fs.thefirstbookofswords-第29部分

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rge　bite　out　of　the　snake's　midsection；　allowing　its　tail　half　to　fall　free。
　　　Nestor　drew　some　small　encouragement　from　the　fact　that　the　dragon　seemed　to　prefer　snake　to　human　flesh。　He　tried　again；　more　methodically　this　time；　to　work　himself　free。　But　in　this　case　method　had　no　more　success　than　frenzy。
　　　He　must　have　fainted　again；　for　his　next　awareness　was　of　being　picked　up　once　more　by　his　captor。　He　was　being　held　against　the　dragon's　breast　in　the　same　way　as　before；　and　his　arms　were　already　firmly　pinned。　This　time　the　takeoff　was　easier；　though　hardly　any　less　terrifying　…　it　consisted　in　the　dragon's　launching　itself　headlong　from　the　brink　of　the　small　cliff；　and　gaining　flying　speed　in　a　long；　swamp…skimming　dive　that　took　Nestor　within　centimeters　of　the　scummy　water。　Moss…hung　trees　flitted　past　him　to　right　and　left；　with　birds　scattering　from　the　trees　in　noisy　alarm。　A　monkbird　screamed；　and　then　was　left　below。
　　　Again　Nestor　faded　in　and　out　of　consciousness。　Again　he　was　unsure　of　how　much　time　was　passing。　If　the　damnable　thing　had　not　hauled　him　all　this　way　to　eat　him；　then　what　was　its　purpose？　He　was　not　being　taken　home　to　some　gargantuan　nest　to　feed　its　little　ones　…　no；　by　all　the　gods　and　the　Treasure　of　Benambra；　it　could　not　be　that。　For　such　an　idea　to　occur　to　him　meant　that　he　was　starting　to　go　mad。　Everyone　knew　that　dragons　built　no　nests　and　fed　no　young。。。　and　that　no　flying　dragon　was　big　enough　to　carry　a　grown　man。。。
　　　The　clouds　in　the　west　were　definitely　reddening　toward　sunset　before　the　flight　was　over。　At　last　the　creature　ceased　its　steady　southwestern　flight　and　began　to　circle　over　another；　larger；　island　of　firm　ground　in　the　swamp。　Most　of　the　trees　and　lesser　growth　had　been　cleared　away　from　a　sizable　area　around　the　approximate　center　of　the　island。　In　the　midst　of　this　clearing　stood　a　gigantic　structure　that　Nestor；　observing　under　difficult　conditions；　perceived　as　some　kind　of　temple。　It　had　been　built　either　of　stone；　brought　into　the　swamp　from　the　gods　knew　where；　or　else　of　some　kind　of　wood；　probably　magically　hardened　and　preserved　against　decay。　The　circles　of　the　dragon's　flight　fell　lower；　but　Nestor　still　could　not　guess　to　which　goddess　or　god　the　temple　…　if　such　it　truly　was　…　had　been　dedicated；　there　were　so　many　that　hardly　anyone　knew　them　all。　He　could　tell　that　the　building　was　now　largely　fallen　into　ruin；　and　that　the　ruins　were　now　largely　overgrown　by　vines　and　flowers。
　　　The　largest　area　remaining　cleared　was　a　courtyard；　its　stone　paving　still　mostly　intact；　directly　in　front　of　what　had　probably　been　the　main　entrance　of　the　temple。　The　flyer　appeared　to　be　heading　for　a　landing　in　this　space；　but　was　for　some　reason　approaching　very　cautiously。　While　it　was　still　circling　at　a　few　meters'　altitude；　one　possible　reason　for　caution　appeared；　in　the　form　of　a　giant　landwalker　that　stalked　out　into　the　courtyard　from　under　some　nearby　trees；　bellowing　its　stupidity　and　excitement。　While　the　flyer　continued　to　circle　just　above　its　reach；　the　landwalker　roared　and　reared；　making　motions　with　its　treetrunk　forelimbs　as　if　it　meant　to　leap　at　Nestor's　dangling　legs　when　they　passed　above。　Once　he　thought　that　he　felt　its　hot　breath；　but　fortunately　it　had　no　hope　of　getting　its　own　bulk　clear　of　the　ground。
　　　Then　a　prolonged　cry；　uttered　in　a　new　and　different　voice；　penetrated　the　dragon's　noise。　The　new　voice　was　as　deep　as　the　landwalker's　roar；　but　still　for　a　moment　Nestor　thought　that　it　was　human。　Then　he　felt　sure　that　it　was　not。　And；　when　the　sound　of　it　had　faded；　he　was　not　sure　that　it　had　borne　intelligence　of　any　kind；　human　or　non…human。　The　basic　tone　of　it　had　been　manding；　and　the　modulation　had　seemed　to　Nestor　to　hover　along　the　very　verge　of　speech　…　just　as　a　high…pitched　sound　might　have　wavered　along　the　verge　of　human　hearing。
　　　Perhaps　to　the　landwalker　dragon　some　meaning　had　been　clear；　for　the　enormous　beast　broke　off　its　own　uproar　almost　in　mid…bellow。　It　turned；　with　a　lash　of　its　great　tail；　and　stamped　back　into　the　surrounding　forest；　kicking　small　trees　aside。
　　　Now　the　way　was　clear　for　the　flying　dragon；　and　it　lowered　quickly　into　the　clearing。　Then；　summoning　up　one　more　effort；　it　hovered　with　its　burden；　as　from　underneath　vast　trees　a　being　who　was　neither　dragon　nor　human　strode　out　on　two　legs。。。
　　　Nestor　looked；　then　looked　again。　And　still　he　was　not　sure　that　his　sufferings　had　not　finally　brought　him　to　hallucinations。
　　　The　being　that　stood　below　him　on　two　legs　was　clothed　from　head　to　toe　in　long　fur；　a　covering　subtly　radiant　with　its　own　energies。　The　suggestion　was　of　light　on　the　edge　of　vision；　its　colors　indefinable。　The　figure　was　easily　six　meters　tall；　not　counting　the　upraised　arm　of　human　shape　that　reached　for　Nestor　now。　The　face　was　not　human　…　certainly　it　was　not　but　neither　was　it　merely　bestial。
　　　Despite　its　subtly　glowing　fur；　the　giant　hand　that　closed　with　unexpected　gentleness　round　Nestor's　torso　was　five…fingered；　and　of　human　shape。　So　was　the　other　hand　that　reached　to　pluck　out　delicately　the　sword　still　embedded　in　the　hovering　dragon's　hip。　At　that；　the　flyer　flapped　exhaustedly　away。　As　it　departed；　it　uttered　again　the　creaking…windmill　cry　that　Nestor　remembered　hearing　once　before；　a　lifetime　in　the　past　when　he　had　still　been　driving　his　wagon　through　the　fog。
　　　The　enormous　two…legged　creature　had　put　the　sword　down　on　the　paving　at　its　feet；　and　both　furred　hands　were　cradling　Nestor　now。　And　he　was　about　to　faint　again。。。
　　　But　he　did　not　faint。　An　accession　of　strength；　of　healing；　flowed　into　his　maltreated　body　from　those　hands。　A　touch　upon　his　wounded　shoulder；　followed　by　a　squeeze　that　should　have　brought　agony；　served　instead　to　drain　away　the　existing　pain。　A　tingling　warmth　spread　gratefully；　infiltrating　Nestor's　entire　body。　A　moment　later；　when　he　was　set　down　gently　on　the　ground；　he　found　that　he　could　stand　and　move　easily。　He　felt　alert　and　capable；　indeed　almost　rested。　His　pains　and　injuries　had　entirely　vanished。　Even　the　thirst　that　had　started　to　torment　his　mouth　and　throat　was　gone。
　　　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　quietly；　and　looked　up；　pondering　his　rescuer。　Although　the　day　was　almost　gone；　the　sky　was　still　light。　The　glow　of　daylight　tinged　with　sunset　surrounded　the　subtler　radiance　of　fur；　on　the　head　of　the　treetall　being　who　stood　like　a　huge　man　with　his　arms　folded；　looking　down　at　Nestor。
　　　〃I　am　sorry　that　you　were　hurt。〃　The　enormous　voice　sounded　almost　human　now。　〃I　did　not　mean　you　any　harm。〃
　　　Nestor　spread　his　arms。　He　asked　impulsively：　〃Are　you　a　god？〃
　　　〃I　am　not。〃　The　answer　was　immediate；　and　decisive。　〃What　do　you　know　of　gods？〃
　　　〃Little　enough；　in　truth。〃　Nestor　rubbed　at　his　shoulder；　which　did　not　hurt；　then　he　dropped　his　gaze　to　the　sword；　which　was　now　lying　on　the　courtyard's　pavement　at　his　feet。　〃But　I　have　met　one；　once　before。　It　was　less　than　a　year　ago；　though　by　all　the　gods　it　seems　at　least　a　lifetime。　Until　that　day；　I　don't　suppose　I　ever　really　believed　that　gods　existed。〃
　　　〃And　which　god　did　you　meet　that　day；　and　how？〃　The　huge　voice　was　patient　and　interested；　willing　to　gossip　about　gods　if　that　was　what　Nestor　wanted。　Above　the　folded　arms；　the　immense　face　was　inhuman。　It　was　impossible　for　Nestor　to　read　expression　in　it。
　　　Nestor　hesitated；　thought；　and　then　answered　as　clearly　as　he　could；　and　not　as　he　would　have　responded　to　questions　put　by　any　human　interrogator。　Instead；　he　felt　himself　to　be　speaking　as　simply　as　a　child；　without　trying　to　calculate　where　his　answers　might　be　going　to　lead　him。
　　　〃It　was　Hermes　Messenger　that　I　encountered。　He　came　plete　with　his　staff　and　his　winged　boots。　I　was　living　alone　then；　in　a　small　hut；　away　from　people　…　and　Hermes　came　to　my　door　and　woke　me　one　morning　at　dawn。　Just　like　that。　He　was　carrying　in　one　hand　a　sword；　the　like　of　which　I'd　never　seen　before；　and　he　handed　it　over　to　me　…　just　like　that。　Because；　as　he　said；　I　would　know　how　to　use　it。　I　was　already　in　the　dragon…hunting　trade。　He　told　me　that　the　sword　had　been　for　far　too　long　in　the　possession　of　people　who　were　never　going　to　use　it；　who　were　too　afraid　of　it　to　try；　though　they　had　some　idea　of　its　powers。　Therefore　had　Hermes　taken　it　from　them；　and　brought　it　to　me　instead。　It　was　called　the　Sword　of　Heroes；　he　told　me；　and　also　known　as　Dragonslicer。　He　said　that　it　would　kill　any　dragon　handily。
　　　〃Well；　I　soon　had　the　opportunity　to　put　Dragonslicer　to　the　test；　and　I　found　that　what　Hermes　had　told　me　was　the　truth。　The　blade　pierced　the　scales　of　any　dragon　that　I　met　like　so　much　cloth。　It　chopped　up　their　bones　like　twigs；　it　found　their　hearts　unerringly。　Hermes　had　told　me　that　it　had　been　forged　by　Vulcan；　and　when　I　saw　what　it　could　do　I　at　last　believed　him　on　that　point　also。〃
　　　〃And　what　else　did　Hermes　say　to　you？〃
　　　Trying　to　meet　his　questioner's　eyes　was　giving　Nestor　trouble。　Staring　at　the　giant's　legs；　he　marked　how　their　fur　still　glowed　on　the　border　of　vision；　even　now　when　direct　sunlight　was　pletely　gone。　Night's　shadows；　rising　f