fs.thesecondbookofswords-第35节

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peared　to　flit　and　jump　among　the　trees；　as　if　it　were　part　of　a　mirage。　As　it　drew　closer；　it　could　be　seen　first　to　be　human；　and　then　to　be　a　man；　and　next　to　bear　in　one　hand　some　kind　of　sword；　with　which　it　groped　about　as　if　for　guidance。　And　lastly；　as　it　came　near；　it　could　be　recognized　as　Mitspieler；　walking　simply　and　normally。
　　　Before　any　one　else　could　say　anything；　Indosuaros　had　roused　himself；　and　propped　himself　up　on　one　elbow。　With　a　faint；　glad　cry　he　turned　toward　the　approaching　man。　〃Master！〃
　　　Mitspieler's　wiry；　graying　form　was　unchanged；　except　that　now　he　wore　something　that　Ben　had　never　seen　before；　an　ornate　belted　scabbard。　At　close　range　it　was　easy　to　see　that　the　weapon　in　Mitspieler's　hand　was　one　of　the　Twelve　Swords；　but　with　his　grip　upon　the　hilt　there　was　no　way　to　tell　which　one　it　was。
　　　As　he　approached　he　ignored　the　first　burst　of　questions　directed　at　him；　and　at　once　bent　down　over　Indosuaros；　who　had　fallen　back　again　and　was　flat　on　the　ground。
　　　A　long　moment　later　Mitspieler　straightened　up　again。　〃I　fear　there　is　nothing　I　can　do　for　you　now；〃　he　told　the　supine　man；　who　did　not　react　and　might　not　have　heard。
　　　〃What　Sword　is　that　you　carry？〃　demanded　Doon。　His　voice　was　suddenly　suspicious。　An　instant　later　the　Baron's　hand　grabbed　for　the　weapon　at　his　own　side；　but　that　vanished　even　as　he　grasped　the　hilt；　turned　to　nothingness　right　before　Ben's　watching　eyes。
　　　For　a　moment　Doon　stared　blankly　at　the　empty　claw　of　his　right　hand。　Then　he　would　have　sprung　to　the　attack；　with　his　dagger　or　barehanded；　but　for　the　fact　that　the　Sword；　in　Mitspieler's　suddenly　capablelooking　fist；　was　pointing　straight　at　him。
　　　〃Do　not　lunge　upon　the　point；　Baron。　I　may　not　be　able　to　heal　you　if　you　do。　Hear　me！〃　And　the　voice　of　the　graying　man　boomed　out　with　a　sudden　authority。　〃Yes；　I　have　the　Sword　of　Wisdom　here。　I　hope　that　it　will　be　back　in　your　hand　before　we　leave　this　sealing；　so　you　can　use　it　when　we　reach　the　next　…　but　before　I　give　it　back；　I　require　that　you　hear　me。〃
　　　Doon　mastered　himself。　〃Then　speak　on；　and　quickly。〃
　　　〃I　borrowed　Wayfinder　a　short　time　ago；　under　the　pretext　of　testing　it。　To　replace　it　in　your　scabbard　I　left　a　phantom　sword　of　my　own　creation　…　of　course　the　phantom　could　not　really　guide　you　anywhere。　But　I　needed　the　real　Sword　to　go　ahead　on　my　own　reconnaissance；　and　I　foresaw　that　you　would　not　lend　it　to　me　willingly。〃
　　　Doon　nodded　grim　agreement。　〃In　that　you　read　the　future　well。。。　what　is　your　real　name？〃
　　　〃Mitspieler　will　still　do。　And　his　name〃　…　the　speaker　threw　a　moment's　glance　to　one　side　and　down　…　〃is　really　Indosuaros。。。　now　listen　to　me；　all　of　you。　The　god　whose　presence　brushed　us　yesterday　was　really　Hades。　I　have　just　been　trying　to　look　for　him；　to　see　where　he　has　gone；　but　I　was　unsuccessful。　I　think　that　he　has　left　the　caves　pletely　now。　In　any　case；　the　way　ahead　now　seems　clear　for　us　to　go　on。。。　I　take　it　you　are　all　still　ready　to　go　on？〃
　　　〃We　are　ready；〃　the　Baron　told　him。　〃Give　me　the　Sword。〃
　　　〃There　is　one　thing　more。〃
　　　〃I　thought　there　might　be。　Well；　speak。〃
　　　〃The　treasure　I　seek；〃　Mitspieler　said；　〃is　not　gold　or　jewels；　and　it　is　not　with　the　gold　in　the　vaults　below　the　demon…sealing；　but　only　on　the　next　level　down　from　this　one。　I　want　you　to　swear；　Baron；　on　your　honor　and　on　your　hope　of　wealth；　that　you　will　help　me　get　it。　I；　in　my　turn；　swear　now　most　solemnly　and　on　my　oaths　of　magic；　that　if　you　help　me　I　will　then　go　with　you　and　help　you　however　I　can；　to　reach　the　last　level　and　to　prosper　there。〃　He　swung　his　gaze　away　from　Doon；　to　let　it　rest　on　Mark　and　Ben　and　Ariane　in　turn。　〃I　swear　the　same　to　each　of　you；　if　you　will　help　me　first。〃
　　　Doon　was　shaking　his　head　in　doubt。　He　squinted　at　Mitspieler　as　if　the　man　were　hard　to　see。　The　Baron　said：　〃You　and　I　are　now　to　trust　each　other's　pledges？　Now；　after　you've　stolen　my　Sword？　After　you've　lied　to　us　all　along；　about。。。〃　and　he　gestured　sharply　toward　the　fallen　form　of　Indosuaros。
　　　〃I　borrowed　your　Sword；　no　more　than　that。　Because　I　had　to　have　it；　nothing　less　would　serve。　And　yes；　I'll　trust　your　pledge；　if　you　will　swear　it　as　I've　said。　You　are　a　man　of　honor；　Baron　Doon。　Swear　now；　and　your　blade　es　back　to　you　at　once。　I'll　even　swear　over　to　you　now　my　share　of　whatever　treasure　there　may　be　on　the　bottom　level。〃
　　　Doon　appeared　to　be　impressed　in　spite　of　himself　by　this　last　offer。　〃No　need　to　talk　of　sharing　that　treasure；　man。　There's　so　much。。。〃
　　　〃Don't　say　that　until　you've　seen　it。。。　as　I　have；　though　only　in　tranced　visions。　There　are　certain　morsels　choicer　than　the　rest。。。　Well？〃
　　　Doon　made　up　his　mind　…　perhaps；　thought　Ben；　a　shade　too　quickly。　〃Very　well；　you　have　my　word　to　help　you　on　the　level　below　this　one；　as　long　as　it　does　not　prevent　my　reaching　my　own　goal。〃
　　　〃Have　I　your　solemn　oath；　just　as　I　said　it　should　be　given？〃
　　　There　was　a　pause。　〃You　have。〃
　　　And　Wayfinder；　tossed　hilt　upward；　came　leaping　toward　Doon；　so　that　his　right　hand　had　no　trouble　to　pluck　it　safely　from　the　air。
　　　〃Master。。。　〃　The　cry　was　an　almost　vanishingly　faint　moan；　and　it　came　from　the　fallen　husk　of　Indosuaros。　Ariane　was　squatting　beside　him　again；　she　was　holding　a　much　shriveled　hand；　from　whose　fingers　some　of　the　ornate　rings　had　already　fallen　off。
　　　〃There's　nothing　to　be　done　for　him　now；　girl。〃　Mitspieler；　looking　down；　appeared　saddened；　but　not　greatly；　he　might　perhaps　have　been　watching　the　death　of　his　second　favorite　pet　animal。　〃Could　he　have　finished　this　journey；　it　would　have　served　as　his　…　what　is　the　word　that　other　guilds　and　professions　sometimes　use？　…　his　masterpiece。　His　passport　to　the　upper　ranks　of　magic。。。　but　he　will　never　be　a　master　now。　He　simply　was　not　strong　enough。〃
　　　〃But　what's　wrong　with　him？　What　is　he。。。　dying　of？〃
　　　〃You　who　are　not　magicians　can　pass　through　this　sealing　freely　…　provided　you　can　find　the　way　to　pass　through　it　at　all。　But　we　of　the　profession；　from　the　moment　that　we　enter；　are　engaged　by　the　local　powers　in　a　continuous　struggle。　We　undergo　a　ceaseless　assault　upon　our　specially　developed　senses。　I　am　strong　enough　to　bear　it。　Regrettably；　my　faithful　helper　here　was　not　…　not　without　me　at　his　side　to　aid　him。〃
　　　Doon　demanded：　〃Why　did　you　let　him　play　the　leader　until　now？〃
　　　〃Oh　yes；　that。　As　you　must　know；　Baron；　being　a　leader　has　its　problems　as　well　as　its　advantages。　It　elevates　one；　but　often　as　a　target。　I　could　not　be　sure　at　first　about　you　and　your　men；　whether　or　not　you　were　really　just　the　simple　adventurers　that　you　appeared　to　be。　There　was　a　whiff　of　something　subtle　and　dangerous　about　you　…　I　think　now　that　it　was　the　Sword；　no　more。。。　Well；　Baron；　you　have　it　in　your　hand　again。　Are　we　going　on；　or　not？　I　am　ready　to　follow；　if　you　will　lead　the　way。〃
　　　Doon；　looking　half　entranced　himself；　inspected　the　weapon　in　his　hand。　He　felt　of　it；　and　tried　it　once　or　twice　in　and　out　of　the　scabbard。　Then　like　a　sleep…walker　he　raised　it　ahead　of　him；　moved　it　to　right　and　left　and　back　again。
　　　〃But　what　about。。。〃　Ben；　looking　down　upon　the　crumpled　robes　of　Indosuaros；　began　a　protest。　Then　he　realized　that　those　garments　were　no　longer　tenanted　by　any　human　form。
　　　Ariane；　reluctant　to　believe　that；　lifted　the　robes　and　shook　them。　A　giant　spider　leaped　out　and　went　running　away　into　the　grass。
　　　The　Sword　…　the　real　Sword；　for　the　first　time　here　in　the　sealing　of　magic　…　directed　Doon　at　an　angle　away　from　the　curving　stream。　With　haggard　confidence　he　followed　its　guidance　again。　Mitspieler；　having　picked　up　Indosuaros'　rings；　and　taken　what　he　wanted　from　the　contents　of　his　pack；　marched　second　in　the　shortened　line。　Ariane　was　in　the　middle；　with　Mark　just　behind　her　and　Ben　to　guard　the　rear。
　　　The　real　Sword　neither　followed　the　stream　nor　kept　to　what　looked　like　a　straight　line　among　the　trees。　Instead　it　subjected　its　users　to　sudden　and　apparently　purposeless　shifts　of　course。　They　walked　fifty　meters　in　a　straight　line；　then　turned　a　sharp　corner　and　walked　straight　in　a　new　direction　for　forty　meters　more。　This　was　followed　by　another　turn；　after　which　it　seemed　to　Mark　that　they　moved　in　the　arc　of　a　great　lefthanded　circle；　and　yet　another　change；　after　which　they　walked　a　circle　curving　to　the　right。　Mark　was　just　beginning　to　wonder　if　even　the　genuine　Sword　were　now　malfunctioning；　when　through　the　treetops　ahead　he　caught　sight　of　what　looked　like　a　familiar　line　of　cliffs。
　　　The　rock　formation　was　no　more　than　about　fifty　meters　away　when　it　first　became　visible；　they　had　hiked　no　more　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　meters　or　so　from　the　place　where　they　had　seen　the　last　of　Indosuaros。　Now　the　Sword　guided　them　rapidly　toward　the　rocks；　though　their　course　was　still　not　quite　a　straight　line。　Once　more　the　inescapable　stream　appeared；　curving　toward　the　explorers；　flowing　in　the　direction　of　the　cliffs。　In　a　few　moments　they　were　close　enough　for　Mark　to　see　where　the　current　tumbled　precipitously　into　a　cave　that　opened　just　at　the　cliffs'　base。