warlord of mars-第10节

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So　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　give　him　what　he　sought；　and

that　as　quickly　as　might　be；　that　I　might　not　be　delayed　too　long

in　this　chamber　while　Matai　Shang　and　Thurid　made　way　with　Dejah

Thoris　and　Thuvia　of　Ptarth。

　

The　fellow　was　a　clever　swordsmanresourceful　and　extremely　tricky。

In　fact；　he　seemed　never　to　have　heard　that　there　existed　such　a　thing

as　a　code　of　honor；　for　he　repeatedly　outraged　a　dozen　Barsoomian

fighting　customs　that　an　honorable　man　would　rather　die　than　ignore。

　

He　even　went　so　far　as　to　snatch　his　holy　wig　from　his　head

and　throw　it　in　my　face；　so　as　to　blind　me　for　a　moment　while　he

thrust　at　my　unprotected　breast。

　

When　he　thrust；　however；　I　was　not　there；　for　I　had　fought　with

therns　before；　and　while　none　had　ever　resorted　to　precisely　that

same　expedient；　I　knew　them　to　be　the　least　honorable　and　most

treacherous　fighters　upon　Mars；　and　so　was　ever　on　the　alert　for　some

new　and　devilish　subterfuge　when　I　was　engaged　with　one　of　their　race。

　

But　at　length　he　overdid　the　thing；　for；　drawing　his

shortsword；　he　hurled　it；　javelinwise；　at　my　body；　at　the　same

instant　rushing　upon　me　with　his　long…sword。　　A　single　sweeping

circle　of　my　own　blade　caught　the　flying　weapon　and　hurled　it

clattering　against　the　far　wall；　and　then；　as　I　sidestepped　my

antagonist's　impetuous　rush；　I　let　him　have　my　point　full　in　the

stomach　as　he　hurtled　by。

　

Clear　to　the　hilt　my　weapon　passed　through　his　body；　and　with

a　frightful　shriek　he　sank　to　the　floor；　dead。

　

Halting　only　for　the　brief　instant　that　was　required　to　wrench

my　sword　from　the　carcass　of　my　late　antagonist；　I　sprang　across

the　chamber　to　the　blank　wall　beyond；　through　which　the　thern　had

attempted　to　pass。　　Here　I　sought　for　the　secret　of　its　lock；

but　all　to　no　avail。

　

In　despair　I　tried　to　force　the　thing；　but　the　cold；　unyielding

stone　might　well　have　laughed　at　my　futile；　puny　endeavors。

In　fact；　I　could　have　sworn　that　I　caught　the　faint　suggestion

of　taunting　laughter　from　beyond　the　baffling　panel。

　

In　disgust　I　desisted　from　my　useless　efforts　and　stepped　to

the　chamber's　single　window。

　

The　slopes　of　Otz　and　the　distant　Valley　of　Lost　Souls　held

nothing　to　compel　my　interest　then；　but；　towering　far　above　me；

the　tower's　carved　wall　riveted　my　keenest　attention。

　

Somewhere　within　that　massive　pile　was　Dejah　Thoris。　　Above　me

I　could　see　windows。　　There；　possibly；　lay　the　only　way　by　which

I　could　reach　her。　　The　risk　was　great；　but　not　too　great　when

the　fate　of　a　world's　most　wondrous　woman　was　at　stake。

　

I　glanced　below。　　A　hundred　feet　beneath　lay　jagged　granite

boulders　at　the　brink　of　a　frightful　chasm　upon　which　the　tower

abutted；　and　if　not　upon　the　boulders；　then　at　the　chasm's　bottom；

lay　death；　should　a　foot　slip　but　once；　or　clutching　fingers　loose

their　hold　for　the　fraction　of　an　instant。

　

But　there　was　no　other　way　and　with　a　shrug；　which　I　must

admit　was　half　shudder；　I　stepped　to　the　window's　outer　sill

and　began　my　perilous　ascent。

　

To　my　dismay　I　found　that；　unlike　the　ornamentation　upon　most

Heliumetic　structures；　the　edges　of　the　carvings　were　quite

generally　rounded；　so　that　at　best　my　every　hold　was　most

precarious。

　

Fifty　feet　above　me　commenced　a　series　of　projecting　cylindrical

stones　some　six　inches　in　diameter。　　These　apparently　circled

the　tower　at　six…foot　intervals；　in　bands　six　feet　apart；

and　as　each　stone　cylinder　protruded　some　four　or　five　inches

beyond　the　surface　of　the　other　ornamentation；　they　presented　a

comparatively　easy　mode　of　ascent　could　I　but　reach　them。

　

Laboriously　I　climbed　toward　them　by　way　of　some　windows　which

lay　below　them；　for　I　hoped　that　I　might　find　ingress　to　the　tower

through　one　of　these；　and　thence　an　easier　avenue　along　which　to

prosecute　my　search。

　

At　times　so　slight　was　my　hold　upon　the　rounded　surfaces　of　the

carving's　edges　that　a　sneeze；　a　cough；　or　even　a　slight　gust　of

wind　would　have　dislodged　me　and　sent　me　hurtling　to　the　depths　below。

　

But　finally　I　reached　a　point　where　my　fingers　could　just　clutch

the　sill　of　the　lowest　window；　and　I　was　on　the　point　of　breathing

a　sigh　of　relief　when　the　sound　of　voices　came　to　me　from　above

through　the　open　window。

　

〃He　can　never　solve　the　secret　of　that　lock。〃　　The　voice　was

Matai　Shang's。　　〃Let　us　proceed　to　the　hangar　above　that　we　may　be

far　to　the　south　before　he　finds　another　wayshould　that　be　possible。〃

　

〃All　things　seem　possible　to　that　vile　calot；〃　replied　another　voice；

which　I　recognized　as　Thurid's。

　

〃Then　let　us　haste；〃　said　Matai　Shang。　　〃But　to　be　doubly　sure；

I　will　leave　two　who　shall　patrol　this　runway。　　Later　they

may　follow　us　upon　another　flierovertaking　us　at　Kaol。〃

　

My　upstretched　fingers　never　reached　the　window's　sill。　　At

the　first　sound　of　the　voices　I　drew　back　my　hand　and　clung　there

to　my　perilous　perch；　flattened　against　the　perpendicular　wall；

scarce　daring　to　breathe。

　

What　a　horrible　position；　indeed；　in　which　to　be　discovered　by

Thurid！　　He　had　but　to　lean　from　the　window　to　push　me　with　his

sword's　point　into　eternity。

　

Presently　the　sound　of　the　voices　became　fainter；　and　once

again　I　took　up　my　hazardous　ascent；　now　more　difficult；　since　more

circuitous；　for　I　must　climb　so　as　to　avoid　the　windows。

　

Matai　Shang's　reference　to　the　hangar　and　the　fliers　indicated

that　my　destination　lay　nothing　short　of　the　roof　of　the　tower；　and

toward　this　seemingly　distant　goal　I　set　my　face。

　

The　most　difficult　and　dangerous　part　of　the　journey　was　accomplished

at　last；　and　it　was　with　relief　that　I　felt　my　fingers　close　about

the　lowest　of　the　stone　cylinders。

　

It　is　true　that　these　projections　were　too　far　apart　to　make

the　balance　of　the　ascent　anything　of　a　sinecure；　but　I　at　least

had　always　within　my　reach　a　point　of　safety　to　which　I　might　cling

in　case　of　accident。

　

Some　ten　feet　below　the　roof；　the　wall　inclined　slightly　inward

possibly　a　foot　in　the　last　ten　feet；　and　here　the　climbing　was

indeed　immeasurably　easier；　so　that　my　fingers　soon　clutched　the　eaves。

　

As　I　drew　my　eyes　above　the　level　of　the　tower's　top　I　saw　a

flier　all　but　ready　to　rise。

　

Upon　her　deck　were　Matai　Shang；　Phaidor；　Dejah　Thoris；　Thuvia

of　Ptarth；　and　a　few　thern　warriors；　while　near　her　was　Thurid　in

the　act　of　clambering　aboard。

　

He　was　not　ten　paces　from　me；　facing　in　the　opposite　direction；

and　what　cruel　freak　of　fate　should　have　caused　him　to　turn　about

just　as　my　eyes　topped　the　roof's　edge　I　may　not　even　guess。

　

But　turn　he　did；　and　when　his　eyes　met　mine　his　wicked　face

lighted　with　a　malignant　smile　as　he　leaped　toward　me；　where　I

was　hastening　to　scramble　to　the　secure　footing　of　the　roof。

　

Dejah　Thoris　must　have　seen　me　at　the　same　instant；　for　she

screamed　a　useless　warning　just　as　Thurid's　foot；　swinging　in

a　mighty　kick；　landed　full　in　my　face。

　

Like　a　felled　ox；　I　reeled　and　tumbled　backward　over　the

tower's　side。

　

　

　

　

ON　THE　KAOLIAN　ROAD

　

　

If　there　be　a　fate　that　is　sometimes　cruel　to　me；　there　surely

is　a　kind　and　merciful　Providence　which　watches　over　me。

　

As　I　toppled　from　the　tower　into　the　horrid　abyss　below　I

counted　myself　already　dead；　and　Thurid　must　have　done　likewise；

for　he　evidently　did　not　even　trouble　himself　to　look　after　me；

but　must　have　turned　and　mounted　the　waiting　flier　at　once。

　

Ten　feet　only　I　fell；　and　then　a　loop　of　my　tough；　leathern　harness

caught　upon　one　of　the　cylindrical　stone　projections　in　the　tower's

surfaceand　held。　　Even　when　I　had　ceased　to　fall　I　could　not　believe

the　miracle　that　had　preserved　me　from　instant　death；　and　for　a　moment

I　hung　there；　cold　sweat　exuding　from　every　pore　of　my　body。

　

But　when　at　last　I　had　worked　myself　back　to　a　firm　position

I　hesitated　to　ascend；　since　I　could　not　know　that　Thurid　was　not

still　awaiting　me　above。

　

Presently；　however；　there　came　to　my　ears　the　whirring　of　the

propellers　of　a　flier；　and　as　each　moment　the　sound　grew　fainter

I　realized　that　the　party　had　proceeded　toward　the　south　without

assuring　themselves　as　to　my　fate。

　

Cautiously　I　retraced　my　way　to　the　roof；　and　I　must　admit

that　it　was　with　no　pleasant　sensation　that　I　raised　my　eyes　once

more　above　its　edge；　but；　to　my　relief；　there　was　no　one　in　sight；

and　a　moment　later　I　stood　safely　upon　its　broad　surface。

　

To　reach　the　hangar　and　drag　forth　the　only　other　flier　which

it　contained　was　the　work　of　but　an　instant；　and　just　as　the　two

thern　warriors　whom　Matai　Shang　had　left　to　prevent　this　very

contingency　emerged　upon　the　roof　from　the　tower's　interior；

I　rose　above　them　with　a　taunting　laugh。

　

Then　I　dived　rapidly　to　the　inner　court　where　I　had　last　seen　Woola；

and　to　my　immense　relief　found　the　faithful　beast　still　there。

　

The　twelve　great　banths