Sssuri brought them ashore5 with masterly skill where a strip of sod angled down to the edge of the water, marking, Dalgard decided6, what had once been a garden. The buildings on this side of the river were not set so closely together. Each, standing7 some two or three stories high, was encircled by green, as if this had been a section of private dwellings8.
They pulled the light boat out of the water and Sssuri pointed9 at the open door of the nearest house. "In there—"
Dalgard agreed that it might be well to hide the craft against the return. Although as yet they had found no physical evidence, other than the dead hoppers, that they might not be alone in the city, he wanted a means of escape ready if such a flight would be necessary. In the meantime there was the snake-devil to track, and that wily creature, if it had swum the river, might be lurking10 at present in the next silent street—or miles away.
Sssuri, spear ready, was trotting12 along the paved lane, his head up as he thought-quested for any hint of life about them. Dalgard tried to follow that lead. But he knew that it would be Sssuri's stronger power which would warn them first.
They cast east from where they had landed, studying the soil of each garden spot, hunting for the unmistakable spoor of the giant reptile13. And within a matter of minutes they found it, the mud still moist as Dalgard proved with an exploring fingertip. At the same time Sssuri twirled his spear significantly. Before them the lane ran on between two walls without any breaks. Dalgard uncased his bow and strung it. From his quiver he chose one of the powerful arrows, the points of which were kept capped until use.[47]
A snake-devil, with its nervous system controlled not from the tiny, brainless head but from a series of auxiliary14 "brains" at points along its powerful spine15, could and would go on fighting even after that head was shorn away, as the first colonists16 had discovered when they depended on the deadly ray guns fatal to any Terran life. But the poison-tipped arrow Dalgard now handled, with confidence in its complete efficiency, paralyzed within moments and killed in a quarter-hour one of the scaled monstrosities.
Dalgard did not need that warning thought from his companion. There was no mistaking that sickly sweet stench born of decaying animal matter, which was the betraying effluvium of a snake-devil's lair. He turned to the right-hand wall and with a running leap reached its broad top. The lane curved to end in an archway cut through another wall, which was higher than Dalgard's head even when he stood on his present elevation19. But bands of ornamental20 patterning ran along the taller barrier, and he was certain that it could be climbed. He lowered a hand to Sssuri and hoisted21 the merman up to join him.
But Sssuri stood for a long moment looking ahead, and Dalgard knew that the merman was disturbed, that the wall before them had some terrifying meaning for the native Astran. So vivid was the impression of what could only be termed horror—that Dalgard dared to ask a question:
"What is it?"
The merman's yellow eyes turned from the wall to his companion. Behind his hatred23 of this place there was another emotion Dalgard could not read.
"This is the place of sorrow, the place of separation. But they paid—oh, how they paid—after that day when the fire fell from the sky." His scaled and taloned24 feet moved in a little shuffling25 war dance, and his spear spun26 and quivered in the sunlight, as Dalgard had seen the spears of the mer-warriors move in[48] the mock combats of their unexplained, and to his kind unexplainable, rituals. "Then did our spears drink, and knives eat!" Sssuri's fingers brushed the hilt of the wicked blade swinging from his belt. "Then did the People make separations and sorrows for them! And it was accomplished27 that we went forth28 into the sea to be no longer bond but free. And they went down into the darkness and were no more—" In Dalgard's head the chant of his friend skirled up in a paean29 of exultation30. Sssuri shook his spear at the wall.
"No more the beast and the death," his thoughts swelled31, a shout of victory. "For where are they who sat and watched many deaths? They are gone as the wave smashes itself upon the coast rocks and is no more. But the People are free and never more shall Those Others put bonds upon them! Therefore do I say that this is a place of nothing, where evil has turned in upon itself and come to nothing. Just as Those Others will come to nothing since their own evil will in the end eat them up!"
He strode forward along the wall until he came to the barrier, seemingly oblivious32 of the carrion33 reek34 which told of a snake-devil's den2 somewhere about. And he raised his arm high, bringing the point of his spear gratingly along the carved surface. Nor did it seem to Dalgard a futile35 gesture, for Sssuri lived and breathed, stood free and armed in the city of his enemies—and the city was dead.
Together they climbed the barrier, and then Dalgard discovered that it was the rim36 of an arena37 which must have seated close to a thousand in the days of its use. It was a perfect oval in shape with tiers of seats now forming a staircase down to the center, where was a section ringed about by a series of archways. A high stone grille walled this portion away from the seats as if to protect the spectators from what might enter through those portals.
Dalgard noted38 all this only in passing, for the arena[49] was occupied, very much occupied. And he knew the occupiers only too well.
Three full-grown snake-devils were stretched at pulpy39 ease, their filled bellies40 obscenely round, their long necks crowned with their tiny heads flat on the sand as they napped. A pair of half-grown monsters, not yet past the six-foot stage, tore at some indescribable remnants of their elders' feasting, hissing41 at each other and aiming vicious blows whenever they came within possible fighting distance. Three more, not long out of their mothers' pouches42 scrabbled in the earth about the sleeping adults.
"A good catch," Dalgard signaled Sssuri, and the merman nodded.
They climbed down from seat to seat. This could not rightfully be termed hunting when the quarry45 might be picked off so easily without risk to the archer46. But as Dalgard notched47 his first arrow, he sighted something so surprising that he did not let the poisoned dart48 fly.
The nearest sleeping reptile which he had selected as his mark stretched lazily without raising its head or opening its small eyes. And the sun caught on a glistening49 band about its short foreleg just beneath the joint50 of the taloned pawhands. No natural scales could reflect the light with such a brilliant glare. It could be only one thing—metal! A metal bracelet51 about the tearing arm of a snake-devil! Dalgard looked at the other two sleepers52. One was lying on its belly53 with its forearms gathered under it so that he could not see if it, also, were so equipped. But the other—yes, it was banded!
Sssuri stood at the grille, one hand on its stone divisions. His surprise equaled Dalgard's. It was not in his experience either that the untamed snake-devils, regarded by merman and human alike as so dangerous as to be killed on sight, could be banded—as if they were personal pets!
For a moment or two a wild idea crossed Dalgard's[50] mind. How long was the natural life span of a snake-devil? Until the coming of the colonists they had been the undisputed rulers of the deserted54 continent, stupid as they were, simply because of their strength and ferocity. A twelve-foot, scale-armored monster, that could tear apart a duocorn with ease, might not be successfully vanquished55 by any of the fauna56 of Astra. And since the monsters did not venture into the sea, contact between them and the mermen had been limited to casual encounters at rare intervals57. So, how long did a snake-devil live? Were these creatures sprawled58 here in sleep ones that had known the domination of Those Others—though the fall of the master race of Astra must have occurred generations, hundreds of years in the past?
"No," Sssuri's denial cut through that. "The smaller one is not yet full-grown. It lacks the second neck ring. Yet it is banded."
The merman was right. That unpleasant wattle of armored flesh which necklaced the serpent throat of the devil Dalgard had picked as his target was thin, not the thick roll of fat such as distinguished59 its two companions. It was not fully44 adult, yet the band was plain to see on the foreleg now stretched to its full length as the sun bored down to supply the heavy heat the snake-devils relished60 next to food.
"Then—" Dalgard did not like to think of what might be the answer to that "then."
Sssuri shrugged61. "It is plain that these are not wild roamers. They are here for a purpose. And that purpose—" Suddenly his arm shot out so that his fingers protruded62 through the slits63 in the stone grille. "See?"
Dalgard had already seen, in seeing he knew hot and terrible anger. Out of the filthy64 mess in which the snake-devils wallowed, something had rolled, perhaps thrown about in play by the unspeakable offspring. A skull65, dried scraps66 of fur and flesh still clinging to it, stared hollow-eyed up at them. At least one mer[51]man had fallen prey67 to the nightmares who ruled the arena.
Sssuri hissed68 and the red rage in his mind was plain to Dalgard. "Once more they deal death here—" His eyes went from the skull to the monsters. "Kill!" The command was imperative69 and sharp.
Dalgard had qualified70 as a master bowman before he had first gone roving. And the killing71 of snake-devils was a task which had been set every colonist17 since their first brush with the creatures.
He snapped the cap off the glass splinter point, designed to pin and then break off in the hide so that any clawing foot which tore out an arrow could not rid the victim of the poisonous head. The archer's mark was under the throat where the scales were soft and there was a chance of piercing the skin with the first shot.
The growls72 of the two feeding youngsters covered the snap of the bow cord as Dalgard shot. And he did not miss. The brilliant scarlet73 feather of the arrow quivered in the baggy74 roll of flesh.
With a scream which tore at the human's eardrums, the snake-devil reared to its hind22 feet. It made a tearing motion with the banded forearm which scraped across the back of one of its companions. And then it fell back to the blood-stained sand, limp, a greenish foam75 drooling from its fangs76.
As the monster that the dead devil had raked roused, Dalgard had his chance for another good mark. And the second scarlet shaft77 sped straight to the target.
But the third creature which had been sleeping belly down on the sand presented only its armored back, a hopeless surface for an arrow to pierce. It had opened its eyes and was watching the now motionless bodies of its fellows. But it showed no disposition78 to move. It was almost as if it somehow understood that as long as it remained in its present position it was safe.
"The small ones—"
Dalgard needed no prompting. He picked off easily[52] enough the two half-grown ones. The infants were another problem. Far less sluggish79 than their huge elders they sensed that they were in danger and fled. One took refuge in the pouch43 of its now-dead parent, and the others moved so fast that Dalgard found them difficult targets. He killed one which had almost reached an archway and at length nicked the second in the foot, knowing that, while the poison would be slower in acting80, it would be as sure.
Through all of this the third adult devil continued to lie motionless, only its wicked eyes giving any indication that it was alive. Dalgard watched it impatiently. Unless it would move, allow him a chance to aim at the soft underparts, there was little chance of killing it.
What followed startled both hunters, versed81 as they were in the usual mechanics of killing snake-devils. It had been an accepted premise82, through the years since the colonists had known of the monsters, that the creatures were relatively83 brainless, mere84 machines which fought, ate, and killed, incapable85 of any intelligent reasoning, and therefore only dangerous when one was surprised by them or when the hunter was forced to face them inadequately86 armed.
This snake-devil was different, as it became increasingly plain to the two behind the grille. It had remained safe during the slaughter87 of its companions because it had not moved, almost as if it had wit enough not to move. And now, when it did change position, its maneuvers88, simple as they were, underlined the fact that this one creature appeared to have thought out a solution to its situation—as rational a solution as Dalgard might have produced had it been his problem.
Still keeping its soft underparts covered, it edged about in the sand until its back, with the impenetrable armor plates, was facing the grille behind which the hunters stood. Retracting89 its neck between its shoulders and hunching90 its powerful back limbs under it, it[53] rushed from that point of danger straight for one of the archways.
Dalgard sent an arrow after it. Only to see the shaft scrape along the heavy scales and bounce to the sand. Then the snake-devil was gone.
"Banded—" The word reached Dalgard. Sssuri had been cool enough to note that while the human hunter had been only bewildered by the untypical actions of his quarry.
"Where they are concerned, one may expect many evil wonders."
"We've got to get that devil!" Dalgard was determined92 on that. Though to run down, through this maze93 of deserted city, an enraged94 snake-devil—above all, a snake-devil which appeared to have some reasoning powers—was not a prospect95 to arouse any emotion except grim devotion to duty.
"It goes for help."
Dalgard, startled, stared at his companion. Sssuri was still by the grille, watching that archway through which the devil had disappeared.
"What kind of help?" For a moment Dalgard pictured the monster returning at the head of a regiment96 of its kind, able to tear out this grille and get at their soft-fleshed enemies behind it.
"Safety—protection," Sssuri told him. "And I think that the place to which it now flees is one we should know."
"Those Others?" The sun had not clouded, it still streamed down in the torrid heat of early afternoon, warm on their heads and shoulders. Yet Dalgard felt as chill as if some autumn wind had laid its lash97 across the small of his back.
"They are not here. But they have been—and it is possible that they return. The devil goes to where it expects to find them."
Sssuri was already on his way, running about the arena's curve to reach the point above the archway[54] through which the snake-devil had raced. Dalgard padded after him, bow in hand. He trusted Sssuri implicitly98 when it came to tracking. If the merman said that the snake-devil had a definite goal in view, he was right. But the scout was still a little bemused by a monster who was able to have any goal except the hunting and devouring99 of meat. Either the one who fled was a freak among its kind or—There were several possibilities which could answer that "or," and none of them were very pleasant to consider.
They reached the section above the archway and climbed the tiers of seat benches to the top of the wall. Only to see no exit below them. In fact nothing but a wide sweep of crushed brown tangle100 which had once been vegetation. It was apparent that there was no door below.
Sssuri sped down again. He climbed the grille and was on his way to the sand when Dalgard caught up with him. Together they ventured into the underground passage which the snake-devil had chosen.
The stench of the lair was thick about them. Dalgard coughed, sickened by the foul101 odor. He was reluctant to advance. But, to his growing relief, he discovered that it was not entirely102 dark. Set in the roof at intervals were plates which gave out a violet light, making a dim twilight103 which was better than total darkness.
It was a straight passage without any turns or openings. But the horrible odor was constant, and Dalgard began to think that they might be running head-on into another lair, perhaps one as well populated as that they had left behind them. It was against nature for the snake-devils he had known to lair under cover; they preferred narrow rocky places where they could bask104 in the sun. But then the devil they now pursued was no ordinary one.
Sssuri reassured105 him. "There is no lair, only the smell because they have come this way for many years."
The passage opened into a wide room and here the[55] violet light was stronger, bright enough to make plain the fact that alcoves106 opened off it, each and every one with a barred grille for a door. There was no mistaking that once this had been a prison of sorts.
Sssuri did no exploring but crossed the room at his shuffling trot11, which Dalgard matched. The way leading out on the opposite side slanted107 up, and he judged it might bring them out at ground level.
"The devil waits," Sssuri warned, "because it fears. It will turn on us when we come. Be ready—"
They were at another door, and before them was a long corridor with tall window openings near the ceiling which gave admittance to the sunlight. After the gloom of the tunnel, Dalgard blinked. But he was aware of movement at the far end, just as he heard the hissing scream of the monster they trailed.
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1
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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7
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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12
trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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auxiliary
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| adj.辅助的，备用的 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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16
colonists
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| n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 ) | |
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17
colonist
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| n.殖民者，移民 | |
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18
lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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19
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 | |
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21
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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24
taloned
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25
shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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26
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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paean
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| n.赞美歌，欢乐歌 | |
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exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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31
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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32
oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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carrion
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| n.腐肉 | |
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34
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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arena
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| n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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pulpy
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| 果肉状的，多汁的，柔软的； 烂糊； 稀烂 | |
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40
bellies
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| n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的 | |
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41
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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42
pouches
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| n.（放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的）小袋( pouch的名词复数 )；（袋鼠等的）育儿袋；邮袋；（某些动物贮存食物的）颊袋 | |
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43
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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44
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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45
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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46
archer
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| n.射手，弓箭手 | |
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47
notched
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| a.有凹口的，有缺口的 | |
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48
dart
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| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
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49
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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50
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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51
bracelet
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| n.手镯，臂镯 | |
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52
sleepers
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| n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环 | |
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53
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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54
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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55
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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56
fauna
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| n.(一个地区或时代的)所有动物，动物区系 | |
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57
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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58
sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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59
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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60
relished
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| v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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slits
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| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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71
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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growls
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的第三人称单数 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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sluggish
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| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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versed
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| adj. 精通，熟练 | |
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premise
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| n.前提；v.提论，预述 | |
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relatively
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| adv.比较...地，相对地 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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inadequately
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| ad.不够地；不够好地 | |
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87
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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maneuvers
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| n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 ) | |
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retracting
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| v.撤回或撤消( retract的现在分词 )；拒绝执行或遵守；缩回；拉回 | |
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hunching
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| 隆起（hunch的现在分词形式） | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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101
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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102
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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103
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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104
bask
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| vt.取暖，晒太阳，沐浴于 | |
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105
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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106
alcoves
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| n.凹室( alcove的名词复数 )；（花园）凉亭；僻静处；壁龛 | |
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107
slanted
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| 有偏见的； 倾斜的 | |
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