warlord of mars-第5节

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light　shine　with　the　intensity　of　three　radium　units　for　fifty

tals；　and　for　one　xat　let　it　shine　with　the　intensity　of　one　radium

unit；　and　then　for　twenty…five　tals　with　nine　units。'　　Those　were

his　very　words；　and　to　think　that　wise　old　Matai　Shang　should

listen　to　such　foolishness。〃

　

〃Indeed；　it　is　silly；〃　replied　Lakor。　　〃It　will　open　nothing

other　than　the　way　to　a　quick　death　for　us　all。　　He　had　to　make

some　answer　when　Matai　Shang　asked　him　flatly　what　he　should　do

when　he　came　to　the　Temple　of　the　Sun；　and　so　he　made　his　answer

quickly　from　his　imaginationI　would　wager　a　hekkador's　diadem

that　he　could　not　now　repeat　it　himself。〃

　

〃Let　us　not　remain　here　longer；　Lakor；〃　spoke　the　other　thern。

〃Perchance　if　we　hasten　after　them　we　may　come　in　time　to　rescue

Matai　Shang；　and　wreak　our　own　vengeance　upon　the　black　dator。

What　say　you？〃

　

〃Never　in　a　long　life；〃　answered　Lakor；　〃have　I　disobeyed　a

single　command　of　the　Father　of　Therns。　　I　shall　stay　here

until　I　rot　if　he　does　not　return　to　bid　me　elsewhere。〃

　

Lakor's　companion　shook　his　head。

　

〃You　are　my　superior；〃　he　said；　〃I　cannot　do　other　than　you

sanction；　though　I　still　believe　that　we　are　foolish　to　remain。〃

　

I；　too；　thought　that　they　were　foolish　to　remain；　for　I　saw

from　Woola's　actions　that　the　trail　led　through　the　room　where　the

two　therns　held　guard。　　I　had　no　reason　to　harbor　any　considerable

love　for　this　race　of　self…deified　demons；　yet　I　would　have　passed

them　by　were　it　possible　without　molesting　them。

　

It　was　worth　trying　anyway；　for　a　fight　might　delay　us　considerably；

or　even　put　an　end　entirely　to　my　searchbetter　men　than　I　have

gone　down　before　fighters　of　meaner　ability　than　that　possessed

by　the　fierce　thern　warriors。

　

Signaling　Woola　to　heel　I　stepped　suddenly　into　the　room　before　the

two　men。　　At　sight　of　me　their　long…swords　flashed　from　the　harness

at　their　sides；　but　I　raised　my　hand　in　a　gesture　of　restraint。

　

〃I　seek　Thurid；　the　black　dator；〃　I　said。　　〃My　quarrel　is　with　him；

not　with　you。　　Let　me　pass　then　in　peace；　for　if　I　mistake　not　he　is

as　much　your　enemy　as　mine；　and　you　can　have　no　cause　to　protect　him。〃

　

They　lowered　their　swords　and　Lakor　spoke。

　

〃I　know　not　whom　you　may　be；　with　the　white　skin　of　a　thern

and　the　black　hair　of　a　red　man；　but　were　it　only　Thurid　whose

safety　were　at　stake　you　might　pass；　and　welcome；　in　so　far　as　we

be　concerned。

　

〃Tell　us　who　you　be；　and　what　mission　calls　you　to　this　unknown

world　beneath　the　Valley　Dor；　then　maybe　we　can　see　our　way　to

let　you　pass　upon　the　errand　which　we　should　like　to　undertake

would　our　orders　permit。〃

　

I　was　surprised　that　neither　of　them　had　recognized　me；　for　I

thought　that　I　was　quite　sufficiently　well　known　either　by

personal　experience　or　reputation　to　every　thern　upon　Barsoom　as

to　make　my　identity　immediately　apparent　in　any　part　of　the　planet。

In　fact；　I　was　the　only　white　man　upon　Mars　whose　hair　was　black

and　whose　eyes　were　gray；　with　the　exception　of　my　son；　Carthoris。

　

To　reveal　my　identity　might　be　to　precipitate　an　attack；　for　every

thern　upon　Barsoom　knew　that　to　me　they　owed　the　fall　of　their

age…old　spiritual　supremacy。　　On　the　other　hand　my　reputation　as　a

fighting　man　might　be　sufficient　to　pass　me　by　these　two　were　their

livers　not　of　the　right　complexion　to　welcome　a　battle　to　the　death。

　

To　be　quite　candid　I　did　not　attempt　to　delude　myself　with　any

such　sophistry；　since　I　knew　well　that　upon　war…like　Mars　there

are　few　cowards；　and　that　every　man；　whether　prince；　priest；

or　peasant；　glories　in　deadly　strife。　　And　so　I　gripped　my

long…sword　the　tighter　as　I　replied　to　Lakor。

　

〃I　believe　that　you　will　see　the　wisdom　of　permitting　me　to

pass　unmolested；〃　I　said；　〃for　it　would　avail　you　nothing　to　die

uselessly　in　the　rocky　bowels　of　Barsoom　merely　to　protect　a

hereditary　enemy；　such　as　Thurid；　Dator　of　the　First　Born。

　

〃That　you　shall　die　should　you　elect　to　oppose　me　is　evidenced　by

the　moldering　corpses　of　all　the　many　great　Barsoomian　warriors　who

have　gone　down　beneath　this　bladeI　am　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium。〃

　

For　a　moment　that　name　seemed　to　paralyze　the　two　men；　but　only

for　a　moment；　and　then　the　younger　of　them；　with　a　vile　name

upon　his　lips；　rushed　toward　me　with　ready　sword。

　

He　had　been　standing　a　little　behind　his　companion；　Lakor；

during　our　parley；　and　now；　ere　he　could　engage　me；　the　older　man

grasped　his　harness　and　drew　him　back。

　

〃Hold！〃　commanded　Lakor。　　〃There　will　be　plenty　of　time　to

fight　if　we　find　it　wise　to　fight　at　all。　　There　be　good　reasons

why　every　thern　upon　Barsoom　should　yearn　to　spill　the　blood　of

the　blasphemer；　the　sacrilegist；　but　let　us　mix　wisdom　with　our

righteous　hate。　　The　Prince　of　Helium　is　bound　upon　an　errand　which

we　ourselves；　but　a　moment　since；　were　wishing　that　we　might　undertake。

　

〃Let　him　go　then　and　slay　the　black。　　When　he　returns　we　shall

still　be　here　to　bar　his　way　to　the　outer　world；　and　thus　we　shall

have　rid　ourselves　of　two　enemies；　nor　have　incurred　the

displeasure　of　the　Father　of　Therns。〃

　

As　he　spoke　I　could　not　but　note　the　crafty　glint　in　his　evil　eyes；

and　while　I　saw　the　apparent　logic　of　his　reasoning　I　felt；

subconsciously　perhaps；　that　his　words　did　but　veil　some　sinister

intent。　　The　other　thern　turned　toward　him　in　evident　surprise；

but　when　Lakor　had　whispered　a　few　brief　words　into　his　ear　he；　too；

drew　back　and　nodded　acquiescence　to　his　superior's　suggestion。

　

〃Proceed；　John　Carter；〃　said　Lakor；　〃but　know　that　if　Thurid

does　not　lay　you　low　there　will　be　those　awaiting　your　return

who　will　see　that　you　never　pass　again　into　the　sunlight　of

the　upper　world。　　Go！〃

　

During　our　conversation　Woola　had　been　growling　and　bristling

close　to　my　side。　　Occasionally　he　would　look　up　into　my　face　with

a　low；　pleading　whine；　as　though　begging　for　the　word　that　would

send　him　headlong　at　the　bare　throats　before　him。　　He；　too；　sensed

the　villainy　behind　the　smooth　words。

　

Beyond　the　therns　several　doorways　opened　off　the　guardroom；

and　toward　the　one　upon　the　extreme　right　Lakor　motioned。

　

〃That　way　leads　to　Thurid；〃　he　said。

　

But　when　I　would　have　called　Woola　to　follow　me　there　the

beast　whined　and　held　back；　and　at　last　ran　quickly　to　the　first

opening　at　the　left；　where　he　stood　emitting　his　coughing　bark；

as　though　urging　me　to　follow　him　upon　the　right　way。

　

I　turned　a　questioning　look　upon　Lakor。

　

〃The　brute　is　seldom　wrong；〃　I　said；　〃and　while　I　do　not　doubt

your　superior　knowledge；　Thern；　I　think　that　I　shall　do　well　to

listen　to　the　voice　of　instinct　that　is　backed　by　love　and　loyalty。〃

　

As　I　spoke　I　smiled　grimly　that　he　might　know　without　words

that　I　distrusted　him。

　

〃As　you　will；〃　the　fellow　replied　with　a　shrug。　　〃In　the　end

it　shall　be　all　the　same。〃

　

I　turned　and　followed　Woola　into　the　left…hand　passage；　and

though　my　back　was　toward　my　enemies；　my　ears　were　on　the　alert；

yet　I　heard　no　sound　of　pursuit。　　The　passageway　was　dimly　lighted

by　occasional　radium　bulbs；　the　universal　lighting　medium　of　Barsoom。

　

These　same　lamps　may　have　been　doing　continuous　duty　in　these

subterranean　chambers　for　ages；　since　they　require　no　attention

and　are　so　compounded　that　they　give　off　but　the　minutest　of

their　substance　in　the　generation　of　years　of　luminosity。

　

We　had　proceeded　for　but　a　short　distance　when　we　commenced　to　pass

the　mouths　of　diverging　corridors；　but　not　once　did　Woola　hesitate。

It　was　at　the　opening　to　one　of　these　corridors　upon　my　right　that

I　presently　heard　a　sound　that　spoke　more　plainly　to　John　Carter；

fighting　man；　than　could　the　words　of　my　mother　tongueit　was

the　clank　of　metalthe　metal　of　a　warrior's　harnessand　it

came　from　a　little　distance　up　the　corridor　upon　my　right。

　

Woola　heard　it；　too；　and　like　a　flash　he　had　wheeled　and　stood

facing　the　threatened　danger；　his　mane　all　abristle　and　all

his　rows　of　glistening　fangs　bared　by　snarling；　backdrawn　lips。

With　a　gesture　I　silenced　him；　and　together　we　drew　aside　into

another　corridor　a　few　paces　farther　on。

　

Here　we　waited；　nor　did　we　have　long　to　wait；　for　presently　we

saw　the　shadows　of　two　men　fall　upon　the　floor　of　the　main　corridor

athwart　the　doorway　of　our　hiding　place。　　Very　cautiously　they　were

moving　nowthe　accidental　clank　that　had　alarmed　me　was　not　repeated。

　

Presently　they　came　opposite　our　station；　nor　was　I　surprised　to

see　that　the　two　were　Lakor　and　his　companion　of　the　guardroom。

　

They　walked　very　softly；　and　in　the　right　hand　of　each　gleamed

a　keen　long…sword。　　They　halted　quite　close　to　the　entrance　of

our　retreat；　whispering　to　each　other。

　

〃Can　it　be　that　we　have　distanced　them　already？〃　said　Lakor。

　

〃Either　that　or　the　beast　has　led　the　man　upon　a　wrong　trail；〃

replied　the　other；　〃for　the　way　which　w