fs.thesecondbookofswords-第4部分

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ly　wrapped　like　all　the　other　cargo。
　　　Ben　kept　moving　as　he　watched。　He　shouldered　his　second　load；　lightening　another　animal's　burden。　Again　the　weight　of　the　package　he　picked　up　was　startling　for　its　size。　No；　it　wouldn't　be　lead　that　the　Blue　Temple　was　putting　down　into　the　earth　so　secretly。
　　　The　location　of　their　main　hoard　had　been　a　subject　of　stories　and　speculation　for　generations。　At　least　one　song　had　that　hoard　as　its　subject　…　the　same　tune　that　was　still　running；　very　unhelpfully；　in　Ben's　mind。
　　　The　other　five　men　in　the　line　of　treasure…bearers　gave　no　indication　that　they　had　guessed　what　they　were　about。　The　implications　of　their　situation；　as　far　as　Ben　could　tell；　had　simply　not　dawned　on　them　at　all。　Their　faces　were　dull；　and　set　against　the　rain；　set　against　knowledge；　too；　as　it　now　seemed　to　Ben。　He　saw　no　possibility　that　he　would　be　able　to　talk　to　them　meaningfully　before　he　had　to　act。
　　　Both　the　stairway　and　the　upper　entrance　to　the　cave　were　so　narrow　that　the　process　of　carrying　in　the　cargo　was　necessarily　slow　and　inefficient；　men　moving　down　always　had　to　stop　and　wait　for　men　moving　up　to　pass　them；　and　vice　versa。　Even　so；　with　six　steadily　at　work；　the　unloading　wasn't　really　going　to　take　very　long。
　　　Six　men；　Ben　kept　thinking；　who　now　know　where　Benambra's　Gold　is　really　buried。　Were　there　six　other　workmen　still　living　in　the　world　who　had　managed　to　learn　so　much？
　　　The　unloading　proceeded；　and　it　seemed　to　Ben　that　the　process　was　going　very　fast。　Outside　the　cave　there　was　the　light　of　the　Old　World　torch　to　work　by；　and　inside　the　warm　smoky　flicker　of　the　two　blue　candles。
　　　〃Move　along　there！〃
　　　Ben　had　just　dropped　another　bundle　into　the　dark　hole　in　the　cave　floor。　He　was　in　the　act　of　straightening　up　and　backing　away　when　he　brushed　lightly　against　the　officer　who　came　moving　forward　just　behind　him。　As　the　two　men　grazed　past　each　other；　the　tip　of　the　bundle　that　Radulescu　carried　brushed　Ben's　arm。　Even　through　his　sleeve　and　the　object's　wrappings；　Ben　could　feel　the　passing　presence　of　some　power　of　magic。　It　tugged　at　his　memory　as　some　old　perfume；　might　have　done；　some　fragrance　lost　since　childhood　and　suddenly　known　again。　And　the　incident　made　his　fear　suddenly　more　powerful　than　ever。
　　　Ben　had　climbed　the　stair　and　was　outside　again；　getting　yet　another　bundle　to　carry　down；　when　Radulescu　also　emerged　from　the　cave。　When　the　officer　looked　sharply　at　Ben；　Ben　looked　dully　back。
　　　In　his　twenty…three　years　of　life；　Ben　had　learned　that　there　were　only　two　things　about　his　own　appearance　that　were　at　all　likely　to　impress　others。　One；　that　never　failed；　was　his　squat　bulk；　he　was　really　not　shorter　than　average；　but　so　heavily　built　that　he　appeared　that　way。　The　second　thing　was　his　apparent　dullness。　Something　about　his　round　slab　of　a　face　tended　to　make　people　think　he　was　slow…witted；　at　least　until　they　knew　him。　For　some　reason　this　effect　was　intensified　by　the　fact　that　his　body　was　so　broad　and　strong。　It　was　as　if　no　one　wanted　intelligence　and　unhandsome　strength　to　coexist　in　the　same　man。　Ben　had　convinced　himself　that　he　was　not　particularly　slow　of　mind；　but　he　had　learned　also　that　there　were　times　when　it　was　helpful　to　be　thought　that　way。　He　let　his　jaw　sag　just　a　little　now；　and　returned　the　impatient　officer's　gaze　blankly。
　　　Radulescu　stepped　closer　to　him。　〃Move　along；　I　say。　Are　you　taking　root　there？　Do　you　want　to　stand　out　in　this　storm　all　night？〃
　　　Ben；　who　would　have　been　delighted　to　settle　for　just　that；　shook　his　head　slightly　and　let　himself　be　spurred　again　into　obedient　motion。　Mechanically　he　rejoined　the　slowly　shuffling　line　of　the　other　drivers。
　　　Burdened　again　with　what　he　thought　must　certainly　be　gold；　heading　down　once　more　into　the　cave；　he　observed　again　how　precariously　the　great　sealing　rock　was　poised　near　its　point　of　balance。　One　man　standing　outside　the　cave　ought　to　be　able　to　close　that　doorway　quickly；　with　one　hand。　Whereas　six　men　caught　inside　would　never　be　able　to　crowd　themselves　into　position　to　reach　the　rock　and　lift　it　open。　Of　course；　if　given　time；　they　ought　to　be　able　to　manage　some　way　of　getting　out。　If　given　time。
　　　The　rock　was　not　going　to　e　crashing　shut　behind　him　this　trip。　Not　all　of　the　treasure　had　been　unloaded　yet。
　　　As　he　let　this　weighty　bundle　slide　down　into　the　hole　in　the　cave　floor；　Ben　started　back　reflexively。　Half　a　meter　or　so　below　the　level　of　the　floor；　a　pair　of　hands；　inhumanly　large　and　white；　had　e　momentarily　into　view　to　catch　the　package。　As　quickly　as　they　had　appeared；　the　hands　were　gone　again；　all　in　utter　silence。
　　　Ben　turned　away　again；　saying　nothing。　As　he　moved　past　a　line　of　burdened　men　all　waiting　to　drop　more　cargo　into　the　pit；　he　realized　with　a　pang　of　fear　that　the　unloading　must　now　be　almost　finished。　He　took　quick　strides　toward　the　stair；　wanting　to　make　sure　that　he　got　out　of　the　cave　again　before　the　job　was　done。
　　　At　the　upper　entrance；　the　officer　had　just　delayed　the　last　driver；　who　was　just　about　to　start　down　with　what　must　be　the　last　bundle　on　his　shoulder。　〃Wait　for　me　below；　out　of　the　rain；〃　Radulescu　was　telling　him。　〃I　want　to　speak　to　all　of　you。〃
　　　And　the　last　man；　burdened；　entered　the　cave。　Just　inside　the　entrance　Ben　shouldered　past　him。　Ben　got　out；　leaving　behind　him　a　voice　that　muttered　obscene　protests　at　almost　being　forced　off　the　stairs。
　　　The　officer；　with　his　Old　World　light　once　more　in　hand；　greeted　Ben's　emergence　with　another　look　of　disgust；　this　time　there　was　perhaps　something　more　dangerous　in　the　glance　as　well。　And　Radulescu　cursed　Ben　wearily。　No　real　curse　fortunately；　but　one　of　the　hollow　forms　used　automatically　to　relieve　feelings　and　abuse　subordinates：　something　about　an　Emperor's　child；　lacking　in　both　wit　and　luck。
　　　〃Sir？〃　Ben　responded　numbly。　Now；　he　was　thinking　to　himself；　I　must　move　now；　before　it　is　too　late；　before。。。
　　　〃The　unloading　is　finished；〃　the　officer　informed　him；　speaking　slowly　and　plainly　now；　as　to　the　pany　dullard。　〃I　want　all　of　you　to　assemble　in　the　cave。　Go　down　there　and　wait　for　me。〃
　　　Behind　Radulescu　the　six　unburdened　loadbeasts　were　waiting　patiently。　And　down　in　the　cave　the　five　other　drivers　waited；　displaying　the　same　kind　of　patience。　Ben　felt　unable　to　move。　He　had　the　sensation　that　he　was　about　to　be　forced　to　jump　from　a　high　tower　into　unknown　darkness。
　　　Something　must　have　altered　in　his　face；　for　the　officer's　own　expression　suddenly　grew　dangerous。　〃Inside！〃　Radulescu　shouted；　and　in　the　same　instant　cast　down　his　torch　and　began　to　draw　his　sword。
　　　Ben　could　feel　the　dead　weight　of　training　on　him；　and　also　the　weight　of　fear。　Terrified　at　his　own　obedience；　he　took　a　step　toward　the　cave。　But　when　he　looked　down　through　the　entrance　at　the　burning　candles；　the　old　wax　congealed　on　rocks；　and　the　five　loadbeast　faces　of　his　fellow　drivers；　he　saw　with　sudden　and　dreadful　clarity　that　he　was　about　to　step　into　his　grave。
　　　Instead　he　shot　out　his　right　hand；　seizing　the　officer　by　the　upper　part　of　his　left　arm。　The　man　howled　and　tried　to　draw　his　sword；　but　the　action　was　difficult　for　Radulescu　to　plete　with　Ben's　strength　pulling　him　forward；　bending　him　off　balance。　Suddenly　pushing　with　all　his　power；　Ben　sent　Radulescu　stumbling　and　reeling　into　the　cave。　The　force　of　the　thrust　propelled　the　officer　right　on　down　the　stairs；　and　if　he　had　managed　to　draw　his　sword　by　now　it　was　not　going　to　do　him　any　good。
　　　Before　Radulescu　could　draw　breath　for　a　second　outraged　yell；　Ben　pivoted　and　threw　his　weight　on　the　great　sealing　stone。　For　one　heart…stopping　instant　the　sheer　inertia　of　the　huge　boulder　resisted　him。　Then　the　mass　moved；　slowly　for　the　first　fraction　of　a　second；　faster　in　the　next；　then　falling　with　a　doomlike　thud　to　close　the　cave。　Ben　pulled　a　foot　back　just　in　time　to　save　it　from　being　crushed。
　　　Candlelight　had　been　sealed　down　into　the　earth　now；　along　with　yells　and　wrath；　but　the　cold　torch　lay　as　brilliant　as　ever　on　the　ground。　Ben；　who　wanted　to　pull　darkness　round　him　like