fs.thesecondbookofswords-第15部分

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ith　moonlight　to　show　her　the　way　picked　out　by　the　Sword　that　quivered　in　her　hands。
　　　Once　the　three　had　decided　among　themselves　to　hide　the　Swords；　Coinspinner　itself；　in　their　troubled　juggling　with　it；　had　shown　them　how　to　proceed。
　　　Every　time　Mark　or　Ben　had　taken　that　weapon　in　hand；　and　tried　to　think　of　where　it　and　its　fellow　should　be　hidden；　the　point　had　indicated　Barbara。
　　　And　then；　when　they　gave　her　Coinspinner　to　hold；　she　could　feel　no　power　in　it　at　all。　Then　she　had　picked　up　Dragonslicer　too　…　Mark　had　been　apprehensive　lest　the　two　Swords　e　into　contact；　and　something　awkward；　or　worse　than　awkward；　happen　as　a　result。　Then　Coinspinner　had　vibrated　almost　angrily　in　Barbara's　grasp；　pointing　out　for　her　a　path　to　follow。　But　it　had　ceased　its　indications　whenever　the　men　had　tried　to　follow　her。
　　　So　they　had　let　her　proceed　alone。　The　moon　had　been　the　only　witness　of　her　climb　up　to　this　temple。　The　ruined　structure　was　not　visible　from　the　main　road　through　the　pass；　and　she　had　not　suspected　its　existence　until　the　Sword　of　Chance　had　led　her　to　it。
　　　When　the　final　place　was　indicated　to　her；　she　had　hidden　Coinspinner　and　Dragonslicer　with　a　feeling　of　great　relief。　After　years　of　hiding　them　and　carrying　them　about；　the　nerves　of　all　three　people　were　worn　with　the　strain。　At　that　time　their　friend　Sir　Andrew　had　been　a　hunted　fugitive；　hiding　they　knew　not　where；　and　none　of　them　had　yet　heard　of　Princess　Rimac　or　her　General　Rostov；　Sir　Andrew's　potential　allies。
　　　Swordless；　Barbara　had　returned　to　camp。　Mark　and　Ben；　both　obviously　relieved　to　see　her；　had　started　to　ask　questions。
　　　She　had　declined　to　answer。　〃It's　done；〃　she　told　them　shortly。　〃We　can　stop　worrying。　And　now　I'm　going　to　get　some　sleep。〃
　　　And　now；　almost　two　years　later；　they　were　back。
　　　It　was　hard　to　tell；　by　looking　at　the　temple；　what　style　of　building　it　had　been　originally。　Time　and　ruin　moved　all　things　toward　simplicity。　If　any　of　the　stones　had　ever　been　painted；　they　were　now　all　white　again；　matching　the　surface　of　some　nearby　cliffs。　If　there　had　been　carving；　it　was　crumbled　now。　Architecture　had　all　but　vanished；　leaving　rubbly　walls　that　in　places　were　little　more　than　outlines。
　　　As　soon　as　Ben　saw　the　modern　offerings　on　the　flat　altar　stone；　he　dug　into　his　pockets　until　he　found　a　few　fragments　of　bread。　These　he　tossed　beside　the　dessicated　fruit　and　flowers。　When　he　saw　the　others　looking　at　him；　he　explained。　〃Some　gods　may　not　amount　to　much；　but　it　pays　to　keep　on　the　good　side　of　Ardneh。　I've　found　that　out。〃
　　　Mark　was　shaking　his　head。　〃We　don't　know　it's　his　temple　anyway。〃
　　　〃It　might　be。〃
　　　〃All　right。　But　Sir　Andrew　says　that　Ardneh's　dead。　And　out　of　all　the　gods　we　know　are　living；　there's　none　whose　attention　I'd　like　to　attract。〃
　　　Ben　stared　at　him　for　a　moment；　then　shrugged　and　tossed　a　few　more　crumbs。　〃If　Ardneh's　dead　…　then　this　is　for　the　unknown　god　who　means　us　well；　whoever　he　may　be。　Or　she；　if　it's　a　goddess。　Can't　do　any　harm；　certainly。〃
　　　〃I　suppose　not；〃　Mark　admitted。　And；　because　he　could　tell　that　Ben　would　feel　better　if　he　did；　Mark　dug　into　his　own　pockets　for　some　scraps　of　food；　and　tossed　them　on　the　stone。
　　　Barbara　was　ignoring　them；　and　had　already　moved　on　to　more　practical　matters。　〃It　was　dark；　before；〃　she　was　murmuring；　more　to　herself　than　to　the　men。　〃Moonlight；　but。。。　〃　And　she　moved　from　one　angle　of　wall　to　another；　pausing　to　look　at　the　ancient　stonework　thoughtfully。　Most　of　the　blocks　that　were　still　in　place　were　finely　fitted　together；　without　mortar。　Few　of　them　were　large。
　　　At　last　she　bent；　and；　with　wiry　strength；　moved　aside　what　looked　like　a　portion　of　a　windowsill。　〃e　help　me。　This　is　the　place。〃
　　　In　the　men's　hands　the　stones　moved　rapidly。　Presently　the　old　sill　had　disappeared。　The　low　wall　here　proved　to　be　hollow。　Between　the　larger　stones　that　made　its　base；　a　sizable　cavity　appeared。
　　　Barbara　stepped　back；　making　room　for　them　to　reclaim　their　property。　〃Reach　in；〃　she　directed。
　　　Ben　pulled　up　his　right　sleeve；　revealing　an　arm　that　looked　almost　stubby　in　its　thickness。　He　thrust　it　into　the　hole　up　to　his　shoulder；　and　at　once　pulled　out　a　sword　…　shaped　bundle。　The　wrapping　on　it　at　once　started　to　fall　free；　exposing　portions　of　the　fabric　that　had　been　folded　under。　Now　Mark　could　recognize　the　cloth's　pattern　as　that　of　an　old　blanket　that　Barbara　had　once　had　in　the　wagon。
　　　Ben；　murmuring　something　about　the　feel　of　power；　shook　the　bundle；　and　the　dusty　wrappings　fell　away　entirely。　Dragonslicer；　unchanged　from　when　they'd　seen　it　last；　gleamed　forth　in　meter…long　straightness　and　sharpness。　There　was　the　mottled　pattern；　inside　the　flat　of　the　bright　steel；　undimmed　by　rust。　As　Ben　held　the　Sword　up；　cradled　in　two　hands；　Mark　could　see　on　the　jet…black　hilt　the　tiny　white　outline　of　a　stylized　dragon。
　　　Ben　made　room　beside　the　wall；　and　Mark　knelt　and　groped　into　the　cavity。　He　could　feel　stones　and　dust；　but　no　wrappings　and　no　blade。　He　reached　farther；　extending　his　fingers　slowly　and　cautiously；　in　case　Coinspinner's　blade　might　be　exposed　…　well　he　knew　the　extreme　sharpness　of　the　Swords。　But　still　his　hand　found　nothing　…　no；　here　was　something。　An　object　small　and　hard　and　round。
　　　Wonderingly　Mark　brought　out　the　coin；　and　held　it　up　and　saw　that　it　was　gold。　The　symbols　on　it　were　in　some　language　that　he　could　not　recognize。　The　face　on　the　obverse　looked　to　him　like　that　of　Hermes；　depicted　as　usual　in　his　cap。
　　　〃It　ought　to　be　right　in　there；〃　Barbara　was　saying　to　him。　〃Unless。。。〃　Her　voice　died　when　she　saw　what　Mark　held　in　his　hand。
　　　Mark　gave　her　the　coin　to　look　at。　Then　he　and　Ben　removed　more　stones；　and　looked　into　the　wall　more　deeply。
　The　whole　cavity　was　now　exposed；　but　Coinspinner　was　gone。
　　　No　one　sang　Coinspinner's　verse　aloud。　But　it　was　running　in　their　minds。
　　　When　they　were　satisfied　that　the　Sword　of　Chance　was　no　longer　there；　they　restored　the　half…ruined　wall；　to　a　condition　at　least　a　little　better　than　it　had　been　on　their　arrival。
　　　Then　Mark　sat　down　on　the　reconstructed　sill；　staring　at　the　gold　coin　that　was　now　in　his　hand　again；　while　Ben　and　Barbara　stood　nearby　regarding　him。
　　　〃The　coin　is　yours　to　keep；〃　said　Barbara。
　　　〃Of　course；〃　added　Ben。
　　　〃Worth　a　good　deal；〃　said　Mark；　flipping　it。　〃But　not　a　Sword。　I　want　to　take　a　Sword　back　to　Sir　Andrew。〃
　　　〃Mine　does　not　go　there；〃　said　Ben。　He　paused；　then　added：　〃But　I　know　where　there's　at　least　one　more。〃
　　　Mark；　who　had　forgotten　about　other　treasure　for　a　time；　turned　Ben's　offer　over　in　his　mind。　He　looked　up；　about　to　speak；　and　then　was　distracted　by　the　oddity　of　a　certain　small　shadow　in　the　sky。　He　jumped　to　his　feet；　hushing　Barbara　with　a　raised　hand　just　as　she　was　about　to　say　something。
　　　High　above　their　heads　a　creature　flew；　a　small　dark　shape　against　the　sky。　Mark　could　see　that　it　was　a　monkbird　…　that　peculiar　twisting　of　the　wings　in　flight　was　a　hard　thing　to　mistake。　It　was　surprising　to　see　a　monkbird　up　here　in　the　highlands；　far　from　its　usual　habitat。
　　　The　creature's　flight　path　was　curving　in　a　circle　around　the　zenith；　as　if　it　were　deliberately　observing　the　ruined　temple　and　the　three　people　who　were　inside　it。
　　　Barbara　had　scrambled　up　atop　one　of　the　ruined　walls；　to　get　a　better　view　downslope。　〃Some　men　are　ing　up　the　canyon；〃　she　announced。　〃Six　of　them；　I　think。〃
　　　Ben　and　Mark　got　into　position　to　see　for　themselves。　On　the　trail　that　ascended　from　the　main　road；　two　mounted　men　led　four　who　moved　on　foot。　Some　of　them　at　least　were　heavily　armed。
　　　〃Following　our　wagon　tracks？〃
　　　〃No　…　maybe　not　…　see　the　rider's　drawn　sword？　I　think　he's　using　it　for　guidance。〃
　　　〃Coinspinner；　then！〃
　　　〃It　could　be　Wayfinder。〃
　　　As　they　watched；　the　monkbird　left　off　circling　and　flew　down　to　the　approaching　procession。　It　landed　on　the　shoulder　of　the　man　walking　in　the　rear；　and　presumably　it　could　be　reporting　what　it　had　seen。
　　　Barbara　hopped　down　from　the　wall。　〃What　do　we　do？　We　can't　retreat　uphill　with　the　wagon。〃
　　　Ben　spat。　〃I　don't　feel　like　just　giving　them　a　team　and　wagon。　Six　aren't　that　many；　even　assuming　that　they　do　mean　harm。〃　So　the　three；　with　good　rocks　at　their　back　and　some　advantage　in　high　ground；　stood　to　face　those　who　were　approaching。
　　　The　leader　of　the　six；　he　who　rode　holding　a　drawn　sword　in　front　of　him；　drew　up　his　mount　when　he　saw　the　three　of　them　waiting。　He　was　a　small　man　with　a　large　mustache。　His　gestures　at　once　suggested　an　imperious　manner。　And；　certainly；　it　was　one　of　the　Twelve　Swords　that　he　gripped；　though　it　was　impossible　to　　see　at　the　moment　which　white　symbol　marked　its　hilt。
　　　The　second　rider　was　a　tall；　graybearded　man　…　a　wizard；　thought　Mark；　if　he　had　ever　seen　one。　Four　more　men　came　tagging　along　on　foot；　none　of　them　looking　particularly　impressive。
　　　When　the　leader　drew　up　his　riding　beast　some　twenty　meters　or　so　away；　Ben　…　in　response　to　that　brandished　Sword　…　let　the　wrapping　fall　free　from　Dragonslicer。　Mark　had　an　arrow　already　nocked；　and　Barbara　had　drawn　the　sling　from　her　belt　and　slipped　a　smooth　stone　into　it　from　her　small　pouch。　Now　she　was　holding　the　weapon　in　expert　readiness；　letting　the　weight　of　the　stone　swing　gently　on　the　thongs。
　　　The　armed　men　in　the　other　group　began　to　draw　their　weapons　also；　but　without　any　great　appearance　of　eagerness。　He　who　was　so　obviously　a　wizard；　however；　was　frowning　and　shaking　his　head。　〃Peace！〃　he　cried　out；　in　a　huge　voice；　and　held　up　an　open　palm　toward　each　side。
　　　Ben　made　no　move　to　put　down　Dragonslicer；　nor　Mark　to　lower　his　bow。　Having　weapons　out　and　ready　was　probably　the　best　move　that　non…magicians　could　make　to　ward　off　spells。
　　　〃Oh；　aye；　I'll　have　peace；　if　I　can。〃　The　voice　of　the　mustached　man　was　easily　loud　enough　for　those　confronting　him　to　hear；　as　he　replied　to　the　wizard。　Then；　when　Ben　brandished　his　own　Sword　again；　the　man　rounded　on　him　and　added　〃But　peace　or　war；　I'll　have　my　treasure。　Unless　it's