fs.thesecondbookofswords-第14部分

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　　　Firmly　he　banished　thoughts　like　that。　Bee　a　coward；　and　the　world　was　through　with　you　for　good。　The　bridge　under　his　feet　felt　more　solid　than　it　looked。
　　　Once　across　the　bridge；　Hubert　shot　one　glance　behind　him；　and　saw　that　the　other　two　were　starting　over。　He　could　not　help　seeing；　also；　that　the　world　back　there；　the　distant　parts　of　it　at　least；　looked　infinitely　inviting。　Yonder　in　the　background　a　clear　sky　spanned　fair；　green　hills；　and　happy　fields。。。
　　　Such　pleasant　things　were　not　for　the　highwayman…adventurer。　Hubert　turned　his　back　on　them。　Now　the　frowning；　vacant　windows　of　the　house　were　scant　meters　in　front　of　him。　They　reminded　him　unfortably　of　the　empty　eyesocket　that　had　seemed　to　watch　him；　only　a　little　while　ago。
　　　As　soon　as　Golok；　the　last　man；　was　across　the　bridge；　Doon　gestured　to　him　again。　In　obedience　Golok　again　sent　the　monkbird　forward。　But　again　it　refused　to　enter　any　of　those　dark　apertures；　darker　than　windows　ought　to　be　even　on　such　a　gloomy　day。
　　　The　Sword　in　Doon's　hand　quivered；　lightly　and　insistently。　It　was　guiding　them　toward　the　single　broad　door　that　was　set　in　the　front　of　the　building　at　ground　level。　Doon　led　his　mount　right　up　to　the　door；　and　rapped　on　the　panels　with　Wayfinder's　hilt。　Then　he　tugged　to　open　it。　It　proved　not　to　be　locked；　but　only　stuck；　noisily　it　yielded　at　last。
　　　The　interior　revealed　was　not　as　dark　as　the　upstairs　behind　those　windows。　Hubert；　looking　past　his　leader；　could　make　out　a　passageway；　surprisingly　deep　and　broad。　And　at　the　end　of　the　passage　…　could　that　be　some　kind　of　an　interior　courtyard？　Somehow；　the　closer　Hubert　approached　to　the　building；　the　larger　it　became　to　his　eyes。　Yet　he　was　never　at　any　point　conscious　of　observing　any　unnatural　change。
　　　Hubert　would　have　liked　to　delay　the　others；　to　talk　over　with　them　in　whispers　this　fact　and　its　implications。　But　Doon　was　already　leading　them　forward；　into　the　house。　The　passage　was　too　low　for　a　mounted　man　to　ride　through　it　fortably；　and　he　continued　to　tug　his　animal　after　him。
　　　Once　Hubert　had　gotten　well　inside；　he　blinked　his　eyes　again：　Why；　he　thought；　again　it's　grown　bigger。　The　passageway；　its　sides　doorless　and　windowless；　went　straight　on　for　six　or　eight　meters；　and　the　interior　court　when　they　reached　it　was　ten　meters　square；　surrounded　by　two…story　building　on　all　sides。　Four　doors；　one　in　each　wall；　were　at　ground　level。　Only　the　door　by　which　they　were　entering　the　courtyard　stood　open。　More　dark　windows　showed　in　the　walls。
　　　〃Magic；〃　breathed　Golok　in　the　rear。　He　was　following　Hubert　and　Pu　Chou　closely　now；　as　if　he　feared　to　get　very　far　from　the　armed　men。　His　word　said　no　more　than　they　had　all　already　realized。　This　courtyard；　now　that　they　were　standing　in　it；　was　certainly　bigger　than　the　whole　house　had　looked　when　they　had　first　seen　it　from　the　road。　There　were　cloisters　cracking　into　disrepair；　and　a　dry；　cracked　fountain。　There　were　a　couple　of　long…dead　trees；　and　in　the　tile　paving　blank　clay　places　that　might　once　have　been　meant　for　flowerbeds。　Most　of　the　paving　was　covered　with　years　of　blown…in　dead　leaves　and　dirt。
　　　Golok　drew　in　his　breath　with　a　sharp　sound。　The　door　just　opposite　that　they　had　entered　by　was　slowly　creaking　open。　In　a　moment　a　huge；　black　furred；　twolegged　shape　had　appeared　in　the　doorway。　The　figure　slouched　there；　almost　of　human　shape；　though　it　looked　inhumanly　broad　and　strong。　Bright　eyes；　of　a　different　blackness　than　its　fur；　glittered　at　the　intruders；　and　white　teeth　showed　sharp　in　a　black　mouth。
　　　It　was…at　least；　perhaps　it　was…no　more　than　a　beast；　and　they　were　four　men　armed　and　ready。　Yet　three　of　the　four　men　started　back。
　　　Doon　had　already　swung　himself　back　up　into　his　saddle；　from　which　vantage　point　he　now　confronted　the　creature　with　drawn　sword。　His　mount；　as　if　it　were　relieved　to　at　last　face　something　in　the　way　of　concrete　danger；　snorted　but　held　steady。
　　　Doon　cried；　to　the　ebon　beast：　〃Be　warned；　if　ye　have　power　of　understanding！　I　am　not　here　to　be　entertained　by　bogey…games。　Nor　will　I　be　sent　hence　without　that　which　I　need。　Be　warned　also；　that　this　blade　when　in　my　hand　is　doubly　magic！〃
　　　The　monstrous　ape　retreated。　Hubert　could　not　tell　quite　how　it　managed　the　maneuver；　only　that　one　moment　the　midnight　bulk　still　filled　the　doorway；　and　the　next　moment　it　was　gone。
　　　There　was　a　faint　sound　from　the　closed　door　to　the　right。　As　one；　the　men　spun　in　that　direction；　to　watch　that　broad　door　creaking　open。。。
　　　。。。　pushed　by　a　skeletal　hand。　The　hanged　man　from　the　gallows　was　standing　just　inside　it。　Hubert　could　not　be　mistaken　about　that　face。
　　　Pu　Chou　uttered　a　sound　that　could　not　be　described　as　speech。　But　Doon；　wheeling　his　mount；　faced　this　apparition　as　coolly　as　he　had　the　other。　As　if　addressing　the　same　entity；　he　went　on　speaking。　〃I　tell　you；　trickery　will　not　move　me；　nor　will　threats。　Now　do　you　mean　to　fight　me；　or　listen　to　me？〃
　　　Again；　the　thing　that　he　confronted　disappeared。
　　　All　four　men　were　now　turning　about；　twisting　their　necks；　trying　to　keep　all　four　doorways　under　observation　at　the　same　time。　None　of　them　were　taken　by　surprise　by　the　next　appearance；　in　the　doorway　that　had　so　far　remained　unoccupied。　The　tall；　richly　robed　figure　that　stood　there　now　was　that　of　an　old　man；　gray　but　sturdy。　His　massive　bald　crown　was　surrounded　by　a　long　gray　fringe　that　matched　his　beard。　Great　blue　eyes；　with　something　in　them　as　innocent　as　infancy；　looked　out　from　under　white　bushy　brows。
　　　Facing　Doon；　this　man　asked　in　a　low；　impressive　voice：　〃What　seek　you　here？〃
　　　Doon　lowered　his　Sword　slowly。　He　started　to　speak；　then　looked　down　at　his　mount。　The　riding　beast　had　suddenly　relaxed。
　　　And　now　the　Baron　heaved　a　great　sigh；　as　if　he　too　felt　finally　able　to　allow　himself　the　luxury　of　weariness。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　no　longer　as　taut　as　a　drawn　bowstring。　〃What　I　seek　is　simply　wealth。　No；　not　yours；　I　suppose　your　treasure　might　be　considerable；　but　even　so　it　won't　be　enough　for　me；　and　I　don't　purpose　to　take　it。　I　believe　that　the　treasure　I　want　is　elsewhere。　But　for　some　reason　the　pathway　to　it　leads　through　your　door。〃
　　　Now　Doon's　riding　beast　had　suddenly　turned　its　long；　gaunt　neck　aside；　and　was　beginning　to　graze　on　something　near　the　ground。　Hubert；　with　a　sensation　of　blurred　eyes；　saw　that　the　flowerbeds　were　still　active　after　all；　indeed　that　they　were　richly　grown　with　leaves　and　blossoms。　There　was　a　splash　from　the　fountain；　where　moments　ago　he　had　seen　a　cracked　and　dusty　basin。　Doon　turned　his　head　in　mild　bewilderment　of　this　new　sound；　then　shrugged　and　dismounted；　letting　his　animal　graze。　But　he　retained　his　Sword　in　his　right　hand。
　　　When　a　shadow　wavered　across　Hubert's　vision；　he　looked　up　to　see　that　a　bright　sun　in　a　clear　sky　had　been　intercepted　by　a　full…leaved　branch　of　a　tree　that　was　after　all　not　dead。
　　　The　tall　old　man　in　the　doorway　was　asking：　〃What　is　your　name？〃
　　　〃I　am　the　Baron　Doon。〃　The　words　were　a　quiet　distillation　of　pride。
　　　The　old　man　nodded。　〃And　I　am　known；　for　the　present；　as　Indosuaros。　Do　you　need　to　ask　my　profession？〃
　　　〃No；　I　think　not。〃
　　　〃Nor　I　yours。　Well。〃　A　songbird　twittered　in　one　of　the　trees；　and　the　monkbird；　Dart；　on　Golok's　shoulder　replied　in　happy　mockery。　Indosuaros　added：　〃I　am　pleased　to　offer　you　and　your　men　my　hospitality。　Though；　as　you　have　doubtless　deduced　by　now；　my　usual　habit　is　to　discourage　visitors。〃
　　　Doon　needed　only　a　moment　to　think　about　it。　〃And　we　are　pleased　to　accept；　with　thanks。〃　He　sheathed　his　Sword。
　　　Now　Hubert　was　aware　that　the　house　around　them　was　altering　even　more　swiftly　than　before。　Dust　and　dead　leaves　had　disappeared　from　the　courtyard；　as　had　the　cracks　from　the　cloisters　and　the　walls。　Beside　the　burbling　fountain　a　table　had　materialized；　flanked　by　benches　and　chairs　and　covered　in　snowy　linen。　Hubert　could　half…see　moving　forms；　whether　human　or　not　he　could　not　tell；　moving　through　the　air　around　the　table；　juggling　plates；　setting　and　arranging。　The　air　held　a　sudden