rh.conanthewarrior-第22章

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　pits？　Some　secret　weapon　you　knew　was　hidden　there？　And　have　you　found　it　at　last？〃
　　That　hideous　tittering　was　Tolkemec's　only　reply；　as　he　bounded　into　the　room　with　a　long　leap　that　carried　him　over　the　secret　trap　before　the　door…by　chance；　or　by　some　faint　recollection　of　the　ways　of　Xuchotl。　He　was　not　mad；　as　a　man　is　amd。　He　had　dwelt　apart　from　humanity　so　long　that　he　was　no　longer　human。　Only　an　unbroken　thread　of　memory　embodied　in　hate　and　the　urge　for　vengeance　had　connected　him　with　the　humanity　from　which　he　had　been　cut　off；　and　held　him　lurking　near　the　people　he　hated。　Only　that　thin　string　had　kept　him　from　racing　and　prancing　off　for　ever　into　the　black　corridors　and　realms　of　the　subterranean　world　he　had　discovered；　long　ago。
　　〃You　sought　something　hidden！〃　whispered　Tascela；　cringing　back。　〃And　you　have　found　it！　You　remember　the　feud！　After　all　these　years　of　blackness；　you　remember！〃
　　For　in　the　lean　hand　of　Tolkemec　now　waved　a　curious　jade…hued　wand；　on　the　end　of　which　glowed　a　knob　of　crimson　shaped　like　a　pomegranate。　She　sprang　aside　as　he　thrust　it　out　like　a　spear；　and　a　beam　of　crimson　fire　lanced　from　the　pomegranate。　It　missed　Tascela；　but　the　woman　holding　Valeria's　ankles　was　in　the　way。　It　smote　between　her　shoulders。　There　was　a　sharp　crackling　sound　and　the　ray　of　fire　flashed　from　her　bosom　and　struck　the　black　altar；　with　a　snapping　of　blue　sparks。　The　woman　toppled　sidewise；　shriveling　and　withering　like　a　mummy　even　as　she　fell。
　　Valeria　rolled　from　the　altar　on　the　other　side；　and　started　for　the　opposite　wall　on　all　fours。　For　hell　had　burst　loose　in　the　throne　room　of　dead　Olmec。
　　The　man　who　had　held　Valeria's　hands　was　the　next　to　die。　He　turned　to　run；　but　before　he　had　taken　half　a　dozen　steps；　Tolkemec；　with　an　agility　appalling　in　such　a　frame；　bounded　around　to　a　position　that　placed　the　man　between　him　and　the　altar。　Again　the　red　fire…beam　flashed　and　the　Tecuhltli　rolled　lifeless　to　the　floor；　as　the　beam　pleted　its　course　with　a　burst　of　blue　sparks　against　the　altar。
　　Then　began　the　slaughter。　Screaming　insanely　the　people　rushed　about　the　chamber；　caroming　from　one　another；　stumbling　and　falling。　And　among　them　Tolkemec　capered　and　pranced；　dealing　death。　They　could　not　escape　by　the　doors；　for　apparently　the　metal　of　the　portals　served　like　the　metal　veined　stone　altar　to　plete　the　circuit　for　whatever　hellish　power　flashed　like　thunderbolts　from　the　witch…wand　the　ancient　waved　in　his　hand。　When　he　caught　a　man　or　a　woman　between　him　and　a　door　or　the　altar；　that　one　died　instantly。　He　chose　no　special　victim。　He　took　them　as　they　came；　with　his　rags　flapping　about　his　wildly　gyrating　limbs；　and　the　gusty　echoes　of　his　tittering　sweeping　the　room　above　the　screams。　And　bodies　fell　like　falling　leaves　about　the　altar　and　at　the　doors。　One　warrior　in　desperation　rushed　at　him；　lifting　a　dagger；　only　to　fall　before　he　could　strike。　But　the　rest　were　like　crazed　cattle；　with　no　thought　for　resistance；　and　no　chance　of　escape。
　　The　last　Tecuhltli　except　Tascela　had　fallen　when　the　princess　reached　the　Cimmerian　and　the　girl　who　had　taken　refuge　beside　him。　Tascela　bent　and　touched　the　floor；　pressing　a　design　upon　it。　Instantly　the　iron　jaws　released　the　bleeding　limb　and　sank　back　into　the　floor。
　　〃Slay　him　if　you　can！〃　she　panted；　and　pressed　a　heavy　knife　into　his　hand。　〃I　have　no　magic　to　withstand　him！〃
　　With　a　grunt　he　sprang　before　the　woman；　not　heeding　his　lacerated　leg　in　the　heat　of　the　fighting　lust。　Tolkemec　was　ing　toward　him；　his　weird　eyes　ablaze；　but　he　hesitated　at　the　gleam　of　the　knife　in　Conan's　hand。　Then　began　a　grim　game；　as　Tolkemec　sought　to　circle　about　Conan　and　get　the　barbarian　between　him　and　the　altar　or　a　metal　door；　while　Conan　sought　to　avoid　this　and　drive　home　his　knife。　The　women　watched　tensely；　holding　their　breath。
　　There　was　no　sound　except　the　rustle　and　scrape　of　quick…shifting　feet。　Tolkemec　pranced　and　capered　no　more。　He　realized　that　grimmer　game　confronted　him　than　the　people　who　had　died　screaming　and　fleeing。　In　the　elemental　blaze　of　the　barbarian's　eyes　he　read　an　intent　deadly　as　his　own。　Back　and　forth　they　weaved；　and　when　one　moved　the　other　moved　as　if　invisible　threads　bound　them　together。　But　all　the　time　Conan　was　getting　closer　and　closer　to　his　enemy。　Already　the　coiled　muscles　of　his　thighs　were　beginning　to　flex　for　a　spring；　when　Valeria　cried　out。　For　a　fleeting　instant　a　bronze　door　was　in　line　with　Conan's　moving　body。　The　red　line　leaped；　searing　Conan's　flank　as　he　twisted　aside；　and　even　as　he　shifted　he　hurled　the　knife。　Old　Tolkemec　went　down；　truly　slain　at　last；　the　hilt　vibrating　on　his　breast。
　　Tascela　sprang…not　toward　Conan；　but　toward　the　wand　where　it　shimmered　like　a　live　thing　on　the　floor。　But　as　she　leaped；　so　did　Valeria；　with　a　dagger　snatched　from　a　dead　man；　and　the　blade；　driven　with　all　the　power　of　the　pirate's　muscles；　impaled　the　princess　of　Tecuhltli　so　that　the　point　stood　out　between　her　breasts。　Tascela　screamed　once　and　fell　dead；　and　Valeria　spurned　the　body　with　her　heel　as　it　fell。
　　〃I　had　to　do　that　much；　for　my　own　self…respect！〃　panted　Valeria；　facing　Conan　across　the　limp　corpse。
　　〃Well；　this　cleans　up　the　feud；〃　he　grunted。　〃It's　been　a　hell　of　a　night！　Where　did　these　people　keep　their　food？　I'm　hungry。〃
　　〃You　need　a　bandage　on　that　leg。〃　Valeria　ripped　a　length　of　silk　from　a　hanging　and　knotted　it　about　her　waist；　then　tore　off　some　smaller　strips　which　she　bound　efficiently　about　the　barbarian's　lacerated　limb。
　　〃I　can　walk　on　it；〃　he　assured　her。　〃Let's　begone。　It's　dawn；　outside　this　infernal　city。　I've　had　enough　of　Xuchotl。　It's　well　the　breed　exterminated　itself。　I　don't　want　any　of　their　accursed　jewels。　They　might　be　haunted。〃
　　〃There　is　enough　clean　loot　in　the　world　for　you　and　me；〃　she　said；　straightening　to　stand　tall　and　splendid　before　him。
　　The　old　blaze　came　back　in　his　eyes；　and　this　time　she　did　not　resist　as　he　caught　her　fiercely　in　his　arms。
　　〃It's　a　long　way　to　the　coast；〃　she　said　presently；　withdrawing　her　lips　from　his。
　　〃What　matter？〃　he　laughed。　〃There's　nothing　we　can't　conquer。　We'll　have　our　feet　on　a　ship's　deck　before　the　Stygians　open　their　ports　for　the　trading　season。　And　then　we'll　show　the　world　what　plundering　means！〃
　　
　　
　　
　　　JEWELS　OF　GWAHLUR
　　
　　
　　Conan's　amour　with　Valeria　does　not　last　long；　perhaps　the　fact　that　each　of　them　insists　on　being　the　boss　has　something　to　do　with　the　fact。　At　any　rate；　they　part：　Valeria　to　return　to　the　sea；　Conan　to　try　his　luck　in　the　black　kingdoms。　Hearing　of　the　priceless　〃Teeth　of　Gwahlur；〃　a　fortune　in　ancient　jewels　hidden　somewhere　in　Keshan；　he　sells　his　services　to　the　irascible　king　of　Keshan　to　train　his　armies　for　war　against　the　neighboring　kingdom　of　Punt。
　　
　　
　　　1。　　Paths　of　Intrigue
　　
　　The　cliffs　rose　sheer　from　the　jungle；　towering　ramparts　of　stone　that　glinted　jade…blue　and　dull　crimson　in　the　rising　sun；　and　curved　away　and　away　to　east　and　west　above　the　waving　emerald　ocean　of　fronds　and　leaves。　It　looked　insurmountable；　that　giant　palisade　with　its　sheer　curtains　of　solid　rock　in　which　bits　of　quartz　winked　dazzlingly　in　the　sunlight。　But　the　man　who　was　working　his　tedious　way　upward　was　already　halfway　to　the　top。
　　He　came　from　a　race　of　hillmen；　accustomed　to　scaling　forbidding　crags；　and　he　was　a　man　of　unusual　strength　and　agility。　His　only　garment　was　a　pair　of　short　red　silk　breeks；　and　his　sandals　were　slung　to　his　back；　out　of　his　way；　as　were　his　sword　and　dagger。
　　The　man　was　powerfully　built；　supple　as　a　panther。　His　skin　was　bronzed　by　the　sun；　his　square…cut　black　mane　confined　by　a　silver　band　about　his　temples。　His　iron　muscles；　quick　eyes　and　sure　feet　served　him　well　here；　for　it　was　a　climb　to　test　these　qualities　to　the　utmost。　A　hundred　and　fifty　feet　below　him　waved　the　jungle。　An　equal　distance　above　him　the　rim　of　the　cliffs　was　etched　against　the　morning　sky。
　　He　labored　like　one　driven　by　the　necessity　of　haste；　yet　he　was　forced　to　move　at　a　snail's　pace；　clinging　like　a　fly　on　a　wall。　His　groping　hands　and　feet　foun