fs.thethirdbookofswords-第9部分

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　And　now；　suddenly；　unexpectedly；　he　had　good　luck　in　sight。　As　he　rounded　a　new　curve　of　the　canyon　there　sprang　into　view　ahead　of　him　a　view　into　the　bigger　cross…canyon　that　this　one　joined。　Ahead　he　saw　a　narrow　slice　of　swift　gray　water；　with　a　luxuriant　border　of　foliage；　startlingly　green；　all　framed　in　stark　gray　rock。
　A　little　farther；　and　he　would　have　not　only　water　and　concealment；　but　a　choice　of　ways　to　turn；　upstream　or　down。　The　young　man　urged　his　tired　body　into　a　faster　run。
　In　his　imagination　he　was　already　tasting　the　cold　water。　Then　the　tree…tall　dragon　emerged　from　the　fringe　of　house…high　ferns　and　other　growth　that　marked　the　entrance　to　the　bigger　canyon。　As　the　young　man　stumbled　to　a　halt　the　beast　was　looking　directly　at　him。　Its　massive　jaw　was　working；　but　only　lightly；　tentatively；　as　if　in　this　heat　it　might　be　reluctant　to　summon　up　the　energy　for　a　hard　bite　or　even　a　full　roar。
　The　young　man　was　already　so　close　to　the　dragon　when　he　saw　it　that　he　could　do　nothing　but　freeze　in　his　tracks。　He　knew　that　any　attempt　at　a　quick　retreat　would　be　virtually　certain　to　bring　on　a　full　charge；　and　he　would　have　no　hope　of　outrunning　that。
　Nor　did　he　move　to　unsling　his　bow。　Even　his　best　shot；　placed　perfectly　into　the　eye；　the　only　even　semi…vulnerable　target；　might　do　no　more　than　madden　a　dragon　of　the　size　of　this　one　before　him。　His　best　hope　of　survival　lay　in　standing　still。　If　he　could　manage　to　do　that；　there　was　a　bare　chance　that　his　earlier　rapid　movement　would　be　forgotten　and　he　would　be　ignored。
　Then　something　happened　that　surprised　the　young　men　profoundly；　so　that　now　it　was　astonishment　more　than　either　terror　or　conscious　effort　that　kept　him　standing　like　a　statue。
　The　dragon's　vast　mouth；　scarred　round　the　lips　with　its　own　quondam　flames；　opened　almost　delicately；　revealing　yellowed　and　blackened　teeth　the　size　of　human　forearms。　From　that　mouth　emerged　a　voice；　a　kind　of　cavernous　whisper。　It　was　perfectly　intelligible；　though　so　soft　that　the　motionless　man　could　scarcely　be　sure　that　he　was　really　hearing　it。
　〃Put　down　your　little　knife；〃　the　dragon　said　to　him。　〃I　will　not　hurt　you。〃
　The　man；　who　had　thought　he　was　remaining　perfectly　motionless；　looked　down　at　his　right　hand。　Without　realizing　it　he　had　drawn　the　dagger　from　his　belt。　Mechanically　he　put　the　useless　weapon　back　into　its　sheath。
　Even　as　the　man　did　this；　the　dragon；　perhaps　three　times　his　height　as　it　stood　tall　on　its　hind　legs；　moved　closer　to　him　by　one　great　stride。　It　reached　out　for　him　with　one　enormous　forelimb；　armed　at　the　fingertips　with　what　looked　like　pitchfork　tines。　But　that　frightening　grip　picked　up　the　man　so　gently　that　he　felt　no　harm。　In　a　moment　he　had　been　lifted；　tossed　spinning　in　the　air；　and　softly；　safely；　caught　again。　At　this　moment；　that　seemed　to　him　certain　to　be　the　moment　of　his　death；　he　felt　curiously　free　from　fear。
　Death　did　not　e；　nor　even　pain。　He　was　being　tossed　and　mauled　quite　tenderly。　Here　we　went　up　again；　propelled　with　a　grim　playfulness　that　tended　to　jolt　the　breath　out　of　his　chest；　but　did　him　no　real　damage。　In　one　of　these　revolving　airborne　jaunts；　momentarily　facing　back　up　the　side　canyon；　he　got　his　clearest　look　yet　at　the　whole　small　gang　of　his　surviving　human　pursuers。　They　had　been　even　closer　behind　him　than　he　had　thought；　but　now　with　every　instant　they　were　meters　farther　away。　The　three　of　them；　two　looking　forward　and　away；　one　looking　back　in　terror；　were　astride　their　riding　beasts　again；　and　never　mind　the　chance　that　a　mount　might　stumble　here。　All　three　in　panic　were　galloping　at　full　stretch　back　up　the　barren　floor　of　the　side　canyon。
　The　dragon　roared。　The　tossed　man's　own　whirling　motion　whirled　the　riders　away；　out　of　his　field　of　vision。　He　felt　his　flying　body　brush　through　a　fringe　of　greenery。　His　landing　was　almost　gentle；　on　shaded　ground　soft　as　a　bed　with　moss　and　moisture。　He　lay　there　on　his　back；　beneath　great　dancing　fronds。　This　position　afforded　him　a　fine　view　of　the　dragon's　scaly　green　back　just　as；　roaring　like　an　avalanche；　it　launched　a　charge　after　the　three　riders。
　In　another　moment　the　riders　were　pletely　out　of　sight　around　the　first　curve　of　the　side　canyon。　The　dragon　at　once　aborted　its　charge　and　ceased　its　noise。　It　turned；　and　with　an　undragonly　air　of　calm　purpose　came　striding　back　to　where　the　man　lay。　He　just　lay　there；　watching　its　approach。　The　creature　hadn't　killed　him　yet；　and　anyway　he　could　never　have　outrun　it　even　had　his　lungs　been　full　of　breath。
　Once　more　the　huge　dragon　gently　picked　him　up。　It　carried　him　carefully　for　a　little　distance；　deeper　into　the　heavy　riverside　growth　of　vegetation。　Through　the　last　layer　of　branches　ahead　the　man　could　plainly　see　the　swift　narrow　stream　that　threaded　the　canyon's　floor。
　The　dragon　spoke　above　the　endless　frantic　murmur　of　the　water。　〃They　will　never；〃　it　told　the　man　in　its　sepulchral　voice；　〃e　back　and　follow　a　dragon　into　this　thicket。　Instead　they　will　return　to　their　masters　and　report　that　you　are　dead；　that　with　their　own　eyes　they　saw　you　crushed　and　eaten。〃　Saying　this；　the　dragon　again　deposited　the　man　on　soft　ground；　this　time　very　gently。
　Then　the　dragon　took　a　long　step　back。　Its　image　in　the　man's　eyes　flickered；　and　for　one　moment　he　had　the　definite　impression　that　the　huge　creature　was　wearing　a　broad　leather　belt　around　its　scaly；　bulging　midsection。　And　there　was　a　second；　momentary　impression；　that　from　this　belt　there　hung　a　scabbard；　and　that　the　scabbard　held　a　sword。
　The　belt　and　Sword　were　no　longer　visible。　Then　they　reappeared。　The　man　blinked；　he　shook　his　head　and　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looked　again。　Some　kind　of　enchantment　was　in　operation。　It　had　to　be　that。　If　it。。。
　The　Swordbelt；　now　unquestionably　real；　was　now　hanging　looped　from　a　great　furry　hand　…　it　was　undeniably　a　hand；　and　not　a　dragon's　forefoot。　The　fur　covering　the　hand；　and　covering　the　arm　and　body　attached；　was　basically　a　silver　gray；　but　it　glowed　remarkably　with　its　own　inner　light。　As　the　man　watched；　the　glow　shifted；　flirting　with　all　the　colors　of　the　rainbow。　The　enormous　hand　let　the　belt　drop。
　Standing　before　the　youth　now　was　a　furred　beast　on　two　legs；　as　tall　and　large　as　the　dragon　had　been；　but　otherwise　much　transformed。　Claws　had　been　replaced　by　fingers；　on　hands　of　human　shape。　There　were　still　great　fangs；　but　they　were　bonewhite　now；　and　the　head　in　which　they　were　set　no　longer　had　anything　in　the　least　reptilian　about　it。　Although　the　figure　was　standing　like　a　man；　the　face　was　not　human。　It　was　…　unique。
　The　great　dark　eyes　observed　with　intelligence　the　man's　reaction　to　the　transformation。
　The　young　man's　first　outward　response　was　to　get　back　to　his　feet；　slowly　and　shakily。　Then　he　walked　slowly　to　where　the　belt　and　Sword　were　lying；　on　shaded　moss。　Bending　over；　he　observed　that　the　jet…black　hilt　of　the　Sword　was　marked　with　one　small　white　symbol；　but；　though　the　man　dropped　to　his　knees　to　look　more　closely；　he　was　unable　to　make　out　what　that　symbol　was。　His　eyes　for　some　reason　had　trouble　getting　it　into　clear　focus。　Then　he　reached　out　and　put　his　fingers　on　that　hilt；　and　with　that　touch　he　felt　the　power　he　had　expected　enter　into　him。　Now　he　was　able　to　see　the　symbol　plainly。　It　was　the　simple　outline　of　an　observant　human　eye。
　Turning　his　head　to　look　up　at　the　waiting　giant；　the　young　man　said：　〃I　am　Mark；　son　of　Jord。〃　As　he　spoke　he　got　to　his　feet；　and　as　he　stood　up　he　drew　the　Sword。　His　right　hand　held　up　that　bright　magnificence　of　steel　in　a　salute。
　The　giant's　answer　came　in　an　inhumanly　deep　bass；　quite　different　from　the　dragon's　voice：　〃You　are　Mark　of　Arin…on…Aldan。〃　The　youth　regarded　him　steadily　for　a　moment。　Then　he　nodded。　〃That　also；〃　he　agreed。　Then；　lowering　the　Sword；　he　added；　〃I　have　held　Sightblinder　here　once　before。〃
　〃You　have　held　others　of　the　Swords　as　well。　I　know　something　of　you；　Mark；　though　we　have　not　met。　I　am　Draffut；　as　you　must　have　realized　by　now。　The　man　called　Nestor；　who　was　your　friend；　was　also　mine。〃
　Mark　did　not　answer　immediately。　Now　that　he　was　holding　the　Sword　of　Stealth；　some　inward　things　about　the　being　he　was　looking　at　had　bee　apparent　to　him。　Just　how　they　were　apparent　was　something　he　could　not　have　explained　had　his　life　depended　on　it；　but　across　Draffut's　image　in　Mark's　eyes　some　part　of　Draffut's　history　was　now　written；　in　symbols　that　Mark　would　not　be　able　to　see；　much　less　interpret；　once　he　put　down　the　Sword　again。
　Mark　said；　〃You　are　the　same　Draffut　who　is　prayed　to　as　the　God　of　Healing。　Who　knew　Ardneh　the　Blessed；　as　your　living　friend　two　thousand　years　ago。。。　but　still　I　will　not　call　you　a　god。　Lord　of　Beasts；　as　others　name　you；　yes。　For　certainly　you　are　that；　and　more。〃　And　Mark　bowed　low。　〃I　thank　you　for　my　life。〃
　〃You　are　wele。。。　and　Beastlord　is　a　title　that　I　can　at　least　tolerate。〃　Actually　the　huge　being　seemed　to　enjoy　it　to　some　extent。　〃With　Sightblinder　in　your　hand　I　am　sure　you　can　see　I　am　no　god。　But　I　have　just　e　from　an　assembly　of　them。〃
　Mark　was　startled。　〃What？〃
　〃I　say　that　I　have　just　e　from　an　assembly　of　the　gods；〃　D