warlord of mars-第27节

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It　had　taken　me　about　that　length　of　time　to　ascend　some　fifty

feet　above　the　bottom　when　a　noise　above　attracted　my　attention。

To　my　chagrin　I　saw　that　the　covering　of　the　pit　was　being　removed

far　above　me；　and　in　the　light　of　the　courtyard　beyond　I　saw　a

number　of　yellow　warriors。

　

Could　it　be　that　I　was　laboriously　working　my　way　into　some　new　trap？

Were　the　messages　spurious；　after　all？　　And　then；　just　as　my　hope　and

courage　had　ebbed　to　their　lowest；　I　saw　two　things。

　

One　was　the　body　of　a　huge；　struggling；　snarling　apt　being　lowered

over　the　side　of　the　pit　toward　me；　and　the　other　was　an　aperture

in　the　side　of　the　shaftan　aperture　larger　than　a　man's　body；

into　which　my　rope　led。

　

Just　as　I　scrambled　into　the　dark　hole　before　me　the　apt　passed　me；

reaching　out　with　his　mighty　hands　to　clutch　me；　and　snapping；　growling；

and　roaring　in　a　most　frightful　manner。

　

Plainly　now　I　saw　the　end　for　which　Salensus　Oll　had　destined　me。

After　first　torturing　me　with　starvation　he　had　caused　this

fierce　beast　to　be　lowered　into　my　prison　to　finish　the　work　that

the　jeddak's　hellish　imagination　had　conceived。

　

And　then　another　truth　flashed　upon　meI　had　lived　nine　days

of　the　allotted　ten　which　must　intervene　before　Salensus　Oll　could

make　Dejah　Thoris　his　queen。　　The　purpose　of　the　apt　was　to　insure

my　death　before　the　tenth　day。

　

I　almost　laughed　aloud　as　I　thought　how　Salensus　Oll's　measure

of　safety　was　to　aid　in　defeating　the　very　end　he　sought；　for　when

they　discovered　that　the　apt　was　alone　in　the　Pit　of　Plenty　they

could　not　know　but　that　he　had　completely　devoured　me；　and　so　no

suspicion　of　my　escape　would　cause　a　search　to　be　made　for　me。

　

Coiling　the　rope　that　had　carried　me　thus　far　upon　my　strange

journey；　I　sought　for　the　other　end；　but　found　that　as　I　followed

it　forward　it　extended　always　before　me。　　So　this　was　the　meaning

of　the　words：　　〃Follow　the　rope。〃

　

The　tunnel　through　which　I　crawled　was　low　and　dark。　　I　had　followed

it　for　several　hundred　yards　when　I　felt　a　knot　beneath　my　fingers。

〃Beyond　the　knots　lies　danger。〃

　

Now　I　went　with　the　utmost　caution；　and　a　moment　later　a　sharp

turn　in　the　tunnel　brought　me　to　an　opening　into　a　large；

brilliantly　lighted　chamber。

　

The　trend　of　the　tunnel　I　had　been　traversing　had　been　slightly　upward；

and　from　this　I　judged　that　the　chamber　into　which　I　now　found　myself

looking　must　be　either　on　the　first　floor　of　the　palace　or　directly

beneath　the　first　floor。

　

Upon　the　opposite　wall　were　many　strange　instruments　and　devices；

and　in　the　center　of　the　room　stood　a　long　table；　at　which　two　men

were　seated　in　earnest　conversation。

　

He　who　faced　me　was　a　yellow　mana　little；　wizened…up；

pasty…faced　old　fellow　with　great　eyes　that　showed　the

white　round　the　entire　circumference　of　the　iris。

　

His　companion　was　a　black　man；　and　I　did　not　need　to　see　his

face　to　know　that　it　was　Thurid；　for　there　was　no　other　of　the

First　Born　north　of　the　ice…barrier。

　

Thurid　was　speaking　as　I　came　within　hearing　of　the　men's　voices。

　

〃Solan；〃　he　was　saying；　〃there　is　no　risk　and　the　reward　is　great。

You　know　that　you　hate　Salensus　Oll　and　that　nothing　would

please　you　more　than　to　thwart　him　in　some　cherished　plan。

There　be　nothing　that　he　more　cherishes　today　than　the　idea

of　wedding　the　beautiful　Princess　of　Helium；　but　I；　too；

want　her；　and　with　your　help　I　may　win　her。

　

〃You　need　not　more　than　step　from　this　room　for　an　instant

when　I　give　you　the　signal。　　I　will　do　the　rest；　and　then；　when　I

am　gone；　you　may　come　and　throw　the　great　switch　back　into　its　place；

and　all　will　be　as　before。　　I　need　but　an　hour's　start　to　be　safe

beyond　the　devilish　power　that　you　control　in　this　hidden　chamber

beneath　the　palace　of　your　master。　　See　how　easy；〃　and　with

the　words　the　black　dator　rose　from　his　seat　and；　crossing　the

room；　laid　his　hand　upon　a　large；　burnished　lever　that　protruded

from　the　opposite　wall。

　

〃No！　No！〃　cried　the　little　old　man；　springing　after　him；　with　a

wild　shriek。　　〃Not　that　one！　　Not　that　one！　　That　controls　the

sunray　tanks；　and　should　you　pull　it　too　far　down；　all　Kadabra

would　be　consumed　by　heat　before　I　could　replace　it。　　Come　away！

Come　away！　　You　know　not　with　what　mighty　powers　you　play。

This　is　the　lever　that　you　seek。　　Note　well　the　symbol　inlaid

in　white　upon　its　ebon　surface。〃

　

Thurid　approached　and　examined　the　handle　of　the　lever。

　

〃Ah；　a　magnet；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will　remember。　　It　is　settled

then　I　take　it；〃　he　continued。

　

The　old　man　hesitated。　　A　look　of　combined　greed　and

apprehension　overspread　his　none　too　beautiful　features。

　

〃Double　the　figure；〃　he　said。　　〃Even　that　were　all　too　small

an　amount　for　the　service　you　ask。　　Why；　I　risk　my　life　by　even

entertaining　you　here　within　the　forbidden　precincts　of　my　station。

Should　Salensus　Oll　learn　of　it　he　would　have　me　thrown　to　the　apts

before　the　day　was　done。〃

　

〃He　dare　not　do　that；　and　you　know　it　full　well；　Solan；〃

contradicted　the　black。　　〃Too　great　a　power　of　life　and　death

you　hold　over　the　people　of　Kadabra　for　Salensus　Oll　ever　to　risk

threatening　you　with　death。　　Before　ever　his　minions　could　lay

their　hands　upon　you；　you　might　seize　this　very　lever　from　which

you　have　just　warned　me　and　wipe　out　the　entire　city。〃

　

〃And　myself　into　the　bargain；〃　said　Solan；　with　a　shudder。

　

〃But　if　you　were　to　die；　anyway；　you　would　find　the　nerve　to　do　it；〃

replied　Thurid。

　

〃Yes；〃　muttered　Solan；　〃I　have　often　thought　upon　that　very　thing。

Well；　First　Born；　is　your　red　princess　worth　the　price　I　ask　for　my

services；　or　will　you　go　without　her　and　see　her　in　the　arms　of

Salensus　Oll　tomorrow　night？〃

　

〃Take　your　price；　yellow　man；〃　replied　Thurid；　with　an　oath。

〃Half　now　and　the　balance　when　you　have　fulfilled　your　contract。〃

　

With　that　the　dator　threw　a　well…filled　money…pouch　upon　the　table。

　

Solan　opened　the　pouch　and　with　trembling　fingers　counted　its　contents。

His　weird　eyes　assumed　a　greedy　expression；　and　his　unkempt　beard

and　mustache　twitched　with　the　muscles　of　his　mouth　and　chin。

It　was　quite　evident　from　his　very　mannerism　that　Thurid　had

keenly　guessed　the　man's　weaknesseven　the　clawlike；　clutching

movement　of　the　fingers　betokened　the　avariciousness　of　the　miser。

　

Having　satisfied　himself　that　the　amount　was　correct；　Solan

replaced　the　money　in　the　pouch　and　rose　from　the　table。

　

〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃are　you　quite　sure　that　you　know　the　way　to

your　destination？　　You　must　travel　quickly　to　cover　the　ground

to　the　cave　and　from　thence　beyond　the　Great　Power；　all　within

a　brief　hour；　for　no　more　dare　I　spare　you。〃

　

〃Let　me　repeat　it　to　you；〃　said　Thurid；　〃that　you　may　see　if

I　be　letter…perfect。〃

　

〃Proceed；〃　replied　Solan。

　

〃Through　yonder　door；〃　he　commenced；　pointing　to　a　door　at　the

far　end　of　the　apartment；　〃I　follow　a　corridor；　passing　three

diverging　corridors　upon　my　right；　then　into　the　fourth　right…hand

corridor　straight　to　where　three　corridors　meet；　here　again　I

follow　to　the　right；　hugging　the　left　wall　closely　to　avoid　the　pit。

　

〃At　the　end　of　this　corridor　I　shall　come　to　a　spiral　runway；

which　I　must　follow　down　instead　of　up；　after　that　the　way

is　along　but　a　single　branchless　corridor。　　Am　I　right？〃

　

〃Quite　right；　Dator；〃　answered　Solan；　〃and　now　begone。　　Already

have　you　tempted　fate　too　long　within　this　forbidden　place。〃

　

〃Tonight；　or　tomorrow；　then；　you　may　expect　the　signal；〃　said　Thurid；

rising　to　go。

　

〃Tonight；　or　tomorrow；〃　repeated　Solan；　and　as　the　door　closed

behind　his　guest　the　old　man　continued　to　mutter　as　he　turned

back　to　the　table；　where　he　again　dumped　the　contents　of　the

money…pouch；　running　his　fingers　through　the　heap　of　shining　metal；

piling　the　coins　into　little　towers；　counting；　recounting；　and　fondling

the　wealth　the　while　he　muttered　on　and　on　in　a　crooning　undertone。

　

Presently　his　fingers　ceased　their　play；　his　eyes　popped　wider　than　ever

as　they　fastened　upon　the　door　through　which　Thurid　had　disappeared。

The　croon　changed　to　a　querulous　muttering；　and　finally　to　an　ugly　growl。

　

Then　the　old　man　rose　from　the　table；　shaking　his　fist　at　the　closed　door。

Now　he　raised　his　voice；　and　his　words　came　distinctly。

　

〃Fool！〃　he　muttered。　　〃Think　you　that　for　your　happiness　Solan

will　give　up　his　life？　　If　you　escaped；　Salensus　Oll　would

know　that　only　through　my　connivance　could　you　have　succeeded。

Then　would　he　send　for　me。　　What　would　you　have　me　do？　　Reduce　the

city　and　myself　to　ashes？　　No；　fool；　there　is　a　better　waya　better

way　for　Solan　to　keep　thy　money　and　be　revenged　upon　Salensus　Oll。〃

　

He　laughed　in　a　nasty；　cackling　note。

　

〃Poor　fool！　　You　may　throw　the　great　switch　that　will　give　you

the　freedom　of　the　air　of　Okar；　and　then；　in　fatuous　security；

go　on　with　thy　red　princess　to