warlord of mars-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

I　could　doubt　no　longer；　and　with　a　shout　of　joy　that　rose　strangely

in　the　midst　of　the　cursing　and　groaning　of　the　battling　men　at　the

entrance　to　the　chamber；　I　called　to　Tardos　Mors。

　

As　he　joined　me　I　pointed　down　into　the　streets　of　Kadabra　and

to　the　advancing　columns　beyond；　above　which　floated　bravely　in

the　arctic　air　the　flags　and　banners　of　Helium。

　

An　instant　later　every　red　man　in　the　lofty　chamber　had　seen

the　inspiring　sight；　and　such　a　shout　of　thanksgiving　arose　as　I

warrant　never　before　echoed　through　that　age…old　pile　of　stone。

　

But　still　we　must　fight　on；　for　though　our　troops　had　entered　Kadabra；

the　city　was　yet　far　from　capitulation；　nor　had　the　palace　been

even　assaulted。　　Turn　and　turn　about　we　held　the　top　of　the　runway

while　the　others　feasted　their　eyes　upon　the　sight　of　our　valiant

countrymen　battling　far　beneath　us。

　

Now　they　have　rushed　the　palace　gate！　　Great　battering…rams

are　dashed　against　its　formidable　surface。　　Now　they　are　repulsed

by　a　deadly　shower　of　javelins　from　the　wall's　top！

　

Once　again　they　charge；　but　a　sortie　by　a　large　force　of　Okarians

from　an　intersecting　avenue　crumples　the　head　of　the　column；

and　the　men　of　Helium　go　down；　fighting；　beneath　an　overwhelming　force。

　

The　palace　gate　flies　open　and　a　force　of　the　jeddak's　own　guard；

picked　men　from　the　flower　of　the　Okarian　army；　sallies　forth

to　shatter　the　broken　regiments。　　For　a　moment　it　looks　as

though　nothing　could　avert　defeat；　and　then　I　see　a　noble　figure

upon　a　mighty　thoatnot　the　tiny　thoat　of　the　red　man；　but　one　of

his　huge　cousins　of　the　dead　sea　bottoms。

　

The　warrior　hews　his　way　to　the　front；　and　behind　him　rally　the

disorganized　soldiers　of　Helium。　　As　he　raises　his　head　aloft

to　fling　a　challenge　at　the　men　upon　the　palace　walls　I　see

his　face；　and　my　heart　swells　in　pride　and　happiness　as　the

red　warriors　leap　to　the　side　of　their　leader　and　win　back

the　ground　that　they　had　but　just　lostthe　face　of　him　upon

the　mighty　thoat　is　the　face　of　my　sonCarthoris　of　Helium。

　

At　his　side　fights　a　huge　Martian　war…hound；　nor　did　I　need　a

second　look　to　know　that　it　was　Woolamy　faithful　Woola　who　had

thus　well　performed　his　arduous　task　and　brought　the　succoring

legions　in　the　nick　of　time。

　

〃In　the　nick　of　time？〃

　

Who　yet　might　say　that　they　were　not　too　late　to　save；　but　surely

they　could　avenge！　　And　such　retribution　as　that　unconquered　army

would　deal　out　to　the　hateful　Okarians！　　I　sighed　to　think　that　I

might　not　be　alive　to　witness　it。

　

Again　I　turned　to　the　windows。　　The　red　men　had　not　yet　forced

the　outer　palace　wall；　but　they　were　fighting　nobly　against　the

best　that　Okar　affordedvaliant　warriors　who　contested　every　inch

of　the　way。

　

Now　my　attention　was　caught　by　a　new　element　without　the　city　wall

a　great　body　of　mounted　warriors　looming　large　above　the　red　men。

They　were　the　huge　green　allies　of　Heliumthe　savage　hordes　from

the　dead　sea　bottoms　of　the　far　south。

　

In　grim　and　terrible　silence　they　sped　on　toward　the　gate；

the　padded　hoofs　of　their　frightful　mounts　giving　forth　no　sound。

Into　the　doomed　city　they　charged；　and　as　they　wheeled　across　the

wide　plaza　before　the　palace　of　the　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　I　saw；　riding　at

their　head；　the　mighty　figure　of　their　mighty　leaderTars　Tarkas；

Jeddak　of　Thark。

　

My　wish；　then；　was　to　be　gratified；　for　I　was　to　see　my　old　friend

battling　once　again；　and　though　not　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　him；

I；　too；　would　be　fighting　in　the　same　cause　here　in　the　high　tower　of　Okar。

　

Nor　did　it　seem　that　our　foes　would　ever　cease　their　stubborn　attacks；

for　still　they　came；　though　the　way　to　our　chamber　was　often　clogged

with　the　bodies　of　their　dead。　　At　times　they　would　pause　long　enough

to　drag　back　the　impeding　corpses；　and　then　fresh　warriors　would　forge

upward　to　taste　the　cup　of　death。

　

I　had　been　taking　my　turn　with　the　others　in　defending　the

approach　to　our　lofty　retreat　when　Mors　Kajak；　who　had　been

watching　the　battle　in　the　street　below；　called　aloud　in

sudden　excitement。　　There　was　a　note　of　apprehension　in　his　voice

that　brought　me　to　his　side　the　instant　that　I　could　turn　my　place

over　to　another；　and　as　I　reached　him　he　pointed　far　out　across　the

waste　of　snow　and　ice　toward　the　southern　horizon。

　

〃Alas！〃　he　cried；　〃that　I　should　be　forced　to　witness　cruel　fate

betray　them　without　power　to　warn　or　aid；　but　they　be　past　either　now。〃

　

As　I　looked　in　the　direction　he　indicated　I　saw　the　cause　of

his　perturbation。　　A　mighty　fleet　of　fliers　was　approaching

majestically　toward　Kadabra　from　the　direction　of　the　ice…barrier。

On　and　on　they　came　with　ever　increasing　velocity。

　

〃The　grim　shaft　that　they　call　the　Guardian　of　the　North　is

beckoning　to　them；〃　said　Mors　Kajak　sadly；　〃just　as　it　beckoned　to

Tardos　Mors　and　his　great　fleet；　see　where　they　lie；　crumpled　and

broken；　a　grim　and　terrible　monument　to　the　mighty　force　of

destruction　which　naught　can　resist。〃

　

I；　too；　saw；　but　something　else　I　saw　that　Mors　Kajak　did　not；

in　my　mind's　eye　I　saw　a　buried　chamber　whose　walls　were　lined　with

strange　instruments　and　devices。

　

In　the　center　of　the　chamber　was　a　long　table；　and　before　it　sat　a

little；　pop…eyed　old　man　counting　his　money；　but；　plainest　of　all；

I　saw　upon　the　wall　a　great　switch　with　a　small　magnet　inlaid

within　the　surface　of　its　black　handle。

　

Then　I　glanced　out　at　the　fast…approaching　fleet。　　In　five　minutes

that　mighty　armada　of　the　skies　would　be　bent　and　worthless　scrap；

lying　at　the　base　of　the　shaft　beyond　the　city's　wall；　and　yellow

hordes　would　be　loosed　from　another　gate　to　rush　out　upon　the　few

survivors　stumbling　blindly　down　through　the　mass　of　wreckage；

then　the　apts　would　come。　　I　shuddered　at　the　thought；　for　I　could

vividly　picture　the　whole　horrible　scene。

　

Quick　have　I　always　been　to　decide　and　act。　　The　impulse

that　moves　me　and　the　doing　of　the　thing　seem　simultaneous；

for　if　my　mind　goes　through　the　tedious　formality　of　reasoning；

it　must　be　a　subconscious　act　of　which　I　am　not　objectively　aware。

Psychologists　tell　me　that；　as　the　subconscious　does　not　reason；

too　close　a　scrutiny　of　my　mental　activities　might　prove　anything

but　flattering；　but　be　that　as　it　may；　I　have　often　won　success

while　the　thinker　would　have　been　still　at　the　endless　task　of

comparing　various　judgments。

　

And　now　celerity　of　action　was　the　prime　essential　to　the

success　of　the　thing　that　I　had　decided　upon。

　

Grasping　my　sword　more　firmly　in　my　hand；　I　called　to　the　red　man

at　the　opening　to　the　runway　to　stand　aside。

　

〃Way　for　the　Prince　of　Helium！〃　I　shouted；　and　before　the

astonished　yellow　man　whose　misfortune　it　was　to　be　at　the　fighting

end　of　the　line　at　that　particular　moment　could　gather　his　wits

together　my　sword　had　decapitated　him；　and　I　was　rushing　like　a

mad　bull　down　upon　those　behind　him。

　

〃Way　for　the　Prince　of　Helium！〃　I　shouted　as　I　cut　a　path

through　the　astonished　guardsmen　of　Salensus　Oll。

　

Hewing　to　right　and　left；　I　beat　my　way　down　that　warrior…choked

spiral　until；　near　the　bottom；　those　below；　thinking　that　an　army

was　descending　upon　them；　turned　and　fled。

　

The　armory　at　the　first　floor　was　vacant　when　I　entered　it；

the　last　of　the　Okarians　having　fled　into　the　courtyard；　so　none

saw　me　continue　down　the　spiral　toward　the　corridor　beneath。

　

Here　I　ran　as　rapidly　as　my　legs　would　carry　me　toward　the

five　corners；　and　there　plunged　into　the　passageway　that　led

to　the　station　of　the　old　miser。

　

Without　the　formality　of　a　knock；　I　burst　into　the　room。

There　sat　the　old　man　at　his　table；　but　as　he　saw　me　he

sprang　to　his　feet；　drawing　his　sword。

　

With　scarce　more　than　a　glance　toward　him　I　leaped　for　the　great　switch；

but；　quick　as　I　was；　that　wiry　old　fellow　was　there　before　me。

　

How　he　did　it　I　shall　never　know；　nor　does　it　seem　credible

that　any　Martian…born　creature　could　approximate　the　marvelous

speed　of　my　earthly　muscles。

　

Like　a　tiger　he　turned　upon　me；　and　I　was　quick　to　see　why

Solan　had　been　chosen　for　this　important　duty。

　

Never　in　all　my　life　have　I　seen　such　wondrous　swordsmanship

and　such　uncanny　agility　as　that　ancient　bag　of　bones　displayed。

He　was　in　forty　places　at　the　same　time；　and　before　I　had　half　a　chance

to　awaken　to　my　danger　he　was　like　to　have　made　a　monkey　of　me；

and　a　dead　monkey　at　that。

　

It　is　strange　how　new　and　unexpected　conditions　bring　out

unguessed　ability　to　meet　them。

　

That　day　in　the　buried　chamber　beneath　the　palace　of　Salensus　Oll

I　learned　what　swordsmanship　meant；　and　to　what　heights　of　sword

mastery　I　could　achieve　when　pitted　against　such　a　wizard　of　the

blade　as　Solan。

　

For　a　time　he　liked　to　have　bested　me；　but　presently　the　latent

possibilities　that　m