fs.thesecondbookofswords-第19节

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　　　Doon　meanwhile　was　looking　round；　and　appeared　to　be　considering　the　extent　of　the　train　of　men　and　beasts　he　now　had　following　him。　In　an　aside　to　himself；　he　muttered：　〃A　few　more；　and　I'll　have　to　form　them　into　panies；　and　start　making　out　duty　rosters。。。　well；　there's　good　as　well　as　bad　in　numbers。　The　more　of　us　there　are；　the　more　treasure　we'll　be　able　to　carry　out。　When　I　know　the　location；　I'll　be　able　to　make　some　better　plans　on　that　as　well。　The　gods　know　there'll　be　enough　for　all　of　us。　No　need　for　greedy　squabbling。〃
　　　〃No　need　at　all；〃　agreed　Ben。　And　Mark　murmured　something　similar。　Then　again　he　looked　back　at　the　tall　gray　man　who　rode　behind　him。　〃Sir　Wizard；　what　are　the　other　things　you　wish　we　had？〃　〃D'ye　know　the　song？〃　the　wizard　asked。　In　answer；　Ben　sang　it　lightly：
　　　　　　　　　　　Benambra's　gold
　　　　　　　　　　　Hath　seven　sealings。。。
　　　　　　　　　　　He　let　it　die　there。
　　　Doon　chuckled。　〃I　already　know　what　the　next　lines　are；　I'll　not　be　frightened　if　you　sing　them。〃　He　pressed　on；　though；　without　pausing　for　any　such　performance。　〃Indosuaros　and　I　have　pooled　our　knowledge；　and　we　make　it　but　six　sealings　that　guard　the　gold；　the　number　seven　being　merely　a　poetic　convention。〃　He　glanced　back　at　the　gray　man。
　　　Indosuaros　nodded　confirmation。　〃The　song　does　not　name　seven　individual　barriers。〃
　　　〃No；　it　doesn't；〃　Ben　agreed。
　　　〃All　right；　then；〃　asked　Mark；　〃what　are　the　six？〃
　　　〃The　first；〃　said　Doon；　〃is　the　location　of　the　place　pretty　well　impossible　to　rob　it　if　you　don't　know　that。　The　secret　of　the　location　has　been　kept　for　a　long　time；　and　with　incredible　success。　But　since　your　friend　knows　where　it　is；　and　we　have　Wayfinder；　that　should　present　no　problem。〃　If　he　had　any　doubts　about　the　veracity　of　Ben's　claim　to　knowledge；　he　was　not　expressing　them。
　　　Mark　said：　〃I　suppose　the　second　barrier　is　some　kind　of　fence　or　patrol；　or　both；　around　the　area　where　the　cave　is。〃
　　　〃The　fence；〃　said　Indosuaros；　〃is　made　of　dragon's　teeth。〃
　　　〃A　landwalker；〃　said　Doon。　〃I　suppose　that　you；　my　big　friend；　may　have　seen　it。。？〃
　　　Ben　only　nodded。　〃With　Dragonslicer　I　think　we　can　get　by。　Though　it　still　won't　be　easy。〃
　　　〃We　have　another　trick　or　two　that　we　can　try　as　well；〃　Doon　assured　him。
　　　Ben　said：　〃And　the　third　sealing；　I　suppose；　is　something　that　I　saw　inside　the　cave。　Just　a　glimpse；　in　darkness；　of　giant　white　hands。　They　were　grabbing　the　sacks　of　treasure　as　we　put　them　down　into　the　floor；　and　they　looked　…　well；　dead　…　but　at　the　same　time　very　strong　and　active。　The　song　doesn't　mention　anything　like　them；　but。。。〃
　　　The　tall　wizard；　his　frame　bobbing　with　the　motion　of　his　loadbeast's　walk；　was　signing　disagreement。　〃No；　I　think　not；　I　think　not。　Those　huge　pale　creatures　are　no　more　than　laborers　and　clerks。　They　can　be　trusted　by　their　Blue　Temple　masters；　because　they　never　emerge　into　the　light　of　day；　and　have　their　only　contact　with　the　upper　world　through　the　Blue　Temple　priests　themselves。〃
　　　〃They're　very　large　and　strong；〃　Ben　repeated　doubtfully。　〃What　are　they　called？〃
　　　〃I　have　knowledge　of　them　from　other　sources。〃　And　the　wizard　glanced　back　suddenly　over　his　shoulder；　as　if　someone　or　something　of　importance　could　be　following　him。　〃'Whitehands'　is　as　good　a　name　as　any；〃　he　concluded。
　　　Ben　repeated；　stubbornly：　〃Whatever　they　are；　their　hands　are　very　large。〃
　　　〃Well；　so　are　yours；〃　said　Doon。　〃And　my　hands　are　well…armed；　as　are　your　friend's；　who　walks　beside　you。　And　we　have　sturdy　pany。〃　〃I　am　only　trying　to　be　clear　about　what　we　face。〃
　　　〃An　admirable　plan。　No；　the　third　sealing　is　something　else。　The　researches　of　my　learned　friend　here〃　…　and　he　nodded　toward　the　wizard；　〃rather　formally　confirm　some　small　investigations　of　my　own。　The　third　sealing　is　in　fact　a　subterranean　maze；　and；　as　might　be　expected；　one　of　no　little　danger　and　difficulty。　But　I　have　a　long　key　here　at　my　side　to　open　it。〃　And　again　he　fondled　Wayfinder's　hilt。
　　　The　eight　men　trudged　on　in　silence　for　a　while。　In　the　distance；　past　the　mouth　of　the　pass；　flatlands　stretched　for　many　kilometers；　greening　here　and　there　with　crops　or　only　with　onrushing　summer。　Beyond；　more　mountains；　very　far　away　and　barely　visible。
　　　〃And　the　fourth　sealing？〃　Mark　finally　prodded。
　　　〃A　kind　of　maze　again；〃　said　Indosuaros。　〃But　this　one　of　pure　magic。　I　have　been　preparing　for　more　than　a　century　to　breach　it；　and　you　may　depend　upon　it　that　the　key　to　it　is　also　with　us。〃
　　　〃And　then；　the　fifth？〃　asked　Ben。
　　　〃There　is　an　underground　garrison；〃　answered　the　magician；　〃who　guard　Benambra's　wealth。　They　are　human　soldiers；　yet　not　human　as　you　and　I。〃
　　　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　　　〃We　will　have　to　discover　exactly　what　it　means。　But　I　am　confident　that　we　can　pass。〃
　　　Mark　put　in　a　question：　〃Who's　Benambra；　anyway？〃
　　　Ben；　who　had　undergone　some　indoctrination　in　the　history　of　the　institution　he　had　once　joined；　could　answer　that　one。　〃He　was　the　first　High　Priest　of　the　Blue　Temple。　From　him；　all　who　worship　wealth　still　draw　their　inspiration。〃
　　　Doon　was　closely　studying　the　huge　man　who　walked　beside　him；　no　doubt　revising　a　first　impression　of　his　recruit。
　　　〃So；〃　said　Mark；　〃let's　try　to　plete　this　inventory　that　we've　begun。〃　It　came　to　him　as　he　spoke　that　his　own　attitude　had　already　been　revised。　He　had　entered　this　conversation　to　learn　what　Doon's　plans　were；　but　now　he　found　himself　taking　part　in　the　planning；　as　for　an　enterprise　he　had　already　joined。　〃Whoever　these　guardian　soldiers　of　the　fifth　sealing　may　be；　they　appear　to　stand　in　our　way。　What　means　do　we　have　of　getting　past　them？〃
　　　Doon　said　briskly：　〃Wayfinder　will　point　one　out　to　us；　when　the　time　es。　Of　course　we　are　going　to　face　risks；　but　what　prize　could　be　worth　greater　risks　than　this　one？〃
　　　〃So　we　e　to　the　sixth　sealing；〃　Ben　urged。　〃You　said　that　there　were　six。〃
　　　Indosuaros　answered　shortly。　〃The　sixth　…　and　last　…　is　apparently　some　kind　of　demon。　You　need　not　be　too　much　concerned；　young　man；　only　do　your　part　to　get　us　through　the　others。　I've　dealt　before　with　demons；　as　you　and　your　friend　have　with　landwalkers。〃
　　　Ben　did　not　appear　entirely　satisfied。　〃I　don't　suppose　you　have　this　particular　demon's　life　in　hand？　No？　Then　you　have　words　of　magic　certain　to　mand　him？〃
　　　The　ghost　of　a　fearful　murmur　could　be　heard　among　the　listening　men。　The　wizard　appeared　to　be　making　an　effort　to　restrain　his　temper。　〃I　have　not　his　life　in　my　hand；　no。　His　name；　yes；　though　I　should　not　speak　it　now。　I　have　said　that　there　are　things　I　wish　we　had。　But　what　we　do　have　is　sufficient。　Else　I　should　not　be　here　now。〃
　　　〃Whatever　we　may　truly　need；〃　Doon　said　firmly；　〃Wayfinder　will　bring　us　to　it。〃
　　　Wherever　it　might　be　bringing　them　now；　they　passed　four　more　days　in　the　process；　entering　lands　that　none　of　the　men　knew　very　well。
　　　Ben　warned　them　all；　first　Mark　in　private　and　then　the　others；　that　Wayfinder's　last　few　crossroad　choices　were　in　fact　taking　them　farther　and　farther　from　the　place　where　he　knew　the　gold　to　be。　Doon　did　not　argue　the　point；　calmly　insisting　that　there　might　well　be　something　else　they　had　to　obtain　first。　Nor　did　he　press　Ben　to　reveal　the　location　of　the　hoard。
　　　Ben　had　already　given　that　information　to　Mark；　privately。　The　two　of　them　continued　to　meet　frequently；　apart　from　the　others；　to　assess　their　situation。　They　were　doing　this　late　one　afternoon；　on　a　hillside　covered　with　a　wild　orchard　of　tall；　almost　tree…like　bushes；　covered　at　this　season　with　fine　pink　and　white　blossoms　that　had　drawn　innumerable　bees。
　　　The　two　sat　on　a　patch　of　grass；　in　conference；　and　Mark　was　asking：　〃Doesn't　it　e　down　to　this：　How　long　can　we　trust　Doon？〃
　　　〃As　long　as　he　needs　us。　Which　ought　to　be　till　we've　got　past　the　dragon；　at　least。〃
　　　〃Of　course　after　that；　he's　still　going　to　need　all　the　help　that　he　can　get；　to　get　past　the　other　sealings。。。〃
　　　〃And　after　that；　if　we　win　through；　there'll　be　more　treasure　in　our　hands　than　we　can　carry；　if　we　were　eighty　men　instead　of　eight。　No　reason　for　us　to　fight　over　it　then；　that　I　can　see。〃
　　　Mark　still　marveled；　silently；　every　time　he　thought　about　it。　If　he　could　bring　Sir　Andrew　two　Swords；　possibly；　or　even　three。。。　〃Blue　Temple　won't　be　watching　the　area；　you　think？　I　have　trouble　believing　that。〃
　　　〃If　they　are　watching；　we　should　discover　the　fact　when　we　get　near。　Then。。。　I　don't　know。　But　I　don't　think　they're　watching。　They　probably　think　I'm　dead；　as　I've　told　you。　Even　if　they　doubt　that；　they　won't　believe　that　I　could　be　ing　back　so　soon；　with　a　band　as　well…organized　as　this　one　is。〃
　　　〃I　suppose。　You　know；　Ben；　about　Doon。。。〃
　　　〃Yes？〃
　　　〃Indosuaros　wouldn't　have　joined　up　with　him；　would　he；　if　Doon　didn't　know　what　he　was　doing？　I　get　the　feeling　that　the　wizard　definitely　knows　what　he's　doing。〃
　　　〃Me　too。　Good　point。〃　Ben　stretched　his　arms；　then　lay　back　on　the　grass；　staring　at　the　sky。　〃I　hope　Barb　made　it　back　to　the　carnival　safely。〃
　　　〃We　could　ask　the　magician　to　send　one　of　his　powers　to