rh.conanthewarrior-第18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！


t　of　blue　sparks　against　the　altar。
　　Then　began　the　slaughter。　Screaming　insanely　the　people　rushed　about　the　chamber；　caroming　from　one　another；　stumbling　and　falling。　And　among　them　Tolkemec　capered　and　pranced；　dealing　death。　They　could　not　escape　by　the　doors；　for　apparently　the　metal　of　the　portals　served　like　the　metal　veined　stone　altar　to　plete　the　circuit　for　whatever　hellish　power　flashed　like　thunderbolts　from　the　witch…wand　the　ancient　waved　in　his　hand。　When　he　caught　a　man　or　a　woman　between　him　and　a　door　or　the　altar；　that　one　died　instantly。　He　chose　no　special　victim。　He　took　them　as　they　came；　with　his　rags　flapping　about　his　wildly　gyrating　limbs；　and　the　gusty　echoes　of　his　tittering　sweeping　the　room　above　the　screams。　And　bodies　fell　like　falling　leaves　about　the　altar　and　at　the　doors。　One　warrior　in　desperation　rushed　at　him；　lifting　a　dagger；　only　to　fall　before　he　could　strike。　But　the　rest　were　like　crazed　cattle；　with　no　thought　for　resistance；　and　no　chance　of　escape。
　　The　last　Tecuhltli　except　Tascela　had　fallen　when　the　princess　reached　the　Cimmerian　and　the　girl　who　had　taken　refuge　beside　him。　Tascela　bent　and　touched　the　floor；　pressing　a　design　upon　it。　Instantly　the　iron　jaws　released　the　bleeding　limb　and　sank　back　into　the　floor。
　　〃Slay　him　if　you　can！〃　she　panted；　and　pressed　a　heavy　knife　into　his　hand。　〃I　have　no　magic　to　withstand　him！〃
　　With　a　grunt　he　sprang　before　the　woman；　not　heeding　his　lacerated　leg　in　the　heat　of　the　fighting　lust。　Tolkemec　was　ing　toward　him；　his　weird　eyes　ablaze；　but　he　hesitated　at　the　gleam　of　the　knife　in　Conan's　hand。　Then　began　a　grim　game；　as　Tolkemec　sought　to　circle　about　Conan　and　get　the　barbarian　between　him　and　the　altar　or　a　metal　door；　while　Conan　sought　to　avoid　this　and　drive　home　his　knife。　The　women　watched　tensely；　holding　their　breath。
　　There　was　no　sound　except　the　rustle　and　scrape　of　quick…shifting　feet。　Tolkemec　pranced　and　capered　no　more。　He　realized　that　grimmer　game　confronted　him　than　the　people　who　had　died　screaming　and　fleeing。　In　the　elemental　blaze　of　the　barbarian's　eyes　he　read　an　intent　deadly　as　his　own。　Back　and　forth　they　weaved；　and　when　one　moved　the　other　moved　as　if　invisible　threads　bound　them　together。　But　all　the　time　Conan　was　getting　closer　and　closer　to　his　enemy。　Already　the　coiled　muscles　of　his　thighs　were　beginning　to　flex　for　a　spring；　when　Valeria　cried　out。　For　a　fleeting　instant　a　bronze　door　was　in　line　with　Conan's　moving　body。　The　red　line　leaped；　searing　Conan's　flank　as　he　twisted　aside；　and　even　as　he　shifted　he　hurled　the　knife。　Old　Tolkemec　went　down；　truly　slain　at　last；　the　hilt　vibrating　on　his　breast。
　　Tascela　sprang…not　toward　Conan；　but　toward　the　wand　where　it　shimmered　like　a　live　thing　on　the　floor。　But　as　she　leaped；　so　did　Valeria；　with　a　dagger　snatched　from　a　dead　man；　and　the　blade；　driven　with　all　the　power　of　the　pirate's　muscles；　impaled　the　princess　of　Tecuhltli　so　that　the　point　stood　out　between　her　breasts。　Tascela　screamed　once　and　fell　dead；　and　Valeria　spurned　the　body　with　her　heel　as　it　fell。
　　〃I　had　to　do　that　much；　for　my　own　self…respect！〃　panted　Valeria；　facing　Conan　across　the　limp　corpse。
　　〃Well；　this　cleans　up　the　feud；〃　he　grunted。　〃It's　been　a　hell　of　a　night！　Where　did　these　people　keep　their　food？　I'm　hungry。〃
　　〃You　need　a　bandage　on　that　leg。〃　Valeria　ripped　a　length　of　silk　from　a　hanging　and　knotted　it　about　her　waist；　then　tore　off　some　smaller　strips　which　she　bound　efficiently　about　the　barbarian's　lacerated　limb。
　　〃I　can　walk　on　it；〃　he　assured　her。　〃Let's　begone。　It's　dawn；　outside　this　infernal　city。　I've　had　enough　of　Xuchotl。　It's　well　the　breed　exterminated　itself。　I　don't　want　any　of　their　accursed　jewels。　They　might　be　haunted。〃
　　〃There　is　enough　clean　loot　in　the　world　for　you　and　me；〃　she　said；　straightening　to　stand　tall　and　splendid　before　him。
　　The　old　blaze　came　back　in　his　eyes；　and　this　time　she　did　not　resist　as　he　caught　her　fiercely　in　his　arms。
　　〃It's　a　long　way　to　the　coast；〃　she　said　presently；　withdrawing　her　lips　from　his。
　　〃What　matter？〃　he　laughed。　〃There's　nothing　we　can't　conquer。　We'll　have　our　feet　on　a　ship's　deck　before　the　Stygians　open　their　ports　for　the　trading　season。　And　then　we'll　show　the　world　what　plundering　means！〃
　　
　　
　　
　　　JEWELS　OF　GWAHLUR
　　
　　
　　Conan's　amour　with　Valeria　does　not　last　long；　perhaps　the　fact　that　each　of　them　insists　on　being　the　boss　has　something　to　do　with　the　fact。　At　any　rate；　they　part：　Valeria　to　return　to　the　sea；　Conan　to　try　his　luck　in　the　black　kingdoms。　Hearing　of　the　priceless　〃Teeth　of　Gwahlur；〃　a　fortune　in　ancient　jewels　hidden　somewhere　in　Keshan；　he　sells　his　services　to　the　irascible　king　of　Keshan　to　train　his　armies　for　war　against　the　neighboring　kingdom　of　Punt。
　　
　　
　　　1。　　Paths　of　Intrigue
　　
　　The　cliffs　rose　sheer　from　the　jungle；　towering　ramparts　of　stone　that　glinted　jade…blue　and　dull　crimson　in　the　rising　sun；　and　curved　away　and　away　to　east　and　west　above　the　waving　emerald　ocean　of　fronds　and　leaves。　It　looked　insurmountable；　that　giant　palisade　with　its　sheer　curtains　of　solid　rock　in　which　bits　of　quartz　winked　dazzlingly　in　the　sunlight。　But　the　man　who　was　working　his　tedious　way　upward　was　already　halfway　to　the　top。
　　He　came　from　a　race　of　hillmen；　accustomed　to　scaling　forbidding　crags；　and　he　was　a　man　of　unusual　strength　and　agility。　His　only　garment　was　a　pair　of　short　red　silk　breeks；　and　his　sandals　were　slung　to　his　back；　out　of　his　way；　as　were　his　sword　and　dagger。
　　The　man　was　powerfully　built；　supple　as　a　panther。　His　skin　was　bronzed　by　the　sun；　his　square…cut　black　mane　confined　by　a　silver　band　about　his　temples。　His　iron　muscles；　quick　eyes　and　sure　feet　served　him　well　here；　for　it　was　a　climb　to　test　these　qualities　to　the　utmost。　A　hundred　and　fifty　feet　below　him　waved　the　jungle。　An　equal　distance　above　him　the　rim　of　the　cliffs　was　etched　against　the　morning　sky。
　　He　labored　like　one　driven　by　the　necessity　of　haste；　yet　he　was　forced　to　move　at　a　snail's　pace；　clinging　like　a　fly　on　a　wall。　His　groping　hands　and　feet　found　niches　and　knobs；　precarious　holds　at　best；　and　sometimes　he　virtually　hung　by　his　finger　nails。　Yet　upward　he　went；　clawing；　squirming；　fighting　for　every　foot。　At　times　he　paused　to　rest　his　aching　muscles；　and；　shaking　the　sweat　out　of　his　eyes；　twisted　his　head　to　stare　searchingly　out　over　the　jungle；　bing　the　green　expanse　for　any　trace　of　human　life　or　motion。
　　Now　the　summit　was　not　far　above　him；　and　he　observed；　only　a　few　feet　above　his　head；　a　break　in　the　sheer　stone　of　the　cliff。　An　instant　later　he　had　reached　it…a　small　cavern；　just　below　the　edge　of　the　rim。　As　his　head　rose　above　the　lip　of　its　floor；　he　grunted。　He　clung　there；　his　elbows　hooked　over　the　lip。　The　cave　was　so　tiny　that　it　was　little　more　than　a　niche　cut　in　the　stone；　but　it　held　an　occupant。　A　shrivled　brown　mummy；　cross…legged；　arms　folded　on　the　withered　breast　upon　which　the　shrunken　head　was　sunk；　sat　in　the　little　cavern。　The　limbs　were　bound　in　place　with　rawhide　thongs　which　had　bee　mere　rotted　wisps。　If　the　form　had　ever　been　clothed；　the　ravages　of　time　had　long　ago　reduced　the　garments　to　dust。　But　thrust　between　the　crossed　arms　and　the　shrunken　breast　there　was　a　roll　of　parchment；　yellowed　with　age　to　the　color　of　old　ivory。
　　The　climber　stretched　forth　a　long　arm　and　wrenched　away　this　cylinder。　Without　investigation；　he　thrust　it　into　his　girdle　and　hauled　himself　up　until　he　was　standing　in　the　opening　of　the　niche。　A　spring　upward　and　he　caught　the　rim　of　the　cliffs　and　pulled　himself　up　and　over　almost　with　the　same　motion。
　　There　he　halted；　panting；　and　stared　downward。
　　It　was　like　looking　into　the　interior　of　a　vast　bowl；　rimmed　by　a　circular　stone　wall。　The　floor　of　the　bowl　was　covered　with　trees　and　denser　vegetation；　though　nowhere　did　the　growth　duplicate　the　jungle　denseness　of　the　outer　forest。　The　cliffs　marched　around　it　without　a　break　and　of　uniform　height。　It　was　a　freak　of　nature；　not　to　be　paralleled；　perhaps；　in　the　whole　world：　a　vast　natural　amphitheater；　a　circular　bit　of　forested　plain；　three　or　four　miles　in　diameter；　cut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　world；　and　confined　within　the　ring　of　those　palisaded　cliffs。
　　But　the　man　on　the　cliffs　did　not　devote　his　thoughts　to　marveling　at　the　topographical　phenomenon。　With　tense　eagerness　he　searched　the　tree…tops　below　him；　and　exhaled　a　gusty　sigh　when　he　caught　the　glint　of　marble　domes　amidst　the　twinkling　green。　It　was　no　myth；　then；　below　him　lay　the　fabulous　and　deserted　palace　of　Alkmeenon。
　　Conan　the　Cimmerian；　late　of　the　Baracha　Isles；　of　the　Black　Coast；　and　of　many　other　climes　where　life　ran　wild；　had　e　to　the　kingdom　of　Keshan　following　the　lure　of　a　fabled　treasure　that　outshone　the　hoard　of　the　Turanian　kings。
　　Keshan　was　a　barbaric　kingdom　lying　in　the　eastern　hinterlands　of　Kush　where　the　broad　grasslands　merge　with　the　forests　that　roll　up　from　the　south。　The　people　were　a　mixed　race；　a　dusky　nobility　ruling　a　population　that　was　largely　pure　Negro。　The　rulers…princes　and　high　priests…claimed　descent　from　a　white　race　which；　in　a　mythical　age；　had　ruled　a　kingdom　whose　capital　city　was　Alkmeenon。　Conflicting　legends　sought　to　explain　the　reason　for　that　race's　eventual　downfall；　and　the　abandonment　of　the　city　by　the　survivors。　Equally　nebulous　were　the　tales　of　the　Teeth　of　Gwahlur；　the　treasure　of　Alkmeenon。　But　these　misty　legends　had　been　enough　to　bring　Conan　to　Keshan；　over　vast　distances　of　plain；　riverlaced　jungle；　and　mountains。
　　He　had　found　Keshan；　which　in　itself　was　considered　mythical　by　many　northern　and　western　nations；　and　he　had　heard　enough　to　confirm　the　rumors　of　the　treasure　that　men　called　the　Teeth　of　Gwahlur。　But　its　hiding　place　he　could　not　learn；　and　he　was　confronted　with　the　necessity　of　explaining　his　presence　in　Keshan。　Unattached　strangers　were　not　wele　there。
　　But　he　was　not　nonplussed。　With　cool　assurance　he　made　his　offer　to　the　stately；　plumed；　suspicious　grandees　of　the　barbarically　magnificent　court。　He　was　a　professional　fighting　man。　In　search　of　employment　（