按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
And now something else came into view； above and beyond the cowled head of Radulescu； who now turned fully away from Ben to face the apparition。 First the two eyes of the dragon were born in the midst of darkness； greenly reflecting the Old World light。 The height of those eyes above the ground； and the distance between them； were enough to impress even an experienced dragon hunter。 In the next moment； as the monster drew in a slow breath； there appeared below and between the eyes a red suggestion； glowing through flesh and scale； of the inner fires of nose and mouth； an almost subliminal red that would have been invisible by day。 The purring snort that followed was a nearly musical sound； the rolling of hollow metal spheres in some vast brazen bowl。
Ben's sense of magic in operation was not particularly strong； but now even he could feel the flow； the working of the chant。 The spell had already held the dragon back； and now was turning it away。 With blinking eyes the great landwalker snorted again； and then melted back out of the train's path； disappearing into storm and darkness。
With the going of the dragon； Ben's real worry only sharpened。 He had no trouble now in concentrating on it。 In fact； as he waited for Radulescu to conclude his spell； demonstrating how firmly the powers of the Blue Temple were in control； it was impossible for him to think of anything else。
The worry that deviled Ben was not rooted in any single warning； any one thing that he had seen or heard。 Rather it had sprung into existence like some kind of elemental power； out of a great number of details。
One detail was that all six of the drivers here tonight； including Ben himself； were newers to this particular Temple garrison。 That meant； Ben supposed； that none of them were likely to have friends around。 All six had been transferred in from local Temples elsewhere； within the past few days。 Ben had managed to discover that much from a few words casually exchanged while they were waiting for the train to start。 He had not been given any particular reason for his own transfer； and he wondered if the others had； for theirs。 So far he had had no chance to ask them。
At the time； the transfer orders had seemed to Ben only one more inprehensible military quirk； in a year's service with Blue Temple he had gotten used to such unexplained twitches of the organism。 But now。。。
In Ben's memory； repository of a thousand old songs； one in particular had now e alive and was dancing an acpaniment to his thoughts。 He couldn't remember where or when he had heard it first。 He probably hadn't heard it at all for years。 But it had popped up now； as an ironic background for his fear。
If only； he thought； he was able to talk to the other drivers。 They might be able to shout a few words back and forth now through the wind； but Ben needed more than that； he needed time to ask them things and make them think。。。 he suspected he wasn't going to get the chance。
He had only a very little time in which to decide whether to act； or not to act； alone。 And if he decided wrong； either way； then very soon he would be dead。。。 The priest…officer； in the act of concluding his spell； used his wand of light to make one long； slow gesture after the departing dragon。 Then Radulescu held the wand upright again； looking after the retreating beast and perhaps trying to listen after it through the storm。 Then he remounted； turned to the waiting drivers； and once more motioned the train forward。
The drivers moved reluctantly。 The loadbeasts were more easily convinced than their masters that the dragon had in fact departed。 With dragon…scent now vanishing quickly in the wind； the animals moved forward again with more willingness than they had shown for several hours。 And now； as if to suit the improvement in the atmosphere； the rain began to lessen too。
There followed a hundred meters more of stumbling along their trackless way； now and then tearing clothes and skin on thorns。 Then the officer reined in again； and again motioned the packtrain to a halt。 Another dragon？ Ben wondered。 He could perceive no other reason for stopping at this point。 Radulescu was indicating with his light the exact place where he wanted them to halt the animals； close beside a rocky hillock that looked no different than a hundred other rocky hillocks that surrounded it。 There's nothing here； thought Ben。。。 and then he understood that that was just what he was supposed to think。
Radulescu had dismounted again。 With torch still in hand he moved to stand beside the lower end of a great slab of stone that in itself made up a large portion of the hillock's flank。 Putting one hand on this huge stone； he raised his voice above the wind： 〃You men； secure the animals。 Then gather here and lift this rock。 Yes； here； lift； I say。〃
The boulder he was indicating looked too heavy for a score of men to budge。 But orders were orders。 The drivers hobbled their beasts； and crowded round。 Some of them were brawny men and some were not … but anyway； the priest was proven not to be mad。 As soon as they lifted； the enormous stone went tilting and tipping up with surprising ease； to e to rest balanced in a new position。 Now where its lower end had been； the dark triangle of a cave opening was revealed。 The black hole in the hillside looked to Ben a little too regular in shape to be entirely natural； and was about big enough for a single man to be able to pass through it readily。
First in was the officer； moving confidently； holding his cold torch before him to light the way。 The utter interior darkness melted before that light； to reveal a single…chambered cave； with its flat floor sunken three or four meters below the land outside。 There was room on that floor for perhaps a dozen people to stand without crowding。 From where Ben stood at the triangular entrance； a narrow stairway crudely carved from rock twisted down to the floor； and now in the center of that floor Ben noticed； between two lips of stone； another man…sized aperture； this one leading into deeper blackness。
When he reached that lower opening； Radulescu stopped。 He leaned his torch against a wall； and from some inner pocket； evidently waterproof； brought out two stubby candles。 He produced a flame …so quickly that Ben did not see just how it was done … and in a moment had placed a lighted candle on either side of the hole in the floor。
And now he looked up to where the drivers' faces were crowding the small entrance。 〃Begin unloading；〃 Radulescu ordered briskly。 〃You are to carry the sacks of cargo down here； carefully…carefully！ And drop them here； into this aperture。〃 With a light stamp of his foot he indicated the opening in the floor。 He had given the last order with special clarity and emphasis； as if wishing to avoid having to repeat it for those who thought they had not heard it properly the first time。 On either side of Radulescu the candles burned； blue wax and golden flames； and on the flat rocks where they stood； Ben could see drippings； encrustations of old wax。 It was evidently not the first time； nor the second or third； that a cargo had been delivered here。