fs.thethirdbookofswords-第52部分

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　again；　Apollo　said。
　The　man　they　carried　with　them　at　least　gave　them　all　some　connection　to　humanity。　Though　Vulcan　still　did　not　want　to　admit　they　needed　that。
　He　said　now　to　the　man　perched　on　his　shoulder；　as　if　talking　to　some　half…intelligent　pet：　〃We　might　find　some　food　for　you　somewhere。　But　there　is　no　wine　…　none　that　you　can　drink　…　and　certainly　no　human　slaves。〃
　〃But　I　have　you　as　my　slaves；〃　the　man　rasped　back。　Today　his　proud　voice　was　weakening　rapidly。　〃And　you　are　gods；　and　goddesses。　Therefore　all　the　Earth　is　mine。〃
　From　behind；　Apollo　asked：　〃You　cannot　feel　it；　little　man？〃
　〃Feel　what？〃　He　who　had　been　the　Dark　King　turned　his　blind　face　back　and　forth。　In　a　more　lucid　voice　he　demanded：　〃Where　are　we？〃　Then；　a　moment　later；　again：　〃Feel　what？〃
　Apollo　said：　〃That　the　humans　whose　dreams　created　us；　and　gave　us　power；　are　now　dreaming　differently？　That　our　power；　and　our　lives　as　well；　have　been　draining　from　us；　ever　since　we　gave　you　Swords　to　use？〃
　Among　the　gods　there　were　still　some　who　could　persuade　themselves　to　argue　with　this　viewpoint。　〃It's　all　part　of　the　Game。。。〃
　〃The　Game　is　over　now。〃
　〃Over？　But　who　won？〃
　That　one　wasn't　answered。
　〃In　the　mountains；　in　the　upper　air；　we'll　start　to　feel　strong　again。〃
　They　trudged　on；　climbed　on。　The　capability　of　swift　effortless　flight　had　once　been　theirs。　Vulcan　thought　that　none　of　them　were　starting　to　feel　stronger。　In　fact　the　thin　air　was　beginning　to　hurt　his　lungs。
　He　would　not　have　it；　would　not　allow　it　to　be　so。　Bravely　he　cried　out　to　Apollo：　〃You　still　say　that　we　are　their　creations？　Bah！　Then　who　created　them？〃
　Apollo　did　not　reply。
　Occasional　volcanic　rumbles　now　shook　the　Earth　beneath　their　feet；　here　and　there　subterranean　warmth　created　bare　steaming　spots　of　rock　amid　the　snow。
　Their　flight；　their　climb；　was　being　slower　and　slower。　But　it　went　on。　Now　where　was　Aphrodite？　Vulcan　looked　around　for　her。　It　was　not　as　if　she　had　departed；　in　the　old；　easy　way；　for　somewhere　else；　he　thought；　she　was　simply　and　truly　gone。
　He　had　not　seen　Hades　for　a　long　time；　either。
　Vilkata　sensed　something。　〃Where　are　you　all　going？〃　the　man　shouted；　or　tried　to　shout。　〃I　mand　you　not　to　disappear。　Turn　round　instead；　take　me　back　down　to　the　world　of　humanity。　I'm　going　to　freeze　to　death　up　here！〃
　Vulcan　had　no　wish　to　put　up　with　the　man's　noise　any　longer；　or　with　his　weight　that　seemed　to　grow　and　grow；　and　the　god　cast　the　blind；　mewing　man　aside；　down　a　cliff　into　frozen　oblivion；　and　moved　on。
　The　Smith　summoned　up　his　determination；　trying　now　to　regain　the　purpose　with　which　he　had　begun　this　climb；　long　days　ago。　He　mused　aloud：　〃It　was　near　here　…　near　here　somewhere　…　that　I　built　my　forge；　to　make　the　Swords。　I　piled　up　logs；　earth…wood；　and　lit　them　from　the　volcanic　fires　below。　If　only　I　could　find　my　forge　again。。。〃
　Presently　he　realized　that　he　was　now　alone；　the　man　having　gone　down　a　cliff　somewhere；　the　last　of　his　divine　panions　having　vanished；　as　if　evaporated　upon　the　wind。　The　last　wrangling　voice　of　them　had　been　chilled　down　to　silence。
　But　not　quite　the　last。
　〃Then　who　created　THEM？〃　the　Smith　bellowed；　hurling　forth　the　question　like　a　challenge　to　the　universe；　at　the　top　of　his　aching；　newly　perishable　lungs。
　He　looked　ahead。
　There　was　something；　or　someone；　lying　in　wait　for　him；　beyond　that　last　convoluted　corner　of　black　rock。　Some　new　power；　or　ancient　one；　e　to　claim　the　world？　Or　only　the　wind？
　He　was　afraid　to　look。
　The　whole　world　was　cold　now。　The　Smith　could　feel　the　awful　cold　turning　against　him；　feel　it　as　easily　and　painfully　as　the　weakest　human　might。
　He　wanted　to　look　around　the　corner　of　the　rock；　but　he　could　not。　He　was　afraid。　Just　in　front　of　him；　volcanic　heat　and　gas　belched　up；　turning　snow　and　ice　into　black　slush　in　a　moment。
　Vulcan　lurched　forward；　seeking　warmth。　He　fell　on　his　hands　and　knees。　Dying；　in　what　seemed　to　him　the　first　cold　morning　of　the　world；　he　groped　for　fire。
　THE　END



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