the gods of mars-第15部分

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his　frantic　struggles　dragged　me　lower　and　lower　toward　the

end　of　the　chain。



Gradually　his　contortions　became　spasmodic；　lessening　by

degrees　until　they　ceased　entirely。　　Then　I　released　my　hold

upon　him　and　in　an　instant　he　was　swallowed　by　the　black

shadows　far　below。



Again　I　climbed　to　the　ship's　rail。　　This　time　I　succeeded　in

raising　my　eyes　to　the　level　of　the　deck；　where　I　could　take　a

careful　survey　of　the　conditions　immediately　confronting　me。



The　nearer　moon　had　passed　below　the　horizon；　but　the

clear　effulgence　of　the　further　satellite　bathed　the　deck　of　the

cruiser；　bringing　into　sharp　relief　the　bodies　of　six　or　eight

black　men　sprawled　about　in　sleep。



Huddled　close　to　the　base　of　a　rapid　fire　gun　was　a　young

white　girl；　securely　bound。　　Her　eyes　were　widespread　in　an

expression　of　horrified　anticipation　and　fixed　directly　upon

me　as　I　came　in　sight　above　the　edge　of　the　deck。



Unutterable　relief　instantly　filled　them　as　they　fell　upon　the

mystic　jewel　which　sparkled　in　the　centre　of　my　stolen　headpiece。

She　did　not　speak。　　Instead　her　eyes　warned　me　to　beware　the

sleeping　figures　that　surrounded　her。



Noiselessly　I　gained　the　deck。　　The　girl　nodded　to　me　to　approach　her。

As　I　bent　low　she　whispered　to　me　to　release　her。



〃I　can　aid　you；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　will　need　all　the　aid

available　when　they　awaken。〃



〃Some　of　them　will　awake　in　Korus；〃　I　replied　smiling。



She　caught　the　meaning　of　my　words；　and　the　cruelty　of

her　answering　smile　horrified　me。　　One　is　not　astonished　by

cruelty　in　a　hideous　face；　but　when　it　touches　the　features　of

a　goddess　whose　fine…chiselled　lineaments　might　more　fittingly

portray　love　and　beauty；　the　contrast　is　appalling。



Quickly　I　released　her。



〃Give　me　a　revolver；〃　she　whispered。　　〃I　can　use　that　upon

those　your　sword　does　not　silence　in　time。〃



I　did　as　she　bid。　　Then　I　turned　toward　the　distasteful　work

that　lay　before　me。　　This　was　no　time　for　fine　compunctions；

nor　for　a　chivalry　that　these　cruel　demons　would　neither

appreciate　nor　reciprocate。



Stealthily　I　approached　the　nearest　sleeper。　　When　he

awoke　he　was　well　on　his　journey　to　the　bosom　of　Korus。

His　piercing　shriek　as　consciousness　returned　to　him　came

faintly　up　to　us　from　the　black　depths　beneath。



The　second　awoke　as　I　touched　him；　and；　though　I　succeeded

in　hurling　him　from　the　cruiser's　deck；　his　wild　cry　of　alarm

brought　the　remaining　pirates　to　their　feet。　　There　were　five　of　them。



As　they　arose　the　girl's　revolver　spoke　in　sharp　staccato

and　one　sank　back　to　the　deck　again　to　rise　no　more。



The　others　rushed　madly　upon　me　with　drawn　swords。　　The　girl

evidently　dared　not　fire　for　fear　of　wounding　me；　but　I　saw　her

sneak　stealthily　and　cat…like　toward　the　flank　of　the　attackers。

Then　they　were　on　me。



For　a　few　minutes　I　experienced　some　of　the　hottest　fighting　I　had

ever　passed　through。　　The　quarters　were　too　small　for　foot　work。

It　was　stand　your　ground　and　give　and　take。　　At　first　I　took

considerably　more　than　I　gave；　but　presently　I　got　beneath　one

fellow's　guard　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　him　collapse

upon　the　deck。



The　others　redoubled　their　efforts。　　The　crashing　of　their

blades　upon　mine　raised　a　terrific　din　that　might　have　been

heard　for　miles　through　the　silent　night。　　Sparks　flew　as　steel

smote　steel；　and　then　there　was　the　dull　and　sickening　sound　of　a

shoulder　bone　parting　beneath　the　keen　edge　of　my　Martian　sword。



Three　now　faced　me；　but　the　girl　was　working　her　way　to

a　point　that　would　soon　permit　her　to　reduce　the　number　by

one　at　least。　　Then　things　happened　with　such　amazing

rapidity　that　I　can　scarce　comprehend　even　now　all　that　took

place　in　that　brief　instant。



The　three　rushed　me　with　the　evident　purpose　of　forcing

me　back　the　few　steps　that　would　carry　my　body　over　the

rail　into　the　void　below。　　At　the　same　instant　the　girl　fired

and　my　sword　arm　made　two　moves。　　One　man　dropped　with

a　bullet　in　his　brain；　a　sword　flew　clattering　across　the　deck

and　dropped　over　the　edge　beyond　as　I　disarmed　one　of　my

opponents　and　the　third　went　down　with　my　blade　buried　to

the　hilt　in　his　breast　and　three　feet　of　it　protruding　from　his

back；　and　falling　wrenched　the　sword　from　my　grasp。



Disarmed　myself；　I　now　faced　my　remaining　foeman；

whose　own　sword　lay　somewhere　thousands　of　feet　below　us；

lost　in　the　Lost　Sea。



The　new　conditions　seemed　to　please　my　adversary；　for　a

smile　of　satisfaction　bared　his　gleaming　teeth　as　he　rushed

at　me　bare…handed。　　The　great　muscles　which　rolled　beneath　his

glossy　black　hide　evidently　assured　him　that　here　was　easy

prey；　not　worth　the　trouble　of　drawing　the　dagger　from　his　harness。



I　let　him　come　almost　upon　me。　　Then　I　ducked　beneath　his

outstretched　arms；　at　the　same　time　sidestepping　to　the　right。


Pivoting　on　my　left　toe；　I　swung　a　terrific　right　to　his　jaw；

and；　like　a　felled　ox；　he　dropped　in　his　tracks。



A　low；　silvery　laugh　rang　out　behind　me。



〃You　are　no　thern；〃　said　the　sweet　voice　of　my　companion；

〃for　all　your　golden　locks　or　the　harness　of　Sator　Throg。

Never　lived　there　upon　all　Barsoom　before　one　who

could　fight　as　you　have　fought　this　night。　　Who　are　you？〃



〃I　am　John　Carter；　Prince　of　the　House　of　Tardos

Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium；〃　I　replied。　　〃And　whom；〃　I　added；

〃has　the　honour　of　serving　been　accorded　me？〃



She　hesitated　a　moment　before　speaking。　　Then　she　asked：



〃You　are　no　thern。　　Are　you　an　enemy　of　the　therns？〃



〃I　have　been　in　the　territory　of　the　therns　for　a　day　and　a　half。

During　that　entire　time　my　life　has　been　in　constant　danger。　

I　have　been　harassed　and　persecuted。　　Armed　men　and　fierce　beasts

have　been　set　upon　me。　　I　had　no　quarrel　with　the　therns　before；

but　can　you　wonder　that　I　feel　no　great　love　for　them　now？

I　have　spoken。〃



She　looked　at　me　intently　for　several　minutes　before　she　replied。

It　was　as　though　she　were　attempting　to　read　my　inmost　soul；

to　judge　my　character　and　my　standards　of　chivalry　in　that

long…drawn；　searching　gaze。



Apparently　the　inventory　satisfied　her。



〃I　am　Phaidor；　daughter　of　Matai　Shang；　Holy　Hekkador　of　the

Holy　Therns；　Father　of　Therns；　Master　of　Life　and　Death

upon　Barsoom；　Brother　of　Issus；　Prince　of　Life　Eternal。〃



At　that　moment　I　noticed　that　the　black　I　had　dropped　with

my　fist　was　commencing　to　show　signs　of　returning　consciousness。　

I　sprang　to　his　side。　　Stripping　his　harness　from　him　I　securely

bound　his　hands　behind　his　back；　and　after　similarly　fastening

his　feet　tied　him　to　a　heavy　gun　carriage。



〃Why　not　the　simpler　way？〃　asked　Phaidor。



〃I　do　not　understand。　　What　'simpler　way'？〃　I　replied。



With　a　slight　shrug　of　her　lovely　shoulders　she　made　a

gesture　with　her　hands　personating　the　casting　of　something

over　the　craft's　side。



〃I　am　no　murderer；〃　I　said。　　〃I　kill　in　self…defence　only。〃



She　looked　at　me　narrowly。　　Then　she　puckered　those　divine

brows　of　hers；　and　shook　her　head。　　She　could　not　comprehend。



Well；　neither　had　my　own　Dejah　Thoris　been　able　to

understand　what　to　her　had　seemed　a　foolish　and　dangerous

policy　toward　enemies。　　Upon　Barsoom；　quarter　is　neither

asked　nor　given；　and　each　dead　man　means　so　much　more

of　the　waning　resources　of　this　dying　planet　to　be　divided

amongst　those　who　survive。



But　there　seemed　a　subtle　difference　here　between　the　manner

in　which　this　girl　contemplated　the　dispatching　of　an　enemy

and　the　tender…hearted　regret　of　my　own　princess　for　the

stern　necessity　which　demanded　it。



I　think　that　Phaidor　regretted　the　thrill　that　the　spectacle

would　have　afforded　her　rather　than　the　fact　that　my　decision

left　another　enemy　alive　to　threaten　us。



The　man　had　now　regained　full　possession　of　his　faculties；

and　was　regarding　us　intently　from　where　he　lay　bound　upon

the　deck。　　He　was　a　handsome　fellow；　clean　limbed　and　powerful；

with　an　intelligent　face　and　features　of　such　exquisite　chiselling

that　Adonis　himself　might　have　envied　him。



The　vessel；　unguided；　had　been　moving　slowly　across　the　valley；

but　now　I　thought　it　time　to　take　the　helm　and　direct　her　course。

Only　in　a　very　general　way　could　I　guess　the　location　of　the　Valley　Dor。

That　it　was　far　south　of　the　equator　was　evident　from　the　constellations；

but　I　was　not　sufficiently　a　Martian　astronomer　to　come　much　closer　than

a　rough　guess　without　the　splendid　charts　and　delicate　instruments

with　which；　as　an　officer　in　the　Heliumite　Navy；　I　had　formerly　reckoned

the　positions　of　the　vessels　on　which　I　sailed。



That　a　northerly　course　would　quickest　lead　me　toward　the

more　settled　portions　of　the　planet　immediately　decided

the　direction　that　I　should　steer。　　Beneath　my　hand　the　cruiser

swung　gracefully　about。　　Then　the　button　which　controlled

the　repulsive　rays　sent　us　soaring　far　out　into　space。

With　speed　lever　pulled　to　the　last　notch；　we　raced　toward

the　north　as　we　rose　ever　farther　and　farther　above　that

terrible　valley　of　death。



As　we　passed　at　a　dizzy　height　over　the　narrow　domains

of　the　therns　the　flash　of　powder　far　below　bore　mute

witness　to　the　ferocity　of　the　battle　that　still　raged　along

that　cruel　frontier。　　No　sound　of　conflict　reached　our　ears；

for　in　the　rarefied　atmosphere　of　our　great　altitude　no　sound　wave

could　penetrate；　they　were　dissipated　in　thin　air　far　below　us。



It　became　intensely　cold。　　Breathing　was　difficult。　　The　girl；

Phaidor；　and　the　black　pirate　kept　their　eyes　glued　upon　me。

At　length　the　girl　spoke。



〃Unconsciousness　comes　quickly　at　this　altitude；〃　she　said　quietly。

〃Unless　you　are　inviting　death　for　us　all　you　had　best　drop；

and　that　quickly。〃



There　was　no　fear　in　her　voice。　　It　was　as　one　might　say：

〃You　had　better　carry　an　umbrella。　　It　is　going　to　rain。〃



I　dropped　the　vessel　quickly　to　a　lower　level。