rh.conanthewarrior-第6节

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tiles；　that　seemed　to　smolder　as　if　with　the　reflection　of　flames。　The　walls　were　of　a　shiny　green　material。
　　〃Jade；　or　I'm　a　Shemite！〃　swore　Conan。
　　〃Not　in　such　quantity！〃　protested　Valeria。
　　〃I've　looted　enough　from　the　Khitan　caravans　to　know　what　I'm　talking　about；〃　he　asserted。　〃That's　jade！〃
　　The　vaulted　ceiling　was　of　lapis　lazuli；　adorned　with　clusters　of　great　green　stones　that　gleamed　with　a　poisonous　radiance。
　　〃Green　fire…stones；〃　growled　Conan。　〃That's　what　the　people　of　Punt　call　them。　They're　supposed　to　be　the　petrified　eyes　of　those　prehistoric　snakes　the　ancients　called　Golden　Serpents。　They　glow　like　a　cat's　eyes　in　the　dark。　At　night　this　hall　would　be　lighted　by　them；　but　it　would　be　a　hellishly　weird　illumination。　Let's　look　around。　We　might　find　a　cache　of　jewels。〃
　　〃Shut　the　door；〃　advised　Valeria。　〃I'd　hate　to　have　to　outrun　a　dragon　down　this　hall。〃
　　Conan　grinned；　and　replied：　〃I　don't　believe　the　dragons　ever　leave　the　forest。〃
　　But　he　plied；　and　pointed　out　the　broken　bolt　on　the　inner　side。
　　〃I　thought　I　heard　something　snap　when　I　shoved　against　it。　That　bolt's　freshly　broken。　Rust　has　eaten　nearly　through　it。　If　the　people　ran　away；　why　should　it　have　been　bolted　on　the　inside？〃
　　〃They　undoubtedly　left　by　another　door；〃　suggested　Valeria。
　　She　wondered　how　many　centuries　had　passed　since　the　light　of　outer　day　had　filtered　into　that　great　hall　through　the　open　door。　Sunlight　was　finding　its　way　somehow　into　the　hall；　and　they　quickly　saw　the　source。　High　up　in　the　vaulted　ceiling　skylights　were　set　in　slot…like　openings…translucent　sheets　of　some　crystalline　substance。　In　the　splotches　of　shadow　between　them；　the　green　jewels　winked　like　the　eyes　of　angry　cats。　Beneath　their　feet　the　dully　lurid　floor　smoldered　with　changing　hues　and　colors　of　flame。　It　was　like　treading　the　floors　of　Hell　with　evil　stars　blinking　overhead。
　　Three　balustraded　galleries　ran　along　on　each　side　of　the　hall；　one　above　the　other。
　　〃A　four…storied　house；〃　grunted　Conan；　〃and　this　hall　extends　to　the　roof。　It's　long　as　a　street。　I　seem　to　see　a　door　at　the　other　end。〃
　　Valeria　shrugged　her　white　shoulders。
　　〃Your　eyes　are　better　than　mine；　then；　though　I'm　accounted　sharp…eyed　among　the　sea…rovers。〃
　　They　turned　into　an　open　door　at　random；　and　traveresed　a　series　of　empty　chambers；　floored　like　the　hall；　and　with　walls　of　the　same　green　jade；　or　of　marble　or　ivory　or　chalcedony；　adorned　with　friezes　of　bronze；　gold；　or　silver。　In　the　ceilings　the　green　fire…gems　were　set；　and　their　light　was　as　ghostly　and　illusive　as　Conan　had　predicted。　Under　the　witch…fire　glow　the　intruders　moved　like　specters。
　　Some　of　the　chambers　lacked　this　illumination；　and　their　doorways　showed　black　as　the　mouth　of　the　Pit。　These　Conan　and　Valeria　avoided；　keeping　always　to　the　lighted　chambers。
　　Cobwebs　hung　in　the　corners；　but　there　was　no　perceptible　accumulation　of　dust　on　the　floor；　or　on　the　tables　and　seats　of　marble；　jade；　or　carnelian　which　occupied　the　chambers。　Here　and　there　were　rugs　of　that　silk　known　as　Khitan　which　is　practically　indestructible。　Nowhere　did　they　find　any　windows；　or　doors　opening　into　streets　or　courts。　Each　door　merely　opened　into　another　chamber　or　hall。
　　〃Why　don't　we　e　to　a　street？〃　grumbled　Valeria。　〃This　palace　or　whatever　we're　in　must　be　as　big　as　the　king　of　Turan's　seraglio。〃
　　〃They　must　not　have　perished　of　plague；〃　sad　Conan；　meditating　upon　the　mystery　of　the　empty　city。　〃Otherwise　we'd　find　skeletons。　Maybe　it　became　haunted；　and　everybody　got　up　and　left。　Maybe…〃
　　〃Maybe；　hell！〃　broke　in　Valeria　rudely。　〃We'll　never　know。　Look　at　these　friezes。　They　portray　men。　What　race　do　they　belong　to？〃
　　Conan　scanned　them　and　shook　his　head。
　　〃I　never　saw　people　exactly　like　them。　But　there's　the　smack　of　the　East　about　them…Vendhya；　maybe；　or　Kosala。〃
　　〃Were　you　a　king　in　Kosala？〃　she　asked；　masking　her　keen　curiosity　with　derision。
　　〃No。　But　I　was　a　war　chief　of　the　Afghulis　who　live　in　the　Himelian　mountains　above　the　borders　of　Vendhya。　These　people　favor　the　Kosalans。　But　why　should　Kosalans　be　building　a　city　this　far　to　the　west？〃
　　The　figures　portrayed　were　those　of　slender；　olive…skinned　men　and　women；　with　finely　chiseled；　exotic　features。　They　wore　filmy　robes　and　many　delicate　jeweled　ornaments；　and　were　depicted　mostly　in　attitudes　of　feasting；　dancing；　or　lovemaking。
　　〃Easterners；　all　right；〃　grunted　Conan；　〃but　from　where　I　don't　know。　They　must　have　lived　a　disgustingly　peaceful　life；　though；　or　they'd　have　scenes　of　wars　and　fights。　Let's　go　up　those　stairs。〃
　　It　was　an　ivory　spiral　that　wound　up　from　the　chamber　in　which　they　were　standing。　They　mounted　three　flights　and　came　into　a　broad　chamber　on　the　fourth　floor；　which　seemed　to　be　the　highest　tier　in　the　building。　Skylights　in　the　ceiling　illuminated　the　room；　in　which　light　the　fire…gems　winked　pallidly。　Glancing　through　the　doors　they　saw；　except　on　one　side；　a　seies　of　similarly　lighted　chambers。　This　other　door　opened　upon　a　balustraded　gallery　that　overhung　a　hall　much　smaller　than　the　one　they　had　recently　explored　on　the　lower　floor。
　　〃Hell！〃　Valeria　sat　down　disgustedly　on　a　jade　bench。　〃The　people　who　deserted　this　city　must　have　taken　all　their　treasures　with　them。　I'm　tired　of　wandering　through　these　bare　rooms　at　random。〃
　　〃All　these　upper　chambers　seem　to　be　lighted；〃　said　Conan。　〃I　wish　we　could　find　a　window　that　overlooked　the　city。　Let's　have　a　look　through　that　door　over　there。〃
　　〃You　have　a　look；〃　advised　Valeria。　〃I'm　going　to　sit　here　and　rest　my　feet。〃
　　Conan　disappeared　through　the　door　opposite　that　one　opening　upon　the　gallery；　and　Valeria　leaned　back　with　her　hands　clasped　behind　her　head；　and　thrust　her　booted　legs　out　in　front　of　her。　These　silent　rooms　and　halls　with　their　gleaming　green　clusters　of　ornaments　and　burning　crimson　floors　were　beginning　to　depress　her。　She　wished　they　could　find　their　way　out　of　the　maze　into　which　they　had　wandered　and　emerge　into　a　street。　She　wondered　idly　what　furtive；　dark　feet　had　glided　over　those　flaming　floors　in　past　centuries；　how　many　deeds　of　cruelty　and　mystery　those　wrinking　ceiling…gems　had　blazed　down　upon。
　　It　was　a　faint　noise　that　brought　her　out　of　her　reflections。　She　was　on　her　feet　with　her　sword　in　her　hand　before　she　realized　what　had　disturbed　her。　Conan　had　not　returned；　and　she　knew　it　was　not　he　that　she　had　heard。
　　The　sound　had　e　from　somewhere　beyond　the　door　that　opened　on　to　the　gallery。　Soundlessly　in　her　soft　leather　boots　she　glided　through　it；　crept　across　the　balcony　and　peered　down　between　the　heavy　balustrades。
　　A　man　was　stealing　along　the　hall。
　　The　sight　of　a　human　being　in　this　supposedly　deserted　city　was　a　startling　shock。　Crouching　down　behind　the　stone　balusters；　with　every　nerve　tingling；　Valeria　glared　down　at　the　stealthy　figure。
　　The　man　in　no　way　resembled　the　figures　depicted　on　the　friezes。　He　was　slightly　above　middle　height；　very　dark；　though　not　Negroid。　He　was　naked　but　for　a　scanty　silk　clout　that　only　partly　covered　his　muscular　hips；　and　a　leather　girdle；　a　hand's　breadth　broad；　about　his　lean　waist。　His　long　black　hair　hung　in　lank　strands　about　his　shoulders；　giving　him　a　wild　appearance。　He　was　gaunt；　but　knots　and　cords　of　muscles　stood　out　on　his　arms　and　legs；　without　that　fleshy　padding　that　presents　a　pleasing　symmetry　of　contour。　He　was　built　with　an　economy　that　was　almost　repellent。
　　Yet　it　was　not　so　much　his　physical　appearance　as　his　attitude　that　impressed　the　woman　who　watched　him。　He　slunk　along；　stooped　in　a　semi…crouch；　his　head　turning　from　side　to　side。　He　grasped　a　wide…tipped　blade　in　his　right　hand　and　she　saw　it　shake　with　the　intensity　of　the　emotion　that　gripped　him。　He　was　afraid；　trembling　in　the　grip　of　some　dire　terror。　When　he　turned　his　head　she　caught　the　blaze　of　wild　eyes　among　the　lank　strands　of　black　hair。
　　He　did　not　see　her。　On　tiptoe　he　glided　across　the　hall　and　vanished　through　an　open　door。　A　moment　later　she　heard　a　choking　cry；　and　then　silence　fell　again。
　　Consumed　with　curiosity；　Valeria　glided　along　the　gallery　until　she　came　to　a　door　above　the　one　through　which　the　man　had　passed。　It　opened　into　another；　smaller　gallery　that　encircled　a　large　chamber。
　　This　chamber　was　on　the　third　floor；　and　its　ceiling　was　not　so　high　as　that　of　the　hall。　It　was　lighted　only　by　the　fire…stones；　and　their　weird　green　glow　left　the　spaces　under　the　balcony　in　shadows。
　　Valeria's　eyes　widened。　The　man　she　had　seen　was　still　in　the　chamber。
　　He　lay　face　down　on　a　dark　crimson　carpet　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　His　body　was　limp；　his　arms　spread　wide。　His　curved　sword　lay　near　him。
　　She　wondered　why　he　should　lie　there　so　motionless。　Then　her　eyes　narrowed　as　she　stared　down　at　the　rug　on　which　he　lay。　Beneath　and　about　him　the　fabric　showed　a　slightly　different　color；　a　deeper；　brighter　crimson。
　　Shivering　slightly；　she　crouched　down　closer　behind　the　balustrade；　intently　scanning　the　shadows　under　the　overhanging　gallery。　They　gave　up　no　secret。
　　Suddenly　another　figure　entered　the　grim　drama。　He　was　a　man　s