bl.necroscope2-第11部分

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　messenger。　Before　you　pass　this　point；　however；　which　is　a　boundary；　my　master　must　be　sure　that　you　e　of　your　own　free　will。〃
　Thibor　had　regained　his　self…control。　〃No　one　dragged　me　up　here；〃　he　snorted。
　〃But　you　were　sent。。。？〃
　〃A　strong　man　may　only　be　〃sent〃　where　he　wishes　to　go；〃　the　Wallach　answered。
　〃And　your　men？〃
　〃We're　with　Thibor；〃　said　the　hunched　one。　〃Where　he　ventures；　we　venture…willingly！〃
　〃Even　to　see　one　who　sends　out　wolves　to　do　his　bidding；〃　Thibor's　second　panion；　the　apish　one；　added。
　〃Wolves？〃　The　stranger　frowned　and　cocked　his　head　on　one　side　quizzically。　He　glanced　sharply　all　about；　then　smiled　his　amusement。　〃My　master's　dogs；　you　mean？〃
　〃Dogs？〃　Thibor　was　certain　he'd　seen　wolves。　Now；　however；　the　idea　seemed　ridiculous。
　〃Aye；　dogs。　They　came　out　to　walk　with　me；　for　it's　a　fine　night。　But　they're　not　used　to　strangers。　See；　they've　run　off　home。〃
　Thibor　nodded；　and　eventually　he　said：　〃So；　you've　e　to　meet　us　half…way；　then。　To　walk　with　us　and　show　us　the　way。〃
　〃Not　I；〃　the　other　shook　his　head。　〃Arvos　can　do　that　well　enough。　I　came　only　to　greet　you　and　to　count　your　numbers…also　to　ensure　that　your　presence　here　was　not　forced。　Which　is　to　say；　that　you　came　of　your　own　free　mind　and　will。〃
　〃I　say　again；〃　Thibor　growled；　〃who　could　force　me？〃
　〃There　are　pressures　and　there　are　pressures；〃　the　other　shrugged。　〃But　I　see　you　are　your　own　man。〃
　〃You　mentioned　our　numbers。〃
　The　man　in　the　cape　raised　his　eyebrows。　They　peaked　like　gables。　〃For　your　acmodation；〃　he　answered。　〃What　else？〃　And　before　Thibor　could　reply：　〃Now　I　must　go　on　ahead…to　make　preparation。〃
　〃I'd　hate　to　crowd　your　master's　house；〃　said　Thibor　quickly。　〃Bad　enough　to　be　an　unexpected　guest；　but　worse　far　if　others　are　obliged　to　vacate　their　rightful　positions　to　make　room　for　me。〃
　〃Oh；　there's　room　enough；〃　the　other　answered。　〃And
　you　were　not　entirely　unexpected。　As　for　putting　others　out：　my　master's　house　is　a　castle；　but　it　shelters　fewer　human　souls　than　you　have　here。〃　It　was　as　if　he'd　read　Thibor's　mind　and　answered　the　question　he'd　found　there。
　Now　he　inclined　his　head　towards　the　old　Szgany。　〃Be　warned；　however；　that　the　path　along　the　cliff　is　loose　and　the　way　a　little　perilous。　Be　on　your　guard　for　rock　falls！〃　And　once　more　to　Thibor　he　said；　〃Until　later；　then。〃
　They　watched　him　turn　and　make　off　after　his　master's　〃dogs〃　across　the　narrow；　jumbled；　boulder…strewn　plain。
　When　he'd　gone　into　the　shadows；　Thibor　grabbed　Arvos　by　the　neck。　〃No　retainers？〃　he　hissed　into　the　old　gypsy's　face。　〃No　servants？　What；　and　are　you　a　simple　liar　or　a　very　great　liar？　The　Ferenczy　could　harbour　an　army　up　there！〃
　Arvos　tried　to　snatch　himself　back　and　found　the　Wallach's　grip　like　iron　on　his　throat。　〃A。。。　a　manservant　or　two；〃　he　choked。　〃How　was。。。　was　I　to　know？　It's　been　many　a　year。。。〃　Thibor　released　him；　thrust　him　away。
　〃Old　man；〃　he　warned；　〃if　you'd　see　another　day；　just　be　sure　you　guide　us　carefully　along　this　perilous　cliff　path。〃　And　so　they　had　crossed　the　stony　depression　to　the　cliff；　and　started　up　the　narrow　way　carved　in　its　sheer　face。。。
　
　
　Chapter　Three
　The　path　clung　to　the　black　rock　of　the　cliffs　like　a　silver　snake　under　the　moon。　Its　surface　was　wide　enough　to　take　a　small　cart；　no　more；　but　in　places　the　rim　had　fallen　away；　and　then　the　track　narrowed　to　little　more　than　the　width　of　a　man。　And　it　was　in　just　such　narrow　spots　that　the　night　breeze　off　the　forests　picked　up　to　a　bluster；　seeming　to　tug　at　and　threaten　the　men　who　toiled　up　like　insects　towards　that　unknown　aerie　which　was　their　destination。
　〃How　long　is　this　damned　path；　anyway？〃　Thibor　snarled　at　the　Gypsy；　after　maybe　half　a　mile　of　slow；　careful　climbing。
　〃The　same　distance　again；〃　Arvos　at　once　replied；　〃but　steeper　from　now　on。　Once　they　brought　carts　up　here；　I'm　told；　but　that　was　a　hundred　years　or　more　ago　and　the　way　has　not　been　well　kept。〃
　〃Huh！〃　Thibor's　apish　aide　snorted。　〃Carts？　I　wouldn't　bring　goats　up　here！〃
　At　that　the　other　Wallach；　the　hunched　one；　gave　a　start　and　pressed　more　closely　to　the　cliff。　〃I　wouldn't　know　about　goats；〃　he　whispered　hoarsely；　〃but　if　I'm　not　mistaken　we　have　pany　of　sorts：　the　Ferenczy's　〃dogs〃！〃
　Thibor　looked　ahead　to　where　the　path　vanished　round　the　curve　of　the　cliff。　Silhouetted　against　the　starry　void　of　space；　hump…shouldered　wolf…shapes　stood　with　muzzles　lifted；　ears　pointed　and　eyes　ferally　agleam。　But　there　were　only　two　of　them。　Gasping　his　shock；　then　a　harsh　curse；　Thibor　looked　back　into　the　deepest　shadows…and　saw　the　other　two；　or　rather；　he　saw　their　triangular　moon…silvered　eyes。　〃Arvos！〃　he　growled；　gathering　his　wits；　reaching　for　the　old　gypsy。　〃Arvos！〃
　The　sudden　rumbling　might　well　have　been　thunder；　except　the　air　was　crisp　and　dry　and　what　few　clouds　there　were　scudded　rather　than　boiled；　and　thunder　seldom　makes　the　ground　shudder　beneath　a　man's　feet。
　Thibor's　thin；　hunched　friend　was　hindmost；　bringing　up　the　rear　at　a　point　where　the　path　was　the　merest　ledge。　It　required　but　a　step　to　bring　him　to　safety。　〃Rock　fall！〃　he　cried　hoarsely；　making　to　leap　forward。　But　as　he　sprang；　so　the　boulders　rained　down　and　swept　him　away。　It　was　as　quick　as　that：　he　was　there…arms　straining　forward；　face　gaping　white　in　the　light　of　the　moon…and　he　was　gone。　He　did　not　cry　out：　clubbed　by　boulders；　doubtless　he'd　been　unconscious　or　dead　even　as　he　fell。
　When　the　last　pebble　and　plume　of　dust　had　fallen　and　the　rumbling　was　an　echo；　Thibor　stepped　to　the　rim　and　looked　down。　There　was　nothing　to　see；　just　darkness　and　the　glint　of　the　moon　on　distant　rocks。　Up　and　down　the　trail；　of　wolves　there　was　no　sign。
　Thibor　turned　to　where　the　old　gypsy　shivered　and　clung　to　the　face　of　the　cliff。
　〃A　rock　fall！〃　The　old　man　saw　the　look　on　his　face。　〃You　can't　blame　me　for　a　rock　fall。　If　he'd　jumped　instead　of　shouting　his　warning。。。〃
　Thibor　nodded。　〃No；〃　he　agreed；　brows　black　as　the　night　itself；　〃I　can't　blame　you　for　a　rock　fall。　But　from　now　on　blame　doesn't　e　into　it。　From　now　on　if　there's　any　problem　at　all…from　whatever　cause　or　quarter…I'll　just　toss　you　off　the　cliff。　That　way；　if　I'm　to　die；　I'll　know　that　you　died　first。　For　let's　have　something　clearly　understood；　old　man。　I　don't　trust　the　Ferenczy；　I　don't　trust　his　〃dogs〃；　and　I　trust　you　least　of　all。　There'll　be　no　further　warnings。〃　He　jerked　his　thumb　up　the　path。　〃Lead　on；　Arvos　of　the　Szgany…and　nimble　about　it！〃
　Thibor　did　not　think　that　his　warning　would　carry　much　weight；　even　if　it　weighed　on　the　gypsy；　it　certainly　wouldn't　weigh　on　his　master　in　the　mountain。　But　neither　was　the　Wallach　a　man　to　issue　idle　threats。　Arvos　the　Szgany　belonged　to　the　Ferenczy；　no　doubt　of　that。　And　so；　if　more　trouble　was　on　the　way　from　that　quarter　（Thibor　was　sure　that　the　avalanche　had　been　arranged）　then　he　would　see　that　it　came　to　Arvos　first。　And　trouble　was　ing：　it　waited　in　the　defile　where　the　cliff　was　split　by　a　deep　chasm；　at　the　back　of　which　sat　the　castle　of　the　Ferenczy。
　This　was　the　sight　they　saw；　Thibor　and　his　simian　Wallach　friend；　and　the　now　sinister　gypsy　Arvos；　when　they　reached　the　cleft。　Back　in　the　dim　mists　of　time　the　mountains　had　convulsed；　split　apart。　Passes　had　been　formed　through　the　ranges；　of　which　this　might　have　been　one。　Except　that　in　this　case　the　opening　had　not　gone　all　the　way　through。　The　cliff　whose　face　they'd　traversed　had　led　finally　to　a　high　crest　which　reared　now　a　half　mile　away。　The　crest　was　split　into　twin　peaks…like　the　ears　of　a　bat　or　a　wolf。　And　there；　straddling　the　defile　where　it　narrowed　to　a　fissure…clinging　to　both　opposing　faces　and　meeting　centrally　in　a　massive　arch　of　masonry…there　sat　the　manse　of　the　Ferenczy。　As　before；　two　windows　were　lighted；　like　eyes　under　the　sharp　black　ears；　and　the　fissure　below　seemed　to　form　a　gaping　mouth。
　〃No　wonder　he　runs　wolves；　this　one！〃　Thibor's　squat　panion　grunted。　His　words　acted　like　an　invocation。
　They　came　down　the　cliff…hugging　track　from　the　castle；　and　not　just　four　off　them。　A　flood　of　them；　a　wall　of　grey　fur　studded　with　yellow　jewel　eyes。　And　they　came　at　the　lope；　full　of　purpose。
　〃A　pack！〃　cried　Thibor's　friend。
　〃Too　many　to　fight　off；〃　the　Voevod　shouted　back。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　saw　Arvos　start　forward；　towards　the　oning　wolves。　He　reached　out　a　leg；　tripped　the　old　gypsy。
　〃Grab　him！〃　Thibor　manded；　drawing　his　sword。
　The　squat　Wallach　lifted　Arvos　as　easily　as　he　would　lift　the　dead；　dry　branch　of　a　tree；　swung　him　out　over　the　abyss　and　held　him　there。　Arvos　howled　his　terror。　The　wolves；　scant　paces　away；　came　to　an　uneasy　halt。　Their　leaders　threw　up　pointed　muzzles；　howled　mourn…fully。　It　was　for　all　the　world　as　if　they　waited　upon　some　mand。　But　from　whom？
　Arvos　stopped　his　yelling；　turned　his　head　and　gazed　wide…eyed　at　the　distant　castle。　His　gullet　bobbed　spastically　with　his　gulping。
　The　man　who　held　him　glanced　from　the　wolves　to　Thibor。　〃What　now？　Do　I　drop　him？〃
　The　huge　Wallach　shook　his　head。　〃Only　if　they　attack；〃　he　answered。
　〃You　think　the　Ferenczy　controls　them；　then？　But。。。　is　it　possible？〃
　〃It　seems　our　qua