Книга только для ознакомления
.
Nothing happened when she stepped on it either, and we kept going. A
little later, I saw a flicker in the distance below. It was moving, and I
guessed someone was doing a patrol. What for? I wondered. Were there
prisoners to be tended and watжhed? Were certain cave mouths considered
vulnerable points? And what about the business of locking the chamber of the
Pattern and hanging the key on the wall near the door? Was there some
possible danger from that quarter? How? Why? I realized that I ought to
pursue these questions one of these days.
When we reached the bottom the guard was nowhere in sight, however. The
table, the racks, and a few foot lockers-which constituted the guard
station-were illuminated by a number of lanterns, but the guard was not at
his post. Too bad. It would be interesting to ask what the orders called for
in the event of an emergencyhopefully also specifying the possible natures
of various emergencies. For the first time, though, I noticed a rope hanging
down from the darkness into the dimness beside a weapons rack. I drew upon
it ever so gently and it yielded, to be followed a moment later by a faint
metallic sound from somewhere high overhead. Interesting. Obviously, this
was the alarm.
"Which . . . way?" Coral asked.
"Oh, come on," I said, taking her hand, and I led her off to the right
|
