rh.conanthewarrior-第3部分

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thdrawn；　vanishing　from　their　sight　as　if　it　had　sunk　in　a　pool。
　　Peering　down　through　broken　branches　that　scraped　the　rock；　they　saw　it　squatting　on　its　haunches　at　the　foot　of　the　crag；　staring　unblinkingly　up　at　them。
　　Valeria　shuddered。
　　〃How　long　do　you　suppose　he'll　crouch　there？〃
　　Conan　kicked　the　skull　on　the　leaf…strewn　shelf。
　　〃That　fellow　must　have　climbed　up　here　to　escape　him；　or　one　like　him。　He　must　have　died　of　starvation。　There　are　no　bones　broken。　That　thing　must　be　a　dragon；　such　as　the　black　people　speak　of　in　their　legends。　If　so；　it　won't　leave　here　until　we're　both　dead。〃
　　Valeria　looked　at　him　blankly；　her　resentment　forgotten。　She　fought　down　a　surging　of　panic。　She　had　proved　her　reckless　courage　a　thousand　times　in　wild　battles　on　sea　and　land；　on　the　blood…slippery　decks　of　burning　war　ships；　in　the　storming　of　walled　cities；　and　on　the　trampled　sandy　beaches　where　the　desperate　men　of　the　Red　Brotherhood　bathed　their　knives　in　one　another's　blood　in　their　fights　for　leadership。　But　the　prospect　now　confronting　her　congealed　her　blood。　A　cutlass　stroke　in　the　heat　of　battle　was　nothing；　but　to　sit　idle　and　helpless　on　a　bare　rock　until　she　perished　of　starvation；　besieged　by　a　monstrous　survival　of　an　elder　age…the　thought　sent　panic　throbbing　through　her　brain。
　　〃He　must　leave　to　eat　and　drink；〃　she　said　helplessly。
　　〃He　won't　have　to　go　far　to　do　either；〃　Conan　pointed　out。　〃He's　just　gorged　on　horse　meat　and；　like　a　real　snake；　he　can　go　for　a　long　time　without　eating　or　drinking　again。　But　he　doesn't　sleep　after　eating；　like　a　real　snake；　it　seems。　Anyway；　he　can't　climb　this　crag。〃
　　Conan　spoke　imperturbably。　He　was　a　barbarian；　and　the　terrible　patience　of　the　wilderness　and　its　children　was　as　much　a　part　of　him　as　his　lusts　and　rages。　He　could　endure　a　situation　like　this　with　a　coolness　impossible　to　a　civilized　person。
　　〃Can't　we　get　into　the　trees　and　get　away；　traveling　like　apes　through　the　branches？〃　she　asked　desperately。
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　thought　of　that。　The　branches　that　touch　the　crag　down　there　are　too　light。　They'd　break　with　our　weight。　Besides；　I　have　an　idea　that　devil　could　tear　up　any　tree　around　here　by　its　roots。〃
　　〃Well；　are　we　going　to　sit　here　on　our　rumps　until　we　starve；　like　that？〃　she　cried　furiously；　kicking　the　skull　clattering　across　the　ledge。　〃I　won't　do　it！　I'll　go　down　there　and　cut　his　damned　head　off…〃
　　Conan　had　seated　himself　on　a　rocky　projection　at　the　foot　of　the　spire。　He　looked　up　with　a　glint　of　admiration　at　her　blazing　eyes　and　tense；　quivering　figure；　but；　realizing　that　she　was　in　just　the　mood　for　any　madness；　he　let　none　of　his　admiration　sound　in　his　voice。
　　〃Sit　down；〃　he　grunted；　catching　her　by　her　wrist　and　pulling　her　down　on　his　knee。　She　was　too　surprised　to　resist　as　he　took　her　sword　from　her　hand　and　shoved　it　back　in　its　sheath。　〃Sit　still　and　calm　down。　You'd　only　break　your　steel　on　his　scales。　He'd　gobble　you　up　at　one　gulp；　or　smash　you　like　an　egg　with　that　spiked　tail　of　his。　We'll　get　out　of　this　jam　some　way；　but　we　shan't　do　it　by　getting　chewed　up　and　swallowed。〃
　　She　made　no　reply；　nor　did　she　seek　to　repulse　his　arm　from　about　her　waist。　She　was　frightened；　and　the　sensation　was　new　to　Valeria　of　the　Red　Brotherhood。　So　she　sat　on　her　panion's…or　captor's…knee　with　a　docility　that　would　have　amazed　Zarallo；　who　had　anathematized　her　as　a　she…devil　out　of　Hell's　seraglio。
　　Conan　played　idly　with　her　curly　yellow　locks；　seemingly　intent　only　upon　his　conquest。　Neither　the　skeleton　at　his　feet　nor　the　monster　crouching　below　disturbed　his　mind　or　dulled　the　edge　of　his　interest。
　　The　girl's　restless　eyes；　roving　the　leaves　below　them；　discovered　splashes　of　color　among　the　green。　It　was　fruit；　large；　darkly　crimson　globes　suspended　from　the　boughs　of　a　tree　whose　broad　leaves　were　a　peculiarly　rich　and　vivid　green。　She　became　aware　of　both　thirst　and　hunger；　though　thirst　had　not　assailed　her　until　she　knew　she　could　not　descend　from　the　crag　to　find　food　and　water。
　　〃We　need　not　starve；〃　she　said。　〃There　is　fruit　we　can　reach。〃
　　Conan　glanced　where　she　pointed。
　　〃If　we　ate　that　we　wouldn't　need　the　bite　of　a　dragon；〃　he　grunted。　〃That's　what　the　black　people　of　Kush　call　the　Apples　of　Derketa。　Derketa　is　the　Queen　of　the　Dead。　Drink　a　little　of　that　juice；　or　spill　it　on　your　flesh；　and　you'd　be　dead　before　you　could　tumble　to　the　foot　of　this　crag。〃
　　〃Oh！〃
　　She　lapsed　into　dismayed　silence。　There　seemed　no　way　out　of　their　predicament；　she　reflected　gloomily。　She　saw　no　way　of　escape；　and　Conan　seemed　to　be　concerned　only　with　her　supple　waist　and　curly　tresses。　If　he　was　trying　to　formulate　a　plan　of　escape　he　did　not　show　it。
　　〃If　you'll　take　your　hands　off　me　long　enough　to　climb　up　on　that　peak；〃　she　said　presently；　〃you'll　see　something　that　will　surprise　you。〃
　　He　cast　her　a　questioning　glance；　then　obeyed　with　a　shrug　of　his　massive　shoulders。　Clinging　to　the　spirelike　pinnacle；　he　stared　out　over　the　forest　roof。
　　He　stood　a　long　moment　in　silence；　posed　like　a　bronze　statue　on　the　rock。
　　〃It's　a　walled　city；　right　enough；〃　he　muttered　presently。　〃Was　that　where　you　were　going；　when　you　tried　to　send　me　off　alone　to　the　coast？〃
　　〃I　saw　it　before　you　came。　I　knew　nothing　of　it　when　I　left　Sukhmet。〃
　　〃Who'd　have　thought　to　find　a　city　here？　I　don't　believe　the　Stygians　ever　penetrated　this　far。　Could　black　people　build　a　city　like　that？　I　see　no　herds　on　the　plain；　no　signs　of　cultivation；　or　people　moving　about。〃
　　〃How　can　you　hope　to　see　all　that；　at　this　distance？〃　she　demanded。
　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　dropped　down　on　the　shelf。
　　〃Well；　the　folk　of　the　city　can't　help　us　just　now。　And　they　might　not；　if　they　could。　The　people　of　the　Black　Countries　are　generally　hostile　to　strangers。　Probably　stick　us　full　of　spears…〃
　　He　stopped　short　and　stood　silent；　as　if　he　had　forgotten　what　he　was　saying；　frowning　down　at　the　crimson　spheres　gleaming　among　the　leaves。
　　〃Spears！〃　he　muttered。　〃What　a　blasted　fool　I　am　not　to　have　thought　of　that　before！　That　shows　what　a　pretty　woman　does　to　a　man's　mind。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　she　inquired。
　　Without　answering　her　question；　he　descended　to　the　belt　of　leaves　and　looked　down　through　them。　The　great　brute　squatted　below；　watching　the　crag　with　the　frightful　patience　of　the　reptile　folk。　So　might　one　of　his　breed　have　glared　up　at　their　troglodyte　ancestors；　treed　on　a　high…flung　rock；　in　the　dim　dawn　ages。　Conan　cursed　him　without　heat；　and　began　cutting　branches；　reaching　out　and　severing　them　as　far　from　the　end　as　he　could　reach。　The　agitation　of　the　leaves　made　the　monster　restless。　He　rose　from　his　haunches　and　lashed　his　hideous　tail；　snapping　off　saplings　as　if　they　had　been　toothpicks。　Conan　watched　him　warily　from　the　corner　of　his　eye；　and　just　as　Valeria　believed　the　dragon　was　about　to　hurl　himself　up　the　crag　again；　the　Cimmerian　drew　back　and　climbed　up　to　the　ledge　with　the　branches　he　had　cut。　There　were　three　of　these；　slender　shafts　about　seven　feet　long；　but　not　larger　than　his　thumb。　He　had　also　cut　several　strands　of　tough；　thin　vine。
　　〃Branches　too　light　for　spear…hafts；　and　creepers　no　thicker　than　cords；〃　he　remarked；　indicating　the　foliage　about　the　crag。　〃It　won't　hold　our　weight…but　there's　strength　in　union。　That's　what　the　Aquilonian　renegades　used　to　tell　us　Cimmerians　when　they　came　into　the　hills　to　raise　an　army　to　invade　their　own　country。　But　we　always　fight　by　clans　and　tribes。〃
　　〃What　the　devil　has　that　got　to　do　with　those　sticks？〃　she　demanded。
　　〃You　wait　and　see。〃
　　Gathering　the　sticks　in　a　pact　bundle；　he　wedged　his　poniard　hilt　between　them　at　one　end。　Then　with　the　vines　he　bound　them　together　and；　when　he　had　pleted　his　task；　he　had　a　spear　of　no　small　strength；　with　a　sturdy　shaft　seven　feet　in　length。
　　〃What　good　will　that　do？〃　she　demanded。　〃You　told　me　that　a　blade　couldn't　pierce　his　scales…〃
　　〃He　hasn't　got　scales　all　over　him；〃　answered　Conan。　〃There's　more　than　one　way　of　skinning　a　panther。〃
　　Moving　down　to　the　edge　of　the　leaves；　he　reached　the　spear　up　and　carefully　thrust　the　blade　through　one　of　the　Apples　of　Derketa；　drawing　aside　to　avoid　the　darkly　purple　drops　that　dripped　from　the　pierced　fruit。　Presently　he　withdrew　the　blade　and　showed　her　the　blue　steel　stained　a　dull　purplish　crimson。
　　〃I　don't　know　whether　it　will　do　the　job　or　not；〃　quoth　he。　〃There's　enough　poison　there　to　kill　an　elephant；　but…well；　we'll　see。〃
　　Valeria　was　close　behind　him　as　he　let　himself　down　among　the　leaves。　Cautiously　holding　the　poisoned　pike　away　from　him；　he　thrust　his　head　through　the　branches　and　addressed　the　monster。
　　〃What　are　you　waiting　down　there　for；　you　misbegotten　offspring　of　questionable　parents？〃　was　one　of　his　more　printable　queries。　〃Stick　your　ugly　head　up　here　again；　you　long…necked　brute…or　do　you　want　me　to　e　down　there　and　kick　you　loose　from　your　illegitimate　spine？〃
　　There　was　more　of　it…some　of　it　crouched　in　eloquence　that　made　Valeria　stare；　in　spite　of　her　profane　education　among　the　seafarers。　And　it　had　its　ef