rh.conanthewarrior-第29节

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n　something　grabbed　me　from　behind。　It　clapped　a　hand　over　my　mouth　and　carried　me　through　a　panel　in　the　wall；　and　down　some　steps　and　along　a　dark　hall。　I　didn't　see　what　it　was　that　had　hold　of　me　until　we　passed　through　a　big　metal　door　and　came　into　a　tunnel　whose　roof　was　alight；　like　this　chamber。
　　〃Oh；　I　nearly　fainted　when　I　saw！　They　are　not　humans！　They　are　gray；　hairy　devils　that　walk　like　men　and　speak　a　gibberish　no　human　could　understand。　They　stood　there　and　seemed　to　be　waiting；　and　once　I　thought　I　heard　somebody　trying　the　door。　Then　one　of　the　things　pulled　a　metal　lever　in　the　wall；　and　something　crashed　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。
　　〃Then　they　carried　me　on　and　on　through　winding　tunnels　and　up　stone　stairways　into　this　chamber；　where　they　chained　me　on　the　knees　of　this　abominable　idol；　and　then　they　went　away。　Oh；　Conan；　what　are　they？〃
　　〃Servants　of　Bit…Yakin；〃　he　grunted。　〃I　found　a　manuscript　that　told　me　a　number　of　things；　and　then　stumbled　upon　some　frescoes　that　told　me　the　rest。　Bit…Yakin　was　a　Pelishti　who　wandered　into　the　valley　with　his　servants　after　the　people　of　Alkmeenon　had　deserted　it。　He　found　the　body　of　Princess　Yelaya；　and　discovered　that　the　priests　returned　from　time　to　time　to　make　offerings　to　her；　for　even　then　she　was　worshipped　as　a　goddess。
　　〃He　made　an　oracle　of　her；　and　he　was　the　voice　of　the　oracle；　speaking　from　a　niche　he　cut　in　the　wall　behind　the　ivory　dais。　The　priests　never　suspected；　never　saw　him　or　his　servants；　for　they　always　hid　themselves　when　the　men　came。　Bit…Yakin　lived　and　died　here　without　ever　being　discovered　by　the　priests。　Crom　knows　how　long　he　dwelt　here；　but　it　must　have　been　for　centuries。　The　wise　men　of　the　Pelishti　know　how　to　increase　the　span　of　their　lives　for　hundreds　of　years。　I've　seen　some　of　them　myself。　Why　he　lived　here　alone；　and　why　he　played　the　part　of　oracle　no　ordinary　human　can　guess；　but　I　believe　the　oracle　part　was　to　keep　the　city　inviolate　and　sacred；　so　he　could　remain　undisturbed。　He　ate　the　food　the　priests　brought　as　an　offering　to　Yelaya；　and　his　servants　ate　other　things…I've　always　known　there　was　a　subterranean　river　flowing　away　from　the　lake　where　the　people　of　the　Puntish　highlands　throw　their　dead。　That　river　runs　under　this　palace。　They　have　ladders　hung　over　the　water　where　they　can　hang　and　fish　for　the　corpses　that　e　floating　through。　Bit…Yakin　recorded　everything　on　parchment　and　painted　walls。
　　〃But　he　died　at　last；　and　his　servants　mummified　him　according　to　instructions　he　gave　them　before　his　death；　and　stuck　him　in　a　cave　in　the　cliffs。　The　rest　is　easy　to　guess。　His　servants；　who　were　even　more　nearly　immortal　than　he；　kept　on　dwelling　here；　but　the　next　time　a　high　priest　came　to　consult　the　oracle；　not　having　a　master　to　restrain　therm；　they　tore　him　to　pieces。　So　since　then…until　Gorulga…nobody　came　to　talk　to　the　oracle。
　　〃It's　obvious　they've　been　renewing　the　garments　and　ornaments　of　the　goddess；　as　they'd　seen　Bit…Yakin　do。　Doubtless　there's　a　sealed　chamber　somewhere　were　the　silks　are　kept　from　decay。　They　clothed　the　goddess　and　brought　her　back　to　the　oracle　room　after　Zargheba　had　stolen　her。　And；　oh；　by　the　way；　they　took　off　Zargheba's　head　and　hung　it　up　in　a　thicket。〃
　　She　shivered；　yet　at　the　same　time　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。
　　〃He'll　never　whip　me　again。〃
　　〃Not　this　side　of　Hell；〃　agreed　Conan。　〃But　e　on；　Gwarunga　ruined　my　chances　with　his　stolen　goddess。　I'm　going　to　follow　the　priests　and　take　my　chance　of　stealing　the　loot　from　them　after　they　get　it。　And　you　stay　close　to　me。　I　can't　spend　all　my　time　looking　for　you。〃
　　〃But　the　servants　of　Bit…Yakin！〃　she　whispered　fearfully。
　　〃We'll　have　to　take　our　chance；〃　he　grunted。　〃I　don't　know　what's　in　their　minds；　but　so　far　they　haven't　shown　any　disposition　to　e　out　and　fight　in　the　open。　e　on。〃
　　Taking　her　wrist　he　led　her　out　of　the　chamber　and　down　the　corridor。　As　they　advanced　they　heard　the　chanting　of　the　priests；　and　mingling　with　the　sound　the　low　sullen　rushing　of　waters。　The　light　grew　stronger　above　them　as　they　emerged　on　a　high…pitched　gallery　of　a　great　cavern　and　looked　down　on　a　scene　weird　and　fantastic。
　　Above　them　gleamed　the　phosphorescent　roof；　a　hundred　feet　below　them　stretched　the　smooth　floor　of　the　cavern。　On　the　far　side　this　floor　was　cut　by　a　deep；　narrow　stream　brimming　its　rocky　channel。　Rushing　out　of　impenetrable　gloom；　it　swirled　across　the　cavern　and　was　lost　again　in　darkness。　The　visible　surface　reflected　the　radiance　above；　the　dark　seething　waters　glinted　as　if　flecked　with　living　jewels；　frosty　blue；　lurid　red；　shimmering　green；　and　ever…changing　iridescence。
　　Conan　and　his　panion　stood　upon　one　of　the　gallery…like　ledges　that　banded　the　curve　of　the　lofty　wall；　and　from　this　ledge　a　natural　bridge　of　stone　soared　in　a　breath…taking　arch　over　the　vast　gulf　of　the　cavern　to　join　a　much　smaller　ledge　on　the　opposite　side；　across　the　river。　Ten　feet　below　it　another；　broader　arch　spanned　the　cave。　At　either　end　a　carved　stair　joined　the　extremities　of　these　flying　arches。
　　Conan's　gaze；　following　the　curve　of　the　arch　that　swept　away　from　the　ledge　on　which　they　stood；　caught　a　glint　of　light　that　was　not　the　lurid　phosphorus　of　the　cavern。　On　that　small　ledge　opposite　them　there　was　an　opening　in　the　cave　wall　through　which　stars　were　glinting。
　　But　his　full　attention　was　drawn　to　the　scene　beneath　them。　The　priests　had　reached　their　destination。　There　in　a　sweeping　angle　of　the　cavern　wall　stood　a　stone　altar；　but　there　was　no　idol　upon　it。　Whether　there　was　one　behind　it；　Conan　cound　not　ascertain；　because　some　trick　of　the　light；　or　the　sweep　of　the　wall；　left　the　space　behind　the　altar　in　total　darkness。
　　The　priests　had　stuck　their　torches　into　holes　in　the　stone　floor；　forming　a　semicircle　of　fire　in　front　of　the　altar　at　a　distance　of　several　yards。　Then　the　priests　themselves　formed　a　semicircle　inside　the　crescent　of　torches；　and　Gorulga；　after　lifting　his　arms　aloft　in　invocation；　bent　to　the　altar　and　laid　hands　on　it。　It　lifted　and　tilted　backward　on　its　hinder　edge；　like　the　lid　of　a　chest；　revealing　a　small　crypt。
　　Extending　a　long　arm　into　the　recess；　Gorulga　brought　up　a　small　brass　chest。　Lowering　the　altar　back　into　place；　he　set　the　chest　on　it；　and　threw　back　the　lid。　To　the　eager　watchers　on　the　high　gallery　it　seemed　as　if　the　action　had　released　a　blaze　of　living　fire　which　throbbed　and　quivered　about　the　opened　chest。　Conan's　heart　leaped　and　his　hand　caught　at　his　hilt。　The　Teeth　of　Gwahlur　at　last！　The　treasure　that　would　make　its　possessor　the　richest　man　in　the　world！　His　breath　came　fast　between　his　clenched　teeth。
　　Then　he　was　suddenly　aware　that　a　new　element　had　entered　into　the　light　of　the　torches　and　of　the　phosphorescent　roof；　rendering　both　void。　Darkness　stole　around　the　altar；　except　for　that　glowing　spot　of　evil　radiance　cast　by　the　Teeth　of　Gwahlur；　and　that　grew　and　grew。　The　blacks　froze　into　basaltic　statues；　their　shadows　streaming　grotesquely　and　gigantically　out　behind　them。
　　The　altar　was　laved　in　the　glow　now；　and　the　astounded　features　of　Gorulga　stood　out　in　sharp　relief。　Then　the　mysterious　space　behind　the　altar　swam　into　the　widening　illumination。　And　slowly　with　the　crawling　light；　figures　became　visible；　like　shapes　growing　out　of　the　night　and　silence。
　　At　first　they　seemed　like　gray　stone　statues；　those　motionless　shapes；　hairy；　man…like；　yet　hideously　human；　but　their　eyes　were　alive；　cold　sparks　of　gray　icy　fire。　And　as　the　weird　glow　lit　their　bestial　countenances；　Gorulga　screamed　and　fell　backward；　throwing　up　his　long　arms　in　a　gesture　of　frenzied　horror。
　　But　a　longer　arm　shot　across　the　altar　and　a　misshapen　hand　locked　on　his　throat。　Screaming　and　fighting；　the　high　priest　was　dragged　back　across　the　altar；　a　hammer…like　fist　smashed　down；　and　Gorulga's　cries　were　stilled。　Limp　and　broken　he　sagged　cross　the　altar；　his　brains　oozing　from　his　crushed　skull。　And　then　the　servants　of　Bit…Yakin　surged　like　a　bursting　flood　from　Hell　on　the　black　priests　who　stood　like　horror…blasted　images。
　　Then　there　was　slaughter；　grim　and　appalling。
　　Conan　saw　black　bodies　tossed　like　chaff　in　the　inhuman　hands　of　the　slayers；　against　whose　horrible　strength　and　agility　the　daggers　and　swords　of　the　priests　were　ineffective。　He　saw　men　lifted　bodily　and　their　heads　cracked　open　against　the　stone　altar。　He　saw　a　flaming　torch；　grasped　in　a　monstrous　hand；　thrust　inexorably　down　the　gullet　of　an　agonized　wretch　who　writhed　in　vain　against　the　arms　that　pinioned　him。　He　saw　a　man　torn　in　two　pieces；　as　one　might　tear　a　chicken；　and　the　bloody　fragments　hurled　clear　across　the　cavern。　The　massacre　was　as　short　and　devastating　as　the　rush　of　a　hurricane。　In　a　burst　of　red　abysmal　ferocity　it　was　over；　except　for　one　wretch　who　fled　screaming　back　the　way　the　priests　had　e；　pursued　by　a　swarm　of　blood…dabbled　shapes　of　horror　which　reached　out　their　red…smeared　hands　for　him。　Fugitive　and　pursuers　vanished　down　the　black　tunnel；　and　the　screams　of　the　human　came　back　dwindling　and　confused　by　the　distance。
　　Muriela　was　on　her　knees　clutching　Conan's　legs；