the gods of mars-第14部分

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entire　great　pack　hurled　themselves　among　the　fighters。

Panic　reigned　in　an　instant。　　Thern　and　black　man　turned　alike

against　the　common　enemy；　for　the　banths　showed　no　partiality

toward　either。



The　awful　beasts　bore　down　a　hundred　men　by　the　mere

weight　of　their　great　bodies　as　they　hurled　themselves　into

the　thick　of　the　fight。　　Leaping　and　clawing；　they　mowed　down

the　warriors　with　their　powerful　paws；　turning　for　an　instant

to　rend　their　victims　with　frightful　fangs。



The　scene　was　fascinating　in　its　terribleness；　but　suddenly

it　came　to　me　that　we　were　wasting　valuable　time　watching　this

conflict；　which　in　itself　might　prove　a　means　of　our　escape。



The　therns　were　so　engaged　with　their　terrible　assailants

that　now；　if　ever；　escape　should　be　comparatively　easy。　　I

turned　to　search　for　an　opening　through　the　contending

hordes。　　If　we　could　but　reach　the　ramparts　we　might　find

that　the　pirates　somewhere　had　thinned　the　guarding　forces

and　left　a　way　open　to　us　to　the　world　without。



As　my　eyes　wandered　about　the　garden；　the　sight　of　the

hundreds　of　air　craft　lying　unguarded　around　us　suggested　the

simplest　avenue　to　freedom。　　Why　it　had　not　occurred　to　me

before！　　I　was　thoroughly　familiar　with　the　mechanism　of

every　known　make　of　flier　on　Barsoom。　　For　nine　years　I

had　sailed　and　fought　with　the　navy　of　Helium。　　I　had　raced

through　space　on　the　tiny　one…man　air　scout　and　I　had

commanded　the　greatest　battleship　that　ever　had　floated

in　the　thin　air　of　dying　Mars。



To　think；　with　me；　is　to　act。　　Grasping　Thuvia　by　the　arm；

I　whispered　to　Tars　Tarkas　to　follow　me。　　Quickly　we　glided

toward　a　small　flier　which　lay　furthest　from　the　battling

warriors。　　Another　instant　found　us　huddled　on　the　tiny

deck。　　My　hand　was　on　the　starting　lever。　　I　pressed　my　thumb

upon　the　button　which　controls　the　ray　of　repulsion；　that

splendid　discovery　of　the　Martians　which　permits　them　to　navigate

the　thin　atmosphere　of　their　planet　in　huge　ships　that　dwarf　the

dreadnoughts　of　our　earthly　navies　into　pitiful　significance。



The　craft　swayed　slightly　but　she　did　not　move。　　Then　a

new　cry　of　warning　broke　upon　our　ears。　　Turning；　I　saw　a

dozen　black　pirates　dashing　toward　us　from　the　melee。　　We

had　been　discovered。　　With　shrieks　of　rage　the　demons

sprang　for　us。　　With　frenzied　insistence　I　continued　to　press

the　little　button　which　should　have　sent　us　racing　out　into

space；　but　still　the　vessel　refused　to　budge。　　Then　it　came　to

methe　reason　that　she　would　not　rise。



We　had　stumbled　upon　a　two…man　flier。　　Its　ray　tanks

were　charged　only　with　sufficient　repulsive　energy　to　lift

two　ordinary　men。　　The　Thark's　great　weight　was　anchoring

us　to　our　doom。



The　blacks　were　nearly　upon　us。　　There　was　not　an　instant

to　be　lost　in　hesitation　or　doubt。



I　pressed　the　button　far　in　and　locked　it。　　Then　I　set　the

lever　at　high　speed　and　as　the　blacks　came　yelling　upon　us

I　slipped　from　the　craft's　deck　and　with　drawn　long…sword

met　the　attack。



At　the　same　moment　a　girl's　shriek　rang　out　behind　me

and　an　instant　later；　as　the　blacks　fell　upon　me。　　I　heard

far　above　my　head；　and　faintly；　in　Thuvia's　voice：　〃My

Prince；　O　my　Prince；　I　would　rather　remain　and　die　with〃

But　the　rest　was　lost　in　the　noise　of　my　assailants。



I　knew　though　that　my　ruse　had　worked　and　that　temporarily

at　least　Thuvia　and　Tars　Tarkas　were　safe；　and　the　means　of

escape　was　theirs。



For　a　moment　it　seemed　that　I　could　not　withstand　the

weight　of　numbers　that　confronted　me；　but　again；　as　on　so

many　other　occasions　when　I　had　been　called　upon　to　face

fearful　odds　upon　this　planet　of　warriors　and　fierce　beasts；

I　found　that　my　earthly　strength　so　far　transcended　that　of

my　opponents　that　the　odds　were　not　so　greatly　against　me

as　they　appeared。



My　seething　blade　wove　a　net　of　death　about　me。　　For　an

instant　the　blacks　pressed　close　to　reach　me　with　their　shorter

swords；　but　presently　they　gave　back；　and　the　esteem　in　which

they　suddenly　had　learned　to　hold　my　sword　arm　was　writ

large　upon　each　countenance。



I　knew　though　that　it　was　but　a　question　of　minutes

before　their　greater　numbers　would　wear　me　down；　or　get

around　my　guard。　　I　must　go　down　eventually　to　certain　death

before　them。　　I　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　it；　dying　thus　in

this　terrible　place　where　no　word　of　my　end　ever　could

reach　my　Dejah　Thoris。　　Dying　at　the　hands　of　nameless

black　men　in　the　gardens　of　the　cruel　therns。



Then　my　old…time　spirit　reasserted　itself。　　The　fighting　blood

of　my　Virginian　sires　coursed　hot　through　my　veins。　　The

fierce　blood　lust　and　the　joy　of　battle　surged　over　me。　　The

fighting　smile　that　has　brought　consternation　to　a　thousand

foemen　touched　my　lips。　　I　put　the　thought　of　death　out　of

my　mind；　and　fell　upon　my　antagonists　with　fury　that　those

who　escaped　will　remember　to　their　dying　day。



That　others　would　press　to　the　support　of　those　who　faced

me　I　knew；　so　even　as　I　fought　I　kept　my　wits　at　work；

searching　for　an　avenue　of　escape。



It　came　from　an　unexpected　quarter　out　of　the　black　night

behind　me。　　I　had　just　disarmed　a　huge　fellow　who　had

given　me　a　desperate　struggle；　and　for　a　moment　the　blacks

stood　back　for　a　breathing　spell。



They　eyed　me　with　malignant　fury；　yet　withal　there　was

a　touch　of　respect　in　their　demeanour。



〃Thern；〃　said　one；　〃you　fight　like　a　Dator。　　But　for　your

detestable　yellow　hair　and　your　white　skin　you　would　be　an

honour　to　the　First　Born　of　Barsoom。〃



〃I　am　no　thern；〃　I　said；　and　was　about　to　explain　that　I　was

from　another　world；　thinking　that　by　patching　a　truce　with

these　fellows　and　fighting　with　them　against　the　therns　I

might　enlist　their　aid　in　regaining　my　liberty。　　But　just　at　that

moment　a　heavy　object　smote　me　a　resounding　whack　between

my　shoulders　that　nearly　felled　me　to　the　ground。



As　I　turned　to　meet　this　new　enemy　an　object　passed　over

my　shoulder；　striking　one　of　my　assailants　squarely　in　the

face　and　knocking　him　senseless　to　the　sward。　　At　the　same

instant　I　saw　that　the　thing　that　had　struck　us　was　the

trailing　anchor　of　a　rather　fair…sized　air　vessel；　possibly

a　ten　man　cruiser。



The　ship　was　floating　slowly　above　us；　not　more　than　fifty

feet　over　our　heads。　　Instantly　the　one　chance　for　escape　that

it　offered　presented　itself　to　me。　　The　vessel　was　slowly　rising

and　now　the　anchor　was　beyond　the　blacks　who　faced　me

and　several　feet　above　their　heads。



With　a　bound　that　left　them　gaping　in　wide…eyed　astonishment

I　sprang　completely　over　them。　　A　second　leap　carried　me　just

high　enough　to　grasp　the　now　rapidly　receding　anchor。



But　I　was　successful；　and　there　I　hung　by　one　hand；　dragging

through　the　branches　of　the　higher　vegetation　of　the　gardens；

while　my　late　foemen　shrieked　and　howled　beneath　me。



Presently　the　vessel　veered　toward　the　west　and　then

swung　gracefully　to　the　south。　　In　another　instant　I　was

carried　beyond　the　crest　of　the　Golden　Cliffs；　out　over　the

Valley　Dor；　where；　six　thousand　feet　below　me；　the　Lost　Sea

of　Korus　lay　shimmering　in　the　moonlight。



Carefully　I　climbed　to　a　sitting　posture　across　the　anchor's

arms。　　I　wondered　if　by　chance　the　vessel　might　be　deserted。

I　hoped　so。　　Or　possibly　it　might　belong　to　a　friendly　people；

and　have　wandered　by　accident　almost　within　the　clutches

of　the　pirates　and　the　therns。　　The　fact　that　it　was　retreating

from　the　scene　of　battle　lent　colour　to　this　hypothesis。



But　I　decided　to　know　positively；　and　at　once；　so；　with　the

greatest　caution；　I　commenced　to　climb　slowly　up　the　anchor

chain　toward　the　deck　above　me。



One　hand　had　just　reached　for　the　vessel's　rail　and　found

it　when　a　fierce　black　face　was　thrust　over　the　side　and

eyes　filled　with　triumphant　hate　looked　into　mine。









CHAPTER　VII





A　FAIR　GODDESS





For　an　instant　the　black　pirate　and　I　remained　motionless；

glaring　into　each　other's　eyes。　　Then　a　grim　smile　curled

the　handsome　lips　above　me；　as　an　ebony　hand　came　slowly

in　sight　from　above　the　edge　of　the　deck　and　the　cold；　hollow

eye　of　a　revolver　sought　the　centre　of　my　forehead。



Simultaneously　my　free　hand　shot　out　for　the　black　throat；

just　within　reach；　and　the　ebony　finger　tightened　on　the　trigger。　

The　pirate's　hissing；　〃Die；　cursed　thern；〃　was　half　choked

in　his　windpipe　by　my　clutching　fingers。　　The　hammer　fell

with　a　futile　click　upon　an　empty　chamber。



Before　he　could　fire　again　I　had　pulled　him　so　far　over

the　edge　of　the　deck　that　he　was　forced　to　drop　his　firearm

and　clutch　the　rail　with　both　hands。



My　grasp　upon　his　throat　effectually　prevented　any　outcry；

and　so　we　struggled　in　grim　silence；　he　to　tear　away　from　my

hold；　I　to　drag　him　over　to　his　death。



His　face　was　taking　on　a　livid　hue；　his　eyes　were　bulging

from　their　sockets。　　It　was　evident　to　him　that　he　soon　must

die　unless　he　tore　loose　from　the　steel　fingers　that　were

choking　the　life　from　him。　　With　a　final　effort　he　threw　himself

further　back　upon　the　deck；　at　the　same　instant　releasing　his

hold　upon　the　rail　to　tear　frantically　with　both　hands　at　my

fingers　in　an　effort　to　drag　them　from　his　throat。



That　little　second　was　all　that　I　awaited。　　With　one　mighty

downward　surge　I　swept　him　clear　of　the　deck。　　His　falling

body　came　near　to　tearing　me　from　the　frail　hold　that　my

single　free　hand　had　upon　the　anchor　chain　and　plunging　me

with　him　to　the　waters　of　the　sea　below。



I　did　not　relinquish　my　grasp　upon　him；　however；　for　I

knew　that　a　single　shriek　from　those　lips　as　he　hurtled　to　his

death　in　the　silent　waters　of　the　sea　would　bring　his　comrades

from　above　to　avenge　him。



Instead　I　held　grimly　to　him；　choking；　ever　choking；　while

his　frantic　struggles　dragged　me　lower　and　lower　toward　the

end　of　the　chain。



Gradually　his　contortions　became　spasmod