fs.thesecondbookofswords-第37节

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　　　〃So　many？〃
　　　〃It's　been　going　on　for　centuries；　since　before　any　of　us　were　born。。。　They　are　bound　by　strong　magic　in　this　portion　of　the　cave；　till　death　releases　them。　Or　until　someone　brings　a　stronger　magic　to　their　rescue　…　as　I　mean　to　do　for　one　of　them　today。〃
　　　〃A　garrison　of　enormous　numbers；〃　agreed　Doon。　〃But　the　ones　we　fought　just　now　did　not　seem　all　that　tough。〃
　　　〃Some　will　be　tougher。〃　Mitspieler；　trotting；　panting；　shook　his　head。　〃Those　were　only　the　first　pickets。　There　may　well　be　shock　troops　here　somewhere；　an　elite　cadre。。。　though　when　folk　are　kept　here　for　centuries；　their　bodies　and　minds　both　must　at　least　begin　to　deteriorate。　That's　why　I　fear　what　we　may　find。。。　ah；　this　row　now。〃
　　　They　were　approaching　another　angle　of　the　cave　wall；　where　torch　flames　flared　closer　and　as　a　result　the　light　was　better。　Somewhere　in　the　distance　the　long　drum…alarm　continued；　and　Mark　could　faintly　hear　the　warning　cries　of　the　survivors　of　the　first　skirmish。
　　　〃Too　bad；〃　said　Ariane；　〃that　our　wizard　can't　make　us　all　invisible。〃　She　had　discarded　her　captured　mace；　and　was　easily　keeping　up　with　the　pace　set　by　the　trotting　men。
　　　〃I　can　do　that　only　for　myself；〃　said　Mitspieler；　〃and　not　for　very　long。〃　Mark　did　not　think　that　the　strain　in　the　wizard's　voice　and　face　was　only　a　result　of　running。　〃And　it　is　doubly　hard　to　do　when　Swords　are　out。　Today　I　am　squandering　the　saved　capital　of　a　hundred　years　of　sorcery。。。　Do　not　expect　more　of　me　in　the　way　of　tricks；　for　I　am　near　the　limit　of　my　powers　now。〃
　　　Still　the　somewhat　irregular　ranks　and　files　of　the　couches　of　the　garrison　flowed　past。　The　rows　seemed　to　stretch　out　into　a　dream…like　infinity　of　gloom；　the　individual　units　spaced　on　the　average　only　two　or　three　meters　apart。　The　pattern　of　occupation　was　even　more　irregular；　with　whole　ranks　of　unoccupied　beds　followed　by　areas　wherein　most　were　tenanted。　How　far　could　it　go　on？　Mark；　tuning　his　headlamp's　beam　to　a　sharp　focus；　projected　it　as　far　as　possible　into　the　distance。　But　it　was　muffled　there　by　what　appeared　to　be　rolling　clouds　of　mist；　leaving　the　far　wall　still　undiscovered。
　　　Doon　ordered：　〃Turn　off　your　lamps！　There's　some　firelight　here；　we　can　see　well　enough　without　them。　No　use　showing　everyone　just　where　we　are。〃
　　　Lamps　went　off。　And　then；　just　as　it　seemed　to　Mark　that　the　search　might　be　going　to　last　indefinitely；　prolonged　by　magic　like　the　trek　through　the　forest　above；　Doon　came　to　an　abrupt　halt。　〃Here。　This　bed。　Whoever　he　is。。。　〃
　　　A　head　of　curly　hair　gleamed　darkly　in　the　glow　of　Mitspieler's　lamp　when　the　magician　briefly　switched　it　on　again。　The　wizard's　hand　tore　back　the　rough　blanket　covering　the　rest　of　the　recumbent　form。　The　face　of　the　man　revealed　was　very　young…looking；　and　handsome　as　a　god's。　The　youth's　uncovered　upper　body　was　pact　and　muscular；　clad　in　worn　clothing　that　did　not　appear　to　be　a　uniform；　and　in　a　few　fragments　of　armor　as　well。
　　　Mitspieler　bent　oven　the　young　man　and　took　him　by　the　hand。　〃Dmitry；〃　the　magician　murmured；　in　a　changed　and　tender　voice。　In　another　moment　he　had　dropped　the　hand；　pulled　off　his　own　backpack；　and　was　rummaging　in　it　for　magical　equipment。
　　　The　ritual　that　Mitspieler　chanted　now　was　very　brief；　and　it　appeared　to　have　been　intensely　practiced。　The　power　of　it　was　obvious；　for　at　the　concluding　words　even　Mark's　dull　sense　of　magic　could　perceive　a　passing　shock。　A　convulsion　ran　through　the　body　of　the　youth；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　sitting　bolt　upright　and　blinking　blue　eyes　in　the　soft　glow　of　Mitspieler's　dimmed　headlamp。
　　　〃Father？〃　the　young　man　murmured；　looking　at　the　wizard。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？　And　who　are　these？〃
　　　〃Dmitry；　I'm　getting　you　out　of　here；　bringing　you　back　to　the　world　above。　These　are　my　friends；　they're　helping。　The　bonds　that　held　you　here　have　been　broken。　Get　up　quickly；　we　must　leave。。。　Dmitry；　it's　been　so　long。　Very　long。　But　you　haven't　changed。〃
　　　〃Leave？　Back　to　the　world？　But。。。〃　Half　supported　by　the　older　man；　Dmitry　was　already　on　his　feet。　In　another　moment　he　had　pushed　the　support　away　and　stood　alone；　though　swaying　a　little　on　his　feet。　Like　his　father　he　was　of　low…average　height　and　sturdily　built；　though　otherwise　they　looked　little　enough　alike。　〃Wait；　I　can't　leave。　Not　without　my　friends。〃　〃What　friends？　e　on；　hurry。〃
　　　Dmitry　lurched　back；　pulling　his　arm　free　again　from　Mitspieler's　grasp。　From　blankness　and　confusion；　the　youth's　face　had　settled　into　a　childish　scowl。　〃They're　my　friends；　I　said！　I'm　not　going　anywhere　without　them。〃
　　　The　wizard；　his　own　look　of　tenderness　already　gone；　glared　back　at　him。　〃If　you　mean　people　from　that　bandit　gang　you　came　here　with；　forget　it。　I'm　not　going　to　waste。。。〃
　　　〃Then　I'm　not　leaving。　I　mean　two　men　in　my　squad　here；　Father；　Willem　and　Daghur。　They're　both　great　pals　of　mine　and　I　can't　go　without。。。　well；　hello　there。〃　His　eye　had　at　last　fallen　upon　Ariane。
　　　Doon　had　had　more　than　enough。　In　a　fierce　muted　roar　he　ripped　out　an　oath。　〃Who　doesn't　get　moving　in　the　next　instant；　I'll　run　him　through。　Now　move！〃
　　　Dmitry　had　by　now　regained　his　full　balance。　He　used　it　to　vault　back　over　the　bed　that　he　had　just　left。　His　weapons；　sword　and　dagger；　had　been　stashed　on　that　side　of　the　couch　and　he　grabbed　them　up。　Smiling　happily；　he　told　Doon：　〃Just　who　in　all　the　hells　do　you　think　you　are？　I'll　mode　on　when　I　am　ready。〃
　　　Mitspieler；　with　more　than　a　century　of　experience　to　draw　on；　found　gesture　and　speech　to　quell　them　both　…　at　least　for　the　moment。　〃Put　down　your　weapons；　the　two　of　you。　Put　them　down；　I　say！　It　would　be　madness　to　fight　here　among　ourselves。　Dmitry；　where　are　these　other　two？　I'll　wake　them　swiftly　if　I　can。〃　He　turned　to　Doon　and　added：　〃It'll　mean　two　more　men　with　us。　Two　more　fighters。〃　〃All　right　then。　But　be　quick；　demons　blast　you！〃
　　　Dmitry　indicated　to　his　father　the　two　nearby　couches。　The　following　rituals　were　if　anything　quicker　than　the　first　had　been；　but　Mark　thought　that　when　Mitspieler　straightened　up　from　the　last　one　he　looked　notably　weaker　than　before。　〃No　more；〃　the　magician　murmured　in　a　drained　whisper。　〃e；　we　must　move　on。〃
　　　Two　loutish…looking　men；　the　latest　fruit　of　his　endeavors；　had　sprung　up　stumbling　to　their　feet。　They　recognized　Dmitry　grinning　at　them；　and　pleaded　in　loud　bawling　voices　to　be　let　in　on　what　was　going　on。　He　thumped　their　backs；　and　swore　at　them　joyfully。　〃We're　going　on　to　pillage　the　treasure　after　all！〃
　　　Willem　was　tall　and　black；　his　face　a　whitened　mass　of　scars　as　from　some　old　ill…treated　wound　or　wounds。　He　roared　out　now　in　a　jumble　of　oaths　that　he　was　ready　to　follow　Dmitry　anywhere。　〃Best　squad　leader　in　the　whole　damned　garrison！〃
　　　Daghur　concurred　with　this；　expressing　himself　with　an　eloquent　grunt。　He　was　short　and　pale；　with　good　muscles　burdened　under　a　thick　layer　of　unhealthy…looking　fat。　A　horned　helmet　with　one　horn　broken　off　sat　slightly　sideways　on　his　head。　His　gross　arms　were　heavily　tatooed；　and　many　of　his　teeth　were　broken。
　　　〃But　where'd　you　get　the　rest　of　this　scum？〃　he　demanded　of　paltry；　meanwhile　glaring　at　Mark　and　Ben　and　Doon。　〃What　made　you　think　they　could　keep　up？〃
　　　〃The　best　I　could　find　on　short　notice！〃　Dmitry　shouted；　hugging　the　two　around　their　necks。　〃Never　mind　them；　e　on。〃
　　　〃And　who's　the　old　one　here？〃　Willem　wanted　to　know。
　　　〃Never　mind；　he'll　keep　up　too！〃
　　　〃So；　it's　a　revolt；　hey；　Dimmy？　I'm　for　it；　what　the　hell；　let's　go。〃　Then　Willem　broke　off　suddenly；　staring　at　Ariane。　It　was　as　if　he　had　deliberately　kept　her　the　last　to　notice。　〃Wow。　This's　yours　already；　I　suppose？〃
　　　Mark　had　observed　some　time　ago　that　Doon　could　control　his　temper　very　neatly　whenever　its　unleashing　or　display　would　not　advance　his　purpose。　So　it　was　now。　The　Baron　spoke　very　quickly　and　earnestly　to　Mitspieler；　and　the　wizard；　his　brow　now　even　a　little　paler　than　before；　spoke　solemnly　to　his　son。　Dmitry；　with　a　look　and　a　nod；　managed　to　convey　much　information　quickly　to　his　otherwise　obtuse　friends。　Immediately　the　little　army　of　intruders　and　escapees　began　to　move　in　the　direction　that　Doon　wanted　them　to　go；　following　the　Sword。　Mark；　close　behind　the　Baron　now；　could　hear　him　murmuring　to　it　as　to　a　woman：　〃Bring　us　to　the　treasure　now；　my　beauty！〃
　　　Doon's　band　was　now　eight　strong；　and　it　followed　him　at　a　quick　pace。　But　before　the　group　had　gone　a　hundred　strides；　muttered　warnings　were　exchanged　among　its　members。　Looking　off　to　the　right；　Mark　could　now　discern　another　band　of　people；　some　forty　or　fifty　meters　distant；　trotting　at　parable　speed　along　a　parallel　course。　The　headlamps　of　Doon's　party　were　turned　off；　and　they　could　not　make　out　the　other　group　very　clearly；　but　undoubtedly　it　was　there。
　　　Mark　trusted　strongly　in　the　Sword；　and　he　tended　to　trust　Doon's　leadership　as　well。　Mark　ran　now；　keeping　up　with　the　Baron；　who　had　accelerated　his　own　strides。　But　already　Daghur　and　Willem　were　panting；　starting　to　lag；　swearing　away　in　protests　what　little　wind　they　had。　Dmitry　too　was　falling　behind；　d