rh.conanthewarrior-第17部分

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　　Up　from　below；　muffled；　but　unmistakable；　welled　a　woman's　scream；　edged　with　fright；　fury；　and　shame。　And　Conan　recognized　Valeria's　voice。
　　In　the　swift　rage　roused　by　that　cry；　and　the　amazement　of　wondering　what　peril　could　wring　such　a　shriek　from　Valeria's　reckless　lips；　Conan　forgot　Olmec。　He　pushed　past　the　prince　and　started　down　the　stair。　Awakening　instinct　brought　him　about　again；　just　as　Olmec　strruck　with　his　great　mallet…like　fist。　The　blow；　firece　and　silent；　was　aimed　at　the　base　of　Conan's　brain。　But　the　Cimmerian　wheeled　in　time　to　receive　the　buffet　on　the　side　of　his　neck　instead。　The　impact　would　have　snapped　the　vertebrae　of　a　lesser　man。　As　it　was；　Conan　swayed　backward；　but　even　as　he　reeled　he　dropped　his　sword；　useless　at　such　close　quarters；　and　grasped　Olmec's　extended　arm；　dragging　the　prince　with　him　as　he　fell。　Headlong　they　went　down　the　steps　together；　in　a　revolving　whirl　of　limbs　and　heads　and　bodies。　And　as　they　went；　Conan's　iron　fingers　found　and　locked　in　Olmec's　bull…throat。
　　The　barbarian's　neck　and　shoulder　felt　numb　from　the　sledge…like　impact　of　Olmec's　huge　fist；　which　had　carried　all　the　strength　of　the　massive　forearm；　thick　triceps　and　great　shoulder。　But　this　did　not　affect　his　ferocity　to　any　appreciable　extent。　Like　a　bulldog　he　hung　on　grimly；　rolled；　until　at　last　they　struck　an　ivory　panel…door　at　the　bottom　with　such　and　impact　that　they　splintered　it　its　full　length　and　crashed　through　its　ruins。　But　Olmec　was　already　dead；　for　those　iron　fingers　had　crushed　out　his　life　and　broken　his　neck　as　they　fell。
　　Conan　rose；　shaking　the　splinters　from　his　great　shoulders；　blinking　blood　and　dust　out　of　his　eyes。
　　He　was　in　the　great　throne　room。　There　were　fifteen　people　in　that　room　besides　himself。　The　first　person　he　saw　was　Valeria。　A　curious　black　altar　stood　before　the　throne…dais。　Ranged　about　it；　seven　black　candles　in　golden　candlesticks　sent　up　oozing　spirals　of　thick　green　smoke；　disturbingly　scented。　These　spirals　united　in　a　cloud　near　the　ceiling；　forming　a　smoky　arch　above　the　altar。　On　that　altar　lay　Valeria；　stark　naked；　her　white　flesh　gleaming　in　shocking　contrast　to　the　glistening　ebon　stone。　She　was　not　bound。　She　lay　at　full　length；　her　arms　stretched　out　above　her　head　to　their　fullest　extent。　At　the　head　of　the　altar　knelt　a　young　man；　holding　her　wrists　firmly。　A　young　woman　knelt　at　the　other　end　of　the　altar；　grasping　her　ankles。　Between　them　she　could　neither　rise　nor　move。
　　Eleven　men　and　women　of　Tecuhltli　knelt　dumbly　in　a　semicircle；　watching　the　scene　with　hot；　lustful　eyes。
　　On　the　ivory　throne…seat　Tascela　lolled。　Bronze　bowls　of　incense　rolled　their　spirals　about　her；　the　wisps　of　smoke　curled　about　her　naked　limbs　like　caressing　fingers。　She　could　not　sit　still；　she　squirmed　and　shifted　about　with　sensuous　abandon；　as　if　finding　pleasure　in　the　contact　of　the　smooth　ivory　with　her　sleek　flesh。
　　The　crash　of　the　door　as　it　broke　beneath　the　impact　of　the　hurtling　bodies　caused　no　change　in　the　scene。　The　kneeling　men　and　women　merely　glanced　incuriously　at　the　corpse　of　their　prince　and　at　the　man　who　rose　from　the　ruins　of　the　door；　then　swung　their　eyes　greedily　back　to　the　writhing　white　shape　on　the　black　altar。　Tascela　looked　insolently　at　him；　and　sprawled　back　on　her　seat；　laughing　mockingly。
　　〃Slut！〃　Conan　saw　red。　His　hands　clenched　into　iron　hammers　as　he　started　for　her。　With　his　first　step　something　clanged　loudly　and　steel　bit　savagely　into　his　leg。　He　stumbled　and　almost　fell；　checked　in　his　headlong　stride。　The　jaws　of　an　iron　trap　had　closed　on　his　leg；　with　teeth　that　sank　deep　and　held。　Only　the　ridged　muscles　of　his　calf　saved　the　bone　from　being　splintered。　The　accursed　thing　had　sprung　out　of　the　smoldering　floor　without　warning。　He　saw　the　slots　now；　in　the　floor　where　the　jaws　had　lain；　perfectly　camouflaged。
　　〃Fool！〃　laughed　Tascela。　〃Did　you　think　I　would　not　guard　against　your　possible　return？　Every　door　in　this　chamber　is　guarded　by　such　traps。　Stand　there　and　watch　now；　while　I　fulfill　the　destiny　of　your　handsome　friend！　Then　I　will　decide　your　own。〃
　　Conan's　hand　instinctively　sought　his　belt；　only　to　encounter　an　empty　scabbard。　His　sword　was　on　the　stair　behind　him。　His　poniard　was　lying　back　in　the　forest；　where　the　dragon　had　torn　it　from　his　jaw。　The　steel　teeth　in　his　leg　were　like　burning　coals；　but　the　pain　was　not　as　savage　as　the　fury　that　seethed　in　his　soul。　He　was　trapped；　like　a　wolf。　If　he　had　had　his　sword　he　would　have　hewn　off　his　leg　and　crawled　across　the　floor　to　slay　Tascela。　Valeria's　eyes　rolled　toward　him　with　mute　appeal；　and　his　own　helplessness　sent　red　waves　of　madness　surging　through　his　brain。
　　Dropping　on　the　knee　of　his　free　leg；　he　strove　to　get　his　fingers　between　the　jaws　of　the　trap；　to　tear　them　apart　by　sheer　strength。　Blood　started　from　beneath　his　fingernails；　but　the　jaws　fitted　close　about　his　leg　in　a　circle　whose　segments　jointed　perfectly；　contracted　until　there　was　no　space　between　his　mangled　flesh　and　the　fanged　iron。　The　site　of　Valeria's　naked　body　added　flame　to　the　fire　of　his　rage。
　　Tascela　ignored　him。　Rising　languidly　from　her　seat　she　swept　the　ranks　of　her　subjects　with　a　searching　glance；　and　asked：　〃Where　are　Xamec；　Zlanath　and　Tachic？〃
　　〃They　did　not　return　from　the　catabs；　princess；〃　answered　a　man。　〃Like　the　rest　of　us；　they　bore　bodies　of　the　slain　into　the　crypts；　but　they　have　not　returned。　Perhaps　the　ghost　of　Tolkemec　took　them。〃
　　〃Be　silent；　fool！〃　she　ordered　harshly。　〃The　ghost　is　a　myth。〃
　　She　came　down　from　her　dais；　playing　with　a　thin　gold…hilted　dagger。　Her　eyes　burned　like　nothing　on　the　hither　side　of　hell。　She　paused　beside　the　altar　and　spoke　in　the　tense　stillness。
　　〃Your　life　shall　make　me　young；　white　woman！〃　she　said。　〃I　shall　lean　upon　your　bosom　and　place　my　lips　over　yours；　and　slowly…ah；　slowly！…sink　this　blade　through　your　heart；　so　that　your　life；　fleeing　your　stiffening　body；　shall　enter　mine；　making　me　bloom　again　with　youth　and　with　life　everlasting！〃
　　Slowly；　like　a　serpent　arching　toward　its　victim；　she　bent　down　through　the　writhing　smoke；　closer　and　closer　over　the　now　motionless　woman　who　stared　up　into　her　glowing　dark　eyes…eyes　that　grew　larger　and　deeper；　blazing　like　black　moons　in　the　swirling　smoke。
　　The　kneeling　people　gripped　their　hands　and　held　their　breath；　tense　for　the　bloody　climax；　and　the　only　sound　was　Conan's　fierce　panting　as　he　strove　to　tear　his　leg　from　the　trap。
　　All　eyes　were　glued　on　the　altar　and　the　white　figure　there；　the　crash　of　a　thunderbolt　could　hardly　have　broken　the　spell；　yet　it　was　only　a　low　cry　that　shattered　the　fixity　of　the　scene　and　bought　all　whirling　about…a　low　cry；　yet　one　to　make　the　hair　stand　up　stiffly　on　the　scalp。　They　looked；　and　they　saw。
　　Framed　in　the　door　to　the　left　of　the　dais　stood　a　nightmare　figure。　It　was　a　man；　with　a　tangle　of　white　hair　and　a　matted　white　beard　that　fell　over　his　breast。　Rags　only　partly　covered　his　gaunt　frame；　revealing　half…naked　limbs　strangely　unnatural　in　appearance。　The　skin　was　not　like　that　of　a　normal　human。　There　was　a　suggestion　of　scaliness　about　it；　as　if　the　owner　had　dwelt　long　under　conditions　almost　antithetical　to　those　conditions　under　which　human　life　ordinarily　thrives。　And　there　was　nothing　at　all　human　about　the　eyes　that　blazed　from　the　tangle　of　white　hair。　They　were　great　gleaming　disks　that　started　unwinkingly；　luminous；　whitish；　and　without　a　hint　of　normal　emotion　or　sanity。　The　mouth　gaped；　but　no　coherent　words　issued…only　a　high…pitched　tittering。
　　〃Tolkemec！〃　whispered　Tascela；　livid；　while　the　others　crouched　in　speechless　horror。　〃No　myth；　then；　no　ghost！　Set！　You　have　dwelt　for　twelve　years　in　darkness！　Twelve　years　among　the　bones　of　the　dead！　What　grisly　food　did　you　find？　What　mad　travesty　of　life　did　you　live；　in　the　stark　blackness　of　that　eternal　night？　I　see　now　why　Xamec　and　Zlanath　and　Tachic　did　not　return　from　the　catabs…and　never　will　return。　But　why　have　you　waited　so　long　to　strike？　Were　you　seeking　something；　in　the　pits？　Some　secret　weapon　you　knew　was　hidden　there？　And　have　you　found　it　at　last？〃
　　That　hideous　tittering　was　Tolkemec's　only　reply；　as　he　bounded　into　the　room　with　a　long　leap　that　carried　him　over　the　secret　trap　before　the　door…by　chance；　or　by　some　faint　recollection　of　the　ways　of　Xuchotl。　He　was　not　mad；　as　a　man　is　amd。　He　had　dwelt　apart　from　humanity　so　long　that　he　was　no　longer　human。　Only　an　unbroken　thread　of　memory　embodied　in　hate　and　the　urge　for　vengeance　had　connected　him　with　the　humanity　from　which　he　had　been　cut　off；　and　held　him　lurking　near　the　people　he　hated。　Only　that　thin　string　had　kept　him　from　racing　and　prancing　off　for　ever　into　the　black　corridors　and　realms　of　the　subterranean　world　he　had　discovered；　long　ago。
　　〃You　sought　something　hidden！〃　whispered　Tascela；　cringing　back。　〃And　you　have　found　it！　You　remember　the　feud！　After　all　these　years　of　blackness；　you　remember！〃
　　For　in　the　lean　hand　of　Tolkemec　now　waved　a　curious　jade…hued　wand；　on　the　end　of　which　glowed　a　knob　of　crimson　shaped　like　a　pomegranate。　She　sprang　aside　as　he　thrust　it　out　like　a　spear；　and　a　beam　of　crimson　fire　lanced　from　the　pomegranate。　It　missed　Tascela；　but　the　woman　holding　Valeria's　ankles　was　in　the　way。　It　smote　between　her　shoulders。　There　was　a　sharp　crackling　sound　and　the　ray　of　fire　flashed　from　her　bosom　and　struck　the　black　altar；　with　a　snapping　of　blue　sparks。　The　woman　toppled　sidewise；　shriveling　and　withering　like　a　mummy　even　as　she　fell。
　　Valeria　rolled　from　the　altar　on　the　other　side；　and　started　for　the　opposite　wall　on　all　fours。　For　hell　had　burst　loose　in　the　throne　room　of　dead　Olmec。
　　The　man　who　had　held　Valeria's　hands　was　the　next　to　die。　He　turned　to　run；　but　before　he　had　taken　half　a　dozen　steps；　Tolkemec；　with　an　agility　appalling　in　such　a　frame；　bounded　around　to　a　position　that　placed　the　man　between　him　and　the　altar。　Again　the　red　fire…beam　flashed　and　the　Tecuhltli　rolled　lifeless　to　the　floor；　as　the　beam　pleted　its　course　with　a　burst　of　blue　sparks　against　the　altar。
　　Then　began　the　slaughter。　Screaming　insanely　the　pe