fs.thesecondbookofswords-第41部分

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　the　wizard；　and　the　priest　of　the　Blue　Temple。
　　　Mitspieler　let　out　a　small　sigh。　〃We　have　done　all　we　can　to　seal　the　door。　It　will　not　be　enough；　for　very　long。〃　Then　he　turned　to　Doon　and　spoke　deliberately：　〃I　think　it　is　time　now。〃
　　　〃Time　for　what？〃　Mark　wanted　to　know。
　　　But　Doon　understood；　and　he　was　ready　to　explain。　His　manner；　as　much　as　his　words；　served　at　first　to　calm　the　others。
　　　〃The　failure　of　the　password　need　not　be　fatal。　Mitspieler　and　I　…　and　Indosuaros　…　considered　the　possibility　of　something　of　the　kind　happening；　before　we　ever　came　near　the　cave。　We　knew　we　needed　some　other　method　of　getting　past　the　demon；　to　fall　back　on。　And　Wayfinder　found　us　what　we　needed。〃
　　　The　Baron's　eyes　turned　now　toward　Ariane。　But　it　was　to　Mitspieler　that　he　spoke。　〃Wizard；　are　you　ready？　Can　we　do　it？〃
　　　Mitspieler's　answer　came　in　a　changed　voice；　tones　harder　and　more　powerful。　〃Yes；　I'm　reasonably　sure　we　can。　Not　only　is　she　a　virgin；　but　the　daughter　of　a　queen　as　well。　I've　now　made　sure　of　that。　But　we　must　waste　no　time。　Our　defenses　are　not　going　to　hold　this　doorway　for　long。〃
　　　As　if　to　underscore　this　point；　a　raging　though　muffled　demonstration　by　the　demon　now　took　place　outside。　The　light　filtering　in　from　the　passage　changed；　and　rage　and　hatred　and　choked　noise　oozed　in　as　well。
　　　Inside　the　cave　a　silent　pause　stretched　on。　It　was　long　enough　for　a　multiple　exchange　of　looks；　for　calculation；　for　a　sudden　tightening　of　muscles；　and　shifting　of　weapons。
　　　Then　Ariane　leaped　to　her　feet　with　a　sudden　shriek。　〃They　mean　to　kill　me！〃　The　terror　in　her　voice　now；　like　the　wistfulness　of　a　moment　ago；　was　that　of　a　young　girl。　And；　recoiling　from　the　reaching　arm　of　Doon；　she　scrambled　across　the　cave；　and　got　herself　into　a　position　between　Ben　and　Mark。
　　　〃What　is　this？〃　Ben　was　on　his　feet　and　roaring。　And　his　Sword；　like　Doon's；　was　out　already。
　　　Doon　was　smiling　at　him　from　across　a　few　paces　of　sandy　floor。　Now　that　blades　were　drawn　in　anger；　the　Baron　looked　vastly　more　cheerful；　and　even　at　his　ease。
　　　But　he　was　in　no　hurry　to　attack。　〃I　don't　want　to　kill　you；　lad；〃　he　said　to　Ben；　his　voice　quite　calm　and　reasonable。　〃Look　you　…　and　you　too；　Mark；　if　you　stand　with　him。　We　all　of　us　now　have　only　two　choices。　First；　we　can　stay　here；　and　wait　for　the　demon　to　break　in　upon　us。　That'll　happen　soon；　and　we'll　all　perish　…　nay；　perish　is　too　good　a　word。　You　saw；　out　there；　what　Dactylartha　likes　to　do　to　those　he　takes。　We'll　face　what's　worse　than　dying　…　unless　we　kill　each　other　first；　or　kill　ourselves。
　　　〃But　there's　a　second　choice；　and　that's　the　one　I'm　going　to　take。　So　are　the　rest　of　us。　To　sacrifice　one　now。。。〃　At　these　words　the　shouting　of　the　three　across　the　cave　rose　up　in　opposition；　but　Doon　only　raised　his　own　voice　and　went　on；　〃。。。the　daughter　of　a　queen；　a　virgin　girl。　Her　death　properly　offered　will　bind　any　demon　for　a　time　…　at　least　it　will　bind　this　one；　and　for　long　enough。
　　　〃And　then　the　rest　of　us　can　go　on　freely。　On　to　the　gold。　Have　you　forgotten？〃
　　　Here　the　Baron　paused　again；　long　enough　to　make　sure　that　the　silence　from　across　the　cave　still　represented　stubborn　refusal；　and　not　a　sullen　wavering　toward　assent。　〃Ben；　your　own　girl　on　the　outside；　have　you　forgotten　her？　What　will　you　choose；　your　little　shop　somewhere　with　her；　or　withering　for　a　century　in　Dactylartha's　gut？
　　　〃And　Mark。　Those　Swords　Sir　Andrew　needs　so　badly　are　down　below；　waiting　for　us。　How　many　lives　of　his　people　can　they　save？　You've　already　killed　to　get　them。　Now　one　more　small　life　stands　in　the　way。　That　of　someone　you　hardly　know。。。　hey？〃
　　　Again　Doon　halted　briefly。　When　he　went　on；　his　voice　was　still　calm。　〃I'll　say　one　thing　more；　before　we　e　to　kill　you。　This　demon　is　the　last　sealing　that　we'll　have　to　face。。。　six　is　the　true　number；　and　the　old　song　lies。　Am　I　right；　Radulescu？〃
　　　But　the　Colonel　clumsily　chose　this　moment　to　attempt　to　assert　an　officer's　authority。　〃You　three；　lay　down　your　arms；　at　once！〃
　　　He　was　ignored；　of　course。　Mark　had　an　arrow　already　nocked；　to　draw　and　loose　it　would　take　an　eyeblink　only。　I　must　get　Doon　with　my　first　shot；　he　told　himself。　Get　him；　get　him　certainly；　before　he　can　e　within　a　blade's　length　of　any　of　us。　We　none　of　us　can　match　him　with　a　blade；　and　none　of　the　others　over　there　are　likely　to　be　half　so　dangerous。
　　　Mitspieler；　standing　with　hands　half…raised　in　front　of　him；　made　an　incoherent　sound。　He　looked　almost　ready　to　collapse。　A　physical　fight　within　this　chamber　would　only　weaken　the　barrier　at　the　doorway；　and　bring　the　demon　ravening　in　upon　them　all；　so　it　seemed　he　might　have　pleaded；　if　he　could　have　found　clear　speech。
　　　Again　the　demon　stirred　outside。　Mark　could　hear　and　feel　it　passing　the　doorway；　like　a　bad　wind；　like　a　vicious　dog；　like　the　hunter　who　is　ing　back。
　　　At　last　Mitspieler　managed　to　find　words。　〃Mark；　lay　down　your　bow。　Make　your　friend　see　sense！〃
　　　Mark　had　noticed　meanwhile　that　Dmitry；　having　no　regular　missile　weapon；　had　picked　up　a　small　rock；　as　if　he　were　getting　ready　to　throw　it。　Mitspieler's　son　was　looking　across　the　cave　at　Mark。　He　was　perhaps　clever　enough　to　follow　Mark's　thought　on　the　ing　fight；　and　take　the　plan　one　step　farther。　If　the　rebellious　three　were　to　be　pacified　without　too　much；　damage　to　the　stronger　side；　then　Mark　must　be　prevented　from　shooting　Doon　in　the　first　moments　of　the　brawl。　Dmitry；　while　ready　to　attack　with　a　small　rock；　was　also　prudently　sheltering　most　of　his　own　body　behind　one　of　the　larger　ones。。。
　　　And　Willem　and　Daghur　had　disappeared　altogether；　but　Mark　doubted　that　they　were　attempting　any　kind　of　a　flanking　movement；　and　doubted　even　more　that　the　configuration　of　this　cave　would　lend　itself　to　such　a　try。
　　　Afterwards；　Mark　was　never　able　to　say　just　whose　sudden　movement　had　triggered　the　outbreak　of　the　fight。　One　moment；　all　were　statues；　limned　in　the　different　headlamps'　light。　Next　moment　all　were　blurring　in　violent　motion。
　　　Mark　loosed　his　arrow；　aimed　at　Doon；　but　missed。　Dmitry's　rock；　flung　with　unexpected　speed　and　skill；　missed　Mark　but　at　the　last　instant　just　grazed　the　bow　held　in　Mark's　hands。　The　shaft　flew　wide；　to　break　against　a　rock。
　　　Some　headlamps　went　off；　others　flashed　on；　beams　dancing　crazily　about　the　cave；　as　different　people　tried　different　strategies。　It　was　hopeless　now　to　try　to　use　the　bow；　and　Mark　dropped　it　along　with　his　quiver；　he　had　already　slipped　out　of　the　straps　of　his　backpack。　Switching　his　own　headlamp　off；　he　drew　his　long　knife　and　crouched　down　waiting。
　　　Darkness　was　conquering　the　cave　as　that　strategy　became　unanimous。　Mark　thought　he　could　hear　Ariane's　sling；　a　short　distance　to　his　right；　whine　softly；　one　spin；　two；　and　then　unload　itself　at　high　velocity。　Amid　the　faint　staccato　of　scrambling　sounds　within　the　cave　the　result　was　impossible　to　distinguish。
　　　Now　the　darkness　was　total；　except　for　the　strained　glow　from　the　besieged　doorway。　Outside；　the　demon　still　mumbled　in　his　wrath　and　tried　to　paw　his　way　in　through　the　spells。　Inside　the　room；　rocks　continued　to　click　gently；　as　furtive　feet　and　crawling　knees　disturbed　them。　Some　people　were　repositioning　themselves；　while　others　waited　listening。　Those　on　the　other　side　would　be　trying　to　close　in　on　Ariane。　She　had　Ben　as　one　defender　to　her　right；　Mark　to　her　left。　And　she　herself；　even　if　her　voice　did　sometimes　turn　childish；　was　no　timid；　helpless。。。
　　　Mark　started；　as　Mitspieler's　voice　cried　out；　shouting　at　full　volume　into　darkness：　〃Stop　it；　you　fools；　all　of　you！〃　There　was　a　momentary　pause；　then　the　wizard's　voice　came　back；　a　notch　lower：　〃Ben；　Mark；　isn't　it　better　for　one　to　die　than。。。〃
　　　He　cut　off　there；　abruptly。　It　was　as　if　he　had　heard　or　sensed　something　that　stopped　him。　Now　to　Mark　all　was　utter　silence　in　the　cave；　except　for　the　muted　rush　of　the　small　stream。　Whatever　Mitspieler　had　sensed　had　probably　been　perceptible　to　him　alone。
　　　Now　there　were　stumbling　footsteps　in　the　darkness；　those　of　one　person　moving；　careless　of　being　heard。　And　now　Mitspieler　had　turned　his　headlamp　on　again；　deliberately；　as　if　he　had　decided　or　divined　that　the　time　for　fighting　was　now　over；　or　else　that　fighting　had　bee　irrelevant。　The　back　reflection　of　his　light　revealed　his　own　face；　aged；　untidily　bearded　as　were　the　faces　of　all　the　men；　and　slack　jawed　now　with　fear　or　awe。
　　　The　wizard　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　cave。　He　was　looking　at　the　sealed　doorway；　the　translucent　barrier　that　he　had　himself　erected。　Again　he　spoke；　and　yet　again　his　voice　was　changed。
　　　〃Wait。　This　is　no　ruse。　The　demon　is　gone。　Gone　somewhere。。。　I　don't　know　how　far；　but。。。　〃
　　　Suddenly　Mitspieler　slumped　to　his　knees；　still　staring　at　the　fragile…looking　barrier　of　magic。
　　　Now　Mark　could　hear　a　new　kind　of　movement　just　outside；　different　from　the　demon's。　And　there　was　a　change　in　the　faint　light；　a　brightening　out　in　the　tunnel。　And　now　something　appeared　in　the　center　of　the　barrier。　It　was　a　hand；　not　armored；　and　quite　human…looking；　except　that　it　was　larger　than　the　hand　of　any　normal　human　being。　But　it　had　neither　the　Whitehands'　deformity　nor　the　armor　of　the　giant　fist　of　the　demon。　The　hand；　whomever　it　belonged　to；　brushed　Mitspieler's　blocking　spells　out　of　its　way　just　as　a　man　might　have　flicked　aside　a　cobweb。
　　　Now　the　owner　of　the　hand　entered　the　cave　behind　it；　bringing　with　him　his　own　kind　of　alteration。　A　giant　human　figure；　male；　youthful…looking　and　lightly　clad；　wearing　a　Phrygian　cap　and　carrying　in　one　hand　a　staff。　Mark　understood　that　for　the　first　time　in；　his　life　he　was　looking　at　a　god。　And　in　the　next　moment　he　recognized　the　god　as　Hermes。
　　　Most　of　the　cave　was　now　not　lighted　so　much　as　revealed；　by　Hermes'　presence。　The　beam　of　Mitspieler's　headlamp　had　bee　irrelevant。　Mark's　own　vision　was　now　able　to　peer　into　the　far　recesses　of　the　cave；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　could　almost　see　behind　the　rocks。　Hermes　had　e　here　seeking　something；　and　in　the　face　of　that　seeking　any　kind　of　human　conceal