fs.thesecondbookofswords-第18部分

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o　reason　for　us　to　fight　over　it　then；　that　I　can　see。〃
　　　Mark　still　marveled；　silently；　every　time　he　thought　about　it。　If　he　could　bring　Sir　Andrew　two　Swords；　possibly；　or　even　three。。。　〃Blue　Temple　won't　be　watching　the　area；　you　think？　I　have　trouble　believing　that。〃
　　　〃If　they　are　watching；　we　should　discover　the　fact　when　we　get　near。　Then。。。　I　don't　know。　But　I　don't　think　they're　watching。　They　probably　think　I'm　dead；　as　I've　told　you。　Even　if　they　doubt　that；　they　won't　believe　that　I　could　be　ing　back　so　soon；　with　a　band　as　well…organized　as　this　one　is。〃
　　　〃I　suppose。　You　know；　Ben；　about　Doon。。。〃
　　　〃Yes？〃
　　　〃Indosuaros　wouldn't　have　joined　up　with　him；　would　he；　if　Doon　didn't　know　what　he　was　doing？　I　get　the　feeling　that　the　wizard　definitely　knows　what　he's　doing。〃
　　　〃Me　too。　Good　point。〃　Ben　stretched　his　arms；　then　lay　back　on　the　grass；　staring　at　the　sky。　〃I　hope　Barb　made　it　back　to　the　carnival　safely。〃
　　　〃We　could　ask　the　magician　to　send　one　of　his　powers　to　find　out。〃
　　　Ben　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　want　to　draw　his　attention　to　her。〃
　　　〃Hm。　Yes。　I　wonder　why　he　hates　Blue　Temple　so？〃
　　　〃Hah；　why　not？〃　Ben　reared　himself　up　on　an　elbow。　〃If　ever　I　meet　someone　who　doesn't　hate　them；　then　I'll　be　puzzled　and　ask　why。〃
　　　Their　talk　was　interrupted　by　a　small　black　shadow；　that　darted　toward　them　among　roseate　blossoms。　The　monkbird　had　plainly　not　e　spying　on　them；　but　had　been　sent　to　summon　them　to　rejoin　the　others。　It　clung　for　a　moment　to　a　nearby　branch　with　its　handlike　feet；　whistling　at　them　with　soft　urgency。　Then　next　moment　it　was　gone；　back　in　the　direction　it　had　e　from；　keeping　its　flight　below　the　tops　of　the　bushes。
　　　Wordlessly　Mark　and　Ben　grabbed　up　their　weapons。　As　silently　as　possible　they　scrambled　after　the　messenger。　Doon　and　the　others　were　gathered　at　the　edge　of　a　slope；　peering　downhill　between　branches　toward　a　road　not　much　more　than　a　hundred　meters　away。　The　Baron　pointed。　〃Look。〃
　　　A　slave　caravan　was　passing　on　the　road；　from　right　to　left。　It　consisted　mainly　of　short　columns　of　people　chained；　together；　men；　women；　and　children　in　separate　groups。　They　were　being　watched　over　and　prodded　along　by　mounted　spearmen　wearing　the　red　and　black　of　the　Red　Temple。　There　were　a　few　litters　in　the　procession　too；　some　of　these　borne　by　male　slaves　and　some　by　animals。
　　　Mark；　hearing　a　drawn…in　breath　from　the　Baron；　turned　his　head。　Wayfinder；　in　Doon's　hands；　was　pointing　straight　downslope　at　the　caravan。　There　was　a　fierce　vibration　in　the　blade's　tip。
　　　Suddenly　the　monkbird　flew　among　the　men　at　head　height；　yammering。　Then　it　sought　shelter　on　its　master's　shoulder；　just　as　a　new　sound　arose　from　a　little　distance　uphill　among　the　trees　and　bush。
　　　The　men　had　their　weapons　drawn；　but　little　time　to　acplish　more　in　the　way　of　readiness；　when　the　mounted　Red　Temple　patrol　burst　shouting　out　of　the　bush　and　onto　them；　sabers　leveled　and　scarlet…lined　cloaks　flying　in　the　charge。
Chapter　7
　　　The　charge　was　clumsily　planned；　ing　as　it　did　through　the　awkward　bushes　where　it　had　to　be　both　slow　and　noisy。　The　men　who　were　its　target　had　plenty　of　time　and　plenty　of　places　in　which　to　step　aside。　Still　the　long　cavalry　swords　were　formidable　weapons。　Mark　saw　Pu　Chou　go　down　before　that　first　rush；　amid　a　blizzard　of　pink　and　white　blossoms。　Golok　also　had　been　struck　down；　or　had　thrown　himself　flat；　while　his　creature　Dart　howled；　and　managed　to　hover　like　a　hummingbird　in　the　air　above　its　fallen　master。　Indosuaros　and　Mitspieler　were　crouching　under　showers　of　blossoms；　presumably　doing　as　much　as　they　could　with　their　magic　given　the　conditions。　Ben；　like　Mark　himself；　had　taken　shelter　behind　a　bush。　Then　Ben　had　stepped　out　at　the　right　moment　to　use　Dragonslicer　to　good　effect　on　a　trooper　thundering　by。　Doon　and　Hubert　had　adopted　the　same　tactic；　and　both　had　done　damage　to　the　foe。
　　　Mark　nocked　an　arrow　to　his　bow　while　he　avoided　that　first　rush。　Stepping　into　the　open　again　to　shoot；　he　got　his　first　clear　look　at　the　face　of　the　Red　Temple　officer　who　had　led　the　attack。　The　man's　countenance　was　flushed　and　glassy…eyed；　as　he　fought　to　wheel　his　mount　around　between　constricting　bushes；　presumably　with　the　idea　of　making　another　charge。　That　charge　was　never　ordered；　never　made；　for　Mark's　arrow　took　the　officer　in　the　throat　an　instant　later。
　　　The　other　riders　of　the　patrol　were　circling　in　the　bushes；　milling　around　in　what　looked　like　plete　confusion。　Mark　saw　one　man　scraped　from　his　mount　by　projecting　branches；　a　stroke　from　Hubert's　battle　hatchet　finished　him　off　in　an　instant。　Many　of　the　mounts　were　already　riderless；　thrashing　and　crashing　in　panic　through　the　wild　orchard；　and　the　snowstorm　of　delicate　petals　did　not　slacken。
　　　Doon；　back　in　his　own　saddle　now；　parried　a　saberslash　and　killed　a　rider　in　his　saddle。　Dragonslicer　hewed　at　human　flesh。　Red…and…black　capes　lay　crumpled　and　twisted　on　the　ground；　amid　the　blossoms　and　the　blood。　Hubert's　bow　twanged。　The　last　survivor　of　the　patrol　had　dropped　his　saber　and　turned　his　mount　to　flee；　when　Mark's　second　arrow　of　the　skirmish　struck　him　in　the　back。　The　rider　screamed　and　fell。
　　　Even　more　quickly　than　it　had　begun；　the　crash　of　bat　ceased。　Mark　turned　to　look　for　Ben。　The　big　man　was　on　his　feet　and　apparently　unhurt；　and　gave　Mark　a　salute　with　bloodied　Dragonslicer。
　　　Now　there　was　almost　silence。　Mark　could　hear　the　blood　in　his　own　head；　his　own　panting；　gasping　breath；　the
　loud　thrashing　of　a　downed　and　wounded　riding　beast。　Doon；　prevented　by　the　noise　from　listening；　set　his　foot　on　the
　animal's　neck　and　cut　its　throat。
　　　Golok　had　risen　to　his　hands　and　knees　and　was　crawling　toward　the　animal；　evidently　with　the　intention　of　giving　it　some　kind　of　help。　The　youth　paused；　transfixed　in　horror　and　disbelief　with　his　eyes　on　Doon。
　　　His　leader　was　paying　him　no　attention。　But　now　Doon　started　to　relax。　There　were　no　sounds　of　any　more　enemies　approaching；　or　of　any　who　might　have　gotten　away　to　alarm　the　other　troopers　with　the　caravan。
　　　Indosuaros　and　Mitspieler　were　both　on　their　feet　again；　apparently　unhurt；　their　four　arms　spread；　their　two　mouths　chanting　softly。
　　　A　quick　look　at　Pu　Chou　was　enough　to　show　that　he　was　beyond　help；　a　heavy　saber…stroke　had　caught　him　full　in　the　forehead。　Of　all　the　fallen　men；　only　the　enemy　mander　still　breathed；　with　Mark's　arrowhead　protruding　from　the　side　of　his　neck。　A　good　arrow；　that　one；　Mark　found　himself　thinking　distantly。　If　the　shaft's　not　cracked；　I'll　have　to　retrieve　it　before　we　go　on。
　　　The　officer's　lips　were　moving。　Doon　bent　over　him；　trying　to　hear　whatever　the　man　was　trying　to　say；　then　sniffed　and　straightened　up；　frowning　with　contempt。
　　　〃Stoned　blind；〃　Doon　muttered　scornfully。　〃You　can　smell　it　on　him。〃　He　looked　round　at　the　human　wreckage　of　what　had　been　this　officer's　mand。　〃Probably　his　whole　patrol　was　in　the　same　shape。　Typical　Red　Temple。〃
　　　Hubert　looked　up　from　his　self…assigned　task　of　going　through　Pu　Chows　pockets。　〃But　usually　they're　not　this　hot　to　get　into　a　fight。〃
　　　〃Usually；〃　said　Doon；　and　bent　to　wipe　his　Sword　before　putting　it　away。　The　fallen　officer　was　not　going　to　mind　this　misuse　of　his　cloak；　for　he　had　now　stopped　breathing　altogether。
　　　Wayfinder；　thought　Mark；　heightens　risks。　One　more　flower　petal　drifted　down　past　his　eyes；　and　sideslipped；　just　missing　a　landing　on　another　dead　man's　face。
　　　And　now　Wayfinder；　already　gleaming　clean　again；　was　pointing　in　the　direction　of　the　passed　caravan。
　　　〃Well；　we　must　overtake　it；〃　said　Doon；　moving　on　quickly　to　the　next　order　of　business。　Briskly　he　climbed　a　tree；　trying　to　see　more　of　the　hillside　and　the　road　below。　〃This　slope　is　all　ravines　below　us　…　we　could　hardly　have　jumped　on　their　caravan　from　here。　Very　poor　operation　on　their　part。　Well；　Golok；　get　your　little　monk　up　in　the　air；　bring　us　some　news　of　the　caravan　…　I　can't　see　it　from　here　now。　Indosuaros；　now　that　swords　are　put　away　again；　see　what　you　can　do　to　calm　these　riding　beasts　and　bring　them　to　us。　We'll　need　six　new　mounts　…　no；　Pu　Chow's　gone；　five　will　be　enough。〃
　　　The　magician　and　his　aide　began　a　process　of　soft　soothing　magic；　summoning　the　hurt　and　frightened　animals　to　submit　to　strange　human　hands。　Golok；　as　the　riding　beasts　came　within　his　reach；　touched　and　spoke　to　them；　using　beast…master's　lore　to　soothe　their　hurts　and　make　them　tractable。
　　　Doon　watched　this　process　impatiently；　and　meanwhile　issued　orders　to　his　other　men。　〃We're　going　to　dress　ourselves　in　these　Red　Temple　uniforms　…　in　parts　of　them；　anyway。　It's　all　right　if　we　look　sloppy；　half　out　of　uniform；　that's　typical　Red　Temple　too。　If　we　look　totally　like　swine；　they'll　take　us　for　some　of　their　mercenaries。　Or　maybe　even　regulars。　I　want　to　be　able　to　get　close　to　that　caravan　without　another　fight。〃
　　　Golok　and　Mitspieler　had　to　physically　treat　the　hurts　of　a　couple　of　the　animals　before　five　mounts　were　ready。　By　then；　all　the　men　had　replaced　some　of　their　garments　with　those　of　the　dead　enemy；　and　helped　themselves　to　choice　weapons　here　and　there。　Very　shortly　afterward；　what　now　indeed　looked　much　like　a　Red　Temple　mercenary　patrol　was　on　its　way。
　　　The　caravan　had　had　no　very　great　start　on　them；　nor　was　it　moving　any　faster　than　a　weary　slave　could　be　pelled　to　walk。　But　Doon's　men　had　to　master　their　new　mounts　and　nurse　them　along。　And　there　was　the　difficult　hillside；　that　had　to　be　negotiated　before　they　even　got　down　to　the　road。　By　the　time　they　had　managed　that；　the　caravan　was　long　out　of　sight；　but　Dart　brought　back　word　to　Golok　that　it　was　still　on　the　road；　proceeding　no　faster　than　before。
　　　Still；　dusk　was　falling　before　the　mounted　men　caught　sight　of　it　again。　If　Doon　had　been　seeking　an　opportunity　to　attack　it　in　isolation　on　the　road；　that　chance　had　now　slipped　away。　The　caravan　was　traversing　a　busy　crossroads　now。　And；　only　a　couple　of　hundred　meters　farther　on；　the　gates　of　a　large　Red　Temple　plex　were　standing　open　to　receive　it。
　　　Doon　gestured；　slowing　his　tr