下载辰思小说免费APP
FollowedbytheAsikaandJeekie，Alanwalkedupandlookedherinthefaceandtohisexcitedimaginationsheappearedtogrinathiminanswer。Thenwhilethepriestsprostratedthemselves，heexaminedthegoldenbasinorlaver，andsawthatatthefurthersideofitwasalittleplatformapproachedbysteps。Onthetopofthesegoldenstepsweretwodepressionssuchasmighthavebeenwornoutinthecourseofagesbypersonskneelingthere。Alsotheflatedgeofthebasinwhichstoodaboutthirtyinchesabovethelevelofthetopmoststep，wasscoredasthoughbyhundredsofswordcutswhichhadmadedeeplinesinthepuremetal。Thebasinitselfwasempty。
Seeingthatthesethingsinterestedhim，theAsikavolunteeredtheinformationthroughJeekie，thatthiswasadivining-bowl，andthatifthosewhowentbeforeherhadwishedtolearnthefuture，theycausedLittleBonsatofloatinitandfoundoutalltheywantedtoknowbyhermovements。She，however，sheadded，hadotherandbettermethodsoflearningthingsthatwerepredestined。
“Wheredoesthewatercomefrom？“askedAlanthoughtlesslysearchingthebowlforsometaporinlet。
“Outoftheheartsofmen，“sheansweredwithalowanddreadfullaugh。“Thesemarksarethoseofswordsandeveryoneofthemmeansalife。“Thenseeingthathelookedincreduloussheadded，“Stay，Iwillshowyou。LittleBonsamustbethirstywhohasfastedsolong，alsotherearemattersthatIdesiretoknow。Comehither——you，andyou，“
andshepointedathazardtothetwopriestswhokneltnearesttoher，“anddoyoubidtheexecutionerbringhisaxe，“shewentontoathird。
Thedarkfacesofthementurnedashen，buttheymadenoefforttoescapetheirdoom。Oneofthemcreptupthestepsandlaidhisneckupontheedgeofgold，whiletheother，utteringnoword，threwhimselfonhisfaceatthefootofthem，waitinghisturn。Thenadooropenedandthereappearedagreatandbrutal-lookingfellow，nakedexceptforaloincloth，whoboreinhishandahugeweapon，halfknifeandhalfaxe。
FirsthelookedattheAsika，whonoddedalmostimperceptibly，thensprangontoaprolongationofthegoldensteps，bowedtoLittleBonsaonhercolumnbehindandheaveduphisknife。
NowforthefirsttimeAlanreallyunderstoodwhatwasabouttohappen，andthatwhathehadimaginedastagerehearsal，wastobecomeahideousmurder。
“Stop！“heshoutedinEnglish，beingunabletorememberthenativeword。
Theexecutionerpausedwithhisaxepoisedinmid-air；thevictimturnedhisheadandlooked，asthoughsurprised；thesecondvictimandtheprieststheircompanionslookedalso。JeekiefellontohiskneesandburstintoferventprayeraddressedapparentlytoLittleBonsa。
TheAsikasmiledanddidnothing。
Againtheweaponwasliftedandashefeltthatwordswerenolongerofanyuse，evenifhecouldfindthem，Alantookrefugeinaction。
Springingontotheothersideofthelittleplatform，hehitoutwithallhisstrengthacrossthekneelingman。Catchingtheexecutioneronthepointofthechin，heknockedhimstraightbackwardsinsuchfashionthathisheadstruckuponthefloorbeforeanyotherportionofhisbody，sothathelaythereeitherdeadorstunned。Alanneverlearnedwhich，sincethematterwasnotthoughtofsufficientimportancetobementioned。
AtthissighttheAsikaburstintoalowlaugh，thenaskedAlanwhyhehadfelledtheexecutioner。Heansweredbecausehewouldnotstandbyandseetwoinnocentmenbutchere
