warlord of mars-第28节

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

go　on　with　thy　red　princess　to　the　freedom　ofdeath。　　When　you　have

passed　beyond　this　chamber　in　your　flight；　what　can　prevent　Solan

replacing　the　switch　as　it　was　before　your　vile　hand　touched　it？

Nothing；　and　then　the　Guardian　of　the　North　will　claim　you　and　your

woman；　and　Salensus　Oll；　when　he　sees　your　dead　bodies；　will　never

dream　that　the　hand　of　Solan　had　aught　to　do　with　the　thing。〃

　

Then　his　voice　dropped　once　more　into　mutterings　that　I　could

not　translate；　but　I　had　heard　enough　to　cause　me　to　guess　a

great　deal　more；　and　I　thanked　the　kind　Providence　that　had　led

me　to　this　chamber　at　a　time　so　filled　with　importance　to　Dejah

Thoris　and　myself　as　this。

　

But　how　to　pass　the　old　man　now！　　The　cord；　almost　invisible

upon　the　floor；　stretched　straight　across　the　apartment　to　a　door

upon　the　far　side。

　

There　was　no　other　way　of　which　I　knew；　nor　could　I　afford　to

ignore　the　advice　to　〃follow　the　rope。〃　　I　must　cross　this　room；

but　however　I　should　accomplish　it　undetected　with　that　old　man

in　the　very　center　of　it　baffled　me。

　

Of　course　I　might　have　sprung　in　upon　him　and　with　my　bare　hands

silenced　him　forever；　but　I　had　heard　enough　to　convince　me　that

with　him　alive　the　knowledge　that　I　had　gained　might　serve　me

at　some　future　moment；　while　should　I　kill　him　and　another　be

stationed　in　his　place　Thurid　would　not　come　hither　with　Dejah

Thoris；　as　was　quite　evidently　his　intention。

　

As　I　stood　in　the　dark　shadow　of　the　tunnel's　end　racking　my

brain　for　a　feasible　plan　the　while　I　watched；　catlike；　the　old

man's　every　move；　he　took　up　the　money…pouch　and　crossed　to　one

end　of　the　apartment；　where；　bending　to　his　knees；　he　fumbled　with

a　panel　in　the　wall。

　

Instantly　I　guessed　that　here　was　the　hiding　place　in　which　he

hoarded　his　wealth；　and　while　he　bent　there；　his　back　toward　me；　I

entered　the　chamber　upon　tiptoe；　and　with　the　utmost　stealth

essayed　to　reach　the　opposite　side　before　he　should　complete　his

task　and　turn　again　toward　the　room's　center。

　

Scarcely　thirty　steps；　all　told；　must　I　take；　and　yet　it

seemed　to　my　overwrought　imagination　that　that　farther　wall　was

miles　away；　but　at　last　I　reached　it；　nor　once　had　I　taken　my　eyes

from　the　back　of　the　old　miser's　head。

　

He　did　not　turn　until　my　hand　was　upon　the　button　that　controlled

the　door　through　which　my　way　led；　and　then　he　turned　away

from　me　as　I　passed　through　and　gently　closed　the　door。

　

For　an　instant　I　paused；　my　ear　close　to　the　panel；　to　learn

if　he　had　suspected　aught；　but　as　no　sound　of　pursuit　came　from

within　I　wheeled　and　made　my　way　along　the　new　corridor；　following

the　rope；　which　I　coiled　and　brought　with　me　as　I　advanced。

　

But　a　short　distance　farther　on　I　came　to　the　rope's　end　at

a　point　where　five　corridors　met。　　What　was　I　to　do？　　Which

way　should　I　turn？　　I　was　nonplused。

　

A　careful　examination　of　the　end　of　the　rope　revealed　the　fact

that　it　had　been　cleanly　cut　with　some　sharp　instrument。　　This　fact

and　the　words　that　had　cautioned　me　that　danger　lay　beyond　the

KNOTS　convinced　me　that　the　rope　had　been　severed　since　my　friend

had　placed　it　as　my　guide；　for　I　had　but　passed　a　single　knot；

whereas　there　had　evidently　been　two　or　more　in　the　entire　length

of　the　cord。

　

Now；　indeed；　was　I　in　a　pretty　fix；　for　neither　did　I　know

which　avenue　to　follow　nor　when　danger　lay　directly　in　my　path；

but　there　was　nothing　else　to　be　done　than　follow　one　of　the　corridors；

for　I　could　gain　nothing　by　remaining　where　I　was。

　

So　I　chose　the　central　opening；　and　passed　on　into　its　gloomy

depths　with　a　prayer　upon　my　lips。

　

The　floor　of　the　tunnel　rose　rapidly　as　I　advanced；　and　a

moment　later　the　way　came　to　an　abrupt　end　before　a　heavy　door。

　

I　could　hear　nothing　beyond；　and；　with　my　accustomed　rashness；

pushed　the　portal　wide　to　step　into　a　room　filled　with　yellow

warriors。

　

The　first　to　see　me　opened　his　eyes　wide　in　astonishment；　and

at　the　same　instant　I　felt　the　tingling　sensation　in　my　finger

that　denoted　the　presence　of　a　friend　of　the　ring。

　

Then　others　saw　me；　and　there　was　a　concerted　rush　to　lay　hands　upon　me；

for　these　were　all　members　of　the　palace　guardmen　familiar　with　my　face。

　

The　first　to　reach　me　was　the　wearer　of　the　mate　to　my　strange　ring；

and　as　he　came　close　he　whispered：　　〃Surrender　to　me！〃　then　in　a

loud　voice　shouted：　　〃You　are　my　prisoner；　white　man；〃　and　menaced

me　with　his　two　weapons。

　

And　so　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　meekly　surrendered　to　a

single　antagonist。　　The　others　now　swarmed　about　us；　asking　many

questions；　but　I　would　not　talk　to　them；　and　finally　my　captor

announced　that　he　would　lead　me　back　to　my　cell。

　

An　officer　ordered　several　other　warriors　to　accompany　him；

and　a　moment　later　we　were　retracing　the　way　I　had　just　come。

My　friend　walked　close　beside　me；　asking　many　silly　questions

about　the　country　from　which　I　had　come；　until　finally　his

fellows　paid　no　further　attention　to　him　or　his　gabbling。

　

Gradually；　as　he　spoke；　he　lowered　his　voice；　so　that　presently　he　was

able　to　converse　with　me　in　a　low　tone　without　attracting　attention。

His　ruse　was　a　clever　one；　and　showed　that　Talu　had　not　misjudged

the　man's　fitness　for　the　dangerous　duty　upon　which　he　was　detailed。

　

When　he　had　fully　assured　himself　that　the　other　guardsmen　were

not　listening；　he　asked　me　why　I　had　not　followed　the　rope；

and　when　I　told　him　that　it　had　ended　at　the　five　corridors　he　said

that　it　must　have　been　cut　by　someone　in　need　of　a　piece　of　rope；

for　he　was　sure　that　〃the　stupid　Kadabrans　would　never　have　guessed

its　purpose。〃

　

Before　we　had　reached　the　spot　from　which　the　five　corridors

diverge　my　Marentinian　friend　had　managed　to　drop　to　the　rear　of

the　little　column　with　me；　and　when　we　came　in　sight　of　the

branching　ways　he　whispered：

　

〃Run　up　the　first　upon　the　right。　　It　leads　to　the　watchtower　upon

the　south　wall。　　I　will　direct　the　pursuit　up　the　next　corridor；〃

and　with　that　he　gave　me　a　great　shove　into　the　dark　mouth　of

the　tunnel；　at　the　same　time　crying　out　in　simulated　pain

and　alarm　as　he　threw　himself　upon　the　floor　as　though　I　had

felled　him　with　a　blow。

　

From　behind　the　voices　of　the　excited　guardsmen　came

reverberating　along　the　corridor；　suddenly　growing　fainter　as

Talu's　spy　led　them　up　the　wrong　passageway　in　fancied　pursuit。

　

As　I　ran　for　my　life　through　the　dark　galleries　beneath　the　palace

of　Salensus　Oll　I　must　indeed　have　presented　a　remarkable　appearance

had　there　been　any　to　note　it；　for　though　death　loomed　large　about　me；

my　face　was　split　by　a　broad　grin　as　I　thought　of　the　resourcefulness

of　the　nameless　hero　of　Marentina　to　whom　I　owed　my　life。

　

Of　such　stuff　are　the　men　of　my　beloved　Helium；　and　when　I　meet　another

of　their　kind；　of　whatever　race　or　color；　my　heart　goes　out　to　him　as

it　did　now　to　my　new　friend　who　had　risked　his　life　for　me　simply

because　I　wore　the　mate　to　the　ring　his　ruler　had　put　upon　his　finger。

　

The　corridor　along　which　I　ran　led　almost　straight　for

a　considerable　distance；　terminating　at　the　foot　of　a

spiral　runway；　up　which　I　proceeded　to　emerge　presently

into　a　circular　chamber　upon　the　first　floor　of　a　tower。

　

In　this　apartment　a　dozen　red　slaves　were　employed　polishing

or　repairing　the　weapons　of　the　yellow　men。　　The　walls　of　the

room　were　lined　with　racks　in　which　were　hundreds　of　straight　and

hooked　swords；　javelins；　and　daggers。　　It　was　evidently　an　armory。

There　were　but　three　warriors　guarding　the　workers。

　

My　eyes　took　in　the　entire　scene　at　a　glance。　　Here　were　weapons

in　plenty！　　Here　were　sinewy　red　warriors　to　wield　them！

　

And　here　now　was　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　in　need　both

of　weapons　and　warriors！

　

As　I　stepped　into　the　apartment；　guards　and　prisoners　saw　me

simultaneously。

　

Close　to　the　entrance　where　I　stood　was　a　rack　of　straight

swords；　and　as　my　hand　closed　upon　the　hilt　of　one　of　them　my　eyes

fell　upon　the　faces　of　two　of　the　prisoners　who　worked　side　by　side。

　

One　of　the　guards　started　toward　me。　　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　demanded。

〃What　do　you　here？〃

　

〃I　come　for　Tardos　Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium；　and　his　son；　Mors　Kajak；〃

I　cried；　pointing　to　the　two　red　prisoners；　who　had　now

sprung　to　their　feet；　wide…eyed　in　astonished　recognition。

　

〃Rise；　red　men！　　Before　we　die　let　us　leave　a　memorial　in　the

palace　of　Okar's　tyrant　that　will　stand　forever　in　the　annals　of

Kadabra　to　the　honor　and　glory　of　Helium；〃　for　I　had　seen　that　all

the　prisoners　there　were　men　of　Tardos　Mors's　navy。

　

Then　the　first　guardsman　was　upon　me　and　the　fight　was　on；

but　scarce　did　we　engage　ere；　to　my　horror；　I　saw　that　the

red　slaves　were　shackled　to　the　floor。

　

　

　

　

THE　MAGNET　SWITCH

　

　

The　guardsmen　paid　not　the　slighte