fs.thefirstbookofswords-第50部分
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k。 They set their burden down in the narrow corridor that ran between the cells； and one of them ran on ahead； through a false cell whose secret they knew。 He meant to scout the secret way ahead and make sure that it was still undiscovered by the enemy。 The other bearer meanwhile crouched down by the stretcher； watching and resting with his knife drawn。 He was willing to die to protect Sir Andrew； but at the moment the man's bloodied face showed only terror as he gazed in between the bars of the end cell。
Sir Andrew； who was still wearing portions of his armor under the rough blanket that covered him； winced； and stirred restlessly on his pallet。 When his eyes opened he was facing the end cell。 In there； behind the bars； the silent blue terror wavered and grew and faded and came back； like flickering cool flames。 All of the seventeen men in that cell were like candle wicks； being slowly consumed； as from the inside out。
One shape among them was clinging to the bars； and the mouth of it was open in a soundless yell。
Sir Andrew recognized that face。 His own voice was a weakened whisper now。 〃Ah； Kaparu。 I'm sorry。。。 I am sorry。。。 but there's nothing I can do for you now。〃
The tortured mouth of the blue…lit figure strained again； but still no sound came out of it。
The knight's weak voice was sad but clear。 〃I told you you were my only human prisoner； Kaparu。 I had one other captive； as you now see。。。 no stone or steel could have held him in that cell； but Dame Yoldi's good work could。。。 he had been half…paralyzed； you see； long before we encountered him。 Some skirmish against Ardneh； two thousand years ago。〃
Kaparu looked as if he might be listening。 His fingers were being slowly shredded from the bars。
〃He's a demon； of course。〃 Sir Andrew was having some trouble with his breathing。 〃We've never learned his name。。。 no possible way we could kill him； you see； not knowing where his life is kept。 And it would have been an atrocity against humanity to let him go。 So。。。 in there。 And I had the windows of the cell made bigger； thinking。。。 hopeless pride on my part； to think that I might someday teach a demon to be good。 That if I let him contemplate the sunlit earth； and the people on it who were sometimes happy when I ruled them。。。 well； it was a foolish thought。 I've never had to worry； though； about anyone ing in those windows。〃
The soldier who had gone scouting ahead now came scrambling back and said a quick word to his panion。 The man who had been waiting sheathed his knife and between them they lifted Sir Andrew again on his stretcher。 Not heeding the knight's weak； only half…coherent protests； they bore him away in the direction of possible safety。 The entrance to the secret tunnel； which was hidden in a cell wall； closed after them。
For a few moments then the dungeon was almost silent； and untenanted； save for what moved in blue light in the large cell at the end of the passage。 Then suddenly the door of that cell clanged open。 One man came rolling； crawling out； the grip of almost invisible blue tongues slipping from his body。 The man lay on the floor gasping； a drawn sword in his hand。 Blue tongues strained after him； slapped at him； recoiled from his sword； and at last withdrew in disappointment。
The door of the cell had not been locked。
Summoning what appeared to be； his last strength； the man on the floor put out an arm and slammed the cell door shut behind him； which had the effect of confining the blue tongues。 Then he rolled over on the floor； still lacking the strength to rise。
〃Luck。。。 〃 he muttered。 〃Luck。。。 〃
He fainted pletely； and the sword that had been in his grasp slipped from his fingers。 There was a pause after the first slip and then the sword moved； as if of itself； a few more centimeters from the inert hand that had let it go。
Moments later； a half…grown boy in torn clothing； with a burn…scar half healed on his face and fresher scratches on his arms and legs； came bounding down the stairs and into the dungeon。 He had a swordbelt strapped round his waist； and a sword； considerably too big for him； in his right hand。
He stopped in his tracks at the sight of the blue glow； and of the man that it illuminated； sprawled on the floor。 Then he darted forward and picked up in his left hand the sword that had eluded the man's grasp。 The boy stood with a heavy sword in each hand now； looking from one to the other。 An expression of wonder grew on his face。
Meanwhile； the man had roused himself。 And now he saw what had happened to his sword。 With a strangled cry； that sounded like some words about a snake； he lunged with his drawn dagger at the boy。
In a startled reaction the boy jerked back。 With the movement the sword in his left hand snapped up awkwardly； almost involuntarily。 The point of it found the hairsbreadth gap in the armor of the lunging man； sliding between gorget and the lower flange of helm。
Life jetted forth； blood black in the blue light。 〃Luck。。。〃 said Duke Fraktin once again。 Then he fell backward and said no more。
Mark looked down at the body。 He could tell only that it was the carcass of some invader； clothed like five hundred others in the Fraktin white and blue。
Now； on the stairs； not far above； there was the sound of fighting。 Quickly the clash was over； and a man's voice asked： 〃Do we go down and search？〃
Another voice said： 〃No； look around up here first。 I think the old fox's escape hatch； if he has one； will be up here。〃
There was the sound of departing feet。 Then silence in the dungeon again； except for the distant drip of water。 And now the faint tink that a sword's…tip made； touching iron jail bars as its holder turned。 Mark had sheathed Dragonslicer now； and was holding Coinspinner in both hands。 From the moment he had picked it up he had been able to feel some kind of power flowing from its hilt into his hand。 The thrumming he could feel in the sword grew stronger； he discovered； when he aimed the point in a certain direction。
By what was left of the blue glow from the end cell； he looked inside the other unlocked cell at which the Sword of Chance was pointing。 Then he looked carefully at the cell's rear wall。 In a moment he had discovered the escape tunnel's secret door。
With that door open； he delayed。 He turned back； and with his eyes half…closed swung Coinspinner's tip like a pass needle through wide slow arcs。 Up； down； right； left； up again。
There。 In that direction； he could feel the power somehow beginning to work； drawing an invisible line for him up into the castle above。 Now slowly it swung again； by itself this time； toward the head of the stair。
In another moment it had brought him Ben； in bloodied armor； carrying an unconscious Barbara。
The secret passageway was narrow； and twisting； and very dark。 Neither Ben nor Mark had anything with them to give light。 Once they had closed the door on the dungeon and its fading demon…glow； the way ahead was inky black。 Ben continued to carry Barbara； as before； without apparent effort； while Mark moved ahead； groping with hands and feet for obstacles or branchings of the tunnel。 In the blackness he used Coinspinner like a blind man's cane； though； the sensation of power emanating from it was gone now。 As they moved； Mark related in terse phrases how he had picked up the new sword from the dungeon floor。 If Ben was impressed； he hadn't breath enough to show it。
Once Mark stumbled over the body of a man in partial armor； who must also have entered the tunnel in flight and got this far before dying of wounds。 After making sure that the man was dead； Mark led the way on past him； his feet in slipperiness that presently turned to stickiness on his bootsoles。 Horror had already bee a monplace； he thought only that he must not slip and fall。
The sound of dripping water was plainer now； and more than once drops struck Mark on the face。 The general trend of the passageway was down； though nowhere was the descent steep。 Twice more Mark stumbled； on discarded objects that clanged away on rock with startling metallic noise。 And once the sides of the tunnel pinched in so narrowly that Ben had to shift his grip on Barbara； and push her limp form on ahead of him； into the grasp of Mark waiting on the other side of the bottleneck。 Mark when he held her was relieved to hear her groaning； muttering something； he had been worried that they might be rescuing a corpse。
This blind groping went on for a long time； that began to seem endless。 Mark developed a new worry； that they were somehow lost in a cave； trapped in some endless labyrinth or circle。 He knew that others must have taken the secret passage ahead of them； but； except for one dead man and a few discarded objects； those others might as well be somewhere on the other side of the world by now。 At least no pursuers could be heard ing after them。
Mark continued tapping his way forward with the sword he had picked up in the dungeon； he had had to put it down when he helped to get Barbara through the narrow place in the tunnel； and then in pitch darkness grope past its razor edges to pick it up aga
