rh.conanthewarrior-第35部分

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　　With　its　head　low　it　glided　toward　them。　It　was　smelling　out　their　trail。　Then　it　halted　as　if　frozen；　its　muzzle　almost　touching　the　symbol　cut　in　the　mold。　For　a　long　space　it　crouched　motionless；　it　flattened　its　long　body　and　laid　its　head　on　the　ground　before　the　mark。　And　Balthus　felt　the　short　hairs　stir　on　his　scalp。　For　the　attitude　of　the　great　carnivore　was　one　of　awe　and　adoration。
　　Then　the　panther　rose　and　backed　away　carefully；　belly　almost　to　the　ground。　With　his　hind…quarters　among　the　bushes　he　wheeled　as　if　in　sudden　panic　and　was　gone　like　a　flash　of　dappled　light。
　　Balthus　mopped　his　brow　with　a　trembling　hand　and　glanced　at　Conan。
　　The　barbarian's　eyes　were　smoldering　with　fires　that　never　lit　the　eyes　of　men　bred　to　the　ideas　of　civilization。　In　that　instant　he　was　all　wild；　and　had　forgotten　the　man　at　his　side。　In　his　burning　gaze　Balthus　glimpsed　and　vaguely　recognized　pristine　images　and　half…embodied　memories；　shadows　from　Life's　dawn；　forgotten　and　repudiated　by　sophisticated　races…ancient；　primeval　fantasms　unnamed　and　nameless。
　　Then　the　deeper　fires　were　masked　and　Conan　was　silently　leading　the　way　deeper　into　the　forest。
　　〃We've　no　more　to　fear　from　the　beasts；〃　he　said　after　a　while；　〃but　we've　left　a　sign　for　men　to　read。　They　won't　follow　our　trail　very　easily；　and　until　they　find　that　symbol　they　won't　know　for　sure　we've　turned　south。　Even　then　it　won't　be　easy　to　smell　us　out　without　the　beasts　to　aid　them。　But　the　woods　south　of　the　trail　will　be　full　of　warriors　looking　for　us。　If　we　keep　moving　after　daylight；　we'll　be　sure　to　run　into　some　of　them。　As　soon　as　we　find　a　good　place　we'll　hide　and　wait　until　another　night　to　swing　back　and　make　the　river。　We've　got　to　warn　Valannus；　but　it　won't　help　him　any　if　we　get　ourselves　killed。〃
　　〃Warn　Valannus？〃
　　〃Hell；　the　woods　along　the　river　are　swarming　with　Picts！　That's　why　they　got　us。　Zogar's　brewing　war…magic；　no　mere　raid　this　time。　He's　done　something　no　Pict　has　done　in　my　memory…united　as　many　as　fifteen　or　sixteen　clans。　His　magic　did　it；　they'll　follow　a　wizard　farther　than　they　will　a　war…chief。　You　saw　the　mob　in　the　village；　and　there　were　hundreds　hiding　along　the　river　bank　that　you　didn't　see。　More　ing；　from　the　farther　villages。　He'll　have　at　least　three　thousand　fighting…men。　I　lay　in　the　bushes　and　heard　their　talk　as　they　went　past。　They　mean　to　attack　the　fort；　when；　I　don't　know；　but　Zogar　doesn't　dare　delay　long。　He's　gathered　them　and　whipped　them　into　a　frenzy。　If　he　doesn't　lead　them　into　battle　quickly；　they'll　fall　to　quarreling　with　one　another。　They're　like　blood…mad　tigers。
　　〃I　don't　know　whether　they　can　take　the　fort　or　not。　Anyway；　we've　got　to　get　back　across　the　river　and　give　the　warning。　The　settlers　on　the　Velitrium　road　must　either　get　into　the　fort　or　back　to　Velitrium。　While　the　Picts　are　besieging　the　fort；　war　parties　will　range　the　road　far　to　the　east…might　even　cross　Thunder　River　and　raid　the　thickly　settled　country　behind　Velitrium。〃
　　As　he　talked　he　was　leading　the　way　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　ancient　wilderness。　Presently　he　grunted　with　satisfaction。　They　had　reached　a　spot　where　the　underbrush　was　more　scattered；　and　an　outcropping　of　stone　was　visible；　wandering　off　southward。　Balthus　felt　more　secure　as　they　followed　it。　Not　even　a　Pict　could　trail　them　over　naked　rock。
　　〃How　did　you　get　away？〃　he　asked　presently。
　　Conan　tapped　his　mail…shirt　and　helmet。
　　〃If　more　borderers　would　wear　harness　there'd　be　fewer　skulls　hanging　on　the　altar…huts。　But　most　men　make　noise　if　they　wear　armor。　They　were　waiting　on　each　side　of　the　path；　without　moving。　And　when　a　Pict　stands　motionless；　the　very　beasts　of　the　forest　pass　him　without　seeing　him。　They'd　seen　us　crossing　the　river　and　got　in　their　places。　If　they'd　gone　into　ambush　after　we　left　the　bank；　I'd　have　had　some　hint　of　it。　But　they　were　waiting；　and　not　even　a　leaf　trembled。　The　devil　himself　couldn't　have　suspected　anything。　The　first　suspicion　I　had　was　when　I　heard　a　shaft　rasp　against　a　bow　as　it　was　pulled　back。　I　dropped　and　yelled　for　the　men　behind　me　to　drop；　but　they　were　too　slow；　taken　by　surprise　like　that。
　　〃Most　of　them　fell　at　the　first　volley　that　raked　us　from　both　sides。　Some　of　the　arrows　crossed　the　trail　and　struck　Picts　on　the　other　side。　I　heard　them　howl。〃　He　grinned　with　vicious　satisfaction。　〃Such　of　us　as　were　left　plunged　into　the　woods　and　closed　with　them。　When　I　saw　the　others　were　all　down　or　taken；　I　broke　through　and　outfooted　the　painted　devils　through　the　darkness。　They　were　all　around　me。　I　ran　and　crawled　and　sneaked；　and　sometimes　I　lay　on　my　belly　under　the　bushes　while　they　passed　me　on　all　sides。
　　〃I　tried　for　the　shore　and　found　it　lined　with　them；　waiting　for　just　such　a　move。　But　i'd　have　cut　my　way　through　and　taken　a　chance　on　swimming；　only　I　heard　the　drums　pounding　in　the　village　and　knew　they'd　taken　somebody　alive。
　　〃They　were　all　so　engrossed　in　Zogar's　magic　that　I　was　able　to　climb　the　wall　behind　the　altar…hut。　There　was　a　warrior　supposed　to　be　watching　at　that　point；　but　he　was　squatting　behind　the　hut　and　peering　around　the　corner　at　the　ceremony。　I　came　up　behind　him　and　broke　his　neck　with　my　hands　before　he　knew　what　was　happening。　It　was　his　spear　I　threw　into　the　snake；　and　that's　his　ax　you're　carrying。〃
　　〃But　what　was　that…that　thing　you　killed　in　the　altar…hut？〃　asked　Balthus；　with　a　shiver　at　the　memory　of　the　dim…seen　horror。
　　〃One　of　Zogar's　gods。　One　of　Jhebbal's　children　that　didn't　remember　and　had　to　be　kept　chained　to　the　altar。　A　bull　ape。　The　Picts　think　they're　sacred　to　the　Hairy　One　who　lives　on　the　moon…the　gorilla…god　of　Gullah。
　　〃It's　getting　light。　Here's　a　good　place　to　hide　until　we　see　how　close　they're　on　our　trail。　Probably　have　to　wait　until　night　to　break　back　to　the　river。〃
　　A　low　hill　pitched　upward；　girdled　and　covered　with　thick　trees　and　bushes。　Near　the　crest　Conan　slid　into　a　tangle　of　jutting　rocks；　crowned　by　dense　bushes。　Lying　among　them　they　could　see　the　jungle　below　without　being　seen。　It　was　a　good　place　to　hide　or　defend。　Balthus　did　not　believe　that　even　a　Pict　could　have　trailed　them　over　the　rocky　ground　for　the　past　four　or　five　miles；　but　he　was　afraid　of　the　beasts　that　obeyed　Zogar　Sag。　His　faith　in　the　curious　symbol　wavered　a　little　now。　But　Conan　had　dismissed　the　possibility　of　beasts　tracking　them。
　　A　ghostly　whiteness　spread　through　the　dense　branches；　the　patches　of　sky　visible　altered　in　hue；　grew　from　pink　to　blue。　Balthus　felt　the　gnawing　of　hunger；　though　he　had　slaked　his　thirst　at　a　stream　they　had　skirted。　There　was　plete　silence；　except　for　an　occasional　chirp　of　a　bird。　The　drums　were　no　longer　to　be　heard。　Balthus'　thoughts　reverted　to　the　grim　scene　before　the　altar…hut。
　　〃Those　were　ostrich　plumes　Zogar　Sag　wore；〃　he　said。　〃I've　seen　them　on　the　helmets　of　knights　who　rode　from　the　East　to　visit　the　barons　of　the　marches。　There　are　no　ostriches　in　this　forest；　are　there？〃
　　〃They　came　from　Kush；〃　answered　Conan。　〃West　of　here；　many　marches；　lies　the　seashore。　Ships　from　Zingara　occasionally　e　and　trade　weapons　and　ornaments　and　wine　to　the　coastal　tribes　for　skins　and　copper　ore　and　gold　dust。　Sometimes　they　trade　ostrich　plumes　they　got　from　the　Stygians；　who　in　turn　got　them　from　the　black　tribes　of　Kush；　which　lies　south　of　Stygia。　The　Pictish　shamans　place　great　store　by　them。　But　there's　much　risk　in　such　trade。　The　Picts　are　too　likely　to　try　to　seize　the　ship。　And　the　coast　is　dangerous　to　ships。　I've　sailed　along　it　when　I　was　with　the　pirates　of　the　Barachan　Isles；　which　lie　southwest　of　Zingara。〃
　　Balthus　looked　at　his　panion　with　admiration。
　　〃I　knew　you　hadn't　spent　your　life　on　this　frontier。　You've　mentioned　several　far　places。　You've　traveled　widely？〃
　　〃I've　roamed　far；　farther　than　any　other　man　of　my　race　ever　wandered。　I've　seen　all　the　great　cities　of　the　Hyborians；　the　Shemites；　the　Stygians；　and　the　Hyrkanians。　I've　roamed　in　the　unknown　countries　south　of　the　black　kingdoms　of　Kush；　and　east　of　the　Sea　of　Vilayet。　I've　been　a　mercenary　captain；　a　corsair；　a　kozak；　a　penniless　vagabond；　a　general…hell；　I've　been　everything　except　a　king　of　a　civilized　country；　and　I　may　be　that；　before　I　die。〃　The　fancy　pleased　him；　and　he　grinned　hardly。　Then　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　stretched　his　mighty　figure　on　the　rocks。　〃This　is　as　good　a　life　as　any。　I　don't　know　how　long　I'll　stay　on　the　frontier；　a　week；　a　month；　a　year。　I　have　a　roving　foot。　But　it's　as　well　on　the　border　as　anywhere。〃
　　Balthus　set　himself　to　watch　the　forest　below　them。　Momentarily　he　expected　to　see　fierce　painted　faces　thrust　through　the　leaves。　But　as　the　hours　passed　no　stealthy　footfall　disturbed　the　brooding　quiet。　Balthus　believed　the　Picts　had　missed　their　trail　and　given　up　the　chase。　Conan　grew　restless。
　　〃We　should　have　sighted　parties　scouring　the　woods　for　us。　If　they've　quit　the　chase；　it's　because　they're　after　bigger　game。　They　may　be　gathering　to　cross　the　river　and　storm　the　fort。〃
　　〃Would　they　e　this　far　south　if　they　lost　the　trail？〃
　　〃They've　lost　the　trail；　all　right；　otherwise　they'd　have　been　on　our　necks　before　now。　Under　ordinary　circumstances　they'd　scour　the　woods　for　miles　in　every　direction。　Some　of　them　should　have　passed　without　sight　of　this　hill。　They　must　be　preparing　to　cross　the　river。　We've　got　to　take　a　chance　and　make　for　the　river。〃
　　Creeping　down　the　rocks　Balthus　felt　his　flesh　crawl　between　his　shoulders　as　he　momentarily　expected　a　withering　blast　of　arrows　from　the　green　masses　above　them。　He　feared　that　the　Picts　had　discovered　them　and　were　lying　about　in　ambush。　But　Conan　was　convinced　no　enemies　were　near；　and　the　Cimmerian　was　right。
　　〃We're　miles　to　the　south　of　the　village；〃　grunted　Conan。　〃We'll　hit　straight　through　for　the　river。　I　don't　know　how　far　down　the　river　they've　spread；　We'll　hope　to　hit　it　below　them。〃
　　With　haste　that　seemed　reckless　to　Balthus　they　hurried　eastward。　The　woods　seemed　empty　of　life。　Conan　believed　that　all　the　Picts　were　gathered　in　the　vicinity　of　Gwawela；　if；　indeed；　they　had　not　already　crossed　the　river。　He　did　not