fs.thethirdbookofswords-第47部分

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　Then　Barbara　ran　upstairs　to　get　Townsaver。　If　this　warning　and　attack　were　only　part　of　an　elaborate　hoax　to　discover　where　it　was　hidden；　the　Baron　was　safely　locked　up　now；　and　would　never　see。　A　few　days　ago　the　Lord　Mayor；　perhaps　trusting　the　security　of　this　house　as　much　or　more　than　that　of　his　own　palace；　had　asked　Master　and　Lady　Courtenay　to　keep　it　here。
　She　was　still　climbing　stairs　when　a　great　crash　from　below　told　her　that　a　door　had　somehow　already　been　broken　in。　Smoke　and　the　cries　and　clash　of　battle　rose　from　below；　as　Barbara　knelt　to　bring　the　great　Sword　out　of　its　hiding　place　under　her　bedroom　floor。
　Fighting　nearby；　threatening　innocent　nonbatants　in　their　home；　had　wakened　the　Sword　of　Fury　already。　The　weighty　steel　arose　with　magical　ease　and　lightness　in　her　grip；　the　Sword　already　making　its　preliminary　faint　millsaw　whine。　For　a　moment　as　she　held　it；　there　crossed　Barbara's　mind　the　thought　of　Mark's　hands；　a　small　boy's　hands　then；　the　first　time　he　had　held　this　Sword；　his　grip　no　stronger　then　perhaps　than　hers　was　now　upon　this　very　hilt。。。　she　was　already　hurrying　back　toward　the　stairs。
　From　below　there　sounded　a　new　crash；　a　shout　of　triumph　in　the　invaders'　voices。
　Their　joy　would　be　short　lived。　In　Barbara's　hands；　Townsaver　screamed　exultantly；　and　pulled　her　running　down　the　stairs。。。
　Chapter　18
　Ben；　caught　in　Vilkata's　camp　when　the　retreat　turned　into　a　desperate　scramble　for　survival；　bulled　his　way　into　the　fighting　at　the　mouth　of　the　no…longer…secret　tunnel。　But　it　was　quickly　obvious　that　the　tunnel　was　now　hopelessly　blocked　as　a　means　of　escape。　Having　no　other　real　choice；　he　promptly　mitted　himself　to　the　river　instead。　Many　other　bodies；　alive　and　dead；　were　afloat　in　the　Corgo　already。　All　of　them；　swimming　or　bobbing；　would　eventually　reach　one　or　another　of　the　great　water…gates　that　pierced　the　city's　walls　only　a　few　hundred　meters　downstream。
　Ben　splashed　and　waded　and　swam　his　way　well　out　into　the　current；　trying　to　avoid　the　hail　of　missiles；　slung　stones　and　arrows；　now　being　launched　by　enemy　troops　along　the　bank。　The　steadily　growing　lightness　of　the　eastern　sky　brightened　the　water　as　well。　The　enemy　certainly　had　the　tunnel　now。　Not　that　it　was　going　to　do　them　any　good　as　an　invasion　route；　it　had　been　designed　for　plete　and　easy　blockage　at　the　point　where　it　approached　the　walls；　and　also　at　the　inner　end；　almost　below　the　palace。
　The　bottom　fell　off　steeply　under　Ben　as　he　moved　out　from　the　shore。　And　now　he　had　to　slip　out　of　his　partial　armor；　and　drop　his　heavier　weapons；　strong　swimmer　though　he　was；　if　he　was　going　to　keep　from　drowning。
　He　swam　downstream；　missiles　still　pattering　like　heavy　hail　upon　the　water's　surface　round　him。　He　went　under　water　for　a　while；　still　swimming；　and　came　up　for　air　and　swam　again。　The　high　walls　rose　up　before　him　swiftly；　the　river　ran　fast　here；　and　swept　him　down　upon　them。　The　gray…brown　of　their　hardened　granite　was　brightening　in　the　new　daylight。　Now　Ben　could　see　that　this　portion　of　the　walls；　along　with　the　upstream　water…gates；　was　being　manned　in　force　by　the　Watch　in　gray…green　uniforms。　More　of　the　Watch　were　down　at　water　level；　just　inside　the　gate　ahead　of　him；　admitting　one　at　a　time　through　a　turnstile　arrangement　the　returning　survivors　of　the　sally。　There　was　already　enough　daylight　to　let　them　do　this　with　security。
　Ben　swam　a　few　more　strokes；　and　then　could　pull　himself　up；　first　on　rock　and　then　on　steel　bars；　magically　protected　against　rust。　Around　him　a　steady　trickle　of　other　survivors　were　doing　the　same　thing；　a　bedraggled　crew；　he　thought；　but　not　entirely　defeated。　He　did　not　see　Mark　anywhere；　but　that　did　not　necessarily　mean　anything。
　Once　he　had　been　let　in　through　the　turnstile；　Ben's　way　led　upward；　into　and　behind　the　wall；　along　a　flight　of　narrow　steps。　His　last　glance　at　the　scene　outside　the　city　showed　him　that　Vulcan　and　some　other　god；　a　many…armed　being　Ben　did　not　recognize；　were　approaching；　now　no　more　than　a　few　hundred　meters　away。
　Others　soldiers　were　stopping　on　the　stairs　to　watch。　Ben；　for　his　part；　had　had　more　than　enough　of　confrontations　and　fighting　for　a　time；　he　was　anxious　to　get　home　and　see　what　was　happening　there。
　Among　the　Watch　officers　who　were　seeing　to　the　admission　of　returning　fighters；　confusion　reigned。　It　was　the　situation　more　often　than　not　in　any　military；　Ben　had　observed。　Someone　was　announcing　that　the　survivors　were　to　stand　by　for　debriefing　and　then　reassignment　on　the　walls。　But　someone　else；　not　an　officer；　passed　on　a　rumor　that　the　Blue　Temple　was　in　revolt；　and　the　House　of　Courtenay　under　attack　within　the　city。　Ben　on　hearing　this　ducked　out　and　hurried　through　the　streets　toward　his　home。　In　the　confusion　no　one　appeared　to　notice　his　departure。
　The　streets　of　Tashigang　were　largely　empty；　what　stores　and　shops　he　passed　were　all　of　them　closed　and　shuttered。　Once　he　observed；　a　few　streets　away；　a　running　group　that　looked　like　some　detached　fragment　of　a　mob。　Ben　stayed　out　of　their　way；　whatever　they　were　about。
　Tired　and　generally　battered；　though　essentially　unhurt；　he　stumbled　at　last　into　the　familiar　street。　There　was　his　house；　at　least　it　was　still　standing；　and　his　heart　leaped　up　in　preliminary　joy；　this　was　followed　in　a　moment　by　new　anxiety；　when　he　saw　how　the　building　was　scorched　and　still　smoking　above　ground　level；　and　how　the　windows　and　doors　to　the　street　were　battered。　Now　he　could　see　part　of　what　looked　like　a　bucket　brigade　of　his　faithful　workers；　stretching　between　the　house　and　the　nearby　river。
　Ben　ran　panting　through　the　broken　front　door；　into　the　main　room　of　the　ground　floor；　and　stopped。　Carnage　was　everywhere。　Amid　broken　furniture　and　weapons　were　piled　hewed　and　mangled　bodies；　the　great　majority　of　them　wrapped　in　cloaks　that　had　once　been　blue　and　gold。
　Barbara；　elated；　looking　unhurt；　came　bounding　from　somewhere　to　greet　him。
　〃Townsaver；〃　she　explained；　succinctly；　indicating　the　condition　and　contents　of　the　room。　〃They　started　a　fire；　and　broke　in。。。　but　then　some　of　them　were　glad　to　get　away。〃
　Then；　in　sudden　new　worry；　she　was　looking　behind　her　husband；　at　the　empty　street。　〃Where's　Mark？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　We　were　separated。　He　may　be　all　right。〃　And　from　the　way　the　question　had　been　asked；　Ben　understood　that　she　would　have　preferred　him　to　be　the　one　still　unaccounted　for。
　Vulcan；　standing　waist…deep　in　the　swift　Corgo；　was　unhurriedly　rending　open　one　of　the　huge　water…gates　of　steel　and　iron　bars。　He　might　of　course　have　climbed　the　city　wall；　or　flown　over　it　somehow；　but　this　mode　of　entry　struck　him　as　more　appropriate。　He　had　made　the　city　his　now；　and　he　was　going　to　enter　his　city　through　a　door。
　Shiva；　his　recently　acquired　panion；　was　squatting　nearby　on　the　riverbank　and　watching。　The　rivets　and　other　members　of　the　gate　were　breaking　one　at　a　time；　parting　with　loud　pops　as　Vulcan　bent　his　strength　upon　them；　the　fragments　flying　now　and　then　like　crossbow　bolts。
　Vulcan　was　speaking；　but；　as　often；　his　words　were　addressed　mainly　to　himself。　〃If　I　were　capable　of　mistakes；　that　would　have　been　one。。。　letting　my　twelve　Blades　go　so　meekly；　after　I　had　them　forged。　Giving　them　away　to　Hermes　like　that；　to　be　dealt　out　to　the　human　vermin　for　the　Game。。。　a　mistake；　yes。　But　now　I'll　make　no　more。〃
　Now　Shiva　pitched　into　the　river　the　smoldering　treetrunk　that　he　had　still　been　carrying。　The　huge　spar　of　wood　went　into　the　water　with　a　steamy　splash。
　As　if　in　reply；　there　was　a　swirling　in　the　water；　and　the　nebulous　figure　of　Hades　appeared　just　above　its　surface。　On　the　high　city　wall　there　were　a　few　human　screams。　The　few　human　watchers　who　had　remained　in　the　immediate　area　were　quickly　gone；　getting　themselves　out　of　sight　of　that　god's　face；　of　which　it　was　said　that　no　man　or　woman　might　look　on　it；　and　live　thereafter。
　Hades　said；　in　his　formless　voice；　that　he　had　e　to　bring　a　warning　to　his　old　rade　Vulcan。　It　was　that　anyone　who　used　Farslayer　could　never　triumph　thereby　in　the　end。
　Vulcan　glared　at　him。　〃To　a　true　god；　there　is　no　end。　Was　that　a　warning；　troglodyte；　or　a　threat？　If　you　choose　to　deal　in　threats；　Farslayer　is　here　at　my　side　again；　and　as　you　say；　I　do　not　hesitate　to　use　it。〃
　The　almost　shapeless　words　of　Hades'　answer　came　back　to　him：　Death　and　darkness　are　no　more　than　portions　of　my　domain；　Fire…worker；　such　threats　do　not　concern　me。
　And　again　there　was　a　stirring　of　the　river　and　the　earth；　and　Hades　was　gone。
　Vulcan　cast　aside　the　remnants　of　the　gate　he　had　now　torn　down；　and　waded　through　the　stone　arch　it　had　protected；　and　went　on　into　the　city。　From　the　inside；　Tashigang　looked　about　as　he　had　expected；　he　had　heard　that　this　was　the　largest　city　that　the　human　vermin　had　ever　built。　He　noted　with　indifference　that　the　four…armed　god　Shiva　was　still　following　him。
　There　was　a　running　human　figure　nearby；　caped　in　blue　and　gold；　and　Vulcan　bent　down　and　shot　out　a　hand　and　scooped　the　creature　up；　inflicting　minimal　damage；　he　wanted　some　information　from　it。
　〃You；　tell　me…where　is　the　place　you　call　the　House　of　Courtenay？　I　hear　th