fs.thesecondbookofswords-第43部分

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　　　And　now　the　demon　had　recovered；　from　whatever　the　gods　had　done　to　it　in　passing。　The　lights　of　it　again　spun　and　flickered　in　the　air；　the　noise　and　sickness　of　it　came　trampling；　hurtling　in　pursuit。
　　　Mitspieler；　now　fallen　to　last　place　among　the　racing　humans；　unable　to　run　faster；　was　now　unable　to　run　any　more　at　all。　He　turned　and　struck　with　desperate　magic　against　the　flying　thing。　Mark；　looking　back　with　some　remnant　of　a　wish　to　help　the　man；　saw　bolts　of　fire　shoot　from　the　wizard's　fingertips；　to　splash　into　the　light　that　roiled　in　midair　and　represented　Dactylartha。　And　then　Mark　saw　the　stronger　fire　strike　back；　along　the　pathway　of　the　first；　and　he　saw　what　happened　to　Mitspieler　when　it　engulfed　him。
　　　The　demon　now　flashed　throught　the　air；　easily　overtaking　and　passing　Mark　and　Ben；　and　Ariane；　who　now　moved　on　her　own　feet　supported　between　them。　It　was　obviously　trying　to　cut　off　the　leaders　of　the　human　rout；　who　now　fled　down　the　last　section　of　the　path　toward　a　dark　doorway。　It　failed。　The　last　man　of　the　advanced　group　vanished　into　that　portal　just　before　it　got　there。
　　　Balked；　it　turned　back。　Three　living　victims　yet　remained　to　it。
　　　It　spewed　its　sickness　at　them。　Blue　immaterial　flames　burst　around　Ben；　and　he　fell；　choking　and　gasping。　Mark　felt　the　pain。。。
　　　Ariane　pushed　herself　erect　against　the　wall　of　rock　beside　the　path；　and　faced　the　thing　directly。　Her　girlish　voice　rang　out；　in　what　must　have　been　the　charm　learned　in　her　childhood：
　　　〃In　the　Emperor's　name；　forsake　this　game；　and　let　us　pass！〃
　　　There　was　a　burbling　and　a　shrieking　in　the　air。　Dactylartha's　substance　boiled　and　spurted。　It　struck　at　the　three　humans　but　it　could　no　longer　reach　them。　A　wall　as　of　glass；　invulnerable　and　invisible；　was　outlined　along　the　path；　imaged　in　midair　by　the　demon's　fire　that　splashed　against　it　harmlessly。　The　pathway；　just　to　one　side；　was　clear。
　　　The　flames　had　disappeared　from　Ben's　body；　leaving　no　signs　of　physical　damage。　Mark　with　an　effort　got　the　big　man　back　on　his　feet　and　shoved　him　forward。　Then　Mark　took　Ariane　by　the　arm　and　pulled　her　along；　he　realized　that　he　was　in　better　shape　than　either　of　the　others；　but　at　the　same　time　he　knew　he　was　half…dazed　himself。
　　　Supporting　themselves　and　each　other　as　best　they　could；　the　three　of　them　limped　and　hobbled　forward；　passing　shielded　just　under　the　storm　of　the　demon's　wrath。　It　deafened　and　blinded　but　could　not　touch　them。　Now　the　dark　doorway　was　close　ahead；　and　now　they　were　entering　it；　and　now；　with　a　shock　of　sudden　silence；　the　domain　of　the　demon　had　been　left　behind。
　　　They　stood　in　a　quiet　place；　of　stone　and　friendly　darkness；　a　little　light　was　ing　from　somewhere　ahead　of　them　and　below。
　　　〃This　looks　like　a　drainpipe；〃　Ben　muttered　dazedly。　〃Or　a　sewer。〃
　　　Maybe　it　did；　thought　Mark。　But　it　was　a　passage　to　where　they　wanted　to　go；　and　even　reasonably　clean。　As　they　moved　forward　and　the　descent　steepened；　there　were　steps　and　grips　to　use。
　　　Ben　was　starting　to　e　out　of　his　confusion。　〃What　happened　back　there？〃　was　the　next　thing　he　asked。　〃I　thought　it　had　us　for　a　moment。　Did　Mitspieler　fight　it　off？〃
　　　Ariane　had　nothing　to　say。　She　kept　moving　along；　putting　down　one　foot　after　another；　but　she　looked　bad；　her　face　stark　white　behind　the　bruise　and　the　dried　blood。
　　　Mark　made　no　answer　either。　Not　now。　Later；　when　he　had　had　time　to　think；　he　would　have　questions　of　his　own。　
　　　〃Look；〃　said　Ben；　and　stopped　momentarily；　opening　his　hand；　displaying　a　gold　coin。〃　〃Yes；〃　said　Mark。
　　　They　moved　on。　The　tunnel　was　bottoming　out。　Mark　could　see　that　just　ahead　it　widened　into　a　level　space；　wide　and　open；　extending　farther　than　he　could　see　from　here。　Some　Old　World　lights　there　appeared　to　be　turning　themselves　on　in　wele。　And　the　light　that　shone　up　into　the　tunnel　was　yellow　with　the　reflected　burden　of　the　gold。
Chapter　16
　　　The　ugly　dazzle　of　the　demon's　influence　faded　quickly　from　Ben's　mind　as　he　moved　on。　But　his　mind　did　not　really　clear。　Instead　the　more　entrancing　glamour　of　the　gold　came　on　to　absorb　his　thoughts。
　　　Down　here　long　hallways　were　lined　with　shelves　displaying　gold。　Niches　and　alcoves　and　entire　rooms　were　filled　with　the　yellow　hoard。　As　far　as　Ben　could　see　it　was　all　unguarded；　open；　free　to　their　touch　whenever　they　wished　to　reach　out　and　touch　it。　There　were　neat　piles　of　bars　and　ingots；　heavy　baskets　filled　with　ore　and　nuggets。　Wordlessly　the　three　walked　past　stack　after　stack　of　coin；　cases　of　jewelry；　shelves　crammed　with　artifacts　of　gold。　Some　of　these　were　simple；　some　were　ugly；　some　were　of　intricate　workmanship　whose　origin　and　purpose　Ben　could　not　identify。
　　　In　the　rooms　of　the　treasure　cave　nearest　to　the　entrance；　many　of　the　stacks　of　coin　were　toppled；　many　of　the　shelves　were　disarranged；　as　if　intruders'　hands　had　already　played　and　sported　with　them　greedily。　Doon　and　Radulescu；　Dmitry　and　Willem；　must　have　passed　this　way　only　a　little　earlier。
　　　The　rock　ceiling　here　was　relatively　low；　only　a　meter　or　two　above　the　wooden　walls　and　partitions　and　stacked　shelves　that　held　the　treasure。　In　the　ceiling　Old　World　lights　were　mounted　somehow；　lights　in　individual　rooms　and　halls　and　alcoves　came　on　individually　ahead　of　Mark　and　Ben　and　Ariane　as　they　approached；　and　lights　behind　them　darkened　again　as　soon　as　they　had　passed。　Ben；　looking　very　far　ahead　…　this　cavern　like　those　above　it　went　on　for　a　great　distance　…　could　see　that　there；　too；　lights　in　other　rooms　were　going　on　and　off。　He　assumed　that　Doon　and　the　three　others　were　probably　there；　had　probably　by　now　ceased　marveling　and　were　busy　stuffing　their　pockets　and　their　packs。。。　e　to　think　of　it；　he　doubted　that　anyone　still　had　a　pack；　after　that　last　chase。　Neither　he　nor　Mark　nor　Ariane　had　one　now；　though　Mark　had　somehow　retained　his　bow　and　quiver。
　　　And　there　continued　ever　more　piles　of　bullion　to　marvel　at；　more　stacks　of　coin；　more　shelves　of　golden　ornaments；　all　yellowing　the　light。　High　shelves　of　stored　gold　lined　the　passages　between　rooms；　and　made　up　the　partitions　between　rooms；　and　covered　the　walls　of　the　rooms　themselves。　There　had　to　be；　Ben　supposed；　some　overall　plan　of　organization　to　the　hoard；　but　so　far　he　could　not　tell　what　it　was。
　　　They　walked　on　and　on；　saying　nothing　to　each　other；　discovering　more　and　more。　Their　wonder　at　the　vastness　of　the　treasure　grew；　until　it　blurred　into　a　sense　of　unreality。　This　was　too　much。　This　must　be　some　enchantment；　or　some　joke。。。
　　　At　an　intersection　of　long　aisles；　or　galleries；　Ben　looked　down　a　long　vista　…　a　hundred　meters？　two　hundred？　…　to　a　rock　wall　at　the　end。　About　halfway　down；　he　glimpsed　an　end　to　gold；　if　not　to　treasure。　Another　light　had　just　e　on　there；　where　someone　else　must　be　moving　through　the　hoard；　and　it　illumined　a　kind　of　borderline　where　it　seemed　that　yellow　metal　might　give　way　to　silver。　And　might　that　starry　detail　be　the　twinkle　of　distant　diamonds？
　　　It　was　all　too　much。　It　somehow　carried　matters　beyond　the　enjoyment　or　appreciation　even　of　successful　robbers　that　there　should　be　this　much。
　　　Then；　without　warning；　turning　a　corner　into　a　room　that　had　just　lighted　itself　ahead　of　them；　the　three　of　them　encountered　Doon。　The　little　man；　who　had　probably　just　entered　from　the　other　side；　recoiled　at　first；　as　startled　as　they　were。　He　said　nothing。　Dirty　and　disheveled　as　were　they　all；　he　appeared　somehow　shrunken　without　his　Sword。　There　was　a　dagger　still　at　his　belt；　but　he　made　no　move　to　draw　it。　After　staring　wildly　at　the　three　of　them　for　a　moment；　he　mumbled　something；　but　it　was　evidently　addressed　only　to　himself。
　　　Ben　had　automatically　drawn　his　own　remaining　weapon；　which　was　a　simple　dagger　also。　But　in　spite　of　their　recent　fight；　he　felt　no　urge　to　strike　the　man　in　front　of　him。　At　the　moment　the　Baron　seemed　more　pitiful　than　dangerous。
　　　〃Where's　Radulescu？〃　Mark　demanded　sharply　of　their　former　leader。　〃Where　are　the　Swords　…　the　ones　kept　here　in　the　treasury？〃
　　　At　mention　of　the　Swords；　a　gleam　of　purpose　came　into　Doon's　eyes。　He　again　mumbled　indistinguishable　words；　and　stumbling　past　the　three　who　confronted　him；　he　ran　on；　searching　his　own　search。　They　could　follow　his　progress　for　some　little　distance；　by　the　lights　that　went　on　ahead　of　him；　and　winked　off　again　when　he　had　passed。　If　the　irregularity　of　his　path　indicated　anything；　he　did　not　know　where　he　was　going。
　　　〃Hermes　has　undone　him；〃　Ben　said。
　　　Mark　asked：　〃What　are　the　three　of　us　going　to　do？　Separate　and　search？　I　assume　that　the　Swords　here　are　kept　together　in　one　place。〃
　　　Ben　briefly　and　silently　considered　his　own　plan；　the　plan　that　had　brought　him　here；　for　enriching　himself。　In　the　midst　of　all　this　it　somehow　now　seemed　almost　inconsequential；　a　detail　that　he　could　take　care　of　at　any　time　by　simply　stretching　out　his　arm。　But　the　Swords。。。　yes；　they　were　indeed　important。
　　　He　looked　at　Ariane；　and　almost　forgot　about　the　Swords。　She　looked　bad；　not　right　yet　by　a　long　way；　far　from　being　out　of　the　fog　from　that　blow　she'd　taken　on　the　head。　She　gave　him　a　weak　smile　in　return　for　his　look；　but　did　not　speak。
　　　〃No；〃　said　Ben。　〃Let's　stick　together。〃
　　　They　moved　on。　Now；　just　around　another　corner　ahead；　lights　were　on。　And　now　a　crash　sounded　from　that　direction；　and　then　another；　like　pieces　of　pottery　being　smashed；　one　at　a　time。　They　moved　on；　Mark　with　an　arrow　nocked；　Ben　with　dagger　drawn。
　　　Rounding　the　corner；　they　beheld　a　room　crammed　with　small　statuary。　Dmitry　and　Willem　had　located　it　already。　The　two　of　them　were　standing　there；　the　pockets　of　their　ragged　clothing　bulging；　spilling　gold　coins。　Each　had　a　sword　in　hand；　and　they　were　playing　a　game　of　smash　among　the　statues。
　　　Willem　and　Dmitry　looked　up　with　animal　wariness　as　the　three　appeared；　and　paused　in　their　game。　They　smiled　vaguely　at　the　bow　and　dagger；　but　said　nothing。　They　swords　they　played　with　were　only　their　own　ordinary　blades。
　　　Mark；　with　a　small　motion　of　his　head；　signaled　his　two　panions。　The　three　of　the