the gods of mars-第45部分

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cope　with。　　Soldiers　were　being　swept　beneath　the　boiling

torrent；　never　to　rise。　　At　length　the　dwar　of　the　10th　utan

took　a　stand　beside　me。　　He　was　a　valorous　soldier；　Gur　Tus

by　name；　and　together　we　kept　the　now　thoroughly　frightened

troops　in　the　semblance　of　order　and　rescued　many　that

would　have　drowned　otherwise。



Djor　Kantos；　son　of　Kantos　Kan；　and　a　padwar　of　the

fifth　utan　joined　us　when　his　utan　reached　the　opening

through　which　the　men　were　fleeing。　　Thereafter　not　a　man

was　lost　of　all　the　hundreds　that　remained　to　pass　from　the

main　corridor　to　the　branch。



As　the　last　utan　was　filing　past　us　the　waters　had　risen

until　they　surged　about　our　necks；　but　we　clasped　hands

and　stood　our　ground　until　the　last　man　had　passed　to　the

comparative　safety　of　the　new　passageway。　　Here　we　found

an　immediate　and　steep　ascent；　so　that　within　a　hundred

yards　we　had　reached　a　point　above　the　waters。



For　a　few　minutes　we　continued　rapidly　up　the　steep

grade；　which　I　hoped　would　soon　bring　us　quickly　to

the　upper　pits　that　let　into　the　Temple　of　Issus。　　But　I　was

to　meet　with　a　cruel　disappointment。



Suddenly　I　heard　a　cry　of　〃fire〃　far　ahead；　followed　almost

at　once　by　cries　of　terror　and　the　loud　commands　of　dwars

and　padwars　who　were　evidently　attempting　to　direct　their

men　away　from　some　grave　danger。　　At　last　the　report

came　back　to　us。　　〃They　have　fired　the　pits　ahead。〃

〃We　are　hemmed　in　by　flames　in　front　and　flood　behind。〃

〃Help；　John　Carter；　we　are　suffocating；〃　and　then　there

swept　back　upon　us　at　the　rear　a　wave　of　dense　smoke

that　sent　us；　stumbling　and　blinded；　into　a　choking　retreat。



There　was　naught　to　do　other　than　seek　a　new　avenue　of

escape。　　The　fire　and　smoke　were　to　be　feared　a　thousand

times　over　the　water；　and　so　I　seized　upon　the　first　gallery

which　led　out　of　and　up　from　the　suffocating　smoke　that

was　engulfing　us。



Again　I　stood　to　one　side　while　the　soldiers　hastened　through

on　the　new　way。　　Some　two　thousand　must　have　passed　at　a　rapid　run；

when　the　stream　ceased；　but　I　was　not　sure　that　all　had　been　rescued

who　had　not　passed　the　point　of　origin　of　the　flames；　and　so　to　assure

myself　that　no　poor　devil　was　left　behind　to　die　a　horrible　death；

unsuccoured；　I　ran　quickly　up　the　gallery　in　the　direction　of　the

flames　which　I　could　now　see　burning　with　a　dull　glow　far　ahead。



It　was　hot　and　stifling　work；　but　at　last　I　reached　a

point　where　the　fire　lit　up　the　corridor　sufficiently

for　me　to　see　that　no　soldier　of　Helium　lay　between　me

and　the　conflagrationwhat　was　in　it　or　upon　the　far　side

I　could　not　know；　nor　could　any　man　have　passed　through

that　seething　hell　of　chemicals　and　lived　to　learn。



Having　satisfied　my　sense　of　duty；　I　turned　and　ran　rapidly

back　to　the　corridor　through　which　my　men　had　passed。

To　my　horror；　however；　I　found　that　my　retreat　in　this

direction　had　been　blockedacross　the　mouth　of　the　corridor

stood　a　massive　steel　grating　that　had　evidently　been　lowered

from　its　resting…place　above　for　the　purpose　of　effectually

cutting　off　my　escape。



That　our　principal　movements　were　known　to　the　First

Born　I　could　not　have　doubted；　in　view　of　the　attack　of

the　fleet　upon　us　the　day　before；　nor　could　the　stopping

of　the　pumps　of　Omean　at　the　psychological　moment　have

been　due　to　chance；　nor　the　starting　of　a　chemical

combustion　within　the　one　corridor　through　which　we

were　advancing　upon　the　Temple　of　Issus　been　due　to

aught　than　well…calculated　design。



And　now　the　dropping　of　the　steel　gate　to　pen　me　effectually

between　fire　and　flood　seemed　to　indicate　that　invisible

eyes　were　upon　us　at　every　moment。　　What　chance　had　I；

then；　to　rescue　Dejah　Thoris　were　I　to　be　compelled　to　fight

foes　who　never　showed　themselves。　　A　thousand　times　I　berated

myself　for　being　drawn　into　such　a　trap　as　I　might

have　known　these　pits　easily　could　be。　　Now　I　saw　that　it

would　have　been　much　better　to　have　kept　our　force　intact

and　made　a　concerted　attack　upon　the　temple　from　the　valley

side；　trusting　to　chance　and　our　great　fighting　ability　to

have　overwhelmed　the　First　Born　and　compelled　the　safe

delivery　of　Dejah　Thoris　to　me。



The　smoke　from　the　fire　was　forcing　me　further　and　further

back　down　the　corridor　toward　the　waters　which　I　could　hear

surging　through　the　darkness。　　With　my　men　had　gone　the

last　torch；　nor　was　this　corridor　lighted　by　the　radiance

of　phosphorescent　rock　as　were　those　of　the　lower　levels。

It　was　this　fact　that　assured　me　that　I　was　not　far　from

the　upper　pits　which　lie　directly　beneath　the　temple。



Finally　I　felt　the　lapping　waters　about　my　feet。　　The　smoke

was　thick　behind　me。　　My　suffering　was　intense。　　There　seemed

but　one　thing　to　do；　and　that　to　choose　the　easier　death

which　confronted　me；　and　so　I　moved　on　down　the　corridor

until　the　cold　waters　of　Omean　closed　about　me；　and　I　swam

on　through　utter　blackness　towardwhat？



The　instinct　of　self…preservation　is　strong　even　when　one；

unafraid　and　in　the　possession　of　his　highest　reasoning

faculties；　knows　that　deathpositive　and　unalterablelies

just　ahead。　　And　so　I　swam　slowly　on；　waiting　for　my　head

to　touch　the　top　of　the　corridor；　which　would　mean　that　I

had　reached　the　limit　of　my　flight　and　the　point　where　I

must　sink　for　ever　to　an　unmarked　grave。



But　to　my　surprise　I　ran　against　a　blank　wall　before　I

reached　a　point　where　the　waters　came　to　the　roof　of　the

corridor。　　Could　I　be　mistaken？　　I　felt　around。　　No；　I　had

come　to　the　main　corridor；　and　still　there　was　a　breathing

space　between　the　surface　of　the　water　and　the　rocky

ceiling　above。　　And　then　I　turned　up　the　main　corridor　in

the　direction　that　Carthoris　and　the　head　of　the　column　had

passed　a　half…hour　before。　　On　and　on　I　swam；　my　heart

growing　lighter　at　every　stroke；　for　I　knew　that　I　was

approaching　closer　and　closer　to　the　point　where　there

would　be　no　chance　that　the　waters　ahead　could　be　deeper

than　they　were　about　me。　　I　was　positive　that　I　must　soon

feel　the　solid　floor　beneath　my　feet　again　and　that　once

more　my　chance　would　come　to　reach　the　Temple　of　Issus

and　the　side　of　the　fair　prisoner　who　languished　there。



But　even　as　hope　was　at　its　highest　I　felt　the　sudden　shock

of　contact　as　my　head　struck　the　rocks　above。　　The　worst；

then；　had　come　to　me。　　I　had　reached　one　of　those　rare

places　where　a　Martian　tunnel　dips　suddenly　to　a　lower　level。　

Somewhere　beyond　I　knew　that　it　rose　again；　but　of　what　value

was　that　to　me；　since　I　did　not　know　how　great　the　distance　that

it　maintained　a　level　entirely　beneath　the　surface　of　the　water！



There　was　but　a　single　forlorn　hope；　and　I　took　it。　　Filling

my　lungs　with　air；　I　dived　beneath　the　surface　and　swam

through　the　inky；　icy　blackness　on　and　on　along　the　submerged

gallery。　　Time　and　time　again　I　rose　with　upstretched

hand；　only　to　feel　the　disappointing　rocks　close　above　me。



Not　for　much　longer　would　my　lungs　withstand　the　strain

upon　them。　　I　felt　that　I　must　soon　succumb；　nor　was　there

any　retreating　now　that　I　had　gone　this　far。　　I　knew　positively

that　I　could　never　endure　to　retrace　my　path　now　to　the　point

from　which　I　had　felt　the　waters　close　above　my　head。　　Death

stared　me　in　the　face；　nor　ever　can　I　recall　a　time　that　I　so

distinctly　felt　the　icy　breath　from　his　dead　lips　upon　my　brow。



One　more　frantic　effort　I　made　with　my　fast　ebbing　strength。

Weakly　I　rose　for　the　last　timemy　tortured　lungs　gasped　for

the　breath　that　would　fill　them　with　a　strange　and　numbing　element；

but　instead　I　felt　the　revivifying　breath　of　life…giving　air　surge

through　my　starving　nostrils　into　my　dying　lungs。　　I　was　saved。



A　few　more　strokes　brought　me　to　a　point　where　my　feet

touched　the　floor；　and　soon　thereafter　I　was　above　the

water　level　entirely；　and　racing　like　mad　along　the　corridor

searching　for　the　first　doorway　that　would　lead　me　to　Issus。

If　I　could　not　have　Dejah　Thoris　again　I　was　at　least

determined　to　avenge　her　death；　nor　would　any　life　satisfy

me　other　than　that　of　the　fiend　incarnate　who　was　the　cause

of　such　immeasurable　suffering　upon　Barsoom。



Sooner　than　I　had　expected　I　came　to　what　appeared　to

me　to　be　a　sudden　exit　into　the　temple　above。　　It　was　at　the

right　side　of　the　corridor；　which　ran　on；　probably；　to　other

entrances　to　the　pile　above。



To　me　one　point　was　as　good　as　another。　　What　knew　I

where　any　of　them　led！　　And　so　without　waiting　to　be　again

discovered　and　thwarted；　I　ran　quickly　up　the　short；　steep

incline　and　pushed　open　the　doorway　at　its　end。



The　portal　swung　slowly　in；　and　before　it　could　be

slammed　against　me　I　sprang　into　the　chamber　beyond。　

Although　not　yet　dawn；　the　room　was　brilliantly　lighted。

Its　sole　occupant　lay　prone　upon　a　low　couch　at　the　further　side；

apparently　in　sleep。　　From　the　hangings　and　sumptuous　furniture

of　the　room　I　judged　it　to　be　a　living…room　of　some　priestess；

possibly　of　Issus　herself。



At　the　thought　the　blood　tingled　through　my　veins。　　What；

indeed；　if　fortune　had　been　kind　enough　to　place　the　hideous

creature　alone　and　unguarded　in　my　hands。　　With　her　as

hostage　I　could　force　acquiescence　to　my　every　demand。　

Cautiously　I　approached　the　recumbent　figure；　on　noiseless　feet。

Closer　and　closer　I　came　to　it；　but　I　had　crossed　but　little

more　than　half　the　chamber　when　the　figure　stirred；　and；　as

I　sprang；　rose　and　faced　me。



At　first　an　expression　of　terror　overspread　the　features　of　the　woman

who　confronted　methen　startled　incredulity　hopethanksgiving。



My　heart　pounded　within　my　breast　as　I　advanced　toward

hertears　came　to　my　eyesand　the　words　that　would　have

poured　forth　in　a　perfect　torrent　choked　in　my　throat　as　I

opened　my　arms　and　took　into　them　once　more　the　woman

I　lovedDejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium。









CHAPTER　XXII





VICTORY　AND　DEFEAT





〃John