fs.thesecondbookofswords-第46部分

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re　now　pletely　inside　their　ascending　mine；　and　the　Old　World　lights　somehow　registered　their　departure；　and　turned　themselves　off。　One　headlamp；　tuned　to　a　dim　glow；　gave　enough　light　to　work　with。
　　　There　was　a　rush　of　invisible　feet　below。
　　　Ben　said：　〃Let　me　cut　for　a　while。　Take　your　bow　and　lob　an　arrow　or　two　at　them。〃
　　　Now；　for　just　a　moment；　it　was　Ben　who　had　two　Swords　in　hand　at　once。　Seeing　his　expression　change；　Mark　said　to　him：　〃It'll　be　all　right。　Go　on。〃
　　　With　Ben's　hand　driving　the　heavy　Sword；　the　work　of　tunneling　went　even　faster。　The　tunnel　grew；　wide　enough　to　let　them　keep　clear　of　the　sliced…out　pieces　as　they　fell；　its　surface　rough…hewn　to　give　them　footing　and　handgrips　where　needed。　The　blocks；　hewn　out　as　easily　as　so　many　puffs　of　smoke；　still　came　falling　and　crashing　down　like　the　heavy　stone　they　were。　The　constant　barrage　of　their　falling　had　already　broken　down　the　tilted　wooden　shelves；　splintering　them　and　pounding　their　load　of　treasure　into　twisted　metal　and　debris；　beneath　the　fast…growing　pile　of　the　rock　itself。
　　　Now　the　enemy　below　was　lighting　torches；　trying　to　get　a　better　look　at　what　was　going　on；　the　presence　of　Whitehands　evidently　did　not　trigger　the　Old　World　ceiling　lights。　Mark　fired　all　his　remaining　arrows　but　one　at　torch…lights；　and　heard　cries　of　pain。　Now　he　could　hear　the　Whitehands　climbing　on　the　talus　of　rock　that　grew　under　the　strange　new　opening　in　the　wall；　but　more　rock　continued　to　fall　upon　them　there；　crushing　them　and　beating　them　back。
　　　Ben　had　begun　to　bend　the　tunnel　around　a　corner。　Already　the　whole　opening　was　some　five　or　six　meters　deep；　and　still　growing　fast。　Presently　the　bend　began　to　afford　them　…　the　protection　that　Ben　had　foreseen　they'd　need；　when　the　first　flung　stones　began　to　fly　up　from　below；　they　could　make　themselves　safe　around　its　angle。　The　Whitehands；　like　the　cave's　regular　garrison　of　soldiers；　were　used　to　fighting　in　the　dark　or　by　poor　light　when　they　fought　at　all；　and　bows　or　slings　were　not　in　mon　use　among　them。
　　　As　the　work　progressed；　each　loosened　piece　of　rock　slid　and　fell　for　a　greater　distance；　building　up　a　greater　speed；　before　it　struck　anything　or　anyone。　The　blocks　swept　the　tunnel　clean　of　climbing　Whitehands　faster　than　they　could　be　made　to　enter　it。　Before　long　the　attempt　was　abandoned；　and　the　yells　of　the　wounded　were　heard　no　more。
　　　The　carving　and　crashing　down　of　rock；　the　climbing；　went　on　for　a　long　time。　Rock　dust　began　to　choke　the　two　men's　nostrils。　The　beams　of　their　headlamps　were　white　now　with　the　fog　of　it。
　　　Pausing　to　try　to　breathe；　Ben　asked：　〃What　if　we're　below　the　level　of　the　sea　when　we　e　out？〃
　　　〃I　don't　think　we　can　be。　Or　the　cave　down　there　would　be　already　flooded。〃　As　he　spoke；　Mark　hoped　that　he　was　right。
　　　〃How　do　we　know　where　we'll　e　out？〃
　　　〃We　don't。　Keep　going　up；　and　we'll　e　out　somewhere。　Unless　you've　got　a　better　idea。〃
　　　Mark　took　another　turn　at　digging。　Again　touching　Stonecutter　and　Shieldbreaker　at　the　same　time；　he　wondered　aloud：　〃Why　didn't　Blue　Temple　ever　use　these　Swords？〃
　　　〃You　don't　know　Blue　Temple。　If　it's　valuable　it's　treasure；　and　if　it's　treasure　you　bury　it　in　a　hole　in　the　ground　so　you　don't　risk　losing　it。　We'll　hear　Benambra　screaming　all　the　way　up　to　the　surface　when　he　sees　what's　gone。〃
　　　And　at　last；　without　warning；　the　cutting　Sword　broke　through；　broke　upward　into　clear　space；　and　what　had　to　be　daylight；　though　it　was　dim　and　indirect。　The　two　men　muttered　and　marveled　more　than　they　had　for　jewels　and　gold。　Some　fine　dirt　trickled　down。
　　　Mark　quickly　widened　the　hole；　then　climbed　up　through　it。　Ben　followed。　They　were　standing　in　a　narrow；　cavelike　fissure　that　ran　horizontally　toward　the　light；　and　in　the　opposite　direction　from　it。　Walking；　climbing　toward　the　light；　they　soon　got　a　glimpse　of　misty　sky。　Now　they　could　smell　the　ocean；　and　hear　the　steady　waves。
　　　At　a　couple　of　places　Mark　had　to　use　Stonecutter　to　carve　a　secure　step；　or　widen　the　fissure　so　they　could　squeeze　through。
　　　They　emerged　at　last　upon　a　narrow　ledge；　in　living　sunshine；　halfway　between　the　clifftop　and　the　sea。
Chapter　17
　　　Blinking　and　squinting　in　the　mild　sunlight　that　contended　with　clouds　of　blowing　mist；　they　emerged　from　the　crevice　into　full　view　of　the　sea。　Mark　realized　that　it　must　be　early　morning。　The　air　was　warm；　and　summer　had　evidently　not　yet　departed。　Beyond　the　first　reach　of　water；　slate　gray　and　shaded　blue；　the　opposite　headland　was　half　in　sunshine；　half　in　shadow。
　　　〃What's　that？〃　asked　Ben；　cocking　his　head。　There　had　been　some　kind　of　distant　clash　and　cry。
　　　〃It　sounded　like　a　fight。　But　it　didn't　e　from　behind　us；　in　the　cave。〃
　　　〃No。　Maybe　from　on　top　of　the　cliff？〃
　　　The　sound　was　not　repeated。　〃Anyway　we're　going　down。　Get　to　the　shore；　and　then　try　our　charm…words　to　bring　in　Indosuaros'　ship。〃
　　　They　began　to　work　their　way　down；　carefully。　Rounding　a　bulge　of　the　cliff；　they　came　upon　a　broader　ledge；　and　stopped。　A　marvel　lay　before　them；　halfwreathed　in　mist。
　　　The　giant　figure　had　fallen　sprawled　out；　in　a　prone　position。　It　was　crumpled　and　broken　over　rock；　and　as　dead　as　any　corpse　that　Mark　had　ever　seen。　The　Phrygian　cap　had　fallen　off；　the　great　head　was　turned　to　one　side；　the　sightless　gaze　bored　at　a　surface　of　rock　only　centimeters　from　the　face。
　　　〃It's　Hermes。〃　Ben　whispered　it。
　　　There　was　a　long　pause　before　Mark　whispered：　〃Yes。
　　　〃But　…　he's　dead。〃
　　　〃Yes。　〃
　　　The　two　living　men　looked　at　each　other　as　wildly　as　if　it　were　a　dead　friend　that　they　had　found；　and　more　fearfully。
　　　〃Doon　boasted　that　he　had　slain　a　god。〃
　　　〃But　…　if　a　god　is　mortal　…　what　does　it　mean？〃
　　　They　looked　at　each　other　and　could　see　no　answer。
　　　Small　wreaths　of　smoke；　or　steam；　were　rising　from　the　figure；　as　if　it　might　be　beginning　to　dissolve　into　the　sea…mist　that　had　e　to　lave　around　it。　In　the　middle　of　the　naked　back　there　was　a　raw；　fresh　wound。　It　was　just　of　a　size；　thought　Mark；　to　have　been　made　by　the　thrust　of　a　broadbladed　Sword。
　　　He　said　aloud：　〃It　was　Farslayer　that　Doon　threw；　with　a　spell　from　the　old　Song　of　Swords。　It　must　have　done　this。　But　where　is　it　now？〃
　　　〃And　where　are　the　other　two　Swords；　Dragonslicer　and　Wayfinder；　that　Hermes　took　from　us？〃
　　　They　counted　the　empty　sheaths　that　were　fringed　around　the　fallen　giant's　waist。　Whatever　the　number　had　been　before；　now　there　were　only　ten；　and　all　were　empty。
　　　Mark　made　a　violent　motion　with　his　hand；　rejecting　the　whole　situation。　〃Let's　leave　this。　The　death　of　gods　is　not。。。　let's　move　on　down；　there's　nothing　for　us　here。〃
　　　〃Except　it　seems　that　Hermes　will　not　be　ing　after　us；　to　take　away　the　Swords　that　we　have　now。〃
　　　They　went　on　down　the　cliff。　It　was；　as　elsewhere　on　this　face；　a　difficult　climb　but　not　impossible。
　　　They　had　just　gotten　down　to　where　the　slope　began　to　gentle；　when　a　Blue　Temple　infantry　patrol　sprang　upon　them　in　ambush；　leaping　out　of　shadows　and　caves　and　fog。　Ben　had　just　time　to　cry　a　moment's　warning；　he　had　felt　Shieldbreaker　e　suddenly　to　life　in　his　fist。　It　thudded　loudly；　and　when　the　warbeast　leaped　at　him；　chopped　its　life　out　with　the　first　stroke。
　　　The　rush　of　another　of　the　trained　animals　had　knocked　Mark　down；　Stonecutter　in　his　hands　only　wounded　the　beast；　and　he　almost　despaired　of　his　life　before　Shieldbreaker's　blur　passed　over　him　to　kill　it。　He　lay　there；　still　half…stunned；　knowing　that　men　in　blue　and　gold　were　crowding　in。　Shieldbreaker　raised　its　voice；　in　a　sound　like　the　hammering　of　Vulcans　forge；　and　their　shattered　ranks　went　reeling　back。
　　　Then　more　help　was　arriving；　in　the　form　of　fighting　men　in　black　and　orange；　the　enemy　fled　scattering；　crying　out　as　if　they　expected　help　of　their　own　to　be　at　hand。　Mark　saw　the　helmeted　head　of　one　of　his　rescuers　bending　over　him；　and　then　the　helmet　was　lifted　to　reveal　a　broad；　strong；　familiar　face。　The　mustache　and　beard　were　of　sandy　gray。　The　strong；　slow　voice　of　Sir　Andrew　himself　was　asking　Mark　how　he　did。
　　　Helped　to　sit　up；　Mark　recovered　enough　to　deliver　a　quick　report。　He　outlined　their　raid　on　the　Blue　Temple　treasury；　and　described　how　they　had　just　gotten　out　of　it。　He　concluded：　〃We've　got　with　us　all　the　Swords　that　were　there　…　except　one。　And　there'll　be　no　use　in　your　trying　to　get　back　into　the　hoard　now　…　unless　you've　brought　your　whole　army　with　you。〃　He　paused　there；　not　understanding　how　Sir　Andrew　had　e　to　be　here　at　all。
　　　〃Hmf；　hah；　yes。　Hyrcanus　has　done　that；　it　seems。〃　Sir　Andrew　threw　back　his　head；　gazing　up　the　cliff。　〃Perhaps　the　Chairman　suspected　that　his　great　secret　was　out。　Well；　let　us　not　fall　victim　to　greed。　You　have　there　all　that　we　really　hoped　to　get。〃　The　knight　turned　to　a　waiting　officer。　〃Sound　the　horn；　call　in　our　ships。〃
　　　Mark；　helped　to　his　feet；　was　able　to　move　without　help；　feeling　only　minor　injuries。　Another　familiar　face；　that　of　Dame　Yoldi；　loomed　into　sight。　Her　sturdy　frame　was　dressed　in　man's　clothing；　prudently　ready　for　cliff…climbing　and　bat。　Mark　began　to　blurt　out　to　her　the　tale　of　slain　Hermes。　At　the　first　words　the　enchantress　hushed　him；　then　drew　him　and　Ben　close　to　her　and　Sir　Andrew；　so　that　she　and　the　knight　could　hear　the　news　privately　even　as　they　made　their　way　down　the　remainder　of　the　slope。
　　　As　Mark　related　what　had　happened　to　Hermes；　he　could　see　the　three　longships；　orange　and　black　at　their　mastheads；　appearing　out　of　the　mist。　The　oarsmen　were　pulling　hard　in　light　surf；　and　the　ships'　prows　had　grated　in　sand　before　the　shore　party　reached　the　water。
　　　Mark　was　saying：　〃I　knew　that　Farslayer　and　the　other　Swords　were　powerful；　of　course。　But　I　never　expected。。。　〃　He　let　it　die　away。
　　　〃Nor　would　any　of　us；〃　said　Dame　Yoldi。　She　looked　shaken；　and　repeated：　〃Nor　would　any　of　us。〃
　　　Sir　Andrew　asked　the　two　men：　〃And　you　saw　him　before？　He　took　Dragonslicer；　then　it　was　gone　again？〃
　　　Ben　and　Mark　both　nodded。
　　　There　was　no　time　for　much　discussion　now。　They　waded　into　light　wave