rh.conanthewarrior-第46章

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　　Balthus　mulled　over　this　delicate　ethical　question　for　a　moment；　then　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　asked：　〃How　far　are　we　from　the　fort？〃
　　Conan　pointed　to　a　creek　which　flowed　into　Black　River　from　the　east；　a　few　hundred　yards　below　them。
　　〃That's　South　Creek；　it's　ten　miles　from　its　mouth　to　the　fort。　It's　the　southern　boundary　of　Conajohara。　Marshes　miles　wide　south　of　it。　No　danger　of　a　raid　from　across　them。　Nine　miles　above　the　fort　North　Creek　forms　the　other　boundary。　Marshes　beyond　that；　too。　That's　why　an　attack　must　e　from　the　west；　across　Black　River。　Conajohara's　just　like　a　spear；　with　a　point　nineteen　miles　wide；　thrust　into　the　Pictish　wilderness。〃
　　〃Why　don't　we　keep　to　the　canoe　and　make　the　trip　by　water？〃
　　〃Because；　considering　the　current　we've　got　to　brace；　and　the　bends　in　the　river；　we　can　go　faster　afoot。　Besides；　remember　Gwawela　is　south　of　the　fort；　if　the　Picts　are　crossing　the　river　we'd　run　right　into　them。〃
　　Dusk　was　gathering　as　they　stepped　upon　the　eastern　bank。　Without　pause　Conan　pushed　on　northward；　at　a　pace　that　made　Balthus'　sturdy　legs　ache。
　　〃Valannus　wanted　a　fort　built　at　the　mouths　of　North　and　South　Creeks；〃　grunted　the　Cimmerian。　〃Then　the　river　could　be　patrolled　constantly。　But　the　Government　wouldn't　do　it。
　　〃Soft…bellied　fools　sitting　on　velvet　cushions　with　naked　girls　offering　them　iced　wine　on　their　knees。…I　know　the　breed。　They　can't　see　any　farther　than　their　palace　wall。　Diplomacy…hell！　They'd　fight　Picts　with　theories　of　territorial　expansion。　Valannus　and　men　like　him　have　to　obey　the　orders　of　a　set　of　damned　fools。　They'll　never　grab　any　more　Pictish　land；　any　more　than　they'll　ever　rebuild　Venarium。　The　time　may　e　when　they'll　see　the　barbarians　swarming　over　the　walls　of　the　eastern　cities！〃
　　A　week　before；　Balthus　would　have　laughed　at　any　such　preposterous　suggestion。　Now　he　made　no　reply。　He　had　seen　the　unconquerable　ferocity　of　the　men　who　dwelt　beyond　the　frontiers。
　　He　shivered；　casting　glances　at　the　sullen　river；　just　visible　through　the　bushes；　at　the　arches　of　the　trees　which　crowded　close　to　its　banks。　He　kept　remembering　that　the　Picts　might　have　crossed　the　river　and　be　lying　in　ambush　between　them　and　the　fort。　It　was　fast　growing　dark。
　　A　slight　sound　ahead　of　them　jumped　his　heart　into　his　throat；　and　Conan's　sword　gleamed　in　the　air。　He　lowered　it　when　a　dog；　a　great；　gaunt；　scarred　beast；　slunk　out　of　the　bushes　and　stood　staring　at　them。
　　〃That　dog　belonged　to　a　settler　who　tried　to　build　his　cabin　on　the　bank　of　the　river　a　few　miles　south　of　the　fort；〃　gruntcd　Conan。　〃The　Picts　slipped　over　and　killed　him；　of　course；　and　burned　his　cabin。　We　found　him　dead　among　the　embers；　and　the　dog　lying　senseless　among　three　Picts　he'd　killed。　He　was　almost　cut　to　pieces。　We　took　him　to　the　fort　and　dressed　his　wounds；　but　after　he　recovered　he　took　to　the　woods　and　turned　wild。…What　now；　Slasher；　are　you　hunting　the　men　who　killed　your　master？〃
　　The　massive　head　swung　from　side　to　side　and　the　eyes　glowed　greenly。　He　did　not　growl　or　bark。　Silently　as　a　phantom　he　slid　in　behind　them。
　　〃Let　him　e；〃　muttered　Conan。　〃He　can　smell　the　devils　before　we　can　see　them。〃
　　Balthus　smiled　and　laid　his　hand　caressingly　on　the　dog's　head。　The　lips　involuntarily　writhed　back　to　display　the　gleaming　fangs；　then　the　great　beast　bent　his　head　sheepishly；　and　his　tall　moved　with　jerky　uncertainty；　as　if　the　owner　had　almost　forgotten　the　emotions　of　friendliness。　Balthus　mentally　pared　the　great　gaunt　hard　body　with　the　fat　sleek　hounds　tumbling　vociferously　over　one　another　in　his　father's　kennel　yard。　He　sighed。　The　frontier　was　no　less　hard　for　beasts　than　for　men。　This　dog　had　almost　forgotten　the　meaning　of　kindness　and　friendliness。
　　Slasher　glided　ahead；　and　Conan　let　him　take　the　lead。　The　last　tinge　of　dusk　faded　into　stark　darkness。　The　miles　fell　away　under　their　steady　feet。　Slasher　seemed　voiceless。　Suddenly　he　halted；　tense；　ears　lifted。　An　instant　later　the　men　heard　it…a　demoniac　yelling　up　the　river　ahead　of　them；　faint　as　a　whisper。
　　Conan　swore　like　a　madman。
　　〃They've　attacked　the　fort！　We're　too　late！　e　on！〃
　　He　increased　his　pace；　trusting　to　the　dog　to　smell　out　ambushes　ahead。　In　a　flood　of　tense　excitement　Balthus　forgot　his　hunger　and　weariness。　The　yells　grew　louder　as　they　advanced；　and　above　the　devilish　screaming　they　could　hear　the　deep　shouts　of　the　soldiers。　Just　as　Balthus　began　to　fear　they　would　run　into　the　savages　who　seemed　to　be　howling　just　ahead　of　them；　Conan　swung　away　from　the　river　in　a　wide　semicircle　that　carried　them　to　a　low　rise　from　which　they　could　look　over　the　forest。　They　saw　the　fort；　lighted　with　torches　thrust　over　the　parapets　on　long　poles。　These　cast　a　flickering；　uncertain　light　over　the　clearing；　and　in　that　light　they　saw　throngs　of　naked；　painted　figures　along　the　fringe　of　the　clearing。　The　river　swarmed　with　canoes。　The　Picts　had　the　fort　pletely　surrounded。
　　An　incessant　hail　of　arrows　rained　against　the　stockade　from　the　woods　and　the　river。　The　deep　twanging　of　the　bowstrings　rose　above　the　howling。　Yelling　like　wolves；　several　hundred　naked　warriors　with　axes　in　their　hands　ran　from　under　the　trees　and　raced　toward　the　eastern　gate。　They　were　within　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards　of　their　objective　when　a　withering　blast　of　arrows　from　the　wall　littered　the　ground　with　corpses　and　sent　the　survivors　fleeing　back　to　the　trees。　The　men　in　the　canoes　rushed　their　boats　toward　the　river…wall；　and　were　met　by　another　shower　of　clothyard　shafts　and　a　volley　from　the　small　ballistae　mounted　on　towers　on　that　side　of　the　stockade。　Stones　and　logs　whirled　through　the　air　and　splintered　and　sank　half　a　dozen　canoes；　killing　their　occupants；　and　the　other　boats　drew　back　out　of　range。　A　deep　roar　of　triumph　rose　from　the　walls　of　the　fort；　answered　by　bestial　howling　from　all　quarters。
　　〃Shall　we　try　to　break　through？〃　asked　Balthus；　trembling　with　eagerness。
　　Conan　shook　his　head。　He　stood　with　his　arms　folded；　his　head　slightly　bent；　a　somber　and　brooding　figure。
　　〃The　fort's　doomed。　The　Picts　are　blood…mad；　and　won't　stop　until　they're　all　killed。　And　there　are　too　many　of　them　for　the　men　in　the　fort　to　kill。　We　couldn't　break　through；　and　if　we　did；　we　could　do　nothing　but　die　with　Valannus。〃
　　〃There's　nothing　we　can　do　but　save　our　own　hides；　then？〃
　　〃Yes。　We've　got　to　warn　the　settlers。　Do　you　know　why　the　Picts　are　not　trying　to　burn　the　fort　with　fire…arrows？　Because　they　don't　want　a　flame　that　might　warn　the　people　to　the　east。　They　plan　to　stamp　out　the　fort；　and　then　sweep　east　before　anyone　knows　of　its　fall。　They　may　cross　Thunder　River　and　take　Velitrium　before　the　people　know　what's　happened。　At　least　they'll　destroy　every　living　thing　between　the　fort　and　Thunder　River。
　　〃We've　failed　to　warn　the　fort；　and　I　see　now　it　would　have　done　no　good　if　we　had　succeeded。　The　fort's　too　poorly　manned。　A　few　more　charges　and　the　Picts　will　be　over　the　walls　and　breaking　down　the　gates。　But　we　can　start　the　settlers　toward　Velitrium。　e　on！　We're　outside　the　circle　the　Picts　have　thrown　around　the　fort。　We'll　keep　clear　of　it。〃
　　They　swung　out　in　a　wide　arc；　hearing　the　rising　and　falling　of　the　volume　of　the　yells；　marking　each　charge　and　repulse。　The　men　in　the　fort　were　holding　their　own；　but　the　shrieks　of　the　Picts　did　not　diminish　in　savagery。　They　vibrated　with　a　timbre　that　held　assurance　of　ultimate　victory。
　　Before　Balthus　realized　they　were　close　to　it；　they　broke　into　the　road　leading　east。
　　〃Now　run！〃　grunted　Conan。　Balthus　set　his　teeth。　It　was　nineteen　miles　to　Velitrium；　a　good　five　to　Scalp　Creek　beyond　which　began　the　settlements。　It　seemed　to　the　Aquilonian　that　they　had　been　fighting　and　running　for　centuries。　But　the　nervous　excitement　that　rioted　through　his　blood　stimulated　him　to　herculean　efforts。
　　Slasher　ran　ahead　of　them；　his　head　to　the　ground；　snarling　low；　the　first　sound　they　had　heard　from　him。
　　〃Picts　ahead　of　us！〃　snarled　Conan；　dropping　to　one　knee　and　scanning　the　ground　in　the　starlight。　He　shook　his　head；　baffled。　〃I　can't　tell　how　many。　Probably　only　a　smal