fs.thefirstbookofswords-第43部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


aused　for　a　moment；　turning　to　gaze　over　the　treetops　to　his　left；　then　he　moved　swiftly　off　to　his　right；　walking　at　a　greater　speed　than　ever。　Now　Nestor　had　to　clap　his　half…drawn。sword　back　into　its　scabbard　and　once　more　hold　tight　with　both　hands。
　　　〃The　advance　guard　of　Yambu；〃　said　Draffut　over　his　shoulder；　in　what　he　used　for　a　low　voice。　〃We　will　outspeed　them　if　we　can。〃
　　　Looking　back；　Nestor　saw　more　warbeasts　already　in　pursuit。　He　counted　three；　and　there　might　well　be　more。　Hundreds　of　meters　farther　back；　beyond　the　great　catlike　creatures；　he　could　see　the　first　advancing　elements　of　a　human　army；　some　of　them　mounted　and　some　in　boats。　He　announced　this　to　Draffut's　ear；　but　the　giant　did　not　bother　to　answer。　Draffut　was　almost；　but　not　quite；　running　now。　Maybe；　thought　Nestor；　his　size　and　build　made　a　real　run　an　impossibility　for　him。　Nestor　had　considerable　conference　in　Draffut's　powers；　but　at　the　same　time　the　man　could　almost　feel　those　huge　warbeast　talons　fastening　on　him　from　behind。。。
　　　The　chase　went　on。　From　time　to　time　Nestor　reported；　in　a　voice　he　strove　to　keep　calm；　that　their　pursuers　were　catching　up。　Then　abruptly　Draffut　stopped；　and　calmly　turned　to　stand　his　ground。
　　　〃It　is　no　use；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　too　fast。　And　they　are　maddened　with　the　lust　to　fight；　and　will　not　listen　to　me。〃　With　one　hand　he　lifted　Nestor　from　his　shoulders；　and　placed　the　man　in　a　high　crotch　of　a　dead　tree。　〃Defend　yourself；〃　the　Beast…Lord　laconically　advised　him；　and　turned　to　do　the　same。
　　　A　moment　later；　half　a　dozen　warbeasts；　hot　on　the　trail；　came　bounding　out　of　the　brush　nearby。　Draffut　cuffed　the　first　one　to　e　in　reach；　grabbed　and　threw　another　by　its　tail；　and　had　to　pick　a　third　one　from　his　fur　when　it　was　actually　brave　enough　to　leap　on　him。　He　hurled　it　into　the　remaining　three。　With　that　all　of　the　warbeasts　that　were　still　able　to　move　scattered　in　flight；　emitting　uncharacteristic　yelps。　Nestor；　his　sword　drawn　and　ready　though　showing　no　special　powers；　had　nothing　to　do。　Which；　under　the　circumstances；　was　quite　all　right　with　him。
　　　Draffut　had　just　retrieved　Nestor　from　his　high　perch　when　a　new　figure　appeared。　It　was　the　form　of　a　woman　with　long　black　hair；　her　body　clothed　in　light　armor　of　ebony　and　silver；　on　another　ridge　or　island　of　dry　land　about　a　hundred　meters　distant　to　the　west。　She　was　mounted　on　a　gray　warbeast　of　such　a　size　that　Nestor　for　an　instant　thought　it　was　a　dragon。
　　　Beneath　the　cloudy　sky；　the　woman's　armor　flashed　as　if　it　were　catching　desert　sunshine。　She　brandished　a　silver　needle　of　a　sword；　and　she　was　shouting　something　in　their　direction。
　　　The　words　came　clearly　in　her　penetrating　voice：　〃Remove　yourself　from　my　army's　path；　great　beast；　or　I　will　set　men　to　fight　against　you！　I　know　your　weakness；　they'll　kill　you　soon　enough。　And　who　is　that　you　carry？〃
　　　Nestor　had　heard　of　people　who　rode　on　warbeasts；　but　never　before　had　he　seen　it　done。　As　he　resumed　his　seat　on　Draffut's　shoulders；　the　giant　roared　back：　〃Rather　remove　your　bloodmad　warbeasts　from　my　path！　Or　else　I　will　send　you　dragons　enough　to　make　your　march　through　the　swamp　much　more　interesting。〃　Without　waiting　to　see　what　effect　his　words　might　have；　he　turned　and　stalked　away；　resuming　his　passage　to　the　north。　There　was　no　observable　pursuit。
　　　〃That　was　the　Silver　Queen　herself。　Yambu；〃　said　Nestor　to　Draffut's　ear　a　little　later。　The　ment　was　undoubtedly　unnecessary；　but　the　man　was　unable　to　let　the　encounter　pass　without　saying　something　about　it。
　　　〃Indeed。〃　The　huge　voice　came　rumbling　up　through　Draffut's　neck　and　head。　〃There　are　elements　of　humanity　that　I　sometimes　wish　I　were　able　to　fight　against。〃
　　　Once　more　they　were　traversing　bog　and　thicket　at　what　would　have　been　a　good　speed　for　a　riding…beast　on　flat；　cleared　ground。　Some　time　passed　in　silence；　except　for　the　quick　plash　and　thud　of　Draffut's　feet；　while　Nestor　pondered　many　things。　Then　he　asked：　〃You　said　that　you　are　planning　to　go　and　start　an　argument　with　the　gods？〃
　　　〃I　must；〃　said　Draffut。　And　that　was　all　the　answer　to　his　question　that　Nestor　ever　got。
　　　But　little　further　conversation　was　exchanged。　Nestor　weled　the　fort　of　his　ride；　and　watched　the　sun　move　in　and　out　of　clouds　in　the　western　sky。　By　the　time　Draffut　stopped　again；　some　hours　had　passed　and　the　reddening　sun　was　almost　down。　Imperceptibly　the　land　had　changed；　continuous　marsh　giving　way　to　intermittent　bogs　bridged　by　dry　land。　Once　Nestor　saw　herdsmen　watching　from　a　distance。
　　　The　giant　set　Nestor　down　carefully　on　dry　ground；　and　said　to　him：　〃Go　north　from　here；　and　you　will　find　Sir　Andrew。　From　here　on　north　the　land　is　solid　enough　for　you　to　walk；　and　savage　beasts　are　fewer。　My　own　way　from　here　lies　to　the　east。〃
　　　〃I　wish　you　good　luck；〃　said　Nestor。　And　then；　when　he　had　looked　to　the　east；　he　would　have　said　something　more；　for　never　until　now　had　he　known　the　sunset　fires　of　Vulcan's　forge　to　be　so　bright　that　they　could　be　seen　from　this　far　west。
But　Draffut　was　already　gone。
Chapter　16
　　　When　Dame　Yoldi　took　Mark　for　the　first　time　to　her　workroom；　he　discovered　it　not　to　be　the　dismal；　forbidding　chamber　that　he　had　for　some　reason　expected。　Rather　it　was　open；　cleanly　decorated　with　things　of　nature；　and　as　light　as　the　dying；　cloudy　day　outside　could　make　it；　entering　narrow　windows。
　　　The　enchantress　lighted　tapers；　from　a　small　oil　lamp　that　was　already　burning。　She　distributed　a　few　of　these　in　the　otherwise　dark　corners　of　the　room；　and　placed　two　more　on　the　central　table　where　Dragonslicer　now　rested　on　a　white　linen　cloth。　Most　of　the　floor　space　in　the　room　was　open；　while　shelves　round　all　the　walls　contained　an　armament　of　magic；　arrayed　in　books　and　bottles；　boxes；　jars；　and　bags。　One　set　of　open　dishes　held　grain　and　dried　fruit；　another　set　what　looked　like　plain　water　and　dry　earth。　Yoldi　made　Mark　sit　down　at　the　table　near　the　sword；　where　she　made　him　fortable；　and　gave　him　a　delicious　drink；　not　quite　like　anything　he　had　ever　tasted　before。　Then　she　began　to　question　him　closely　about　his　family；　and　about　the　several　godswords　he　had　seen；　and　about　what　he　thought　he　would　do　with　his　own　sword　if　he　could　ever　get　it　back。　Her　questions　suggested　new　ideas　to　Mark；　and　made　him　see　his　own　situation　in　what　seemed　like　a　new　light；　so　that　when　he　looked　at　the　sword　before　him　on　the　table　now　he　saw　it　as　something　different　from　the　weapon　he　had　once　held　in　his　own　two　hands　and　used　to　kill　a　dragon。　The　more　he　talked　with　Yoldi　the　more　fearfully　impressive　the　whole　business　grew。　But　somehow　he　was　not　more　frightened。
　　　Their　chat　was　interrupted　by　an　urgent　tapping　at　the　door。　Yoldi　went　to　open　it；　and　listened　briefly　to　someone　just　outside。　A　moment　later；　with　a　solemn　face；　she　was　beckoning　to　Mark　to　follow　her　out　of　the　room。　She　led　him　up　many　stairs；　and　finally　up　a　ladder；　which　brought　them　out　onto　what　proved　to　be　the　highest　rooftop　of　the　castle。　This　was　a　flat　area　only　a　few　meters　square；　copper…sheeted　against　weather　and　attack　by　fire；　and　bounded　by　a　chesthigh　parapet　of　stone。　Sir　Andrew's　Master　of　the　Beasts；　a　dour　young　man　who　gave　the　impression　of　wanting　to　be　old；　was　on　the　roof　already；　doing　something　to　one　of　a　row　of　man…sized　cages　that　stood　under　a　shelter　along　the　northern　parapet。　In　these　cages　were　kept　the　flyers；　the　inhuman　messengers　and　scouts；　temporarily　before　launching　and　when　they　had　returned　from　flights。
　　　When　Dame　Yoldi　and　Mark　appeared　on　the　roof；　the　BeastMaster　silently　pointed　to　the　east；　into　the　approaching　night。　In　that　direction　a　large　arc　of　the　horizon　was　sullenly　aglow；　with　what　looked　like　an　untimely　dawn；　or　distant　flames。
　　　〃The　mountains；〃　Mark　said；　understanding　the　origin　of　the　glow。　And　then：　〃My　home。〃
　　　Dame　Yoldi；　standing　behind　him；　held　him　by　the　shoulders。　〃In　which　direction　exactly　is　your　village；　boy？〃　Her　voice　at　first　sounded　almost　eager。　〃Can　you　point　toward　it？　But　no；　I　don't　suppose　that's　possible。　It's　somewhere　near　those　mountains；　though。〃
　　　〃Yes。〃　And　Mark；　continuing　to　stare　at　the　distant　fires；　lapsed　into　silence。
　　　〃Don't　be　afraid。〃　Yoldi's　tone　turned　reassuring；　while　remaining　brisk；　refusing　to　treat　volcanoes　as　a　disaster。　Her　grip　was　forting。　〃Your　folic　are　probably　all　right。　I　know　these　foothill　people；　ready　to　take　care　of　themselves。　It　might　actually　be　a　good　thing　for　them；　make　them　get　out　of　Duke　Fraktin's　territory　if　they　haven't　done　so　already。〃　The　enchantress　turned　away　to　the　dour　man；　asking：　〃When　is　your　next　scout　due　back　from　the　east？〃
　　　Mark　did　not　understand　whatever　it　was　that　the　man　answered。　He　was　intent　on　wondering　what　might　be　happening　to　his　home；　on　picturing　his　mother　and　his　sister　as　stumbling　refugees。
　　　〃I　wonder；〃　Dame　Yoldi　was　musing　to　herself；　〃if　anyone's　told　Andrew　about　this　yet。　He　ought　to　be　told；　but　he's　down　there　talking　to　the　fellow　from　Yambu　…　probably　wouldn't　do　to　interrupt　him　now。〃
　　　And　now　Mark　saw　that　one　of　the　airborne　s