warlord of mars-第13节

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you　have　but　to　command　Torkar　Bar；　Dwar　of　the　Kaolian　Road。〃

　

Truth　and　honesty　were　writ　large　upon　the　warrior's　noble　countenance；

so　that　I　could　not　but　have　trusted　him；　enemy　though　he　should　have　been。

His　title　of　Captain　of　the　Kaolian　Road　explained　his　timely　presence

in　the　heart　of　the　savage　forest；　for　every　highway　upon　Barsoom　is

patrolled　by　doughty　warriors　of　the　noble　class；　nor　is　there　any

service　more　honorable　than　this　lonely　and　dangerous　duty　in　the

less　frequented　sections　of　the　domains　of　the　red　men　of　Barsoom。

　

〃Torkar　Bar　has　already　placed　a　great　debt　of　gratitude　upon

my　shoulders；〃　I　replied；　pointing　to　the　carcass　of　the

creature　from　whose　heart　he　was　dragging　his　long　spear。

　

The　red　man　smiled。

　

〃It　was　fortunate　that　I　came　when　I　did；〃　he　said。　　〃Only

this　poisoned　spear　pricking　the　very　heart　of　a　sith　can　kill　it

quickly　enough　to　save　its　prey。　　In　this　section　of　Kaol　we　are

all　armed　with　a　long　sith　spear；　whose　point　is　smeared　with　the

poison　of　the　creature　it　is　intended　to　kill；　no　other　virus　acts

so　quickly　upon　the　beast　as　its　own。

　

〃Look；〃　he　continued；　drawing　his　dagger　and　making　an

incision　in　the　carcass　a　foot　above　the　root　of　the　sting；　from

which　he　presently　drew　forth　two　sacs；　each　of　which　held　fully　a

gallon　of　the　deadly　liquid。

　

〃Thus　we　maintain　our　supply；　though　were　it　not　for

certain　commercial　uses　to　which　the　virus　is　put；

it　would　scarcely　be　necessary　to　add　to　our　present　store；

since　the　sith　is　almost　extinct。

　

〃Only　occasionally　do　we　now　run　upon　one。　　Of　old；　however；

Kaol　was　overrun　with　the　frightful　monsters　that　often　came　in

herds　of　twenty　or　thirty；　darting　down　from　above　into　our　cities

and　carrying　away　women；　children；　and　even　warriors。〃

　

As　he　spoke　I　had　been　wondering　just　how　much　I　might　safely　tell

this　man　of　the　mission　which　brought　me　to　his　land；　but　his　next

words　anticipated　the　broaching　of　the　subject　on　my　part；　and

rendered　me　thankful　that　I　had　not　spoken　too　soon。

　

〃And　now　as　to　yourself；　John　Carter；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　not

ask　your　business　here；　nor　do　I　wish　to　hear　it。　　I　have　eyes　and

ears　and　ordinary　intelligence；　and　yesterday　morning　I　saw　the

party　that　came　to　the　city　of　Kaol　from　the　north　in　a　small　flier。

But　one　thing　I　ask　of　you；　and　that　is：　the　word　of　John　Carter

that　he　contemplates　no　overt　act　against　either　the　nation

of　Kaol　or　its　jeddak。〃

　

〃You　may　have　my　word　as　to　that；　Torkar　Bar；〃　I　replied。

　

〃My　way　leads　along　the　Kaolian　road；　away　from　the　city　of　Kaol；〃

he　continued。　　〃I　have　seen　no　oneJohn　Carter　least　of　all。

Nor　have　you　seen　Torkar　Bar；　nor　ever　heard　of　him。　　You　understand？〃

　

〃Perfectly；〃　I　replied。

　

He　laid　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder。

　

〃This　road　leads　directly　into　the　city　of　Kaol；〃　he　said。

〃I　wish　you　fortune；〃　and　vaulting　to　the　back　of　his　thoat

he　trotted　away　without　even　a　backward　glance。

　

It　was　after　dark　when　Woola　and　I　spied　through　the　mighty

forest　the　great　wall　which　surrounds　the　city　of　Kaol。

　

We　had　traversed　the　entire　way　without　mishap　or　adventure；

and　though　the　few　we　had　met　had　eyed　the　great　calot　wonderingly；

none　had　pierced　the　red　pigment　with　which　I　had　smoothly　smeared

every　square　inch　of　my　body。

　

But　to　traverse　the　surrounding　country；　and　to　enter　the　guarded

city　of　Kulan　Tith；　Jeddak　of　Kaol；　were　two　very　different　things。

No　man　enters　a　Martian　city　without　giving　a　very　detailed　and

satisfactory　account　of　himself；　nor　did　I　delude　myself　with

the　belief　that　I　could　for　a　moment　impose　upon　the　acumen　of

the　officers　of　the　guard　to　whom　I　should　be　taken　the　moment

I　applied　at　any　one　of　the　gates。

　

My　only　hope　seemed　to　lie　in　entering　the　city　surreptitiously

under　cover　of　the　darkness；　and　once　in；　trust　to　my　own　wits

to　hide　myself　in　some　crowded　quarter　where　detection　would

be　less　liable　to　occur。

　

With　this　idea　in　view　I　circled　the　great　wall；　keeping　within

the　fringe　of　the　forest；　which　is　cut　away　for　a　short　distance

from　the　wall　all　about　the　city；　that　no　enemy　may　utilize　the

trees　as　a　means　of　ingress。

　

Several　times　I　attempted　to　scale　the　barrier　at　different　points；

but　not　even　my　earthly　muscles　could　overcome　that　cleverly

constructed　rampart。　　To　a　height　of　thirty　feet　the　face　of　the

wall　slanted　outward；　and　then　for　almost　an　equal　distance　it

was　perpendicular；　above　which　it　slanted　in　again　for　some

fifteen　feet　to　the　crest。

　

And　smooth！　　Polished　glass　could　not　be　more　so。　　Finally　I

had　to　admit　that　at　last　I　had　discovered　a　Barsoomian

fortification　which　I　could　not　negotiate。

　

Discouraged；　I　withdrew　into　the　forest　beside　a　broad　highway

which　entered　the　city　from　the　east；　and　with　Woola　beside　me

lay　down　to　sleep。

　

　

　

　

A　HERO　IN　KAOL

　

　

It　was　daylight　when　I　was　awakened　by　the　sound　of　stealthy

movement　near　by。

　

As　I　opened　my　eyes　Woola；　too；　moved　and；　coming　up　to　his

haunches；　stared　through　the　intervening　brush　toward　the　road；

each　hair　upon　his　neck　stiffly　erect。

　

At　first　I　could　see　nothing；　but　presently　I　caught　a　glimpse

of　a　bit　of　smooth　and　glossy　green　moving　among　the　scarlet　and

purple　and　yellow　of　the　vegetation。

　

Motioning　Woola　to　remain　quietly　where　he　was；　I　crept　forward

to　investigate；　and　from　behind　the　bole　of　a　great　tree　I

saw　a　long　line　of　the　hideous　green　warriors　of　the　dead　sea

bottoms　hiding　in　the　dense　jungle　beside　the　road。

　

As　far　as　I　could　see；　the　silent　line　of　destruction　and

death　stretched　away　from　the　city　of　Kaol。　　There　could　be

but　one　explanation。　　The　green　men　were　expecting　an　exodus

of　a　body　of　red　troops　from　the　nearest　city　gate；　and　they

were　lying　there　in　ambush　to　leap　upon　them。

　

I　owed　no　fealty　to　the　Jeddak　of　Kaol；　but　he　was　of　the　same

race　of　noble　red　men　as　my　own　princess；　and　I　would　not　stand

supinely　by　and　see　his　warriors　butchered　by　the　cruel　and

heartless　demons　of　the　waste　places　of　Barsoom。

　

Cautiously　I　retraced　my　steps　to　where　I　had　left　Woola；

and　warning　him　to　silence；　signaled　him　to　follow　me。

Making　a　considerable　detour　to　avoid　the　chance　of　falling

into　the　hands　of　the　green　men；　I　came　at　last　to　the　great　wall。

　

A　hundred　yards　to　my　right　was　the　gate　from　which　the　troops

were　evidently　expected　to　issue；　but　to　reach　it　I　must　pass　the

flank　of　the　green　warriors　within　easy　sight　of　them；　and；　fearing

that　my　plan　to　warn　the　Kaolians　might　thus　be　thwarted；　I　decided

upon　hastening　toward　the　left；　where　another　gate　a　mile　away

would　give　me　ingress　to　the　city。

　

I　knew　that　the　word　I　brought　would　prove　a　splendid　passport

to　Kaol；　and　I　must　admit　that　my　caution　was　due　more　to　my

ardent　desire　to　make　my　way　into　the　city　than　to　avoid　a　brush

with　the　green　men。　　As　much　as　I　enjoy　a　fight；　I　cannot　always

indulge　myself；　and　just　now　I　had　more　weighty　matters　to　occupy

my　time　than　spilling　the　blood　of　strange　warriors。

　

Could　I　but　win　beyond　the　city's　wall；　there　might　be　opportunity

in　the　confusion　and　excitement　which　were　sure　to　follow　my

announcement　of　an　invading　force　of　green　warriors　to　find　my

way　within　the　palace　of　the　jeddak；　where　I　was　sure　Matai　Shang

and　his　party　would　be　quartered。

　

But　scarcely　had　I　taken　a　hundred　steps　in　the　direction　of　the

farther　gate　when　the　sound　of　marching　troops；　the　clank　of　metal；

and　the　squealing　of　thoats　just　within　the　city　apprised　me　of　the

fact　that　the　Kaolians　were　already　moving　toward　the　other　gate。

　

There　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　　In　another　moment　the　gate

would　be　opened　and　the　head　of　the　column　pass　out　upon

the　death…bordered　highway。

　

Turning　back　toward　the　fateful　gate；　I　ran　rapidly　along　the　edge　of

the　clearing；　taking　the　ground　in　the　mighty　leaps　that　had　first

made　me　famous　upon　Barsoom。　　Thirty；　fifty；　a　hundred　feet　at　a　bound

are　nothing　for　the　muscles　of　an　athletic　Earth　man　upon　Mars。

　

As　I　passed　the　flank　of　the　waiting　green　men　they　saw　my　eyes

turned　upon　them；　and　in　an　instant；　knowing　that　all　secrecy

was　at　an　end；　those　nearest　me　sprang　to　their　feet　in　an　effort

to　cut　me　off　before　I　could　reach　the　gate。

　

At　the　same　instant　the　mighty　portal　swung　wide　and　the　head

of　the　Kaolian　column　emerged。　　A　dozen　green　warriors　had

succeeded　in　reaching　a　point　between　me　and　the　gate；　but　they

had　but　little　idea　who　it　was　they　had　elected　to　detain。

　

I　did　not　slacken　my　speed　an　iota　as　I　dashed　among　them；　and

as　they　fell　before　my　blade　I　could　not　but　recall　the　happy

memory　of　those　other　battles　when　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark；

mightiest　of　Martian　green　men；　had　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　me

through　long；　hot　Mar