rh.conanthewarrior-第40部分

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　　Conan　shook　his　head。　〃Ashes。　The　Picts　had　piled　them　in　the　fort　and　set　fire　to　the　fort　before　they　crossed　the　river。　Their　own　dead　and　the　men　of　Valannus。〃
　　〃Valannus　was　killed　among　the　last…in　the　hand…to…hand　fighting　when　they　broke　the　barriers。　They　tried　to　take　him　alive；　but　he　made　them　kill　him。　They　took　ten　of　the　rest　of　us　prisoners　when　we　were　so　weak　from　fighting　we　could　fight　no　more。　They　butchered　nine　of　us　then　and　there。　It　was　when　Zogar　Sag　died　that　I　got　my　chance　to　break　free　and　run　for　it。〃
　　〃Zogar　Sag's　dead？〃　ejaculated　Conan。
　　〃Aye。　I　saw　him　die　That's　why　the　Picts　didn't　press　the　fight　against　Velitrium　as　fiercely　as　they　did　against　the　fort。　It　was　strange。　He　took　no　wounds　in　battle。　He　was　dancing　among　the　slain；　waving　an　ax　with　which　he'd　just　brained　the　last　of　my　rades。　He　came　at　me；　howling　like　a　wolf…and　then　he　staggered　and　dropped　the　ax；　and　began　to　reel　in　a　circle　screaming　as　I　never　heard　a　man　or　beast　scream　before。　He　fell　between　me　and　the　fire　they'd　built　to　roast　me；　gaging　and　frothing　at　the　mouth；　and　all　at　once　he　went　rigid　and　the　Picts　shouted　that　he　was　dead。　It　was　during　the　confusion　that　I　slipped　my　cords　and　ran　for　the　woods。
　　〃I　saw　him　lying　in　the　firelight。　No　weapon　had　touched　him。　Yet　there　were　red　marks　like　the　wounds　of　a　sword　in　the　groin；　belly；　and　neck…the　last　as　if　his　head　had　been　almost　severed　from　his　body。　What　do　you　make　of　that？〃
　　Conan　made　no　reply；　and　the　forester；　aware　of　the　reticence　of　barbarians　on　certain　matters；　continued：　〃He　lived　by　magic；　and　somehow；　he　died　by　magic。　It　was　the　mystery　of　his　death　that　took　the　heart　out　of　the　Picts。　Not　a　man　who　saw　it　was　in　the　fighting　before　Velitrium。　They　hurried　back　across　Black　River。　Those　that　struck　Thunder　River　were　warriors　who　had　e　on　before　Zogar　Sag　died。　They　were　not　enough　to　take　the　city　by　themselves。
　　〃I　came　along　the　road；　behind　their　main　force；　and　I　know　none　followed　me　from　the　fort。　I　sneaked　through　their　lines　and　got　into　the　town。　You　brought　the　settlers　through　all　right；　but　their　women　and　children　got　into　Velitrium　just　ahead　of　those　painted　devils。　If　the　youth　Balthus　and　old　Slasher　hadn't　held　them　up　awhile；　they'd　have　butchered　every　woman　and　child　in　Conajohara。　I　passed　the　place　where　Balthus　and　the　dog　made　their　last　stand。　They　were　lying　amid　a　heap　of　dead　Picts…I　counted　seven；　brained　by　his　ax；　or　disemboweled　by　the　dog's　fangs；　and　there　were　others　in　the　road　with　arrows　sticking　in　them。　Gods；　what　a　fight　that　must　have　been！〃
　　〃He　was　a　man；〃　said　Conan。　〃I　drink　to　his　shade；　and　to　the　shade　of　the　dog；　who　knew　no　fear。〃　He　quaffed　part　of　the　wine；　then　emptied　the　rest　upon　the　floor；　with　a　curious　heathen　gesture；　and　smashed　the　goblet。　〃The　heads　of　ten　Picts　shall　pay　for　his；　and　seven　heads　for　the　dog；　who　was　a　better　warrior　than　many　a　man。〃
　　And　the　forester；　staring　into　the　moody；　smoldering　blue　eyes；　knew　the　barbaric　oath　would　be　kept。
　　〃They'll　not　rebuild　the　fort？〃
　　〃No；　Conajohara　is　lost　to　Aquilonia。　The　frontier　has　been　pushed　back。　Thunder　River　will　be　the　new　border。〃
　　The　woodsman　sighed　and　stared　at　his　calloused　hand；　worn　from　contact　with　ax…haft　and　sword…hilt。　Conan　reached　his　long　arm　for　the　wine…jug。　The　forester　stared　at　him；　paring　him　with　the　men　about　them；　the　men　who　had　died　along　the　lost　river；　paring　him　with　those　other　wild　men　over　that　river。　Conan　did　not　seem　aware　of　his　gaze。
　　〃Barbarism　is　the　natural　state　of　mankind；〃　the　borderer　said；　still　staring　somberly　at　the　Cimmerian。　〃Civilization　is　unnatural。　It　is　a　whim　of　circumstance。　And　barbarism　must　always　ultimately　triumph。〃



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