warlord of mars-第7节

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of　white　marble；　the　walls　of　which　were　inlaid　with　gold　in　the

strange　hieroglyphics　of　the　First　Born。

　

From　the　high　dome　of　this　mighty　apartment　a　huge　circular　column

extended　to　the　floor；　and　as　I　watched　I　saw　that　it　slowly　revolved。

　

I　had　reached　the　base　of　the　Temple　of　the　Sun！

　

Somewhere　above　me　lay　Dejah　Thoris；　and　with　her　were　Phaidor；

daughter　of　Matai　Shang；　and　Thuvia　of　Ptarth。　　But　how　to

reach　them；　now　that　I　had　found　the　only　vulnerable　spot

in　their　mighty　prison；　was　still　a　baffling　riddle。

　

Slowly　I　circled　the　great　shaft；　looking　for　a　means　of　ingress。

Part　way　around　I　found　a　tiny　radium　flash　torch；　and　as

I　examined　it　in　mild　curiosity　as　to　its　presence　there　in　this

almost　inaccessible　and　unknown　spot；　I　came　suddenly　upon　the

insignia　of　the　house　of　Thurid　jewel…inset　in　its　metal　case。

　

I　am　upon　the　right　trail；　I　thought；　as　I　slipped　the　bauble

into　the　pocket…pouch　which　hung　from　my　harness。　　Then　I　continued

my　search　for　the　entrance；　which　I　knew　must　be　somewhere　about；

nor　had　I　long　to　search；　for　almost　immediately　thereafter　I　came

upon　a　small　door　so　cunningly　inlaid　in　the　shaft's　base　that　it

might　have　passed　unnoticed　by　a　less　keen　or　careful　observer。

　

There　was　the　door　that　would　lead　me　within　the　prison；　but

where　was　the　means　to　open　it？　　No　button　or　lock　were　visible。

Again　and　again　I　went　carefully　over　every　square　inch　of　its

surface；　but　the　most　that　I　could　find　was　a　tiny　pinhole　a　little

above　and　to　the　right　of　the　door's　centera　pinhole　that　seemed

only　an　accident　of　manufacture　or　an　imperfection　of　material。

　

Into　this　minute　aperture　I　attempted　to　peer；　but　whether　it

was　but　a　fraction　of　an　inch　deep　or　passed　completely　through

the　door　I　could　not　tellat　least　no　light　showed　beyond　it。

I　put　my　ear　to　it　next　and　listened；　but　again　my　efforts

brought　negligible　results。

　

During　these　experiments　Woola　had　been　standing　at　my　side

gazing　intently　at　the　door；　and　as　my　glance　fell　upon　him　it

occurred　to　me　to　test　the　correctness　of　my　hypothesis；　that　this

portal　had　been　the　means　of　ingress　to　the　temple　used　by　Thurid；

the　black　dator；　and　Matai　Shang；　Father　of　Therns。

　

Turning　away　abruptly；　I　called　to　him　to　follow　me。　　For　a

moment　he　hesitated；　and　then　leaped　after　me；　whining　and　tugging

at　my　harness　to　draw　me　back。　　I　walked　on；　however；　some　distance

from　the　door　before　I　let　him　have　his　way；　that　I　might　see

precisely　what　he　would　do。　　Then　I　permitted　him　to　lead　me

wherever　he　would。

　

Straight　back　to　that　baffling　portal　he　dragged　me；　again

taking　up　his　position　facing　the　blank　stone；　gazing　straight　at

its　shining　surface。　　For　an　hour　I　worked　to　solve　the　mystery　of

the　combination　that　would　open　the　way　before　me。

　

Carefully　I　recalled　every　circumstance　of　my　pursuit　of　Thurid；

and　my　conclusion　was　identical　with　my　original　beliefthat

Thurid　had　come　this　way　without　other　assistance　than　his　own

knowledge　and　passed　through　the　door　that　barred　my　progress；

unaided　from　within。　　But　how　had　he　accomplished　it？

　

I　recalled　the　incident　of　the　Chamber　of　Mystery　in　the

Golden　Cliffs　that　time　I　had　freed　Thuvia　of　Ptarth　from　the

dungeon　of　the　therns；　and　she　had　taken　a　slender；　needle…like

key　from　the　keyring　of　her　dead　jailer　to　open　the　door　leading

back　into　the　Chamber　of　Mystery　where　Tars　Tarkas　fought　for　his

life　with　the　great　banths。　　Such　a　tiny　keyhole　as　now　defied　me

had　opened　the　way　to　the　intricate　lock　in　that　other　door。

　

Hastily　I　dumped　the　contents　of　my　pocket…pouch　upon　the　ground

before　me。　　Could　I　but　find　a　slender　bit　of　steel　I　might　yet

fashion　a　key　that　would　give　me　ingress　to　the　temple　prison。

　

As　I　examined　the　heterogeneous　collection　of　odds　and　ends　that

is　always　to　be　found　in　the　pocket…pouch　of　a　Martian　warrior　my

hand　fell　upon　the　emblazoned　radium　flash　torch　of　the　black　dator。

　

As　I　was　about　to　lay　the　thing　aside　as　of　no　value　in　my

present　predicament　my　eyes　chanced　upon　a　few　strange　characters

roughly　and　freshly　scratched　upon　the　soft　gold　of　the　case。

　

Casual　curiosity　prompted　me　to　decipher　them；　but　what　I　read

carried　no　immediate　meaning　to　my　mind。　　There　were　three　sets　of

characters；　one　below　another：

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　3　｜｜　50　T

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1　｜｜　　1　X

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　9　｜｜　25　T

　

　

For　only　an　instant　my　curiosity　was　piqued；　and　then　I

replaced　the　torch　in　my　pocket…pouch；　but　my　fingers　had　not

unclasped　from　it　when　there　rushed　to　my　memory　the　recollection

of　the　conversation　between　Lakor　and　his　companion　when　the　lesser

thern　had　quoted　the　words　of　Thurid　and　scoffed　at　them：　　〃And　what

think　you　of　the　ridiculous　matter　of　the　light？　　Let　the　light

shine　with　the　intensity　of　three　radium　units　for　fifty　tals〃ah；

there　was　the　first　line　of　characters　upon　the　torch's　metal　case

350　T；　〃and　for　one　xat　let　it　shine　with　the　intensity　of　one

radium　unit〃there　was　the　second　line；　〃and　then　for　twenty…five

tals　with　nine　units。〃

　

The　formula　was　complete；　butwhat　did　it　mean？

　

I　thought　I　knew；　and；　seizing　a　powerful　magnifying　glass

from　the　litter　of　my　pocket…pouch；　I　applied　myself　to　a　careful

examination　of　the　marble　immediately　about　the　pinhole　in　the　door。

I　could　have　cried　aloud　in　exultation　when　my　scrutiny

disclosed　the　almost　invisible　incrustation　of　particles　of

carbonized　electrons　which　are　thrown　off　by　these　Martian　torches。

　

It　was　evident　that　for　countless　ages　radium　torches　had　been

applied　to　this　pinhole；　and　for　what　purpose　there　could　be　but　a

single　answerthe　mechanism　of　the　lock　was　actuated　by　light

rays；　and　I；　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　held　the　combination　in

my　handscratched　by　the　hand　of　my　enemy　upon　his　own　torch　case。

　

In　a　cylindrical　bracelet　of　gold　about　my　wrist　was　my　Barsoomian

chronometera　delicate　instrument　that　records　the　tals　and　xats

and　zodes　of　Martian　time；　presenting　them　to　view　beneath

a　strong　crystal　much　after　the　manner　of　an　earthly　odometer。

　

Timing　my　operations　carefully；　I　held　the　torch　to　the　small

aperture　in　the　door；　regulating　the　intensity　of　the　light　by

means　of　the　thumb…lever　upon　the　side　of　the　case。

　

For　fifty　tals　I　let　three　units　of　light　shine　full　in　the

pinhole；　then　one　unit　for　one　xat；　and　for　twenty…five　tals　nine

units。　　Those　last　twenty…five　tals　were　the　longest　twenty…five

seconds　of　my　life。　　Would　the　lock　click　at　the　end　of　those

seemingly　interminable　intervals　of　time？

　

Twenty…three！　　Twenty…four！　　Twenty…five！

　

I　shut　off　the　light　with　a　snap。　　For　seven　tals　I　waited

there　had　been　no　appreciable　effect　upon　the　lock's　mechanism。

Could　it　be　that　my　theory　was　entirely　wrong？

　

Hold！　　Had　the　nervous　strain　resulted　in　a　hallucination；　or

did　the　door　really　move？　　Slowly　the　solid　stone　sank　noiselessly

back　into　the　wallthere　was　no　hallucination　here。

　

Back　and　back　it　slid　for　ten　feet　until　it　had　disclosed　at　its

right　a　narrow　doorway　leading　into　a　dark　and　narrow　corridor

that　paralleled　the　outer　wall。　　Scarcely　was　the　entrance

uncovered　than　Woola　and　I　had　leaped　throughthen　the　door

slipped　quietly　back　into　place。

　

Down　the　corridor　at　some　distance　I　saw　the　faint　reflection

of　a　light；　and　toward　this　we　made　our　way。　　At　the　point　where

the　light　shone　was　a　sharp　turn；　and　a　little　distance　beyond　this

a　brilliantly　lighted　chamber。

　

Here　we　discovered　a　spiral　stairway　leading　up　from　the

center　of　the　circular　room。

　

Immediately　I　knew　that　we　had　reached　the　center　of　the　base

of　the　Temple　of　the　Sunthe　spiral　runway　led　upward　past　the

inner　walls　of　the　prison　cells。　　Somewhere　above　me　was　Dejah

Thoris；　unless　Thurid　and　Matai　Shang　had　already　succeeded　in

stealing　her。

　

We　had　scarcely　started　up　the　runway　when　Woola　suddenly

displayed　the　wildest　excitement。　　He　leaped　back　and　forth；

snapping　at　my　legs　and　harness；　until　I　thought　that　he　was　mad；

and　finally　when　I　pushed　him　from　me　and　started　once　more　to

ascend　he　grasped　my　sword　arm　between　his　jaws　and　dragged　me　back。

　

No　amount　of　scolding　or　cuffing　would　suffice　to　make　him

release　me；　and　I　was　entirely　at　the　mercy　of　his　brute　strength

unless　I　cared　to　use　my　dagger　upon　him　with　my　left　hand；　but；

mad　or　no；　I　had　not　the　heart　to　run　the　sharp　blade　into　that

faithful　body。

　

Down　into　the　chamber　he　dragged　me；　and　across　it　to　the　side

opposite　that　at　which　we　had　entered。　　Here　was　another　doorway

leading　into　a　corridor　which　ran　directly　down　a　steep　incline。

Without　a　moment's　hesitation　Woola　jerked　me　along　this　rocky　passage。

　

Presently　he　stopped　and　released　me；　standing　between　me　and

the　way　we　h