fs.thefirstbookofswords-第40章

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ad　rejoined　her　group　there；　though　he　could　not　pick　her　out。
　　　The　sun　was　setting　now；　beams　lancing　between　dark　masses　of　cloud；　red…rimmed　like　some　reflection　of　the　renewed　red　glow　in　the　east。　Torches　were　being　lighted　on　the　walls；　for　illumination　and　weapons　both；　and　they　shone　down　on　the　advancing；　climbing　Horde。　Darts　and　arrows　flew　up　at　the　defenders　from　below　the　walls；　but　in　no　great　numbers。　The　Horde　was　not　well　supplied　with　missile　weapons。
　　　Dame　Yoldi　still　stood　like　a　statue　on　the　high　roof；　her　arms　raised；　her　eyes　closed；　a　rising　wind　moving　her　garments。　She　appeared　to　be　oblivious　to　what　was　happening　below。　She　would　be　trying　to　strike　back　at　the　enemy　somehow；　or　else　to　ward　off　some　new　harm　from　them　…　Mark　was　unable　to　tell　which。
　　　The　attack　this　time　was　on　a　broader　front　than　before；　along　almost　the　entire　accessible　rim　of　wall；　and　just　as　savage　as　the　previous　attacks　had　been。　It　prospered　quickly。　Two　calls　for　Townsaver　went　up　at　the　same　time；　from　opposite　directions　on　the　walls。
　　　Was　it　Nestor　again；　the　helmed　figure　Mark　saw　now；　running　out　from　a　guard…tower　with　the　sword？　Mark　could　not　be　sure。　Whoever　it　was；　he　could　fight　in　only　one　place　at　a　time。
　　　Again　the　screaming　of　the　Sword　of　Fury　rose　above　the　eternal　whistle…howling　of　the　foe。　Again　Mark　watched　Townsaver's　blade　carve　a　dead…wood　legion　into　chunks　of　mud　and　flying　dust。　Again　the　sword　built　a　blurred　wall　through　which　the　invaders　could　not　force　their　way；　press　forward　as　they　might。
　　　But；　again；　Townsaver　prevailed　only　where　it　could　be　brought　to　bear。
　　　Now；　Mark　could　hear　despairing　cries　go　up；　from　the　defenders　on　the　wall　where　the　sword　was　not。　The　enemy　had　gained　a　foothold　there；　at　last；　and　was　now　pouring　in　reinforcements。　Dame　Yoldi；　rousing　herself　from　what　had　seemed　a　trance；　abruptly　abandoned　her　work；　snapping　orders　to　her　assistants。　Then　she　grabbed　Mark　by　one　arm　and　began　to　tow　him　to　the　trapdoor　that　led　down。　In　his　last　glance　from　the　high　roof　at　the　fighting；　he　could　see　warbeasts　starting　to　mount　some　of　the　scaling　ladders　far　below。
　　　And；　across　what　had　once　been　the　fairgrounds；　the　human　troops　of　Fraktin　and　Yambu　were　answering　to　trumpets；　marshalling　for　their　own　move　to　attack。
　　　The　enchantress；　still　clutching　Mark　tightly　by　the　wrist；　left　the　stair　at　the　level　of　the　castle　where　her　own　workroom　was。　Already　there　was　panic　in　the　corridors；　folk　running　this　way　and　that　bearing　weapons；　children；　treasures　great　and　small　that　they　had　hopes　of　saving　somehow。　Yoldi　ignored　all　this；　moving　almost　at　a　run　to　her　own　chambers。　There；　without　ceremony；　she　lifted　Dragonslicer　from　the　table；　and　grabbed　a　belt　and　scabbard　from　a　shelf。
　　　She　began　to　buckle　the　sword　on　her　own　bodythen；　with　a　rare　display　of　hesitation；　paused。　In　an　instant　she　had　changed　her　mind　and　was　fastening　it　round　Mark's　waist　instead。
　　　〃It　will　be　best　this　way；〃　she　murmured　to　herself。　〃Yes；　best。　Now　let　us　get　on　down。〃
　　　Once　more　they　hurried　through　hallways；　then　down　flight　after　flight　of　stairs。
　　　〃If　anything　should　happen　to　me　on　the　way；　lad；　you　keep　going。　Down　as　far　as　you　can；　to　the　bottom　of　the　keep；　to　where　the　dungeons　are。〃
　　　〃　Why　？〃
　　　〃Because　we　can't　hold　the　castle　now；　and　the　last　way　out　is　down　there。　And　you　are　the　one；　of　all　of　us；　who　must　get　out。〃
　　　Mark　wasn't　going　to　argue　about　it。　Still　he　couldn't　help　wondering　why。
　　　When　they　reached　ground　level　inside　the　castle；　uproar　and　confusion　swept　in　at　them　from　a　courtyard；　where　the　sounds　of　fighting　were　very　near。　Voices　were　crying　that　Sir　Andrew　had　been　wounded。
　　　Dame　Yoldi　halted　abruptly；　and　when　she　spoke　again　her　voice　had　changed。　〃I　must　go　to　him；　Mark。　You　go　on。　Down　to　the　dungeons　and　out。　Our　people　down　there　will　show　you　the　way。〃
　　　She　hurried　out。　Mark　turned　toward　the　doorway　she　had　indicated。　He　had　almost　reached　it　when　a　mass　of　struggling　soldiers　knocked　him　down。
　　　Duke　Fraktin　and　his　handpicked　force　of　fifteen　men　were　following　their　volunteer　guide；　Kaparu；　toward　the　castle。　It　had　been　a　quick　decision　on　the　Duke's　part；　made　when　the　larvae　had　won　success　atop　the　walls；　and　it　looked　as　if　the　citadel　might　after　all　fall　quickly。
　　　The　Duke　would　not　have　trusted　any　of　his　subordinates　to　lead　a　mission　like　this　one；　not　when　he　wanted　to　be　sure　that　the　prize　gained　reached　his　own　hands。　He　had　faced　war　at　close　range　many　times　before；　when　the　prizes　at　stake　were　far　less　than　these　Swords。　And　now；　secret　but　most　powerful　encouragement；　Coinspinner　was　giving　signs　that　he　took　to　mean　its　powers　were　fully　active。　Just　as　the　small　force　had　started　out　toward　the　beleagured　castle；　the　Sword　of　Chance　had　begun　a　whispering　thrumming　in　its　scabbard；　so　soft　a　sound　that　the　Duke　was　sure　no　one　but　he　could　hear　it。　He　could　hear　it　himself　only　when　he　put　a　hand　upon　the　hilt。　Even　then　the　thrum　was　more　to　be　felt　than　heard；　but　it　was　steady；　and　it　promised　power。　The　Duke　kept　one　hand　on　the　hilt　as　he　walked。
　　　The　small　body　of　men；　seventeen　in　all；　had　moved　out　from　the　lines　of　the　ducal　army　about　an　hour　after　dark；　just　as　soon　as　the　Duke　had　convinced　himself　that　Kaparu's　offer　represented　a　worthwhile　gamble。　The　gamble　had　to　be　taken　soon　if　it　was　to　be　taken　at　all；　for　it　was　impossible　to　count　on　the　defenders　of　the　castle　being　able　to　hold　out　much　longer；　and　at　any　moment　the　human　army　of　Yambu　might　move　as　well。
　　　Moving　toward　the　castle；　the　Duke's　small　force　traversed　a　slope　of　worn　grass；　cut　by　ditches；　that　Kaparu　said　had　been　a　fairground　only　a　few　days　ago。　The　ditches　afforded　a　certain　amount　of　cover　not　that　the　castles　defenders　had　any　attention　to　spare　right　now　for　this　little　group　of　men。　Torches　still　burning　on　the　walls　ahead　showed　that　parts　of　them　were　still　held　by　Sir　Andrew's　troops；　but　new　assaults　against　those　sections　were　being　readied　to　left　and　right；　where　now　the　regular　troops　of　Fraktin　and　Yambu　alike　were　moving　forward；　following　the　larvae。
　　　But；　just　ahead；　where　the　keep　itself　almost　became　a　part　of　the　outer　wall；　that　wall　rose　to　a　forbidding　height。　Until　now；　no　direct　attack　had　been　attempted　at　this　point。
　　　When　his　party　was　halfway　across　what　had　been　the　fairgrounds；　the　Duke　stopped。　He　warned　Kaparu　yet　once　again；　with　Coinspinner's　edge　against　his　throat：　〃You　will　be　first　to　die；　if　there　is　any　treachery　here。〃
　　　The　fellow　took　the　threat　calmly　and　bravely　enough。　〃There'll　be　no　treachery　from　me；　Your　Grace。　I　look　forward　too　eagerly　to　receiving　the　generous　reward　that　you　have　promised。〃
　　　Silently　the　Duke　pushed　him　forward。
　　　When　he　and　his　men　had　topped　the　outer　lip　of　the　almost　waterless　moat；　they　could　see　rectangular　patches　of　faint　light　in　the　castle　wall；　now　just　a　few　meters　in　front　of　them。
　　　〃The　windows；〃　breathed　Kaparu。　〃As　I　promised。　I　tell　you　the　old　man　is　a　soft…brained　fool；　I　only　wonder　that　his　defenses　held　out　as　long　as　they　did。〃
　　　The　Duke　had　to　admit　that　the　rectangles　certainly　looked　like　windows；　open　and　undefended。　Any　castle　lord　who　came　to　be　known　as　Kind　could　hardly　expect　to　keep　his　castle。。。
　　　The　group　easily　forded　the　muddy　moat；　and　easily　climbed　its　inward　wall；　which　was　badly　eroded　and　had　obviously　been　neglected　for　years。　As　they　came　at　last　in　reach　of　the　castle　wall　itself；　Kaparu　leaned　a　hand　upon　the　giant　stones；　and　paused　for　a　final　whisper：　〃As　I　have　already　warned　you；　there　will　be　ponderous　iron　bars　inside。　Once　through　the　wall；　we'll　be　inside　a　large　dungeon　cell；　whether　locked　or　unlocked　I　do　not　know。〃
　　　The　Duke　nodded　grimly。　〃Bars　we　can　deal　with；〃　he　said；　and　glanced　at　some　of　his　men　who　carried　tools；　and　at　BlueRobes　in　his　incongruous　armor。　They　silently　nodded　back。　The　wizard　had　volunteered　half…willingly　to　acpany　this　expedition；　as　a　sort　of　penance；　Mars　had　not；　after　all；　made　his　appearance　as　predicted。
　　　In　a　voice　barely　audible；　the　Duke　hissed　at　Kaparu：　〃Just　so　there　are　no　tricks。〃
　　　The　guide　Kaparu　was　made　to　be　the　second　man　in　through　one　of　the　tunnel…like　windows；　with　Duke　Fraktin　right　behind　him。　The　Sword　of　Chance；　throbbing　faintly　with　the　risks　its　master　was　taking；　was　touching　its　needle　point　to　the　guides　back。
　　　Once　inside；　through　the　five　or　six　meters　of　the　wall's　thickness；　the　Duke　dropped　down　from　windowsill　to　stone　floor；　following　closely　the　men　ahead　of　him　and　moving　to　make　room　for　those　who　followed　closely　after。　Yes；　they　were　in　a　cell；　all　right。　The　bars　were　visible　as　dark　outlines　against　some　illumination　of　ghostly　faintness　that　came　through　an　archway　atop　some　stairs。
　　　As　the　Duke　motioned　his　tool…workers　and　wizard　forward；　to　grope　in　silence　for　the　door；　he　found　himself　starting　to　sweat。　As　the　last　of　his　party　dropped　in　through　the　window；　and　his　men　milled　around　him；　he　found　uneasiness；　queasiness；　growing　in　the　center　of　his　belly。　Fear；　he　reminded　himself；　was　quite　natural　when　a　man　was　engaged　in　an　enterprise　as　dangerous　as　this。　Even　fear　enough　to　make　him　feel　sick。。。　but　this。。。　this　sickness　had　been　only　in　his　gut　at　first；　but　now　it　felt　as　if　it　were　centered　somewhere　even　more　central　than　that；　if　such　were　possible。。。
　　　Beside　the　Duke；　one　of　his　hand…picked　men　cried　out　in　a　low　voice；　then　seemed　to　be　struggling　with　himself；　trying　to　muffle　yet　another　cry。　Another's　weapon　fell　clashing　on　the　stone　floor。　A　third　sobbed　loudly。　The　Duke　would　have　struck　out　at　them　all；　in　anger　at　their　noise；　but　something　was　turning　like　poison　in　the　core　of　his　own　being；　and　he　could　hardly　move　his　limbs。。。
　　　Not　poison；　no。
　　　The　wizard　was　perhaps　the　first　to　understand　what　was　happening　to　them　all；　and　he　choked　out　the　first　words　of　a　phrase　of　power。　But　it　was　too　late　to　be　an　effective　counter；　or　perhaps　too　weak　something　strangled　the　next　words　in　his　throat。
　　　The　sensation　of　deadly　illness　had　now　fastened　upon　all　the　men　who　were　crowded　into　the　large　cell。　Blue　force；　no　longer　pletely　invisible；　hung　in　the　black　air　around　the　windows；　preventing　any　effort　at　retreat。　Some　of　the　men　had　groped　and　pushed　their　way　to　the　cell　bars；　and　hung　on　the　bars　now；　rattling　them。　Now　blue　fiery　tongues；　constructions　almost　more　of　darkness　than　of　light；　were　playing　in　the　air　all　around　the　men；　tongues　of　force　that　became　more　clearly　visible　as　the　wakefulness　and　the　hunger　of　their　possessor　grew。
　　　With　Coinspinner　drawn　and　throbbing　strongly　in　his　hand；　the　Duke　managed　to　tear　himself　free　of　momentarily　faltering　blue　tongues　of　light。　He　threw　himself　down　on　the　stone　floor　of　the　cell；　rolling　violently　from　right　to　left　and　back　again。　He　was　trying；　and　managing　successfully　so　far；　to　avoid　that　groping；　subtle　touch；　that　was　so　wholly　horrible。。。　Two　men　were　hurriedly　carrying　Sir　Andrew　downstairs　on　a　stretcher。