warlord of mars-第19节

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fragments　of　their　own　prey　which　they　cannot　devour。　　It　is　a

horrid　avenue　to　our　goal；　but　it　is　the　only　one。〃

　

〃You　are　sure；　then；　that　we　have　found　the　way　to　the　land

of　the　yellow　men？〃　I　cried。

　

〃As　sure　as　may　be；〃　he　replied；　〃having　only　ancient　legend

to　support　my　belief。　　But　see　how　closely；　so　far；　each　detail

tallies　with　the　world…old　story　of　the　hegira　of　the　yellow　race。

Yes；　I　am　sure　that　we　have　discovered　the　way　to　their　ancient

hiding　place。〃

　

〃If　it　be　true；　and　let　us　pray　that　such　may　be　the　case；〃　I　said；

〃then　here　may　we　solve　the　mystery　of　the　disappearance　of

Tardos　Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium；　and　Mors　Kajak；　his　son；　for　no

other　spot　upon　Barsoom　has　remained　unexplored　by　the　many

expeditions　and　the　countless　spies　that　have　been　searching　for

them　for　nearly　two　years。　　The　last　word　that　came　from　them　was

that　they　sought　Carthoris；　my　own　brave　son；　beyond　the　ice…barrier。〃

　

As　we　talked　we　had　been　approaching　the　entrance　to　the　cave；

and　as　we　crossed　the　threshold　I　ceased　to　wonder　that　the

ancient　green　enemies　of　the　yellow　men　had　been　halted　by　the

horrors　of　that　awful　way。

　

The　bones　of　dead　men　lay　man　high　upon　the　broad　floor　of　the

first　cave；　and　over　all　was　a　putrid　mush　of　decaying　flesh；

through　which　the　apts　had　beaten　a　hideous　trail　toward　the

entrance　to　the　second　cave　beyond。

　

The　roof　of　this　first　apartment　was　low；　like　all　that　we

traversed　subsequently；　so　that　the　foul　odors　were　confined

and　condensed　to　such　an　extent　that　they　seemed　to　possess

tangible　substance。　　One　was　almost　tempted　to　draw　his

short…sword　and　hew　his　way　through　in　search　of　pure　air　beyond。

　

〃Can　man　breathe　this　polluted　air　and　live？〃

asked　Thuvan　Dihn；　choking。

　

〃Not　for　long；　I　imagine；〃　I　replied；　〃so　let　us　make　haste。

I　will　go　first；　and　you　bring　up　the　rear；　with　Woola　between。

Come；〃　and　with　the　words　I　dashed　forward；　across　the　fetid

mass　of　putrefaction。

　

It　was　not　until　we　had　passed　through　seven　caves　of　different

sizes　and　varying　but　little　in　the　power　and　quality　of　their

stenches　that　we　met　with　any　physical　opposition。　　Then；　within

the　eighth　cave；　we　came　upon　a　lair　of　apts。

　

A　full　score　of　the　mighty　beasts　were　disposed　about　the　chamber。

Some　were　sleeping；　while　others　tore　at　the　fresh…killed　carcasses

of　new…brought　prey；　or　fought　among　themselves　in　their　love…making。

　

Here　in　the　dim　light　of　their　subterranean　home　the　value　of

their　great　eyes　was　apparent；　for　these　inner　caves　are　shrouded

in　perpetual　gloom　that　is　but　little　less　than　utter　darkness。

　

To　attempt　to　pass　through　the　midst　of　that　fierce　herd

seemed；　even　to　me；　the　height　of　folly；　and　so　I　proposed　to

Thuvan　Dihn　that　he　return　to　the　outer　world　with　Woola；　that　the

two　might　find　their　way　to　civilization　and　come　again　with　a

sufficient　force　to　overcome　not　only　the　apts；　but　any　further

obstacles　that　might　lie　between　us　and　our　goal。

　

〃In　the　meantime；〃　I　continued；　〃I　may　discover　some　means　of

winning　my　way　alone　to　the　land　of　the　yellow　men；　but　if　I　am

unsuccessful　one　life　only　will　have　been　sacrificed。　　Should　we

all　go　on　and　perish；　there　will　be　none　to　guide　a　succoring　party

to　Dejah　Thoris　and　your　daughter。〃

　

〃I　shall　not　return　and　leave　you　here　alone；　John　Carter；〃

replied　Thuvan　Dihn。　　〃Whether　you　go　on　to　victory　or　death；

the　Jeddak　of　Ptarth　remains　at　your　side。　　I　have　spoken。〃

　

I　knew　from　his　tone　that　it　were　useless　to　attempt　to　argue

the　question；　and　so　I　compromised　by　sending　Woola　back　with　a

hastily　penned　note　enclosed　in　a　small　metal　case　and　fastened

about　his　neck。　　I　commanded　the　faithful　creature　to　seek

Carthoris　at　Helium；　and　though　half　a　world　and　countless

dangers　lay　between　I　knew　that　if　the　thing　could　be　done　Woola

would　do　it。

　

Equipped　as　he　was　by　nature　with　marvelous　speed　and　endurance；

and　with　frightful　ferocity　that　made　him　a　match　for　any　single

enemy　of　the　way；　his　keen　intelligence　and　wondrous　instinct

should　easily　furnish　all　else　that　was　needed　for　the　successful

accomplishment　of　his　mission。

　

It　was　with　evident　reluctance　that　the　great　beast　turned　to　leave

me　in　compliance　with　my　command；　and　ere　he　had　gone　I　could　not

resist　the　inclination　to　throw　my　arms　about　his　great　neck　in

a　parting　hug。　　He　rubbed　his　cheek　against　mine　in　a　final　caress；

and　a　moment　later　was　speeding　through　the　Carrion　Caves　toward

the　outer　world。

　

In　my　note　to　Carthoris　I　had　given　explicit　directions　for　locating

the　Carrion　Caves；　impressing　upon　him　the　necessity　for　making

entrance　to　the　country　beyond　through　this　avenue；　and　not　to　attempt

under　any　circumstances　to　cross　the　ice…barrier　with　a　fleet。

I　told　him　that　what　lay　beyond　the　eighth　cave　I　could　not

even　guess；　but　I　was　sure　that　somewhere　upon　the　other　side　of　the

ice…barrier　his　mother　lay　in　the　power　of　Matai　Shang；　and　that

possibly　his　grandfather　and　great…grandfather　as　well；　if　they　lived。

　

Further；　I　advised　him　to　call　upon　Kulan　Tith　and　the　son　of

Thuvan　Dihn　for　warriors　and　ships　that　the　expedition　might　be

sufficiently　strong　to　insure　success　at　the　first　blow。

　

〃And；〃　I　concluded；　〃if　there　be　time　bring　Tars　Tarkas　with　you；

for　if　I　live　until　you　reach　me　I　can　think　of　few　greater　pleasures

than　to　fight　once　more；　shoulder　to　shoulder；　with　my　old　friend。〃

　

When　Woola　had　left　us　Thuvan　Dihn　and　I；　hiding　in　the　seventh　cave；

discussed　and　discarded　many　plans　for　crossing　the　eighth　chamber。

From　where　we　stood　we　saw　that　the　fighting　among　the　apts　was

growing　less；　and　that　many　that　had　been　feeding　had　ceased　and

lain　down　to　sleep。

　

Presently　it　became　apparent　that　in　a　short　time　all　the　ferocious

monsters　might　be　peacefully　slumbering；　and　thus　a　hazardous

opportunity　be　presented　to　us　to　cross　through　their　lair。

　

One　by　one　the　remaining　brutes　stretched　themselves　upon　the

bubbling　decomposition　that　covered　the　mass　of　bones　upon

the　floor　of　their　den；　until　but　a　single　apt　remained　awake。

This　huge　fellow　roamed　restlessly　about；　nosing　among　his

companion　and　the　abhorrent　litter　of　the　cave。

　

Occasionally　he　would　stop　to　peer　intently　toward　first

one　of　the　exits　from　the　chamber　and　then　the　other。

His　whole　demeanor　was　as　of　one　who　acts　as　sentry。

　

We　were　at　last　forced　to　the　belief　that　he　would　not　sleep

while　the　other　occupants　of　the　lair　slept；　and　so　cast　about　in

our　minds　for　some　scheme　whereby　we　might　trick　him。　　Finally　I

suggested　a　plan　to　Thuvan　Dihn；　and　as　it　seemed　as　good　as　any

that　we　had　discussed　we　decided　to　put　it　to　the　test。

　

To　this　end　Thuvan　Dihn　placed　himself　close　against　the

cave's　wall；　beside　the　entrance　to　the　eighth　chamber；　while　I

deliberately　showed　myself　to　the　guardian　apt　as　he　looked　toward

our　retreat。　　Then　I　sprang　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　entrance；

flattening　my　body　close　to　the　wall。

　

Without　a　sound　the　great　beast　moved　rapidly　toward　the

seventh　cave　to　see　what　manner　of　intruder　had　thus　rashly

penetrated　so　far　within　the　precincts　of　his　habitation。

　

As　he　poked　his　head　through　the　narrow　aperture　that　connects

the　two　caves　a　heavy　long…sword　was　awaiting　him　upon　either　hand；

and　before　he　had　an　opportunity　to　emit　even　a　single　growl　his

severed　head　rolled　at　our　feet。

　

Quickly　we　glanced　into　the　eighth　chambernot　an　apt　had　moved。

Crawling　over　the　carcass　of　the　huge　beast　that　blocked　the

doorway　Thuvan　Dihn　and　I　cautiously　entered　the　forbidding

and　dangerous　den。

　

Like　snails　we　wound　our　silent　and　careful　way　among　the

huge；　recumbent　forms。　　The　only　sound　above　our　breathing　was

the　sucking　noise　of　our　feet　as　we　lifted　them　from　the　ooze　of

decaying　flesh　through　which　we　crept。

　

Halfway　across　the　chamber　and　one　of　the　mighty　beasts

directly　before　me　moved　restlessly　at　the　very　instant　that　my

foot　was　poised　above　his　head；　over　which　I　must　step。

　

Breathlessly　I　waited；　balancing　upon　one　foot；　for　I　did　not

dare　move　a　muscle。　　In　my　right　hand　was　my　keen　short…sword；

the　point　hovering　an　inch　above　the　thick　fur　beneath　which

beat　the　savage　heart。

　

Finally　the　apt　relaxed；　sighing；　as　with　the　passing　of　a　bad

dream；　and　resumed　the　regular　respiration　of　deep　slumber。

I　planted　my　raised　foot　beyond　the　fierce　head　and　an　instant

later　had　stepped　over　the　beast。

　

Thuvan　Dihn　followed　directly　after　me；　and　another　moment

found　us　at　the　further　door；　undetected。

　

The　Carrion　Caves　consist　of　a　series　of　twenty…seven

connecting　chambers；　and　present　the　appearance　of　having　been

eroded　by　running　water　in　some　far…gone　age　when　a　mighty　river

found　its　way　to　the　south　through　this　single　breach　in　the

barrier　o