the gods of mars-第9部分

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staggered　and　blundered　about　more　asleep　than　awake；

and　then　it　was　that　he　worked　his　pretty　little　coup

that　came　near　to　losing　me　my　life。



He　had　backed　me　around　so　that　I　stood　in　front　of　the

corpse　of　his　fellow；　and　then　he　rushed　me　suddenly　so　that

I　was　forced　back　upon　it；　and　as　my　heel　struck　it　the

impetus　of　my　body　flung　me　backward　across　the　dead　man。



My　head　struck　the　hard　pavement　with　a　resounding

whack；　and　to　that　alone　I　owe　my　life；　for　it　cleared　my

brain　and　the　pain　roused　my　temper；　so　that　I　was　equal

for　the　moment　to　tearing　my　enemy　to　pieces　with　my　bare

hands；　and　I　verily　believe　that　I　should　have　attempted　it　had

not　my　right　hand；　in　the　act　of　raising　my　body　from　the

ground；　come　in　contact　with　a　bit　of　cold　metal。



As　the　eyes　of　the　layman　so　is　the　hand　of　the　fighting　man

when　it　comes　in　contact　with　an　implement　of　his　vocation；

and　thus　I　did　not　need　to　look　or　reason　to　know　that

the　dead　man's　revolver；　lying　where　it　had　fallen　when　I

struck　it　from　his　grasp；　was　at　my　disposal。



The　fellow　whose　ruse　had　put　me　down　was　springing　toward　me；

the　point　of　his　gleaming　blade　directed　straight　at　my　heart；

and　as　he　came　there　rang　from　his　lips　the　cruel　and　mocking　peal

of　laughter　that　I　had　heard　within　the　Chamber　of　Mystery。



And　so　he　died；　his　thin　lips　curled　in　the　snarl　of　his　hateful

laugh；　and　a　bullet　from　the　revolver　of　his　dead　companion

bursting　in　his　heart。



His　body；　borne　by　the　impetus　of　his　headlong　rush；　plunged　upon　me。

The　hilt　of　his　sword　must　have　struck　my　head；　for　with　the　impact

of　the　corpse　I　lost　consciousness。









CHAPTER　IV





THUVIA





It　was　the　sound　of　conflict　that　aroused　me　once　more　to

the　realities　of　life。　　For　a　moment　I　could　neither　place　my

surroundings　nor　locate　the　sounds　which　had　aroused　me。

And　then　from　beyond　the　blank　wall　beside　which　I　lay　I

heard　the　shuffling　of　feet；　the　snarling　of　grim　beasts；　the

clank　of　metal　accoutrements；　and　the　heavy　breathing　of　a　man。



As　I　rose　to　my　feet　I　glanced　hurriedly　about　the　chamber

in　which　I　had　just　encountered　such　a　warm　reception。　　The

prisoners　and　the　savage　brutes　rested　in　their　chains　by　the

opposite　wall　eyeing　me　with　varying　expressions　of　curiosity；

sullen　rage；　surprise；　and　hope。



The　latter　emotion　seemed　plainly　evident　upon　the　handsome

and　intelligent　face　of　the　young　red　Martian　woman　whose　cry

of　warning　had　been　instrumental　in　saving　my　life。



She　was　the　perfect　type　of　that　remarkably　beautiful　race

whose　outward　appearance　is　identical　with　the　more　god…like

races　of　Earth　men；　except　that　this　higher　race　of　Martians

is　of　a　light　reddish　copper　colour。　　As　she　was　entirely

unadorned　I　could　not　even　guess　her　station　in　life；　though

it　was　evident　that　she　was　either　a　prisoner　or　slave　in　her

present　environment。



It　was　several　seconds　before　the　sounds　upon　the　opposite

side　of　the　partition　jolted　my　slowly　returning　faculties　into

a　realization　of　their　probable　import；　and　then　of　a　sudden　I

grasped　the　fact　that　they　were　caused　by　Tars　Tarkas　in

what　was　evidently　a　desperate　struggle　with　wild　beasts　or

savage　men。



With　a　cry　of　encouragement　I　threw　my　weight　against　the

secret　door；　but　as　well　have　assayed　the　down…hurling　of　the

cliffs　themselves。　　Then　I　sought　feverishly　for　the　secret　of　the

revolving　panel；　but　my　search　was　fruitless；　and　I　was　about

to　raise　my　longsword　against　the　sullen　gold　when　the　young

woman　prisoner　called　out　to　me。



〃Save　thy　sword；　O　Mighty　Warrior；　for　thou　shalt　need　it

more　where　it　will　avail　to　some　purposeshatter　it　not

against　senseless　metal　which　yields　better　to　the　lightest　finger

touch　of　one　who　knows　its　secret。〃



〃Know　you　the　secret　of　it　then？〃　I　asked。



〃Yes；　release　me　and　I　will　give　you　entrance　to　the　other

horror　chamber；　if　you　wish。　　The　keys　to　my　fetters　are　upon

the　first　dead　of　thy　foemen。　　But　why　would　you　return

to　face　again　the　fierce　banth；　or　whatever　other　form　of

destruction　they　have　loosed　within　that　awful　trap？〃



〃Because　my　friend　fights　there　alone；〃　I　answered；　as　I

hastily　sought　and　found　the　keys　upon　the　carcass　of　the

dead　custodian　of　this　grim　chamber　of　horrors。



There　were　many　keys　upon　the　oval　ring；　but　the　fair　Martian　maid

quickly　selected　that　which　sprung　the　great　lock　at　her　waist；

and　freed　she　hurried　toward　the　secret　panel。



Again　she　sought　out　a　key　upon　the　ring。　　This　time　a　slender；

needle…like　affair　which　she　inserted　in　an　almost　invisible　hole

in　the　wall。　　Instantly　the　door　swung　upon　its　pivot；　and　the

contiguous　section　of　the　floor　upon　which　I　was　standing

carried　me　with　it　into　the　chamber　where　Tars　Tarkas　fought。



The　great　Thark　stood　with　his　back　against　an　angle　of　the

walls；　while　facing　him　in　a　semi…circle　a　half…dozen　huge

monsters　crouched　waiting　for　an　opening。　　Their　blood…

streaked　heads　and　shoulders　testified　to　the　cause　of　their

wariness　as　well　as　to　the　swordsmanship　of　the　green　warrior

whose　glossy　hide　bore　the　same　mute　but　eloquent　witness　to

the　ferocity　of　the　attacks　that　he　had　so　far　withstood。



Sharp　talons　and　cruel　fangs　had　torn　leg；　arm；　and　breast

literally　to　ribbons。　　So　weak　was　he　from　continued　exertion

and　loss　of　blood　that　but　for　the　supporting　wall　I　doubt

that　he　even　could　have　stood　erect。　　But　with　the　tenacity　and

indomitable　courage　of　his　kind　he　still　faced　his　cruel　and

relentless　foesthe　personification　of　that　ancient　proverb　of

his　tribe：　〃Leave　to　a　Thark　his　head　and　one　hand　and

he　may　yet　conquer。〃



As　he　saw　me　enter；　a　grim　smile　touched　those　grim　lips

of　his；　but　whether　the　smile　signified　relief　or　merely

amusement　at　the　sight　of　my　own　bloody　and　dishevelled

condition　I　do　not　know。



As　I　was　about　to　spring　into　the　conflict　with　my　sharp

long…sword　I　felt　a　gentle　hand　upon　my　shoulder　and　turning

found；　to　my　surprise；　that　the　young　woman　had　followed　me

into　the　chamber。



〃Wait；〃　she　whispered；　〃leave　them　to　me；〃　and　pushing　me　advanced；

all　defenceless　and　unarmed；　upon　the　snarling　banths。



When　quite　close　to　them　she　spoke　a　single　Martian　word

in　low　but　peremptory　tones。　　Like　lightning　the　great　beasts

wheeled　upon　her；　and　I　looked　to　see　her　torn　to　pieces

before　I　could　reach　her　side；　but　instead　the　creatures　slunk

to　her　feet　like　puppies　that　expect　a　merited　whipping。



Again　she　spoke　to　them；　but　in　tones　so　low　I　could　not

catch　the　words；　and　then　she　started　toward　the　opposite　side

of　the　chamber　with　the　six　mighty　monsters　trailing　at　heel。

One　by　one　she　sent　them　through　the　secret　panel　into　the

room　beyond；　and　when　the　last　had　passed　from　the　chamber

where　we　stood　in　wide…eyed　amazement　she　turned　and　smiled

at　us　and　then　herself　passed　through；　leaving　us　alone。



For　a　moment　neither　of　us　spoke。　　Then　Tars　Tarkas　said：



〃I　heard　the　fighting　beyond　the　partition　through　which　you

passed；　but　I　did　not　fear　for　you；　John　Carter；　until　I　heard

the　report　of　a　revolver　shot。　　I　knew　that　there　lived　no　man

upon　all　Barsoom　who　could　face　you　with　naked　steel　and　live；

but　the　shot　stripped　the　last　vestige　of　hope　from　me；

since　you　I　knew　to　be　without　firearms。　　Tell　me　of　it。〃



I　did　as　he　bade；　and　then　together　we　sought　the　secret

panel　through　which　I　had　just　entered　the　apartmentthe

one　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　room　from　that　through　which

the　girl　had　led　her　savage　companions。



To　our　disappointment　the　panel　eluded　our　every　effort　to

negotiate　its　secret　lock。　　We　felt　that　once　beyond　it　we

might　look　with　some　little　hope　of　success　for　a　passage　to

the　outside　world。



The　fact　that　the　prisoners　within　were　securely　chained

led　us　to　believe　that　surely　there　must　be　an　avenue　of

escape　from　the　terrible　creatures　which　inhabited　this

unspeakable　place。



Again　and　again　we　turned　from　one　door　to　another；

from　the　baffling　golden　panel　at　one　end　of　the　chamber　to　its

mate　at　the　otherequally　baffling。



When　we　had　about　given　up　all　hope　one　of　the　panels

turned　silently　toward　us；　and　the　young　woman　who　had　led

away　the　banths　stood　once　more　beside　us。



〃Who　are　you？〃　she　asked；　〃and　what　your　mission；　that

you　have　the　temerity　to　attempt　to　escape　from　the　Valley

Dor　and　the　death　you　have　chosen？〃



〃I　have　chosen　no　death；　maiden；〃　I　replied。　　〃I　am　not　of

Barsoom；　nor　have　I　taken　yet　the　voluntary　pilgrimage　upon

the　River　Iss。　　My　friend　here　is　Jeddak　of　all　the　Tharks；

and　though　he　has　not　yet　expressed　a　desire　to　return　to

the　living　world；　I　am　taking　him　with　me　from　the　living

lie　that　hath　lured　him　to　this　frightful　place。



〃I　am　of　another　world。　　I　am　John　Carter；　Prince　of　the

House　of　Tardos　Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium。　　Perchance　some

faint　rumour　of　me　may　have　leaked　within　the　confines　of

your　hellish　abode。〃



She　smiled。



〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　〃naught　that　passes　in　the　world　we　have

left　is　unknown　here。　　I　have　heard　of　you；　many　years　ago。

The　therns　have　ofttimes　wondered　whither　you　had　flown；

since　you　had　neither　taken　the　pilgrimage；　nor　could

be　found　upon　the　face　of　Barsoom。〃



〃Tell　me；〃　I　said；　〃and　who　be　you；　and　why　a　prisoner；

yet　with　power　over　the　ferocious　beasts　of　the　place　that

denotes　familiarity　and　authority　far　beyond　that　which　might

be　expected　of　a　prisoner　or　a　slave？〃



〃Slave　I　am；〃　she　answered。　　〃For　fifteen　years　a　slave　in

this　terrible　place；　and　now　that　they　have　tired　of　me　and

become　fearful　of　the　power　which　my　knowledge　of　their　ways

has　given　me　I　am　but　recently　condemned　to　die　the　death。〃



She　shuddered。



〃What　death？〃　I　asked。



〃The　Holy　Therns　eat　human　flesh；〃　she