warlord of mars-第29节

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THE　MAGNET　SWITCH

　

　

The　guardsmen　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　to　their　wards；

for　the　red　men　could　not　move　over　two　feet　from　the　great　rings

to　which　they　were　padlocked；　though　each　had　seized　a　weapon　upon

which　he　had　been　engaged　when　I　entered　the　room；　and　stood　ready

to　join　me　could　they　have　but　done　so。

　

The　yellow　men　devoted　all　their　attention　to　me；　nor　were　they　long

in　discovering　that　the　three　of　them　were　none　too　many　to　defend　the

armory　against　John　Carter。　　Would　that　I　had　had　my　own　good　long…sword

in　my　hand　that　day；　but；　as　it　was；　I　rendered　a　satisfactory　account

of　myself　with　the　unfamiliar　weapon　of　the　yellow　man。

　

At　first　I　had　a　time　of　it　dodging　their　villainous　hook…swords；

but　after　a　minute　or　two　I　had　succeeded　in　wresting　a　second　straight

sword　from　one　of　the　racks　along　the　wall；　and　thereafter；　using　it

to　parry　the　hooks　of　my　antagonists；　I　felt　more　evenly　equipped。

　

The　three　of　them　were　on　me　at　once；　and　but　for　a　lucky

circumstance　my　end　might　have　come　quickly。　　The　foremost

guardsman　made　a　vicious　lunge　for　my　side　with　his　hook　after　the

three　of　them　had　backed　me　against　the　wall；　but　as　I　sidestepped

and　raised　my　arm　his　weapon　but　grazed　my　side；　passing　into　a

rack　of　javelins；　where　it　became　entangled。

　

Before　he　could　release　it　I　had　run　him　through；　and　then；

falling　back　upon　the　tactics　that　have　saved　me　a　hundred　times

in　tight　pinches；　I　rushed　the　two　remaining　warriors；　forcing　them

back　with　a　perfect　torrent　of　cuts　and　thrusts；　weaving　my　sword

in　and　out　about　their　guards　until　I　had　the　fear　of　death　upon　them。

　

Then　one　of　them　commenced　calling　for　help；　but　it　was　too　late

to　save　them。

　

They　were　as　putty　in　my　hands　now；　and　I　backed　them　about　the

armory　as　I　would　until　I　had　them　where　I　wanted　themwithin

reach　of　the　swords　of　the　shackled　slaves。　　In　an　instant

both　lay　dead　upon　the　floor。　　But　their　cries　had　not　been

entirely　fruitless；　for　now　I　heard　answering　shouts　and　the

footfalls　of　many　men　running　and　the　clank　of　accouterments

and　the　commands　of　officers。

　

〃The　door！　　Quick；　John　Carter；　bar　the　door！〃　cried　Tardos　Mors。

　

Already　the　guard　was　in　sight；　charging　across　the　open　court

that　was　visible　through　the　doorway。

　

A　dozen　seconds　would　bring　them　into　the　tower。　　A　single

leap　carried　me　to　the　heavy　portal。　　With　a　resounding　bang　I

slammed　it　shut。

　

〃The　bar！〃　shouted　Tardos　Mors。

　

I　tried　to　slip　the　huge　fastening　into　place；　but　it　defied

my　every　attempt。

　

〃Raise　it　a　little　to　release　the　catch；〃　cried　one　of　the　red　men。

　

I　could　hear　the　yellow　warriors　leaping　along　the　flagging　just

beyond　the　door。　　I　raised　the　bar　and　shot　it　to　the　right

just　as　the　foremost　of　the　guardsmen　threw　himself　against　the

opposite　side　of　the　massive　panels。

　

The　barrier　heldI　had　been　in　time；　but　by　the　fraction　of

a　second　only。

　

Now　I　turned　my　attention　to　the　prisoners。　　To　Tardos　Mors　I

went　first；　asking　where　the　keys　might　be　which　would　unfasten

their　fetters。

　

〃The　officer　of　the　guard　has　them；〃　replied　the　Jeddak　of　Helium；

〃and　he　is　among　those　without　who　seek　entrance。　　You　will　have

to　force　them。〃

　

Most　of　the　prisoners　were　already　hacking　at　their　bonds　with

the　swords　in　their　hands。　　The　yellow　men　were　battering　at　the

door　with　javelins　and　axes。

　

I　turned　my　attention　to　the　chains　that　held　Tardos　Mors。

Again　and　again　I　cut　deep　into　the　metal　with　my　sharp　blade；

but　ever　faster　and　faster　fell　the　torrent　of　blows　upon　the　portal。

　

At　last　a　link　parted　beneath　my　efforts；　and　a　moment　later

Tardos　Mors　was　free；　though　a　few　inches　of　trailing　chain　still

dangled　from　his　ankle。

　

A　splinter　of　wood　falling　inward　from　the　door　announced　the

headway　that　our　enemies　were　making　toward　us。

　

The　mighty　panels　trembled　and　bent　beneath　the　furious　onslaught

of　the　enraged　yellow　men。

　

What　with　the　battering　upon　the　door　and　the　hacking　of　the

red　men　at　their　chains　the　din　within　the　armory　was　appalling。

No　sooner　was　Tardos　Mors　free　than　he　turned　his　attention　to

another　of　the　prisoners；　while　I　set　to　work　to　liberate　Mors　Kajak。

　

We　must　work　fast　if　we　would　have　all　those　fetters　cut　before

the　door　gave　way。　　Now　a　panel　crashed　inward　upon　the　floor；

and　Mors　Kajak　sprang　to　the　opening　to　defend　the　way　until

we　should　have　time　to　release　the　others。

　

With　javelins　snatched　from　the　wall　he　wrought　havoc　among

the　foremost　of　the　Okarians　while　we　battled　with　the　insensate

metal　that　stood　between　our　fellows　and　freedom。

　

At　length　all　but　one　of　the　prisoners　were　freed；　and　then

the　door　fell　with　a　mighty　crash　before　a　hastily　improvised

battering…ram；　and　the　yellow　horde　was　upon　us。

　

〃To　the　upper　chambers！〃　shouted　the　red　man　who　was　still

fettered　to　the　floor。　　〃To　the　upper　chambers！　　There　you　may

defend　the　tower　against　all　Kadabra。　　Do　not　delay　because　of　me；

who　could　pray　for　no　better　death　than　in　the　service　of

Tardos　Mors　and　the　Prince　of　Helium。〃

　

But　I　would　have　sacrificed　the　life　of　every　man　of　us　rather

than　desert　a　single　red　man；　much　less　the　lion…hearted　hero　who

begged　us　to　leave　him。

　

〃Cut　his　chains；〃　I　cried　to　two　of　the　red　men；　〃while　the

balance　of　us　hold　off　the　foe。〃

　

There　were　ten　of　us　now　to　do　battle　with　the　Okarian　guard；

and　I　warrant　that　that　ancient　watchtower　never　looked　down　upon

a　more　hotly　contested　battle　than　took　place　that　day　within

its　own　grim　walls。

　

The　first　inrushing　wave　of　yellow　warriors　recoiled　from　the

slashing　blades　of　ten　of　Helium's　veteran　fighting　men。　　A　dozen

Okarian　corpses　blocked　the　doorway；　but　over　the　gruesome　barrier

a　score　more　of　their　fellows　dashed；　shouting　their　hoarse　and

hideous　war…cry。

　

Upon　the　bloody　mound　we　met　them；　hand　to　hand；　stabbing　where

the　quarters　were　too　close　to　cut；　thrusting　when　we　could　push

a　foeman　to　arm's　length；　and　mingled　with　the　wild　cry　of　the

Okarian　there　rose　and　fell　the　glorious　words：　　〃For　Helium！

For　Helium！〃　that　for　countless　ages　have　spurred　on　the　bravest　of

the　brave　to　those　deeds　of　valor　that　have　sent　the　fame　of　Helium's

heroes　broadcast　throughout　the　length　and　breadth　of　a　world。

　

Now　were　the　fetters　struck　from　the　last　of　the　red　men；

and　thirteen　strong　we　met　each　new　charge　of　the　soldiers

of　Salensus　Oll。　　Scarce　one　of　us　but　bled　from　a　score

of　wounds；　yet　none　had　fallen。

　

From　without　we　saw　hundreds　of　guardsmen　pouring　into　the　courtyard；

and　along　the　lower　corridor　from　which　I　had　found　my　way　to　the

armory　we　could　hear　the　clank　of　metal　and　the　shouting　of　men。

　

In　a　moment　we　should　be　attacked　from　two　sides；　and　with

all　our　prowess　we　could　not　hope　to　withstand　the　unequal　odds

which　would　thus　divide　our　attention　and　our　small　numbers。

　

〃To　the　upper　chambers！〃　cried　Tardos　Mors；　and　a　moment　later

we　fell　back　toward　the　runway　that　led　to　the　floors　above。

　

Here　another　bloody　battle　was　waged　with　the　force　of　yellow

men　who　charged　into　the　armory　as　we　fell　back　from　the　doorway。

Here　we　lost　our　first　man；　a　noble　fellow　whom　we　could　ill　spare；

but　at　length　all　had　backed　into　the　runway　except　myself；　who

remained　to　hold　back　the　Okarians　until　the　others　were　safe　above。

　

In　the　mouth　of　the　narrow　spiral　but　a　single　warrior　could

attack　me　at　a　time；　so　that　I　had　little　difficulty　in　holding

them　all　back　for　the　brief　moment　that　was　necessary。　　Then；

backing　slowly　before　them；　I　commenced　the　ascent　of　the　spiral。

　

All　the　long　way　to　the　tower's　top　the　guardsmen　pressed　me　closely。

When　one　went　down　before　my　sword　another　scrambled　over　the　dead　man　to

take　his　place；　and　thus；　taking　an　awful　toll　with　each　few　feet　gained；

I　came　to　the　spacious　glass…walled　watchtower　of　Kadabra。

　

Here　my　companions　clustered　ready　to　take　my　place；　and　for　a

moment's　respite　I　stepped　to　one　side　while　they　held　the　enemy　off。

　

From　the　lofty　perch　a　view　could　be　had　for　miles　in　every　direction。

Toward　the　south　stretched　the　rugged；　ice…clad　waste　to　the　edge　of

the　mighty　barrier。　　Toward　the　east　and　west；　and　dimly　toward　the

north　I　descried　other　Okarian　cities；　while　in　the　immediate　foreground；

just　beyond　the　walls　of　Kadabra；　the　grim　guardian　shaft　reared　its

somber　head。

　

Then　I　cast　my　eyes　down　into　the　streets　of　Kadabra；　from　which

a　sudden　tumult　had　arisen；　and　there　I　saw　a　battle　raging；

and　beyond　the　city's　walls　I　saw　armed　men　marching　in　great

columns　toward　a　near…by　gate。

　

Eagerly　I　pressed　forward　against　the　glass　wall　of　the　observatory；

scarce　daring　to　credit　the　testimony　of　my　own　　eyes。　　But　at　last

I　could　doubt