fs.thefirstbookofswords-第47节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


defense　forces　as　best　he　might。　Mark　had　got　the　impression；　listening；　that　all　the　experts　on　hand　knew　that　the　walls　were　going　to　be　undermanned。
　　　Then　Sir　Andrew　had　had　Nestor　speak　to　the　defenders　also　of　Draffut；　of　how　the　Lord　of　Beasts　had　seemed　to　favor　their　cause；　and　to　hint　of　active　intervention　on　their　side。　This　raised　the　hopes　of　everyone　somewhat；　though　Nestor　was　careful　not　to　claim　that　any　such　promise　had　been　made　by　Draffut。
　　　Nestor；　as　he　had　explained　to　a　smaller　gathering　of　his　old　panions　of　the　wagon；　had　decided　he　had　no　real　choice　but　to　take　part　in　the　fighting；　once　he　had　decided　to　e　to　Sir　Andrew's　castle　with　the　sword。
　　　〃Besides；　where　would　I　have　gone　to　get　away？　From　here　all　roads　lead　ultimately　to　Fraktin　or　Yambu；　except　those　that　go　back　into　the　swamp；　or　to　the　northwest；　and　I　expect　that　even　those　are　closed　by　now。　〃
　　　Armed　with　the　Sword　of　Fury；　and　wearing　the　best　armor　that　Sir　Andrew　had　been　able　to　fit　him　with　at　short　notice；　Nestor　was　somewhere　in　one　of　the　central　guard…towers　when　the　first　attack　began。　The　strategy　was　for　him　to　wait　there　until　close　bat　provided　a　suitable　chance　to　bring　the　sword's　powers　into　use。　But　though　the　sword　whined　restlessly　when　the　attack　began；　and　drew　its　threads　of　vapor　from　the　air　into　itself；　that　chance　did　not　e　with　the　first　assault。
　　　Not　that　there　was　much　of　a　break　between　the　first　and　second。　The　Gray　Horde　did　not　retreat　from　the　foot　of　the　walls　to　reform；　as　a　human　army　would　certainly　have　done。　Instead　its　thousands　milled　around；　indifferent　to　slung　stone　and　arrow。
　　　And　then　surged　forward　behind　the　ladders　once　again。
　　　By　now　it　had　been　discovered　that　large　stones　dropped　on　the　attacking　larvae　below　the　walls　were　somewhat　more　effective　than　slings　and　arrows；　but　that　fire　was　disappointingly　inefficient。　The　deadwood　figures　were　not　really　dry；　and　they　would　have　to　be　burnt　into　ashes　to　be　stopped。
　　　〃A　breach！　A　breach！〃
　　　Mark　heard　the　cry　go　up　some　minutes　after　the　second　surge　with　ladders　against　the　walls　began。　Looking　down　at　the　top　of　the　west　wall；　to　his　right；　he　saw　that　gray　mannikins　were　on　it；　their　arms　windmilling　as　they　fought。
　　　〃The　sword　es！〃
　　　〃Townsaver！〃
　　　Through　the　defenders'　thin　reserves　the　figure　of　Nestor；　recognizable　in　his　new　armor；　was　moving　into　action。　Above　and　through　the　banshee…howling　of　the　enemy　sounded　the　high　shriek　of　the　blade。　The　sound　called　up　for　Mark　his　last　day　in　his　home　village；　and　he　felt　a　surge　of　sickness。
　　　The　hand　of　Dame　Yoldi　pressed　his　arm。　〃It　es　awake；　and　timely　too。　We　have　a　holding　here；　and　unarmed　folk　in　it　to　be　defended。　The　gods　cannot　be　wholly　evil；　to　have　forged　a　weapon　of　this　nature。〃
　　　Mark　could　not　think　beyond　that　screaming　sound。　Nestor　had　reached　the　foe　now；　and　the　blade　in　his　hands　blurred　back　and　forth；　faster　than　sight　could　follow　it；　and　the　first　gray　rank　went　down。
　　　This　was　Duke　Fraktin's　first　chance　to　hear　Townsaver　scream；　and　he　was　greatly　interested。　He　watched　from　a　distance　as　the　small　blur　in　one　man's　hands　cleared　the　west　wall　of　larvae。　The　Duke　was　impressed；　but　not　particularly　surprised。
　　　He　watched　also；　with　fascination；　how　gracefully　and　angrily　Queen　Yambu　rode　her　prancing　warbeast　in　front　of　her　own　ranked　army　of　human　men；　even　as　he　himself　paced　near　the　center　of　his　own。　The　bulk　of　the　Duke's　forces　were　now　disposed　in　a　semicircular　formation；　with　its　right　wing　on　the　lake　almost　behind　the　castle；　left　wing　anchored　just　about　where　the　winding　road　came　up　the　hill　to　find　Sir　Andrew's　fortified　main　gate。　Upon　that　gate　a　hundred　larvae　were　now　battering　with　a　ram　fashioned　from　the　trunk　of　a　huge　tree。　Their　feet　slipped　and　slid　in　mud　that　had　been　their　predecessors'　bodies；　while　stones　and　fire　decimated　their　ranks　from　above。　Meanwhile；　along　the　road；　rough　battalions　of　replacements　jostled　forward；　howling　dully；　ready　without　fear　or　hope　to　take　their　turn　beneath　the　walls。
　　　From　the　winding　road　around　west　to　the　lake　again；　the　human　forces　of　Yambu　held　the　field。　They　were　arrayed；　like　the　Duke's　army；　in　a　rough　halfcircle。　The　Duke　like　everyone　else　was　well　aware　that　the　two　armies　of　attackers　were　watching　each　other　closely　and　uneasily；　even　as　both　watched　the　progress　of　the　swarming　preliminary　attack　on　the　castle　by　Yambu's　auxiliaries。
　　　The　Duke　turned　to　his　blue…garbed　wizard；　who　was　waiting　nearby　clad　in　incongruous…looking　armor。　〃At　least；〃　His　Grace　remarked；　〃a　good　part　of　the　Horde　is　going　to　he　used　up　against　those　walls；　and　particularly　by　that　sword。　We　can　hope　that　most　of　those　dead…wood　monsters　will　be　out　of　the　way　before　it　es　our　turn　to　fight　Yambu；　for　the　spoils。〃　〃Indeed；　sire。〃
　　　〃I'm　convinced　now；　Blue…Robes；　that　it　was　she　who　tried　to　kidnap　my　cousin。　Obviously　she's　got　word　of　the　swords　somehow。。。　what　word　is　there　from　the　east？〃
　　　This　last　was　spoken　to　the　Duke's　staff　at　large。　None　of　them　had　any　real　news　to　report　from　that　direction。　At　night　there　were　the　reddened　eastern　skies　for　all　to　see；　and　by　day　the　distant　plumes　of　smoke。　When　the　Duke　had　dispatched　a　flying　scout　with　a　message　for　the　small　garrison　at　Arin…on…Aldan；　the　scout　had　e　back　with　a　report　of　being　unable　to　find　the　village　or　its　garrison；　in　the　altered　landscape　and　foul　air。　（The　message　had　been　an　order　for　the　family　of　Jord　the　Miller　to　be　brought　into　the　Duke's　presence　for　some　serious　interrogation；　milder　methods　having　failed。）　Indeed　it　appeared　now　that　munications　with　the　foothill　region　had　broken　down　pletely。　Reports；　scattered　and　uncertain；　indicated　that　the　whole　civilian　population　of　that　area　was　now　in　flight；　and　military　patrols　were　at　best　disrupted。　The　Duke　sighed；　for　his　vanished　family　of　subjects　for　interrogation。　But　he　had　a　battle　to　fight　here；　and　could　spare　no　extra　manpower　for　search　operations　of　doubtful　utility　over　there。
　　　Still；　the　blue…robed　wizard　did　not　appear　entirely　unhappy　when　this　subject　came　up　for　discussion。　He　had　the　air　of　holding　good　news　in　reserve；　and；　sure　enough；　at　his　earliest　good　chance　he　announced　it。
　　　〃Sire；　I　am　pleased　to　be　able　to　report　that　my　private　project　has　achieved　a　measure　of　success。〃
　　　〃What　other　project？〃　The　ducal　brow　creased　with　a　slight　frown。　〃Oh。　You　are　speaking　now　of。。。　of　what　you　spoke　to　me　about　last　night　in　secret。〃
　　　〃Exactly　so；　sire。〃　The　wizard　bowed；　a　small　dip　with　an　air　of　triumph。　〃We　now　have　reason　to　hope　that　Mars　himself　is　soon　going　to　e　directly　to　our　aid。　Then；　what　will　our　rivals　have　gained　from　their　paltry　success　in　raising　the　Horde？〃
　　　〃By　the　Great　Worm　Yilgarn。〃　Duke　Fraktin　was　indubitably　impressed。　But　he　was　suddenly　somewhat　worried　as　well。　〃Do　you　think；　Blue…Robes；　that　such　a　raising　is。。。　the　god？　Mars？　Are　you　sure　you're　serious？〃
　　　〃Oh；　entirely　serious；　sire。〃
　　　A　hundred　people　or　more　might　be　watching；　even　if　probably　none　of　them　were　close　enough　at　the　moment　to　hear。　The　Duke　made　himself　smile。　〃Do　you　think　it　entirely　wise？〃
　　　At　this　the　wizard　began　to　look　downcast；　he　had　surely　been　expecting　more　enthusiasm　from　his　master。　He　was　somewhat　relieved　when　their　talk　was　interrupted。　A　closeranked　body　of　men　had　surrounded；　and　were　now　bringing　into　the　Duke's　presence　a　man　who　（it　was　reported）　insisted　on　speaking　to　the　Duke　himself；　who　swore　that　he　had　been　within　the　past　day　inside　the　beseiged　castle；　and　who　claimed　to　know　a　way　by　which　it　would　be　possible　to　enter　secretly　with　a　body　of　armed　men。
　　　Presently；　after　the　man　was　thoroughly　searched；　and　tested　for　magical　powers；　the　Duke　confronted　trim。　〃Well？　Spit　it　out；　fellow。〃
　　　The　fellow　before　him　was　poorly　garbed；　and　young；　with　a　lean；　hunted　look。　〃My　name　is　Kaparu；　Your　Grace。　I　have　worked　as　an　agent　of　Queen　Yambu　in　the　past；　but　I'll　be　pleased　to　work　for　a　prince　as　well…known　for　generosity　as　yourself　instead。〃
　　　Throughout　the　whole　morning　the　fighting　continued　with　scarcely　an　interruption。　What　small　pauses　there　were　resulted　not　from　any　weariness　or　unwillingness　on　the　part　of　the　inhuman　mob　that　tried　to　swarm　upon　the　walls；　but　from　their　need　for　new　ladders；　as　numbers　of　the　old　ones　burned　or　broke　under　the　impact　of　rock　or　fire　or　molten　lead。　And　even　when　the　fighting　ebbed　for　a　time；　the　howling　of　the　Horde　went　on　without　pause。　The　volume　of　sound　did　not　seem　to　diminish　much　with　their　necessarily　diminishing　numbers。
　　　As　Mark　came　down　from　the　roof　to　the　level　of　the　top　of　the　outer　walls；　he　heard　a　stalwart　swordsman　mutter：　〃We　have　cut　down　thousands　of　them；　and　yet　still　they　e。〃　The　man　was　not　exaggerating。
　　　Presently　Mark　was　making　his　way　across　the　crowded　main　courtyard　of　the　castle；　passing　hastily　arranged　stockpiles　of　supplies；　tethered　animals；　a　row　of　moaning　wounded　being　cared　for。　He　had　e　down　from　the　roof　with　Dame　Yoldi's　permission；　in　respons