fs.thesecondbookofswords-第2节
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dered the train forward along this unknown thread of a trail。 Then he had followed it on his own steed。
Ben had never set eyes on the priest…officer before today； and as far as he could tell the man was unknown to the other drivers as well … even as they were to each other。 Certainly Radulescu was not one of the regular cavalry or infantry officers assigned to the local Temple's garrison。 Ben suspected that he came from somewhere very high up in the loftier strata of Blue Temple power … perhaps he even had some connection with the Inner Council that ruled the Temple in all its branches。 All of the regular officers had deferred to him； even though his uniform of plain gold and blue was devoid of any of the usual insignia of rank。 That； thought Ben； had to mean he was a priest。 Still； Radulescu seemed perfectly at home astride his cavalry mount； and also quite at home with giving orders in the field。
And now through the night the men and animals continued to struggle on； to move their heavy cargo forward。 Ben thought it might not be all gold that they were carrying。 He could imagine； inside the heavily padded； shapeless bundles that filled the wicker baskets； a certain proportion of jewelry； for example。 Precious stones； and maybe some things of art。。。
With every minute the worry that had fastened upon him grew and grew。 And the wind continued to blast the little procession； as did the rain； until even the four…footed creatures were slipping and sliding on the wet and rounded rocks that made up so much of this poor excuse for a path。
Again Ben shoved against the beast whose hindquarters were under his right arm。 He shifted the animal bodily a small distance to the right； farther away from that dreadful brink that now again came curving in from the left to run close beside the path。
And now； to Ben's mild surprise； the officer came cantering forward on the right side of the small train。 Radulescu was urging his mount to a greater fraction of its speed； so that it quickly got ahead of the slow loadbeasts。 Lights and shadows shifted with the change in position of the cold torch still held in the officer's hand。 That torch was a thick rod whose rounded； glassy tip glowed steadily and brightly white； impervious to wind and rain。 Ben had seen similar lights in use a time or two before； though certainly they were not mon。 In that steady light； Radulescu's officer's cloak shone； glistened as if it might be waterproof； and this head was neatly dry under a hood instead of wet in a damned dripping helmet。 From under his cloak on the left side a sheathed sword protruded like some kind of stiffened tail。
As soon as Radulescu had gotten ahead of the train； he turned back into its path and reined in his swifter mount。 And now； with a motion of his light； he signaled to the drivers that here they were going to leave the precarious path。 He was waving them inland； across utterly trackless country。
The driver just ahead of Ben cursed again。
With the officer now riding slowly on ahead of the train； his cold light held high for guidance； the first driver got the first animal turned off the trail and headed inland； to the west。 Ben followed； leaning on the first animal's hindquarters as before。 The animal
behind had to agree； with Ben's grip still on its reins。
The others followed。
Now； moving across country on footing even worse than before； they were traveling even more slowly。 From what Ben could see of the surrounding land； it was absolutely trackless and abandoned。 All six of the drivers were cursing now； Ben was sure of it； though he could hear no maledictions other than his own。
The edge of the cliff was now safely distant。 But now men and animals had to pick their way over uneven slopes of sand； push through prickly growth； negotiate more rocks whose surfaces were slicked by rain。 This land； thought Ben； was in fact good for nothing but raising demons； as the old folksaying had it of the deserts。 If indeed a large dragon was nearby and he did not doubt that it was … then it was hard to imagine what it found to eat。
He thought that the dragon was making its presence known。 The farther west and south the loadbeasts were made to struggle； the more restive they became。 And now Ben； who had more experience than most in locating dragons； thought that he could detect the unique tang directly in the wet air； ing and going with variations in the wind。 In that scent there was something swinish； and something metallic too； and something else that Ben could not relate to anything outside itself。
And now； unexpectedly； the packtrain was jouncing and stumbling to a halt。 A few meters ahead； the priest…officer Radulescu had already reined in his animal and was dismounting。 Reins held firmly in one hand； Radulescu lifted his torch high in the other； and began to chant a spell。 Ben could not hear him chanting； but could see in profile a regular movement of the officer's short beard； chewing words boldly out into the wind。
And now something else came into view； above and beyond the cowled head of Radulescu； who now turned fully away from Ben to face the apparition。 First the two eyes of the dragon were born in the midst of darkness； greenly reflecting the Old World light。 The height of those eyes above the ground； and the distance between them； were enough to impress even an experienced dragon hunter。 In the next moment； as the monster drew in a slow breath； there appeared below and between the eyes a red suggestion； glowing through flesh and scale； of the inner fires of nose and mouth； an almost subliminal red that would have been invisible by day。 The purring snort that followed was a nearly musical sound； the rolling of hollow metal spheres in some vast brazen bowl。
Ben's sense of magic in operation was not particularly strong； but now even he could feel the flow； the working of the chant。 The spell had already held the dragon back； and now was turning it away。 With blinking eyes the great landwalker snorted again； and then melted back out of the train's path； disappearing into storm and darkness。
With the going of the dragon； Ben's real worry only sharpened。 He had no trouble now in concentrating on it。 In fact； as he waited for Radulescu to conclude his spell； demonstrating how firmly the powers of the Blue Temple were in control； it was impossible for him to think of anything else。
The worry that deviled Ben was not rooted in any single warning； any one thing that he had seen or heard。 Rather it had sprung into existence like some kind of elemental power； out of a great number of details。
One detail was that all six of the drivers here tonight； including Ben himself； were newers to this particular Temple garrison。 That meant； Ben supposed； that none of them were likely to have friends around。 All six had been transferred in from local Temples elsewhere； within the past few days。 Ben had managed to discover that much from a few words casually exchanged while they were waiting for the train to start。 He had not been given any particular reason for his own transfer； and he wondered if the others had； for theirs。 So far he had had no chance to ask them。
At the time； the transfer orders had seemed to Ben only one more inprehensible military quirk； in a year's service with Blue Temple he had gotten used to such unexplained twitches of the organism。 But now。。。
In Ben's memory； repository of a thousand old songs； one in particular had now e alive and was dancing an acpaniment to his thoughts。 He couldn't remember where or when he had heard it first。 He probably hadn't heard it at all for years。 But it had popped up now； as an ironic background for his fear。
If only； he thought； he was able to talk to the other drivers。 They might be able to shout a few words back and forth now through the wind； but Ben needed more than that； he needed time to ask them things and make them think。。。 he suspected he wasn't going to get the chance。
He had only a very little time in which to decide whether to act； or not to act； alone。 And if he decided wrong； either way； then very soon he would be dead。。。 The priest…officer； in the act of concluding his spell； used his wand of light to make one long； slow gesture after the departing dragon。 Then Radulescu held the wand upright again； looking after the retreating beast and perhaps trying to listen after it through the storm。 Then he remounted； turned to the waiting drivers； and once more motioned the train forward。
The drivers moved reluctantly。 The loadbeasts were more easily convinced than their masters that the dragon had in fact departed。 With dragon…scent now vanishing quickly in the wind； the animals moved forward again with more willingness than they had shown for several hours。 And now； as if to suit the improvement in the atmosphere； the rain began to lessen too。
There followed a hundred meters more of stumbling along their trackless way； now and then tearing clothes and skin on thorns。 Then the officer reined in again； and again motioned the packtrain to a halt。 Another dragon？ Ben wondered。 He could perceive no other reason for stopping at this point。 Radulescu was indica
