rh.conanthewarrior-第9章

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l　mate　lunged　in；　in　ferocious　silence；　raining　blow　on　blow　so　furiously　that　Valeria　had　no　opportunity　to　counter。　She　stepped　back　coolly；　parrying　the　strokes　and　watching　for　her　chance　to　thrust　home。　He　could　not　long　keep　up　that　flailing　whirlwind。　His　arm　would　tire；　his　wind　would　fail；　he　would　weaken；　falter；　and　then　her　blade　would　slide　smoothly　into　his　heart。　A　sidelong　glance　showed　her　Techotl　kneeling　on　the　breast　of　his　antagonist　and　striving　to　break　the　other's　hold　on　his　wrist　and　to　drive　home　a　dagger。
　　Sweat　beaded　the　forehead　of　the　man　facing　her；　and　his　eyes　were　like　burning　coals。　Smite　as　he　would；　he　could　not　break　past　nor　beat　down　her　guard。　His　breath　came　in　gusty　gulps；　his　blows　began　to　fall　erratically。　She　stepped　back　to　draw　him　out…and　felt　her　thighs　locked　in　an　iron　grip。　She　had　forgotten　the　wounded　man　on　the　floor。
　　Crouching　on　his　knees；　he　held　her　with　both　arms　locked　about　her　legs；　and　his　mate　croaked　in　triumph　and　began　working　his　way　around　to　e　at　her　from　the　left　side。　Valeria　wrenched　and　tore　savagely；　but　in　vain。　She　could　free　herself　of　this　clinging　menace　with　a　downward　flick　of　her　sword；　but　in　that　instant　the　curved　blade　of　the　tall　warrior　would　crash　through　her　skull。　The　wounded　man　began　to　worry　at　her　bare　thigh　with　his　teeth　like　a　wild　beast。
　　She　reached　down　with　her　left　hand　and　gripped　his　long　hair；　forcing　his　head　back　so　that　his　white　teeth　and　rolling　eyes　gleamed　up　at　her。　The　tall　Xotalanc　cried　out　fiercely　and　leaped　in；　smiting　with　all　the　fury　of　his　arm。　Awkwardly　she　parried　the　stroke；　and　it　beat　the　flat　of　her　blade　down　on　her　head　so　that　she　saw　sparks　flash　before　her　eyes；　and　staggered。　Up　went　the　sword　again；　with　a　low；　beast…like　cry　of　triumph…and　then　a　giant　form　loomed　behind　the　Xotalanc　and　steel　flashed　like　a　jet　of　blue　lightning。　The　cry　of　the　warrior　broke　short　and　he　went　down　like　an　ox　beneath　the　pole…ax；　his　brains　gushing　from　his　skull　that　had　been　split　to　the　throat。
　　〃Conan！〃　gasped　Valeria。　In　a　gust　of　passion　she　turned　on　the　Xotalanc　whose　long　hair　she　still　gripped　in　her　left　hand。　〃Dog　of　hell！〃　Her　blade　swished　as　it　cut　the　air　in　an　upswinging　arc　with　a　blur　in　the　middle；　and　the　headless　body　slumped　down；　spurting　blood。　She　hurled　the　severed　head　across　the　room。
　　〃What　the　devil's　going　on　here？〃　Conan　bestrode　the　corpse　of　the　man　he　had　killed；　broadsword　in　hand；　glaring　about　him　in　amazement。
　　Techotl　was　rising　from　the　twitching　figure　of　the　last　Xotalanc；　shaking　red　drops　from　his　dagger。　He　was　bleeding　from　the　stab　deep　in　the　thigh。　He　stared　at　Conan　with　dilated　eyes。
　　〃What　is　all　this？〃　Conan　demanded　again；　not　yet　recovered　from　the　stunning　surprise　of　finding　Valeria　engaged　in　a　savage　battle　with　this　fantastic　figures　in　a　city　he　had　thought　empty　and　uninhabited。　Returning　from　an　aimless　exploration　of　the　upper　chambers　to　find　Valeria　missing　from　the　room　where　he　had　left　her；　he　had　followed　the　sounds　of　strife　that　burst　on　his　dumfounded　ears。
　　〃Five　dead　dogs！〃　exclaimed　Techotl；　his　flaming　eyes　reflecting　a　ghastly　exultation。　〃Five　slain！　Five　crimson　nails　for　the　black　pillar！　The　gods　of　blood　be　thanked！〃
　　He　lifed　quivering　hands　on　high；　and　then；　with　the　face　of　a　fiend；　he　spat　on　the　corpses　and　stamped　on　their　faces；　dancing　in　his　ghoulish　glee。　His　recent　allies　eyed　him　in　amazement；　and　Conan　asked；　in　the　Aquilonian　tongue：　〃Who　is　this　madman？〃
　　Valeria　shrugged　her　shoulders。
　　〃He　says　his　name's　Techotl。　From　his　babblings　I　gather　that　his　people　live　at　one　end　of　this　crazy　city；　and　these　others　at　the　other　end。　Maybe　we'd　better　go　with　him。　He　seems　friendly；　and　it's　easy　to　see　that　the　other　clan　isn't。〃
　　Techotl　had　ceased　his　dancing　and　was　listening　again；　his　head　tilted　sidewise；　dog…like；　triumph　struggling　with　fear　in　his　repellent　countenance。
　　〃e　away；　now！〃　he　whispered。　〃We　have　done　enough！　Five　dead　dogs！　My　people　will　wele　you！　They　will　honor　you！　But　e！　It　is　far　to　Tecuhltli。　At　any　moment　the　Xotalancs　may　e　on　us　in　numbers　too　great　even　for　your　swords。〃
　　〃Lead　the　way；〃　grunted　Conan。
　　Techotl　instantly　mounted　a　stair　leading　up　to　the　gallery；　beckoning　them　to　follow　him；　which　they　did；　moving　rapidly　to　keep　on　his　heels。　Having　reached　the　gallery；　he　plunged　into　a　door　that　opened　toward　the　west；　and　hurried　through　chamber　after　chamber；　each　lighted　by　skylights　or　green　fire…jewels。
　　〃What　sort　of　place　can　this　be？〃　muttered　Valeria　under　her　breath。
　　〃Crom　knows！〃　answered　Conan。　〃I've　seen　his　kind　before；　though。　They　live　on　the　shores　of　Lake　Zuad；　near　the　border　of　Kush。　They're　a　sort　of　mongrel　Stygians；　mixed　with　another　race　that　wandered　into　Stygia　from　the　east　some　centuries　ago　and　were　absorbed　by　them。　They're　called　Tlazitlans。　I'm　willing　to　bet　it　wasn't　they　who　built　this　city；　though。〃
　　Techotl's　fear　did　not　sem　to　diminish　as　they　drew　away　from　the　chamber　where　the　dead　men　lay。　He　kept　twisting　his　head　on　his　shoulder　to　listen　for　sounds　of　pursuit；　and　stared　with　burning　intensity　into　every　doorway　they　passed。
　　Valeria　shivered　in　spite　of　herself。　She　feared　no　man。　But　the　weird　floor　beneath　her　feet；　the　uncanny　jewels　over　her　head；　dividing　the　lurking　shadows　among　them；　the　stealth　and　terror　of　their　guide；　impressed　her　with　a　nameless　apprehension；　a　sensation　of　lurking；　inhuman　peril。
　　〃They　may　be　between　us　and　Tecuhltli！〃　he　whispered　once。　〃We　must　beware　lest　they　be　lying　in　wait！〃
　　〃Why　don't　we　get　out　of　this　infernal　palace；　and　take　to　the　streets？〃　demanded　Valeria。
　　〃There　are　no　streets　in　Xuchotl；〃　he　answered。　〃No　squares　nor　open　courts。　The　whole　city　is　built　like　one　giant　palace　under　one　great　roof。　The　nearest　approach　to　a　street　is　the　Great　Hall　which　traverses　the　city　from　the　north　gate　to　the　south　gate。　The　only　doors　opening　into　the　outer　world　are　the　city　gates；　through　which　no　living　man　has　passed　for　fifty　years。〃
　　〃How　long　have　you　dwelt　here？〃　asked　Conan。
　　〃I　was　born　in　the　castle　of　Tecuhltli　thirty…five　years　ago。　I　have　never　set　foot　outside　the　city。　For　the　love　of　the　gods；　let　us　go　silently！　These　halls　may　be　full　of　lurking　devils。　Olmec　shall　tell　you　all　when　we　reach　Tecuhltli。〃
　　So　in　silence　they　glided　on　with　the　green　fire…stones　blinking　overhead　and　the　flaming　floors　smoldering　under　their　feet；　and　it　seemed　to　Valeria　as　if　they　fled　through　Hell；　guided　by　a　dark…faced　lank…haired　goblin。
　　Yet　it　was　Conan　who　halted　them　as　they　were　crossing　an　unusually　wide　chamber。　His　wilderness…bred　ears　were　keener　even　than　the　ears　of　Techotl；　whetted　though　these　were　by　a　lifetime　of　warfare　in　this　silent　corridors。
　　〃You　think　some　of　your　enemies　may　be　ahead　of　us；　lying　in　ambush？〃
　　〃They　prowl　through　these　rooms　at　all　hours；〃　answered　Techotl；　〃as　do　we。　The　halls　and　chambers　between　Tecuhltli　and　Xotalanc　are　a　disputed　region；　owned　by　no　man。　We　call　it　the　Halls　of　Silence。　Why　do　you　ask？〃
　　〃Because　men　are　in　the　chambers　ahead　of　us；〃　answered　Conan。　〃I　heard　steel　clink　against　stone。〃
　　Again　a　shaking　seized　Techotl；　and　he　clenched　his　teeth　to　keep　them　from　chattering。
　　〃Perhaps　they　are　your　friends；〃　suggested　Valeria。
　　〃We　dare　not　chance　it；〃　he　panted；　and　moved　with　frenzied　activity。　He　turned　aside　and　glided　through　a　doorway　on　the　left　which　led　into　a　chamber　from　which　an　ivory　staircase　wound　down　into　darkness。
　　〃This　leads　to　an　unlighted　corridor　below　us！〃　he　hissed；　great　beads　of　perspiration　standing　out　on　his　brow。　〃They　may　be　lurking　there；　too。　It　may　all　be　a　trick　to　draw　us　into　it。　But　we　must　take　the　chance　that　they　have　laid　their　ambush　in　the　rooms　above。　e　swiftly　now！〃
　　Softly　as　phantoms　they　descended　the　stair　and　came　to　the　mouth　of　a　corridor　black　as　night。　They　crouched　there　for　a　moment；　listening；　and　then　melted　into　it。　As　they　moved　along；　Valeria's　flesh　crawled　between　her　shoulders　in　momentary　expectation　of　a　sword…thrust　in　the　d