fs.thesecondbookofswords-第35部分

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　instant　were　again　plunged　into　darkness。
　　　The　light　bounced　once　more　and　was　still。　The　beam；　as　bright　as　ever；　shone　steadily　now　on　more　sharp　rocks；　and　also　on　what　looked　like　a　boneyard　of　the　fallen；　a　scattering　of　white　distant　splinters　and　what　might　have　been　round　skulls。
　　　The　survivors　had　not　a　moment　to　spend　in　pondering　Hubert's　fate；　not　with　the　relentless　rotation　of　the　inner　wall　steadily　carrying　the　tunnel　mouths　apart。　Some　internal　mechanism　had　already　brought　the　trapdoor　shelf　back　up　into　its　innocent…looking　raised　position。　Doon；　on　the　far　side　of　the　gap；　caught　one　end　of　a　rope　thrown　him　by　Ben；　and　braced　himself　well　back　in　the　descending　tunnel。　With　Ben　holding　the　other　end　of　the　rope；　Mitspieler　was　the　first　to　cross　with　its　insurance；　gripping　a　loop　as　he　jumped　and　landed　on　the　step；　which　this　time　held　its　load　solidly。　Mitspieler　scrambled　on　to　where　Doon　stood；　and　helped　him　to　hold　the　far　end　of　the　rope。
　　　〃The　Sword　didn't　warn　us！〃　Ariane　plained；　as　if　surprised　at　some　friend's　treachery。　Meanwhile　she　landed　safely　in　her　turn。
　　　〃That　is　not　its　function！〃　the　Baron　snapped　at　her；　as　she　appeared　beside　him　to　help　him　hold　the　rope。　And　in　the　next　instant　Mark　was　safely　over。　Indosuaros　was　next。　And　Ben；　holding　his　own　of　the　rope；　and　with　the　monkbird　fluttering　dumbly　round　his　head；　was　last　to　cross。　The　hinged　step　supported　his　bulk　solidly；　as　it　had　done　for　everyone　but　Hubert。
　　　The　six　survivors；　gathered　now　on　the　side　of　the　gap　that　they　hoped　was　toward　the　treasure；　looked　back　to　watch　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　they　had　just　quitted　turn　slowly　out　of　sight　behind　a　flange　of　rock。
　　　〃We'll　not　have　long　to　wait　for　a　passage　to　open　when　we　e　back；〃　said　Doon。　There　was　great　confidence　in　his　voice；　as　if　Mark's　idea　of　the　turning　tunnels　had　been　his　all　along；　more；　as　if　he；　Doon；　had　proven　that　it　was　right；　beyond　all　possibility　of　doubt。　〃There　are　twelve　or　more　of　those　rotating　tunnels；　we　calculated。　So　if　yon　great　wheel　turns　only　twice　a　day；　there　should　never　be　need　to　wait　more　than　an　hour　for　an　alignment。　We　can　be　sure　of　that。〃
　　　Whether　they　were　all　sure　of　it　or　not；　no　one　said　anything。　At　the　moment　there　was　only　one　thing　in　Ben's　mind：　with　the　vanishing　of　the　last　crescent　of　the　other　tunnel；　there　was　no　immediate　possibility　of　turning　back。
　　　The　Baron　added：　〃When　we　e　back；　we　might　be　in　a　hurry。　So　before　we　go　on　we'd　better　figure　out　just　how　this　damned　trap…step　works。〃　He　spoke　in　a　businesslike　tone。　And　he　began　cautious　experimentation；　which　soon　revealed　that　the　step　remained　rock　solid　as　long　as　no　one　was　standing　on　the　step　just　above　it　…　where　Doon　himself　had　been　standing　when　Hubert　made　his　fatal　jump。　A　substantial　weight　upon　the　second　step　evidently　released　some　kind　of　hidden　latch　that　let　the　first　step　swing　down　the　instant　it　was　burdened。
　　　〃I　suppose　the　priests　and　the　Whitehands　have　that　little　game　memorized　…　or　they　don't　forget　it　more　than　once；　when　they　e　this　way　two　at　a　time。　Well；　we　know　it　now。　Let's　move　on。〃
　　　Although　there　seemed　to　be　only　one　possible　way　to　go　from　here；　Doon　used　the　Sword。　It　pointed　them　forward；　through　the　descending　tunnel；　and　they　followed　it。　After　that　short；　steep　descent　they　were　plunged　into　a　maze　of　tunnels；　passages　interconnecting　sometimes　by　holes　in　floor　and　overhead　as　well　as　ordinary　doorways。　There　were　doors；　some　closed；　some　standing　open。　On　doors　and　walls　alike　strange　symbols　had　been　carved　and　painted。
　　　Wayfinder　ignored　the　symbols　and　the　doors　alike；　and　chose　an　open　way。　Again；　as　always；　Doon　led　the　others　with　his　Sword　in　hand。　He　looked　more　carefully　now　at　the　stone　floor　before　he　trod　on　it；　and　those　behind　him　looked　at　it　again　in　turn。
　　　Once　or　twice　in　the　maze　the　Baron　paused；　and　ordered　Ariane　to　send　the　monkbird　on　ahead。　Each　time　it　came　back　soon；　and　said　little。　She　had　trouble　interpreting　what　it　said；　and　presently　they　gave　up　trying　to　use　it　altogether。
　　　Now　suddenly　there　was　only　one　tunnel　again。　It　curved　sharply；　first　to　the　right；　then　back　to　the　left　again。　From　beyond　that　final　bend　a　light　appeared；　that　looked　to　Ben　like　cheerful　daylight。　Moving　forward；　he　could　hear　running　water；　and　then　the　songs　of　birds。
Chapter　12
　　　In　the　last　meters　of　its　length；　the　curving　tunnel's　smooth　interior　gave　way　to　rough　rock；　so　that　the　passage　appeared　to　be　turning　into　a　natural　cave。　Mark；　emerging　behind　Doon　from　the　cave's　mouth；　blinked　in　what　appeared　to　be　sunlight；　filtered　through　the　foliage　of　majestic　treetops　some　meters　overhead。　The　air　was　warm；　and　a　fresh　breeze　stirred　the　high　branches。　Birds　flitted　among　them；　and　along　the　ran　ace　of　the　red　rock　cliff　from　which　the　cave　emerged。　The　sound　of　rushing　water；　as　from　a　small　waterfall　or　tumbling　stream；　came　from　somewhere　near　at　hand　but　out　of　sight。　The　forest　grew　up　close　to　the　cliff。　Its　grassy；　open　floor　was　some　meters　below　the　rocky　shelf　on　which　the　six　intruders　gathered　in　front　of　the　cave's　mouth。　From　that　shelf　a　barely　discernible　path　wound　down；　among　boulders　of　the　reddish　rock；　to　disappear　as　soon　as　it　got　in　among　the　trees。　The　highest　portion　of　the　cliff　was　masked　by　branches　of　the　towering　trees；　which　also　effectively　concealed　most　of　the　sky；　but　so　bright　was　that　seeming　sky　that　the　effect　was　not　gloom；　but　wele　shade。　Mark　raised　a　hand　to　turn　off　his　headlamp；　and　saw　that　everyone　else　was　doing　likewise。
　　　〃We　have　reached　the　sealing　of　magic；〃　Mitspieler　announced；　in　a　deep　solemn　voice。　He　spoke　so　rarely　that　everyone　tended　to　look　at　him　when　he　did。　〃Given　the　correct　password；　we　could　walk　through　it　as　easily　as　the　Blue　Temple　priests　must　do。　Master；　do　you　think　it　is　worthwhile　for　us　to　try　again　to　divine　what　that　word　is？〃
　　　Indosuaros　glanced　at　him；　sighed；　and　shook　his　head。　〃We　have　tried　that　often　enough；　and　learned　nothing。〃
　　　Doon　said　impatiently：　〃The　Sword　will　guide　us　through。〃
　　　Indosuaros　agreed。　〃But；　as　we　have　seen；　it　cannot　warn　of　traps。　In　this　sealing；　that　task　will　be　up　to　me。　It　will　not　be　easy；　and　I　want　to　rest　before　we　start。〃
　　　The　Baron　considered。　〃Agreed。　We　can　all　use　a　rest　at　this　point；　if　we　can　find　a　suitable　place。〃
　　　The　two　wizards　looked　out　over　the　scene　and　conferred　together　in　low　voices　for　a　few　moments。　Then　Indosuaros　announced：　〃We　can　at　least　go　down　to　the　foot　of　the　cliff　safely。　I　suppose　no　one　needs　warning　that　not　everything　you　will　see　here　conforms　to　reality。　I　can　tell　you　already　that　the　grass　and　trees　are　real；　at　least　for　the　most　part；　though　I　suppose　they　must　be　magically　maintained。　We　are　of　course　still　inside　a　cave。　This　is　a　very　large　room　just　how　large　I　cannot　tell　as　yet　…　and　naturally　lightless。　What　you　perceive　as　sun　and　sky　and　wind　are　all　artifacts　of　wizardry；　and　just　what　reality　they　may　conceal　I　cannot　yet　be　certain。　But　we　can　go　forward　in　safety　for　a　little　way　at　least。〃
　　　〃What　about　the　stream？〃　Ariane　asked　shortly。　They　had　started　down　the　path；　moving　again　in　single　file；　and　already　the　twisting　path　had　brought　them　into　sight　of　a　small　waterfall；　which　broke　out　tumbling　from　the　jagged　cliff　at　no　great　distance　from　the　cave's　mouth。　The　small　stream　danced　down　over　the　lower　rocks；　then　plunged　into　a　flatter　bed　that　led　it　away　among　the　trees。
　　　〃The　water　is　real　enough；〃　Indosuaros　answered　her　after　a　moment。　〃Whether　it　will　be　safe　to　drink；　or　even　to　touch；　I　cannot　tell　until　we　reach　it。〃
　　　That　was　soon　enough。　As　soon　as　the　party　had　reached　the　grass；　growing　from　what　looked　and　felt　like　rich　forest　soil；　the　two　wizards　moved　forward　to　the　bank　of　the　stream　and　knelt　beside　it。　There　they　busy　themselves　briefly　with　the　art；　and　presently　they　rose　to　give　assurance　that　the　water　was　safe。
　　　〃I'm　not　surprised；〃　said　Doon。　〃There　are　living　humans　…　well；　in　some　sense　living　…　in　the　garrison；　down　below。　And　the　visiting　pries