uplift4.brightnessreef-第25节

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lin'　ahead。　Then　I　reached　the　Slope；　and　it　came　to　me　that　I　risked　getting　hanged　every　dura　that　I　stayed。〃
　　She　shivered；　a　memory　of　fear。
　　〃I　was　about　to　give　up　and　head　back　home　for　a　beatin'；　when　I　heard　a　tapping　sound　in　the　night。　I　followed　it；　and　for　a　minute　I　thought　the　clock　teet　was　my　bird！〃　She　sighed。　〃That's　when　I　saw　you；　snorin'　away；　with　that　fancy　bow　of　yours　lyin'　nearby。　Figured　it'd　make　Jass　an'　Bom　happy　enough　to　forget　knockin'　my　teeth　out　for　runnin'　off。〃
　　Dwer　had　never　heard　their　names　before　but　decided　a　rope　was　too　good　for　some　sooners。
　　〃That's　why　you　came　all　this　way？　To　follow　that　bird…thing？〃
　　Rety　answered　with　a　shrug。　〃I　don't　spect　you'd　understand。〃
　　On　the　contrary；　he　thought。　It　was　what　he　himself　would　have　done；　if　something　so　strange　ever　crossed　his　path。
　　（As　would　I；　were　I　not　rooted　to　this　spot；　ensnared　by　my　own　limitations。　Are　we　not　alike？）
　　Dwer　chased　the　spider　out…and　the　next　instant　an　idea　glimmered；　offering　a　possible　way　out　of　this　mess；　as　Rety　slid　off　the　branch　and　began　to　sidle　forward；　holding　a　slim　blade　that　Dwer　had　never　found　when　he　searched　her；　the　day　before。　It　gleamed　with　razor　sharpness。
　　〃Wait。　I…　think　about　it；　Rety。　Shouldn't　we　work　together？　Wouldn't　we　do　a　better　job　getting　it　out？〃
　　She　stopped　and　seemed　to　consider　the　idea；　looking　up　through　the　branches。　〃I'm　listenin'。〃
　　Dwer　frowned；　concentrating　on　getting　the　words　right。　〃Look。。。　nobody　on　the　Slope　has　seen　an　active　Buyur　machine　since…well；　long　before　humans　came　to　Jijo。　This　is　important。　I　want　to　get　that　thing　out　of　there　as　much　as　you　do。〃
　　All　of　which　was　true；　or　would　have　been　if　his　first　concern　weren't　saving　the　girl's　life　and　his　own。　Stall　for　time；　Dwer　thought。　There's　only　a　midura　of　daylight　left。　Get　her　to　retreat　till　tomorrow。　Then　you　can　drag　her　away　by　force　if　you　have　to。
　　〃Go　on；〃　Rety　said。　〃You　want　to　e　down　an'　chop　with　your　big　knife？　I　bet　you'd　splatter；　hacking　at　live　vines。　Lotta　pain　that　way；　if　the　sap　goes　spraying　around。〃　Still；　she　seemed　interested。
　　〃Actually；　I　know　a　way　that　won't　bruise　a　single　branch　but　might　spread　a　hole　big　enough　to　get　your　bird…thing　out。　We'd　use　some　of　the…　um；　natural　resources　handy　hereabouts。〃
　　〃Yeah？〃　She　frowned。　〃The　only　stuff　around　here　is　rock；　and　dirt；　and…〃
　　Her　eyes　lit。　〃Boo！〃
　　He　nodded。　〃We'll　cut　some　young　shoots；　trim　them　tonight；　and　return　in　the　morning　with　bridges　and　ladders　to　cross　on　top　of　the　boulders…and　enough　pry　bars　to　spread　a　path　through　all　this〃…he　waved　at　the　surrounding　thicket…〃without　spilling　any　acid　or　gunk　on　ourselves。　We'll　get　your　birdie…thing　out　long　before　it's　sealed　in　a　crystal　egg；　and　march　right　up　to　the　sages　with　a　surprise　that'll　make　a　hoon's　spine　pop。　How　does　that　sound？〃
　　Dwer　saw　distrust　in　her　eyes。　She　was　naturally　suspicious；　and　he　had　never　been　a　very　good　liar。　When　she　glanced　back　at　the　trapped　mystery　machine；　he　knew　she　must　be　gauging　whether　it　could　hold　out　overnight。　〃It　still　looks　strong；〃　he　told　her。　〃If　it　lasted　in　there　several　days；　one　more　night　shouldn't　make　that　much　difference。〃
　　Rety　lowered　her　head；　pondering。　〃Might　even　be　good　if　its　wings　got　stickier。　Won't　be　able　to　fly　off　when　we　free　it。〃　She　nodded。　〃All　right。　Let's　go　cut　us　some　boo。〃
　　With　one　hesitant；　longing　scan　behind　her；　Rety　swung　her　legs　over　the　thick　branch　and　reached　up　to　begin　climbing。　She　carefully　examined　each　hand　or　foothold　before　mitting　herself；　eyeing　it　for　caustic　leaks；　then　testing　whether　the　next　vine　would　bear　her　weight。　Clearly；　she　was　an　experienced　explorer。
　　But　Rety　had　never　ventured　through　a　spider　like　this　one。　When　she　was　about　a　third　of　the　way　through　the　twisty　tangle；　she　suddenly　winced；　withdrawing　her　hand　and　staring　at　a　single　pale…golden　droplet；　glistening　on　the　back　of　her　wrist。　It　did　not　burn；　or　she　would　have　screamed。　For　a　moment；　she　seemed　more　entranced　by　the　color　than　afraid。
　　〃Quick；　shake　it　off！〃　Dwer　cried。
　　She　plied。　The　glob　flew　into　the　foliage。　But　instantly　there　followed　two　more　soft　splatting　sounds。　A　drop　appeared　on　her　shoulder；　and　one　in　her　hair。　Rety　looked　up　to　see　where　they　came　from…and　took　one　more　in　the　middle　of　her　forehead。　Cursing；　she　tried　wiping　it　off…but　managed　only　to　smear　it　down　her　cheek。　Rety　backed　away　rapidly。
　　〃Not　that　way！〃　Dwer　urged。　He　saw　some　active　vines　snake　toward　her；　golden　dew　oozing　from　crevices。　Rety　hissed　in　dismay；　taking　more　drops　in　her　hair　as　she　scrambled　in　a　new　direction。
　　（Tell　her　not　to　fight。　There　need　be　no　pain。）
　　Dwer's　angry　snarl　was　voiceless；　inarticulate；　hurling　the　spider's　mind…touch　away。　He　shrugged　the　bow　off　of　his　shoulder；　leaving　it　atop　the　boulder；　and　began　clambering　down　to　the　girl。　Vaguely；　he　was　aware　that　the　noor　had　departed；　sensibly　fleeing　danger。　Unlike　some　fools　I　know；　Dwer　thought；　slipping　the　machete　out　of　its　sheath。
　　〃I'm　ing；　Rety；〃　he　said；　testing　his　weight　on　a　branch。　Dwer　saw　Rety　try　to　ascend　by　another　route；　easily　evading　the　sluggishly　pursuing　vines。
　　〃Don't　bother！〃　she　called。　〃I'm　all　right。　I　don't　need　your　hel…　ack！〃
　　The　branch　she　was　holding；　which　had　seemed　inert　moments　before；　suddenly　beaded　a　line　of　golden　moisture。　Rety　recoiled；　cursing。　Several　drops　adhered　to　her　hand。　〃Don't　rub　them！〃　Dwer　urged。
　　〃I'm　not　an　idiot！〃　she　retorted；　backing　away。　Unfortunately；　that　took　her　deeper　into　the　morass。
　　Dwer's　machete；　an　artfully　reshaped　length　of　Buyur　metal；　gleamed　as　he　took　a　swipe　at　one　of　the　vines　between　them。　It　looked　lifeless；　but　he　was　ready　to　leap　back　in　case…
　　It　severed　neatly；　a　crumbling；　decaying　tube；　spilling　nothing　but　cloying　dust。　A　good　thing　he　had　decided　against　using　it　as　a　foothold；　then。　This　place　wasn't　forgiving　of　mistakes。
　　He　let　the　machete　hang　by　the　pommel　loop　while　he　lowered　himself　one　level；　to　what　seemed　a　stable　vine；　setting　his　weight　down　gingerly；　then　he　sidled　along　the　horizontal　span　seeking　a　way　downward。　The　next　foothold　seemed　thinner；　less　anchored；　but　he　didn't　have　much　choice。　At　least　it　didn't　gush　acid　or　try　to　wrap　his　ankle　like　a　snake。　How　did　she　get　this　far　in　the　first　place？　He　wondered；　glad　that　most　of　the　tendrils　were　dead。　The　hedge　would　have　been　impassable　when　the　mule…spider　was　in　its　prime。
　　〃Dwer！〃
　　He　swiveled；　wobbling　as　the　ropy　strand　rocked　to　and　fro。　Peering　past　shadows；　he　watched　Rety　climb　a　chimneylike　funnel；　offering　what　seemed　a　way　out。　Only　now；　halfway　up　the　slim　gap；　she　saw　something　begin　twisting　into　place　above。　Another　clump　of　living　vines。。。　moving　in　to　block　the　promise　of　escape。　Meanwhile；　the　chimney's　base　was　closing　the　same　way。　Her　face　betrayed　rising　panic。　Flushed；　she　held　out　her　slim　blade；　eyes　darting　for　some　vital　spot　to　stab　her　foe。　But　all　she　could　do　was　saw　at　some　nearby　strand；　hoping　it　would　not　gush　vitriol　or　golden　death。
　　A　short　way　beyond；　Dwer　saw　the　bird…thing；　still　struggling　within　its　own　trap。
　　Let　her　go；　One…of…a…Kind；　Dwer　thought　as　he　crouched；　then　leaped　with　both　hands　outstretched　for　another　cable…which　fortunately　held　as　he　swung　across　a　dark　opening　to　land　straddling　another　almost　horizontal　branch；　as　thick　as　a　sapling's　trunk。　Let　her　go；　or　I'll…
　　His　mind　seemed　to　strangle　on　the　demand；　not　knowing　how　one　intimidated　a　mule…spider。　Could　he　do　more　than　irritate　it　with　a　machete？　He　might　threaten　to　depart　and　return　with　tools　to　destroy　the　ancient　thing；　with　flame　and　explosives；　but　somehow　Dwer　knew　that　would　seem　too　abstract。　The　spider　appeared　to　have　little　sense　of　perspective　or　cause　and　effect；　only　immediacy　and　avarice；　bined　with　enough　patience　to　make　a　hoon　seem　like　a　cranky　noor。
　　Anyway；　by　the　time　Dwer　could　carry　out　his　retribution；　Rety　would　be　sealed　in　a　golden　cocoon；　preserved　for　all　time。。。　and　dead　as　a　stone。
　　Let's　talk　a　trade；　One…of…a…Kind；　he　projected　as　he　took　up　the　machete　once　more。　What　will　you　take　in　exchange　for　her？
　　There　was　no　answer。　Either　One…of…a…Kind　was　too　busy　pushing　vines　and　fluids　around；　acting　with　unaccustomed　haste；　or　else…
　　The　spider's　silence　felt　eerie；　predatory。　Smug。　As　if　it　felt　no　need　for　conversation　when　it　had　two　treasures　and　seemed　about　to　get　a　third。　Grimacing；　Dwer　sidled　deeper　into　the　quagmire。　What　else　could　he　do？
　　He　hacked　at　three　more　vines。　The　last　sent　streams　of　caustic　sap　arcing　between　crisscrossing　branches。　Smoke　curled　up　from　the　rubbish…strewn　floor　below；　adding　to　the　acrid　stench。
　　〃Dwer；　help　me！〃
　　Rety　was　fully　hemmed　in　now；　and　touchy　pride　no　longer　suppressed　the　normal　panic　of　a　frightened　child。　Seen　through　a　matrix　of　ensnaring　mule…twine；　her　hair　glistened　like　an　urrish　tinker's　mane　on　a　dewy　morning；　coated　with　a　fine　dusting　of　golden　droplets。　A　vine　parted　under　her　sawing　knife…and　two　more　slithered　in　to　take　its　place。
　　〃I'm　ing！〃　h