rh.conanthewarrior-第3章

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　trailed　away　in　stunned　silence。
　　Through　the　thicket　was　thrust　a　head　of　nightmare　and　lunacy。　Grinning　jaws　bared　rows　of　dripping　yellow　tusks；　above　the　yawning　mouth　wrinkled　a　saurian…like　snout。　Huge　eyes；　like　those　of　a　python　a　thousand　times　magnified；　stared　unwinkingly　at　the　petrified　humans　clinging　to　the　rock　above　it。　Blood　smeared　the　scaly；　flabby　lips　and　dripped　from　the　huge　mouth。
　　The　head；　bigger　than　that　of　a　crocodile；　was　further　extended　on　a　long　scaled　neck　on　which　stood　up　rows　of　serrated　spikes；　and　after　it；　crushing　down　the　briars　and　saplings；　waddled　the　body　of　a　titan；　a　gigantic；　barrel…bellied　torso　on　absurdly　short　legs。　The　whitish　belly　almost　raked　the　ground；　while　the　serrated　backbone　rose　higher　than　Conan　could　have　reached　on　tiptoe。　A　long　spiked　tail；　like　that　of　a　gargantuan　scorpion；　trailed　out　behind。
　　〃Back　up　the　crag；　quick！〃　snapped　Conan；　thrusting　the　girl　behind　him。　〃I　don't　think　he　can　climb；　but　he　can　stand　on　his　hind　legs　and　reach　us…〃
　　With　a　snapping　and　rending　of　bushes　and　saplings；　the　monster　came　hurtling　through　the　thickets；　and　they　fled　up　the　rock　before　him　like　leaves　blown　before　a　wind。　As　Valeria　plunged　into　the　leafy　screen　a　backward　glance　showed　her　the　titan　rearing　up　fearsomely　on　his　massive　hindlegs；　even　as　Conan　had　predicted。　The　sight　sent　panic　racing　through　her。　As　he　reared；　the　beast　seemed　more　gigantic　than　ever；　his　snouted　head　towered　among　the　trees。　Then　Conan's　iron　hand　closed　on　her　wrist　and　she　was　jerked　headlong　into　the　blinding　welter　of　the　leaves；　and　out　again　into　the　hot　sunshine　above；　just　as　the　monster　fell　forward　with　his　front　feet　on　the　crag　with　an　impact　that　made　the　rock　vibrate。
　　Behind　the　fugitives　the　huge　head　crashed　through　the　twigs；　and　they　looked　down　for　a　horrifying　instant　at　the　nightmare　visage　framed　among　the　green　leaves；　eyes　flaming；　jaws　gaping。　Then　the　giant　tusks　clashed　together　futilely；　and　after　that　the　head　was　withdrawn；　vanishing　from　their　sight　as　if　it　had　sunk　in　a　pool。
　　Peering　down　through　broken　branches　that　scraped　the　rock；　they　saw　it　squatting　on　its　haunches　at　the　foot　of　the　crag；　staring　unblinkingly　up　at　them。
　　Valeria　shuddered。
　　〃How　long　do　you　suppose　he'll　crouch　there？〃
　　Conan　kicked　the　skull　on　the　leaf…strewn　shelf。
　　〃That　fellow　must　have　climbed　up　here　to　escape　him；　or　one　like　him。　He　must　have　died　of　starvation。　There　are　no　bones　broken。　That　thing　must　be　a　dragon；　such　as　the　black　people　speak　of　in　their　legends。　If　so；　it　won't　leave　here　until　we're　both　dead。〃
　　Valeria　looked　at　him　blankly；　her　resentment　forgotten。　She　fought　down　a　surging　of　panic。　She　had　proved　her　reckless　courage　a　thousand　times　in　wild　battles　on　sea　and　land；　on　the　blood…slippery　decks　of　burning　war　ships；　in　the　storming　of　walled　cities；　and　on　the　trampled　sandy　beaches　where　the　desperate　men　of　the　Red　Brotherhood　bathed　their　knives　in　one　another's　blood　in　their　fights　for　leadership。　But　the　prospect　now　confronting　her　congealed　her　blood。　A　cutlass　stroke　in　the　heat　of　battle　was　nothing；　but　to　sit　idle　and　helpless　on　a　bare　rock　until　she　perished　of　starvation；　besieged　by　a　monstrous　survival　of　an　elder　age…the　thought　sent　panic　throbbing　through　her　brain。
　　〃He　must　leave　to　eat　and　drink；〃　she　said　helplessly。
　　〃He　won't　have　to　go　far　to　do　either；〃　Conan　pointed　out。　〃He's　just　gorged　on　horse　meat　and；　like　a　real　snake；　he　can　go　for　a　long　time　without　eating　or　drinking　again。　But　he　doesn't　sleep　after　eating；　like　a　real　snake；　it　seems。　Anyway；　he　can't　climb　this　crag。〃
　　Conan　spoke　imperturbably。　He　was　a　barbarian；　and　the　terrible　patience　of　the　wilderness　and　its　children　was　as　much　a　part　of　him　as　his　lusts　and　rages。　He　could　endure　a　situation　like　this　with　a　coolness　impossible　to　a　civilized　person。
　　〃Can't　we　get　into　the　trees　and　get　away；　traveling　like　apes　through　the　branches？〃　she　asked　desperately。
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　thought　of　that。　The　branches　that　touch　the　crag　down　there　are　too　light。　They'd　break　with　our　weight。　Besides；　I　have　an　idea　that　devil　could　tear　up　any　tree　around　here　by　its　roots。〃
　　〃Well；　are　we　going　to　sit　here　on　our　rumps　until　we　starve；　like　that？〃　she　cried　furiously；　kicking　the　skull　clattering　across　the　ledge。　〃I　won't　do　it！　I'll　go　down　there　and　cut　his　damned　head　off…〃
　　Conan　had　seated　himself　on　a　rocky　projection　at　the　foot　of　the　spire。　He　looked　up　with　a　glint　of　admiration　at　her　blazing　eyes　and　tense；　quivering　figure；　but；　realizing　that　she　was　in　just　the　mood　for　any　madness；　he　let　none　of　his　admiration　sound　in　his　voice。
　　〃Sit　down；〃　he　grunted；　catching　her　by　her　wrist　and　pulling　her　down　on　his　knee。　She　was　too　surprised　to　resist　as　he　took　her　sword　from　her　hand　and　shoved　it　back　in　its　sheath。　〃Sit　still　and　calm　down。　You'd　only　break　your　steel　on　his　scales。　He'd　gobble　you　up　at　one　gulp；　or　smash　you　like　an　egg　with　that　spiked　tail　of　his。　We'll　get　out　of　this　jam　some　way；　but　we　shan't　do　it　by　getting　chewed　up　and　swallowed。〃
　　She　made　no　reply；　nor　did　she　seek　to　repulse　his　arm　from　about　her　waist。　She　was　frightened；　and　the　sensation　was　new　to　Valeria　of　the　Red　Brotherhood。　So　she　sat　on　her　panion's…or　captor's…knee　with　a　docility　that　would　have　amazed　Zarallo；　who　had　anathematized　her　as　a　she…devil　out　of　Hell's　seraglio。
　　Conan　played　idly　with　her　curly　yellow　locks；　seemingly　intent　only　upon　his　conquest。　Neither　the　skeleton　at　his　feet　nor　the　monster　crouching　below　disturbed　his　mind　or　dulled　the　edge　of　his　interest。
　　The　girl's　restless　eyes；　roving　the　leaves　below　them；　discovered　splashes　of　color　among　the　green。　It　was　fruit；　large；　darkly　crimson　globes　suspended　from　the　boughs　of　a　tree　whose　broad　leaves　were　a　peculiarly　rich　and　vivid　green。　She　became　aware　of　both　thirst　and　hunger；　though　thirst　had　not　assailed　her　until　she　knew　she　could　not　descend　from　the　crag　to　find　food　and　water。
　　〃We　need　not　starve；〃　she　said。　〃There　is　fruit　we　can　reach。〃
　　Conan　glanced　where　she　pointed。
　　〃If　we　ate　that　we　wouldn't　need　the　bite　of　a　dragon；〃　he　grunted。　〃That's　what　the　black　people　of　Kush　call　the　Apples　of　Derketa。　Derketa　is　the　Queen　of　the　Dead。　Drink　a　little　of　that　juice；　or　spill　it　on　your　flesh；　and　you'd　be　dead　before　you　could　tumble　to　the　foot　of　this　crag。〃
　　〃Oh！〃
　　She　lapsed　into　dismayed　silence。　There　seemed　no　way　out　of　their　predicament；　she　reflected　gloomily。　She　saw　no　way　of　escape；　and　Conan　seemed　to　be　concerned　only　with　her　supple　waist　and　curly　tresses。　If　he　was　trying　to　formulate　a　plan　of　escape　he　did　not　show　it。
　　〃If　you'll　take　your　hands　off　me　long　enough　to　climb　up　on　that　peak；〃　she　said　presently；　〃you'll　see　something　that　will　surprise　you。〃
　　He　cast　her　a　questioning　glance；　then　obeyed　with　a　shrug　of　his　massive　shoulders。　Clinging　to　the　spirelike　pinnacle；　he　stared　out　over　the　forest　roof。
　　He　stood　a　long　moment　in　silence；　posed　like　a　bronze　statue　on　the　rock。
　　〃It's　a　walled　city；　right　enough；〃　he　muttered　presently。　〃Was　that　where　you　were　going；　when　you　tried　to　send　me　off　alone　to　the　coast？〃
　　〃I　saw　it　before　you　came。　I　knew　nothing　of　it　when　I　left　Sukhmet。〃
　　〃Who'd　have　thought　to　find　a　city　here？　I　don't　believe　the　Stygians　ever　penetrated　this　far。　Could　black　people　build　a　city　like　that？　I　see　no　herds　on　the　plain；　no　signs　of　cultivation；　or　people　moving　about。〃
　　〃How　can　you　hope　to　see　all　that；　at　this　distance？〃　she　demanded。
　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　dropped　down　on　the　shelf。
　　〃Well；　the　folk　of　the　city　can't　help　us　just　now。　And　they　might　not；　if　they　could。　The　people　of　the　Black　Countries　are　generally　hostile　to　strangers。　Probably　stick　us　full　of　spears…〃
　　He　stopped　short　and　stood　silent；　as　if　he　had　forgotten　what　he　was　saying；　frowning　down　at　the　crimson　spheres　gleaming　among　the　leaves。
　　〃Spears！〃　he　muttered。　〃What　a　blasted　fool　I　am　not　to　have　thought　of　that　before！　That　shows　what　a　pretty　w