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d or third； that a cargo had been delivered here。
The six drivers； as they drew back from the upper entrance； getting ready to obey orders； all looked at one another for a moment。 But there was really no time for Ben to talk to them。 He could see surprise in some of their faces； but nothing like his own fear mirrored。
Will it be here； he thought to himself； as soon as the unloading's finished？ And if so； how？ Or do I have a little more time； until we get back to where the cavalry's waiting。。。
〃Move！ Quick！ Unload！〃 Radulescu was climbing the stair with his bright torch in hand。 He was not going to give them time to think about anything except getting the job done。
The men had been trained； in a hard school； to obedience。 They sprang into action。 Ben moved with them； as automatically as any of the others。 Only now； as he lifted his first bundle from a pannier on a loadbeast's back； did he realize how effective the Blue Temple training had been。
The bundle he had taken was small but very heavy； like all the others。 It was wrapped against weather in some kind of waterproof oilskin that had been sewn shut。 Inside the outer covering Ben could feel thick padding； that made it hard to tell what the true shape of the contents might be。 To Ben the loading felt like several metal objects； all of them heavy； hard； and paratively small。
Despite the weight； Ben could have carried two of the bundles at once easily enough。 He did not do so； wanting to prolong the unloading。 He might have only the time it took to do that job in which to try to think； to nerve himself； to act。。。
As he passed through the upper doorway of the cave for the first time； bearing his first load down； he looked carefully at the great stone as it rested in its raised position。 Ben was struck by how close it must be to its point of balance。 What six men had heaved to open； it appeared； could be easily tilted shut again by one。
Going down the crooked stairs for the first time； watching carefully by candlelight where he put down his feet； he noticed that the stairs were beginning to be worn。 As if many processions of laborers had borne their burdens here。。。
Think； he ordered himself。 Think！ But； to his silent； inward horror； his mind seemed paralyzed。
Down in the cave； putting his first bundle obediently down into the dark hole in the floor； Ben noticed something else。 The heavy bundle made no noise of fall or landing when he released it into darkness。 Either it was still falling … or it had somehow been caught。
Moving in slow procession with the other drivers； now emerging from the cave to get his second load； Ben saw that Radulescu had again set his Old World torch leaning against a rock； this time just outside the entrance。 The officer had gone back to his tethered riding beast and was taking something from the saddle； untying a light； long bundle that Ben had not really noticed until now。 The bundle was just about the same size and shape as the sword … that Radulescu wore； and heavily wrapped like all the other cargo。
Ben kept moving as he watched。 He shouldered his second load； lightening another animal's burden。 Again the weight of the package he picked up was startling for its size。 No； it wouldn't be lead that the Blue Temple was putting down into the earth so secretly。
The location of their main hoard had been a subject of stories and speculation for generations。 At least one song had that hoard as its subject … the same tune that was still running； very unhelpfully； in Ben's mind。
The other five men in the line of treasure…bearers gave no indication that they had guessed what they were about。 The implications of their situation； as far as Ben could tell； had simply not dawned on them at all。 Their faces were dull； and set against the rain； set against knowledge； too； as it now seemed to Ben。 He saw no possibility that he would be able to talk to them meaningfully before he had to act。
Both the stairway and the upper entrance to the cave were so narrow that the process of carrying in the cargo was necessarily slow and inefficient； men moving down always had to stop and wait for men moving up to pass them； and vice versa。 Even so； with six steadily at work； the unloading wasn't really going to take very long。
Six men； Ben kept thinking； who now know where Benambra's Gold is really buried。 Were there six other workmen still living in the world who had managed to learn so much？
The unloading proceeded； and it seemed to Ben that the process was going very fast。 Outside the cave there was the light of the Old World torch to work by； and inside the warm smoky flicker of the two blue candles。
〃Move along there！〃
Ben had just dropped another bundle into the dark hole in the cave floor。 He was in the act of straightening up and backing away when he brushed lightly against the officer who came moving forward just behind him。 As the two men grazed past each other； the tip of the bundle that Radulescu carried brushed Ben's arm。 Even through his sleeve and the object's wrappings； Ben could feel the passing presence of some power of magic。 It tugged at his memory as some old perfume； might have done； some fragrance lost since childhood and suddenly known again。 And the incident made his fear suddenly more powerful than ever。
Ben had climbed the stair and was outside again； getting yet another bundle to carry down； when Radulescu also emerged from the cave。 When the officer looked sharply at Ben； Ben looked dully back。
In his twenty…three years of life； Ben had learned that there were only two things about his own appearance that were at all likely to impress others。 One； that never failed； was his squat bulk； he was really not shorter than average； but so heavily built that he appeared that way。 The second thing was his apparent dullness。 Something about his round slab of a face tended to make people think he was slow…witted； at least until they knew him。 For some reason this effect was intensified by the fact that his body was so broad and strong。 It was as if no one wanted intelligence and unhandsome strength to coexist in the same man。 Ben had convinced himself that he was not particularly slow of mind； but he had learned also that there were times when it was helpful to be thought that way。 He let his jaw sag just a little now； and returned the impatient officer's gaze blankly。
Radulescu stepped closer to him。 〃Move along； I say。 Are you taking root there？ Do you want to stand out in this storm all night？〃
Ben； who would have been delighted to settle for just that； shook his head slightly and let himself be spurred again into obedient motion。 Mechanically he rejoined the slowly shuffling line of the other drivers。
Burdened again with what he thought must certainly be gold； heading down once more into the cave； he observed again how precariously the great sealing rock was poised near its point of balance。 One man standing outside the cave ought to be able to close that doorway quickly； with one hand。 Whereas six men caught inside would never be able to crowd themselves into position to reach the rock and lift it