the gods of mars-第5部分

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

of　Martian　creaturesgreat　white　apes　of　Barsoom。



My　former　experiences　upon　Mars　had　familiarized　me

thoroughly　with　them　and　their　methods；　and　I　may　say　that

of　all　the　fearsome　and　terrible；　weird　and　grotesque　inhabitants

of　that　strange　world；　it　is　the　white　apes　that　come　nearest

to　familiarizing　me　with　the　sensation　of　fear。



I　think　that　the　cause　of　this　feeling　which　these　apes

engender　within　me　is　due　to　their　remarkable　resemblance

in　form　to　our　Earth　men；　which　gives　them　a　human　appearance

that　is　most　uncanny　when　coupled　with　their　enormous　size。



They　stand　fifteen　feet　in　height　and　walk　erect　upon　their

hind　feet。　　Like　the　green　Martians；　they　have　an　intermediary

set　of　arms　midway　between　their　upper　and　lower　limbs。

Their　eyes　are　very　close　set；　but　do　not　protrude　as　do　those

of　the　green　men　of　Mars；　their　ears　are　high　set；　but　more

laterally　located　than　are　the　green　men's；　while　their　snouts

and　teeth　are　much　like　those　of　our　African　gorilla。　　Upon

their　heads　grows　an　enormous　shock　of　bristly　hair。



It　was　into　the　eyes　of　such　as　these　and　the　terrible　plant

men　that　I　gazed　above　the　shoulder　of　my　foe；　and　then；　in

a　mighty　wave　of　snarling；　snapping；　screaming；　purring　rage；

they　swept　over　meand　of　all　the　sounds　that　assailed　my

ears　as　I　went　down　beneath　them；　to　me　the　most　hideous

was　the　horrid　purring　of　the　plant　men。



Instantly　a　score　of　cruel　fangs　and　keen　talons　were　sunk

into　my　flesh；　cold；　sucking　lips　fastened　themselves　upon　my

arteries。　　I　struggled　to　free　myself；　and　even　though　weighed

down　by　these　immense　bodies；　I　succeeded　in　struggling　to

my　feet；　where；　still　grasping　my　long…sword；　and　shortening　my

grip　upon　it　until　I　could　use　it　as　a　dagger；　I　wrought　such

havoc　among　them　that　at　one　time　I　stood　for　an　instant　free。



What　it　has　taken　minutes　to　write　occurred　in　but　a　few

seconds；　but　during　that　time　Tars　Tarkas　had　seen　my　plight

and　had　dropped　from　the　lower　branches；　which　he　had

reached　with　such　infinite　labour；　and　as　I　flung　the　last

of　my　immediate　antagonists　from　me　the　great　Thark　leaped

to　my　side；　and　again　we　fought；　back　to　back；　as　we

had　done　a　hundred　times　before。



Time　and　again　the　ferocious　apes　sprang　in　to　close　with

us；　and　time　and　again　we　beat　them　back　with　our　swords。

The　great　tails　of　the　plant　men　lashed　with　tremendous

power　about　us　as　they　charged　from　various　directions　or

sprang　with　the　agility　of　greyhounds　above　our　heads；　but

every　attack　met　a　gleaming　blade　in　sword　hands　that　had

been　reputed　for　twenty　years　the　best　that　Mars　ever　had

known；　for　Tars　Tarkas　and　John　Carter　were　names　that　the

fighting　men　of　the　world　of　warriors　loved　best　to　speak。



But　even　the　two　best　swords　in　a　world　of　fighters　can

avail　not　for　ever　against　overwhelming　numbers　of　fierce

and　savage　brutes　that　know　not　what　defeat　means　until

cold　steel　teaches　their　hearts　no　longer　to　beat；　and　so；　step

by　step；　we　were　forced　back。　　At　length　we　stood　against　the

giant　tree　that　we　had　chosen　for　our　ascent；　and　then；　as

charge　after　charge　hurled　its　weight　upon　us；　we　gave　back

again　and　again；　until　we　had　been　forced　half…way　around

the　huge　base　of　the　colossal　trunk。



Tars　Tarkas　was　in　the　lead；　and　suddenly　I　heard　a　little

cry　of　exultation　from　him。



〃Here　is　shelter　for　one　at　least；　John　Carter；〃　he　said；

and；　glancing　down；　I　saw　an　opening　in　the　base　of　the　tree

about　three　feet　in　diameter。



〃In　with　you；　Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　cried；　but　he　would　not　go；

saying　that　his　bulk　was　too　great　for　the　little　aperture；

while　I　might　slip　in　easily。



〃We　shall　both　die　if　we　remain　without；　John　Carter；　here

is　a　slight　chance　for　one　of　us。　　Take　it　and　you　may　live

to　avenge　me；　it　is　useless　for　me　to　attempt　to　worm　my

way　into　so　small　an　opening　with　this　horde　of　demons

besetting　us　on　all　sides。〃



〃Then　we　shall　die　together；　Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　replied；　〃for　I

shall　not　go　first。　　Let　me　defend　the　opening　while　you　get

in；　then　my　smaller　stature　will　permit　me　to　slip　in　with　you

before　they　can　prevent。〃



We　still　were　fighting　furiously　as　we　talked　in　broken　sentences；

punctured　with　vicious　cuts　and　thrusts　at　our　swarming　enemy。



At　length　he　yielded；　for　it　seemed　the　only　way　in　which

either　of　us　might　be　saved　from　the　ever…increasing　numbers

of　our　assailants；　who　were　still　swarming　upon　us　from　all

directions　across　the　broad　valley。



〃It　was　ever　your　way；　John　Carter；　to　think　last　of　your

own　life；〃　he　said；　〃but　still　more　your　way　to　command　the

lives　and　actions　of　others；　even　to　the　greatest　of　Jeddaks

who　rule　upon　Barsoom。〃



There　was　a　grim　smile　upon　his　cruel；　hard　face；　as　he；

the　greatest　Jeddak　of　them　all；　turned　to　obey　the　dictates

of　a　creature　of　another　worldof　a　man　whose　stature　was

less　than　half　his　own。



〃If　you　fail；　John　Carter；〃　he　said；　〃know　that　the　cruel

and　heartless　Thark；　to　whom　you　taught　the　meaning　of

friendship；　will　come　out　to　die　beside　you。〃



〃As　you　will；　my　friend；〃　I　replied；　〃but　quickly　now；

head　first；　while　I　cover　your　retreat。〃



He　hesitated　a　little　at　that　word；　for　never　before　in　his

whole　life　of　continual　strife　had　he　turned　his　back　upon

aught　than　a　dead　or　defeated　enemy。



〃Haste；　Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　urged；　〃or　we　shall　both　go　down

to　profitless　defeat；　I　cannot　hold　them　for　ever　alone。〃



As　he　dropped　to　the　ground　to　force　his　way　into　the

tree；　the　whole　howling　pack　of　hideous　devils　hurled　themselves

upon　me。　　To　right　and　left　flew　my　shimmering　blade；

now　green　with　the　sticky　juice　of　a　plant　man；　now　red

with　the　crimson　blood　of　a　great　white　ape；　but　always

flying　from　one　opponent　to　another；　hesitating　but　the　barest

fraction　of　a　second　to　drink　the　lifeblood　in　the　centre　of

some　savage　heart。



And　thus　I　fought　as　I　never　had　fought　before；　against　such

frightful　odds　that　I　cannot　realize　even　now　that　human

muscles　could　have　withstood　that　awful　onslaught；　that

terrific　weight　of　hurtling　tons　of　ferocious；　battling　flesh。



With　the　fear　that　we　would　escape　them；　the　creatures

redoubled　their　efforts　to　pull　me　down；　and　though　the　ground

about　me　was　piled　high　with　their　dead　and　dying　comrades；

they　succeeded　at　last　in　overwhelming　me；　and　I　went　down

beneath　them　for　the　second　time　that　day；　and　once　again

felt　those　awful　sucking　lips　against　my　flesh。



But　scarce　had　I　fallen　ere　I　felt　powerful　hands　grip　my　ankles；

and　in　another　second　I　was　being　drawn　within　the　shelter　of

the　tree's　interior。　　For　a　moment　it　was　a　tug　of　war　between

Tars　Tarkas　and　a　great　plant　man；　who　clung　tenaciously　to　my　breast；

but　presently　I　got　the　point　of　my　long…sword　beneath　him　and　with

a　mighty　thrust　pierced　his　vitals。



Torn　and　bleeding　from　many　cruel　wounds；　I　lay　panting

upon　the　ground　within　the　hollow　of　the　tree；　while　Tars

Tarkas　defended　the　opening　from　the　furious　mob　without。



For　an　hour　they　howled　about　the　tree；　but　after　a　few

attempts　to　reach　us　they　confined　their　efforts　to　terrorizing

shrieks　and　screams；　to　horrid　growling　on　the　part　of　the

great　white　apes；　and　the　fearsome　and　indescribable　purring

by　the　plant　men。



At　length；　all　but　a　score；　who　had　apparently　been　left　to

prevent　our　escape；　had　left　us；　and　our　adventure　seemed

destined　to　result　in　a　siege；　the　only　outcome　of　which　could

be　our　death　by　starvation；　for　even　should　we　be　able　to　slip

out　after　dark；　whither　in　this　unknown　and　hostile　valley

could　we　hope　to　turn　our　steps　toward　possible　escape？



As　the　attacks　of　our　enemies　ceased　and　our　eyes　became

accustomed　to　the　semi…darkness　of　the　interior　of　our　strange

retreat；　I　took　the　opportunity　to　explore　our　shelter。



The　tree　was　hollow　to　an　extent　of　about　fifty　feet　in

diameter；　and　from　its　flat；　hard　floor　I　judged　that　it　had

often　been　used　to　domicile　others　before　our　occupancy。

As　I　raised　my　eyes　toward　its　roof　to　note　the　height　I　saw

far　above　me　a　faint　glow　of　light。



There　was　an　opening　above。　　If　we　could　but　reach　it

we　might　still　hope　to　make　the　shelter　of　the　cliff　caves。

My　eyes　had　now　become　quite　used　to　the　subdued　light　of

the　interior；　and　as　I　pursued　my　investigation　I　presently

came　upon　a　rough　ladder　at　the　far　side　of　the　cave。



Quickly　I　mounted　it；　only　to　find　that　it　connected　at　the　top

with　the　lower　of　a　series　of　horizontal　wooden　bars　that　spanned

the　now　narrow　and　shaft…like　interior　of　the　tree's　stem。

These　bars　were　set　one　above　another　about　three　feet　apart；

and　formed　a　perfect　ladder　as　far　above　me　as　I　could　see。



Dropping　to　the　floor　once　more；　I　detailed　my　discovery

to　Tars　Tarkas；　who　suggested　that　I　explore　aloft　as　far　as

I　could　go　in　safety　while　he　guarded　the　entrance　against　a

possible　attack。



As　I　hastened　above　to　explore　the　strange　shaft　I　found

that　the　ladder　of　horizontal　bars　mounted　always　as　far

above　me　as　my　eyes　could　reach；　and　as　I　ascended；　the

light　from　above　grew　brighter　and　brighter。



For　fully　five　hundred　feet　I　continued　to　climb；　until　at　

length　I　reached　the　opening　in　the　stem　which　admitted

the　light。　　It　was　of　about　the　same　diameter　as　the　entrance

at　the　foot　of　the　tree；　and　opened　directly　upon　a　large　flat

limb；　the　well　worn　surface　of　which　testified　to　its　long

continued　use　as　an　avenue　for　some　creature　to　and　from

this　remarkable　shaft。



I　did　not　venture　out　upon　the　limb　for　fear　that　I　might

be　discovered　and　our　retreat　in　this　direction　cut　off；

but　instead　hurried　to　retrace　my　steps　to　Tars　Tarkas。



I　soon　reached　him　and　presently　we　were　both　ascending

the　long　ladder　toward　the