fs.thesecondbookofswords-第11部分

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　　　The　rider　did　not　turn　his　head　by　so　much　as　a　centimeter；　but　this　time　he　answered。　〃If　food　were　what　I　wanted；〃　grated　the　low　voice　from　between　his　teeth；　〃what　I；　the　owner　and　master　of　this　Sword；　desired　more　than　anything　else　in　the　sweet　universe；　then　Wayfinder　would　guide　us　to　as　great　a　feast　as　I　desired。　But　since　food　is　not　what　I　crave　at　this　moment；　it　does　not。　Now　keep　quiet；　and　follow　me　alertly。　Safety　is　not　what　I　am　looking　for　either。〃
　　　Wayfinder；　thought　Hubert　to　himself。　Wayfinder。　I've　heard　some　story　about　that；　some　tale　of　magic　Swords。。。　But；　having　been　ordered　to　keep　quiet；　he　kept　quiet。
　　　The　four　men　continued　to　move　forward　…　again；　more　slowly；　for　now　the　riding　beast；　well…trained　though　it　was；　was　giving　signs　of　reluctance　to　proceed　any　farther　along　this　road。　At　a　sign　from　Baron　Doon；　Golok　unhooded　his　monkbird　again；　though　for　the　time　being　he　kept　it　on　his　shoulder。
　　　The　road　continued　a　progressive　deterioration；　till　now　it　was　doubtful　whether　it　deserved　that　name　at　all。　And　now；　as　if　capriciously；　it　branched　again。　Again　it　was　the　right…hand　fork　that　bore　the　most　unfavorable　aspect；　even　though　the　left　appeared　to　lead　into　nothing　better　than　another　nasty　thicket；　this　one　so　overgrown　as　to　almost　swallow　up　the　track　entirely。
　　　Still　there　was　no　doubt　that　the　right…hand　way　looked　worse。　Even　though　…　and　here　Hubert　rubbed　at　his　eyes；　blinked；　and　looked　again　…　even　though　it　did　appear　to　lead　to　a　house。　Yes；　there　was　an　abandoned　dwelling　down　there；　right　on　the　edge　of　an　encroaching　swamp。　It　was　a　large　house；　or　rather　it　looked　as　if　it　might　have　been　large　before　portions　of　it　had　suffered　a　collapse。　The　swamp；　thought　Hubert；　had　probably　begun　to　undermine　it　from　the　rear。
　　　The　surviving　portion　had　been　sturdily　built　of　timber　and　of　stone；　the　masonry　discolored　and　weakened　now。　There　might　be；　Hubert　supposed；　three　or　four　rooms　still　standing　roofed　and　usable；　counting　the　fragment　of　an　upper　story　that　remained。　Usable；　that　is；　if　the　whole　thing　did　not　collapse　the　first　time　someone　walked　into　it。
　　　The　road　to　the　right　did　not　go　past　the　house；　but　terminated　at　it；　or；　more　precisely；　at　a　narrow　bridge　a　few　meters　from　the　wooden　door。　The　rickety；　unsafe…looking　bridge　spanned　a　noisome　ditch　formed　by　an　advanced　arm　of　the　swamp。　The　bridge　was　fashioned　of　two　thin；　round　logs；　slippery…looking　with　damp　and　moss。　There　was　a　sketch　of　a　railing　on　one　side；　and　crosswise　between　the　logs　a　scattering　of　short　boards　for　footing。　Some　of　these　floorboards　already　hung　down　broken。
　　　Again　Baron　Doon　had　recourse　to　his　Sword。　This　time；　Hubert　observed　with　a　fatalistic　lack　of　surprise；　the　blade　quivered　only　when　its　owner　pointed　it　in　the　direction　of　the　house。
　　　This　time　Doon　did　not　sheath　the　blade；　using　it　instead　to　gesture　to　Golok。　Then　he　went　back　to　watching　the　house　intently。
　　　Again　the　flying　mammal；　after　a　low…crooning　conference　with　its　master；　took　to　its　dark；　membranous　wings。　It　circled　the　house　first。　Then　it　hovered　briefly　in　front　of　one　shadowed　window；　but　balked　at　entering　that　dark；　blank　space。　In　another　moment　it　had　returned　to　its　master's　shoulder；　where　it　sat　shivering。　When　Golok　spoke　to　it　this　time；　it　would　not　answer。
　　　Doon；　drawn　blade　still　in　hand；　dismounted。　Then　silently；　leading　his　mount　behind　him；　he　approached　the　bridge。　The　riding　beast　allowed　itself　to　be　led；　though　unwillingly；　its　hide　quivering　with　its　high…strung　nerves。　Hubert　saw　how　its　feet　curved；　the　hard　footpads　trying　to　grip　the　slippery　logs　of　the　bridge　where　the　crossboards　were　missing。
　　　The　others　were　all　hesitating。　Hubert　swallowed；　and　crossed　second。　Once　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　follow　and　serve　a　leader；　he'd　serve　and　follow　him。　Until　the　time　came　when　he　decided　to　quit　altogether。　Provided；　of　course；　that　when　the　time　came　he　was　still　able。。。
　　　Firmly　he　banished　thoughts　like　that。　Bee　a　coward；　and　the　world　was　through　with　you　for　good。　The　bridge　under　his　feet　felt　more　solid　than　it　looked。
　　　Once　across　the　bridge；　Hubert　shot　one　glance　behind　him；　and　saw　that　the　other　two　were　starting　over。　He　could　not　help　seeing；　also；　that　the　world　back　there；　the　distant　parts　of　it　at　least；　looked　infinitely　inviting。　Yonder　in　the　background　a　clear　sky　spanned　fair；　green　hills；　and　happy　fields。。。
　　　Such　pleasant　things　were　not　for　the　highwayman…adventurer。　Hubert　turned　his　back　on　them。　Now　the　frowning；　vacant　windows　of　the　house　were　scant　meters　in　front　of　him。　They　reminded　him　unfortably　of　the　empty　eyesocket　that　had　seemed　to　watch　him；　only　a　little　while　ago。
　　　As　soon　as　Golok；　the　last　man；　was　across　the　bridge；　Doon　gestured　to　him　again。　In　obedience　Golok　again　sent　the　monkbird　forward。　But　again　it　refused　to　enter　any　of　those　dark　apertures；　darker　than　windows　ought　to　be　even　on　such　a　gloomy　day。
　　　The　Sword　in　Doon's　hand　quivered；　lightly　and　insistently。　It　was　guiding　them　toward　the　single　broad　door　that　was　set　in　the　front　of　the　building　at　ground　level。　Doon　led　his　mount　right　up　to　the　door；　and　rapped　on　the　panels　with　Wayfinder's　hilt。　Then　he　tugged　to　open　it。　It　proved　not　to　be　locked；　but　only　stuck；　noisily　it　yielded　at　last。
　　　The　interior　revealed　was　not　as　dark　as　the　upstairs　behind　those　windows。　Hubert；　looking　past　his　leader；　could　make　out　a　passageway；　surprisingly　deep　and　broad。　And　at　the　end　of　the　passage　…　could　that　be　some　kind　of　an　interior　courtyard？　Somehow；　the　closer　Hubert　approached　to　the　building；　the　larger　it　became　to　his　eyes。　Yet　he　was　never　at　any　point　conscious　of　observing　any　unnatural　change。
　　　Hubert　would　have　liked　to　delay　the　others；　to　talk　over　with　them　in　whispers　this　fact　and　its　implications。　But　Doon　was　already　leading　them　forward；　into　the　house。　The　passage　was　too　low　for　a　mounted　man　to　ride　through　it　fortably；　and　he　continued　to　tug　his　animal　after　him。
　　　Once　Hubert　had　gotten　well　inside；　he　blinked　his　eyes　again：　Why；　he　thought；　again　it's　grown　bigger。　The　passageway；　its　sides　doorless　and　windowless；　went　straight　on　for　six　or　eight　meters；　and　the　interior　court　when　they　reached　it　was　ten　meters　square；　surrounded　by　two…story　building　on　all　sides。　Four　doors；　one　in　each　wall；　were　at　ground　level。　Only　the　door　by　which　they　were　entering　the　courtyard　stood　open。　More　dark　windows　showed　in　the　walls。
　　　〃Magic；〃　breathed　Golok　in　the　rear。　He　was　following　Hubert　and　Pu　Chou　closely　now；　as　if　he　feared　to　get　very　far　from　the　armed　men。　His　word　said　no　more　than　they　had　all　already　realized。　This　courtyard；　now　that　they　were　standing　in　it；　was　certainly　bigger　than　the　whole　house　had　looked　when　they　had　first　seen　it　from　the　road。　There　were　cloisters　cracking　into　disrepair；　and　a　dry；　cracked　fountain。　There　were　a　couple　of　long…dead　trees；　and　in　the　tile　paving　blank　clay　places　that　might　once　have　been　meant　for　flowerbeds。　Most　of　the　paving　was　covered　with　years　of　blown…in　dead　leaves　and　dirt。
　　　Golok　drew　in　his　breath　with　a　sharp　sound。　The　door　just　opposite　that　they　had　entered　by　was　slowly　creaking　open。　In　a　moment　a　huge；　black　furred；　twolegged　shape　had　appeared　in　the　doorway。　The　figure　slouched　there；　almost　of　human　shape；　though　it　looked　inhumanly　broad　and　strong。　Bright　eyes；　of　a　different　blackness　than　its　fur；　glittered　at　the　intruders；　and　white　teeth　showed　sharp　in　a　black　mouth。
　　　It　was…at　least；　perhaps　it　was…no　more　than　a　beast；　and　they　were　four　men　armed　and　ready。　Yet　three　of　the　four　men　started　back。
　　　Doon　had　already　swung　himself　back　up　into　his　saddle；　from　which　vantage　point　he　now　confronted　the　creature　with　drawn　sword。　His　mount；　as　if　it　were　relieved　to　at　last　face　something　in　the　way　of　concrete　danger；　snorted　but　held　steady。
　　　Doon　cried；　to　the　ebon　beast：　〃Be　warned；　if　ye　have　power　of　understanding！　I　am　not　here　to　be　entertained　by　bogey…games。　Nor　will　I　be　sent　hence　without　that　which　I　need。　Be　warned　also；　that　this　blade　when　in　my　hand　is　doubly　magic！〃
　　　The　monstrous　ape　retreated。　Hubert　could　not　tell　quite　how　it　managed　the　maneuver；　only　that　one　moment　the　midnight　bulk　still　filled　the　doorway；　and　the　next　moment　it　was　gone。
　　　There　was　a　faint　sound　from　the　closed　door　to　the　right。　As　one；　the　men　spun　in　that　direction；　to　watch　that　broad　door　creaking　open。。。
　　　。。。　pushed　by　a　skeletal　hand。　The　hanged　man　from　the　gallows　was　standing　just　inside　it。　Hubert　could　not　be　mistaken　about　that　face。
　　　Pu　Chou　uttered　a　sound　that　could　not　be　described　as　speech。　But　Doon；　wheeling　his　mount；　faced　this　apparition　as　coolly　as　he　had　the　other。　As　if　addressing　the　same　entity；　he　went　on　speaking。　〃I　tell　you；　trickery　will　not　move　me；　nor　will　threats。　Now　do　you　mean　to　fight　me；　or　listen　to　me？〃
　　　Again；　the　thing　that　he　confronted　disappeared。
　　　All　four　men　were　now　turning　about；　twisting　their　necks；　trying　to　keep　all　four　doorways　under　observation　at　the　same　time。　None　of　them　were　taken　by　surprise　by　the　next　appearance；　in　the　doorway　that　had　so　far　remained　unoccupied。　The　tall；　richly　robed　figure　that　stood　there　now　was　that　of　an　old　man；　gray　but　sturdy。　His　massive　bald　crown　was　surrounded　by　a　long　gray　fringe　that　matched　his　beard。　Great　blue　eyes；　with　something　in　them　as　innocent　as　infancy；　looked　out　from　under　white　bushy　brows。
　　　Facing　Doon；　this　man　asked　in　a　low；　impressive　voice：　〃What　seek　you　here？〃
　　　Doon　lowered　his　Sword　slowly。　He　started　to　speak；　then　looked　down　at　his　mount。　The　riding　beast　had　suddenly　relaxed。
　　　And　now　the　Baron　heaved　a　great　sigh；　as　if　he　too　felt　finally　able　to　allow　himself　the　luxury　of　weariness。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　no　longer　as　taut　as　a　drawn　bowstring。　〃What　I　seek　is　simply　wealth。　No；　not　yours；　I　suppose　your　treasure　might　be　considerable；　but　even　so　it　won't　be　enough　for　me；　and　I　don't　purpose　to　take　it。　I　believe　that　the　treasure　I　want　is　e