fs.thesecondbookofswords-第27部分

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　　　The　tunnel　curved　sharply　from　left　to　right　and　back　again；　while　constantly　descending。　But　here　the　slope　of　the　descent　never　became　as　steep　as　it　had　in　the　previous　tunnel；　and　the　rough　floor　here　was　enough　to　provide　secure　footing。　It　occurred　to　Mark　to　look　at　the　ceiling　for　torch…smoke　stains　as　he　scraped　his　way　along　beneath　it。　Surely　not　all　of　the　Blue　Temple　people　who　had　e　through　this　maze　to　reach　the　treasure　would　have　used　Old　World　lights；　and　generations　of　traffic　ought　to　have　left　stains　along　the　proper　route。　Indeed　Mark　thought　that　he　could　see　some　blackening；　though　on　the　dark　rock　it　was　difficult　to　be　sure。
　　　〃Look　at　that；〃　said　Ben's　voice；　quietly；　from　a　few　meters　ahead。　The　procession　did　not　stop。　A　few　more　steps　and　Mark　saw　what　Ben　had　meant。　They　were　passing　what　had　once　been　the　mouth　of　an　intersecting　passage；　its　opening　now　pletely　blocked　by　a　cave…in；　filled　with　jumbled　slabs　and　fragments　fallen　from　overhead。　From　this　mass；　down　near　the　floor；　there　protruded　a　pair　of　dead　skeletal　hands。　Mark　found　himself　taking　note　that　they　were　of　no　more　than　normal　human　size。　Somehow　the　mute　warning　seemed　all　the　more　impressive　because　it　had　no　look　of　having　been　planned　as　a　deterrent　to　intruders。
　　　Mark　saw　Ariane　look　down　at　the　bones　as　she　walked　past。　The　girl　showed　no　sign　of　shock　or　fright。　What　kind　of　a　growing…up　must　she　have　had？　Mark　wondered　to　himself。　Could　it　have　been　as　strange　as　my　own；　or　even　stranger？　Maybe　her　powers；　if　she　truly　has　any；　knew　me　as　her　brother　in　that　much　at　least。
　　　There　were　no　more　branching　passages。　Having　no　real　choice　now　of　which　way　to　go；　Doon　was　not　consulting　Wayfinder。　Now　they　had　reached　a　paratively　straight　stretch　of　the　tunnel；　where　Mark　could　see　Doon's　light　bobbing　at　the　head　of　the　procession；　revealing　the　tunnel　walls
　　　Which　now　ended；　not　far　ahead；　in　a　simple　circle　of　darkness。　It　was　as　if　the　passage　here　debouched　into　some　vast　cave。　As　they　grew　closer　with　their　lights；　vague　distant　forms　as　of　jagged　rock　appeared　in　the　opening。
　　　〃What's　this；　by　all　the　demons？〃
　　　The　tunnel　widened　somewhat　at　its　mouth；　and　the　intruders　crowded　together　there　as　best　they　could　to　see　what　kind　of　a　place　they　had　reached。　There　was　indeed　a　large　cave　in　front　of　them　now；　and　it　looked　virtually　impassable。　The　floor　of　it；　if　it　could　be　called　a　floor；　was　at　some　distance　below　the　one　on　which　they　stood；　and　it　bristled　with　spiny　projections　of　rock；　that　gleamed　here　and　there　with　flecks　of　brightness　but　were　also　heavily　stained　and　coated　with　what　looked　in　the　lamps'　beams　like　some　kind　of　fungus。
　　　And　again；　behind　a　sharp　outcropping；　Mark　saw　the　startling　white　of　human　bone。　Some　kind　of　bones；　at　least；　these　were　jumbled　and　broken；　and　Mark　could　not　be　sure　that　they　were　human。
　　　This　deadly　looking　chamber　was　some　twenty　or　thirty　meters　deep；　and　without　any　other　visible　entrance　or　exit。　On　right　and　left　it　extended　for　only　a　few　meters　before　its　side　walls　closed　in　to　e　close　to　the　wall　from　which　the　tunnel　emerged；　on　each　side　the　space　between　was　far　too　small　to　admit　a　hope　that　people　might　be　able　to　squeeze　themselves　through　it。　Mark；　looking　upward　as　best　he　could　out　of　the　tunnel's　mouth；　could　see　only　the　smooth　slight　bulge　of　the　rounded　wall　from　which　the　tunnel　emerged；　and　above　that；　a　jagged　rocky　roof　some　meters　out　of　reach。　Looking　down；　the　prospect　was　even　more　discouraging；　upjutting　corners　of　stone　waited　amid　shadows　at　an　intimidating　distance　below。　In　no　direction　could　he　see　anything　that　looked　like　a　practical　continuation　of　their　path。
　　　At　Doon's　urging；　Ariane　now　prevailed　upon　the　monkbird　to　try　a　short　scouting　flight　into　the　cave　ahead。　The　beams　of　headlamps　lit　its　way；　but　still　it　fluttered　about　uncertainly　and　had　to　be　encouraged。　At　last　it　flew　out　for　some　distance；　and　was　near　a　far　unpromising　shelf　of　rock　when　there　came　a　sudden　popping　noise　from　the　fungi　near　it；　and　a　cloud　of　dust　burst　up　around　the　flying　creature。　The　monkbird　came　speeding　back　to　Ariane's　shoulder；　where　once　more　it　clung　tight　in　fear。　It　brought　with　it　a　taste　of　choking　dust；　and　at　the　same　time　an　acrid；　poisonous　odor　drifted　to　the　humans'　nostrils　from　the　far　reaches　of　the　cave。
　　　Doon；　muttering　demon…oaths　between　sudden　fits　of　coughing；　had　his　Sword　out　and　was　aiming　it　at　various　portions　of　the　cave。　But　he　obtained　no　response　until　he　pointed　it　back　into　the　tunnel；　in　the　direction　from　which　the　expedition　had　just　e。　He　looked　so　black　at　this　that　even　Indosuaros　thought　it　wise　to　make　no　ment　at　the　moment。
　　　Meanwhile　Mark　was　looking　back　into　the　cave；　and　something　he　saw　there　kindled　an　idea。　He　pulled　off　his　headlamp；　and；　bending　down；　placed　it　on　the　floor；　focusing　a　tight　beam　of　light　upon　some　rocks　in　the　cave　that　were　twenty　or　thirty　meters　distant。
　　　〃Turn　off　all　the　lights　but　this　one；〃　he　told　the　others。　〃I'm　trying　to　see　something。〃
　　　The　Baron；　on　the　verge　of　issuing　new　orders；　hesitated　and　then　did　as　he　had　been　told。　The　other　people　muttered　questions　and　protests；　mingled　with　their　sneezes　and　coughs。　But　in　a　moment　Mark's　was　the　only　lamp　alight。
　　　He　straightened　up　again。　〃Look。　My　lamp　isn't　moving　at　all；　it's　resting　on　the　floor。　Watch　the　light。〃
　　　From　a　few　bright　facets　of　the　distant　rock；　spots　of　brilliance　were　being　reflected　back　into　the　tunnel；　glowing　dimly　on　walls　and　ceiling　and　on　the　faces　of　the　people。
　　　〃Look。〃
　　　The　spots　of　light　were　all　in　motion。　It　was　a　slow　movement；　steady　and　concerted。　It　appeared　that　the　fixed　rock；　the　whole　cave　out　there；　was　turning　past　the　tunnel's　mouth；　in　a　gradual　unvarying　rotation。　Looking　closely　at　the　cave；　it　was　obvious　that　the　perspective　of　it　had　changed　in　the　short　time　the　party　had　been　standing　in　front　of　it。
　　　People　coughed　in　the　fading　traces　of　the　poisonspores；　and　marveled。
　　　〃That　can't　be　right。〃
　　　〃But　it　is　moving。〃
　　　〃I　think；〃　said　Mark；　〃that　I　know　what's　happening。　Let's　get　out　of　this　dust；　back　through　the　tunnel。　I'll　tell　you　there。〃
　　　The　others　were　ready　enough　to　go；　and　Doon　to　lead　the　way。　In　a　short　time　they　had　climbed　back　through　the　twisting　tunnel　and　re…entered　the　large　cylindrical　room。
　　　There　Mark　offered　his　explanation。　〃It　isn't　the　cave　down　there　that's　moving；　it's　us。　I　mean　all　twelve　of　these　tunnels；　and　the　room　we're　standing　in。　What　looks　like　the　hub　of　a　wheel　here〃　…　and　he　thumped　his　hand　upon　the　circular　dais　…　〃really　is　just　that。　And　look　up　here；　around　the　end　of　the　shaft　where　we　came　down。　You　see　what　look　like　loose　masonry　joints。　The　two　parts　are　free　to　turn　past　each　other。　Indosuaros；　when　we　were　still　up　there　in　daylight　you　said　that　you　could　sense　something　huge　down　here；　something　of　the　Old　World。〃
　　　〃I　did　feel　that。〃　The　wizard　tilted　back　his　head　and　closed　his　eyes。　〃And　I　feel　it　now。　Technology。〃　And　as　before；　he　curled　his　lip　contemptuously　at　the　word。
　　　Doon　was　incredulous。　〃A　whole　section　of　this　cliff；　with　the　twelve　tunnels　running　through　it　like　the　spokes　of　a　wheel？　It　would　have　to　be　big　enough　to　build　a　village　on。〃
　　　Hubert　chimed　in：　〃A　slab　of　that　size；　rotating　all　the　time？　Without　even　making　noise；　or　…　nobody　could　build　such　a　thing。　Nobody　could。。。　〃　But　he　let　it　die　away　there。　He　knew；　like　the　Baron　and　everyone　else；　that　the　Old　World　had　made　a　thousand　wonders　just　as　great。
　　　Mark　said　to　Doon：　〃But　it　means　that　the　Sword　must　have　been　right；　both　times。　If　we'd　been　quick　enough　to　follow　the　first　tunnel　that　it　chose；　we'd　have　e　out　in　the　right　place。。。　don't　you　see；　the　rotating　tunnels　must　match　up　with　a　fixed　one；　or　some　exit；　cut　in　the　solid　rock　somewhere　around　the　wheel。　The　twelve　tunnel　mouths　probably　turn　past　it；　one　after　another。　At　least　some　of　them　must。〃
　　　〃Actually；〃　put　in　Ben；　〃there　could　be　more　than　twelve　tunnel…mouths；　depending　on　how　the　tunnels　branch　inside　the　wheel。〃
　　　Doon　shook　his　head；　as　if　to　clear　it。　〃Let's　try　what　Wayfinder　can　tell　us　now。〃
　　　This　time　the　Sword　indicated　a　pletely　different　tunnel；　not　the　next　one　in　order　around　the　wall。
　　　〃I　see；〃　said　Ben。　〃They　bend　and　twist；　as　we've　seen；　and　probably　some　of　them　cross　over　and　under　each　other；　within　the　thickness　of　the　wheel。〃
　　　〃I　wonder；　then；〃　asked　Hubert。　〃How　do　the　priests　who　e　here　ever　manage　to　find　their　way　in　and　out？　Have　they　some　spell　to　stop　the　wheel？〃
　　　〃Technology　won't　stop　and　start　on　spells。　They　might　know；　from　the　time　of　day　when　they　enter　from　outside；　which　tunnel　will　be　properly　aligned　when　they　get　down　here。〃
　　　〃We've　not　proven　this　mad　idea　yet；〃　growled　the　Baron。　〃This　time　we　go　with　Wayfinder　in　front　of　us。　e　on！〃
　　　〃Aye；　we'd　better　use　Wayfinder；〃　muttered　Mark。　〃I　just　thought　…　there　may　be　other　tunnel　exits　in　the　fixed　rock　around　the　wheel；　that　could　lead　to　something　even　worse　than　that　cave　we　just　came　from。〃
　　　Again　the　group　filed　single　into　a　chosen　tunnel。　This　time　Hubert；　anxious　now　to　stay　close　to　Doon　in　this　uncertainty；　managed　to　get　right　behind　him。
　　　Again　the　tunnel　twisted　and　went　down。　Again　its　explorers　came　to　one　cross　passage；　but　this　time　the　alternate　way　was　not　blocked。　The　Sword　made　its　choice；　pointing　to　the　right。　Again；　after　they　had　followed　it　a　little　farther；　the　tunnel　they　were　in　straightened　…　but　this　time　something　different　was　visible　beyond　its　ending。
　　　Its　mouth；　as　Mark　had　predicted；　was　nearly　aligned　with　a　matching　opening　beyond　a　modest　gap。　Here；　with　the　stator　and　rotor　of　the　great　system　only　a　couple　of　meters　apart　at　the　farthest；　the　slow…creeping　rotation　of　the　central　wheel　was　much　easier　to　see。
　　　The　tunnel　in　which　they　had　arrived　widened　out　considerably　just　at　the　end。　The　aperture　opposite　closely　matched　it　in　both　size　and　shape；　each　was　equipped　with　a　stone　step　just　at　the　lip