rh.conanthewarrior-第32章

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th　the　fury　of　a　roused　python；　and　the　long　straight　blade　impaled　his　assailant　and　stood　out　a　foot　and　a　half　between　his　shoulders。
　　〃So！〃　Conan　tore　his　sword　free　as　the　victim　sagged　to　the　floor；　gasping　and　gurgling。　The　man　writhed　briefly　and　stiffened。　In　the　dying　light　Conan　saw　a　black　body　and　ebon　countenance；　hideous　in　the　blue　glare。　He　had　killed　Gwarunga。
　　Conan　turned　from　the　corpse　to　the　goddess。　Thongs　about　her　knees　and　breast　held　her　upright　against　tha　stone　pillar；　and　her　thick　hair；　fastented　to　the　column；　held　her　head　up。　At　a　few　yards'　distance　these　bonds　were　not　visible　in　the　uncertain　light。
　　〃He　must　have　e　to　after　I　descended　into　the　tunnel；〃　muttered　Conan。　〃He　must　have　suspected　I　was　down　there。　So　he　pulled　out　the　dagger〃…Conan　stooped　and　wrenched　the　identical　weapon　from　the　stiffening　fingers；　glanced　at　it　and　replaced　it　in　his　own　girdle…〃and　shut　the　door。　Then　he　took　Yelaya　to　befool　his　brother　idiots。　That　was　he　shouting　a　while　ago。　You　couldn't　recognize　his　voice；　under　this　echoing　roof。　And　that　bursting　blue　flame…I　thought　it　looked　familiar。　It's　a　trick　of　the　Stygian　priests。　Thutmekri　must　have　given　some　of　it　to　Gwarunga。〃
　　The　man　could　easily　have　reached　this　cavern　ahead　of　his　panions。　Evidently　familiar　with　the　plan　of　the　caverns　by　hearsay　or　by　maps　handed　down　in　the　priestcraft；　he　had　entered　the　cave　after　the　others；　carrying　the　goddess；　followed　a　circuitous　route　through　the　tunnels　and　chambers；　and　ensconced　himself　and　his　burden　on　the　balcony　while　Gorulga　and　the　other　acolytes　were　engaged　in　their　endless　rituals。
　　The　blue　glare　had　faded；　but　now　Conan　was　aware　of　another　glow；　emanating　from　the　mouth　of　one　of　the　corridors　that　opened　on　the　ledge。　Somewhere　down　that　corridor　there　was　another　field　of　phosphorus；　for　he　recognized　the　faint　steady　radiance。　The　corridor　led　in　the　direction　the　priests　had　taken；　and　he　decided　to　follow　it；　rather　than　descend　into　the　darkness　of　the　great　cavern　below。　Doubtless　it　connected　with　another　gallery　in　some　other　chamber；　which　might　be　the　destination　of　the　priests。　He　hurried　down　it；　the　illumination　growing　stronger　as　he　advanced；　until　he　could　make　out　the　floor　and　the　walls　of　the　tunnel。　Ahead　of　him　and　below　he　could　hear　the　priests　chanting　again。
　　Abruptly　a　doorway　in　the　left…hand　wall　was　limned　in　the　phosphorous　glow；　and　to　his　ears　came　the　sound　of　soft；　hysterical　sobbing。　He　wheeled；　and　glared　through　the　door。
　　He　was　looking　again　into　a　chamber　hewn　out　of　solid　rock；　not　a　natural　cavern　like　the　others。　The　domed　roof　shone　with　the　phosphorous　light；　and　the　walls　were　almost　covered　with　arabesques　of　beaten　gold。
　　Near　the　farther　wall　on　a　granite　throne；　staring　for　ever　toward　the　arched　doorway；　sat　the　monstrous　and　obscene　Pteor；　the　god　of　the　Pelishti；　wrought　in　brass；　with　his　exaggerated　attributes　reflecting　the　grossness　of　his　cult。　And　in　his　lap　sprawled　a　limp　white　figure。
　　〃Well；　I'll　be　damned！〃　muttered　Conan。　He　glanced　suspiciously　about　the　chamber；　seeing　no　other　entrance　or　evidence　of　occupation；　and　then　advanced　noiselessly　and　looked　down　at　the　girl　whose　slim　shoulders　shook　with　sobs　of　abject　misery；　her　face　sunk　in　her　arms。　From　thick　bands　of　gold　on　the　idol's　arms　slim　gold　chains　ran　to　smaller　bands　on　her　wrists。　He　laid　a　hand　on　her　naked　shoulder　and　she　started　convulsively；　shrieked；　and　twisted　her　tear…stained　face　toward　him。
　　〃Conan！〃　She　made　a　spasmodic　effort　to　go　into　the　usual　clinch；　but　the　chains　hindered　her。　He　cut　through　the　soft　gold　as　close　to　her　wrists　as　he　could；　grunting：　〃You'll　have　to　wear　these　bracelets　until　I　can　find　a　chisel　or　a　file。　Let　go　of　me；　damn　it！　You　actresses　are　too　damned　emotional。　What　happened　to　you；　anyway？〃
　　〃When　I　went　back　into　the　oracle　chamber；〃　she　whimpered；　〃I　saw　the　goddess　lying　on　the　dais　as　I'd　first　seen　her。　I　called　out　to　you　and　started　to　run　to　the　door…then　something　grabbed　me　from　behind。　It　clapped　a　hand　over　my　mouth　and　carried　me　through　a　panel　in　the　wall；　and　down　some　steps　and　along　a　dark　hall。　I　didn't　see　what　it　was　that　had　hold　of　me　until　we　passed　through　a　big　metal　door　and　came　into　a　tunnel　whose　roof　was　alight；　like　this　chamber。
　　〃Oh；　I　nearly　fainted　when　I　saw！　They　are　not　humans！　They　are　gray；　hairy　devils　that　walk　like　men　and　speak　a　gibberish　no　human　could　understand。　They　stood　there　and　seemed　to　be　waiting；　and　once　I　thought　I　heard　somebody　trying　the　door。　Then　one　of　the　things　pulled　a　metal　lever　in　the　wall；　and　something　crashed　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。
　　〃Then　they　carried　me　on　and　on　through　winding　tunnels　and　up　stone　stairways　into　this　chamber；　where　they　chained　me　on　the　knees　of　this　abominable　idol；　and　then　they　went　away。　Oh；　Conan；　what　are　they？〃
　　〃Servants　of　Bit…Yakin；〃　he　grunted。　〃I　found　a　manuscript　that　told　me　a　number　of　things；　and　then　stumbled　upon　some　frescoes　that　told　me　the　rest。　Bit…Yakin　was　a　Pelishti　who　wandered　into　the　valley　with　his　servants　after　the　people　of　Alkmeenon　had　deserted　it。　He　found　the　body　of　Princess　Yelaya；　and　discovered　that　the　priests　returned　from　time　to　time　to　make　offerings　to　her；　for　even　then　she　was　worshipped　as　a　goddess。
　　〃He　made　an　oracle　of　her；　and　he　was　the　voice　of　the　oracle；　speaking　from　a　niche　he　cut　in　the　wall　behind　the　ivory　dais。　The　priests　never　suspected；　never　saw　him　or　his　servants；　for　they　always　hid　themselves　when　the　men　came。　Bit…Yakin　lived　and　died　here　without　ever　being　discovered　by　the　priests。　Crom　knows　how　long　he　dwelt　here；　but　it　must　have　been　for　centuries。　The　wise　men　of　the　Pelishti　know　how　to　increase　the　span　of　their　lives　for　hundreds　of　years。　I've　seen　some　of　them　myself。　Why　he　lived　here　alone；　and　why　he　played　the　part　of　oracle　no　ordinary　human　can　guess；　but　I　believe　the　oracle　part　was　to　keep　the　city　inviolate　and　sacred；　so　he　could　remain　undisturbed。　He　ate　the　food　the　priests　brought　as　an　offering　to　Yelaya；　and　his　servants　ate　other　things…I've　always　known　there　was　a　subterranean　river　flowing　away　from　the　lake　where　the　people　of　the　Puntish　highlands　throw　their　dead。　That　river　runs　under　this　palace。　They　have　ladders　hung　over　the　water　where　they　can　hang　and　fish　for　the　corpses　that　e　floating　through。　Bit…Yakin　recorded　everything　on　parchment　and　painted　walls。
　　〃But　he　died　at　last；　and　his　servants　mummified　him　according　to　instructions　he　gave　them　before　his　death；　and　stuck　him　in　a　cave　in　the　cliffs。　The　rest　is　easy　to　guess。　His　servants；　who　were　even　more　nearly　immortal　than　he；　kept　on　dwelling　here；　but　the　next　time　a　high　priest　came　to　consult　the　oracle；　not　having　a　master　to　restrain　therm；　they　tore　him　to　pieces。　So　since　then…until　Gorulga…nobody　came　to　talk　to　the　oracle。
　　〃It's　obvious　they've　been　renewing　the　garments　and　ornaments　of　the　goddess；　as　they'd　seen　Bit…Yakin　do。　Doubtless　there's　a　sealed　chamber　somewhere　were　the　silks　are　kept　from　decay。　They　clothed　the　goddess　and　brought　her　back　to　the　oracle　room　after　Zargheba　had　stolen　her。　And；　oh；　by　the　way；　they　took　off　Zargheba's　head　and　hung　it　up　in　a　thicket。〃
　　She　shivered；　yet　at　the　same　time　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。
　　〃He'll　never　whip　me　again。〃
　　〃Not　this　side　of　Hell；〃　agreed　Conan。　〃But　e　on；　Gwarunga　ruined　my　chances　with　his　stolen　goddess。　I'm　going　to　follow　the　priests　and　take　my　chance　of　stealing　the　loot　from　them　after　they　get　it。　And　you　stay　close　to　me。　I　can't　spend　all　my　time　looking　for　you。〃
　　〃But　the　servants　of　Bit…Yakin！〃　she　whispered　fearfully。
　　〃We'll　have　to　take　our　chance；〃　he　grunted。　〃I　don't　know　what's　in　their　minds；　but　so　far　they　haven't　shown　any　disposition　to　e　out　and　fight　in　the　open。　e　on。〃
　　Taking　her　wrist　he　led　her　out　of　the　chamber　and　down　the　corridor。　As　they　advanced　they　heard　the　chanting　of　the　priests；　and　mingling　with　the　sound　the　low　sullen　rushing　of　waters。　The　light　grew　stronger　above　them　as　they　emerged　on　a　high…pitched　gallery　of　a　great