the gods of mars-第25部分

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throne　of　the　Martian　deity。　　Hordes　of　the　doughtiest

fighting…men　of　the　First　Born　poured　from　the　audience　to

check　our　progress。　　We　mowed　them　down　before　us　as　they

had　been　paper　men。



〃To　the　seats；　some　of　you！〃　I　cried　as　we　approached

the　arena's　barrier　wall。　　〃Ten　of　us　can　take　the　throne；〃

for　I　had　seen　that　Issus'　guards　had　for　the　most　part

entered　the　fray　within　the　arena。



On　both　sides　of　me　the　prisoners　broke　to　left　and

right　for　the　seats；　vaulting　the　low　wall　with　dripping

swords　lusting　for　the　crowded　victims　who　awaited　them。



In　another　moment　the　entire　amphitheatre　was　filled

with　the　shrieks　of　the　dying　and　the　wounded；　mingled　with

the　clash　of　arms　and　triumphant　shouts　of　the　victors。



Side　by　side　the　young　red　man　and　I；　with　perhaps　a

dozen　others；　fought　our　way　to　the　foot　of　the　throne。

The　remaining　guards；　reinforced　by　the　high　dignitaries

and　nobles　of　the　First　Born；　closed　in　between　us　and

Issus；　who　sat　leaning　far　forward　upon　her　carved　sorapus

bench；　now　screaming　high…pitched　commands　to　her　following；

now　hurling　blighting　curses　upon　those　who　sought　to

desecrate　her　godhood。



The　frightened　slaves　about　her　trembled　in　wide…eyed

expectancy；　knowing　not　whether　to　pray　for　our　victory

or　our　defeat。　　Several　among　them；　proud　daughters　no

doubt　of　some　of　Barsoom's　noblest　warriors；　snatched

swords　from　the　hands　of　the　fallen　and　fell　upon　the

guards　of　Issus；　but　they　were　soon　cut　down；　glorious

martyrs　to　a　hopeless　cause。



The　men　with　us　fought　well；　but　never　since　Tars　Tarkas

and　I　fought　out　that　long；　hot　afternoon　shoulder　to

shoulder　against　the　hordes　of　Warhoon　in　the　dead　sea

bottom　before　Thark；　had　I　seen　two　men　fight　to　such

good　purpose　and　with　such　unconquerable　ferocity　as

the　young　red　man　and　I　fought　that　day　before　the　throne

of　Issus；　Goddess　of　Death；　and　of　Life　Eternal。



Man　by　man　those　who　stood　between　us　and　the　carven

sorapus　wood　bench　went　down　before　our　blades。　　Others

swarmed　in　to　fill　the　breach；　but　inch　by　inch；　foot　by

foot　we　won　nearer　and　nearer　to　our　goal。



Presently　a　cry　went　up　from　a　section　of　the　stands

near　by〃Rise　slaves！〃　　〃Rise　slaves！〃　it　rose　and　fell　until

it　swelled　to　a　mighty　volume　of　sound　that　swept　in　great

billows　around　the　entire　amphitheatre。



For　an　instant；　as　though　by　common　assent；　we　ceased

our　fighting　to　look　for　the　meaning　of　this　new　note　nor

did　it　take　but　a　moment　to　translate　its　significance。　　In

all　parts　of　the　structure　the　female　slaves　were　falling

upon　their　masters　with　whatever　weapon　came　first　to　hand。

A　dagger　snatched　from　the　harness　of　her　mistress　was

waved　aloft　by　some　fair　slave；　its　shimmering　blade　crimson

with　the　lifeblood　of　its　owner；　swords　plucked　from　the

bodies　of　the　dead　about　them；　heavy　ornaments　which

could　be　turned　into　bludgeonssuch　were　the　implements

with　which　these　fair　women　wreaked　the　long…pent　vengeance

which　at　best　could　but　partially　recompense　them　for　the

unspeakable　cruelties　and　indignities　which　their　black　masters

had　heaped　upon　them。　　And　those　who　could　find　no　other　weapons

used　their　strong　fingers　and　their　gleaming　teeth。



It　was　at　once　a　sight　to　make　one　shudder　and　to　cheer；

but　in　a　brief　second　we　were　engaged　once　more　in　our

own　battle　with　only　the　unquenchable　battle　cry　of　the

women　to　remind　us　that　they　still　fought〃Rise　slaves！〃

〃Rise　slaves！〃



Only　a　single　thin　rank　of　men　now　stood　between　us

and　Issus。　　Her　face　was　blue　with　terror。　　Foam　flecked

her　lips。　　She　seemed　too　paralysed　with　fear　to　move。

Only　the　youth　and　I　fought　now。　　The　others　all　had

fallen；　and　I　was　like　to　have　gone　down　too　from　a　nasty

long…sword　cut　had　not　a　hand　reached　out　from　behind

my　adversary　and　clutched　his　elbow　as　the　blade　was

falling　upon　me。　　The　youth　sprang　to　my　side　and　ran

his　sword　through　the　fellow　before　he　could　recover　to

deliver　another　blow。



I　should　have　died　even　then　but　for　that　as　my　sword

was　tight　wedged　in　the　breastbone　of　a　Dator　of　the　First

Born。　　As　the　fellow　went　down　I　snatched　his　sword　from

him　and　over　his　prostrate　body　looked　into　the　eyes　of

the　one　whose　quick　hand　had　saved　me　from　the　first　cut　of

his　swordit　was　Phaidor；　daughter　of　Matai　Shang。



〃Fly；　my　Prince！〃　she　cried。　　〃It　is　useless　to　fight　them

longer。　　All　within　the　arena　are　dead。　　All　who　charged

the　throne　are　dead　but　you　and　this　youth。　　Only　among

the　seats　are　there　left　any　of　your　fighting…men；　and　they

and　the　slave　women　are　fast　being　cut　down。　　Listen！　　You

can　scarce　hear　the　battle…cry　of　the　women　now　for　nearly

all　are　dead。　　For　each　one　of　you　there　are　ten　thousand

blacks　within　the　domains　of　the　First　Born。　　Break　for　the

open　and　the　sea　of　Korus。　　With　your　mighty　sword　arm

you　may　yet　win　to　the　Golden　Cliffs　and　the　templed　gardens

of　the　Holy　Therns。　　There　tell　your　story　to　Matai　Shang；

my　father。　　He　will　keep　you；　and　together　you　may　find　a　way

to　rescue　me。　　Fly　while　there　is　yet　a　bare　chance　for　flight。〃



But　that　was　not　my　mission；　nor　could　I　see　much　to

be　preferred　in　the　cruel　hospitality　of　the　Holy　Therns

to　that　of　the　First　Born。



〃Down　with　Issus！〃　I　shouted；　and　together　the　boy　and

I　took　up　the　fight　once　more。　　Two　blacks　went　down

with　our　swords　in　their　vitals；　and　we　stood　face　to　face

with　Issus。　　As　my　sword　went　up　to　end　her　horrid　career

her　paralysis　left　her；　and　with　an　ear…piercing　shriek　she

turned　to　flee。　　Directly　behind　her　a　black　gulf　suddenly

yawned　in　the　flooring　of　the　dais。　　She　sprang　for　the

opening　with　the　youth　and　I　close　at　her　heels。　　Her　scattered

guard　rallied　at　her　cry　and　rushed　for　us。　　A　blow　fell

upon　the　head　of　the　youth。　　He　staggered　and　would　have

fallen；　but　I　caught　him　in　my　left　arm　and　turned　to　face

an　infuriated　mob　of　religious　fanatics　crazed　by　the　affront

I　had　put　upon　their　goddess；　just　as　Issus　disappeared　into

the　black　depths　beneath　me。









CHAPTER　XII





DOOMED　TO　DIE





For　an　instant　I　stood　there　before　they　fell　upon　me；　but

the　first　rush　of　them　forced　me　back　a　step　or　two。　　My

foot　felt　for　the　floor　but　found　only　empty　space。　　I　had

backed　into　the　pit　which　had　received　Issus。　　For　a　second

I　toppled　there　upon　the　brink。　　Then　I　too　with　the　boy

still　tightly　clutched　in　my　arms　pitched　backward　into　the

black　abyss。



We　struck　a　polished　chute；　the　opening　above　us　closed

as　magically　as　it　had　opened；　and　we　shot　down；　unharmed；

into　a　dimly　lighted　apartment　far　below　the　arena。



As　I　rose　to　my　feet　the　first　thing　I　saw　was　the　malignant

countenance　of　Issus　glaring　at　me　through　the　heavy　bars

of　a　grated　door　at　one　side　of　the　chamber。



〃Rash　mortal！〃　she　shrilled。　　〃You　shall　pay　the　awful

penalty　for　your　blasphemy　in　this　secret　cell。　　Here　you　shall

lie　alone　and　in　darkness　with　the　carcass　of　your　accomplice

festering　in　its　rottenness　by　your　side；　until　crazed　by

loneliness　and　hunger　you　feed　upon　the　crawling　maggots　that

were　once　a　man。〃



That　was　all。　　In　another　instant　she　was　gone；　and　the　dim

light　which　had　filled　the　cell　faded　into　Cimmerian　blackness。



〃Pleasant　old　lady；〃　said　a　voice　at　my　side。



〃Who　speaks？〃　I　asked。



〃'Tis　I；　your　companion；　who　has　had　the　honour　this　day　of

fighting　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　the　greatest　warrior　that

ever　wore　metal　upon　Barsoom。〃



〃I　thank　God　that　you　are　not　dead；〃　I　said。　　〃I　feared　for

that　nasty　cut　upon　your　head。〃



〃It　but　stunned　me；〃　he　replied。　　〃A　mere　scratch。〃



〃Maybe　it　were　as　well　had　it　been　final；〃　I　said。　　〃We

seem　to　be　in　a　pretty　fix　here　with　a　splendid　chance　of

dying　of　starvation　and　thirst。〃



〃Where　are　we？〃



〃Beneath　the　arena；〃　I　replied。　　〃We　tumbled　down　the

shaft　that　swallowed　Issus　as　she　was　almost　at　our　mercy。〃



He　laughed　a　low　laugh　of　pleasure　and　relief；　and　then

reaching　out　through　the　inky　blackness　he　sought　my

shoulder　and　pulled　my　ear　close　to　his　mouth。



〃Nothing　could　be　better；〃　he　whispered。　　〃There　are　secrets

within　the　secrets　of　Issus　of　which　Issus　herself　does　not　dream。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃I　laboured　with　the　other　slaves　a　year　since　in　the

remodelling　of　these　subterranean　galleries；　and　at　that

time　we　found　below　these　an　ancient　system　of　corridors

and　chambers　that　had　been　sealed　up　for　ages。　　The　blacks

in　charge　of　the　work　explored　them；　taking　several　of　us

along　to　do　whatever　work　there　might　be　occasion　for。

I　know　the　entire　system　perfectly。



〃There　are　miles　of　corridors　honeycombing　the　ground　beneath

the　gardens　and　the　temple　itself；　and　there　is　one　passage

that　leads　down　to　and　connects　with　the　lower　regions　that

open　on　the　water　shaft　that　gives　passage　to　Omean。



〃If　we　can　reach　the　submarine　undetected　we　may　yet

make　the　sea　in　which　there　are　many　islands　where　the

blacks　never　go。　　There　we　may　live　for　a　time；　and　who

knows　what　may　transpire　to　aid　us　to　escape？〃



He　had　spoken　all　in　a　low　whisper；　evidently　fearing　spying

ears　even　here；　and　so　I　answered　him　in　the　samesubdued　tone。



〃Lead　back　to　Shador；　my　friend；〃　I　whispered。　　〃Xodar；　the

black；　is　there。　　We　were　to　attempt　our　escape　together；

so　I　cannot　desert　him。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　boy；　〃one　cannot　desert　a　friend。

It　were　better　to　be　recaptured　ourselves　than　that。〃



Then　he　commenced　groping　his　way　about　the　floor　of

the　dark　chamber　searching　for　the　trap　that　led　to　the

corridors　beneath。　　At　length　he　summoned　me　by　a　low；

〃S…s…t；〃　and　I　crept　toward　the　sound　of　his　voice　to

find　him　kneeling　on　the　brink　of　an　opening　in　the　floor。



〃There　is　a　drop　here　of　about　ten　feet；〃　he　whispered。

〃Hang　by　y