fs.thesecondbookofswords-第39部分

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　　　The　officer　nodded。　〃I　must　concede　that；　the　necessity　of　it　from　your　viewpoint；　I　mean。　Well；　I　hold　no　grudge。〃　But　it　was　still　an　officer　speaking　to　an　enlisted　man；　thought　Ben；　there　had　been　no　offer　to　shake　hands。
　　　Doon；　looking　large　and　whole　again　with　Wayfinder　back　in　his　grip；　was　trying　out　its　powers。　He　conferred　briefly　with　Mitspieler　…　getting；　Ben　supposed；　confirmation　that　this　was　the　genuine　article　that　he　now　held；　and　not　another　phantom。
　　　Then　the　Baron　approached　Radulescu；　and　with　something　of　his　old　testiness　wanted　to　know　why　Radulescu　hadn't　warned　him　about　the　step…trap　in　the　maze。　〃I　lost　a　man　there；　and　it　came　near　pitching　me　into　the　underworld；　in　more　ways　than　one。　I　can　understand　about　the　password　for　the　magicsealing；　it　would　have　been　changed；　and　you　had　no　chance　to　give　me　the　new　one。　But　that　step。。。〃
　　　Radulescu　waved　an　authoritative　hand。　〃I　would　have　cautioned　you　on　all　the　traps；　of　course；　could　we　have　held　our　final　meeting　as　we　planned。　But　I've　spent　most　of　the　last　three　months　in　what　amounted　to　house　arrest。　I　had　no　hope　of　getting　word　out　to　you。　It　would　have　been　suicide　to　try。〃
　　　Doon　nodded。　〃That's　what　I　hoped。　I　mean；　that　nothing　worse　had　happened　to　you。　When　the　big　man　here　told　me　the　name　of　the　officer　he'd　thrown　down　into　the　upper　cave；　well。。。　but　even　then　I　couldn't　think　of　giving　the　attempt　up。　Not　really。〃
　　　〃I　didn't　suppose　you　would。　I　wasn't　really　terribly　surprised　to　find　you　where　you　were　just　now。〃
　　　Suddenly　Doon　was　looking　more　sharply　at　Radulescu。　〃What're　you　supposed　to　be　doing　down　here　now？〃
　　　The　other　chuckled。　〃Why；　I'm　thinking　up　new　ways　to　protect　the　treasure；　naturally。　The　Chairman　told　me　to　spend　some　time　down　here　and　study　the　problem　thoroughly。　He　has　proven　to　his　own　satisfaction；　after　lengthy　investigation；　that　Ben　of　Purkinje　here　and　I　are　not　involved　in　any　robbery　plot　together　…　ergo；　I　am　not　involved　in　any　robbery　plot　at　all；　and　am　therefore　the　most　freshly　proven　innocent　of　all　his　trusted　lieutenants。　Ergo　again；　I　am　the　one　to　be　trusted　with　this　job。　Hyrcanus　wants　results；　he　has　virtually　put　me　on　probation　until　I　can　think　up　some　real　improvements　for　the　security　system。　Maybe　I'll　leave　a　list　for　him　when　we　depart。〃　Now　it　was　Radulescu's　turn　to　ask　a　sudden　pointed　question。　〃Do　you　have　some　means　of　hauling　away　the　treasure？　Did　you　bring　a　ship？〃　；
　　　〃There's　a　vessel；　magically　concealed；　standing　by　for　us　…　I　hope。〃　Doon　glanced　toward　Mitspieler。　〃Nay；　I'm　sure　it　will　be　there。　But　if　we　have　to　haul　the　gold　on　our　backs　all　the　way　up　from　the　lowest　level；　back　through　the　six　sealings；　I　don't　know　how　much。。。　〃
　　　Radulescu　smiled　mysteriously。　〃As　to　that；　we　may　be　able　to　find　some　better　way；　when　we　get　down　below。〃
　　　Ben；　wondering　what　that　might　mean；　exchanged　a　look　with　Mark。　But　they　could　hear　no　more　of　the　dialogue。　The　co…leaders　had　turned　away；　to　conduct　the　next　part　in　muffled　privacy。
　　　Ben　sighed。　He　noted　how　Dmitry　and　his　father　were　glaring　at　each　other。　And　how　Willem　and　Daghur；　giggling　together　about　something；　sat　waiting　to　be　told　what　to　do　next　so　they　could　try　to　make　a　joke　of　it。
Chapter　15
　　　Armed　again；　with　headlamps　glowing　and　the　two　warbeasts　loping　peacefully　alongside；　the　party　pushed　on。　Mark　was　sure　now　that　they　were　retracing　the　path　that　had　previously　led　to　capture。　They　were　moving　quickly。　Divided　into　small　groups；　they　were　united　at　least　in　the　wish　to　leave　this　level　of　the　cave　before　Benambra　or　someone　else　awoke　to　the　fact　that　they　were　again　escaping。　Radulescu　had　said　that　there　was　a　good　place　to　rest　not　far　past　the　entrance　to　the　next　lower　level；　they　would　reach　it　soon；　and　before　entering　the　area　where　the　demon　was　usually　encountered。
　　　Mark；　in　hurried　conversation　with　Ben　and　Ariane；　soon　learned　that　their　experience　in　captivity　had　been　much　like　his　own：　drug…　and　sorcery…induced　drill　and　marching。　Looking　back　on　their　capture；　they　discussed　what　they　might　have　done　to　avoid　it；　but　could　e　up　with　no　really　good　ideas。
　　　〃At　least　we　have　an　experienced　guide　this　time；〃　Mark　murmured　to　Ben；　who　walked　beside　him。
　　　〃Aye。　And　trustworthy　…　at　least　until　he　gets　the　use　he　wants　out　of　us。〃　Ben　paused。　〃He　would　rather　have　left　me　where　I　was；　just　now。〃　He　looked　at　Ariane；　walking　on　his　other　side。　〃I　thank　you；　for　refusing　to　go　on　until　I　was　released。　That's　what　happened；　isn't　it？〃
　　　〃She　did　the　same　for　me；〃　said　Mark。　〃And　I'll　thank　her　again　now。　Ben；　neither　of　us　was　really　wanted　on　this　part　of　the　trip　…　unless　Doon's　Sword　pointed　to　us　again；　before　he　lost　it。。。　anyway　they　must　have　decided　that　we'd　be　useful　to　carry　treasure；　and　use　weapons　when　needed。　But　they　definitely　wanted　the　young　lady　here；　so　much　so　that　they　brought　us　along　just　to　please　her。　They'll　take　great　pains　to　get　her　to　cooperate。　And　they　seemed　much　relieved　when　Mitspieler's　magic　gave　assurance　that　her　virginity　had　not　been　lost。〃
　　　Ariane　observed；　〃They　still　think　that　I　have　powers　that　are　going　to　help　them　somehow。〃　She　looked　to　her　right　and　left。　〃I　may　require　more　in　the　way　of　thanks；　from　both　of　you；　before　we're　done。〃
　　　〃You'll　have　it。〃　And　Ben　took　her；　briefly　by　the　hand。
　　　They　were　passing　now　under　the　high　shelves；　from　which；　this　time；　no　ambush　sprang。　The　sides　of　the　passage　narrowed　in　on　them　and　the　floor　turned　down。　Now　they　were　entering　territory　that　was　unfamiliar　to　all　of　them　save　Radulescu。　Doon；　as　if　he　had　some　reservations　about　blindly　following　the　priest's　guidance；　had　now　drawn　Wayfinder　and　was　using　it　to　make　sure　he　was　on　the　right　path；　even　though　the　chance　of　going　wrong　here　seemed　remote。
　　　The　descent　of　the　passage　steepened；　and　its　floor　became　a　stair。　The　tunnel　was　fairly　well　lighted　here；　by　small　gas　flames　set　at　intervals　along　the　neatly　finished　stonework　of　its　walls。　They　might；　Mark　thought；　almost　have　been　inside　some　fort　or　military　guardhouse　on　the　surface。　The　walls　here　showed　a　different　workmanship　than　that　of　the　maze　or　the　other；　upper　regions　of　the　cave　plex。　Of　course　there　was　no　reason　to　assume　that　the　whole　place　had　been　dug　out　or　finished　at　one　time；　or　under　the　direction　of　a　single　planner。
　　　The　stair　was　forty　or　fifty　meters　long；　with　most　of　its　length　in　one　smooth　descending　curve。　At　its　bottom　the　passage　leveled　out；　and　then　ran　for　another　forty　or　fifty　meters　before　branching　into　two。　Here　Radulescu　with　a　small　gesture　directed　them　to　the　right。
　　　Doon's　Sword　must　have　indicated　otherwise；　for　instead　of　turning　at　once　he　paused；　looking　at　the　other　questioningly。
　　　〃The　place　of　rest；〃　said　Radulescu　patiently。　〃Looking　at　you；　I　can　well　believe　that　you　all　need　it。
　　　The　right…hand　way　led　through　a　constricted　doorway　into　a　rough　cave　chamber；　perhaps　fifteen　meters　broad　and　twenty　deep。　Large　rocks　made　an　irregular　litter　around　the　sides；　there　was　a　clear　area　of　sandy　floor　in　the　center；　and　a　sloping　ceiling。　Mark　could　hear　water　running；　and　when　he　turned　the　beam　of　his　headlamp　toward　the　rear　of　the　room　he　saw　the　pool。　It　was　fed　by　a　small　stream　that　leapt　from　a　crevice　in　the　upper　rocks；　then　gurgled　away　on　the　other　side　of　the　cave　to　provide　drainage。　Probably　it　was　the　same　stream；　here　somewhat　diminished；　that　they　had　encountered　earlier　on　the　higher　levels　of　the　plex。
　　　The　warbeasts　went　immediately　to　the　pool；　and　began　lapping　at　it　thirstily。　Most　of　the　human　members　of　the　party　hung　back　a　little；　watching　without　ment　as　Mitspieler　went　to　the　water。　First　he　touched　it；　then　tasted　it；　and　at　last　drank　some　of　it　himself。　Soon　the　whole　party　except　Radulescu　were　drinking；　filling　water　bottles；　and　making　an　effort　to　wash　up。　Mark；　able　at　last　to　rinse　what　he　hoped　was　the　last　taste　of　messhall　garbage　from　his　mouth；　began　to　feel　more　like　the　person　he　had　been　when　he　first　followed　Doon　into　the　upper　cave。
　　　After　drinking；　Mitspieler　washed　himself　minimally。　A　few　seconds　later　he　was　stretched　out　sound　asleep；　his　head　pillowed　on　his　pack。　His　face　in　repose　wore　a　look　of　total　exhaustion；　that　brought　to　it　a　resemblance　to　the　countenance　of　Indosuaros　in　that　wizard's　last　hours。　Mark's　imagination　worked　briefly　on　the　question　of　what　kind　of　basic　training　a　captured　wizard　might　be　given　in　the　garrison；　but　he　got　nowhere　with　it　and　soon　gave　up。
　　　Everywhere　people　were　opening　their　packs；　in　search　of　real　food。　Nothing　seemed　to　have　been　stolen　from　the　packs；　or　spoiled。　To　people　who　had　subsisted　on　prisoners'　fare　for　many　days；　the　field　rations　seemed　like　a　banquet。　Dmitry；　who　had　never　had　a　pack；　rifled　his　father's；　taking　deft　care　not　to　disturb　its　owner。　He　shared　his　loot　with　Daghur　and　Willem；　but　only　on　demand；　and　somewhat　petulantly。
　　　Mark；　sitting　on　a　rock　and　chewing　on　some　dried　fruit　from　his　own　supply；　found　himself　gazing　into　the　eyes　of　Radulescu。　The　officer；　sitting　nearby；　was　wearing　an　air　of　patience　…　rather；　thought　Mark；　like　a　man　allowing　his　herd　of　beasts　to　drink　and　graze　a　while　before　he　whipped　them　on。
　　　Obeying　an　impulse；　Mark　asked　the　officer　suddenly：　〃What　made　you　decide　to　rob　what　you　were　guarding；　and　join　forces　with　the　Baron？〃
　　　Probably　Radulescu　was　surprised　by　what　must　have　struck　him　as　impertinence。　But　he　made　no　objection；　and　answered　promptly　enough。　〃Have　you　seen　Benambra？〃
　　　〃Aye。　It　was　he　who　led　the　Whitehands　who　took　us　prisoners。〃
　　　〃Well；　I　have　seen　him　too。　And　it　was　my　first　look　at　him；　about　a　year　ago；　that　made　me　decide　to　rob　what　I　was　guarding；　as　you　put　it。　Seeing　just　what　I　had　to　look　forward　to；　if　I　worked　diligently　as　a　good　officer；　and　was　clever；　devoted；　fanatical；　and　lucky　enough　to　rise　to　the　very　top　of　the　Blue　Temple　hierarchy。〃
　　　The　rest　stop　went　on　longer　than　the　leaders　really　wanted。　Doon　and　Radulescu　were　soon　sighing　and　fidgeting；　wa