the gods of mars-第32部分

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of　the　dark　void　behind。



Grasping　my　long…sword　tightly　in　my　hand；　I　backed　slowly

along　the　corridor　away　from　the　thing　that　watched　me；

but　ever　as　I　retreated　the　eyes　advanced；　nor　was　there　any

sound；　not　even　the　sound　of　breathing；　except　the　occasional

shuffling　sound　as　of　the　dragging　of　a　dead　limb；　that　had

first　attracted　my　attention。



On　and　on　I　went；　but　I　could　not　escape　my　sinister　pursuer。

Suddenly　I　heard　the　shuffling　noise　at　my　right；　and；

looking；　saw　another　pair　of　eyes；　evidently　approaching　from

an　intersecting　corridor。　　As　I　started　to　renew　my　slow

retreat　I　heard　the　noise　repeated　behind　me；　and　then　before

I　could　turn　I　heard　it　again　at　my　left。



The　things　were　all　about　me。　　They　had　me　surrounded

at　the　intersection　of　two　corridors。　　Retreat　was　cut　off　in

all　directions；　unless　I　chose　to　charge　one　of　the　beasts。

Even　then　I　had　no　doubt　but　that　the　others　would　hurl

themselves　upon　my　back。　　I　could　not　even　guess　the　size

or　nature　of　the　weird　creatures。　　That　they　were　of　goodly

proportions　I　guessed　from　the　fact　that　the　eyes　were　on　a

level　with　my　own。



Why　is　it　that　darkness　so　magnifies　our　dangers？　　By　day

I　would　have　charged　the　great　banth　itself；　had　I　thought

it　necessary；　but　hemmed　in　by　the　darkness　of　these　silent

pits　I　hesitated　before　a　pair　of　eyes。



Soon　I　saw　that　the　matter　shortly　would　be　taken　entirely

from　my　hands；　for　the　eyes　at　my　right　were　moving　slowly

nearer　me；　as　were　those　at　my　left　and　those　behind　and

before　me。　　Gradually　they　were　closing　in　upon　mebut

still　that　awful　stealthy　silence！



For　what　seemed　hours　the　eyes　approached　gradually

closer　and　closer；　until　I　felt　that　I　should　go　mad　for　the

horror　of　it。　　I　had　been　constantly　turning　this　way　and

that　to　prevent　any　sudden　rush　from　behind；　until　I　was

fairly　worn　out。　　At　length　I　could　endure　it　no　longer；　and；

taking　a　fresh　grasp　upon　my　long…sword；　I　turned　suddenly

and　charged　down　upon　one　of　my　tormentors。



As　I　was　almost　upon　it　the　thing　retreated　before　me；

but　a　sound　from　behind　caused　me　to　wheel　in　time　to　see

three　pairs　of　eyes　rushing　at　me　from　the　rear。　　With　a　cry

of　rage　I　turned　to　meet　the　cowardly　beasts；　but　as　I　advanced

they　retreated　as　had　their　fellow。　　Another　glance　over

my　shoulder　discovered　the　first　eyes　sneaking　on　me　again。

And　again　I　charged；　only　to　see　the　eyes　retreat　before　me

and　hear　the　muffled　rush　of　the　three　at　my　back。



Thus　we　continued；　the　eyes　always　a　little　closer　in　the

end　than　they　had　been　before；　until　I　thought　that　I　should

go　mad　with　the　terrible　strain　of　the　ordeal。　　That　they　were

waiting　to　spring　upon　my　back　seemed　evident；　and　that　it

would　not　be　long　before　they　succeeded　was　equally　apparent；

for　I　could　not　endure　the　wear　of　this　repeated　charge　and

countercharge　indefinitely。　　In　fact；　I　could　feel　myself　weakening

from　the　mental　and　physical　strain　I　had　been　undergoing。



At　that　moment　I　caught　another　glimpse　from　the　corner

of　my　eye　of　the　single　pair　of　eyes　at　my　back　making　a

sudden　rush　upon　me。　　I　turned　to　meet　the　charge；　there　was

a　quick　rush　of　the　three　from　the　other　direction；　but　I

determined　to　pursue　the　single　pair　until　I　should　have　at

least　settled　my　account　with　one　of　the　beasts　and　thus　be

relieved　of　the　strain　of　meeting　attacks　from　both　directions。



There　was　no　sound　in　the　corridor；　only　that　of　my　own

breathing；　yet　I　knew　that　those　three　uncanny　creatures

were　almost　upon　me。　　The　eyes　in　front　were　not　retreating

so　rapidly　now；　I　was　almost　within　sword　reach　of　them。　　I

raised　my　sword　arm　to　deal　the　blow　that　should　free　me；

and　then　I　felt　a　heavy　body　upon　my　back。　　A　cold；　moist；

slimy　something　fastened　itself　upon　my　throat。　　I　stumbled

and　went　down。









CHAPTER　XV





FLIGHT　AND　PURSUIT





I　could　not　have　been　unconscious　more　than　a　few　seconds；

and　yet　I　know　that　I　was　unconscious；　for　the　next　thing

I　realized　was　that　a　growing　radiance　was　illuminating

the　corridor　about　me　and　the　eyes　were　gone。



I　was　unharmed　except　for　a　slight　bruise　upon　my　forehead

where　it　had　struck　the　stone　flagging　as　I　fell。



I　sprang　to　my　feet　to　ascertain　the　cause　of　the　light。　　It

came　from　a　torch　in　the　hand　of　one　of　a　party　of　four　green

warriors；　who　were　coming　rapidly　down　the　corridor　toward　me。

They　had　not　yet　seen　me；　and　so　I　lost　no　time　in　slipping

into　the　first　intersecting　corridor　that　I　could　find。

This　time；　however；　I　did　not　advance　so　far　away　from　the

main　corridor　as　on　the　other　occasion　that　had　resulted　in

my　losing　Tars　Tarkas　and　his　guards。



The　party　came　rapidly　toward　the　opening　of　the　passageway

in　which　I　crouched　against　the　wall。　　As　they　passed　by

I　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。　　I　had　not　been　discovered；　and；

best　of　all；　the　party　was　the　same　that　I　had　followed　into

the　pits。　　It　consisted　of　Tars　Tarkas　and　his　three　guards。



I　fell　in　behind　them　and　soon　we　were　at　the　cell　in　which

the　great　Thark　had　been　chained。　　Two　of　the　warriors　remained

without　while　the　man　with　the　keys　entered　with　the　Thark

to　fasten　his　irons　upon　him　once　more。　　The　two　outside

started　to　stroll　slowly　in　the　direction　of　the　spiral

runway　which　led　to　the　floors　above；　and　in　a　moment　were

lost　to　view　beyond　a　turn　in　the　corridor。



The　torch　had　been　stuck　in　a　socket　beside　the　door；　so

that　its　rays　illuminated　both　the　corridor　and　the　cell　at　the

same　time。　　As　I　saw　the　two　warriors　disappear　I　approached　the

entrance　to　the　cell；　with　a　well…defined　plan　already　formulated。



While　I　disliked　the　thought　of　carrying　out　the　thing　that　I

had　decided　upon；　there　seemed　no　alternative　if　Tars　Tarkas

and　I　were　to　go　back　together　to　my　little　camp　in　the　hills。



Keeping　near　the　wall；　I　came　quite　close　to　the　door　to

Tars　Tarkas'　cell；　and　there　I　stood　with　my　longsword　above

my　head；　grasped　with　both　hands；　that　I　might　bring　it　down

in　one　quick　cut　upon　the　skull　of　the　jailer　as　he　emerged。



I　dislike　to　dwell　upon　what　followed　after　I　heard　the

footsteps　of　the　man　as　he　approached　the　doorway。　　It　is

enough　that　within　another　minute　or　two；　Tars　Tarkas；

wearing　the　metal　of　a　Warhoon　chief；　was　hurrying　down

the　corridor　toward　the　spiral　runway；　bearing　the　Warhoon's

torch　to　light　his　way。　　A　dozen　paces　behind　him　followed

John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium。



The　two　companions　of　the　man　who　lay　now　beside　the

door　of　the　cell　that　had　been　Tars　Tarkas'　had　just　started

to　ascend　the　runway　as　the　Thark　came　in　view。



〃Why　so　long；　Tan　Gama？〃　cried　one　of　the　men。



〃I　had　trouble　with　a　lock；〃　replied　Tars　Tarkas。

〃And　now　I　find　that　I　have　left　my　short…sword　in

the　Thark's　cell。　　Go　you　on；　I'll　return　and　fetch　it。〃



〃As　you　will；　Tan　Gama；〃　replied　he　who　had　before　spoken。

〃We　shall　see　you　above　directly。〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Tars　Tarkas；　and　turned　as　though　to　retrace

his　steps　to　the　cell；　but　he　only　waited　until　the　two

had　disappeared　at　the　floor　above。　　Then　I　joined　him；　we

extinguished　the　torch；　and　together　we　crept　toward　the

spiral　incline　that　led　to　the　upper　floors　of　the　building。



At　the　first　floor　we　found　that　the　hallway　ran　but　halfway

through；　necessitating　the　crossing　of　a　rear　room　full　of

green　folk；　ere　we　could　reach　the　inner　courtyard；　so　there

was　but　one　thing　left　for　us　to　do；　and　that　was　to　gain　the

second　floor　and　the　hallway　through　which　I　had　traversed

the　length　of　the　building。



Cautiously　we　ascended。　　We　could　hear　the　sounds　of

conversation　coming　from　the　room　above；　but　the　hall　still

was　unlighted；　nor　was　any　one　in　sight　as　we　gained　the　top

of　the　runway。　　Together　we　threaded　the　long　hall　and　reached

the　balcony　overlooking　the　courtyard；　without　being　detected。



At　our　right　was　the　window　letting　into　the　room　in　which　I

had　seen　Tan　Gama　and　the　other　warriors　as　they　started　to

Tars　Tarkas'　cell　earlier　in　the　evening。　　His　companions　had

returned　here；　and　we　now　overheard　a　portion　of　their　conversation。



〃What　can　be　detaining　Tan　Gama？〃　asked　one。



〃He　certainly　could　not　be　all　this　time　fetching　his　shortsword

from　the　Thark's　cell；〃　spoke　another。



〃His　short…sword？〃　asked　a　woman。　　〃What　mean　you？〃



〃Tan　Gama　left　his　short…sword　in　the　Thark's　cell；〃　explained　the

first　speaker；　〃and　left　us　at　the　runway；　to　return　and　get　it。〃



〃Tan　Gama　wore　no　short…sword　this　night；〃　said　the

woman。　　〃It　was　broken　in　to…day's　battle　with　the　Thark；

and　Tan　Gama　gave　it　to　me　to　repair。　　See；　I　have　it　here；〃

and　as　she　spoke　she　drew　Tan　Gama's　short…sword　from

beneath　her　sleeping　silks　and　furs。



The　warriors　sprang　to　their　feet。



〃There　is　something　amiss　here；〃　cried　one。



〃'Tis　even　what　I　myself　thought　when　Tan　Gama　left

us　at　the　runway；〃　said　another。　　〃Methought　then　that　his

voice　sounded　strangely。〃



〃Come！　let　us　hasten　to　the　pits。〃



We　waited　to　hear　no　more。　　Slinging　my　harness　into　a

long　single　strap；　I　lowered　Tars　Tarkas　to　the　courtyard

beneath；　and　an　instant　later　dropped　to　his　side。



We　had　spoken　scarcely　a　dozen　words　since　I　had　felled

Tan　Gama　at　the　cell　door　and　seen　in　the　torch's　light　the

expression　of　utter　bewilderment　upon　the　great　Thark's　face。



〃By　this　time；〃　he　had　said；　〃I　should　have　learned　to　wonder

at　nothing　which　John　Carter　accomplishes。〃　　That　was　all。

He　did　not　need　to　tell　me　that　he　appreciated　the　friendship

which　had　prompted　me　to　risk　my　life　to　rescue　him；　nor　did

he　need　to　say　that　he　was　glad　to　see　me。



This　fierce　green　warrior　had　been　the　first　to　greet　me

that　day；　now　twenty　years　gone；　which　had　witnessed　my

first　advent　upon　Mars。　　He　had　met　me　wi