rh.conanthewarrior-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ot　know；　but　I　doubt　if　they　are　much　more　numerous　than　we。　For　fifteen　years　no　children　have　been　born　to　us；　and　we　have　seen　none　among　the　Xotalancas。
　　〃We　are　dying；　but　before　we　die　we　will　slay　as　many　of　the　men　of　Xotalanc　as　the　gods　permit。〃
　　And　with　his　weird　eyes　blazing；　Olmec　spoke　long　of　that　grisly　feud；　fought　out　in　silent　chambers　and　dim　halls　under　the　blaze　of　the　green　fire…jewels；　on　floors　smoldering　with　the　flames　of　hell　and　splashed　with　deeper　crimson　from　severed　veins。　In　that　long　butchery　a　whole　generation　had　perished。　Xotalanc　was　dead；　long　ago；　slain　in　a　grim　battle　on　an　ivory　stair。　Tecuhltli　was　dead；　flayed　alive　by　the　maddened　Xotalancas　who　had　captured　him。
　　Without　emotion　Olmec　told　of　hideous　battles　fought　in　black　corridors；　of　ambushes　on　twisting　stairs；　and　red　butcheries。　With　a　redder；　more　abysmal　gleam　in　his　deep　dark　eyes　he　told　of　men　and　women　flayed　alive；　mutilated　and　dismembered；　of　captives　howling　under　tortures　so　ghastly　that　even　the　barbarous　Cimmerian　grunted。　No　wonder　Techotl　had　trembled　with　the　terror　of　capture！　Yet　he　had　gone　forth　to　slay　if　he　could；　driven　by　hat　that　was　stronger　than　his　fear。　Olmec　spoke　further；　of　dark　and　mysterious　matters；　of　black　magic　and　wizardry　conjured　out　of　the　black　night　of　the　catabs；　of　weird　creatures　invoked　out　of　darkness　for　horrible　allies。　In　these　things　the　Xotalancas　had　the　advantage；　for　it　was　in　the　eastern　catabs　where　lay　the　bones　of　the　greatest　wizards　of　the　ancient　Xuchotlans；　with　their　immemorial　secrets。
　　Valeria　listened　with　morbid　fascination。　The　feud　had　bee　a　terrible　elemental　power　driving　the　people　of　Xuchotl　inexorably　on　to　doom　and　extinction。　It　filled　their　whole　lives。　They　were　born　in　it；　and　they　expected　to　die　in　it。　They　never　left　their　barricaded　castle　except　to　steal　forth　into　the　Halls　of　Silence　that　lay　between　the　opposing　fortresses；　to　slay　and　be　slain。　Sometimes　the　raiders　returned　with　frantic　captives；　or　with　grim　tokens　of　victory　in　fight。　Sometimes　they　did　not　return　at　all；　or　returned　only　as　severed　limbs　cast　down　before　the　bolted　bronze　doors。　It　was　a　ghastly；　unreal　nightmare　existence　these　people　lived；　shut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　world；　caught　together　like　rabid　rats　in　the　same　trap；　butchering　one　another　through　the　years；　crouching　and　creeping　through　the　sunless　corridors　to　maim　and　torture　and　murder。
　　While　Olmec　talked；　Valeria　felt　the　blazing　eyes　of　Tascela　fixed　upon　her。　The　princess　seemed　not　to　hear　what　Olmec　was　saying。　Her　expression；　as　he　narrated　victories　or　defeats；　did　not　mirror　the　wild　rage　or　fiendish　exultation　that　alternated　on　the　faces　of　the　other　Tecuhltli。　The　feud　that　was　an　obsession　to　her　clansmen　seemed　meaningless　to　her。　Valeria　found　her　indifferent　callousness　more　repugnant　than　Olmec's　naked　ferocity。
　　〃And　we　can　never　leave　the　city；〃　said　Olmec。　〃For　fifty　years　on　one　has　left　it　except　those…〃　Again　he　checked　himself。
　　〃Even　without　the　peril　of　the　dragons；〃　he　continued；　〃we　who　were　born　and　raised　in　the　city　would　not　dare　leave　it。　We　have　never　set　foot　outside　the　walls。　We　are　not　accustomed　to　the　open　sky　and　the　naked　sun。　No；　we　were　born　in　Xuchotl；　and　in　Xuchotl　we　shall　die。〃
　　〃Well；〃　said　Conan；　〃with　your　leave　we'll　take　our　chances　with　the　dragons。　This　feud　is　none　of　our　business。　If　you'll　show　us　to　the　west　gate　we'll　be　on　our　way。〃
　　Tascela's　hands　clenched；　and　she　started　to　speak；　but　Olmec　interrupted　her：　〃It　is　nearly　nightfall。　If　you　wander　forth　into　the　plain　by　night；　you　will　certainly　fall　prey　to　the　dragons。〃
　　〃We　crossed　it　last　night；　and　slept　in　the　open　without　seeing　any；〃　returned　Conan。
　　Tascela　smiled　mirthlessly。　〃You　dare　not　leave　Xuchotl！〃
　　Conan　glared　at　her　with　instinctive　antagonism；　she　was　not　looking　at　him；　but　at　the　woman　opposite　him。
　　〃I　think　they　dare；〃　stated　Olmec。　〃But　look　you；　Conan　and　Valeria；　the　gods　must　have　sent　you　to　us；　to　cast　victory　into　the　laps　of　the　Tecuhltli！　You　are　professional　fighters…why　not　fight　for　us？　We　have　wealth　in　abundance…precious　jewels　are　as　mon　in　Xuchotl　as　cobblestones　are　in　the　cities　of　the　world。　Some　the　Xuchotlans　brought　with　them　from　Kosala。　Some；　like　the　firestones；　they　found　in　the　hills　to　the　east。　Aid　us　to　wipe　out　the　Xotalancas；　and　we　will　give　you　all　the　jewels　you　can　carry。〃
　　〃And　will　you　help　us　destroy　the　dragons？〃　asked　Valeria。　〃With　bows　and　poisoned　arrows　thirty　men　could　slay　all　the　dragons　in　the　forest。〃
　　〃Aye！〃　replied　Olmec　promptly。　〃We　have　forgotten　the　use　of　the　bow；　in　years　of　hand…to…hand　fighting；　but　we　can　learn　again。〃
　　〃What　do　you　say？〃　Valeria　inquired　of　Conan。
　　〃We're　both　penniless　vagabonds；〃　he　grinned　hardily。　〃I'd　as　soon　kill　Xotalancas　as　anybody。〃
　　〃Then　you　agree？〃　exclaimed　Olmec；　while　Techotl　fairly　hugged　himself　with　delight。
　　〃Aye。　And　now　suppose　you　show　us　chambers　where　we　can　sleep；　so　we　can　be　fresh　tomorrow　for　the　beginning　of　the　slaying。〃
　　Olmec　nodded；　and　waved　a　hand；　and　Techotl　and　a　woman　led　the　adventurers　into　a　corridor　which　led　through　a　door　off　to　the　left　of　the　jade　dais。　A　glance　back　showed　Valeria　Olmec　sitting　on　his　throne；　chin　on　knotted　fist；　staring　after　them。　His　eyes　burned　with　a　weird　flame。　Tascela　leaned　back　in　her　seat；　whispering　to　the　sullen…faced　maid；　Yasala；　who　leaned　over　her　shoulder；　her　ear　to　the　princess's　moving　lips。
　　The　hallway　was　not　so　broad　as　most　they　had　traversed；　but　it　was　long。　Presently　the　woman　halted；　opened　a　door；　and　drew　aside　for　Valeria　to　enter。
　　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　growled　Conan。　〃Where　do　I　sleep？〃
　　Techotl　pointed　to　a　chamber　across　the　hallway；　but　one　door　farther　down。　Conan　hesitated；　and　seemed　inclined　to　raise　an　objection；　but　Valeria　smiled　spitefully　at　him　and　shut　the　door　in　his　face。　He　muttered　soemthing　unplimentary　about　women　in　general；　and　strode　off　down　the　corridor　after　Techotl。
　　In　the　ornate　chamber　where　he　was　to　sleep；　he　glanced　up　at　the　slot…like　skylights。　Some　were　wide　enough　to　admit　the　body　of　a　slender　man；　supposing　the　glass　were　broken。
　　〃Why　don't　the　Xotalancas　e　over　the　roofs　and　shatter　those　skylights？〃　he　asked。
　　〃They　cannot　be　broken；〃　answered　Techotl。　〃Besides；　the　roofs　would　be　hard　to　clamber　over。　They　are　mostly　spires　and　domes　and　steep　ridges。〃
　　He　volunteered　more　information　about　the　〃castle〃　of　Tecuhltli。　Like　the　rest　of　the　city　it　contained　four　stories；　or　tiers　of　chambers；　with　towers　jutting　up　from　the　roof。　Each　tier　was　named；　indeed；　the　people　fo　Xuchotl　had　a　name　for　each　chamber；　hall；　and　stair　in　the　city；　as　people　of　more　normal　cities　designate　streets　and　quarters。　In　Tecuhltli　the　floors　were　named　The　Eagle's　Tier；　The　Ape's　Tier；　The　Tiger's　Tier　and　The　Serpent's　Tier；　in　the　order　as　enumerated；　The　Eagle's　Tier　being　the　highest；　or　fourth；　floor。
　　〃Who　is　Tascela？〃　asked　Conan。　〃Olmec's　wife？〃
　　Techotl　shuddered　and　glanced　furtively　about　him　before　answering。
　　〃No。　She　is…Tascela！　She　was　the　wife　of　Xotalanc…the　woman　Tecuhltli　stole；　to　start　the　feud。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　demanded　Conan。　〃That　woman　is　beautiful　and　young。　Are　you　trying　to　tell　me　that　she　was　a　wife　fifty　years　ago？〃
　　〃Aye！　I　swear　it！　She　was　a　full…grown　woman　when　the　Tlazitlans　journeyed　from　Lake　Zuad。　It　was　because　the　king　of　Stygia　desired　her　for　a　concubine　that　Xotalanc　and　his　brother　rebelled　and　fled　into　the　wilderness。　She　is　a　witch；　who　possesses　the　secret　of　perpetual　youth。〃
　　〃What's　that？〃　asked　Conan。
　　Techotl　shuddered　again。
　　〃Ask　me　not！　I　dare　not　speak。　It　is　too　grisly；　even　for　Xuchotl！〃
　　And　touching　his　finger　to　his　lips；　he　glided　from　the　chamber。
　　
　　
　　　4。　　Scent　of　Black　Lotus
　　
　　Valeria　unbuckled　her　sword　belt　and　laid　it　with　the　sheathed　weapon　on　the　couch　where　she　meant　to　sleep。　She　noted　that　the　doors　were　supplied　with　bolts；　and　asked　where　they　led。
　　〃Those　lead　to　adjoining　chambers；〃　answered　the　woman；　indicating