rh.conanthewarrior-第9部分

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orearm　massive　with　corded　muscles。　The　band　which　confined　his　blue…black　locks　was　set　with　glittering　jewels。
　　The　woman　beside　him　sprang　to　her　feet　with　a　startled　exclamation　as　the　strangers　entered；　and　her　eyes；　passing　over　Conan；　fixed　themselves　with　burning　intensity　on　Valeria。　She　was　tall　and　lithe；　by　far　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　the　room。　She　was　clad　more　scantily　even　than　the　others；　for　instead　of　a　skirt　she　wore　merely　a　broad　strip　of　gilt…worked　purple　cloth　fastened　to　the　middle　of　her　girdle　which　fell　below　her　knees。　Another　strip　at　the　back　of　her　girdle　pleted　that　part　of　her　costume；　which　she　wore　with　a　cynical　indifference。　Her　breast…plates　and　the　circlet　about　her　temples　were　adorned　with　gems。　In　her　eyes　alone　of　all　the　dark…skinned　people　there　lurked　no　brooding　gleam　of　madness。　She　spoke　no　word　after　her　first　exclamation；　she　stood　tensely；　her　hands　clenched；　staring　at　Valeria。
　　The　man　on　the　ivory　seat　had　not　risen。
　　〃Prince　Olmec；〃　spoke　Techotl；　bowing　low；　with　arms　outspread　and　the　palms　of　his　hands　turned　upward；　〃I　bring　allies　from　the　world　beyond　the　forest。　In　the　Chamber　of　Tezcoti　the　Burning　Skull　slew　Chicmec；　my　panion…〃
　　〃The　Burning　Skull！〃　It　was　a　shuddering　whisper　of　fear　from　the　people　of　Tecuhltli。
　　〃Aye！　Then　came　I；　and　found　Chicmec　lying　with　his　throat　cut。　Before　I　could　flee；　the　Burning　Skull　came　upon　me；　and　when　I　looked　upon　it　my　blood　became　as　ice　and　the　marrow　of　my　bones　melted。　I　could　neither　fight　nor　run。　I　could　only　await　the　stroke。　Then　came　this　white…skinned　woman　and　struck　him　down　with　her　sword；　and　lo；　it　was　only　a　dog　of　Xotalanc　with　white　paint　upon　his　skin　and　the　living　skull　of　an　ancient　wizard　upon　his　head！　Now　that　skull　lies　in　many　pieces；　and　the　dog　who　wore　it　is　a　dead　man！〃
　　An　indescribably　fierce　exultation　edged　the　last　sentence；　and　was　echoed　in　the　low；　savage　exclamations　from　the　crowding　listeners。
　　〃But　wait！〃　exclaimed　Techotl。　〃There　is　more！　While　I　talked　with　the　woman；　four　Xotalancs　came　upon　us！　One　I　slew…there　is　the　stab　in　my　thigh　to　prove　how　desperate　was　the　fight。　Two　the　woman　killed。　But　we　were　hard　pressed　when　this　man　came　into　the　fray　and　split　the　skull　of　the　fourth！　Aye！　Five　crimson　nails　there　are　to　be　driven　into　the　pillar　of　vengeance！〃
　　He　pointed　to　a　black　column　of　ebony　which　stood　behind　the　dais。　Hundreds　of　red　dots　scarred　its　polished　surface…the　bright　scarlet　heads　of　heavy　copper　nails　driven　into　the　black　wood。
　　〃Five　red　nails　for　five　Xotalanca　lives！〃　exulted　Techotl；　and　the　horrible　exultation　in　the　faces　of　the　listeners　made　them　inhuman。
　　〃Who　are　these　people？〃　asked　Olmec；　and　his　voice　was　like　the　low；　deep　rumble　of　a　distant　bull。　None　of　the　people　of　Xuchotl　spoke　loudly。　It　was　as　if　they　had　absorbed　into　their　souls　the　silence　of　the　empty　halls　and　deserted　chambers。
　　〃I　am　Conan；　a　Cimmerian；〃　answered　the　barbarian　briefly。　〃This　woman　is　Valeria　of　the　Red　Brotherhood；　an　Aquilonian　pirate。　We　are　deserters　from　an　army　on　the　Darfar　border；　far　to　the　north；　and　are　trying　to　reach　the　coast。〃
　　The　woman　on　the　dais　spoke　loudly；　her　words　tripping　in　her　haste。
　　〃You　can　never　reach　the　coast！　There　is　no　escape　from　Xuchotl！　You　will　spend　the　rest　of　your　lives　in　this　city！〃
　　〃What　do　you　mean；〃　growled　Conan；　clapping　his　hand　to　his　hilt　and　stepping　about　so　as　to　face　both　the　dais　and　the　rest　of　the　room。　〃Are　you　telling　us　we're　prisoners？〃
　　〃She　did　not　mean　that；〃　interposed　Olmec。　〃We　are　your　friends。　We　would　not　restrain　you　against　your　will。　But　I　fear　other　circumstances　will　make　it　impossible　for　you　to　leave　Xuchotl。〃
　　His　eyes　flickered　to　Valeria；　and　he　lowered　them　quickly。
　　〃This　woman　is　Tascela；〃　he　said。　〃She　is　a　princess　of　Tecuhltli。　But　let　food　and　drink　be　brought　our　guests。　Doubtless　they　are　hungry；　and　weary　from　their　long　travels。〃
　　He　indicated　an　ivory　table；　and　after　an　exchange　of　glances；　the　adventurers　seated　themselves。　The　Cimmerian　was　suspicious。　His　fierce　blue　eyes　roved　about　the　chamber；　and　he　kept　his　sword　close　to　his　hand。　But　an　invitation　to　eat　and　drink　never　found　him　backward。　His　eyes　kept　wandering　to　Tascela；　but　the　princess　had　eyes　only　for　his　white…skinned　panion。
　　Techotl；　who　had　bound　a　strip　of　silk　about　his　wounded　thigh；　placed　himself　at　the　table　to　attend　to　the　wants　of　his　friends；　seeming　to　consider　it　a　privilege　and　honor　to　see　after　their　needs。　He　inspected　the　food　and　drink　the　others　brought　in　gold　vessels　and　dishes；　and　tasted　each　before　he　placed　it　before　his　guests。　While　they　ate；　Olmec　sat　in　silence　on　his　ivory　seat；　watching　them　from　under　his　broad　black　brows。　Tascela　sat　beside　him；　chin　cupped　in　her　hands　and　her　elbows　resting　on　her　knees。　Her　dark；　enigmatic　eyes；　burning　with　a　mysterious　light；　never　left　Valeria's　supple　figure。　Behind　her　seat　a　sullen　handsome　girl　waved　an　ostrich…plume　fan　with　a　slow　rhythm。
　　The　food　was　fruit　of　an　exotic　kind　unfamiliar　to　the　wanderers；　but　very　palatable；　and　the　drink　was　a　light　crimson　wine　that　carried　a　heady　tang。
　　〃You　have　e　from　afar；〃　said　Olmec　at　last。　〃I　have　read　the　books　of　our　fathers。　Aquilonia　lies　beyone　the　lands　of　the　Stygians　and　the　Shemites；　beyond　Argos　and　Zingara；　and　Cimmeria　lies　beyond　Aquilonia。〃
　　〃We　have　each　a　roving　foot；〃　answered　Conan　carelessly。
　　〃How　you　won　through　the　forest　is　a　wonder　to　me；〃　quoth　Olmec。　〃In　bygone　days　a　thousand　fighting　men　scarcely　were　able　to　carve　a　road　through　its　perils。〃
　　〃We　encountered　a　bench…legged　monstrosity　about　the　size　of　a　mastodon；〃　said　Conan　casually；　holding　out　his　wine　goblet　which　Techutl　filled　with　evident　pleasure。　〃But　when　we'd　killed　it　we　had　no　further　trouble。〃
　　The　wine　vessel　slipped　from　Techotl's　hand　to　crash　on　the　floor。　His　dusky　skin　went　ashy。　Olmec　started　to　his　feet；　an　image　of　stunned　amazement；　and　a　low　gasp　of　awe　or　terror　breathed　up　from　the　others。　Some　slipped　to　their　knees　as　if　their　legs　would　not　support　them。　Only　Tascela　seemed　not　to　have　heard。　Conan　glared　about　him　bewilderedly。
　　〃What's　the　matter？　What　are　you　gaping　about？〃
　　〃You…you　slew　the　dragon…god？〃
　　〃God？　I　killed　a　dragon。　Why　not？　It　was　trying　to　gobble　us　up。〃
　　〃But　dragons　are　immortal！〃　exclaimed　Olmec。　〃They　slay　each　other；　but　no　man　ever　killed　a　dragon！　The　thousand　fighting　men　of　our　ancestors　who　fought　their　way　to　Xuchotl　could　not　prevail　against　them！　Their　swords　broke　like　twigs　against　their　scales！〃
　　〃If　your　ancestors　had　thought　to　dip　their　spears　in　the　poisonous　juice　of　Derketa's　Apples；〃　quoth　Conan；　with　his　mouth　full；　〃and　jab　them　in　the　eyes　or　mouth　or　somewhere　like　that；　they'd　have　seen　that　dragons　are　no　more　immortal　than　any　other　chunk　of　beef。　The　carcass　lies　at　the　edge　of　the　trees；　just　within　the　forest。　If　you　don't　believe　me；　go　and　look　for　yourself。〃
　　Olmec　shook　his　head；　not　in　disbelief　but　in　wonder。
　　〃It　was　because　of　the　dragons　that　our　ancestors　took　refuge　in　Xuchotl；〃　said　he。　〃They　dared　not　pass　through　the　plain　and　plunge　into　the　forest　beyond。　Scores　of　them　were　seized　and　devoured　by　the　monsters　before　they　could　reach　the　city。〃
　　〃Then　your　ancestors　didn't　build　Xuchotl？〃　asked　Valeria。
　　〃It　was　ancient　when　they　first　came　into　the　land。　How　long　it　had　stood　here；　not　even　its　degenerate　inhabitants　knew。〃
　　〃Your　people　came　from　Lake　Zuad？〃　questioned　Conan。
　　〃Aye。　More　than　half　a　century　ago　a　tribe　of　the　Tlazitlans　rebelled　against　the　Stygian　king；　and；　being　defeated　in　battle；　fled　southward。　For　many　weeks　they　wandered　over　grasslands；　desert　and　hills；　and　at　last　they　came　into　the　great　forest；　a　thousand　fighting　men　with　their　women　and　children。
　　〃It　was　in　the　forest　that　the　dragons　fell　upon　them　and　tore　many　to　pieces；　so　the　people　fled　in　a　frenzy　of　fear　before　them；　and　at　last　came　into　the　plain　and　saw　the　city　of　Xuchotl　in　the　midst　of　it。
　　〃They　camped　before　the　city；　not　daring　to　leave　the　plain；　for　the　night　was　made　hideous　with　the　noise　of　the　battling　monsters　through　the　forest。　They　made　war　incessantly　upon　one　another。　Yet　they　came　not　into　the　plain。
　　〃The　people　of　the　city　shut　their　gates　and　shot　arrows　at　our　people　from　the　walls。　The　Tlazitlans　were　imprisoned　on　the　plain；　as　if　the　ring　of　the　forest　had　been　a　great　wall；　for　to　venture　into　the　woods　would　have　been　madness。
　　〃That　night　there　came　secretly　to　their　camp　a　slave　from　the　city；　one　of　their　own　blood；　who　with　a　band　of　exploring　soldiers　had　wandered　into　the　forest　long　before；　when　he　was　a　young　man。　The　dragons　had　devoured　all　his　panions；　but　he　had　been　taken　into　the　city　to　dwell　in　servitude。　His　name　was　Tolkemec。〃　A　flame　lighted　the　dark　eyes　at　mention　of　the　name；　and　some　of　the　people　muttered　obscenely　and　spat。　〃He　promised　to　open　the　gates　to　the　warriors。　He　asked　only　that　all　captives　taken　be　delivered　into　his　hands。
　　〃At　dawn　he　opened　the　gates。　The　warriors　swarmed　in　and　the　halls　of　Xuchotl　ran　red。　Only　a　few　hundred　folk　dwelt　there；　decaying　remnants　of　a　once　great　race。　Tolkemec　said　they　came　from　the　east；　long　ago；　from　Old　Kosala；　when　the　ancestors　of　those　who　now　dwell　in　Kosala　came　up　from　the　south　and　drove　forth　the　original　inhabitants　of　the　land。　They　wandered　far　westward　and　finally　found　this　forest…girdled　plain；　inhabited　then　by　a　tribe　of　black　people。
　　〃These　they　enslaved　and　set　to　building　a　city。　From　the　hills　to　the　east　they　brought　jade　and　marble　and　lapis　lazuli；　and　gold；　silver；　and　copper。　Herds　of　elephants　provided　them　with　ivory。　When　their　city　was　pleted；　they　slew　all　the　black　slaves。　And　their　magicians　made　a　terrible　magic　to　guard　the　city；　for　by　their　necromantic　arts　they　re…created　the　dragons　which　had　once　dwelt　in　this　lost　land；　and　whose　monstrous　bones　they　found　in　the　forest。　Those　bones　they　clothed　in　flesh　and　life；　and　the　living　beasts　walked　the　earth　as　they　walked　it　when　time　was　young。　But　the　w