rh.conanthewarrior-第34节

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een　theirs。
　　The　guard　inside　the　eastern　gate　bawled　a　challenge。　Through　a　barred　aperture　torchlight　flickered；　glinting　on　a　steel　headpiece　and　suspicious　eyes　beneath　it。
　　〃Open　the　gate；〃　snorted　Conan。　〃You　see　it's　I；　don't　you？〃
　　Military　discipline　put　his　teeth　on　edge。
　　The　gate　swung　inward　and　Conan　and　his　panion　passed　through。　Balthus　noted　that　the　gate　was　flanked　by　a　tower　on　each　side；　the　summits　of　which　rose　above　the　stockade。　He　saw　loopholes　for　arrows。
　　The　guardsmen　grunted　as　they　saw　the　burden　borne　between　the　men。　Their　pikes　jangled　against　each　other　as　they　thrust　shut　the　gate；　chin　on　shoulder；　and　Conan　asked　testily：　〃Have　you　never　seen　a　headless　body　before？〃
　　The　faces　of　the　soldiers　were　pallid　in　the　torchlight。
　　〃That's　Tiberias；〃　blurted　one。　〃I　recognize　that　fur…trimmed　tunic。　Valerius　here　owes　me　five　lunas。　I　told　him　Tiberias　had　heard　the　loon　call　when　he　rode　through　the　gate　on　his　mule；　with　his　glassy　stare。　I　wagered　he'd　e　back　without　his　head。〃
　　Conan　grunted　enigmatically；　motioned　Balthus　to　ease　the　litter　to　the　ground；　and　then　strode　off　toward　the　governor's　quarters；　with　the　Aquilonian　at　his　heels。　The　tousle…headed　youth　stared　about　him　eagerly　and　curiously；　noting　the　rows　of　barracks　along　the　walls；　the　stables；　the　tiny　merchants'　stalls；　the　towering　blockhouse；　and　the　other　buildings；　with　the　open　square　in　the　middle　where　the　soldiers　drilled；　and　where；　now；　fires　danced　and　men　off　duty　lounged。　These　were　now　hurrying　to　join　the　morbid　crowd　gathered　about　the　litter　at　the　gate。　The　rangy　figures　of　Aquilonian　pikemen　and　forest　runners　mingled　with　the　shorter；　stockier　forms　of　Bossonian　archers。
　　He　was　not　greatly　surprised　that　the　governor　received　them　himself。　Autocratic　society　with　its　rigid　caste　laws　lay　east　of　the　marches。　Valannus　was　still　a　young　man；　well　knit；　with　a　finely　chiseled　countenance　already　carved　into　sober　cast　by　toil　and　responsibility。
　　〃You　left　the　fort　before　daybreak；　I　was　told；〃　he　said　to　Conan。　〃I　had　begun　to　fear　that　the　Picts　had　caught　you　at　last。〃
　　〃When　they　smoke　my　head　the　whole　river　will　know；〃　grunted　Conan。　〃They'll　hear　Pictish　women　wailing　their　dead　as　far　as　Velitrium…I　was　on　a　lone　scout。　I　couldn't　sleep。　I　kept　hearing　drums　talking　across　the　river。〃
　　〃They　talk　each　night；〃　reminded　the　governor；　his　fine　eyes　shadowed；　as　he　stared　closely　at　Conan。　He　had　learned　the　unwisdom　of　discounting　wild　men's　instincts。
　　〃There　was　a　difference　last　night；〃　growled　Conan。　〃There　has　been　ever　since　Zogar　Sag　got　back　across　the　river。〃
　　〃We　should　either　have　given　him　presents　and　sent　him　home；　or　else　hanged　him；〃　sighed　the　governor。　〃You　advised　that；　but…〃
　　〃But　it's　hard　for　you　Hyborians　to　learn　the　ways　of　the　outlands；〃　said　Conan。　〃Well；　it　can't　be　helped　now；　but　there'll　be　no　peace　on　the　border　so　long　as　Zogar　lives　and　remembers　the　cell　he　sweated　in。　I　was　following　a　warrior　who　slipped　over　to　put　a　few　white　notches　on　his　bow。　After　I　split　his　head　I　fell　in　with　this　lad　whose　name　is　Balthus　and　who's　e　from　the　Tauran　to　help　hold　the　frontier。〃
　　Valannus　approvingly　eyed　the　young　man's　frank　countenance　and　strongly…knit　frame。
　　〃I　am　glad　to　wele　you；　young　sir。　I　wish　more　of　your　people　would　e。　We　need　men　used　to　forest　life。　Many　of　our　soldiers　and　some　of　our　settlers　are　from　the　eastern　provinces　and　know　nothing　of　woodcraft；　or　even　of　agricultural　life。〃
　　〃Not　many　of　that　breed　this　side　of　Velitrium；〃　grunted　Conan。　〃That　town's　full　of　them；　though。　But　listen；　Valannus；　we　found　Tiberias　dead　on　the　trail。〃　And　in　a　few　words　he　related　the　grisly　affair。
　　Valannus　paled。　〃I　did　not　know　he　had　left　the　fort。　He　must　have　been　mad！〃
　　〃He　was；〃　answered　Conan。　〃Like　the　other　four；　each　one；　when　his　time　came；　went　mad　and　rushed　into　the　woods　to　meet　his　death　like　a　hare　running　down　the　throat　of　a　python。　Something　called　to　them　from　the　deeps　of　the　forest；　something　the　men　call　a　loon；　for　lack　of　a　better　name；　but　only　the　doomed　ones　could　hear　it。　Zogar　Sag　has　made　a　magic　that　Aquilonian　civilization　can't　overe。〃
　　To　this　thrust　Valannus　made　no　reply；　he　wiped　his　brow　with　a　shaky　hand。
　　〃Do　the　soldiers　know　of　this？〃
　　〃We　left　the　body　by　the　eastern　gate。〃
　　〃You　should　have　concealed　the　fact；　hidden　the　corpse　somewhere　in　the　woods。　The　soldiers　are　nervous　enough　already。〃
　　〃They'd　have　found　it　out　some　way。　If　I'd　hidden　the　body；　it　would　have　been　returned　to　the　fort　as　the　corpse　of　Soractus　was…tied　up　outside　the　gate　for　the　men　to　find　in　the　morning。〃
　　Valannus　shuddered。　Turning；　he　walked　to　a　casement　and　stared　silently　out　over　the　river；　black　and　shiny　under　the　glint　of　the　stars。　Beyond　the　river　the　jungle　rose　like　an　ebony　wall。　The　distant　screech　of　a　panther　broke　the　stillness。　The　night　pressed　in；　blurring　the　sounds　of　the　soldiers　outside　the　blockhouse；　dimming　the　fires。　A　wind　whispered　through　the　black　branches；　rippling　the　dusky　water。　On　its　wings　came　a　low；　rhythmic　pulsing；　sinister　as　the　pad　of　a　leopard's　foot。
　　〃After　all；〃　said　Valannus；　as　if　speaking　his　thoughts　aloud；　〃what　do　we　know…what　does　anyone　know…of　the　things　that　jungle　may　hide？　We　have　dim　rumors　of　great　swamps　and　rivers；　and　a　forest　that　stretches　on　and　on　over　everlasting　plains　and　hills　to　end　at　last　on　the　shores　of　the　western　ocean。　But　what　things　lie　between　this　river　and　that　ocean　we　dare　not　even　guess。　No　white　man　has　ever　plunged　deep　into　that　fastness　and　returned　alive　to　tell　us　what　be　found。　We　are　wise　in　our　civilized　knowledge；　but　our　knowledge　extends　just　so　far…to　the　western　bank　of　that　ancient　river！　Who　knows　what　shapes　earthly　and　unearthly　may　lurk　beyond　the　dim　circle　of　light　our　knowledge　has　cast？
　　〃Who　knows　what　gods　are　worshipped　under　the　shadows　of　that　heathen　forest；　or　what　devils　crawl　out　of　the　black　ooze　of　the　swamps？　Who　can　be　sure　that　all　the　inhabitants　of　that　black　country　are　natural？　Zogar　Sag…a　sage　of　the　eastern　cities　would　sneer　at　his　primitive　magic…making　as　the　mummery　of　a　fakir；　yet　he　has　driven　mad　and　killed　five　men　in　a　manner　no　man　can　explain。　I　wonder　if　he　himself　is　wholly　human。〃
　　〃If　I　can　get　within　ax…throwing　distance　of　him　I'll　settle　that　question；〃　growled　Conan；　helping　himself　to　the　governor's　wine　and　pushing　a　glass　toward　Balthus；　who　took　it　hesitatingly；　and　with　an　uncertain　glance　toward　Valannus。
　　The　governor　turned　toward　Conan　and　stared　at　him　thoughtfully。
　　〃The　soldiers；　who　do　not　believe　in　ghosts　or　devils；〃　he　said；　〃are　almost　in　a　panic　of　fear。　You；　who　believe　in　ghosts；　ghouls；　goblins；　and　all　manner　of　uncanny　things；　do　not　seem　to　fear　any　of　the　things　in　which　you　believe。〃
　　〃There's　nothing　in　the　universe　cold　steel　won't　cut；〃　answered　Conan。　〃I　threw　my　ax　at　the　demon；　and　he　took　no　hurt；　but　I　might　have　missed　in　the　dusk；　or　a　branch　deflected　its　flight。　I'm　not　going　out　of　my　way　looking　for　devils；　but　I　wouldn't　step　out　of　my　path　to　let　one　go　by。〃
　　Valannus　lifted　his　head　and　met　Conan's　gaze　squarely。
　　〃Conan；　more　depends　on　you　than　you　realize。　You　know　the　weakness　of　this　province…a　slender　wedge　thrust　into　the　untamed　wilderness。　You　know　that　the　lives　of　all　the　people　west　of　the　marches　depend　on　this　fort。　Were　it　to　fall；　red　axes　would　be　splintering　the　gates　of　Velitrium　before　a　horseman　could　cross　the　marches。　His　Majesty；　or　his　Majesty's　advisers；　have　ignored　my　plea　that　more　troops　be　sent　to　hold　the　frontier。　　They　know　nothing　of　border　conditions；　and　are　averse　to　expending　any　more　money　in　this　direction。　The　fate　of　the　frontier　depends　upon　the　men　who　now　hold　it。
　　〃You　know　that　most　of　the　army　which　conquered　Conajohara　has　been　withdrawn。　You　know　the　force　left　is　inadequate；　especially　since　that　devil　Zogar　Sag　managed　to　poison　our　water　supply；　and　forty　men　died　in　one　day。　Many　of　the　others　are　sick；　or　have　been　bitten　by　serpents　or　mauled　by　wild　beasts　which　seem　to　swarm　in　increasing　numbers　in　the　vicinity　of　the　fort。　The　soldiers　believe　Zogar's　boast　that　he　could　summon　the　forest　beasts　to　slay　his　enemies。
　　〃I　have　three　hundred　pikemen；　four　hundred　Bossonian　archers；　and　perhaps　fifty　men　who；　like　yourself；　are　skilled　in　woodcraft。　They　are　worth　ten　times　their　number　of　soldiers；　but　there　are　so　few　of　them。　Frankly；　Conan；　my　situation　is　being　precarious。　The　soldiers　whisper　of　desertion；　they　are　low…spirited；　believing　Zogar　Sag　has　loosed　devils　on　us。　They　fear　the　black　plague　with　which　he　threatened　us…the　terrible　black　death　of　the　swamplands。　When　I　see　a　sick　soldier　I　sweat　with　fear　of　seeing　him　turn　black　and　shrivel　and　die　before　my　eyes。
　　〃Conan；　if　the　plague　is　loosed　upon　us；　the　soldiers　will　desert　in　a　body！　The　border　will　be　left　unguarded　and　nothing　will　check　the　sweep　of　the　dark…skinned　hordes　to　the　very　gates　of　Velitrium…maybe　beyond！　If　we　cannot　hold　the　fort；　how　can　they　hold　the　town？
　　〃Conan；