the gods of mars-第6部分

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I　soon　reached　him　and　presently　we　were　both　ascending

the　long　ladder　toward　the　opening　above。



Tars　Tarkas　went　in　advance　and　as　I　reached　the　first

of　the　horizontal　bars　I　drew　the　ladder　up　after　me　and；

handing　it　to　him；　he　carried　it　a　hundred　feet　further　aloft；

where　he　wedged　it　safely　between　one　of　the　bars　and　the

side　of　the　shaft。　　In　like　manner　I　dislodged　the　lower　bars

as　I　passed　them；　so　that　we　soon　had　the　interior　of　the

tree　denuded　of　all　possible　means　of　ascent　for　a　distance

of　a　hundred　feet　from　the　base；　thus　precluding　possible

pursuit　and　attack　from　the　rear。



As　we　were　to　learn　later；　this　precaution　saved　us　from　dire

predicament；　and　was　eventually　the　means　of　our　salvation。



When　we　reached　the　opening　at　the　top　Tars　Tarkas　drew　to　one

side　that　I　might　pass　out　and　investigate；　as；　owing　to

my　lesser　weight　and　greater　agility；　I　was　better　fitted　for　the

perilous　threading　of　this　dizzy；　hanging　pathway。



The　limb　upon　which　I　found　myself　ascended　at　a　slight

angle　toward　the　cliff；　and　as　I　followed　it　I　found　that　it

terminated　a　few　feet　above　a　narrow　ledge　which　protruded

from　the　cliff's　face　at　the　entrance　to　a　narrow　cave。



As　I　approached　the　slightly　more　slender　extremity　of　the　branch

it　bent　beneath　my　weight　until；　as　I　balanced　perilously

upon　its　outer　tip；　it　swayed　gently　on　a　level　with　the

ledge　at　a　distance　of　a　couple　of　feet。



Five　hundred　feet　below　me　lay　the　vivid　scarlet　carpet　of

the　valley；　nearly　five　thousand　feet　above　towered　the　mighty；

gleaming　face　of　the　gorgeous　cliffs。



The　cave　that　I　faced　was　not　one　of　those　that　I　had

seen　from　the　ground；　and　which　lay　much　higher；　possibly

a　thousand　feet。　　But　so　far　as　I　might　know　it　was　as　good

for　our　purpose　as　another；　and　so　I　returned　to　the　tree

for　Tars　Tarkas。



Together　we　wormed　our　way　along　the　waving　pathway；

but　when　we　reached　the　end　of　the　branch　we　found　that

our　combined　weight　so　depressed　the　limb　that　the　cave's

mouth　was　now　too　far　above　us　to　be　reached。



We　finally　agreed　that　Tars　Tarkas　should　return　along　the

branch；　leaving　his　longest　leather　harness　strap　with　me；

and　that　when　the　limb　had　risen　to　a　height　that　would

permit　me　to　enter　the　cave　I　was　to　do　so；　and　on　Tars

Tarkas'　return　I　could　then　lower　the　strap　and　haul　him　up

to　the　safety　of　the　ledge。



This　we　did　without　mishap　and　soon　found　ourselves　together

upon　the　verge　of　a　dizzy　little　balcony；　with　a　magnificent

view　of　the　valley　spreading　out　below　us。



As　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　gorgeous　forest　and　crimson

sward　skirted　a　silent　sea；　and　about　all　towered　the　brilliant

monster　guardian　cliffs。　　Once　we　thought　we　discerned　a

gilded　minaret　gleaming　in　the　sun　amidst　the　waving　tops

of　far…distant　trees；　but　we　soon　abandoned　the　idea　in　the

belief　that　it　was　but　an　hallucination　born　of　our　great　desire

to　discover　the　haunts　of　civilized　men　in　this　beautiful；　yet

forbidding；　spot。



Below　us　upon　the　river's　bank　the　great　white　apes　were

devouring　the　last　remnants　of　Tars　Tarkas'　former　companions；

while　great　herds　of　plant　men　grazed　in　ever…widening　circles

about　the　sward　which　they　kept　as　close　clipped　as　the

smoothest　of　lawns。



Knowing　that　attack　from　the　tree　was　now　improbable；

we　determined　to　explore　the　cave；　which　we　had　every

reason　to　believe　was　but　a　continuation　of　the　path　we

had　already　traversed；　leading　the　gods　alone　knew　where；

but　quite　evidently　away　from　this　valley　of　grim　ferocity。



As　we　advanced　we　found　a　well…proportioned　tunnel　cut　from

the　solid　cliff。　　Its　walls　rose　some　twenty　feet　above　the

floor；　which　was　about　five　feet　in　width。　　The　roof　was　arched。

We　had　no　means　of　making　a　light；　and　so　groped　our　way

slowly　into　the　ever…increasing　darkness；　Tars　Tarkas　keeping

in　touch　with　one　wall　while　I　felt　along　the　other；　while；　to

prevent　our　wandering　into　diverging　branches　and　becoming

separated　or　lost　in　some　intricate　and　labyrinthine　maze；

we　clasped　hands。



How　far　we　traversed　the　tunnel　in　this　manner　I　do　not

know；　but　presently　we　came　to　an　obstruction　which　blocked

our　further　progress。　　It　seemed　more　like　a　partition　than　a

sudden　ending　of　the　cave；　for　it　was　constructed　not　of

the　material　of　the　cliff；　but　of　something　which　felt　like

very　hard　wood。



Silently　I　groped　over　its　surface　with　my　hands；　and

presently　was　rewarded　by　the　feel　of　the　button　which　as

commonly　denotes　a　door　on　Mars　as　does　a　door　knob　on　Earth。



Gently　pressing　it；　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　feeling　the

door　slowly　give　before　me；　and　in　another　instant　we　were

looking　into　a　dimly　lighted　apartment；　which；　so　far　as　we

could　see；　was　unoccupied。



Without　more　ado　I　swung　the　door　wide　open　and；　followed

by　the　huge　Thark；　stepped　into　the　chamber。　　As　we　stood


for　a　moment　in　silence　gazing　about　the　room　a　slight　noise

behind　caused　me　to　turn　quickly；　when；　to　my　astonishment；

I　saw　the　door　close　with　a　sharp　click　as　though　by　an

unseen　hand。



Instantly　I　sprang　toward　it　to　wrench　it　open　again；

for　something　in　the　uncanny　movement　of　the　thing　and　the

tense　and　almost　palpable　silence　of　the　chamber　seemed

to　portend　a　lurking　evil　lying　hidden　in　this　rock…bound

chamber　within　the　bowels　of　the　Golden　Cliffs。



My　fingers　clawed　futilely　at　the　unyielding　portal；　while

my　eyes　sought　in　vain　for　a　duplicate　of　the　button　which

had　given　us　ingress。



And　then；　from　unseen　lips；　a　cruel　and　mocking　peal　of

laughter　rang　through　the　desolate　place。









CHAPTER　III





THE　CHAMBER　OF　MYSTERY





For　moments　after　that　awful　laugh　had　ceased　reverberating

through　the　rocky　room；　Tars　Tarkas　and　I　stood　in　tense　and

expectant　silence。　　But　no　further　sound　broke　the　stillness；

nor　within　the　range　of　our　vision　did　aught　move。



At　length　Tars　Tarkas　laughed　softly；　after　the　manner　of　his

strange　kind　when　in　the　presence　of　the　horrible　or　terrifying。

It　is　not　an　hysterical　laugh；　but　rather　the　genuine　expression

of　the　pleasure　they　derive　from　the　things　that　move　Earth　men

to　loathing　or　to　tears。



Often　and　again　have　I　seen　them　roll　upon　the　ground

in　mad　fits　of　uncontrollable　mirth　when　witnessing　the

death　agonies　of　women　and　little　children　beneath　the

torture　of　that　hellish　green　Martian　fetethe　Great　Games。



I　looked　up　at　the　Thark；　a　smile　upon　my　own　lips；　for　here　in

truth　was　greater　need　for　a　smiling　face　than　a　trembling　chin。



〃What　do　you　make　of　it　all？〃　I　asked。　　〃Where　in　the　deuce　are　we？〃



He　looked　at　me　in　surprise。



〃Where　are　we？〃　he　repeated。　　〃Do　you　tell　me；　John　Carter；

that　you　know　not　where　you　be？〃



〃That　I　am　upon　Barsoom　is　all　that　I　can　guess；　and　but

for　you　and　the　great　white　apes　I　should　not　even　guess

that；　for　the　sights　I　have　seen　this　day　are　as　unlike　the

things　of　my　beloved　Barsoom　as　I　knew　it　ten　long　years

ago　as　they　are　unlike　the　world　of　my　birth。



〃No；　Tars　Tarkas；　I　know　not　where　we　be。〃



〃Where　have　you　been　since　you　opened　the　mighty　portals

of　the　atmosphere　plant　years　ago；　after　the　keeper　had

died　and　the　engines　stopped　and　all　Barsoom　was　dying；

that　had　not　already　died；　of　asphyxiation？　　Your　body　even

was　never　found；　though　the　men　of　a　whole　world　sought

after　it　for　years；　though　the　Jeddak　of　Helium　and　his

granddaughter；　your　princess；　offered　such　fabulous　rewards

that　even　princes　of　royal　blood　joined　in　the　search。

　

〃There　was　but　one　conclusion　to　reach　when　all　efforts　to

locate　you　had　failed；　and　that；　that　you　had　taken　the　long；

last　pilgrimage　down　the　mysterious　River　Iss；　to　await　in

the　Valley　Dor　upon　the　shores　of　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus

the　beautiful　Dejah　Thoris；　your　princess。



〃Why　you　had　gone　none　could　guess；　for　your　princess　still　lived〃



〃Thank　God；〃　I　interrupted　him。　　〃I　did　not　dare　to　ask　you；

for　I　feared　I　might　have　been　too　late　to　save　her

she　was　very　low　when　I　left　her　in　the　royal　gardens　of

Tardos　Mors　that　long…gone　night；　so　very　low　that　I　scarcely

hoped　even　then　to　reach　the　atmosphere　plant　ere　her　dear

spirit　had　fled　from　me　for　ever。　　And　she　lives　yet？〃



〃She　lives；　John　Carter。〃



〃You　have　not　told　me　where　we　are；〃　I　reminded　him。



〃We　are　where　I　expected　to　find　you；　John　Carterand

another。　　Many　years　ago　you　heard　the　story　of　the　woman

who　taught　me　the　thing　that　green　Martians　are　reared　to

hate；　the　woman　who　taught　me　to　love。　　You　know　the　cruel

tortures　and　the　awful　death　her　love　won　for　her　at　the

hands　of　the　beast；　Tal　Hajus。



〃She；　I　thought；　awaited　me　by　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus。



〃You　know　that　it　was　left　for　a　man　from　another　world；

for　yourself；　John　Carter；　to　teach　this　cruel　Thark　what

friendship　is；　and　you；　I　thought；　also　roamed　the　care…free

Valley　Dor。



〃Thus　were　the　two　I　most　longed　for　at　the　end　of　the

long　pilgrimage　I　must　take　some　day；　and　so　as　the　time

had　elapsed　which　Dejah　Thoris　had　hoped　might　bring　you

once　more　to　her　side；　for　she　has　always　tried　to　believe　that

you　had　but　temporarily　returned　to　your　own　planet；　I　at

last　gave　way　to　my　great　yearning　and　a　month　since　I　started

upon　the　journey；　the　end　of　which　you　have　this　day　witnessed。　

Do　you　understand　now　where　you　be；　John　Carter？〃



〃And　that　was　the　River　Iss；　emptying　into　the　Lost　Sea　of

Korus　in　the　Valley　Dor？〃　I　asked。



〃This　is　the　valley　of　love　and　peace　and　rest　to　which　every

Barsoomian　since　time　immemorial　has　longed　to　pilgrimage

at　the　end　of　a　life　of　hate　and　strife　and　bloodshed；〃

he　replied。　　〃This；　John　Carter；　is　Heaven。〃



His　tone　was　cold　and　ironical；　its　bitterness　but　reflecting

the　terrible　disappointment　he　had　suff