rh.conanthewarrior-第16章

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　　These　crashed　into　the　fray　with　the　devastating　effect　of　a　hurricane　plowing　through　a　grove　of　saplings。　In　sheer　strength　no　three　Tlazitlans　were　a　match　for　Conan；　and　in　spite　of　his　weight　he　was　quicker　on　his　feet　than　any　of　them。　He　moved　through　the　whirling；　eddying　mass　with　the　surety　and　destructiveness　of　a　gray　wolf　amidst　a　pack　of　alley　curs；　and　he　strode　over　a　wake　of　crumpled　figures。
　　Valeria　fought　beside　him；　her　lips　smiling　and　her　eyes　blazing。　She　was　stronger　than　the　average　man；　and　far　quicker　and　more　ferocious。　Her　sword　was　like　a　living　thing　in　her　hand。　Where　Conan　beat　down　opposition　by　the　sheer　weight　and　power　of　his　blows；　breaking　spears；　splitting　skulls　and　cleaving　bosoms　to　the　breastbone；　Valeria　brought　into　action　a　finesse　of　swordplay　that　dazzled　and　bewildered　her　antagonists　before　it　slew　them。　Again　and　again　a　warrior；　heaving　high　his　heavy　blade；　found　her　point　in　his　jugular　before　he　could　strike。　Conan；　towering　above　the　field；　strode　through　the　welter　smiting　right　and　left；　but　Valeria　moved　like　an　illusive　phantom；　constantly　shifting；　and　thrusting　and　slashing　as　she　shifted。　Swords　missed　her　again　and　again　as　the　wielders　flailed　the　empty　air　and　died　with　her　point　in　their　hearts　or　throats；　and　her　mocking　laughter　in　their　ears。
　　Neither　sex　nor　condition　was　considered　by　the　maddened　batants。　The　five　women　of　the　Xotalancas　were　down　with　thir　throats　cut　before　Conan　and　Valeria　entered　the　fray；　and　when　a　man　or　woman　went　down　under　the　stamping　feet；　there　was　always　a　knife　ready　for　the　helpless　throat；　or　a　sandaled　foot　eager　to　crush　the　prostrate　skull。
　　From　wall　to　wall；　from　door　to　door　rolled　the　waves　of　bat；　spilling　over　into　adjoining　chambers。　And　presently　only　Tecuhltli　and　their　white…skinned　allies　stood　upright　in　the　great　throne　room。　The　survivors　stared　bleakly　and　blankly　at　each　other；　like　survivors　after　Judgement　Day　or　the　destruction　of　the　world。　On　legs　wide…braced；　hands　gripping　notched　and　dripping　swords；　blood　trickling　down　their　arms；　they　stared　at　one　another　across　the　mangled　corpses　of　friends　and　foes。　They　had　no　breath　left　to　shout；　but　a　bestial　mad　howling　rose　from　their　lips。　It　was　not　a　human　cry　of　triumph。　It　was　the　howling　of　a　rabid　wolf…pack　stalking　among　the　bodies　of　its　victims。
　　Conan　caught　Valeria's　arm　and　turned　her　about。
　　〃You've　got　a　stab　in　the　calf　of　your　leg；〃　he　growled。
　　She　glanced　down；　for　the　first　time　aware　of　a　stinging　in　the　muscles　of　her　leg。　Some　dying　man　on　the　floor　had　fleshed　his　dagger　with　his　last　effort。
　　〃You　look　like　a　butcher　yourself；〃　she　laughed。
　　He　shook　a　red　shower　from　his　hands。
　　〃Not　mine。　Oh；　a　scratch　here　and　there。　Nothing　to　bother　about。　But　that　calf　ought　to　be　bandaged。〃
　　Olmec　came　through　the　litter；　looking　like　a　ghoul　with　his　naked　massive　shoulders　splashed　with　blood；　and　his　black　beard　dabbled　in　crimson。　His　eyes　were　red；　like　the　reflection　of　flame　on　black　water。
　　〃We　have　won！〃　he　croaked　dazedly。　〃The　feud　is　ended！　The　dogs　of　Xotalanc　lie　dead！　Oh；　for　a　captive　to　flay　alive！　Yet　it　is　good　to　look　upon　their　dead　faces。　Twenty　dead　dogs！　Twenty　red　nails　for　the　black　column！〃
　　〃You'd　best　see　to　your　wounded；〃　grunted　Conan；　turning　away　from　him。　〃Here；　girl；　let　me　see　that　leg。〃
　　〃Wait　a　minute！〃　she　shook　him　off　impatiently。　The　fire　of　fighting　still　burned　brightly　in　her　soul。　〃How　do　we　know　these　are　all　of　them？　These　might　have　e　on　a　raid　of　their　own。〃
　　〃They　would　not　split　the　clan　on　a　foray　like　this；〃　said　Olmec；　shaking　his　head；　and　regaining　some　of　his　ordinary　intelligence。　Without　his　purple　robe　the　man　seemed　less　like　a　prince　than　some　repellent　beast　of　prey。　〃I　will　stake　my　head　upon　it　that　we　have　slain　them　all。　There　were　less　of　them　than　I　dreamed；　and　they　must　have　been　desperate。　But　how　came　they　in　Tecuhltli？〃
　　Tascela　came　forward；　wiping　her　sword　on　her　naked　thigh；　and　holding　in　her　other　hand　an　object　she　had　taken　from　the　body　of　the　feathered　leader　of　the　Xotalancas。
　　〃The　pipes　of　madness；〃　she　said。　〃A　warrior　tells　me　that　Xatmec　opened　the　door　to　the　Xotalancas　and　was　cut　down　as　they　stormed　into　the　guardroom。　This　warrior　came　to　the　guardroom　from　the　inner　hall　just　in　time　to　see　it　happen　and　to　hear　the　last　of　a　weird　strain　of　music　which　froze　his　very　soul。　Tolkemec　used　to　talk　of　these　pipes；　which　the　Xuchotlans　swore　were　hidden　somewhere　in　the　catabs　with　the　bones　of　the　ancient　wizard　who　used　them　in　his　lifetime。　Somehow　the　dogs　of　Xotalanc　found　them　and　learned　their　secret。〃
　　〃Somebody　ought　to　go　to　Xotalanc　and　see　if　any　remain　alive；〃　said　Conan。　〃I'll　go　if　somebody　will　guide　me。〃
　　Olmec　glanced　at　the　remnants　of　his　people。　There　were　only　twenty　left　alive；　and　of　these　several　lay　groaning　on　the　floor。　Tascela　was　the　only　one　of　the　Tecuhltli　who　had　escaped　without　a　wound。　The　princess　was　untouched；　though　she　had　fought　as　savagely　as　any。
　　〃Who　will　go　with　Conan　to　Xotalanc？〃　asked　Olmec。
　　Techotl　limped　forward。　The　wound　in　his　thigh　had　started　bleeding　afresh；　and　he　had　another　gash　across　his　ribs。
　　〃I　will　go！〃
　　〃No；　you　won't；〃　vetoed　Conan。　〃And　you're　not　going　either；　Valeria。　In　a　little　while　that　leg　will　be　getting　stiff。〃
　　〃I　will　go；〃　volunteered　a　warrior；　who　was　knotting　a　bandage　about　a　slashed　forearm。
　　〃Very　well；　Yanath。　Go　with　the　Cimmerian。　And　you；　too；　Topal。〃　Olmec　indicated　another　man　whose　injuries　were　slight。　〃But　first　aid　to　lift　the　badly　wounded　on　these　couches　where　we　may　bandage　their　hurts。〃
　　This　was　done　quickly。　As　they　stooped　to　pick　up　a　woman　who　had　been　stunned　by　a　warclub；　Olmec's　beard　brushed　Topal's　ear。　Conan　thought　the　prince　muttered　something　to　the　warrior；　but　he　could　not　be　sure。　A　few　moments　later　he　was　leading　his　panions　down　the　hall。
　　Conan　glanced　back　as　he　went　out　the　door；　at　that　shambles　where　the　dead　lay　on　the　smoldering　floor；　blood…stained　dark　limbs　knotted　in　attitudes　of　fierce　muscular　effort；　dark　faces　frozen　in　masks　of　hate；　glassy　eyes　glaring　up　at　the　green　fire…jewels　which　bathed　the　ghastly　scene　in　a　dusky　emerald　witchlight。　Among　the　dead　the　living　moved　aimlessly；　like　people　moving　in　a　trance。　Conan　heard　Olmec　call　a　woman　and　direct　her　to　bandage　Valeria's　leg。　The　pirate　followed　the　woman　into　an　adjoining　chamber；　already　beginning　to　limp　slightly。
　　Warily　the　two　Tecuhltli　led　Conan　along　the　hall　beyond　the　bronze　door；　and　through　chamber　after　chamber　shimmering　in　the　green　fire。　They　saw　no　one；　heard　no　sound。　After　they　crossed　the　Great　Hall　which　bisected　the　city　from　north　to　south；　their　caution　was　increased　by　the　realization　of　their　nearness　to　enemy　territory。　But　chambers　and　halls　lay　empty　to　their　wary　gaze；　and　they　came　at　last　along　a　broad　dim　hallway　and　halted　before　a　bronze　door　similar　to　the　Eagle　Door　of　Tecuhltli。　Gingerly　they　tried　it；　and　it　opened　at　silently　under　their　fingers。　Awed；　they　started　into　the　green…lit　chambers　beyond。　For　fifty　years　no　Tecuhltli　had　entered　those　halls　save　as　a　prisoner　going　to　a　hideous　doom。　To　go　to　Xotalanc　had　been　the　ultimate　horror　that　could　befall　a　man　of　the　western　castle。　The　terror　of　it　had　stalked　through　their　dreams　since　earliest　childhood。　To　Yanath　and　Topol　that　bronze　door　was　like　the　portal　of　hell。
　　They　cringed　back；　unreasoning　horror　in　their　eyes；　and　Conan　pushed　past　them　and　strode　into　Xotalanc。
　　Timidly　they　followed　him。　As　each　man　set　foot　over　the　threshold　he　stared　and　glared　wildly　about　him。　But　only　their　quick；　hurried　breathing　disturbed　the　silence。
　　They　had　e　into　a　square　guardroom；　like　that　behind　the　Eagle　Door　of　Tecuhltli；　and；　similarly；　a　hall　ran　away　from　it　to　a　broad　chamber　that　was　a　counterpart　of　Olmec's　throne　room。
　　Conan　glanced　down　the　hall　with　its　rugs　and　divans　and　hangings；　and　stood　listening　intently。　He　heard　no　noise；　and　the　rooms　had　an　empty　feel。　He　did　not　believe　there　were　any　Xotalancas　left　alive　i