the gods of mars-第4部分

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to　fill　me　with　the　dread　of　dire　apprehension；　for；　streaming

in　from　all　directions　across　the　meadow；　from　out　of　the

forest；　and　from　the　far　distance　of　the　flat　land　across　the

river；　I　could　see　converging　upon　us　a　hundred　different

lines　of　wildly　leaping　creatures　such　as　we　were　now

engaged　with；　and　with　them　some　strange　new　monsters　which

ran　with　great　swiftness；　now　erect　and　now　upon　all　fours。



〃It　will　be　a　great　death；〃　I　said　to　my　companion。　〃Look！〃



As　he　shot　a　quick　glance　in　the　direction　I　indicated　he　smiled。



〃We　may　at　least　die　fighting　and　as　great　warriors　should；

John　Carter；〃　he　replied。



We　had　just　finished　the　last　of　our　immediate　antagonists

as　he　spoke；　and　I　turned　in　surprised　wonderment　at　the

sound　of　my　name。



And　there　before　my　astonished　eyes　I　beheld　the　greatest

of　the　green　men　of　Barsoom；　their　shrewdest　statesman；

their　mightiest　general；　my　great　and　good　friend；

Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark。









CHAPTER　II





A　FOREST　BATTLE





Tars　Tarkas　and　I　found　no　time　for　an　exchange　of　experiences

as　we　stood　there　before　the　great　boulder　surrounded　by　the

corpses　of　our　grotesque　assailants；　for　from　all　directions

down　the　broad　valley　was　streaming　a　perfect　torrent　of

terrifying　creatures　in　response　to　the　weird　call　of　the

strange　figure　far　above　us。



〃Come；〃　cried　Tars　Tarkas；　〃we　must　make　for　the　cliffs。

There　lies　our　only　hope　of　even　temporary　escape；　there

we　may　find　a　cave　or　a　narrow　ledge　which　two　may　defend

for　ever　against　this　motley；　unarmed　horde。〃



Together　we　raced　across　the　scarlet　sward；　I　timing　my

speed　that　I　might　not　outdistance　my　slower　companion。　　We

had；　perhaps；　three　hundred　yards　to　cover　between　our

boulder　and　the　cliffs；　and　then　to　search　out　a　suitable

shelter　for　our　stand　against　the　terrifying　things　that　were

pursuing　us。



They　were　rapidly　overhauling　us　when　Tars　Tarkas　cried

to　me　to　hasten　ahead　and　discover；　if　possible；　the　sanctuary

we　sought。　　The　suggestion　was　a　good　one；　for　thus　many

valuable　minutes　might　be　saved　to　us；　and；　throwing

every　ounce　of　my　earthly　muscles　into　the　effort；　I　cleared

the　remaining　distance　between　myself　and　the　cliffs　in

great　leaps　and　bounds　that　put　me　at　their　base　in　a　moment。



The　cliffs　rose　perpendicular　directly　from　the　almost　level

sward　of　the　valley。　　There　was　no　accumulation　of　fallen　debris；

forming　a　more　or　less　rough　ascent　to　them；　as　is　the　case　with

nearly　all　other　cliffs　I　have　ever　seen。　　The　scattered

boulders　that　had　fallen　from　above　and　lay　upon　or　partly

buried　in　the　turf；　were　the　only　indication　that　any

disintegration　of　the　massive；　towering　pile　of　rocks　ever

had　taken　place。



My　first　cursory　inspection　of　the　face　of　the　cliffs　filled

my　heart　with　forebodings；　since　nowhere　could　I　discern；　except

where　the　weird　herald　stood　still　shrieking　his　shrill　summons；　the

faintest　indication　of　even　a　bare　foothold　upon　the　lofty　escarpment。



To　my　right　the　bottom　of　the　cliff　was　lost　in　the　dense　foliage

of　the　forest；　which　terminated　at　its　very　foot；　rearing　its

gorgeous　foliage　fully　a　thousand　feet　against　its　stern　and

forbidding　neighbour。



To　the　left　the　cliff　ran；　apparently　unbroken；　across　the

head　of　the　broad　valley；　to　be　lost　in　the　outlines　of　what

appeared　to　be　a　range　of　mighty　mountains　that　skirted

and　confined　the　valley　in　every　direction。



Perhaps　a　thousand　feet　from　me　the　river　broke；　as　it

seemed；　directly　from　the　base　of　the　cliffs；　and　as　there

seemed　not　the　remotest　chance　for　escape　in　that　direction

I　turned　my　attention　again　toward　the　forest。



The　cliffs　towered　above　me　a　good　five　thousand　feet。

The　sun　was　not　quite　upon　them　and　they　loomed　a　dull

yellow　in　their　own　shade。　　Here　and　there　they　were　broken

with　streaks　and　patches　of　dusky　red；　green；　and　occasional

areas　of　white　quartz。



Altogether　they　were　very　beautiful；　but　I　fear　that　I　did

not　regard　them　with　a　particularly　appreciative　eye　on　this；

my　first　inspection　of　them。



Just　then　I　was　absorbed　in　them　only　as　a　medium　of

escape；　and　so；　as　my　gaze　ran　quickly；　time　and　again；

over　their　vast　expanse　in　search　of　some　cranny　or　crevice；

I　came　suddenly　to　loathe　them　as　the　prisoner　must　loathe

the　cruel　and　impregnable　walls　of　his　dungeon。



Tars　Tarkas　was　approaching　me　rapidly；　and　still　more

rapidly　came　the　awful　horde　at　his　heels。



It　seemed　the　forest　now　or　nothing；　and　I　was　just　on　the

point　of　motioning　Tars　Tarkas　to　follow　me　in　that　direction

when　the　sun　passed　the　cliff's　zenith；　and　as　the　bright　rays

touched　the　dull　surface　it　burst　out　into　a　million　scintillant

lights　of　burnished　gold；　of　flaming　red；　of　soft　greens；　and

gleaming　whitesa　more　gorgeous　and　inspiring　spectacle

human　eye　has　never　rested　upon。



The　face　of　the　entire　cliff　was；　as　later　inspection

conclusively　proved；　so　shot　with　veins　and　patches　of

solid　gold　as　to　quite　present　the　appearance　of　a　solid　wall　of

that　precious　metal　except　where　it　was　broken　by　outcroppings　of

ruby；　emerald；　and　diamond　bouldersa　faint　and　alluring

indication　of　the　vast　and　unguessable　riches　which　lay

deeply　buried　behind　the　magnificent　surface。



But　what　caught　my　most　interested　attention　at　the　moment

that　the　sun's　rays　set　the　cliff's　face　a…shimmer；　was　the

several　black　spots　which　now　appeared　quite　plainly　in　evidence

high　across　the　gorgeous　wall　close　to　the　forest's　top；

and　extending　apparently　below　and　behind　the　branches。



Almost　immediately　I　recognised　them　for　what　they　were；

the　dark　openings　of　caves　entering　the　solid　wallspossible

avenues　of　escape　or　temporary　shelter；　could　we　but　reach　them。



There　was　but　a　single　way；　and　that　led　through　the

mighty；　towering　trees　upon　our　right。　　That　I　could　scale

them　I　knew　full　well；　but　Tars　Tarkas；　with　his　mighty　bulk

and　enormous　weight；　would　find　it　a　task　possibly　quite

beyond　his　prowess　or　his　skill；　for　Martians　are　at　best　but

poor　climbers。　　Upon　the　entire　surface　of　that　ancient　planet

I　never　before　had　seen　a　hill　or　mountain　that　exceeded　four

thousand　feet　in　height　above　the　dead　sea　bottoms；　and　as

the　ascent　was　usually　gradual；　nearly　to　their　summits　they

presented　but　few　opportunities　for　the　practice　of　climbing。

Nor　would　the　Martians　have　embraced　even　such　opportunities

as　might　present　themselves；　for　they　could　always　find　a

circuitous　route　about　the　base　of　any　eminence；　and　these

roads　they　preferred　and　followed　in　preference　to　the

shorter　but　more　arduous　ways。



However；　there　was　nothing　else　to　consider　than　an　attempt

to　scale　the　trees　contiguous　to　the　cliff　in　an　effort　to

reach　the　caves　above。



The　Thark　grasped　the　possibilities　and　the　difficulties　of

the　plan　at　once；　but　there　was　no　alternative；　and　so　we

set　out　rapidly　for　the　trees　nearest　the　cliff。



Our　relentless　pursuers　were　now　close　to　us；　so　close　that

it　seemed　that　it　would　be　an　utter　impossibility　for　the

Jeddak　of　Thark　to　reach　the　forest　in　advance　of　them；　nor

was　there　any　considerable　will　in　the　efforts　that　Tars　Tarkas

made；　for　the　green　men　of　Barsoom　do　not　relish　flight；　nor

ever　before　had　I　seen　one　fleeing　from　death　in　whatsoever

form　it　might　have　confronted　him。　　But　that　Tars　Tarkas　was

the　bravest　of　the　brave　he　had　proven　thousands　of　times；

yes；　tens　of　thousands　in　countless　mortal　combats　with　men

and　beasts。　　And　so　I　knew　that　there　was　another　reason　than

fear　of　death　behind　his　flight；　as　he　knew　that　a　greater

power　than　pride　or　honour　spurred　me　to　escape　these

fierce　destroyers。　　In　my　case　it　was　lovelove　of　the　divine

Dejah　Thoris；　and　the　cause　of　the　Thark's　great　and　sudden

love　of　life　I　could　not　fathom；　for　it　is　oftener　that　they　seek

death　than　lifethese　strange；　cruel；　loveless；　unhappy　people。



At　length；　however；　we　reached　the　shadows　of　the　forest；　while

right　behind　us　sprang　the　swiftest　of　our　pursuersa　giant　plant　man

with　claws　outreaching　to　fasten　his　bloodsucking　mouths　upon　us。



He　was；　I　should　say；　a　hundred　yards　in　advance　of　his

closest　companion；　and　so　I　called　to　Tars　Tarkas　to　ascend　a

great　tree　that　brushed　the　cliff's　face　while　I　dispatched　the

fellow；　thus　giving　the　less　agile　Thark　an　opportunity　to

reach　the　higher　branches　before　the　entire　horde　should　be

upon　us　and　every　vestige　of　escape　cut　off。



But　I　had　reckoned　without　a　just　appreciation　either　of

the　cunning　of　my　immediate　antagonist　or　the　swiftness

with　which　his　fellows　were　covering　the　distance　which　had

separated　them　from　me。



As　I　raised　my　long…sword　to　deal　the　creature　its　death

thrust　it　halted　in　its　charge　and；　as　my　sword　cut　harmlessly

through　the　empty　air；　the　great　tail　of　the　thing　swept　with

the　power　of　a　grizzly's　arm　across　the　sward　and　carried

me　bodily　from　my　feet　to　the　ground。　　In　an　instant　the　brute

was　upon　me；　but　ere　it　could　fasten　its　hideous　mouths　into　my

breast　and　throat　I　grasped　a　writhing　tentacle　in　either　hand。



The　plant　man　was　well　muscled；　heavy；　and　powerful

but　my　earthly　sinews　and　greater　agility；　in　conjunction

with　the　deathly　strangle　hold　I　had　upon　him；　would　have

given　me；　I　think；　an　eventual　victory　had　we　had　time　to

discuss　the　merits　of　our　relative　prowess　uninterrupted。

But　　as　we　strained　and　struggled　about　the　tree　into　which

Tars　Tarkas　was　clambering　with　infinite　difficulty；　I　suddenly

caught　a　glimpse　over　the　shoulder　of　my　antagonist　of　the

great　swarm　of　pursuers　that　now　were　fairly　upon　me。



Now；　at　last；　I　saw　the　nature　of　the　other　monsters　who

had　come　with　the　plant　men　in　response　to　the　weird　calling

of　the　man　upon　the　cliff's　face。　　They　were　that　most　dreade