rh.conanthewarrior-第38部分

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in　in　his　side；　and　running　became　torture。　He　blundered　against　the　bushes　on　each　side　of　the　trail。　Conan　pulled　up　suddenly；　turned　and　stared　back　down　the　dim　path。
　　Somewhere　the　moon　was　rising；　a　dim　white　glow　amidst　a　tangle　of　branches。
　　〃Shall　we　take　to　the　woods？〃　panted　Balthus。
　　〃Give　me　your　ax；〃　murmured　Conan　softly。　〃Something　is　close　behind　us。〃
　　〃Then　we'd　better　leave　the　trail！〃　exclaimed　Balthus。　Conan　shook　his　head　and　drew　his　panion　into　a　dense　thicket。　The　moon　rose　higher；　making　a　dim　light　in　the　path。
　　〃We　can't　fight　the　whole　tribe！〃　whispered　Balthus。　
　　〃No　human　being　could　have　found　our　trail　so　quickly；　or　followed　us　so　swiftly；〃　muttered　Conan。　〃Keep　silent。〃
　　There　followed　a　tense　silence　in　which　Balthus　felt　that　his　heart　could　be　heard　pounding　for　miles　away。　Then　abruptly；　without　a　sound　to　announce　its　ing；　a　savage　head　appeared　in　the　dim　path。　Balthus'　heart　jumped　into　his　throat；　at　first　glance　he　feared　to　look　upon　the　awful　head　of　the　saber…tooth。　But　this　head　was　smaller；　more　narrow；　it　was　a　leopard　which　stood　there；　snarling　silently　and　glaring　down　the　trail。　What　wind　there　was　was　blowing　toward　the　hiding　men；　concealing　their　scent。　The　beast　lowered　his　head　and　snuffed　the　trail；　then　moved　forward　uncertainly。　A　chill　played　down　Balthus'　spine。　The　brute　was　undoubtedly　trailing　them。
　　And　it　was　suspicious。　It　lifted　its　head；　its　eyes　glowing　like　balls　of　fire；　and　growled　low　in　its　throat。　And　at　that　instant　Conan　hurled　the　ax。
　　All　the　weight　of　arm　and　shoulder　was　behind　the　throw；　and　the　ax　was　a　streak　of　silver　in　the　dim　moon。　Almost　before　he　realized　what　had　happened；　Balthus　saw　the　leopard　rolling　on　the　ground　in　its　death…throes；　the　handle　of　the　ax　standing　up　from　its　head。　The　head　of　the　weapon　had　split　its　narrow　skull。
　　Conan　bounded　from　the　bushes；　wrenched　his　ax　free　and　dragged　the　limp　body　in　among　the　trees；　concealing　it　from　the　casual　glance。
　　〃Now　let's　go；　and　go　fast！〃　he　grunted；　leading　the　way　southward；　away　from　the　trail。　〃There'll　be　warriors　ing　after　that　cat。　As　soon　as　he　got　his　wits　back　Zogar　sent　him　after　us。　The　Picts　would　follow　him；　but　he'd　leave　them　far　behind。　He'd　circle　the　village　until　he　hit　our　trail　and　then　e　after　us　like　a　streak。　They　couldn't　keep　up　with　him；　but　they'll　have　an　idea　as　to　our　general　direction。　They'd　follow；　listening　for　his　cry。　Well；　they　won't　hear　that；　but　they'll　find　the　blood　on　the　trail；　and　look　around　and　find　the　body　in　the　brush。　They'll　pick　up　our　spoor　there；　if　they　can。　Walk　with　care。〃
　　He　avoided　clinging　briars　and　low…hanging　branches　effortlessly；　gliding　between　trees　without　touching　the　stems　and　always　planting　his　feet　in　the　places　calculated　to　show　least　evidence　of　his　passing；　but　with　Balthus　it　was　slower；　more　laborious　work。
　　No　sound　came　from　behind　them。　They　had　covered　more　than　a　mile　when　Balthus　said：　〃Does　Zogar　Sag　catch　leopard…cubs　and　train　them　for　bloodhounds？〃
　　Conan　shook　his　head。　〃That　was　a　leopard　he　called　out　of　the　woods。〃
　　〃But；〃　Balthus　persisted；　〃if　he　can　order　the　beasts　to　do　his　bidding；　why　doesn't　he　rouse　them　all　and　have　them　after　us？　The　forest　is　full　of　leopards；　why　send　only　one　after　us？〃
　　Conan　did　not　reply　for　a　space；　and　when　he　did　it　was　with　a　curious　reticence。
　　〃He　can't　mand　all　the　animals。　Only　such　as　remember　Jhebbal　Sag。〃
　　〃Jhebbal　Sag？〃　Balthus　repeated　the　ancient　name　hesitantly。　He　had　never　heard　it　spoken　more　than　three　or　four　times　in　his　whole　life。
　　〃Once　all　living　things　worshipped　him。　That　was　long　ago；　when　beasts　and　men　spoke　one　language。　Men　have　forgotten　him；　even　the　beasts　forget。　Only　a　few　remember。　The　men　who　remember　Jhebbal　Sag　and　the　beasts　who　remember　are　brothers　and　speak　the　same　tongue。〃
　　Balthus　did　not　reply；　he　had　strained　at　a　Pictish　stake　and　seen　the　nighted　jungle　give　up　its　fanged　horrors　at　a　shaman's　call。
　　〃Civilized　men　laugh；〃　said　Conan。　〃But　not　one　can　tell　me　how　Zogar　Sag　can　call　pythons　and　tigers　and　leopards　out　of　the　wilderness　and　make　them　do　his　bidding。　They　would　say　it　is　a　lie；　if　they　dared。　That's　the　way　with　civilized　men。　When　they　can't　explain　something　by　their　half…baked　science；　they　refuse　to　believe　it。〃
　　The　people　on　the　Tauran　were　closer　to　the　primitive　than　most　Aquilonians；　superstitions　persisted；　whose　sources　were　lost　in　antiquity。　And　Balthus　had　seen　that　which　still　prickled　his　flesh。　He　could　not　refute　the　monstrous　thing　which　Conan's　words　implied。
　　〃I've　heard　that　there's　an　ancient　grove　sacred　to　Jhebbal　Sag　somewhere　in　this　forest；〃　said　Conan。　〃I　don't　know。　I've　never　seen　it。　But　more　beasts　remember　in　this　country　than　any　I've　ever　seen。〃
　　〃Then　others　will　be　on　our　trail？〃
　　〃They　are　now；〃　was　Conan's　disquieting　answer。　〃Zogar　would　never　leave　our　tracking　to　one　beast　alone。〃
　　〃What　are　we　to　do；　then？〃　asked　Balthus　uneasily；　grasping　his　ax　as　he　stared　at　the　gloomy　arches　above　him。　His　flesh　crawled　with　the　momentary　expectation　of　ripping　talons　and　fangs　leaping　from　the　shadows。
　　〃Wait！〃
　　Conan　turned；　squatted　and　with　his　knife　began　scratching　a　curious　symbol　in　the　mold。　Stooping　to　look　at　it　over　his　shoulder；　Balthus　felt　a　crawling　of　the　flesh　along　his　spine；　he　knew　not　why。　He　felt　no　wind　against　his　face；　but　there　was　a　rustling　of　leaves　above　them　and　a　weird　moaning　swept　ghostily　through　the　branches。　Conan　glanced　up　inscrutably；　then　rose　and　stood　staring　somberly　down　at　the　symbol　he　had　drawn。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　whispered　Balthus。　It　looked　archaic　and　meaningless　to　him。　He　supposed　that　it　was　his　ignorance　of　artistry　which　prevented　his　identifying　it　as　one　of　the　conventional　designs　of　some　prevailing　culture。　But　had　he　been　the　most　erudite　artist　in　the　world；　he　would　have　been　no　nearer　the　solution。
　　〃I　saw　it　carved　in　the　rock　of　a　cave　no　human　had　visited　for　a　million　years；〃　muttered　Conan；　〃in　the　uninhabited　mountains　beyond　the　Sea　of　Vilayet；　half　a　world　away　from　this　spot。　Later　I　saw　a　black　witch…finder　of　Kush　scratch　it　in　the　sand　of　a　nameless　river。　He　told　me　part　of　its　meaning…it's　sacred　to　Jhebbal　Sag　and　the　creatures　which　worship　him。　Watch！〃
　　They　drew　back　among　the　dense　foliage　some　yards　away　and　waited　in　tense　silence。　To　the　east　drums　muttered　and　somewhere　to　north　and　west　other　drums　answered。　Balthus　shivered；　though　he　knew　long　miles　of　black　forest　separated　him　from　the　grim　beaters　of　those　drums　whose　dull　pulsing　was　a　sinister　overture　that　set　the　dark　stage　for　bloody　drama。
　　Balthus　found　himself　holding　his　breath。　Then　with　a　slight　shaking　of　the　leaves；　the　bushes　parted　and　a　magnificent　panther　came　into　view。　The　moonlight　dappling　through　the　leaves　shone　on　its　glossy　coat　rippling　with　the　play　of　the　great　muscles　beneath　it。
　　With　its　head　low　it　glided　toward　them。　It　was　smelling　out　their　trail。　Then　it　halted　as　if　frozen；　its　muzzle　almost　touching　the　symbol　cut　in　the　mold。　For　a　long　space　it　crouched　motionless；　it　flattened　its　long　body　and　laid　its　head　on　the　ground　before　the　mark。　And　Balthus　felt　the　short　hairs　stir　on　his　scalp。　For　the　attitude　of　the　great　carnivore　was　one　of　awe　and　adoration。
　　Then　the　panther　rose　and　backed　away　carefully；　belly　almost　to　the　ground。　With　his　hind…quarters　among　the　bushes　he　wheeled　as　if　in　sudden　panic　and　was　gone　like　a　flash　of　dappled　light。
　　Balthus　mopped　his　brow　with　a　trembling　hand　and　glanced　at　Conan。
　　The　barbarian's　eyes　were　smoldering　with　fires　that　never　lit　the　eyes　of　men　bred　to　the　ideas　of　civilization。　In　that　instant　he　was　all　wild；　and　had　forgotten　the　man　at　his　side。　In　his　burning　gaze　Balthus　glimpsed　and　vaguely　recognized　pristine　images　and　half…embodied　memories；　shadows　from　Life's　dawn；　forgotten　and　repudiated　by　sophisticated　races…ancient；　primeval　fantasms　unnamed　and　nameless。
　　Then　the　deeper　fires　were　masked　and　Conan　was　silently　leading　the　way　deeper　into　the　forest。
　　〃We've　no　more　to　fear　from　the　beasts；〃　he　said　after　a　while；　〃but　we've　left　a　sign　for　men　to　read。　They　won't　follow　our　trail　very　easily；　and　until　they　find　that　symbol　they　won't　know　for　sure　we've　turned　south。　Even　then　it　won't　be　easy　to　smell　us　out　without　the　beasts　to　aid　them。　But　the　woods　south　of　the　trail　will　be　full　of　warriors　looking　for　us。　If　we　keep　moving　after　daylight；　we'll　be　sure　to　run　into　some　of　them。　As　soon　as　we　find　a　good　place　we'll　hide　and　wait　until　another　night　to　swing　back　and　make　the　river。　We've　got　to　warn　Valannus；　but　it　won't　help　him　any　if　we　get　ourselves　killed。〃
　　〃Warn　Valannus？〃
　　〃Hell；　the　woods　along　the　river　are　swarming　with　Picts！　That's　why　they　got　us。　Zogar's　brewing　war…magic；　no　mere　raid　this　time。　He's　done　something　no　Pict　has　done　in　my　memory…united　as　many　as　fifteen　or　sixteen　clans。　His　magic　did　it；　they'll　follow　a　wizard　farther　than　they　will　a　war…chief。　You　saw　the　mob　in　the　village；　and　there　were　hundreds　hiding　alo