rh.conanthewarrior-第6章

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　e　by。　My　ears　keep　watch　while　my　eyes　sleep。〃
　　And　indeed　the　giant　barbarian　seemed　as　much　refreshed　as　if　he　had　slept　the　whole　night　on　a　golden　bed。　Having　removed　the　thorns；　and　peeled　off　the　tough　skin；　he　handed　the　girl　a　thick；　juicy　cactus　leaf。
　　〃Skin　your　teeth　in　that　pear。　It's　food　and　drink　to　a　desert　man。　I　was　a　chief　of　the　Zuagirs　once…desert　men　who　live　by　plundering　the　caravans。〃
　　〃Is　there　anything　you　haven't　done？〃　inquired　the　girl；　half　in　derision　and　half　in　fascination。
　　〃I've　never　been　king　of　an　Hyborean　kingdom；〃　he　grinned；　taking　an　enormous　mouthful　of　cactus。　〃But　I've　dreamed　of　being　even　that。　I　may　be　too；　some　day。　Why　shouldn't　I？〃
　　She　shook　her　head　in　wonder　at　his　calm　audacity；　and　fell　to　devouring　her　pear。　She　found　it　not　unpleasing　to　the　palate；　and　full　of　cool　and　thirst…satisfying　juice。　Finishing　his　meal；　Conan　wiped　his　hands　in　the　sand；　rose；　ran　his　fingers　through　his　thick　black　mane；　hitched　up　his　sword　belt　and　said：
　　〃Well；　let's　go。　If　the　people　in　that　city　are　going　to　cut　our　throats　they　may　as　well　do　it　now；　before　the　heat　of　the　day　begins。〃
　　His　grim　humor　was　unconscious；　but　Valeria　reflected　that　it　might　be　prophetic。　She　too　hitched　her　sword　belt　as　she　rose。　Her　terrors　of　the　night　were　past。　The　roaring　dragons　of　the　distant　forest　were　like　a　dim　dream。　There　was　a　swagger　in　her　stride　as　she　moved　off　beside　the　Cimmerian。　Whatever　perils　lay　ahead　of　them；　their　foes　would　be　men。　And　Valeria　of　the　Red　Brotherhood　had　never　seen　the　face　of　the　man　she　feared。
　　Conan　glanced　down　at　her　as　she　strode　along　beside　him　with　her　swinging　stride　that　matched　his　own。
　　〃You　walk　more　like　a　hillman　than　a　sailor；〃　he　said。　〃You　must　be　an　Aquilonian。　The　suns　of　Darfar　never　burnt　your　white　skin　brown。　Many　a　princess　would　envy　you。〃
　　〃I　am　from　Aquilonia；〃　she　replied。　His　pliments　no　longer　irritated　her。　His　evident　admiration　pleased　her。　For　another　man　to　have　kept　her　watch　while　she　slept　would　have　angered　her；　she　had　always　fiercely　resented　any　man's　attempting　to　shield　or　protect　her　because　of　her　sex。　But　she　found　a　secret　pleasure　in　the　fact　that　this　man　had　done　so。　And　he　had　not　taken　advantage　of　her　fright　and　the　weakness　resulting　from　it。　After　all；　she　reflected；　her　panion　was　no　mon　man。
　　The　sun　rose　up　behind　the　city；　turning　the　towers　to　a　sinister　crimson。
　　〃Black　last　night　against　the　moon；〃　grunted　Conan；　his　eys　clouding　with　the　abysmal　superstition　of　the　barbarian。　〃Blood…red　as　a　threat　of　blood　against　the　sun　this　dawn。　I　do　not　like　this　city。〃
　　But　they　went　on；　and　as　they　went　Conan　pointed　out　the　fact　that　no　road　ran　to　the　city　from　the　north。
　　〃No　cattle　have　trampled　the　plain　on　this　side　of　the　city；〃　said　he。　〃No　plowshare　has　touched　the　earth　for　years；　maybe　centuries。　But　look：　once　this　plain　was　cultivated。〃
　　Valeria　saw　the　ancient　irrigation　ditches　he　indicated；　half　filled　in　places；　and　overgrown　with　cactus。　She　frowned　with　perplexity　as　her　eyes　swept　over　the　plain　that　stretched　on　all　sides　of　the　city　to　the　forest　edge；　which　marched　in　a　vast；　dim　ring。　Vision　did　not　extend　beyond　that　ring。
　　She　looked　uneasily　at　the　city。　No　helmets　or　spearheads　gleamed　on　battlements；　no　trumpets　sounded；　no　challenge　rang　from　the　towers。　A　silence　as　absolute　as　that　of　the　forest　brooded　over　the　walls　and　minarets。
　　The　sun　was　high　above　the　eastern　horizon　when　they　stood　before　the　great　gate　in　the　northern　wall；　in　the　shadown　of　the　lofty　rampart。　Rust　flecked　the　iron　bracings　of　the　mighty　bronze　portal。　Spiderwebs　glistened　thickly　on　hinge　and　sill　and　bolted　panel。
　　〃It　hasn't　been　opened　for　years！〃　exclaimed　Valeria。
　　〃A　dead　city；〃　grunted　Conan。　〃That's　why　the　ditches　were　broken　and　the　plain　untouched。〃
　　〃But　who　built　it？　Who　dwelt　here？　Where　did　they　go？　Why　did　they　abandon　it？〃
　　〃Who　can　say？　Maybe　an　exiled　clan　of　Stygians　built　it。　Maybe　not。　It　doesn't　look　like　Stygian　architecture。　Maybe　the　people　were　wiped　out　by　enemies；　or　a　plague　exterminated　them。〃
　　〃In　that　case　their　treasures　may　still　be　gathering　dust　and　cobwebs　in　there；〃　suggested　Valeria；　the　acquisitive　instincts　of　her　profession　waking　in　her；　prodded；　too；　by　feminine　curiosity。　〃Can　we　open　the　gate？　Let's　go　in　and　explore　a　bit。〃
　　Conan　eyed　the　heavy　portal　dubiously；　but　placed　his　massive　shoulder　against　it　and　thrust　with　all　the　power　of　his　muscular　calves　and　thighs。　With　a　rasping　screech　of　rusty　hinges　the　gate　moved　ponderously　inward；　and　Conan　straightened　and　drew　his　sword。　Valeria　stared　over　his　shoulder；　and　made　a　sound　indicative　of　surprise。
　　They　were　not　looking　into　an　open　street　or　court　as　one　would　have　expected。　The　opened　gate；　or　door；　gave　directly　into　a　long；　broad　hall　which　ran　away　and　away　until　its　vista　grew　indistinct　in　the　distance。　It　was　of　heroic　proportions；　and　the　floor　of　a　curious　red　stone；　cut　in　square　tiles；　that　seemed　to　smolder　as　if　with　the　reflection　of　flames。　The　walls　were　of　a　shiny　green　material。
　　〃Jade；　or　I'm　a　Shemite！〃　swore　Conan。
　　〃Not　in　such　quantity！〃　protested　Valeria。
　　〃I've　looted　enough　from　the　Khitan　caravans　to　know　what　I'm　talking　about；〃　he　asserted。　〃That's　jade！〃
　　The　vaulted　ceiling　was　of　lapis　lazuli；　adorned　with　clusters　of　great　green　stones　that　gleamed　with　a　poisonous　radiance。
　　〃Green　fire…stones；〃　growled　Conan。　〃That's　what　the　people　of　Punt　call　them。　They're　supposed　to　be　the　petrified　eyes　of　those　prehistoric　snakes　the　ancients　called　Golden　Serpents。　They　glow　like　a　cat's　eyes　in　the　dark。　At　night　this　hall　would　be　lighted　by　them；　but　it　would　be　a　hellishly　weird　illumination。　Let's　look　around。　We　might　find　a　cache　of　jewels。〃
　　〃Shut　the　door；〃　advised　Valeria。　〃I'd　hate　to　have　to　outrun　a　dragon　down　this　hall。〃
　　Conan　grinned；　and　replied：　〃I　don't　believe　the　dragons　ever　leave　the　forest。〃
　　But　he　plied；　and　pointed　out　the　broken　bolt　on　the　inner　side。
　　〃I　thought　I　heard　something　snap　when　I　shoved　against　it。　That　bolt's　freshly　broken。　Rust　has　eaten　nearly　through　it。　If　the　people　ran　away；　why　should　it　have　been　bolted　on　the　inside？〃
　　〃They　undoubtedly　left　by　another　door；〃　suggested　Valeria。
　　She　wondered　how　many　centuries　had　passed　since　the　light　of　outer　day　had　filtered　into　that　great　hall　through　the　open　door。　Sunlight　was　finding　its　way　somehow　into　the　hall；　and　they　quickly　saw　the　source。　High　up　in　the　vaulted　ceiling　skylights　were　set　in　slot…like　openings…translucent　sheets　of　some　crystalline　substance。　In　the　splotches　of　shadow　between　them；　the　green　jewels　winked　like　the　eyes　of　angry　cats。　Beneath　their　feet　the　dully　lurid　floor　smoldered　with　changing　hues　and　colors　of　flame。　It　was　like　treading　the　floors　of　Hell　with　evil　stars　blinking　overhead。
　　Three　balustraded　galleries　ran　along　on　each　side　of　the　hall；　one　above　the　other。
　　〃A　four…storied　house；〃　grunted　Conan；　〃and　this　hall　extends　to　the　roof。　It's　long　as　a　street。　I　seem　to　see　a　door　at　the　other　end。〃
　　Valeria　shrugged　her　white　shoulders。
　　〃Your　eyes　are　better　than　mine；　then；　though　I'm　accounted　sharp…eyed　among　the　sea…rovers。〃
　　They　turned　into　an　open　door　at　random；　and　traveresed　a　series　of　empty　chambers；　floored　like　the　hall；　and　with　walls　of　the　same　green　jade；　or　of　marble　or　ivory　or　chalcedony；　adorned　with　friezes　of　bronze；　gold；　or　silver。　In　the　ceilings　the　green　fire…gems　were　set；　and　their　light　was　as　ghostly　and　illusive　as　Conan　had　predicted。　Under　the　witch…fire　glow　the　intruders　moved　like　specters。
　　Some　of　the　chambers　lacked　this　illumination；　and　their　doorways　showed　black　as　the　mouth　of　the　Pit。　These　Conan　and　Valeria　avoided；　keeping　always　to　the　lighted　chambers。
　　Cobwebs　hung　in　the　corners；　but　there　was　no　perceptible　accumulation　of　dust　on　the　floor；　or　on　the　tables　and　seats　of　marble；　jade；　or　carnelian　which　occupied　the　chambers。　Here　and　there　were　rugs　of　that　silk　known　as　Khitan　which　is　practically　indestructi