the gods of mars-第28部分

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

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

his　expression　might　be；　but　in　the　press　of　other　matters　it

soon　left　my　mind；　nor　did　I　have　occasion　to　think　of　it

again　until　later。



〃Come；〃　I　said　at　length；　〃now　is　as　good　a　time　as　any。

Let　us　go。〃



Another　moment　found　me　at　the　top　of　the　partition　wall

again　with　the　boy　beside　me。　　Unbuckling　my　harness　I

snapped　it　together　with　a　single　long　strap　which　I　lowered

to　the　waiting　Xodar　below。　　He　grasped　the　end　and　was　soon

sitting　beside　us。



〃How　simple；〃　he　laughed。



〃The　balance　should　be　even　simpler；〃　I　replied。　　Then　I

raised　myself　to　the　top　of　the　outer　wall　of　the　prison；　just

so　that　I　could　peer　over　and　locate　the　passing　sentry。　　For　a

matter　of　five　minutes　I　waited　and　then　he　came　in　sight　on

his　slow　and　snail…like　beat　about　the　structure。



I　watched　him　until　he　had　made　the　turn　at　the　end　of

the　building　which　carried　him　out　of　sight　of　the　side　of

the　prison　that　was　to　witness　our　dash　for　freedom。　　The

moment　his　form　disappeared　I　grasped　Xodar　and　drew　him

to　the　top　of　the　wall。　　Placing　one　end　of　my　harness　strap

in　his　hands　I　lowered　him　quickly　to　the　ground　below。

Then　the　boy　grasped　the　strap　and　slid　down　to　Xodar's　side。



In　accordance　with　our　arrangement　they　did　not　wait　for　me；

but　walked　slowly　toward　the　water；　a　matter　of　a　hundred　yards；

directly　past　the　guard…house　filled　with　sleeping　soldiers。



They　had　taken　scarce　a　dozen　steps　when　I　too　dropped

to　the　ground　and　followed　them　leisurely　toward　the　shore。

As　I　passed　the　guard…house　the　thought　of　all　the　good

blades　lying　there　gave　me　pause；　for　if　ever　men　were　to

have　need　of　swords　it　was　my　companions　and　I　on　the

perilous　trip　upon　which　we　were　about　to　embark。



I　glanced　toward　Xodar　and　the　youth　and　saw　that　they

had　slipped　over　the　edge　of　the　dock　into　the　water。　　In

accordance　with　our　plan　they　were　to　remain　there　clinging

to　the　metal　rings　which　studded　the　concrete…like　substance

of　the　dock　at　the　water's　level；　with　only　their　mouths　and

noses　above　the　surface　of　the　sea；　until　I　should　join　them。



The　lure　of　the　swords　within　the　guard…house　was　strong

upon　me；　and　I　hesitated　a　moment；　half　inclined　to　risk　the

attempt　to　take　the　few　we　needed。　　That　he　who　hesitates

is　lost　proved　itself　a　true　aphorism　in　this　instance；

for　another　moment　saw　me　creeping　stealthily　toward　the

door　of　the　guard…house。



Gently　I　pressed　it　open　a　crack；　enough　to　discover　a

dozen　blacks　stretched　upon　their　silks　in　profound　slumber。

At　the　far　side　of　the　room　a　rack　held　the　swords　and

firearms　of　the　men。　　Warily　I　pushed　the　door　a　trifle　wider

to　admit　my　body。　　A　hinge　gave　out　a　resentful　groan。

One　of　the　men　stirred；　and　my　heart　stood　still。　　I　cursed　myself

for　a　fool　to　have　thus　jeopardized　our　chances　for　escape；

but　there　was　nothing　for　it　now　but　to　see　the　adventure　through。



With　a　spring　as　swift　and　as　noiseless　as　a　tiger's　I　lit

beside　the　guardsman　who　had　moved。　　My　hands　hovered

about　his　throat　awaiting　the　moment　that　his　eyes　should

open。　　For　what　seemed　an　eternity　to　my　overwrought

nerves　I　remained　poised　thus。　　Then　the　fellow　turned　again

upon　his　side　and　resumed　the　even　respiration　of　deep　slumber。



Carefully　I　picked　my　way　between　and　over　the　soldiers

until　I　had　gained　the　rack　at　the　far　side　of　the　room。　　Here

I　turned　to　survey　the　sleeping　men。　　All　were　quiet。　　Their

regular　breathing　rose　and　fell　in　a　soothing　rhythm　that

seemed　to　me　the　sweetest　music　I　ever　had　heard。



Gingerly　I　drew　a　long…sword　from　the　rack。　　The　scraping　of　the

scabbard　against　its　holder　as　I　withdrew　it　sounded　like　the

filing　of　cast　iron　with　a　great　rasp；　and　I　looked　to　see

the　room　immediately　filled　with　alarmed　and　attacking　guardsmen。

But　none　stirred。



The　second　sword　I　withdrew　noiselessly；　but　the　third

clanked　in　its　scabbard　with　a　frightful　din。　　I　knew　that　it

must　awaken　some　of　the　men　at　least；　and　was　on　the　point

of　forestalling　their　attack　by　a　rapid　charge　for　the　doorway；

when　again；　to　my　intense　surprise；　not　a　black　moved。

Either　they　were　wondrous　heavy　sleepers　or　else　the　noises

that　I　made　were　really　much　less　than　they　seemed　to　me。



I　was　about　to　leave　the　rack　when　my　attention　was　attracted

by　the　revolvers。　　I　knew　that　I　could　not　carry　more　than　one

away　with　me；　for　I　was　already　too　heavily　laden　to　move　quietly

with　any　degree　of　safety　or　speed。　　As　I　took　one　of　them　from　its

pin　my　eye　fell　for　the　first　time　on　an　open　window　beside　the　rack。

Ah；　here　was　a　splendid　means　of　escape；　for　it　let　directly　upon

the　dock；　not　twenty　feet　from　the　water's　edge。



And　as　I　congratulated　myself；　I　heard　the　door　opposite

me　open；　and　there　looking　me　full　in　the　face　stood　the

officer　of　the　guard。　　He　evidently　took　in　the　situation　at　a

glance　and　appreciated　the　gravity　of　it　as　quickly　as　I；　for

our　revolvers　came　up　simultaneously　and　the　sounds　of　the

two　reports　were　as　one　as　we　touched　the　buttons　on　the

grips　that　exploded　the　cartridges。



I　felt　the　wind　of　his　bullet　as　it　whizzed　past　my　ear；

and　at　the　same　instant　I　saw　him　crumple　to　the　ground。

Where　I　hit　him　I　do　not　know；　nor　if　I　killed　him；　for　scarce

had　he　started　to　collapse　when　I　was　through　the　window

at　my　rear。　　In　another　second　the　waters　of　Omean　closed

above　my　head；　and　the　three　of　us　were　making　for　the　little

flier　a　hundred　yards　away。



Xodar　was　burdened　with　the　boy；　and　I　with　the　three　long…swords。

The　revolver　I　had　dropped；　so　that　while　we　were　both　strong

swimmers　it　seemed　to　me　that　we　moved　at　a　snail's　pace

through　the　water。　　I　was　swimming　entirely　beneath　the　surface；

but　Xodar　was　compelled　to　rise　often　to　let　the　youth　breathe；

so　it　was　a　wonder　that　we　were　not　discovered　long　before　we　were。



In　fact　we　reached　the　boat's　side　and　were　all　aboard

before　the　watch　upon　the　battleship；　aroused　by　the　shots；

detected　us。　　Then　an　alarm　gun　bellowed　from　a　ship's

bow；　its　deep　boom　reverberating　in　deafening　tones　beneath

the　rocky　dome　of　Omean。



Instantly　the　sleeping　thousands　were　awake。　　The　decks　of

a　thousand　monster　craft　teemed　with　fighting…men；　for　an

alarm　on　Omean　was　a　thing　of　rare　occurrence。



We　cast　away　before　the　sound　of　the　first　gun　had　died；

and　another　second　saw　us　rising　swiftly　from　the　surface

of　the　sea。　　I　lay　at　full　length　along　the　deck　with　the　levers

and　buttons　of　control　before　me。　　Xodar　and　the　boy　were

stretched　directly　behind　me；　prone　also　that　we　might　offer

as　little　resistance　to　the　air　as　possible。



〃Rise　high；〃　whispered　Xodar。　　〃They　dare　not　fire　their

heavy　guns　toward　the　domethe　fragments　of　the　shells

would　drop　back　among　their　own　craft。　　If　we　are　high

enough　our　keel　plates　will　protect　us　from　rifle　fire。〃



I　did　as　he　bade。　　Below　us　we　could　see　the　men　leaping

into　the　water　by　hundreds；　and　striking　out　for　the　small

cruisers　and　one…man　fliers　that　lay　moored　about　the　big

ships。　　The　larger　craft　were　getting　under　way；　following　us

rapidly；　but　not　rising　from　the　water。



〃A　little　to　your　right；〃　cried　Xodar；　for　there　are　no　points

of　compass　upon　Omean　where　every　direction　is　due　north。



The　pandemonium　that　had　broken　out　below　us　was　deafening。　

Rifles　cracked；　officers　shouted　orders；　men　yelled　directions

to　one　another　from　the　water　and　from　the　decks　of　myriad　boats；

while　through　all　ran　the　purr　of　countless　propellers　cutting

water　and　air。



I　had　not　dared　pull　my　speed　lever　to　the　highest　for　fear　of

overrunning　the　mouth　of　the　shaft　that　passed　from　Omean's　dome

to　the　world　above；　but　even　so　we　were　hitting　a　clip　that　I　doubt

has　ever　been　equalled　on　the　windless　sea。



The　smaller　fliers　were　commencing　to　rise　toward　us

when　Xodar　shouted：　〃The　shaft！　　The　shaft！　　Dead　ahead；〃

and　I　saw　the　opening；　black　and　yawning　in　the　glowing

dome　of　this　underworld。



A　ten…man　cruiser　was　rising　directly　in　front　to　cut　off

our　escape。　　It　was　the　only　vessel　that　stood　in　our　way；　but　at

the　rate　that　it　was　traveling　it　would　come　between　us　and

the　shaft　in　plenty　of　time　to　thwart　our　plans。



It　was　rising　at　an　angle　of　about　forty…five　degrees　dead

ahead　of　us；　with　the　evident　intention　of　combing　us　with

grappling　hooks　from　above　as　it　skimmed　low　over　our　deck。



There　was　but　one　forlorn　hope　for　us；　and　I　took　it。

It　was　useless　to　try　to　pass　over　her；　for　that　would

have　allowed　her　to　force　us　against　the　rocky　dome　above；

and　we　were　already　too　near　that　as　it　was。　　To　have　attempted

to　dive　below　her　would　have　put　us　entirely　at　her　mercy；

and　precisely　where　she　wanted　us。　　On　either　side　a　hundred

other　menacing　craft　were　hastening　toward　us。　　The　alternative

was　filled　with　riskin　fact　it　was　all　risk；　with　but　a

slender　chance　of　success。



As　we　neared　the　cruiser　I　rose　as　though　to　pass　above

her；　so　that　she　would　do　just　what　she　did　do；　rise　at　a

steeper　angle　to　force　me　still　higher。　　Then　as　we　were

almost　upon　her　I　yelled　to　my　companions　to　hold　tight；　and

throwing　the　little　vessel　into　her　highest　speed　I　deflected

her　bows　at　the　same　instant　until　we　were　running　horizontally

and　at　terrific　velocity　straight　for　the　cruiser's　keel。



Her　commander　may　have　seen　my　intentions　then；　but　it

was　too　late。　　Almost　at　the　instant　of　impact　I　turned　my

bows　upward；　and　then　with　a　shattering　jolt　we　were　in

collision。　　What　I　had　hoped　for　happened。　　The　cruiser；

already　tilted　at　a　perilous　angle；　was　carried　completely　over

backward　by　the　impact　of　my　smaller　vessel。　　Her　crew　fell

twisting　and　screaming　through　t