the gods of mars-第26部分

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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　your　hands　and　you　will　alight　safely　on　a　level

floor　of　soft　sand。〃



Very　quietly　I　lowered　myself　from　the　inky　cell　above　into　the

inky　pit　below。　　So　utterly　dark　was　it　that　we　could　not　see

our　hands　at　an　inch　from　our　noses。　　Never；　I　think；　have　I　known

such　complete　absence　of　light　as　existed　in　the　pits　of　Issus。



For　an　instant　I　hung　in　mid　air。　　There　is　a　strange　sensation

connected　with　an　experience　of　that　nature　which　is　quite

difficult　to　describe。　　When　the　feet　tread　empty　air

and　the　distance　below　is　shrouded　in　darkness　there　is　a

feeling　akin　to　panic　at　the　thought　of　releasing　the　hold　and

taking　the　plunge　into　unknown　depths。



Although　the　boy　had　told　me　that　it　was　but　ten　feet　to

the　floor　below　I　experienced　the　same　thrills　as　though　I

were　hanging　above　a　bottomless　pit。　　Then　I　released　my

hold　and　droppedfour　feet　to　a　soft　cushion　of　sand。



The　boy　followed　me。



〃Raise　me　to　your　shoulders；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　will　replace　the　trap。〃



This　done　he　took　me　by　the　hand；　leading　me　very

slowly；　with　much　feeling　about　and　frequent　halts　to　assure

himself　that　he　did　not　stray　into　wrong　passageways。



Presently　we　commenced　the　descent　of　a　very　steep　incline。



〃It　will　not　be　long；〃　he　said；　〃before　we　shall　have　light。

At　the　lower　levels　we　meet　the　same　strata　of　phosphorescent

rock　that　illuminates　Omean。〃



Never　shall　I　forget　that　trip　through　the　pits　of　Issus。

While　it　was　devoid　of　important　incidents　yet　it　was

filled　for　me　with　a　strange　charm　of　excitement　and

adventure　which　I　think　I　must　have　hinged　principally　on

the　unguessable　antiquity　of　these　long…forgotten　corridors。

The　things　which　the　Stygian　darkness　hid　from　my　objective

eye　could　not　have　been　half　so　wonderful　as　the　pictures

which　my　imagination　wrought　as　it　conjured　to　life　again　the

ancient　peoples　of　this　dying　world　and　set　them　once　more　to

the　labours；　the　intrigues；　the　mysteries　and　the　cruelties

which　they　had　practised　to　make　their　last　stand　against　the

swarming　hordes　of　the　dead　sea　bottoms　that　had　driven

them　step　by　step　to　the　uttermost　pinnacle　of　the　world

where　they　were　now　intrenched　behind　an　impenetrable

barrier　of　superstition。



In　addition　to　the　green　men　there　had　been　three　principal

races　upon　Barsoom。　　The　blacks；　the　whites；　and　a　race

of　yellow　men。　　As　the　waters　of　the　planet　dried　and　the

seas　receded；　all　other　resources　dwindled　until　life　upon　the

planet　became　a　constant　battle　for　survival。



The　various　races　had　made　war　upon　one　another　for

ages；　and　the　three　higher　types　had　easily　bested　the　green

savages　of　the　water　places　of　the　world；　but　now　that　the

receding　seas　necessitated　constant　abandonment　of　their

fortified　cities　and　forced　upon　them　a　more　or　less　nomadic

life　in　which　they　became　separated　into　smaller　communities

they　soon　fell　prey　to　the　fierce　hordes　of　green　men。

The　result　was　a　partial　amalgamation　of　the　blacks；　whites

and　yellows；　the　result　of　which　is　shown　in　the　present

splendid　race　of　red　men。



I　had　always　supposed　that　all　traces　of　the　original　races

had　disappeared　from　the　face　of　Mars；　yet　within　the　past

four　days　I　had　found　both　whites　and　blacks　in　great　multitudes。

Could　it　be　possible　that　in　some　far…off　corner　of　the　planet

there　still　existed　a　remnant　of　the　ancient　race　of　yellow　men？



My　reveries　were　broken　in　upon　by　a　low　exclamation　from　the　boy。



〃At　last；　the　lighted　way；〃　he　cried；　and　looking　up　I　beheld

at　a　long　distance　before　us　a　dim　radiance。



As　we　advanced　the　light　increased　until　presently　we

emerged　into　well…lighted　passageways。　　From　then　on　our

progress　was　rapid　until　we　came　suddenly　to　the　end　of　a

corridor　that　let　directly　upon　the　ledge　surrounding　the　pool

of　the　submarine。



The　craft　lay　at　her　moorings　with　uncovered　hatch。

Raising　his　finger　to　his　lips　and　then　tapping　his　sword　in　a

significant　manner；　the　youth　crept　noiselessly　toward　the　vessel。

I　was　close　at　his　heels。



Silently　we　dropped　to　the　deserted　deck；　and　on　hands

and　knees　crawled　toward　the　hatchway。　　A　stealthy　glance

below　revealed　no　guard　in　sight；　and　so　with　the　quickness

and　the　soundlessness　of　cats　we　dropped　together　into　the

main　cabin　of　the　submarine。　　Even　here　was　no　sign　of　life。

Quickly　we　covered　and　secured　the　hatch。



Then　the　boy　stepped　into　the　pilot　house；　touched　a　button

and　the　boat　sank　amid　swirling　waters　toward　the　bottom

of　the　shaft。　　Even　then　there　was　no　scurrying　of　feet　as

we　had　expected；　and　while　the　boy　remained　to　direct　the

boat　I　slid　from　cabin　to　cabin　in　futile　search　for　some

member　of　the　crew。　　The　craft　was　entirely　deserted。

Such　good　fortune　seemed　almost　unbelievable。



When　I　returned　to　the　pilot　house　to　report　the　good

news　to　my　companion　he　handed　me　a　paper。



〃This　may　explain　the　absence　of　the　crew；〃　he　said。



It　was　a　radio…aerial　message　to　the　commander　of　the　submarine：





〃The　slaves　have　risen。　　Come　with　what　men　you　have　and

those　that　you　can　gather　on　the　way。　　Too　late　to　get　aid

from　Omean。　　They　are　massacring　all　within　the　amphitheatre。　

Issus　is　threatened。　　Haste。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃ZITHAD〃





〃Zithad　is　Dator　of　the　guards　of　Issus；〃　explained　the　youth。

〃We　gave　them　a　bad　scareone　that　they　will　not　soon　forget。〃



〃Let　us　hope　that　it　is　but　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　Issus；〃　I　said。



〃Only　our　first　ancestor　knows；〃　he　replied。



We　reached　the　submarine　pool　in　Omean　without　incident。　

Here　we　debated　the　wisdom　of　sinking　the　craft　before

leaving　her；　but　finally　decided　that　it　would　add　nothing

to　our　chances　for　escape。　　There　were　plenty　of　blacks　on

Omean　to　thwart　us　were　we　apprehended；　however　many

more　might　come　from　the　temples　and　gardens　of　Issus

would　not　in　any　decrease　our　chances。



We　were　now　in　a　quandary　as　to　how　to　pass　the　guards　who

patrolled　the　island　about　the　pool。　　At　last　I　hit　upon　a　plan。



〃What　is　the　name　or　title　of　the　officer　in　charge　of　these　guards？〃

I　asked　the　boy。



〃A　fellow　named　Torith　was　on　duty　when　we　entered　this　morning；〃

he　replied。



〃Good。　　And　what　is　the　name　of　the　commander　of　the　submarine？〃



〃Yersted。〃



I　found　a　dispatch　blank　in　the　cabin　and　wrote　the　following　order：





〃Dator　Torith：　Return　these　two　slaves　at　once　to　Shador。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃YERSTED〃





That　will　be　the　simpler　way　to　return；〃　I　said；　smiling；　as　I

handed　the　forged　order　to　the　boy。　　〃Come；　we　shall　see　now

how　well　it　works。〃



〃But　our　swords！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃What　shall　we　say　to　explain　them？〃



〃Since　we　cannot　explain　them　we　shall　have　to　leave　them　behind　us；〃

I　replied。



〃Is　it　not　the　extreme　of　rashness　to　thus　put　ourselves　again；

unarmed；　in　the　power　of　the　First　Born？〃



〃It　is　the　only　way；〃　I　answered。　　〃You　may　trust　me　to　find

a　way　out　of　the　prison　of　Shador；　and　I　think；　once　out；

that　we　shall　find　no　great　difficulty　in　arming　ourselves

once　more　in　a　country　which　abounds　so　plentifully　in　armed　men。〃



〃As　you　say；〃　he　replied　with　a　smile　and　shrug。　　〃I　could　not

follow　another　leader　who　inspired　greater　confidence　than　you。

Come；　let　us　put　your　ruse　to　the　test。〃



Boldly　we　emerged　from　the　hatchway　of　the　craft；　leaving

our　swords　behind　us；　and　strode　to　the　main　exit　which　led

to　the　sentry's　post　and　the　office　of　the　Dator　of　the　guard。



At　sight　of　us　the　members　of　the　guard　sprang　forward　in

surprise；　and　with　levelled　rifles　halted　us。　　I　held　out　the

message　to　one　of　them。　　He　took　it　and　seeing　to　whom

it　was　addressed　turned　and　handed　it　to　Torith　who　was

emerging　from　his　office　to　learn　the　cause　of　the　commotion。



The　black　read　the　order；　and　for　a　moment　eyed　us　with

evident　suspicion。



〃Where　is　Dator　Yersted？〃　he　asked；　and　my　heart　sank

within　me；　as　I　cursed　myself　for　a　stupid　fool　in　not　having

sunk　the　submarine　to　make　good　the　lie　that　I　must　tell。



〃His　orders　were　to　return　immediately　to　the　temple　landing；〃

I　replied。



Torith　took　a　half　step　toward　the　entrance　to　the　pool

as　though　to　corroborate　my　story。　　For　that　instant　everything

hung　in　the　balance；　for　had　he　done　so　and　found　the

empty　submarine　still　lying　at　her　wharf　the　whole　weak

fabric　of　my　concoction　would　have　tumbled　about　our　heads；

but　evidently　he　decided　the　message　must　be　genuine；

nor　indeed　was　there　any　good　reason　to　doubt　it　since　it

would　scarce　have　seemed　credible　to　him　that　two　slaves

would　voluntarily　have　given　themselves　into　custody　in　any

such　manner　as　this。　　It　was　the　very　boldness　of　the　plan

which　rendered　it　successful。



〃Were　you　connected　with　the　rising　of　the　slaves？〃　asked　Torith。

〃We　have　just　had　meagre　reports　of　some　such　event。〃



〃All　were　involved；〃　I　replied。　　〃But　it　amounted　to　little。

The　guards　quickly　overcame　and　killed　the　majority　of　us。〃



He　seemed　satisfied　with　this　reply。　　〃Take　them　to　Shador；〃

he　ordered；　turning　to　one　of　his　subordinates。　　We　entered

a　small　boat　lying　beside　the　island；　and　in　a　few　minutes

were　disembarking　upon　Shador。　　Here　we　were　returned　to　our

respective　cells；　I　with　Xodar；　the　boy　by　himself；　and　behind

locked　doors　we　were　again　prisoners　of　the　First　Born。









CHAPTER　XIII





A　BREAK　FOR　LIBERTY





Xodar　listened　in　incredulous　astonishment　to　my　narration

of　the　events　which　had　transpired　within　the　arena　at　the

rites　of　Issus。　　He　could　scarce　conceive；　even　though　he　had

already　professed　his　doubt　as　to　the　deity　of　Issus；　that　one

could