fs.thesecondbookofswords-第28节
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or some such。 Anyway we'll have e and gone； if we do the job right； before the dragon's missed。 Let's move。〃
And he moved ahead himself； Wayfinder drawn。 Ben； having cleaned Dragonslicer as well as he could on prickly leaves； followed closely。 Mark was near Ben； and the others only a few steps behind。
Ben could still recognize no details of his surroundings； though it looked in general like the same landscape from which he had fled by night。 Now； in broad day； it held no sign anywhere of humanity or of human works； apart from the adventurers themselves。 The wasteland stretched away to north； west； and south； kilometer after kilometer； empty arid grimly beautiful。
〃Where's your local Blue Temple？〃 asked Mark； sticking his head up over a hillock beside Ben's； to scan the way ahead。
〃Somewhere inland； over there。 Kilometers away。 It took us half a day and half a night to get here from there； even riding part of the way。〃
And on impulse Ben turned his head to look back across the water。 On the other side of the fjord rose the opposite headland； emerging belatedly from the last of the morning's mists to warm itself in early summer's sun。 The meadow and the forest on its top were indistinguishable at this distance and in this light。 The cliffs； with this side of them just ing into sunshine now； were vaguely blue。
Did I really swim all that way； and climb those cliffs？ Ben asked himself。 Swimming through the tides at night； with no idea of where I was really going？ Someday； he thought； I'll tell my grandchildren all about it。 My grandchildren and Barbara's； in our fine house。 I saw the Emperor sitting there in his gray cloak； and he looked just like a man。。。 Ben had been on the way to forgetting the incident pletely until Hubert had startled him with his tale。 But no use worrying now about the real truth of it … there had been no demons in evidence； anyway。
He looked inland again； and moved on； following the others who were getting ahead of him。
Doon； with his Sword in his hands； led them steadily on across the trackless waste。 Ben several times murmured to the others that now the proper hillock could not be much farther。 In trying to pick it out； he became aware for the first time of how much alike were all these stony knobs。 It even seemed that each hillock had on one side an enormous stone； and that each such stone was of a size and shape to possibly form the balance…door protecting the hidden cave。 This fact was not immediately obvious； for no two of the huge stones were exactly alike in appearance； nor were they on the same sides of their respective hills。 But any of at least a hundred； as far as Ben could tell； might possibly be the one they sought。 He wondered silently if this might have been arranged by magic； it seemed impossible that chance alone would be responsible。
Wayfinder was immune to these as to all other distracting elements。 Following Doon； who held to an almost straight course； Ben tried to recall in which direction the cave opening had faced。 Indelibly he remembered that moment in which he'd turned； from the entrance； and； with Radulescu's yell still hanging in the air； had grabbed and pulled the great stone down to bang the doorway shut。 Then； himself on the edge of panic； running off into the night； almost blind in darkness； banging his legs on rocks。。。 he had run； that night； with the ocean on his left。。。
〃Here；〃 said Doon abruptly。 He had e to a halt standing in front of a hillock that looked to Ben no more familiar than any of the others standing round it。 Facing the side of the mound； Doon stretched forth his arm until the tip of the Sword in his hand touched rock。 Now Ben could plainly see the strong vibration in the blade。
〃Here？〃 Ben echoed； questioning； the hillock was still unrecognizable to him among its fellows。 There was one way to make sure； and he slipped off his backpack。 〃All right。 Lend a hand at this end of the rock and help me lift it。〃 And he bent to grip the base of the enormous stone himself。 Suddenly； with the feel of it； he was sure that this was the right spot。
But Indosuaros touched his shoulder。 〃Wait。〃 The magician raised both hands； and rested ten fingertips upon the rock。 He stood there for a moment； his eyes closed； then stepped back； glancing at his assistant。 〃I sense no guardian magic。 Lift away。〃
With Ben exerting himself； Mark and Hubert gave enough help to tilt the great stone back。 Ben's remaining doubts vanished； there was the dark triangular； opening； just the same。
Doon； his weapon ready； glared into the doorway for a moment； then stepped back； nodding with satisfaction。 〃Lights；〃 he pronounced。
These； seven Old World devices； were taken out of one of the packs and passed around。 They were somewhat different in shape and style from the torch that Ben had seen Radulescu using； but functionally the same。 And these had modern； handmade leather straps attached。
Doon demonstrated quickly how the straps could be used to put the light on like a helmet； leaving the wearer's hands free。 〃For these； again； we have our wizard to thank。 We'll see to it； Indosuaros； that your years of preparation were not wasted。〃 He took the helmet off to demonstrate its function。 〃Press here； and it gives light。 Press again and it goes dark。 Turn this to make it brighter or dimmer。 Twist and push like this； and you can focus the light into a beam。 Twist and draw back again； and the glow spreads out to light a room。〃
〃How long will they keep burning？〃 asked Hubert； who was obviously fascinated。 He had probably； Ben thought； never seen the like before。
Doon shrugged。 〃They're already nearly as old as the world itself。 I suppose they may keep burning until its end； so don't fear to use them。〃
The actual entry into the cave seemed to Ben almost an anticlimax。 With the new light shining from his forehead； he noted the old wax candle drippings still on the floor。 There was no visible trace of the six men he had shut in here with his own hands。 But now the memory of that night came back … more sharply than ever； for the cave looked no different now than it had looked then in the beam of the Old World light carried by Radulescu。
Indosuaros； standing by the large opening in the floor； again reported that he could detect no guardian magic。 〃Not here。。。 but far down； yes。 There's magic moiling in the earth； well below us。 Magic； and。。。〃
〃And what？〃 Doon asked him sharply。
The magician sighed。 〃I think。。。 there is something down there of the Old World； also。 Something large。〃
〃Is that all you can tell us？〃
〃Old World technology。〃 Indosuaros curled his lip。 〃Who can tell about technology？〃
〃The magic that you sense； then … are you going to be able to deal with it； when we reach it？〃
The wizard appeared for a moment to be taking some kind of inward inventory。 He stared hard at his assistant。 Then he answered； firmly enough： 〃I can。〃
〃Then；〃 said Doon briskly； 〃the next order of business is to make sure we can open the outer door here； when we e back。〃 And he trotted back up the crooked stair to scrutinize the great rock carefully。 Ben had already explained to everyone how he had used that door to get away。
Now Doon sighed； dissatisfied。 He scowled at the rock as if it offended him。 〃Ben； tell me this。 The priests must e here on inspection tours from time to time； to see that their treasure's safe。 Don't they？〃
〃I suppose they must；〃 Ben answered； climbing the stairs too。 〃But I never heard anything about it。〃
〃Well； you say it can't be opened from the inside。 That officer would have opened it if he could； and pursued you。 Right？〃
〃I don't think；〃 said Ben； 〃that I could lift it alone； from inside； if my life depended on it。 And only one person can get at it from inside； there's room only for one。〃
〃I doubt that the priests leave this open behind them when they e。 And I doubt they e with half a dozen slaves each time； to wait outside and lift this for them when they want to leave。〃 Again Doon sighed。 〃Once we are well down and in； of course； we may discover some alternate way out。 Or we may not。 Now I have stonecutting tools； but。。。 〃 Just looking at the rock； Doon shook his head。 Then he made a gesture of giving up。 〃Indosuaros？ I know our plan was not to leave any magic traces of our passage； so near the surface anyway。 But to seal ourselves into this cave without a known way out would be even worse。〃
The wizard had to agree； gloomily。 〃I fear that you are right。〃 Then Indosuaros held a hurried； whispered conference with Mitspieler； after which the two of them drew objects from a pack。 Soon they were standing just outside the upper doorway； rubbing at the huge rock with what looked to Ben like raw slices of some kind of vegetable。
All this time Ariane was content to remain in the lower cave； occupying her time by petting the monkbird and whispering to it soothingly。 She showed little or no sign of fear。
When the magicians had finished their treatment of the rock； Doon summoned Ben to pull it down and close the door。 It felt to Ben as if the mass of the stone were now greatly dimin
