fs.thesecondbookofswords-第40部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　The　rest　stop　went　on　longer　than　the　leaders　really　wanted。　Doon　and　Radulescu　were　soon　sighing　and　fidgeting；　walking　about　nervously。　But　Mitspieler　continued　in　a　deep　sleep；　and　Doon　when　he　looked　at　the　wizard's　face　decided　not　to　wake　him；　despite　what　were　evidently　the　Colonel's　whispered　urgings　that　he　do　so。　The　others　meanwhile　were　ready　to　take　advantage　of　whatever　time　for　rest　they　were　allowed。
　　　When　Mitspieler　did　awaken；　it　was　suddenly。　And　perhaps　of　himself；　Mark；　who　happened　to　be　watching；　thought　it　was　as　if　some　unseen　power　had　whispered　into　the　wizard's　ear。　The　man　sat　up；　alert　from　the　start。　His　first　look；　a　grim　one；　was　aimed　at　his　son。　Then　he　cast　a　speculative　glance　toward　Ariane。
　　　Getting　to　his　feet；　Mitspieler　asked　Radulescu：　〃Have　you　the　password　that　we'll　need　to　get　past　the　demon？〃
　　　〃I　have；　of　course。　I　would　not　have　e　down　into　the　caves　without　it。〃
　　　〃And　you're　sure　it's　not　been　changed　since　you　came　down？　Hyrcanus　on　the　surface　can　change　it　at　any　time；　can't　he？〃
　　　Radulescu　frowned　at　this。　〃Of　course　he　can。　But　he　won't；　he　knows　I'm　down　here。　If　he　had　wanted　to　get　rid　of　me；　he　wouldn't　have　done　it　that　way。〃
　　　〃I'm　not　so　sure。〃　Mitspieler　looked　at　the　officer　meditatively。　〃The　Whitehands　don't　need　a　password；　naturally。〃
　　　〃Naturally　not。　The　demon　is　magically　pelled　to　ignore　their　ings　and　goings。　The　only　ones　who　need　a　password　are　normal　human　visitors。〃　Radulescu　smiled。　〃Like　us。〃
　　　Mitspieler　sighed；　and　seemed　to　discard　his　misgivings；　whatever　they　had　been。　〃Well　and　good　then。　Let's　get　on。〃
　　　In　a　matter　of　moments　everyone　had　packed　up；　and　the　party　was　moving　on；　with　headlamps　lighted　against　the　darkness　that　Radulescu　warned　was　just　ahead。　Mark　felt　uneasy　at　the　thought　of　his　first　encounter　with　a　demon；　now　soon　to　e；　even　though　he　was　basically　confident　of　Radulescu's　magical　protection。
　　　They　had　only　just　left　the　cave　of　rest；　and　were　passing　the　place　there；　the　tunnel　branched；　when　a　faint　sound　like　a　distant　yell　came　drifting　down　the　tunnel　that　led　to　the　level　above。
　　　The　leaders　muttered　briefly　to　each　other；　then　ignored　the　sound　and　moved　right　on。
　　　Ben　asked　Mark：　〃What　was　that？　An　alarm？〃
　　　〃If　it　was；　we're　past　it　now。　We　might　as　well　move　on。〃
　　　〃If　they're　looking　for　us　up　there；　we'll　run　into　trouble　ing　back。〃
　　　Radulescu　had　heard　this；　and　turned　his　head　long　enough　to　be　reassuring。　〃There　will　be　ways。　I　know　the　caves；　backward　and　forward　and　inside　out。〃
　　　〃But　maybe　someone　besides　you　has　discovered　that　the　dragon's　missing。　And　the　entrance　stone's　been　enchanted；　so　it　can　be　lifted　from　the　inside。〃
　　　The　Colonel　frowned。　He　dropped　back　a　little　to　walk　with　them。　〃Of　course；　I　discovered　those　things。　That's　why　I　felt　sure　I'd　find　you　all　down　here　somewhere。　But　I　was　alone。　There　are　no　regular　patrols　on　the　surface；　Hyrcanus　is　dozing；　as　usual；　in　blissful　ignorance。　And　Benambra；　if　he's　been　given　any　report　at　all　on　my　taking　you　away；　thinks　I'm　marching　you　off　to　interrogation　somewhere。　He's　fairly　bright；　but　he'll　be　kept　busy　for　a　while　yet；　disciplining　the　Field　Marshall　and　his　merry　men；　or　trying　to　do　so。　Trust　me；　I　know　the　workings　of　this　place。〃　The　party　advanced；　but　more　slowly　now；　the　leaders　proceeding　with　caution。　The　tunnel　they　were　following　soon　opened　up　on　the　top　and　one　side；　to　bee　a　mere　ledge　that　clung　to　the　face　of　an　underground　cliff。　The　cliff's　smooth　face　rose　vertically　here　for　about　ten　meters；　and　grew　higher　as　the　path　continued　its　gradual　descent。
　　　The　outer　edge　of　the　winding　path　was　protected　by　a　knee…high　stone　wall；　and　beyond　this　wall　a　slope　went　steeply　down　into　the　dismal　darkness　of　a　dry　ravine。　A　few　meters　beyond　the　ravine；　another　cliff　went　up　to　meet　the　roof。　The　slopes　were　littered　with　fallen　rocks。　Mark　expected　to　see　more　bones　among　them；　but　discovered　something　else。　When　he　turned　his　light　fully　on　one　strange　object　he　realized　that　it　was　either　a　grotesque　doll；　or　a　human　body；　clothes　and　all　shrunken　to　the　size　of　a　withered　child。　But　once　it　had　been　bearded　like　a　man。
　　　〃One　of　Dactylartha's　victims；〃　said　Ariane；　walking　beside　him。　Her　voice　was　more　dreamy　than　afraid。
　　　〃Dactylartha？〃
　　　〃That　is　the　demon's　name。〃
　　　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　　　She　didn't　answer。　The　two　warbeasts　were　unfortable　now；　prowling　first　ahead　of　the　human　party；　then　hanging　back。　Radulescu　had　to　call　them　frequently　to　keep　them　close　to　his　side。　The　air　in　here　smelled　strange；　thought　Mark。　No；　it　was　not　so　much　a　smell　as　it　was　a　feeling；　as　if　the　temperature　were　unfortably　high。　Or　perhaps　low。。。
　　　〃He　leaves　his　victims　so？〃
　　　〃Some　demons　do。　Others。。。　do　other　things；　perhaps　even　uglier。〃　Her　abstracted　voice　perturbed　him。
　　　〃What　do　you　know　of　demons？　Where　have　you　ever　met　one？〃　This　was　from　Ben。
　　　Again　Ariane　did　not　answer。　She　walked　on；　moving　steadily　and　smoothly　enough；　yet　almost　as　if　entranced。　Mark　and　Ben　exchanged　a　momentarily　helpless　look　behind　her　back。
　　　The。。。　wrongness。。。　in　the　air　increased。　Mark　had　heard　that　demons　sometimes　advertised　their　proximity　so；　but　he　had　not　felt　the　effect　before。　Looking　at　the　others；　he　thought　that　now　it　was　bothering　them　all。　Except　for　Radulescu；　who　might　be　used　to　it；　and　perhaps　Doon；　whose　pride　probably　refused　to　let　a　feeling　of　illness　show。　Even　Mitspieler；　who　presumably　could　defend　himself　to　some　extent；　looked　paler　than　before。
　　　Now　the　officer　stopped　and　turned。　With　a　gesture　he　stopped　the　others；　who　were　now　all　following　him　at　a　distance　of　a　few　paces。　〃Wizard；　you　e　forward　with　me；　if　you　will　…　just　in　case；　as　you　suggested；　there　is　some　difficulty　about　the　password：〃
　　　〃Why　should　there　be？〃　demanded　Doon。
　　　Radulescu　doubtless　would　have　liked　to　ignore　him；　but　knew　better　than　to　try。　〃I　don't　know。　But　just　in　case。　The　rest　of　you　wait　here。　Imp；　e　with　me；　lad。〃　This　last　was　addressed　to　the　grayer　and　larger　of　the　warbeasts；　which　whined　at　the　mand　but　reluctantly　obeyed。
　　　Seven　humans　and　one　warbeast　waited；　while　Radulescu；　Mitspieler；　and　Imp　went　on；　following　the　ledge　around　the　next　bulge　of　the　cliff。　Mark　did　not　know　exactly　what　he　was　expecting　to　happen　next；　but　what　did　happen　surprised　him。　It　began　with　a　show　of　multicolored　lights；　playing　on　the　far　wall　of　the　cave；　thirty　meters　beyond　the　ravine。
　　　For　a　moment　there　was　little　to　hear。　Then　some　words；　indistinguishable；　cried　out　in　Radulescu's　voice。　Then　a　frightening　bass　tremor；　and　screams　in　animal　and　human　voices。
　　　The　animal　did　not　reappear；　but　the　two　men　came　into　sight；　reeling　and　staggering　back　along　the　path。　Mitspieler　turned　once；　gesturing　behind　him；　as　if　he　might　be　hurling　invisible　weapons　from　his　fingertips。
　　　Those　who　had　been　waiting　needed　no　urgings；　no　spoken　warning；　to　turn　and　run。　Ben　dragged　Ariane；　who　was　screaming　something　and　seemed　for　a　moment　hesitant；　along　with　him。　Mark；　taking　one　final　look　over　his　shoulder　as　he　fled；　saw　Mitspieler　with　gestures　erecting　a　haze　of　magic　on　the　path；　then　turning　to　run　also；　with　Radulescu。　Beyond　the　two　running　men　Mark　saw　the　figure　of　the　demon；　looking　itself　like　a　tall　man　clad　in　dark　armor。　And　the　strangest　thing　of　all　about　the　sight　was　that　the　very　rock　of　the　path　seemed　to　be　stretching　and　sagging　beneath　the　demon's　feet。
　　　Doon；　running　unabashedly　in　the　lead　as　ever；　had　his　Sword　out；　held　in　front　of　him。　And　Mark　was　sure　that　he　was　not　willing　it　to　find　him　treasure　now；　but　refuge。
　　　〃The　cave！〃　someone　shouted。　Mark　saw　Doon　turn　hard　to　his　left；　and　leap　into　the　room　in　which　they　had　just　been　resting。　The　others　went　pounding　after　him；　in　headlong　flight。　Mark；　running　right　after　Ben　and　Ariane；　was　the　last　one　in　before　the　wizards。　Just　before　he　entered；　he　was　almost　knocked　off　his　feet　by　the　remaining　warbeast；　which　was　running　about　insanely；　across　the　path　and　up　and　down　the　slope。
　　　The　two　wizards；　sobbing　for　breath；　made　it　somehow；　and　threw　themselves　down　just　inside　the　narrow　doorway。　They　grabbed　implements　of　magic　from　their　sleeves　and　pockets；　and　from　Mitspieler's　pack。　Gripping　these；　their　four　hands　wove　across　the　opening　a　fine　net　of　magic；　whose　substance　seemed　to　be　drawn　into　being　right　out　of　the　air　itself。　They　pleted　it　none　too　soon。　There　sounded　heavy　footfalls；　right　outside　the　door；　and　the　feeling　of　sickness　and　wrongness　that　heralded　the　demon　reached　in　insidiously　to　grip　them　all。
　　　But　the　pressure　remained　bearable。　〃We　are　safe；　but　only　for　the　moment；〃　Mitspieler　gasped。
　　　〃The　password；〃　Radulescu　panted；　〃must　have　been　changed。〃　And　he　dug　yet　one　more　object　from　his　pocket；　and　used　it　as　if　in　afterthought　to　strengthen　the　defenses　of　the　doorway。　What　filled　the　doorway　now　had　the　look　of　translucent　paper；　or　thin　cloth；　but　it　was　evidently　stronger　than　it　looked。　Dactylartha　was　trying　to　do　something　to　it　from　the　outside；　but　so　far　it　gave　no　sign　of　yielding。
　　　〃Of　course　it　has；〃　said　Doon　coldly。　〃So　Hyrcanus　must　be　out　to　kill　you　after　all。　That　means　he's　aware　of　the　whole　plot；　now。〃
　　　Radulescu　stared　at　him。　〃Even　so；　we　can　still　get　away；　if　that　ship　you　promised　is　truly　waiting　for　us。〃
　　　〃And　if　we　can　get　out　of　this　room　without　being　devoured。　Tell　me；　you　who　know　the　caves　forward　and　backward；　how　do　we　do　that？〃
　　　The　Colonel　was　saved　from　having　to　answer；　at　least　for　the　moment。　For　now　the　demon's　voice　boomed　forth　from　beyond　the　door；　smothering　all　other　sounds。　〃e　out；　humans；　e　out。　A　pair　of　warbeasts　make　but　a　small　meal；　and　I　am　starved。　My　hunger　cries　for　human　minds　and　bodies。〃
　　　Inside　the　cave　all　was　silence　for　a　few　moments。　Then　Ariane　in　her　little　girl's　voice　offered：　〃I　was　taught　a　charm　of　old　white　magic；　once；　when　I　was　small。〃　No　one　bothered　to　reply　to　her。　All　eyes　were　on　the　wizard；　and　the　priest　of