warlord of mars-第8节

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Presently　he　stopped　and　released　me；　standing　between　me　and

the　way　we　had　come；　looking　up　into　my　face　as　though　to　ask　if　I

would　now　follow　him　voluntarily　or　if　he　must　still　resort　to　force。

　

Looking　ruefully　at　the　marks　of　his　great　teeth　upon　my　bare　arm

I　decided　to　do　as　he　seemed　to　wish　me　to　do。　　After　all；　his　strange

instinct　might　be　more　dependable　than　my　faulty　human　judgment。

　

And　well　it　was　that　I　had　been　forced　to　follow　him。　　But　a

short　distance　from　the　circular　chamber　we　came　suddenly　into　a

brilliantly　lighted　labyrinth　of　crystal　glass　partitioned　passages。

　

At　first　I　thought　it　was　one　vast；　unbroken　chamber；　so　clear

and　transparent　were　the　walls　of　the　winding　corridors；　but　after

I　had　nearly　brained　myself　a　couple　of　times　by　attempting　to　pass

through　solid　vitreous　walls　I　went　more　carefully。

　

We　had　proceeded　but　a　few　yards　along　the　corridor　that　had

given　us　entrance　to　this　strange　maze　when　Woola　gave　mouth　to

a　most　frightful　roar；　at　the　same　time　dashing　against　the　clear

partition　at　our　left。

　

The　resounding　echoes　of　that　fearsome　cry　were　still

reverberating　through　the　subterranean　chambers　when　I　saw　the

thing　that　had　startled　it　from　the　faithful　beast。

　

Far　in　the　distance；　dimly　through　the　many　thicknesses　of

intervening　crystal；　as　in　a　haze　that　made　them　seem　unreal　and

ghostly；　I　discerned　the　figures　of　eight　peoplethree　females　and

five　men。

　

At　the　same　instant；　evidently　startled　by　Woola's　fierce　cry；

they　halted　and　looked　about。　　Then；　of　a　sudden；　one　of　them；　a

woman；　held　her　arms　out　toward　me；　and　even　at　that　great　distance

I　could　see　that　her　lips　movedit　was　Dejah　Thoris；　my　ever

beautiful　and　ever　youthful　Princess　of　Helium。

　

With　her　were　Thuvia　of　Ptarth；　Phaidor；　daughter　of　Matai　Shang；

and　Thurid；　and　the　Father　of　Therns；　and　the　three　lesser　therns

that　had　accompanied　them。

　

Thurid　shook　his　fist　at　me；　and　then　two　of　the　therns　grasped

Dejah　Thoris　and　Thuvia　roughly　by　their　arms　and　hurried　them　on。

A　moment　later　they　had　disappeared　into　a　stone　corridor　beyond

the　labyrinth　of　glass。

　

They　say　that　love　is　blind；　but　so　great　a　love　as　that　of　Dejah　Thoris

that　knew　me　even　beneath　the　thern　disguise　I　wore　and　across　the

misty　vista　of　that　crystal　maze　must　indeed　be　far　from　blind。

　

　

　

THE　SECRET　TOWER

　

　

I　have　no　stomach　to　narrate　the　monotonous　events　of　the

tedious　days　that　Woola　and　I　spent　ferreting　our　way　across　the

labyrinth　of　glass；　through　the　dark　and　devious　ways　beyond　that

led　beneath　the　Valley　Dor　and　Golden　Cliffs　to　emerge　at　last　upon

the　flank　of　the　Otz　Mountains　just　above　the　Valley　of　Lost　Souls

that　pitiful　purgatory　peopled　by　the　poor　unfortunates　who　dare

not　continue　their　abandoned　pilgrimage　to　Dor；　or　return　to　the

various　lands　of　the　outer　world　from　whence　they　came。

　

Here　the　trail　of　Dejah　Thoris'　abductors　led　along　the　mountains'　base；

across　steep　and　rugged　ravines；　by　the　side　of　appalling　precipices；

and　sometimes　out　into　the　valley；　where　we　found　fighting　aplenty

with　the　members　of　the　various　tribes　that　make　up　the　population

of　this　vale　of　hopelessness。

　

But　through　it　all　we　came　at　last　to　where　the　way　led　up　a

narrow　gorge　that　grew　steeper　and　more　impracticable　at　every　step

until　before　us　loomed　a　mighty　fortress　buried　beneath　the　side　of

an　overhanging　cliff。

　

Here　was　the　secret　hiding　place　of　Matai　Shang；　Father　of　Therns。

Here；　surrounded　by　a　handful　of　the　faithful；　the　hekkador　of　the

ancient　faith；　who　had　once　been　served　by　millions　of　vassals

and　dependents；　dispensed　the　spiritual　words　among　the　half　dozen

nations　of　Barsoom　that　still　clung　tenaciously　to　their　false

and　discredited　religion。

　

Darkness　was　just　falling　as　we　came　in　sight　of　the　seemingly

impregnable　walls　of　this　mountain　stronghold；　and　lest　we　be

seen　I　drew　back　with　Woola　behind　a　jutting　granite　promontory；

into　a　clump　of　the　hardy；　purple　scrub　that　thrives　upon　the

barren　sides　of　Otz。

　

Here　we　lay　until　the　quick　transition　from　daylight　to　darkness

had　passed。　　Then　I　crept　out　to　approach　the　fortress　walls

in　search　of　a　way　within。

　

Either　through　carelessness　or　over…confidence　in　the　supposed

inaccessibility　of　their　hiding　place；　the　triple…barred　gate

stood　ajar。　　Beyond　were　a　handful　of　guards；　laughing　and

talking　over　one　of　their　incomprehensible　Barsoomian　games。

　

I　saw　that　none　of　the　guardsmen　had　been　of　the　party　that

accompanied　Thurid　and　Matai　Shang；　and　so；　relying　entirely　upon

my　disguise；　I　walked　boldly　through　the　gateway　and　up　to　the

thern　guard。

　

The　men　stopped　their　game　and　looked　up　at　me；　but　there　was　no

sign　of　suspicion。　　Similarly　they　looked　at　Woola；　growling　at

my　heel。

　

〃Kaor！〃　I　said　in　true　Martian　greeting；　and　the　warriors

arose　and　saluted　me。　　〃I　have　but　just　found　my　way　hither　from

the　Golden　Cliffs；〃　I　continued；　〃and　seek　audience　with　the

hekkador；　Matai　Shang；　Father　of　Therns。　　Where　may　he　be　found？〃

　

〃Follow　me；〃　said　one　of　the　guard；　and；　turning；　led　me

across　the　outer　courtyard　toward　a　second　buttressed　wall。

　

Why　the　apparent　ease　with　which　I　seemingly　deceived　them　did　not

rouse　my　suspicions　I　know　not；　unless　it　was　that　my　mind　was　still

so　full　of　that　fleeting　glimpse　of　my　beloved　princess　that　there

was　room　in　it　for　naught　else。　　Be　that　as　it　may；　the　fact　is　that

I　marched　buoyantly　behind　my　guide　straight　into　the　jaws　of　death。

　

Afterward　I　learned　that　thern　spies　had　been　aware　of　my

coming　for　hours　before　I　reached　the　hidden　fortress。

　

The　gate　had　been　purposely　left　ajar　to　tempt　me　on。　　The　guards　had

been　schooled　well　in　their　part　of　the　conspiracy；　and　I；　more　like

a　schoolboy　than　a　seasoned　warrior；　ran　headlong　into　the　trap。

　

At　the　far　side　of　the　outer　court　a　narrow　door　let　into　the

angle　made　by　one　of　the　buttresses　with　the　wall。　　Here　my　guide

produced　a　key　and　opened　the　way　within；　then；　stepping　back；　he

motioned　me　to　enter。

　

〃Matai　Shang　is　in　the　temple　court　beyond；〃　he　said；　and　as　Woola

and　I　passed　through；　the　fellow　closed　the　door　quickly　upon　us。

　

The　nasty　laugh　that　came　to　my　ears　through　the　heavy

planking　of　the　door　after　the　lock　clicked　was　my　first　intimation

that　all　was　not　as　it　should　be。

　

I　found　myself　in　a　small；　circular　chamber　within　the　buttress。

Before　me　a　door　opened；　presumably；　upon　the　inner　court　beyond。

For　a　moment　I　hesitated；　all　my　suspicions　now　suddenly；

though　tardily；　aroused；　then；　with　a　shrug　of　my　shoulders；

I　opened　the　door　and　stepped　out　into　the　glare　of　torches

that　lighted　the　inner　court。

　

Directly　opposite　me　a　massive　tower　rose　to　a　height　of　three

hundred　feet。　　It　was　of　the　strangely　beautiful　modern　Barsoomian

style　of　architecture；　its　entire　surface　hand　carved　in　bold

relief　with　intricate　and　fanciful　designs。　　Thirty　feet　above　the

courtyard　and　overlooking　it　was　a　broad　balcony；　and　there；

indeed；　was　Matai　Shang；　and　with　him　were　Thurid　and　Phaidor；

Thuvia；　and　Dejah　Thoristhe　last　two　heavily　ironed。　　A　handful

of　thern　warriors　stood　just　behind　the　little　party。

　

As　I　entered　the　enclosure　the　eyes　of　those　in　the　balcony

were　full　upon　me。

　

An　ugly　smile　distorted　the　cruel　lips　of　Matai　Shang。　　Thurid

hurled　a　taunt　at　me　and　placed　a　familiar　hand　upon　the　shoulder

of　my　princess。　　Like　a　tigress　she　turned　upon　him；　striking　the

beast　a　heavy　blow　with　the　manacles　upon　her　wrist。

　

He　would　have　struck　back　had　not　Matai　Shang　interfered；　and　then

I　saw　that　the　two　men　were　not　over…friendly；　for　the　manner

of　the　thern　was　arrogant　and　domineering　as　he　made　it　plain　to

the　First　Born　that　the　Princess　of　Helium　was　the　personal

property　of　the　Father　of　Therns。　　And　Thurid's　bearing　toward

the　ancient　hekkador　savored　not　at　all　of　liking　or　respect。

　

When　the　altercation　in　the　balcony　had　subsided　Matai　Shang

turned　again　to　me。

　

〃Earth　man；〃　he　cried；　〃you　have　earned　a　more　ignoble　death

than　now　lies　within　our　weakened　power　to　inflict　upon　you；

but　that　the　death　you　die　tonight　may　be　doubly　bitter；　know

you　that　when　you　have　passed；　your　widow　becomes　the　wife　of

Matai　Shang；　Hekkador　of　the　Holy　Therns；　for　a　Martian　year。

　

〃At　the　end　of　that　time；　as　you　know；　she　shall　be　discarded；

as　is　the　law　among　us；　but　not；　as　is　usual；　to　lead　a　quiet　and

honored　life　as　high　priestess　of　some　hallowed　shrine。　　Instead；

Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium；　shall　become　the　plaything　of　my

lieutenantsperhaps　of　thy　most　hated　enemy；　Thurid；　the　black　dator。〃

　

As　he　ceased　speaking　he　awaited　in　silence　evidently　for　some

outbreak　of　rage　upon　my　partsomething　that　would　have

added　to　the　spice