fs.thesecondbookofswords-第30节
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they were of no more than normal human size。 Somehow the mute warning seemed all the more impressive because it had no look of having been planned as a deterrent to intruders。
Mark saw Ariane look down at the bones as she walked past。 The girl showed no sign of shock or fright。 What kind of a growing…up must she have had？ Mark wondered to himself。 Could it have been as strange as my own； or even stranger？ Maybe her powers； if she truly has any； knew me as her brother in that much at least。
There were no more branching passages。 Having no real choice now of which way to go； Doon was not consulting Wayfinder。 Now they had reached a paratively straight stretch of the tunnel； where Mark could see Doon's light bobbing at the head of the procession； revealing the tunnel walls
Which now ended； not far ahead； in a simple circle of darkness。 It was as if the passage here debouched into some vast cave。 As they grew closer with their lights； vague distant forms as of jagged rock appeared in the opening。
〃What's this； by all the demons？〃
The tunnel widened somewhat at its mouth； and the intruders crowded together there as best they could to see what kind of a place they had reached。 There was indeed a large cave in front of them now； and it looked virtually impassable。 The floor of it； if it could be called a floor； was at some distance below the one on which they stood； and it bristled with spiny projections of rock； that gleamed here and there with flecks of brightness but were also heavily stained and coated with what looked in the lamps' beams like some kind of fungus。
And again； behind a sharp outcropping； Mark saw the startling white of human bone。 Some kind of bones； at least； these were jumbled and broken； and Mark could not be sure that they were human。
This deadly looking chamber was some twenty or thirty meters deep； and without any other visible entrance or exit。 On right and left it extended for only a few meters before its side walls closed in to e close to the wall from which the tunnel emerged； on each side the space between was far too small to admit a hope that people might be able to squeeze themselves through it。 Mark； looking upward as best he could out of the tunnel's mouth； could see only the smooth slight bulge of the rounded wall from which the tunnel emerged； and above that； a jagged rocky roof some meters out of reach。 Looking down； the prospect was even more discouraging； upjutting corners of stone waited amid shadows at an intimidating distance below。 In no direction could he see anything that looked like a practical continuation of their path。
At Doon's urging； Ariane now prevailed upon the monkbird to try a short scouting flight into the cave ahead。 The beams of headlamps lit its way； but still it fluttered about uncertainly and had to be encouraged。 At last it flew out for some distance； and was near a far unpromising shelf of rock when there came a sudden popping noise from the fungi near it； and a cloud of dust burst up around the flying creature。 The monkbird came speeding back to Ariane's shoulder； where once more it clung tight in fear。 It brought with it a taste of choking dust； and at the same time an acrid； poisonous odor drifted to the humans' nostrils from the far reaches of the cave。
Doon； muttering demon…oaths between sudden fits of coughing； had his Sword out and was aiming it at various portions of the cave。 But he obtained no response until he pointed it back into the tunnel； in the direction from which the expedition had just e。 He looked so black at this that even Indosuaros thought it wise to make no ment at the moment。
Meanwhile Mark was looking back into the cave； and something he saw there kindled an idea。 He pulled off his headlamp； and； bending down； placed it on the floor； focusing a tight beam of light upon some rocks in the cave that were twenty or thirty meters distant。
〃Turn off all the lights but this one；〃 he told the others。 〃I'm trying to see something。〃
The Baron； on the verge of issuing new orders； hesitated and then did as he had been told。 The other people muttered questions and protests； mingled with their sneezes and coughs。 But in a moment Mark's was the only lamp alight。
He straightened up again。 〃Look。 My lamp isn't moving at all； it's resting on the floor。 Watch the light。〃
From a few bright facets of the distant rock； spots of brilliance were being reflected back into the tunnel； glowing dimly on walls and ceiling and on the faces of the people。
〃Look。〃
The spots of light were all in motion。 It was a slow movement； steady and concerted。 It appeared that the fixed rock； the whole cave out there； was turning past the tunnel's mouth； in a gradual unvarying rotation。 Looking closely at the cave； it was obvious that the perspective of it had changed in the short time the party had been standing in front of it。
People coughed in the fading traces of the poisonspores； and marveled。
〃That can't be right。〃
〃But it is moving。〃
〃I think；〃 said Mark； 〃that I know what's happening。 Let's get out of this dust； back through the tunnel。 I'll tell you there。〃
The others were ready enough to go； and Doon to lead the way。 In a short time they had climbed back through the twisting tunnel and re…entered the large cylindrical room。
There Mark offered his explanation。 〃It isn't the cave down there that's moving； it's us。 I mean all twelve of these tunnels； and the room we're standing in。 What looks like the hub of a wheel here〃 … and he thumped his hand upon the circular dais … 〃really is just that。 And look up here； around the end of the shaft where we came down。 You see what look like loose masonry joints。 The two parts are free to turn past each other。 Indosuaros； when we were still up there in daylight you said that you could sense something huge down here； something of the Old World。〃
〃I did feel that。〃 The wizard tilted back his head and closed his eyes。 〃And I feel it now。 Technology。〃 And as before； he curled his lip contemptuously at the word。
Doon was incredulous。 〃A whole section of this cliff； with the twelve tunnels running through it like the spokes of a wheel？ It would have to be big enough to build a village on。〃
Hubert chimed in： 〃A slab of that size； rotating all the time？ Without even making noise； or … nobody could build such a thing。 Nobody could。。。 〃 But he let it die away there。 He knew； like the Baron and everyone else； that the Old World had made a thousand wonders just as great。
Mark said to Doon： 〃But it means that the Sword must have been right； both times。 If we'd been quick enough to follow the first tunnel that it chose； we'd have e out in the right place。。。 don't you see； the rotating tunnels must match up with a fixed one； or some exit； cut in the solid rock somewhere around the wheel。 The twelve tunnel mouths probably turn past it； one after another。 At least some of them must。〃
〃Actually；〃 put in Ben； 〃there could be more than twelve tunnel…mouths； depending on how the tunnels branch inside the wheel。〃
Doon shook his head； as if to clear it。 〃Let's try what Wayfinder can tell us now。〃
This time the Sword indicated a pletely different tunnel； not the next one in order around the wall。
〃I see；〃 said Ben。 〃They bend and twist； as we've seen； and probably some of them cross over and under each other； within the thickness of the wheel。〃
〃I wonder； then；〃 asked Hubert。 〃How do the priests who e here ever manage to find their way in and out？ Have they some spell to stop the wheel？〃
〃Technology won't stop and start on spells。 They might know； from the time of day when they enter from outside； which tunnel will be properly aligned when they get down here。〃
〃We've not proven this mad idea yet；〃 growled the Baron。 〃This time we go with Wayfinder in front of us。 e on！〃
〃Aye； we'd better use Wayfinder；〃 muttered Mark。 〃I just thought … there may be other tunnel exits in the fixed rock around the wheel； that could lead to something even worse than that cave we just came from。〃
Again the group filed single into a chosen tunnel。 This time Hubert； anxious now to stay close to Doon in this uncertainty； managed to get right behind him。
Again the tunnel twisted and went down。 Again its explorers came to one cross passage； but this time the alternate way was not blocked。 The Sword made its choice； pointing to the right。 Again； after they had followed it a little farther； the tunnel they were in straightened … but this time something different was visible beyond its ending。
Its mouth； as Mark had predicted； was nearly aligned with a matching opening beyond a modest gap。 Here； with the stator and rotor of the great system only a couple of meters apart at the farthest； the slow…creeping rotation of the central wheel was much easier to see。
The tunnel in which they had arrived widened out considerably just at the end。 The aperture opposite closely matched it in both size and shape； each was equipped with a stone step just at the lip； as if to facilitate the easy leap； no more than a long stride； facilitate between them。 The inte
