rh.conanthewarrior-第18章

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　　But　the　innate　craft　of　the　wilderness　rose　to　guide　his　berserk　rage。　He　remembered　Techotl's　warning　of　an　ambush。　It　was　quite　probable　that　the　prince　would　make　such　provisions；　on　the　chance　that　Topal　might　have　failed　to　carry　out　his　order。　Olmec　would　be　expecting　him　to　return　by　the　same　route　he　had　followed　in　going　to　Xotalanc。
　　Conan　glanced　up　at　a　skylight　under　which　he　was　passing　and　caught　the　blurred　glimmer　of　stars。　They　had　not　yet　begun　to　pale　for　dawn。　The　events　of　the　night　had　been　crowded　into　a　paratively　short　space　of　time。
　　He　turned　aside　from　his　direct　course　and　descended　a　winding　staircase　to　the　floor　below。　He　did　not　know　where　the　door　was　to　be　found　that　let　into　the　castle　on　that　level；　but　he　knew　he　could　find　it。　How　he　was　to　force　the　locks　he　did　not　know；　he　believed　that　the　doors　of　Tecuhltli　would　all　be　locked　and　bolted；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　the　habits　of　half　a　century。　But　there　was　nothing　else　but　to　attempt　it。
　　Sword　in　hand；　he　hurried　noiselessly　on　through　a　maze　of　green…lit　or　shadowy　rooms　and　halls。　He　knew　he　must　be　near　Tecuhltli；　when　a　sound　brought　him　up　short。　He　recognized　it　for　what　it　was…a　human　being　trying　to　cry　out　through　a　stifling　gag。　It　came　from　somewhere　ahead　of　him；　and　to　the　left。　In　those　deathly…still　chambers　a　small　sound　carried　a　long　way。
　　Conan　turned　aside　and　went　seeking　after　the　sound；　which　continued　to　be　repeated。　Presently　he　was　glaring　through　a　doorway　upon　a　weird　scene。　In　the　room　into　which　he　was　looking　a　low　rack…like　frame　of　iron　lay　on　the　floor；　and　a　giant　figure　was　bound　prostrate　upon　it。　His　head　rested　on　a　bed　of　iron　spikes；　which　were　already　crimson…pointed　with　blood　where　they　had　pierced　his　scalp。　A　peculiar　harness…like　contrivance　was　fastened　about　his　head；　though　in　such　a　manner　that　the　leather　band　did　not　protect　his　scalp　from　the　spikes。　This　harness　was　connected　by　a　slender　chain　to　the　mechanism　that　upheld　a　huge　iron　ball　which　was　suspended　above　the　captive's　hairy　breast。　As　long　as　the　man　could　force　himself　to　remain　motionless　the　iron　ball　hung　in　its　place。　But　when　the　pain　of　the　iron　points　caused　him　to　lift　his　head；　the　ball　lurched　downward　a　few　inches。　Presently　his　aching　neck　muscles　would　no　longer　support　his　head　in　its　unnatural　position　and　it　would　fall　back　on　the　spikes　again。　It　was　obvious　that　eventually　the　ball　would　crush　him　to　a　pulp；　slowly　and　inexorably。　The　victim　was　gagged；　and　above　the　gag　his　great　black　ox…eyes　rolled　wildly　toward　the　man　in　the　doorway；　who　stood　in　silent　amazement。　The　man　on　the　rack　was　Olmec；　prince　of　Tecuhltli。
　　
　　
　　　6。　　The　Eyes　of　Tascela
　　
　　〃Why　did　you　bring　me　into　this　chamber　to　bandage　my　leg？〃　demanded　Valeria。　〃Couldn't　you　have　done　it　just　as　well　in　the　throne　room？〃
　　She　sat　on　a　couch　with　her　wounded　leg　extended　upon　it；　and　the　Tecuhltli　woman　had　just　bound　it　with　silk　bandages。　Valeria's　red…stained　sword　lay　on　the　couch　beside　her。
　　She　frowned　as　she　spoke。　The　woman　had　done　her　task　silently　and　efficiently；　but　Valeria　liked　neither　the　lingering；　caressing　touch　of　her　slim　fingers　nor　the　expression　in　her　eyes。
　　〃They　have　taken　the　rest　of　the　wounded　into　the　other　chambers；〃　answered　the　woman　in　the　soft　speech　of　the　Tecuhltli　women；　which　somehow　did　not　suggest　either　softness　or　gentleness　in　the　speakers。　A　little　while　before；　Valeria　had　seen　this　same　woman　stab　a　Xotalanca　woman　through　the　breast　and　stamp　the　eyeballs　out　of　a　wounded　Xotalanca　man。
　　〃They　will　be　carrying　the　corpses　of　the　dead　down　into　the　catabs；〃　she　added；　〃lest　the　ghosts　escape　into　the　chambers　and　dwell　there。〃
　　〃Do　you　believe　in　ghosts？〃　asked　Valeria。
　　〃I　know　the　ghost　of　Tolkemec　dwells　in　the　catabs；〃　she　answered　with　a　shiver。　〃Once　I　saw　it；　as　I　crouched　in　a　crypt　among　the　bones　of　a　dead　queen。　It　passed　by　in　the　form　of　an　ancient　man　with　flowing　white　beard　and　locks；　and　luminous　eyes　that　blazed　in　the　darkness。　It　was　Tolkemec；　I　saw　him　living　when　I　was　a　child　and　he　was　being　tortured。〃
　　Her　voice　sank　to　a　fearful　whisper：　〃Olmec　laughs；　but　I　know　Tolkemec's　ghost　dwells　in　the　catabs！　They　say　it　is　rats　whch　gnaw　the　flesh　from　the　bones　of　the　newly　dead…but　ghosts　eat　flesh。　Who　knows　but　that…〃
　　She　glanced　up　quickly　as　a　shadow　fell　across　the　couch。　Valeria　looked　up　to　see　Olmec　gazing　down　at　her。　The　prince　had　cleansed　his　hands；　torso；　and　beard　of　the　blood　that　had　splashed　them；　but　he　had　not　donned　his　robe；　and　his　great　dark…skinned　hairless　body　and　limbs　renewed　the　impression　of　strength　bestial　in　its　nature。　His　deep　black　eyes　burned　with　a　more　elemental　light；　and　there　was　the　suggestion　of　a　twitching　in　the　fingers　that　tugged　at　his　thick　blue…black　beard。
　　He　stared　fixedly　at　the　woman；　and　she　rose　and　glided　from　the　chamber。　As　she　passed　through　the　door　she　cast　a　look　over　her　shoulder　at　Valeria；　a　glance　full　of　cynical　derision　and　obscene　mockery。
　　〃She　has　done　a　clumsy　job；〃　criticized　the　prince；　ing　to　the　divan　and　bending　over　the　bandage。　〃Let　me　see…〃
　　With　a　quickness　amazing　in　one　of　his　bulk　he　snatched　her　sword　and　threw　it　across　the　chamber。　His　next　move　was　to　catch　her　in　his　giant　arms。
　　Quick　and　unexpected　as　the　move　was；　she　almost　matched　it；　for　even　as　he　grabbed　her；　her　dirk　was　in　her　hand　and　she　stabbed　murderously　at　his　throat。　More　by　luck　than　skill　he　caught　her　wrist；　and　then　began　a　savage　wrestling…match。　She　fought　him　with　fists；　feet；　knees；　teeth；　and　nails；　with　all　the　strength　of　her　magnificent　body　and　all　the　knowledge　of　hand…to…hand　fighting　she　had　acquired　in　her　years　of　roving　and　fighting　on　sea　and　land。　It　availed　her　nothing　against　his　brute　strength。　She　lost　her　dirk　in　the　first　moment　of　contact；　and　thereafter　found　herself　powerless　to　inflict　any　appreciable　pain　on　her　giant　attacker。
　　The　blaze　in　his　weird　black　eyes　did　not　alter；　and　their　expression　filled　her　with　fury；　fanned　by　the　sardonic　smile　that　seemed　carved　upon　his　bearded　lips。　Those　eyes　and　that　smile　contained　all　the　cruel　cynicism　that　seethes　below　the　surface　of　a　sophisticated　and　degenerate　race；　and　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　Valeria　experienced　fear　of　a　man。　It　was　like　struggling　against　some　huge　elemental　force；　his　iron　arms　thwarted　her　efforts　with　an　ease　that　sent　panic　racing　through　her　limbs。　He　seemed　impervious　to　any　pain　she　could　inflict。　Only　once；　when　she　sank　her　white　teeth　savagely　into　his　wrist　so　that　the　blood　started；　did　he　react。　And　that　was　to　buffet　her　brutally　upon　the　side　of　the　head　with　his　open　hand；　so　that　stars　flashed　before　her　eyes　and　her　head　rolled　on　her　shoulders。
　　Her　shirt　had　been　torn　open　in　the　struggle；　and　with　cynical　cruelty　he　rasped　his　thick　beard　across　her　bare　breasts；　bringing　the　blood　to　suffuse　the　fair　skin；　and　fetching　a　cry　of　pain　and　outraged　fury　from　her。　Her　convulsive　resistance　was　useless；　she　was　crushed　down　on　a　couch；　disarmed　and　panting；　her　eyes　blazing　up　at　him　like　the　eyes　of　a　trapped　tigress。
　　A　moment　later　he　was　hurrying　from　the　chamber；　carrying　her　in　his　arms。　She　made　no　resistance；　but　the　smoldering　of　her　eyes　showed　that　she　was　unconquered　in　spirit；　at　least。　She　had　not　cried　out。　She　knew　that　Conan　was　not　within　call；　and　it　did　not　occur　to　her　that　any　in　Tecuhltli　would　oppose　their　prince。　But　she　noticed　that　Olmec　went　stealthily；　with　his　head　on　one　side　as　if　listening　for　sounds　of　pursuit；　and　he　did　not　return　to　the　throne　chamber。　He　carried　her　through　a　door　that　stood　opposite　that　through　which　he　had　entered；　crossed　another　room　and　began　stealing　down　a　hall。　As　she　became　convinced　that　he　feared　some　opposition　to　the　abduction；　she　threw　back　her　head　and　screamed　at　the　top　of　her　lusty　voice。
　　She　was　rewarded　by　a　slap　that　half…stunned　her；　and　Olmec　quickened　his　pace　to　a　shambling　run。
　　But　her　cry　had　been　echoed　and；　twisting　her　head　about；　Valeria；　through　the　tears　and　stars　that　partly　blinded　her；　sa