warlord of mars-第22节

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by　evident　ignorance　of　something　which　as　a　yellow　man　I　should

have　known；　but　before　we　reached　the　city　gate　I　was　to　learn

the　purpose　of　that　grim　shaft　and　the　meaning　of　the　mighty

accumulation　beneath　it。

　

We　had　come　almost　to　the　gate　when　one　of　the　party　called　to

his　fellows；　at　the　same　time　pointing　toward　the　distant

southern　horizon。　　Following　the　direction　he　indicated；　my　eyes

descried　the　hull　of　a　large　flier　approaching　rapidly　from　above

the　crest　of　the　encircling　hills。

　

〃Still　other　fools　who　would　solve　the　mysteries　of　the

forbidden　north；〃　said　the　officer；　half　to　himself。

〃Will　they　never　cease　their　fatal　curiosity？〃

　

〃Let　us　hope　not；〃　answered　one　of　the　warriors；　〃for　then

what　should　we　do　for　slaves　and　sport？〃

　

〃True；　but　what　stupid　beasts　they　are　to　continue　to　come　to

a　region　from　whence　none　of　them　ever　has　returned。〃

　

〃Let　us　tarry　and　watch　the　end　of　this　one；〃　suggested　one　of　the　men。

　

The　officer　looked　toward　the　city。

　

〃The　watch　has　seen　him；〃　he　said；　〃we　may　remain；　for　we　may　be　needed。〃

　

I　looked　toward　the　city　and　saw　several　hundred　warriors　issuing

from　the　nearest　gate。　　They　moved　leisurely；　as　though　there

were　no　need　for　hastenor　was　there；　as　I　was　presently　to　learn。

　

Then　I　turned　my　eyes　once　more　toward　the　flier。　　She　was

moving　rapidly　toward　the　city；　and　when　she　had　come　close　enough

I　was　surprised　to　see　that　her　propellers　were　idle。

　

Straight　for　that　grim　shaft　she　bore。　　At　the　last　minute　I

saw　the　great　blades　move　to　reverse　her；　yet　on　she　came　as　though

drawn　by　some　mighty；　irresistible　power。

　

Intense　excitement　prevailed　upon　her　deck；　where　men　were

running　hither　and　thither；　manning　the　guns　and　preparing　to

launch　the　small；　one…man　fliers；　a　fleet　of　which　is　part　of　the

equipment　of　every　Martian　war　vessel。　　Closer　and　closer　to　the

black　shaft　the　ship　sped。　　In　another　instant　she　must　strike；　and

then　I　saw　the　familiar　signal　flown　that　sends　the　lesser　boats　in

a　great　flock　from　the　deck　of　the　mother　ship。

　

Instantly　a　hundred　tiny　fliers　rose　from　her　deck；　like　a

swarm　of　huge　dragon　flies；　but　scarcely　were　they　clear　of　the

battleship　than　the　nose　of　each　turned　toward　the　shaft；　and　they；

too；　rushed　on　at　frightful　speed　toward　the　same　now　seemingly

inevitable　end　that　menaced　the　larger　vessel。

　

A　moment　later　the　collision　came。　　Men　were　hurled　in　every

direction　from　the　ship's　deck；　while　she；　bent　and　crumpled；

took　the　last；　long　plunge　to　the　scrap…heap　at　the　shaft's　base。

　

With　her　fell　a　shower　of　her　own　tiny　fliers；　for　each　of

them　had　come　in　violent　collision　with　the　solid　shaft。

　

I　noticed　that　the　wrecked　fliers　scraped　down　the　shaft's　side；

and　that　their　fall　was　not　as　rapid　as　might　have　been　expected；

and　then　suddenly　the　secret　of　the　shaft　burst　upon　me；

and　with　it　an　explanation　of　the　cause　that　prevented　a　flier

that　passed　too　far　across　the　ice…barrier　ever　returning。

　

The　shaft　was　a　mighty　magnet；　and　when　once　a　vessel　came　within

the　radius　of　its　powerful　attraction　for　the　aluminum　steel

that　enters　so　largely　into　the　construction　of　all　Barsoomian　craft；

no　power　on　earth　could　prevent　such　an　end　as　we　had　just　witnessed。

　

I　afterward　learned　that　the　shaft　rests　directly　over　the　magnetic　pole

of　Mars；　but　whether　this　adds　in　any　way　to　its　incalculable　power　of

attraction　I　do　not　know。　　I　am　a　fighting　man；　not　a　scientist。

　

Here；　at　last；　was　an　explanation　of　the　long　absence　of

Tardos　Mors　and　Mors　Kajak。　　These　valiant　and　intrepid　warriors

had　dared　the　mysteries　and　dangers　of　the　frozen　north　to　search

for　Carthoris；　whose　long　absence　had　bowed　in　grief　the　head　of

his　beautiful　mother；　Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium。

　

The　moment　that　the　last　of　the　fliers　came　to　rest　at　the

base　of　the　shaft　the　black…bearded；　yellow　warriors　swarmed　over

the　mass　of　wreckage　upon　which　they　lay；　making　prisoners　of　those

who　were　uninjured　and　occasionally　despatching　with　a　sword…thrust

one　of　the　wounded　who　seemed　prone　to　resent　their　taunts　and　insults。

　

A　few　of　the　uninjured　red　men　battled　bravely　against　their

cruel　foes；　but　for　the　most　part　they　seemed　too　overwhelmed　by

the　horror　of　the　catastrophe　that　had　befallen　them　to　do　more　than

submit　supinely　to　the　golden　chains　with　which　they　were　manacled。

　

When　the　last　of　the　prisoners　had　been　confined；　the　party

returned　to　the　city；　at　the　gate　of　which　we　met　a　pack　of　fierce；

gold…collared　apts；　each　of　which　marched　between　two　warriors；

who　held　them　with　strong　chains　of　the　same　metal　as　their　collars。

　

Just　beyond　the　gate　the　attendants　loosened　the　whole　terrible　herd；

and　as　they　bounded　off　toward　the　grim；　black　shaft　I　did　not　need

to　ask　to　know　their　mission。　　Had　there　not　been　those　within　the

cruel　city　of　Kadabra　who　needed　succor　far　worse　than　the　poor

unfortunate　dead　and　dying　out　there　in　the　cold　upon　the　bent

and　broken　carcasses　of　a　thousand　fliers　I　could　not　have

restrained　my　desire　to　hasten　back　and　do　battle　with　those　horrid

creatures　that　had　been　despatched　to　rend　and　devour　them。

　

As　it　was　I　could　but　follow　the　yellow　warriors；　with　bowed　head；

and　give　thanks　for　the　chance　that　had　given　Thuvan　Dihn　and　me

such　easy　ingress　to　the　capital　of　Salensus　Oll。

　

Once　within　the　gates；　we　had　no　difficulty　in　eluding　our　friends

of　the　morning；　and　presently　found　ourselves　in　a　Martian　hostelry。

　

　

　

　

IN　DURANCE

　

　

The　public　houses　of　Barsoom；　I　have　found；　vary　but　little。

There　is　no　privacy　for　other　than　married　couples。

　

Men　without　their　wives　are　escorted　to　a　large　chamber；

the　floor　of　which　is　usually　of　white　marble　or　heavy　glass；

kept　scrupulously　clean。　　Here　are　many　small；　raised　platforms

for　the　guest's　sleeping　silks　and　furs；　and　if　he　have　none　of

his　own　clean；　fresh　ones　are　furnished　at　a　nominal　charge。

　

Once　a　man's　belongings　have　been　deposited　upon　one　of　these

platforms　he　is　a　guest　of　the　house；　and　that　platform　his　own

until　he　leaves。　　No　one　will　disturb　or　molest　his　belongings；

as　there　are　no　thieves　upon　Mars。

　

As　assassination　is　the　one　thing　to　be　feared；　the　proprietors

of　the　hostelries　furnish　armed　guards；　who　pace　back　and　forth

through　the　sleeping…rooms　day　and　night。　　The　number　of　guards

and　gorgeousness　of　their　trappings　quite　usually　denote　the

status　of　the　hotel。

　

No　meals　are　served　in　these　houses；　but　generally　a　public　eating

place　adjoins　them。　　Baths　are　connected　with　the　sleeping　chambers；

and　each　guest　is　required　to　bathe　daily　or　depart　from　the　hotel。

　

Usually　on　a　second　or　third　floor　there　is　a　large　sleeping…

room　for　single　women　guests；　but　its　appointments　do　not　vary

materially　from　the　chamber　occupied　by　men。　　The　guards　who　watch

the　women　remain　in　the　corridor　outside　the　sleeping　chamber；

while　female　slaves　pace　back　and　forth　among　the　sleepers　within；

ready　to　notify　the　warriors　should　their　presence　be　required。

　

I　was　surprised　to　note　that　all　the　guards　with　the　hotel　at

which　we　stopped　were　red　men；　and　on　inquiring　of　one　of　them　I

learned　that　they　were　slaves　purchased　by　the　proprietors　of　the

hotels　from　the　government。　　The　man　whose　post　was　past　my　sleeping

platform　had　been　commander　of　the　navy　of　a　great　Martian　nation；

but　fate　had　carried　his　flagship　across　the　ice…barrier

within　the　radius　of　power　of　the　magnetic　shaft；　and　now

for　many　tedious　years　he　had　been　a　slave　of　the　yellow　men。

　

He　told　me　that　princes；　jeds；　and　even　jeddaks　of　the　outer　world；

were　among　the　menials　who　served　the　yellow　race；　but　when　I

asked　him　if　he　had　heard　of　the　fate　of　Mors　Kajak　or　Tardos

Mors　he　shook　his　head；　saying　that　he　never　had　heard　of　their

being　prisoners　here；　though　he　was　very　familiar　with　the

reputations　and　fame　they　bore　in　the　outer　world。

　

Neither　had　he　heard　any　rumor　of　the　coming　of　the　Father　of

Therns　and　the　black　dator　of　the　First　Born；　but　he　hastened　to

explain　that　he　knew　little　of　what　took　place　within　the　palace。

I　could　see　that　he　wondered　not　a　little　that　a　yellow　man　should

be　so　inquisitive　about　certain　red　prisoners　from　beyond　the　ice…

barrier；　and　that　I　should　be　so　ignorant　of　customs　and　conditions

among　my　own　race。

　

In　fact；　I　had　forgotten　my　disguise　upon　discovering　a　red

man　pacing　before　my　sleeping　platform；　but　his　growing　expression

of　surprise　warned　me　in　time；　for　I　had　no　mind　to　reveal　my

identity　to　any　unless　some　good　could　come　of　it；　and　I　did　not

see　how　this　poor　fellow　could　serve　me　yet；　though　I　had　it　in　my

mind　that　later　I　might　be　the　means　of　serving　him　and　all　the

other　thousands　of　prisoners　who　do　the　bidding　of　their　stern

master