Part 17 (1/2)
”Through the sewer I reckoned on the gardens' being guarded The sewers connect with a tunnel that lets into these pits I thought to find so up into the house unbolted”
”Then let us escape by the way you came!” exclaimed Murilo ”To the devil with it! Once out of this snake-den, we'll take our chance with the king's guardsht frorunted the Cimmerian ”The way to the sewers is barred As I entered the tunnel, an iron grille crashed down frohtning, its spearheads would have pinned me to the floor like a worm When I tried to lift it, it wouldn't er than a rabbit squir up and down his spine He ht have known Nabonidus would not leave any entrance into his house unguarded
Had Conan not possessed the steel-spring quickness of a wild thing, that falling portcullis would have skewered hi some hidden catch that released it fro
”There's but one thing to do,” said Murilo, sweating profusely ”That's to search for some other exit; doubtless they're all set with traps, but we have no other choice”
The barbarian grunted agree their way at rando occurred to Murilo
”How did you recognize me in this blackness?” he demanded
”I smelled the perfume you put on your hair, when you caain a while ago, when I was crouching in the dark and preparing to rip you open”
Murilo put a lock of his black hair to his nostrils; even so the scent was barely apparent to his civilized senses, and he realized how keen ans of the barbarian
Instinctively his hand went to his scabbard as they groped onward, and he cursed to find it elow became apparent ahead of them, and presently they caht filtered grayly Together they peered around the corner, and Murilo, leaning against his co noble liuely illumined by a radiance which seemed to ee faure, which lay face down, stirred Murilo with inexplicable andthe Cimmerian to follow hi a certain repugnance, he grasped it and turned it on its back An incredulous oath escaped hirunted explosively
”Nabonidus! The Red Priest!” ejaculated Murilo, his brain a dizzy vortex of whirling aroaned and stirred With catlike quickness Conan bent over hiht his wrist
”Wait! Don't kill him yet-”
”Why not?” deuise, and sleeps Will you awaken hied Murilo, trying to collect his jureat blue welt on his shaven te here for hours”
”I thought you swore you saw him in beastly shape in the house above,”
said Conan
”I did! Or else-he's co to! Keep back your blade, Conan; there is a ht I must have words with this priest, before we kill hiuely to his bruised temple, mumbled, and opened his eyes For an instant they were blank and eence; then life ca at the companions Whatever terrific jolt had te with its accustoain His eyes shot swiftly about him, then came back to rest on Murilo's face
”You honorat the great figure that looht a bravo, I see Was your sword not sufficient to sever the life of h of this,” i have you lain here?”
”A peculiar question to put to aconsciousness,”
answered the priest ”I do not knohat tiht when I was set upon”
”Then who is it that own in the house above?”
demanded Murilo
”That will be Thak,” answered Nabonidus, ruefully fingering his bruises ”Yes, that will be Thak And in !”
Conan, who corowled solanced at him whimsically