warlord of mars-第33节

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greater　caution？　　Why　had　I　permitted　the　rapid　development　of

new　situations　to　efface　the　recollection　of　that　menacing　danger？

But；　alas；　vain　regret　would　not　erase　the　calamity　that　had　befallen。

　

Once　again　had　Dejah　Thoris　fallen　into　the　clutches　of　that

archfiend；　Thurid；　the　black　dator　of　the　First　Born。　　Again　was

all　my　arduous　labor　gone　for　naught。　　Now　I　realized　the　cause　of

the　rage　that　had　been　writ　so　large　upon　the　features　of　Matai

Shang　and　the　cruel　pleasure　that　I　had　seen　upon　the　face　of　Phaidor。

　

They　had　known　or　guessed　the　truth；　and　the　hekkador　of　the

Holy　Therns；　who　had　evidently　come　to　the　chamber　in　the　hope　of

thwarting　Salensus　Oll　in　his　contemplated　perfidy　against　the　high

priest　who　coveted　Dejah　Thoris　for　himself；　realized　that　Thurid

had　stolen　the　prize　from　beneath　his　very　nose。

　

Phaidor's　pleasure　had　been　due　to　her　realization　of　what

this　last　cruel　blow　would　mean　to　me；　as　well　as　to　a　partial

satisfaction　of　her　jealous　hatred　for　the　Princess　of　Helium。

　

My　first　thought　was　to　look　beyond　the　draperies　at　the　back

of　the　throne；　for　there　it　was　that　I　had　seen　Thurid。　　With　a

single　jerk　I　tore　the　priceless　stuff　from　its　fastenings；　and

there　before　me　was　revealed　a　narrow　doorway　behind　the　throne。

　

No　question　entered　my　mind　but　that　here　lay　the　opening　of

the　avenue　of　escape　which　Thurid　had　followed；　and　had　there　been

it　would　have　been　dissipated　by　the　sight　of　a　tiny；　jeweled

ornament　which　lay　a　few　steps　within　the　corridor　beyond。

　

As　I　snatched　up　the　bauble　I　saw　that　it　bore　the　device　of

the　Princess　of　Helium；　and　then　pressing　it　to　my　lips　I　dashed

madly　along　the　winding　way　that　led　gently　downward　toward　the

lower　galleries　of　the　palace。

　

I　had　followed　but　a　short　distance　when　I　came　upon　the　room

in　which　Solan　formerly　had　held　sway。　　His　dead　body　still　lay

where　I　had　left　it；　nor　was　there　any　sign　that　another　had　passed

through　the　room　since　I　had　been　there；　but　I　knew　that　two　had

done　soThurid；　the　black　dator；　and　Dejah　Thoris。

　

For　a　moment　I　paused　uncertain　as　to　which　of　the　several

exits　from　the　apartment　would　lead　me　upon　the　right　path。

I　tried　to　recollect　the　directions　which　I　had　heard　Thurid

repeat　to　Solan；　and　at　last；　slowly；　as　though　through　a　heavy　fog；

the　memory　of　the　words　of　the　First　Born　came　to　me：

　

〃Follow　a　corridor；　passing　three　diverging　corridors　upon　the　right；

then　into　the　fourth　right…hand　corridor　to　where　three　corridors　meet；

here　again　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。〃

　

And　I　recalled　the　exit　at　which　he　had　pointed　as　he　spoke。

　

It　did　not　take　me　long　to　start　upon　that　unknown　way；　nor　did

I　go　with　caution；　although　I　knew　that　there　might　be　grave

dangers　before　me。

　

Part　of　the　way　was　black　as　sin；　but　for　the　most　it　was

fairly　well　lighted。　　The　stretch　where　I　must　hug　the　left　wall　to

avoid　the　pits　was　darkest　of　them　all；　and　I　was　nearly　over　the

edge　of　the　abyss　before　I　knew　that　I　was　near　the　danger　spot。

A　narrow　ledge；　scarce　a　foot　wide；　was　all　that　had　been　left

to　carry　the　initiated　past　that　frightful　cavity　into　which　the

unknowing　must　surely　have　toppled　at　the　first　step。　　But　at　last

I　had　won　safely　beyond　it；　and　then　a　feeble　light　made　the

balance　of　the　way　plain；　until；　at　the　end　of　the　last　corridor；

I　came　suddenly　out　into　the　glare　of　day　upon　a　field　of　snow　and　ice。

　

Clad　for　the　warm　atmosphere　of　the　hothouse　city　of　Kadabra；

the　sudden　change　to　arctic　frigidity　was　anything　but　pleasant；

but　the　worst　of　it　was　that　I　knew　I　could　not　endure　the

bitter　cold；　almost　naked　as　I　was；　and　that　I　would　perish

before　ever　I　could　overtake　Thurid　and　Dejah　Thoris。

　

To　be　thus　blocked　by　nature；　who　had　had　all　the　arts　and

wiles　of　cunning　man　pitted　against　him；　seemed　a　cruel　fate；

and　as　I　staggered　back　into　the　warmth　of　the　tunnel's　end

I　was　as　near　hopelessness　as　I　ever　have　been。

　

I　had　by　no　means　given　up　my　intention　of　continuing　the

pursuit；　for　if　needs　be　I　would　go　ahead　though　I　perished　ere

ever　I　reached　my　goal；　but　if　there　were　a　safer　way　it　were　well

worth　the　delay　to　attempt　to　discover　it；　that　I　might　come　again

to　the　side　of　Dejah　Thoris　in　fit　condition　to　do　battle　for　her。

　

Scarce　had　I　returned　to　the　tunnel　than　I　stumbled　over　a　portion

of　a　fur　garment　that　seemed　fastened　to　the　floor　of　the　corridor

close　to　the　wall。　　In　the　darkness　I　could　not　see　what　held　it；

but　by　groping　with　my　hands　I　discovered　that　it　was　wedged　beneath

the　bottom　of　a　closed　door。

　

Pushing　the　portal　aside；　I　found　myself　upon　the　threshold　of　a

small　chamber；　the　walls　of　which　were　lined　with　hooks　from　which

depended　suits　of　the　complete　outdoor　apparel　of　the　yellow　men。

　

Situated　as　it　was　at　the　mouth　of　a　tunnel　leading　from　the　palace；

it　was　quite　evident　that　this　was　the　dressing…room　used　by　the

nobles　leaving　and　entering　the　hothouse　city；　and　that　Thurid；

having　knowledge　of　it；　had　stopped　here　to　outfit　himself　and

Dejah　Thoris　before　venturing　into　the　bitter　cold　of　the

arctic　world　beyond。

　

In　his　haste　he　had　dropped　several　garments　upon　the　floor；

and　the　telltale　fur　that　had　fallen　partly　within　the　corridor　had

proved　the　means　of　guiding　me　to　the　very　spot　he　would　least　have

wished　me　to　have　knowledge　of。

　

It　required　but　the　matter　of　a　few　seconds　to　don　the　necessary

orluk…skin　clothing；　with　the　heavy；　fur…lined　boots　that

are　so　essential　a　part　of　the　garmenture　of　one　who　would

successfully　contend　with　the　frozen　trails　and　the　icy　winds

of　the　bleak　northland。

　

Once　more　I　stepped　beyond　the　tunnel's　mouth　to　find　the

fresh　tracks　of　Thurid　and　Dejah　Thoris　in　the　new…fallen　snow。

Now；　at　last；　was　my　task　an　easy　one；　for　though　the　going　was

rough　in　the　extreme；　I　was　no　longer　vexed　by　doubts　as　to　the

direction　I　should　follow；　or　harassed　by　darkness　or　hidden　dangers。

　

Through　a　snow…covered　canyon　the　way　led　up　toward　the　summit

of　low　hills。　　Beyond　these　it　dipped　again　into　another　canon；

only　to　rise　a　quarter…mile　farther　on　toward　a　pass　which　skirted

the　flank　of　a　rocky　hill。

　

I　could　see　by　the　signs　of　those　who　had　gone　before　that　when

Dejah　Thoris　had　walked　she　had　been　continually　holding　back；

and　that　the　black　man　had　been　compelled　to　drag　her。　　For　other

stretches　only　his　foot…prints　were　visible；　deep　and　close

together　in　the　heavy　snow；　and　I　knew　from　these　signs　that　then

he　had　been　forced　to　carry　her；　and　I　could　well　imagine　that　she

had　fought　him　fiercely　every　step　of　the　way。

　

As　I　came　round　the　jutting　promontory　of　the　hill's　shoulder　I

saw　that　which　quickened　my　pulses　and　set　my　heart　to　beating　high；

for　within　a　tiny　basin　between　the　crest　of　this　hill　and　the　next

stood　four　people　before　the　mouth　of　a　great　cave；　and　beside　them

upon　the　gleaming　snow　rested　a　flier　which　had　evidently　but　just

been　dragged　from　its　hiding　place。

　

The　four　were　Dejah　Thoris；　Phaidor；　Thurid；　and　Matai　Shang。

The　two　men　were　engaged　in　a　heated　argumentthe　Father　of　Therns

threatening；　while　the　black　scoffed　at　him　as　he　went　about　the

work　at　which　he　was　engaged。

　

As　I　crept　toward　them　cautiously　that　I　might　come　as　near　as

possible　before　being　discovered；　I　saw　that　finally　the　men

appeared　to　have　reached　some　sort　of　a　compromise；　for　with

Phaidor's　assistance　they　both　set　about　dragging　the　resisting

Dejah　Thoris　to　the　flier's　deck。

　

Here　they　made　her　fast；　and　then　both　again　descended　to　the　ground

to　complete　the　preparations　for　departure。　　Phaidor　entered　the

small　cabin　upon　the　vessel's　deck。

　

I　had　come　to　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　them　when　Matai　Shang

espied　me。　　I　saw　him　seize　Thurid　by　the　shoulder；　wheeling　him

around　in　my　direction　as　he　pointed　to　where　I　was　now　plainly

visible；　for　the　moment　that　I　knew　I　had　been　perceived　I　cast　aside

every　attempt　at　stealth　and　broke　into　a　mad　race　for　the　flier。

　

The　two　redoubled　their　efforts　at　the　propeller　at　which

they　were　working；　and　which　very　evidently　was　being　replaced

after　having　been　removed　for　some　purpose　of　repair。

　

They　had　the　thing　completed　before　I　had　covered　half　the

distance　that　lay　between　me　and　them；　and　then　both　made　a　rush

for　the　boarding…ladder。

　

Thurid　was　the　first　to　reach　it；　and　with　the　agility　of　a

monkey　clambered　swiftly　to　the　boat's　deck；　where　a　touch　of　the

button　controlling　the　buoyancy　tanks　sent　the　craft　slowly　upward；

though　not　with　the　speed　that　marks　the　well…conditioned　flier。