fs.thethirdbookofswords-第7章

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　the　enemy's　numbers　would　be　to　let　them　catch　him。　They　might　very　well　do　that　anyway。　They　were　still　mounted；　and　would　easily　have　overtaken　him　long　ago；　except　that　his　own　ambushes　set　over　the　past　twenty　kilometers　had　instilled　some　degree　of　caution　in　the　survivors。　These　high　plains　made　a　good　place　for　ambush；　deceptively　open…looking　but　cut　by　ravines　and　studded　with　windcarved　hills　and　giant　boulders　that　looked　as　if　some　god　had　scattered　them　playfully　about。
　By　this　time；　having　had　twenty　kilometers　in　which　to　think　it　over；　the　young　man　had　no　real　doubt　as　to　who　his　pursuers　were。　They　had　to　be　agents　of　the　Blue　Temple。　Any　merely　military　skirmish；　he　thought；　would　have　been　broken　off　long　before　this。　Any　ordinary　patrol　from　the　Dark　King's　army　would　have　been　content　to　return　to　camp　and　report　a　victory；　or　else　proceed　with　whatever　other　business　they　were　supposed　to　be　about。　They　would　not　have　continued　to　risk　their　skins　in　the　pursuit　of　one　survivor；　not　one　as　demonstrably　dangerous　as　himself；　and　not　through　this　dangerous　terrain。
　No；　they　knew　who　they　were　after。　They　knew　what　he　had　done；　four　years　ago。　And　undoubtedly　they　were　under　contract　to　the　Blue　Temple　to　bring　back　his　head。
　The　young　man　was　finding　time　in　his　spare　moments；　such　as　they　were；　to　wonder　if　they　were　also　closing　in　on　Ben；　his　friend　and　his　panion　of　four　years　ago。　Or　if　perhaps　they　had　already　found　him。　But　he　was　not　in　a　position　right　now　to　do　anything　for　Ben。
　The　youth's　flight　had　brought　him　to　the　edge　of　yet　another　ravine；　this　one　cutting　directly　across　his　path。　To　the　left　of　where　the　young　man　halted　on　the　brink；　the　groove　in　the　earth　deepened　rapidly；　turning　into　a　real　canyon　that　wound　its　way　off　to　the　east；　there　presumably　to　join　at　some　point　a　larger　canyon　that　he　had　already　caught　sight　of　from　time　to　time。　In　the　other　direction；　to　the　young　man's　right；　the　ravine　grew　progressively　shallower；　if　he　intended　to　cross　it；　he　should　head　that　way。
　From　where　he　was　standing　now；　the　country　on　the　other　side　of　the　ravine　looked　if　anything　flatter　than　the　plain　he　had　been　crossing；　which　of　course　ought　to　give　a　greater　advantage　to　the　mounted　men。　If　he　did　not　cross；　he　would　go　down　into　the　ravine　and　follow　it　along。　He　could　see　that　as　it　deepened　some　shelter　appeared　along　its　bottom；　provided　by　rough　free…standing　rock　formations　and　by　the　winding　walls　themselves。　If　he　went　that　way　he　would　be　going　downhill；　and　for　that　reason　might　be　able　to　go　faster。
　It　was　the　need　for　water　that　made　his　choice　a　certainty。　The　big　canyon　ought　to　be　no　more　than　a　few　kilometers　away　at　most；　and　very　probably　it　had　water　at　its　bottom。
　He　was　down　in　the　bottom　of　the　ravine；　making　good　time　along　its　deepening　trench；　before　one　of　his　over…the…shoulder　looks　afforded　him　another　glimpse　of　the　men　who　were　ing　after　him。　Three　heads　were　gazing　down　over　the　rocky　rim；　some　distance　to　his　rear。　It　looked　as　if　they　had　been　expecting　him　to　cross　the　ravine；　not　follow　it；　and　had　therefore　angled　their　own　course　a　little　toward　its　shallower　end。　He　had　therefore　gained　a　little　distance　on　them。　The　question　now　was；　how　would　they　pursue　from　here？　They　might　all　follow　him　down　into　the　ravine。　Or　one　of　them　might　follow　him　along　the　rim；　ready　to　roll　down　rocks　on　him　when　a　good　chance　came。　Or；　one　man　might　cross　pletely；　so　they　could　follow　him　along　both　walls　and　down　the　middle　too。
　He　had　doubts　that　they　were　going　to　divide　their　small　remaining　force。
　Time　would　tell。　He　was　now　mitted；　anyway；　to　following　the　ravine。　Much　depended　on　what　sort　of　concealment　he　could　find。
　So　far；　things　were　looking　as　good　as　could　be　expected。　What　had　been　a　fairly　simple　trench　at　the　point　where　he　entered　it　was　rapidly　widening　and　deepening　into　a　plex；　steep…sided　canyon。　Presently；　ing　to　a　place　where　the　canyon　bent　sharply；　the　young　man　decided　to　set　up　another　ambush；　behind　a　convenient　outcropping　of　rock；　Lying　motionless　on　stove…like　rock；　watching　small　lizards　watch　him　through　the　vibrating　air；　he　had　to　fight　down　the　all…too…rational　fear　that　this　time　his　enemies　had　outguessed　him；　and　a　couple　of　them　were　really　following　him　along　on　the　high　rims。　At　any　moment　now；　the　head　of　one　of　them　ought　to　appear　in　his　field　of　vision；　just　about　there。　From　which　vantage　point　it　would　of　course　be　no　trick　at　all　to　roll　down　a　deadly　barrage　of　rocks。　If　they　were　lucky　his　head　would　still　be　recognizable　when　they　came　down　to　collect　it。　Enough　of　that。
　It　was　a　definite　relief　when　the　three　men　came　into　sight　again；　all　trailing　him　directly　along　the　bottom　of　the　canyon。　They　were　walking　their　mounts　now；　having　to　watch　their　footing　carefully　on　the　uneven　rock。　As　their　quarry　had　hoped；　at　this　spot　they　had　no　more　than　half　their　visual　attention　to　spare　in　looking　out　for　ambush。
　The　young　man　waiting　for　them　already　had　an　arrow　nocked。　And　now　he　started　to　draw　it；　slowly　taking　up　the　bowstring's　tension。　He　realized　that　at　the　last　instant；　he'd　have　to　raise　himself　up　into　full　view　to　get　the　shot　off　properly。
　The　moment　came　and　he　lifted　his　upper　body。　The　bow　twanged　in　his　hands；　as　if　the　arrow　had　made　its　own　decision。　The　shot　was　good；　but　the　man　who　was　its　target；　as　if　warned　by　some　subtle　magic；　begun　to　turn　his　body　away　just　as　the　shot　was　made。　The　arrow　missed。　The　enemy；　alarmed；　were　all　ducking　for　cover。
　The　marksman　did　not　delay　to　see　what　they　might　be　going　to　do　next。　Already　he　was　on　his　feet　and　running；　scrambling；　on　down　the　canyon。　Only　two　arrows　left　in　his　quiver　now；　and　still　he　was　not　absolutely　sure　that　there　were　no　more　than　three　men　in　pursuit。
　He　hurdled　a　small　boulder；　and　kept　on　running。　At　least　he'd　slowed　his　pursuers　down　again；　made　them　move　more　cautiously。　And　that　ought　to　let　him　gain　a　little　distance。
　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