exhausted。〃
　　〃You're　going　to　get　a　lot　tireder　before　we're　done。　e　on。　Let's　get　the　mess　cleaned　up。〃
　　They　moved　the　bodies　to　the　wagons；　then　the　tools；　then　carted　Asa　down。　As　they　worked　the　litter　through　the　wall；　Shed　asked；　〃What　should　we　do　with　him？〃
　　Raven　looked　at　him　as　though　he　were　a　moron。　〃What　do　you　think；　Shed？〃
　　〃But。　。　。　。〃
　　〃It　doesn't　much　matter　now；　does　it？〃
　　〃I　guess　not。〃　But　it　did　matter。　Asa　wasn't　much；　but　Shed　knew　him。　He　was　no　friend；　but　they　had　helped　one　another　out。　。　。　。　
　　〃No。　Can't　do　it；　Raven。　He　can　make　it。　If　I　was　sure　he　was　checking　out；　yeah。　Okay。　No　body；　no　questions。　But　I　can't　kill　him。〃
　　〃Well。　A　little　spirit　after　all。　How　are　you　going　to　keep　him　quiet？　He's　the　kind　who　gets　throats　cut　with　loose　talk。〃
　　〃I'll　handle　him。〃
　　〃Whatever　you　say；　partner。　It's　your　neck。〃
　　The　night　was　well　along　when　they　reached　the　black　castle。　Raven　went　in　first。　Shed　followed　closely。　They　pulled　into　the　same　passage　as　before。　The　drill　was　the　same。　After　they　laid　out　the　bodies；　a　tall；　lean　creature　went　down　the　line。　
　　〃Ten。　Ten。　Thirty。　Ten。　Ten。〃　And　so　forth。
　　Raven　protested　vigorously。　The　only　offers　above　ten　were　for　the　men　who　had　followed　them　to　the　Enclosure　and　for　Asa；　who　remained　in　his　wagon。
　　The　tall　being　faced　Raven。　〃These　h