rh.conanthewarrior-第17章

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had　an　empty　feel。　He　did　not　believe　there　were　any　Xotalancas　left　alive　in　Xuchotl。
　　〃e　on；〃　he　muttered；　and　started　down　the　hall。
　　He　had　not　gone　far　when　he　was　aware　that　only　Yanath　was　following　him。　He　wheeled　back　to　see　Topal　standing　in　an　attitude　of　horror；　one　arm　out　as　if　to　fend　off　some　threatening　peril；　his　distended　eyes　fixed　with　hypnotic　intensity　on　something　protruding　from　behind　a　divan。
　　〃What　the　devil？〃　Then　Conan　saw　what　Topal　was　staring　at；　and　he　felt　a　faint　twitching　of　the　skin　between　his　giant　shoulders。　A　monstrous　head　protruded　from　behind　the　divan；　a　reptilian　head；　broad　as　the　head　of　a　crocodile；　with　down…curving　fangs　that　projected　over　the　lower　jaw。　But　there　was　an　unnatural　limpness　about　the　thing；　and　the　hideous　eyes　were　glazed。
　　Conan　peered　behind　the　couch。　It　was　a　great　serpent　which　lay　there　limp　in　death；　but　such　a　serpent　as　he　had　never　seen　in　his　wanderings。　The　reek　and　chill　of　the　deep　black　earth　were　about　it；　and　its　color　was　an　indeterminable　hue　which　changed　with　each　new　angle　from　which　he　surveyed　it。　A　great　wound　in　the　neck　showed　what　had　caused　its　death。
　　〃It　is　the　Crawler！〃　whispered　Yanath。
　　〃It's　the　thing　I　slashed　on　the　stair；〃　grunted　Conan。　〃After　it　trailed　us　to　the　Eagle　Door；　it　dragged　itself　here　to　die。　How　could　the　Xotalancas　control　such　a　brute？〃
　　The　Tecuhltli　shivered　and　shook　their　heads。
　　〃They　brought　it　up　from　the　black　tunnels　below　the　catabs。　They　discovered　secrets　unknown　to　Tecuhltli。〃
　　〃Well；　it's　dead；　and　if　they'd　had　any　more　of　them；　they'd　have　brought　them　along　when　they　came　to　Tecuhltli。　e　on。〃
　　They　crowded　close　at　his　heels　as　he　strode　down　the　hall　and　thrust　on　the　silver…worked　door　at　the　other　end。
　　〃If　we　don't　find　anybody　on　this　floor；〃　he　said；　〃we'll　descend　into　the　lower　floors。　We'll　explore　Xotalanc　from　the　roof　to　the　catabs。　If　Xotalanc　is　like　Tecuhltli；　all　the　rooms　and　halls　in　this　tier　will　be　lighted…what　the　devil！〃
　　They　had　e　into　the　broad　throne　chamber；　so　similar　to　that　one　in　Tecuhltli。　There　were　the　same　jade　dais　and　ivory　seat；　the　same　divans；　rugs　and　hangings　on　the　walls。　No　black；　red…scarred　column　stood　behind　the　throne…dais；　but　evidences　of　the　grim　feud　were　not　lacking。
　　Ranged　along　the　wall　behind　the　dais　were　rows　of　glass…covered　shelves。　And　on　those　shelves　hundreds　of　human　heads；　perfectly　preserved；　stared　at　the　startled　watchers　with　emotionless　eyes；　as　they　had　stared　for　only　the　gods　knew　how　many　months　and　years。
　　Topal　muttered　a　curse；　but　Yanath　stood　silent；　the　mad　light　growing　in　his　wide　eyes。　Conan　frowned；　knowing　that　Tlazitlan　sanity　was　hung　on　a　hair…trigger。
　　Suddenly　Yanath　pointed　to　the　ghastly　relics　with　a　twitching　finger。
　　〃There　is　my　brother's　head！〃　he　murmured。　〃And　there　is　my　father's　younger　brother！　And　there　beyond　them　is　my　sister's　eldest　son！〃
　　Suddenly　he　began　to　weep；　dry…eyed；　with　harsh；　loud　sobs　that　shook　his　frame。　He　did　not　take　his　eyes　from　the　heads。　His　sobs　grew　shriller；　changed　to　frightful；　high…pitched　laughter；　and　that　in　turn　became　an　unbearable　screaming。　Yanath　was　stark　mad。
　　Conan　laid　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　and　as　if　the　touch　had　released　all　the　frenzy　in　his　soul；　Yanath　screamed　and　whirled；　striking　at　the　Cimmerian　with　his　sword。　Conan　parried　the　blow；　and　Topal　tried　to　catch　Yanath's　arm。　But　the　madman　avoided　him　and　with　froth　flying　from　his　lips；　he　drove　his　sword　deep　into　Topal's　body。　Topal　sank　down　with　a　groan；　and　Yanath　whirled　for　an　instant　like　a　crazy　dervish；　then　he　ran　at　the　shelves　and　began　hacking　at　the　glass　with　his　sword；　screeching　blasphemously。
　　Conan　sprang　at　him　from　behind；　trying　to　catch　him　unaware　and　disarm　him；　but　the　madman　wheeled　and　lunged　at　him；　screaming　like　a　lost　soul。　Realizing　that　the　warrior　was　hopelessly　insane；　the　Cimmerian　side…stepped；　and　as　the　maniac　went　past；　he　swung　a　cut　that　severed　the　shoulder…bone　and　breast；　and　dropped　the　man　dead　beside　his　dying　victim。
　　Conan　bent　over　Topal；　seeing　that　the　man　was　at　his　last　gasp。　It　was　useless　to　seek　to　stanch　the　blood　gushing　from　the　horrible　wound。
　　〃You're　done　for；　Topal；〃　grunted　Conan。　〃Any　word　you　want　to　send　to　your　people？〃
　　〃Bend　closer；〃　gasped　Topal；　and　Conan　plied…and　an　instant　later　caught　the　man's　wrist　as　Topal　struck　at　his　breast　with　a　dagger。
　　〃Crom！〃　swore　Conan。　〃Are　you　mad；　too？〃
　　〃Olmec　ordered　it！〃　gasped　the　dying　man。　〃I　know　not　why。　As　we　lifted　the　wounded　upon　the　couches　he　whispered　to　me；　bidding　me　to　slay　you　as　we　returned　to　Tecuhltli…〃　And　with　the　name　of　his　clan　on　his　lips；　Topal　died。
　　Conan　scowled　down　at　him　in　puzzlement。　This　whole　affair　had　an　aspect　of　lunacy。　Was　Olmec　mad；　too？　Were　all　the　Tecuhltli　madder　than　he　had　realized？　With　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders　he　strode　down　the　hall　and　out　of　the　bronze　door；　leaving　the　dead　Tecuhltli　lying　before　the　staring　dead　eyes　of　their　kinsmen's　heads。
　　Conan　needed　no　guide　back　through　the　labryinth　they　had　traversed。　His　primitive　instinct　of　direction　led　him　unerringly　along　the　route　they　had　e。　He　traversed　it　as　warily　as　he　had　before；　his　sword　in　his　hand；　and　his　eyes　fiercely　searching　each　shadowed　nook　and　corner；　for　it　was　his　former　allies　he　feared　now；　not　the　ghosts　of　the　slain　Xotalancas。
　　He　had　crossed　the　Great　Hall　and　entered　the　chambers　beyond　when　he　heard　something　moving　ahead　of　him…something　which　gasped　and　panted；　and　moved　with　a　strange；　floundering；　scrambling　noise。　A　moment　later　Conan　saw　a　man　crawling　over　the　flaming　floor　toward　him…a　man　whose　progress　left　a　broad　bloody　smear　on　the　smoldering　surface。　It　was　Techotl　and　his　eyes　were　already　glazing；　from　a　deep　gash　in　his　breast　blood　gushed　steadily　between　the　fingers　of　his　clutching　hand。　With　the　other　he　clawed　and　hitched　himself　along。
　　〃Conan；〃　he　cried　chokingly；　〃Conan！　Olmec　has　taken　the　yellow…haired　woman！〃
　　〃So　that's　why　he　told　Topal　to　kill　me！〃　murmured　Conan；　dropping　to　his　knee　beside　the　man；　who　his　experienced　eye　told　him　was　dying。　〃Olmec　isn't　as　mad　as　I　thought。〃
　　Techotl's　groping　fingers　plucked　at　Conan's　arm。　In　the　cold；　loveless；　and　altogether　hideous　life　of　the　Tecuhltli；　his　admiration　and　affection　for　the　invaders　from　the　outer　world　formed　a　warm；　human　oasis；　constituted　a　tie　that　connected　him　with　a　more　natural　humanity　that　was　totally　lacking　in　his　fellows；　whose　only　emotions　were　hate；　lust；　and　the　urge　of　sadistic　cruelty。
　　〃I　sought　to　oppose　him；〃　gurgled　Techotl；　blood　bubbling　frothily　to　his　lips。　〃But　he　struck　me　down。　He　thought　he　had　slain　me；　but　I　crawled　away。　Ah；　Set；　how　far　I　have　crawled　in　my　own　blood！　Beware；　Conan！　Olmec　may　have　set　an　ambush　for　your　return！　Slay　Olmec！　He　is　a　beast。　Take　Valeria　and　flee！　Fear　not　to　traverse　the　forest。　Olmec　and　Tascela　lied　about　the　dragons。　They　slew　each　other　years　ago；　all　save　the　strongest。　For　a　dozen　years　there　has　been　only　one　dragon。　If　you　have　slain　him；　there　is　naught　in　the　forest　to　harm　you。　He　was　the　god　Olmec　worshipped；　and　Olmec　fed　human　sacrifices　to　him；　the　very　old　and　the　very　young；　bound　and　hurled　from　the　wall。　Hasten！　Olmec　has　taken　Valeria　to　the　Chamber　of　the…〃
　　His　head　slumped　down　and　he　was　dead　before　it　came　to　rest　on　the　floor。
　　Conan　sprang　up；　his　eyes　like　live　coals。　So　that　was　Olmec's　game；　having　first　used　the　strangers　to　destroy　his　foes！　He　should　have　known　that　something　of　the　sort　would　be　going　on　in　that　black…bearded　degenerate's　mind。
　　The　Cimmerian　started　toward　Tecuhltli　with　reckless　speed。　Rapidly　he　reckoned　the　numbers　of　his　former　allies。　Only　twenty…one；　counting　Olmec；　had　survived　that　fiendish　battle　in　the　throne　room。　Three　had　died　since；　which　left　seventeen　enemies　with　which　to　reckon。　In　his　rage　Conan　felt　capable　of　accounting　for　the　whole　clan　single…handed。
　　But　the　innate　craft　of　the　wilderness　rose　to　guide　his　berserk　rage。　He　remembered　Techotl's　warning　of　an　ambush。　It　was　qu