rh.conanthewarrior-第33章

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　of　waters。　The　light　grew　stronger　above　them　as　they　emerged　on　a　high…pitched　gallery　of　a　great　cavern　and　looked　down　on　a　scene　weird　and　fantastic。
　　Above　them　gleamed　the　phosphorescent　roof；　a　hundred　feet　below　them　stretched　the　smooth　floor　of　the　cavern。　On　the　far　side　this　floor　was　cut　by　a　deep；　narrow　stream　brimming　its　rocky　channel。　Rushing　out　of　impenetrable　gloom；　it　swirled　across　the　cavern　and　was　lost　again　in　darkness。　The　visible　surface　reflected　the　radiance　above；　the　dark　seething　waters　glinted　as　if　flecked　with　living　jewels；　frosty　blue；　lurid　red；　shimmering　green；　and　ever…changing　iridescence。
　　Conan　and　his　panion　stood　upon　one　of　the　gallery…like　ledges　that　banded　the　curve　of　the　lofty　wall；　and　from　this　ledge　a　natural　bridge　of　stone　soared　in　a　breath…taking　arch　over　the　vast　gulf　of　the　cavern　to　join　a　much　smaller　ledge　on　the　opposite　side；　across　the　river。　Ten　feet　below　it　another；　broader　arch　spanned　the　cave。　At　either　end　a　carved　stair　joined　the　extremities　of　these　flying　arches。
　　Conan's　gaze；　following　the　curve　of　the　arch　that　swept　away　from　the　ledge　on　which　they　stood；　caught　a　glint　of　light　that　was　not　the　lurid　phosphorus　of　the　cavern。　On　that　small　ledge　opposite　them　there　was　an　opening　in　the　cave　wall　through　which　stars　were　glinting。
　　But　his　full　attention　was　drawn　to　the　scene　beneath　them。　The　priests　had　reached　their　destination。　There　in　a　sweeping　angle　of　the　cavern　wall　stood　a　stone　altar；　but　there　was　no　idol　upon　it。　Whether　there　was　one　behind　it；　Conan　cound　not　ascertain；　because　some　trick　of　the　light；　or　the　sweep　of　the　wall；　left　the　space　behind　the　altar　in　total　darkness。
　　The　priests　had　stuck　their　torches　into　holes　in　the　stone　floor；　forming　a　semicircle　of　fire　in　front　of　the　altar　at　a　distance　of　several　yards。　Then　the　priests　themselves　formed　a　semicircle　inside　the　crescent　of　torches；　and　Gorulga；　after　lifting　his　arms　aloft　in　invocation；　bent　to　the　altar　and　laid　hands　on　it。　It　lifted　and　tilted　backward　on　its　hinder　edge；　like　the　lid　of　a　chest；　revealing　a　small　crypt。
　　Extending　a　long　arm　into　the　recess；　Gorulga　brought　up　a　small　brass　chest。　Lowering　the　altar　back　into　place；　he　set　the　chest　on　it；　and　threw　back　the　lid。　To　the　eager　watchers　on　the　high　gallery　it　seemed　as　if　the　action　had　released　a　blaze　of　living　fire　which　throbbed　and　quivered　about　the　opened　chest。　Conan's　heart　leaped　and　his　hand　caught　at　his　hilt。　The　Teeth　of　Gwahlur　at　last！　The　treasure　that　would　make　its　possessor　the　richest　man　in　the　world！　His　breath　came　fast　between　his　clenched　teeth。
　　Then　he　was　suddenly　aware　that　a　new　element　had　entered　into　the　light　of　the　torches　and　of　the　phosphorescent　roof；　rendering　both　void。　Darkness　stole　around　the　altar；　except　for　that　glowing　spot　of　evil　radiance　cast　by　the　Teeth　of　Gwahlur；　and　that　grew　and　grew。　The　blacks　froze　into　basaltic　statues；　their　shadows　streaming　grotesquely　and　gigantically　out　behind　them。
　　The　altar　was　laved　in　the　glow　now；　and　the　astounded　features　of　Gorulga　stood　out　in　sharp　relief。　Then　the　mysterious　space　behind　the　altar　swam　into　the　widening　illumination。　And　slowly　with　the　crawling　light；　figures　became　visible；　like　shapes　growing　out　of　the　night　and　silence。
　　At　first　they　seemed　like　gray　stone　statues；　those　motionless　shapes；　hairy；　man…like；　yet　hideously　human；　but　their　eyes　were　alive；　cold　sparks　of　gray　icy　fire。　And　as　the　weird　glow　lit　their　bestial　countenances；　Gorulga　screamed　and　fell　backward；　throwing　up　his　long　arms　in　a　gesture　of　frenzied　horror。
　　But　a　longer　arm　shot　across　the　altar　and　a　misshapen　hand　locked　on　his　throat。　Screaming　and　fighting；　the　high　priest　was　dragged　back　across　the　altar；　a　hammer…like　fist　smashed　down；　and　Gorulga's　cries　were　stilled。　Limp　and　broken　he　sagged　cross　the　altar；　his　brains　oozing　from　his　crushed　skull。　And　then　the　servants　of　Bit…Yakin　surged　like　a　bursting　flood　from　Hell　on　the　black　priests　who　stood　like　horror…blasted　images。
　　Then　there　was　slaughter；　grim　and　appalling。
　　Conan　saw　black　bodies　tossed　like　chaff　in　the　inhuman　hands　of　the　slayers；　against　whose　horrible　strength　and　agility　the　daggers　and　swords　of　the　priests　were　ineffective。　He　saw　men　lifted　bodily　and　their　heads　cracked　open　against　the　stone　altar。　He　saw　a　flaming　torch；　grasped　in　a　monstrous　hand；　thrust　inexorably　down　the　gullet　of　an　agonized　wretch　who　writhed　in　vain　against　the　arms　that　pinioned　him。　He　saw　a　man　torn　in　two　pieces；　as　one　might　tear　a　chicken；　and　the　bloody　fragments　hurled　clear　across　the　cavern。　The　massacre　was　as　short　and　devastating　as　the　rush　of　a　hurricane。　In　a　burst　of　red　abysmal　ferocity　it　was　over；　except　for　one　wretch　who　fled　screaming　back　the　way　the　priests　had　e；　pursued　by　a　swarm　of　blood…dabbled　shapes　of　horror　which　reached　out　their　red…smeared　hands　for　him。　Fugitive　and　pursuers　vanished　down　the　black　tunnel；　and　the　screams　of　the　human　came　back　dwindling　and　confused　by　the　distance。
　　Muriela　was　on　her　knees　clutching　Conan's　legs；　her　face　pressed　against　his　knee　and　her　eyes　tightly　shut。　She　was　a　quaking；　quivering　mold　of　abject　terror。　But　Conan　was　galvanized。　A　quick　glance　across　at　the　aperture　where　the　stars　shone；　a　glance　down　at　the　chest　that　still　blazed　open　on　the　blood…smeared　altar；　and　he　saw　and　seized　the　desperate　gamble。
　　〃I'm　going　after　that　chest！〃　he　grated。　〃Stay　here！〃
　　〃Oh；　Mitra；　no！〃　In　an　agony　of　fright　she　fell　to　the　floor　and　caught　at　his　sandals。　〃Don't！　Don't！　Don't　leave　me！〃
　　〃Lie　still　and　keep　your　mouth　shut！〃　he　snapped；　disengaging　himself　from　her　frantic　clasp。
　　He　disregarded　the　tortuous　stair。　He　dropped　from　ledge　to　ledge　with　reckless　haste。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　monsters　as　his　feet　hit　the　floor。　A　few　of　the　torches　still　flared　in　their　sockets；　the　phosphorescent　glow　throbbed　and　quivered；　and　the　river　flowed　with　an　almost　articulate　muttering；　scintillant　with　undreamed　radiances。　The　glow　that　had　heralded　the　appearance　of　the　servants　had　vanished　with　them。　Only　the　light　of　the　jewels　in　the　brass　chest　shimmered　and　quivered。
　　He　snatched　the　chest；　noting　its　contents　in　one　lustful　glance…strange；　curiously　shapen　stones　that　burned　with　an　icy；　non…terrestrial　fire。　He　slammed　the　lid；　thrust　the　chest　under　his　arm；　and　ran　back　up　the　steps。　He　had　no　desire　to　encounter　the　hellish　servants　of　Bit…Yakin。　His　glimpse　of　them　in　action　had　dispelled　any　ilusion　concerning　their　fighting　ability。　Why　they　had　waited　so　long　before　striking　at　the　invaders　he　was　unable　to　say。　What　human　could　guess　the　motives　or　thoughts　of　these　monstrosities？　That　they　were　possessed　of　craft　and　intelligence　equal　to　humanity　had　been　demonstrated。　And　there　on　the　cavern　floor　lay　crimson　proof　of　their　bestial　ferocity。
　　The　Corinthian　girl　still　cowered　on　the　gallery　where　he　had　left　her。　He　caught　her　wrist　and　yanked　her　to　her　feet；　grunting：　〃I　guess　it's　time　to　go！〃
　　Too　bemused　with　terror　to　be　fully　aware　of　what　was　going　on；　the　girl　suffered　herself　to　be　led　across　the　dizzy　span。　It　was　not　until　they　were　poised　over　the　rushing　water　that　she　looked　down；　voiced　a　startled　yelp　and　would　have　fallen　but　for　Conan's　massive　arm　about　her。　Growling　an　objurgation　in　her　ear；　he　snatched　her　up　under　his　free　arm　and　swept　her；　in　a　flutter　of　limply　waving　arms　and　legs；　across　the　arch　and　into　the　aperture　that　opened　at　the　other　end。　Without　bothering　to　set　her　on　her　feet；　he　hurried　through　the　short　tunnel　into　which　this　aperture　opened。　An　instant　later　they　emerged　upon　a　narrow　ledge　on　the　outer　side　of　the　cliffs　that　circled　the　valley。　Less　than　a　hundred　feet　below　them　the　jungle　waved　in　the　starlight。
　　Looking　down；　Conan　vented　a　gusty　sigh　of　relief。　He　believed　he　could　negotiate　the　descent；　even　though　burdened　with　the　jewels　and　the　girl；　although　he　doubted　if　even　he；　unburdened；　could　have　ascended　at　that　spot。　He　set　the　chest；　still　smeared　with　Gorulga's　blood　and　clotted　with　his　brains；　on　th