the gods of mars-第27部分

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

could　threaten　her　with　sword　in　hand　and　not　be　blasted　into

a　thousand　fragments　by　the　mere　fury　of　her　divine　wrath。



〃It　is　the　final　proof；〃　he　said；　at　last。　　〃No　more　is　needed

to　completely　shatter　the　last　remnant　of　my　superstitious

belief　in　the　divinity　of　Issus。　　She　is　only　a　wicked　old　woman；

wielding　a　mighty　power　for　evil　through　machinations　that

have　kept　her　own　people　and　all　Barsoom　in　religious

ignorance　for　ages。〃



〃She　is　still　all…powerful　here；　however；〃　I　replied。

〃So　it　behooves　us　to　leave　at　the　first　moment　that

appears　at　all　propitious。〃



〃I　hope　that　you　may　find　a　propitious　moment；〃　he　said；

with　a　laugh；　〃for　it　is　certain　that　in　all　my　life　I　have　never

seen　one　in　which　a　prisoner　of　the　First　Born　might　escape。〃



〃To…night　will　do　as　well　as　any；〃　I　replied。



〃It　will　soon　be　night；〃　said　Xodar。　　〃How　may　I　aid　in　the　adventure？〃



〃Can　you　swim？〃　I　asked　him。



〃No　slimy　silian　that　haunts　the　depths　of　Korus　is　more

at　home　in　water　than　is　Xodar；〃　he　replied。



〃Good。　　The　red　one　in　all　probability　cannot　swim；〃　I

said；　〃since　there　is　scarce　enough　water　in　all　their　domains

to　float　the　tiniest　craft。　　One　of　us　therefore　will　have　to

support　him　through　the　sea　to　the　craft　we　select。　　I　had　hoped

that　we　might　make　the　entire　distance　below　the　surface；

but　I　fear　that　the　red　youth　could　not　thus　perform　the

trip。　　Even　the　bravest　of　the　brave　among　them　are　terrorized

at　the　mere　thought　of　deep　water；　for　it　has　been　ages　since

their　forebears　saw　a　lake；　a　river　or　a　sea。〃



〃The　red　one　is　to　accompany　us？〃　asked　Xodar。



〃Yes。〃



〃It　is　well。　　Three　swords　are　better　than　two。　　Especially

when　the　third　is　as　mighty　as　this　fellow's。　　I　have　seen　him

battle　in　the　arena　at　the　rites　of　Issus　many　times。　　Never；

until　I　saw　you　fight；　had　I　seen　one　who　seemed　unconquerable

even　in　the　face　of　great　odds。　　One　might　think　you　two

master　and　pupil；　or　father　and　son。　　Come　to　recall　his　face

there　is　a　resemblance　between　you。　　It　is　very　marked　when

you　fightthere　is　the　same　grim　smile；　the　same　maddening

contempt　for　your　adversary　apparent　in　every　movement　of　your

bodies　and　in　every　changing　expression　of　your　faces。〃



〃Be　that　as　it　may；　Xodar；　he　is　a　great　fighter。　　I　think

that　we　will　make　a　trio　difficult　to　overcome；　and　if　my

friend　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark；　were　but　one　of　us　we

could　fight　our　way　from　one　end　of　Barsoom　to　the　other

even　though　the　whole　world　were　pitted　against　us。〃



〃It　will　be；〃　said　Xodar；　〃when　they　find　from　whence

you　have　come。　　That　is　but　one　of　the　superstitions　which

Issus　has　foisted　upon　a　credulous　humanity。　　She　works

through　the　Holy　Therns　who　are　as　ignorant　of　her　real　self

as　are　the　Barsoomians　of　the　outer　world。　　Her　decrees　are

borne　to　the　therns　written　in　blood　upon　a　strange　parchment。　

The　poor　deluded　fools　think　that　they　are　receiving

the　revelations　of　a　goddess　through　some　supernatural

agency；　since　they　find　these　messages　upon　their　guarded

altars　to　which　none　could　have　access　without　detection。

I　myself　have　borne　these　messages　for　Issus　for　many　years。

There　is　a　long　tunnel　from　the　temple　of　Issus　to　the

principal　temple　of　Matai　Shang。　　It　was　dug　ages　ago　by

the　slaves　of　the　First　Born　in　such　utter　secrecy　that

no　thern　ever　guessed　its　existence。



〃The　therns　for　their　part　have　temples　dotted　about　the

entire　civilized　world。　　Here　priests　whom　the　people　never

see　communicate　the　doctrine　of　the　Mysterious　River　Iss；

the　Valley　Dor；　and　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus　to　persuade　the

poor　deluded　creatures　to　take　the　voluntary　pilgrimage　that

swells　the　wealth　of　the　Holy　Therns　and　adds　to　the　numbers

of　their　slaves。



〃Thus　the　therns　are　used　as　the　principal　means　for　collecting

the　wealth　and　labour　that　the　First　Born　wrest　from　them　as

they　need　it。　　Occasionally　the　First　Born　themselves　make

raids　upon　the　outer　world。　　It　is　then　that　they　capture

many　females　of　the　royal　houses　of　the　red　men；　and　take

the　newest　in　battleships　and　the　trained　artisans　who　build

them；　that　they　may　copy　what　they　cannot　create。



〃We　are　a　non…productive　race；　priding　ourselves　upon

our　non…productiveness。　　It　is　criminal　for　a　First　Born　to

labour　or　invent。　　That　is　the　work　of　the　lower　orders；　who

live　merely　that　the　First　Born　may　enjoy　long　lives　of　luxury

and　idleness。　　With　us　fighting　is　all　that　counts；　were　it

not　for　that　there　would　be　more　of　the　First　Born　than　all

the　creatures　of　Barsoom　could　support；　for　in　so　far　as　I

know　none　of　us　ever　dies　a　natural　death。　　Our　females

would　live　for　ever　but　for　the　fact　that　we　tire　of　them

and　remove　them　to　make　place　for　others。　　Issus　alone　of　all

is　protected　against　death。　　She　has　lived　for　countless　ages。〃



〃Would　not　the　other　Barsoomians　live　for　ever　but　for　the　doctrine

of　the　voluntary　pilgrimage　which　drags　them　to　the　bosom　of　Iss

at　or　before　their　thousandth　year？〃　I　asked　him。



〃I　feel　now　that　there　is　no　doubt　but　that　they　are　precisely

the　same　species　of　creature　as　the　First　Born；　and　I　hope　that

I　shall　live　to　fight　for　them　in　atonement　of　the　sins　I　have

committed　against　them　through　the　ignorance　born　of　generations

of　false　teaching。〃



As　he　ceased　speaking　a　weird　call　rang　out　across　the　waters　of　Omean。

I　had　heard　it　at　the　same　time　the　previous　evening　and　knew　that

it　marked　the　ending　of　the　day；　when　the　men　of　Omean　spread　their

silks　upon　the　deck　of　battleship　and　cruiser　and　fall　into　the

dreamless　sleep　of　Mars。



Our　guard　entered　to　inspect　us　for　the　last　time　before　the

new　day　broke　upon　the　world　above。　　His　duty　was　soon

performed　and　the　heavy　door　of　our　prison　closed　behind　him

we　were　alone　for　the　night。



I　gave　him　time　to　return　to　his　quarters；　as　Xodar　said

he　probably　would　do；　then　I　sprang　to　the　grated　window

and　surveyed　the　nearby　waters。　　At　a　little　distance　from　the

island；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　perhaps；　lay　a　monster　battleship；

while　between　her　and　the　shore　were　a　number　of　smaller

cruisers　and　one…man　scouts。　　Upon　the　battleship　alone

was　there　a　watch。　　I　could　see　him　plainly　in　the　upper

works　of　the　ship；　and　as　I　watched　I　saw　him　spread

his　sleeping　silks　upon　the　tiny　platform　in　which　he　was

stationed。　　Soon　he　threw　himself　at　full　length　upon　his

couch。　　The　discipline　on　Omean　was　lax　indeed。　　But　it　is　not

to　be　wondered　at　since　no　enemy　guessed　the　existence　upon

Barsoom　of　such　a　fleet；　or　even　of　the　First　Born；　or　the

Sea　of　Omean。　　Why　indeed　should　they　maintain　a　watch？



Presently　I　dropped　to　the　floor　again　and　talked　with

Xodar；　describing　the　various　craft　I　had　seen。



〃There　is　one　there；〃　he　said；　〃my　personal　property；

built　to　carry　five　men；　that　is　the　swiftest　of　the　swift。

If　we　can　board　her　we　can　at　least　make　a　memorable　run

for　liberty；〃　and　then　he　went　on　to　describe　to　me　the

equipment　of　the　boat；　her　engines；　and　all　that　went

to　make　her　the　flier　that　she　was。



In　his　explanation　I　recognized　a　trick　of　gearing　that

Kantos　Kan　had　taught　me　that　time　we　sailed　under　false

names　in　the　navy　of　Zodanga　beneath　Sab　Than；　the　Prince。

And　I　knew　then　that　the　First　Born　had　stolen　it　from　the

ships　of　Helium；　for　only　they　are　thus　geared。　　And　I　knew

too　that　Xodar　spoke　the　truth　when　he　lauded　the　speed　of

his　little　craft；　for　nothing　that　cleaves　the　thin　air

of　Mars　can　approximate　the　speed　of　the　ships　of　Helium。



We　decided　to　wait　for　an　hour　at　least　until　all　the　stragglers

had　sought　their　silks。　　In　the　meantime　I　was　to　fetch　the　red

youth　to　our　cell　so　that　we　would　be　in　readiness　to　make　our

rash　break　for　freedom　together。



I　sprang　to　the　top　of　our　partition　wall　and　pulled　myself

up　on　to　it。　　There　I　found　a　flat　surface　about　a　foot　in

width　and　along　this　I　walked　until　I　came　to　the　cell　in

which　I　saw　the　boy　sitting　upon　his　bench。　　He　had　been

leaning　back　against　the　wall　looking　up　at　the　glowing　dome

above　Omean；　and　when　he　spied　me　balancing　upon　the

partition　wall　above　him　his　eyes　opened　wide　in　astonishment。　

Then　a　wide　grin　of　appreciative　understanding　spread　across

his　countenance。



As　I　stooped　to　drop　to　the　floor　beside　him　he　motioned

me　to　wait；　and　coming　close　below　me　whispered：　〃Catch

my　hand；　I　can　almost　leap　to　the　top　of　that　wall　myself。

I　have　tried　it　many　times；　and　each　day　I　come　a　little

closer。　　Some　day　I　should　have　been　able　to　make　it。〃



I　lay　upon　my　belly　across　the　wall　and　reached　my　hand

far　down　toward　him。　　With　a　little　run　from　the　centre　of

the　cell　he　sprang　up　until　I　grasped　his　outstretched　hand；

and　thus　I　pulled　him　to　the　wall's　top　beside　me。



〃You　are　the　first　jumper　I　ever　saw　among　the　red　men

of　Barsoom；〃　I　said。



He　smiled。　　〃It　is　not　strange。　　I　will　tell　you　why　when

we　have　more　time。〃



Together　we　returned　to　the　cell　in　which　Xodar　sat；

descending　to　talk　with　him　until　the　hour　had　passed。



There　we　made　our　plans　for　the　immediate　future；　binding

ourselves　by　a　solemn　oath　to　fight　to　the　death　for　one

another　against　whatsoever　enemies　should　confront　us；　for

we　knew　that　even　should　we　succeed　in　escaping　the　First

Born　we　might　still　have　a　whole　world　against　usthe

power　of　religious　superstition　is　mighty。



It　was　agreed　that　I　should　navigate　the　craft　after　we

had　reached　her；　and　that　if　we　made　the　outer　world　in

safety　we　should　attempt　to　reach　Helium　without　a　stop。



〃Why　Helium？〃　asked　the　red　youth。



〃I　am　a　prince　of　Helium；〃　I　replied。



He　gave　me　a　peculiar　look；　but　said　nothing　further　on

the　subject。　　I　wondered　at　the　time　what　the　significance　of