rh.conanthewarrior-第27节

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scenes　depicted　had　no　connection　with　anything　Pelishti；　except　for　one　human　figure；　frequently　recurrent：　a　lean；　white…bearded　old　man　whose　racial　characteristics　were　unmistakable。　They　seemed　to　represent　various　sections　of　the　palace　above。　Several　scenes　showed　a　chamber　he　recognized　as　the　oracle　chamber　with　the　figure　of　Yelaya　stretched　upon　the　ivory　dais　and　huge　black　men　kneeling　before　it。　And　there　behind　the　wall；　in　the　niche；　lurked　the　ancient　Pelishti。　And　there　were　other　figures；　too…figures　that　moved　through　the　deserted　palace；　did　the　bidding　of　the　Pelishti；　and　dragged　unnamable　things　out　of　the　subterranean　river。　In　the　few　seconds　Conan　stood　frozen；　hitherto　unintelligible　phrases　in　the　parchment　manuscript　blazed　in　his　brain　with　chilling　clarity。　The　loose　bits　of　the　patern　clicked　into　place。　The　mystery　of　Bit…Yakin　was　a　mystery　no　longer；　nor　the　riddle　of　Bit…Yakin's　servants。
　　Conan　turned　and　peered　into　the　darkness；　an　icy　finger　crawling　along　his　spine。　Then　he　went　along　the　corridor；　cat…footed；　and　without　hesitation；　moving　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　darkness　as　he　drew　farther　away　from　the　stair。　The　air　hung　heavy　with　the　odor　he　had　scented　in　the　court　of　the　gong。
　　Now　in　utter　blackness　he　heard　a　sound　ahead　of　him…the　shuffle　of　bare　feet；　or　the　swish　of　loose　garments　against　stone；　he　could　not　tell　which。　But　an　instant　later　his　outstretched　hand　encountered　a　barrier　which　he　identified　as　a　massive　door　of　carved　metal。　He　pushed　against　it　fruitlessly；　and　his　sword…point　sought　vainly　for　a　crack。　It　fitted　into　the　sill　and　jambs　as　if　molded　there。　He　exerted　all　his　strength；　his　feet　straining　against　the　floor；　the　veins　knotting　in　his　temples。　It　was　useless；　a　charge　of　elephants　would　scarcely　have　shaken　that　titanic　portal。
　　As　he　leaned　there　he　caught　a　sound　on　the　other　side　that　his　ears　instantly　identified…it　was　the　creak　of　rusty　iron；　like　a　lever　scraping　in　its　slot。　Instinctively　action　followed　recognition　so　spontaneously　that　sound；　impulse　and　action　were　practically　simultaneous。　And　as　his　prodigious　bound　carried　him　backward；　there　was　the　rush　of　a　great　bulk　from　above；　and　a　thunderous　crash　filled　the　tunnel　with　deafening　vibrations。　Bits　of　flying　splinters　struck　him…a　huge　block　of　stone；　he　knew　from　the　sound；　dropped　on　the　spot　he　had　just　quitted。　An　instant's　slower　thought　or　action　and　it　would　have　crushed　him　like　an　ant。
　　Conan　fell　back。　Somewhere　on　the　other　side　of　that　metal　door　Muriela　was　a　captive；　if　she　still　lived。　But　he　could　not　pass　that　door；　and　if　he　remained　in　the　tunnel　another　block　might　fall；　and　he　might　not　be　so　lucky。　It　would　do　the　girl　no　good　for　him　to　be　crushed　into　a　purple　pulp。　He　could　not　continue　his　search　in　that　direction。　He　must　get　above　ground　and　look　for　some　other　avenue　of　approach。
　　He　turned　and　hurried　toward　the　stair；　sighing　as　he　emerged　into　parative　radiance。　And　as　he　set　foot　on　the　first　step；　the　light　was　blotted　out；　and　above　him　the　marble　door　rushed　shut　with　a　resounding　reverberation。
　　Something　like　panic　seized　the　Cimmerian　then；　trapped　in　that　black　tunnel；　and　he　wheeled　on　the　stair；　lifting　his　sword　and　glaring　murderously　into　the　darkness　behind　him；　expecting　a　rush　of　ghoulish　assailants。　But　there　was　no　sound　or　movement　down　the　tunnel。　Did　the　men　beyond　the　door…if　they　were　men…believe　that　he　had　been　disposed　of　by　the　fall　of　the　stone　from　the　roof；　which　had　undoubtedly　been　released　by　some　sort　of　machinery？
　　Then　why　had　the　door　been　shut　above　him？　Abandoning　speculation；　Conan　groped　his　way　up　the　steps；　his　skin　crawling　in　anticipation　of　a　knife　in　his　back　at　every　stride；　yearning　to　drown　his　semi…panic　in　a　barbarous　burst　of　bloodletting。
　　He　thrust　against　the　door　at　the　top；　and　cursed　soulfully　to　find　that　it　did　not　give　to　his　efforts。　Then　as　he　lifted　his　sword　with　his　right　hand　to　hew　at　the　marble；　his　groping　left　encountered　a　metal　bolt　that　evidently　slipped　into　place　at　the　closing　of　the　door。　In　an　instant　he　had　drawn　this　bolt；　and　then　the　door　gave　to　his　shove。　He　bounded　into　the　chamber　like　a　slit…eyed；　snarling　incarnation　of　fury；　ferociously　desirous　to　e　to　grips　with　whatever　enemy　was　hounding　him。
　　The　dagger　was　gone　from　the　floor。　The　chamber　was　empty；　and　so　was　the　dais。　Yelaya　had　again　vanished。
　　〃By　Crom！〃　muttered　the　Cimmerian。　〃Is　she　alive；　after　all？〃
　　He　strode　out　into　the　throne　room；　baffled；　and　then；　struck　by　a　sudden　thought；　stepped　behind　the　throne　and　peered　into　the　alcove。　There　was　blood　on　the　smooth　marble　where　he　had　cast　down　the　senseless　body　of　Gwarunga…that　was　all。　The　black　man　had　vanished　as　pletely　as　Yelaya。
　　
　　
　　　4。　　The　Teeth　of　Gwahlur
　　
　　Baffled　wrath　confused　the　brain　of　Conan　the　Cimmerian。　He　knew　no　more　how　to　go　about　searching　for　Muriela　than　he　had　known　how　to　go　about　searching　for　the　Teeth　of　Gwahlur。　Only　one　thought　occurred　to　him…to　follow　the　priests。　Perhaps　at　the　hiding…place　of　the　treasure　some　clue　would　be　revealed　to　him。　It　was　a　slim　chance；　but　better　than　wandering　about　aimlessly。
　　As　he　hurried　through　the　great　shadowy　hall　that　led　to　the　portico　he　half　expected　the　lurking　shadows　to　e　to　life　behind　him　with　rending　fangs　and　talons。　But　only　the　beat　of　his　own　rapid　heart　acpanied　him　into　the　moonlight　that　dappled　the　shimmering　marble。
　　At　the　foot　of　the　wide　steps　he　cast　about　in　the　bright　moonlight　for　some　sight　to　show　him　the　direction　he　must　go。　And　he　found　it…petals　scattered　on　the　sward　told　where　an　arm　or　garment　had　brushed　against　a　blossom…laden　branch。　Grass　had　been　pressed　down　under　heavy　feet。　Conan；　who　had　tracked　wolves　in　his　native　hills；　found　no　insurmountable　difficulty　in　following　the　trail　of　the　Keshani　priests。
　　It　led　away　from　the　palace；　through　masses　of　exotic…scented　shrubbery　where　great　pale　blossoms　spread　their　shimmering　petals；　through　verdant；　tangled　bushes　that　showered　blooms　at　the　touch；　until　he　came　at　last　to　a　great　mass　of　rock　that　jutted　like　a　titan's　castle　out　from　the　cliffs　at　a　point　closest　to　the　palace；　which；　however；　was　almost　hidden　from　view　by　vine…interlaced　trees。　Evidently　that　babbling　priest　in　Keshia　had　been　mistaken　when　he　said　the　Teeth　were　hidden　in　the　palace。　This　trail　had　led　him　away　from　the　place　where　Muriela　had　disappeared；　but　a　belief　was　growing　in　Conan　that　each　part　of　the　valley　was　connected　with　that　palace　by　subterranean　passages。
　　Crouching　in　the　deep；　velvet…black　shadows　of　the　bushes；　he　scrutinized　the　great　jut　of　rock　which　stood　out　in　bold　relief　in　the　moonlight。　It　was　covered　with　strange；　grotesque　carvings；　depicting　men　and　animals；　and　half…bestial　creatures　that　might　have　been　gods　or　devils。　The　style　of　art　differed　so　strikingly　from　that　of　the　rest　of　the　valley；　that　Conan　wondered　if　it　did　not　represent　a　different　era　and　race；　and　was　itself　a　relic　of　an　age　lost　and　forgotten　at　whatever　immeasurably　distant　date　the　people　of　Alkmeenon　had　found　and　entered　the　haunted　valley。
　　A　great　door　stood　open　in　the　sheer　curtain　of　the　cliff；　and　a　gigantic　dragon's　head　was　carved　about　it　so　that　the　open　door　was　like　the　dragon's　gaping　mouth。　The　door　itself　was　of　carven　bronze　and　looked　to　weigh　several　tons。　There　was　no　lock　that　he　could　see；　but　a　series　of　bolts　showing　along　the　edge　of　the　massive　portal；　as　it　stood　open；　told　him　that　there　was　some　system　of　locking　and　unlocking…a　system　doubtless　known　only　to　the　priests　of　Keshan。
　　The　trail　showed　that　Gorulga　and　his　henchemen　had　gone　through　that　door。　But　Conan　hesitated。　To　wait　until　they　emerged　would　probably　mean　to　see　the　door　locked　in　his　face；　and　he　might　not　be　able　to　solve　the　mystery　of　its　unlocking。　On　the　other　hand；　if　he　followed　them　in；　they　might　emerge　and　lock　him　in　the　cavern。
　　Throwing　caution　to　the　winds；　he　glided　through　the　great　portal。　Somewhere　in　the　cavern　were　the　priests；　the　Teeth　of　Gwahlur；　and　perhaps　a　clue　to　the　fate　of　Muriela。　Personal　risks　had　never　yet　deterred　him　from　any　purpose。
　　Moonlight　illumined；　for　a　few　yards；　the　wide　tunnel　in　which　he　found　himself。　Somewhere　ahead　of　him　he　saw　a　faint　glow　and　heard　the　echo　of　a　weird　chanting。　The　priests　were　not　so　far　ahead　of　him　as　he　had　thought。　The　tunnel　debouched　into　a　wide　room　before　the　moonlight　played　out；　an　empty　cavern　of　no　great　dimensions；　but　with　a　lofty；　vaulted　roof；　glowing　with　a　phosphorescent　encrustation；　which；　as　Conan　knew；　was　a　mon　phenomenon　in　that　part　of　the　world。　It　made　a　ghostly　half…light；　in　which　he　was　able　to　see　a　bestial　image　squatting　on　a　shrine；　and　the　black　mouths　of　six　or　seven　tunnels　leading　off　from　the　chamber。　Down　the　widest　of　these…the　one　directly　behind　the　squat　image　which　looked　toward　the　outer　opening…he　caught　the　gleam　of　torches　wavering；　whereas　the　phosphorescent　glow　was　fixed；　and　heard　the　chanting　increase　in　volume。
　　Down　it　he　went　recklessly；　and　was　presently　peering　into　a　larger　cav