the gods of mars-第11部分
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Wherever we go should we escape we shall find that word of our
coming has preceded us； and death awaits us before we may
pollute the air with our blasphemies。〃
We had proceeded for possibly an hour without serious
interruption； and Thuvia had just whispered to me that we
were approaching our first destination； when on entering a
great chamber we came upon a man； evidently a thern。
He wore in addition to his leathern trappings and jewelled
ornaments a great circlet of gold about his brow in the exact
centre of which was set an immense stone； the exact counterpart
of that which I had seen upon the breast of the little old
man at the atmosphere plant nearly twenty years before。
It is the one priceless jewel of Barsoom。 Only two are
known to exist； and these were worn as the insignia of their
rank and position by the two old men in whose charge was
placed the operation of the great engines which pump the
artificial atmosphere to all parts of Mars from the huge
atmosphere plant； the secret to whose mighty portals placed
in my possession the ability to save from immediate extinction
the life of a whole world。
The stone worn by the thern who confronted us was of
about the same size as that which I had seen before； an inch
in diameter I should say。 It scintillated nine different and
distinct rays； the seven primary colours of our earthly prism
and the two rays which are unknown upon Earth； but whose
wondrous beauty is indescribable。
As the thern saw us his eyes narrowed to two nasty slits。
〃Stop！〃 he cried。 〃What means this； Thuvia？〃
For answer the girl raised her revolver and fired point…
blank at him。 Without a sound he sank to the earth； dead。
〃Beast！〃 she hissed。 〃After all these years I am at last revenged。〃
Then as she turned toward me； evidently with a word of explanation
on her lips； her eyes suddenly widened as they rested upon me；
and with a little exclamation she started toward me。
〃O Prince；〃 she cried； 〃Fate is indeed kind to us。 The way
is still difficult； but through this vile thing upon the floor
we may yet win to the outer world。 Notest thou not the
remarkable resemblance between this Holy Thern and thyself？〃
The man was indeed of my precise stature； nor were his
eyes and features unlike mine； but his hair was a mass of
flowing yellow locks； like those of the two I had killed；
while mine is black and close cropped。
〃What of the resemblance？〃 I asked the girl Thuvia。 〃Do
you wish me with my black； short hair to pose as a yellow…
haired priest of this infernal cult？〃
She smiled； and for answer approached the body of the
man she had slain； and kneeling beside it removed the circlet
of gold from the forehead； and then to my utter amazement
lifted the entire scalp bodily from the corpse's head。
Rising； she advanced to my side and placing the yellow
wig over my black hair； crowned me with the golden circlet
set with the magnificent gem。
〃Now don his harness； Prince；〃 she said； 〃and you may pass
where you will in the realms of the therns； for Sator Throg
was a Holy Thern of the Tenth Cycle； and mighty among his kind。〃
As I stooped to the dead man to do her bidding I noted
that not a hair grew upon his head； which was quite as
bald as an egg。
〃They are all thus from birth；〃 explained Thuvia noting my
surprise。 〃The race from which they sprang were crowned
with a luxuriant growth of golden hair； but for many ages
the present race has been entirely bald。 The wig； however；
has come to be a part of their apparel； and so important a part
do they consider it that it is cause for the deepest disgrace
were a thern to appear in public without it。〃
In another moment I stood garbed in the habiliments of a Holy Thern。
At Thuvia's suggestion two of the released prisoners bore
the body of the dead thern upon their shoulders with us as
we continued our journey toward the storeroom； which we
reached without further mishap。
Here the keys which Thuvia bore from the dead thern of
the prison vault were the means of giving us immediate
entrance to the chamber； and very quickly we were
thoroughly outfitted with arms and ammunition。
By this time I was so thoroughly fagged out that I could
go no further； so I threw myself upon the floor； bidding Tars
Tarkas to do likewise； and cautioning two of the released
prisoners to keep careful watch。
In an instant I was asleep。
CHAPTER V
CORRIDORS OF PERIL
How long I slept upon the floor of the storeroom I do not
know； but it must have been many hours。
I was awakened with a start by cries of alarm； and scarce
were my eyes opened； nor had I yet sufficiently collected my
wits to quite realize where I was； when a fusillade of shots
rang out； reverberating through the subterranean corridors in
a series of deafening echoes。
In an instant I was upon my feet。 A dozen lesser therns
confronted us from a large doorway at the opposite end of
the storeroom from which we had entered。 About me lay the
bodies of my companions； with the exception of Thuvia and
Tars Tarkas； who； like myself； had been asleep upon the floor
and thus escaped the first raking fire。
As I gained my feet the therns lowered their wicked rifles； their
faces distorted in mingled chagrin； consternation； and alarm。
Instantly I rose to the occasion。
〃What means this？〃 I cried in tones of fierce anger。 〃Is Sator Throg
to be murdered by his own vassals？〃
〃Have mercy； O Master of the Tenth Cycle！〃 cried one of
the fellows； while the others edged toward the doorway as
though to attempt a surreptitious escape from the presence
of the mighty one。
〃Ask them their mission here；〃 whispered Thuvia at my elbow。
〃What do you here； fellows？〃 I cried。
〃Two from the outer world are at large within the dominions
of the therns。 We sought them at the command of the Father
of Therns。 One was white with black hair； the other a
huge green warrior；〃 and here the fellow cast a suspicious
glance toward Tars Tarkas。
〃Here； then； is one of them；〃 spoke Thuvia； indicating the
Thark； 〃and if you will look upon this dead man by the door
perhaps you will recognize the other。 It was left for Sator
Throg and his poor slaves to accomplish what the lesser
therns of the guard were unable to dowe have killed one
and captured the other； for this had Sator Throg given us
our liberty。 And now in your stupidity have you come and
killed all but myself； and like to have killed the mighty
Sator Throg himself。〃
The men looked very sheepish and very scared。
〃Had they not better throw these bodies to the plant men
and then return to their quarters； O Mighty One？〃 asked
Thuvia of me。
〃Yes； do as Thuvia bids you；〃 I said。
As the men picked up the bodies I noticed that the one
who stooped to gather up the late Sator Throg started as his
closer scrutiny fell upon the upturned face； and then the
fellow stole a furtive； sneaking glance in my direction from
the corner of his eye。
That he suspicioned something of the truth I could have sworn；
but that it was only a suspicion which he did not dare voice was
evidenced by his silence。
Again； as he bore the body from the room； he shot a quick
but searching glance toward me； and then his eyes fell once
more upon the bald and shiny dome of the dead man in his
arms。 The last fleeting glimpse that I obtained of his profile
as he passed from my sight without the chamber revealed a
cunning smile of triumph upon his lips。
Only Tars Tarkas； Thuvia； and I were left。 The fatal
marksmanship of the therns had snatched from our companions
whatever slender chance they had of gaining the perilous
freedom of the world without。
So soon as the last of the gruesome procession had disappeared
the girl urged us to take up our flight once more。
She； too； had noted the questioning attitude of the thern
who had borne Sator Throg away。
〃It bodes no good for us； O Prince；〃 she said。 〃For even
though this fellow dared not chance accusing you in error；
there be those above with power sufficient to demand a closer
scrutiny； and that； Prince would indeed prove fatal。〃
I shrugged my shoulders。 It seemed that in any event the
outcome of our plight must end in death。 I was refreshed from
my sleep； but still weak from loss of blood。 My wounds were
painful。 No medicinal aid seemed possible。 How I longed
for the almost miraculous healing power of the strange salves
and lotions of the green Martian women。 In an hour they
would have had me as new。
I was discouraged。 Never had a feeling of such utter hopelessness
come over me in the face of danger。 Then the long flowing； yellow
locks of the Holy Thern； caught by some vagrant draught； blew
about my face。
Might they not still open the way of freedom？ If we acted
in time； might we not even yet escape before the general
alarm was sounded？ We could at least try。
〃What will the fellow do first； Thuvia？〃 I asked。 〃How long
will it be before they may return for us？〃
〃He will go directly to the Father of Therns； old Matai
Shang。 He may have to wait for an audience； but since he is
very high among the lesser therns； in fact as a thorian among
them； it will not be long that Matai Shang will keep him waiting。
〃Then if the Father of Therns puts credence in his story；
another hour will see the galleries and chambers； the courts
and gardens； filled with searchers。〃
〃What we do then must be done within an hour。 What is the
best way； Thuvia； the shortest way out of this celestial Hades？〃
〃Straight to the top of the cliffs； Prince；〃 she replied； 〃and
then through the gardens to the inner courts。 From there our
way will lie within the temples of the therns and across them to
the outer court。 Then the r
