fs.thefirstbookofswords-第32章
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e had to feel a kind of admiration。。。
When he again came fully to himself； his abductor was still carrying him in the same position。 They were in fairly smooth flight between two horizontal layers of cloud。 The layer below was continuous enough to hide the earth effectively； while that above was torn by patches of blue sky。 It was a dream…like experience； and the only thing in Nestor's memory remotely like it was being on a high mountain and looking down at the surface of a cloud that brimmed a valley far below。
The much greater altitude somehow worked to lessen the terror of being dropped。 Once more the sword caught at Nestor's eye and thought。 Turning his head he observed how； with each wingstroke； the hilt of the embedded weapon moved slightly up and down。 A very little blood was still dripping。 Nestor knew the incredible toughness of； dragons； their resistance to injury by any ordinary weapon。 But this。。。
He kept ing back to it： A dragon can't carry a man； nothing that flies is big enough to do that。 Of course there were stories out of the remote past； of demon…griffins bearing their magician…masters on their backs。 And stories of the Old World； vastly older still； telling of some supposed flying horse。。。
The flight between the layers of cloud went on； for a time that seemed to Nestor an eternity； and must in fact have been several hours。 Gradually the cloudlayers thinned； and he could see that he was being carried over what must be part of the Great Swamp； at a height almost too great to be frightening at all。 The cloud layer above had now thinned sufficiently to let him see from the position of the sun that his flight was to the southwest。
Eventually there appeared in the swamp below an irregular small island； bearing a stand of stark trees and marked at its edges by low cliffs of clay or marl。 At this point the dragon turned suddenly into a gentle downward spiral。 Nestor could see nothing below but the island itself which might prompt a descent。 And it was atop one of those low； wilderness cliffs of clay that the creature landed。
Nestor was dropped rudely onto the rough ground； but he was not released。 Before his stiffened limbs could react to the possibilities of freedom； he was grabbed again。 One of the dragon's feet clamped round his right leg； lifted hirri； and hung him up like meat to dry； with his right ankle wedged painfully in the crotch of a tree some five meters above the ground。 He hung there upside down and yelled。
His screams of new pain and fresh outrage were loud； but they had no effect。 Ignoring Nestor's noise； his tormentor spread its wings and flapped heavily off the cliff。 It descended in a glide to land at the edge of the swamp； some fifteen or twenty meters below。 There； moving in a cautious waddle； it positioned itself at the edge of a pool。 Placid as a woolbeast； it extended its neck and lapped up a drink。 It continued to ignore the sword which still stuck out of its hip。
When it had satisfied its thirst； would it wish to dine？ That thought brought desperation。 Nestor contracted his body； trying to pull himself up within grabbing distance of the branches imprisoning his leg。 But his right arm； like his whole body； was stiff and sore； and his left arm could hardly be made to work at all。 The fingers of his right hand brushed the branch above； but he could do no more； and fell back groaning。 Even if by some all…out contortion he were to succeed in getting his foot free； it might well be at the price of a breakbone fall onto the hard ground at the top of the cliff。
Sounds of splashing drew Nestor's attention back to the swamp。 Down there the dragon had plunged one taloned foot into the swamp。 Shortly the foot was brought out again； holding a large snake。 Nestor； squinting into his upside…down view of the situation； estimated that the striped serpent was as thick as a man's leg。 It coiled and thrashed and hissed； its fangs stabbing uselessly against the dragon's scales。 The head kept on striking even after the dragon had snapped a large bite out of the snake's midsection； allowing its tail half to fall free。
Nestor drew some small encouragement from the fact that the dragon seemed to prefer snake to human flesh。 He tried again； more methodically this time； to work himself free。 But in this case method had no more success than frenzy。
He must have fainted again； for his next awareness was of being picked up once more by his captor。 He was being held against the dragon's breast in the same way as before； and his arms were already firmly pinned。 This time the takeoff was easier； though hardly any less terrifying … it consisted in the dragon's launching itself headlong from the brink of the small cliff； and gaining flying speed in a long； swamp…skimming dive that took Nestor within centimeters of the scummy water。 Moss…hung trees flitted past him to right and left； with birds scattering from the trees in noisy alarm。 A monkbird screamed； and then was left below。
Again Nestor faded in and out of consciousness。 Again he was unsure of how much time was passing。 If the damnable thing had not hauled him all this way to eat him； then what was its purpose？ He was not being taken home to some gargantuan nest to feed its little ones … no； by all the gods and the Treasure of Benambra； it could not be that。 For such an idea to occur to him meant that he was starting to go mad。 Everyone knew that dragons built no nests and fed no young。。。 and that no flying dragon was big enough to carry a grown man。。。
The clouds in the west were definitely reddening toward sunset before the flight was over。 At last the creature ceased its steady southwestern flight and began to circle over another； larger； island of firm ground in the swamp。 Most of the trees and lesser growth had been cleared away from a sizable area around the approximate center of the island。 In the midst of this clearing stood a gigantic structure that Nestor； observing under difficult conditions； perceived as some kind of temple。 It had been built either of stone； brought into the swamp from the gods knew where； or else of some kind of wood； probably magically hardened and preserved against decay。 The circles of the dragon's flight fell lower； but Nestor still could not guess to which goddess or god the temple … if such it truly was … had been dedicated； there were so many that hardly anyone knew them all。 He could tell that the building was now largely fallen into ruin； and that the ruins were now largely overgrown by vines and flowers。
The largest area remaining cleared was a courtyard； its stone paving still mostly intact； directly in front of what had probably been the main entrance of the temple。 The flyer appeared to be heading for a landing in this space； but was for some reason approaching very cautiously。 While it was still circling at a few meters' altitude； one possible reason for caution appeared； in the form of a giant landwalker that stalked out into the courtyard from under some nearby trees； bellowing its stupidity and excitement。 While the flyer continued to circle just above its reach； the landwalker roared and reared； making motions with its treetrunk forelimbs as if it meant to leap at Nestor's dangling legs when they passed above。 Once he thought that he felt its hot breath； but fortunately it had no hope of getting its own bulk clear of the ground。
Then a prolonged cry； uttered in a new and different voice； penetrated the dragon's noise。 The new voice was as deep as the landwalker's roar； but still for a moment Nestor thought that it was human。 Then he felt sure that it was not。 And； when the sound of it had faded； he was not sure that it had borne intelligence of any kind； human or non…human。 The basic tone of it had been manding； and the modulation had seemed to Nestor to hover along the very verge of speech … just as a high…pitched sound might have wavered along the verge of human hearing。
Perhaps to the landwalker dragon some meaning had been clear； for the enormous beast broke off its own uproar almost in mid…bellow。 It turned； with a lash of its great tail； and stamped back into the surrounding forest； kicking small trees aside。
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