rh.conanthewarrior-第18节

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　　〃I　have　chosen　you　for　a　great　honor；〃　she　said。　〃You　shall　restore　the　youth　of　Tascela。　Oh；　you　stare　at　that！　My　appearance　is　that　of　youth；　but　through　my　veins　creeps　the　sluggish　chill　of　approaching　age；　as　I　have　felt　it　a　thousand　times　before。　I　am　old；　so　old　I　do　not　remember　my　childhood。　But　I　was　a　girl　once；　and　a　priest　of　Stygia　loved　me；　and　gave　me　the　secret　of　immortality　and　youth　everlasting。　He　died；　then…some　said　by　poison。　But　I　dwelt　in　my　palace　by　the　shores　of　Lake　Zuad　and　the　passing　years　touched　me　not。　So　at　last　a　king　of　Stygia　desired　me；　and　my　people　rebelled　and　brought　me　to　this　land。　Olmec　called　me　a　princess。　I　am　not　of　royal　blood。　I　am　greater　than　a　princess。　I　am　Tascela；　whose　youth　your　own　glorious　youth　shall　restore。〃
　　Valeria's　tongue　clove　to　the　roof　of　her　mouth。　She　sensed　here　a　mystery　darker　than　the　degeneracy　she　had　anticipated。
　　The　taller　woman　unbound　the　Aquilonian's　wrists　and　pulled　her　to　her　feet。　It　was　not　fear　of　the　dominant　strength　that　lurked　in　the　princess'　limbs　that　made　Valeria　a　helpless；　quivering　captive　in　her　hands。　It　was　the　burning；　hypnotic；　terrible　eyes　of　Tascela。
　　
　　
　　　7。　　He　es　from　the　Dark
　　
　　〃Well；　I'm　a　Kushite！〃
　　Conan　glared　down　at　the　man　on　the　iron　rack。
　　〃What　the　devil　are　you　doing　on　that　thing？〃
　　Incoherent　sounds　issued　from　behind　the　gag　and　Conan　bent　and　tore　it　away；　evoking　a　bellow　of　fear　from　the　captive；　for　his　action　caused　the　iron　ball　to　lurch　down　until　it　nearly　touched　the　broad　breast。
　　〃Be　careful；　for　Set's　sake！〃　begged　Olmec。
　　〃What　for？〃　demanded　Conan。　〃Do　you　think　I　care　what　happens　to　you？　I　only　wish　I　had　time　to　stay　here　and　watch　that　chunk　of　iron　grind　your　guts　out。　But　I'm　in　a　hurry。　Where's　Valeria？〃
　　〃Loose　me！〃　urged　Olmec。　〃I　will　tell　you　all！〃
　　〃Tell　me　first。〃
　　〃Never！〃　The　prince's　heavy　jaws　set　stubbornly。
　　〃All　right。〃　Conan　seated　himself　on　a　near…by　bench。　〃I'll　find　her　myself；　after　you've　been　reduced　to　a　jelly。　I　believe　I　can　speed　up　that　process　by　twisting　my　sword…point　around　in　your　ear；〃　he　added；　extending　the　weapon　experimentally。
　　〃Wait！〃　Words　came　in　a　rush　from　the　captive's　ashy　lips。　〃Tascela　took　her　from　me。　I've　never　been　anything　but　a　puppet　in　Tascela's　hands。〃
　　〃Tascela？〃　snorted　Conan；　and　spat。　〃Why；　the　filthy…〃
　　〃No；　no！〃　panted　Olmec。　〃It's　worse　than　you　think。　Tascela　is　old…centuries　old。　She　renews　her　life　and　her　youth　by　the　sacrifice　of　beautiful　young　women。　That's　one　thing　that　has　reduced　the　clan　to　its　present　state。　She　will　draw　the　essence　of　Valeria's　life　into　her　own　body；　and　bloom　with　fresh　vigor　and　beauty。〃
　　〃Are　the　doors　locked？〃　asked　Conan；　thumbing　his　sword　edge。
　　〃Aye！　But　I　know　a　way　to　get　into　Tecuhltli。　Only　Tascela　and　I　know；　and　she　thinks　me　helpless　and　you　slain。　Free　me　and　I　swear　I　will　help　you　rescue　Valeria。　Without　my　help　you　cannot　win　into　Tecuhltli；　for　even　if　you　tortured　me　into　revealing　the　secret；　you　couldn't　work　it。　Let　me　go；　and　we　will　steal　on　Tascela　and　kill　her　before　she　can　work　magic…before　she　can　fix　her　eyes　on　us。　A　knife　thrown　from　behind　will　do　the　work。　I　should　have　killed　her　thus　long　ago；　but　I　feared　that　without　her　to　aid　us　the　Xotalancas　would　overe　us。　She　needed　my　help；　too；　that's　the　only　reason　she　let　me　live　this　long。　Now　neither　needs　the　other；　and　one　must　die。　I　swear　that　when　we　have　slain　the　witch；　you　and　Valeria　shall　go　free　without　harm。　My　people　will　obey　me　when　Tascela　is　dead。〃
　　Conan　stooped　and　cut　the　ropes　that　held　the　prince；　and　Olmec　slid　cautiously　from　under　the　great　ball　and　rose；　shaking　his　head　like　a　bull　and　muttering　imprecations　as　he　fingered　his　lacerated　scalp。　Standing　shoulder　to　shoulder　the　two　men　presented　a　formidable　picture　of　primitive　power。　Olmec　was　as　tall　as　Conan；　and　heavier；　but　there　was　something　repellent　about　the　Tlazitlan；　something　abysmal　and　monstrous　that　contrasted　unfavorably　with　the　clean…cut；　pact　hardness　of　the　Cimmerian。　Conan　had　discarded　the　remnants　of　his　tattered；　blood…soaked　shirt；　and　stood　with　his　remarkable　muscular　development　impressively　revealed。　His　great　shoulders　were　as　broad　as　those　of　Olmec；　and　more　cleanly　outlined；　and　his　huge　breast　arched　with　a　more　impressive　sweep　to　a　hard　waist　that　lacked　the　paunchy　thickness　of　Olmec's　midsection。　He　might　have　been　an　image　of　primal　strength　cut　out　of　bronze。　Olmec　was　darker；　but　not　from　the　burning　of　the　sun。　If　Conan　was　a　figure　out　of　the　dawn　of　time；　Olmec　was　a　shambling；　somber　shape　from　the　darkness　of　time's　pre…dawn。
　　〃Lead　on；〃　demanded　Conan。　〃And　keep　ahead　of　me。　I　don't　trust　you　any　farther　than　I　can　throw　a　bull　by　the　tail。〃
　　Olmec　turned　and　stalked　on　ahead　of　him；　one　hand　twitching　slightly　as　it　plucked　at　his　matted　beard。
　　Olmec　did　not　lead　Conan　back　to　the　bronze　door；　which　the　prince　naturally　supposed　Tascela　had　locked；　but　to　a　certain　chamber　on　the　border　of　Tecuhltli。
　　〃This　secret　has　been　guarded　for　half　a　century；〃　he　said。　〃Not　even　our　own　clan　knew　of　it；　and　the　Xotalancas　never　learned。　Tecuhltli　himself　built　this　secret　entrance；　afterwards　slaying　the　slaves　who　did　the　work　for　he　feared　that　he　might　find　himself　locked　out　of　his　own　kingdom　some　day　because　of　the　spite　of　Tascela；　whose　passion　for　him　soon　changed　to　hate。　But　she　discovered　the　secret；　and　barred　the　hidden　door　against　thim　one　day　as　he　fled　back　from　an　unsuccessful　raid；　and　the　Xotalancas　took　him　and　flayed　him。　But　once；　spying　upon　her；　I　saw　her　enter　Tecuhltli　by　this　route；　and　so　learned　the　secret。〃
　　He　pressed　upon　a　gold　ornament　in　the　wall；　and　a　panel　swung　inward；　disclosing　an　ivory　stair　leading　upward。
　　〃This　stair　is　built　within　the　wall；〃　said　Olmec。　〃It　leads　up　to　a　tower　upon　the　roof；　and　thence　other　stairs　wind　down　to　the　various　chambers。　Hasten！〃
　　〃After　you；　rade！〃　retorted　Conan　satirically；　swaying　his　broadsword　as　he　spoke；　and　Olmec　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　stepped　onto　the　staircase。　Conan　instantly　followed　him；　and　the　door　shut　behind　them。　Far　above　a　cluster　of　fire…jewels　made　the　staircase　a　well　of　dusky　dragon…light。
　　They　mounted　until　Conan　estimated　that　they　were　above　the　level　of　the　fourth　floor；　and　then　came　out　into　a　cylindrical　tower；　in　the　domed　roof　of　which　was　set　the　bunch　of　fire…jewels　that　lighted　the　stair。　Through　gold…barred　windows；　set　with　unbreakable　crystal　panes；　the　first　windows　he　had　seen　in　Xuchotl；　Conan　got　a　glimpse　of　high　ridges；　domes　and　more　towers；　looming　darkly　against　the　stars。　He　was　looking　across　the　roofs　of　Xuchotl。
　　Olmec　did　not　look　through　the　windows。　He　hurried　down　one　of　the　several　stairs　that　wound　down　from　the　tower；　and　when　they　had　descended　a　few　feet；　this　stair　changed　into　a　narrow　corridor　that　wound　tortuously　on　for　some　distance。　It　ceased　at　a　steep　flight　of　steps　leading　downward。　There　Olmec　paused。
　　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