the gods of mars-第23部分

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The　phosphorescent　light　you　now　see　pervading　this　great

subterranean　vault　emanates　from　the　rocks　that　form　its　dome；

it　is　always　thus　upon　Omean；　just　as　the　billows　are　always

as　you　see　themrolling；　ever　rolling　over　a　windless　sea。



〃At　the　appointed　hour　of　night　upon　the　world　above；

the　men　whose　duties　hold　them　here　sleep；　but　the　light　is

ever　the　same。〃



〃It　will　make　escape　more　difficult；〃　I　said；　and　then　I

shrugged　my　shoulders；　for　what；　pray；　is　the　pleasure　of

doing　an　easy　thing？



〃Let　us　sleep　on　it　to…night；〃　said　Xodar。　　〃A　plan　may

come　with　our　awakening。〃



So　we　threw　ourselves　upon　the　hard　stone　floor　of　our

prison　and　slept　the　sleep　of　tired　men。







CHAPTER　XI





WHEN　HELL　BROKE　LOOSE





Early　the　next　morning　Xodar　and　I　commenced　work

upon　our　plans　for　escape。　　First　I　had　him　sketch　upon　the

stone　floor　of　our　cell　as　accurate　a　map　of　the　south

polar　regions　as　was　possible　with　the　crude　instruments

at　our　disposala　buckle　from　my　harness；　and　the　sharp

edge　of　the　wondrous　gem　I　had　taken　from　Sator　Throg。



From　this　I　computed　the　general　direction　of　Helium　and　the

distance　at　which　it　lay　from　the　opening　which　led　to　Omean。



Then　I　had　him　draw　a　map　of　Omean；　indicating　plainly

the　position　of　Shador　and　of　the　opening　in　the　dome　which

led　to　the　outer　world。



These　I　studied　until　they　were　indelibly　imprinted　in　my

memory。　　From　Xodar　I　learned　the　duties　and　customs　of

the　guards　who　patrolled　Shador。　　It　seemed　that　during　the

hours　set　aside　for　sleep　only　one　man　was　on　duty　at　a

time。　　He　paced　a　beat　that　passed　around　the　prison；　at　a

distance　of　about　a　hundred　feet　from　the　building。



The　pace　of　the　sentries；　Xodar　said；　was　very　slow；

requiring　nearly　ten　minutes　to　make　a　single　round。

This　meant　that　for　practically　five　minutes　at　a　time　each

side　of　the　prison　was　unguarded　as　the　sentry　pursued　his

snail　like　pace　upon　the　opposite　side。



〃This　information　you　ask；〃　said　Xodar；　〃will　be　all　very

valuable　AFTER　we　get　out；　but　nothing　that　you　have

asked　has　any　bearing　on　that　first　and　most　important

consideration。〃



〃We　will　get　out　all　right；〃　I　replied；　laughing。　　〃Leave　that　to　me。〃



〃When　shall　we　make　the　attempt？〃　he　asked。



〃The　first　night　that　finds　a　small　craft　moored　near

the　shore　of　Shador；〃　I　replied。



〃But　how　will　you　know　that　any　craft　is　moored　near

Shador？　　The　windows　are　far　beyond　our　reach。〃



〃Not　so；　friend　Xodar；　look！〃



With　a　bound　I　sprang　to　the　bars　of　the　window　opposite

us；　and　took　a　quick　survey　of　the　scene　without。



Several　small　craft　and　two　large　battleships　lay　within

a　hundred　yards　of　Shador。



〃To…night；〃　I　thought；　and　was　just　about　to　voice　my

decision　to　Xodar；　when；　without　warning；　the　door　of　our

prison　opened　and　a　guard　stepped　in。



If　the　fellow　saw　me　there　our　chances　of　escape　might

quickly　go　glimmering；　for　I　knew　that　they　would　put　me

in　irons　if　they　had　the　slightest　conception　of　the　wonderful

agility　which　my　earthly　muscles　gave　me　upon　Mars。



The　man　had　entered　and　was　standing　facing　the　centre

of　the　room；　so　that　his　back　was　toward　me。　　Five　feet

above　me　was　the　top　of　a　partition　wall　separating　our

cell　from　the　next。



There　was　my　only　chance　to　escape　detection。　　If　the

fellow　turned；　I　was　lost；　nor　could　I　have　dropped　to　the

floor　undetected；　since　he　was　no　nearly　below　me　that

I　would　have　struck　him　had　I　done　so。



〃Where　is　the　white　man？〃　cried　the　guard　of　Xodar。

〃Issus　commands　his　presence。〃　　He　started　to　turn　to　see　if

I　were　in　another　part　of　the　cell。



I　scrambled　up　the　iron　grating　of　the　window　until　I

could　catch　a　good　footing　on　the　sill　with　one　foot；　then　I

let　go　my　hold　and　sprang　for　the　partition　top。



〃What　was　that？〃　I　heard　the　deep　voice　of　the　black

bellow　as　my　metal　grated　against　the　stone　wall　as　I　slipped

over。　　Then　I　dropped　lightly　to　the　floor　of　the　cell　beyond。



〃Where　is　the　white　slave？〃　again　cried　the　guard。



〃I　know　not；〃　replied　Xodar。　　〃He　was　here　even　as　you

entered。　　I　am　not　his　keepergo　find　him。〃



The　black　grumbled　something　that　I　could　not　understand；

and　then　I　heard　him　unlocking　the　door　into　one

of　the　other　cells　on　the　further　side。　　Listening　intently；

I　caught　the　sound　as　the　door　closed　behind　him。　　Then　I

sprang　once　more　to　the　top　of　the　partition　and　dropped

into　my　own　cell　beside　the　astonished　Xodar。



〃Do　you　see　now　how　we　will　escape？〃　I　asked　him　in　a　whisper。



〃I　see　how　you　may；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　am　no　wiser　than　before

as　to　how　I　am　to　pass　these　walls。　　Certain　it　is　that　I　cannot

bounce　over　them　as　you　do。〃



We　heard　the　guard　moving　about　from　cell　to　cell；　and

finally；　his　rounds　completed；　he　again　entered　ours。

When　his　eyes　fell　upon　me　they　fairly　bulged　from　his　head。



〃By　the　shell　of　my　first　ancestor！〃　he　roared。

〃Where　have　you　been？〃



〃I　have　been　in　prison　since　you　put　me　here　yesterday；〃

I　answered。　　〃I　was　in　this　room　when　you　entered。

You　had　better　look　to　your　eyesight。〃



He　glared　at　me　in　mingled　rage　and　relief。



〃Come；〃　he　said。　　〃Issus　commands　your　presence。〃



He　conducted　me　outside　the　prison；　leaving　Xodar　behind。　

There　we　found　several　other　guards；　and　with　them　the

red　Martian　youth　who　occupied　another　cell　upon　Shador。



The　journey　I　had　taken　to　the　Temple　of　Issus　on　the

preceding　day　was　repeated。　　The　guards　kept　the　red　boy

and　myself　separated；　so　that　we　had　no　opportunity　to　continue

the　conversation　that　had　been　interrupted　the　previous　night。



The　youth's　face　had　haunted　me。　　Where　had　I　seen

him　before。　　There　was　something　strangely　familiar　in

every　line　of　him；　in　his　carriage；　his　manner　of　speaking；

his　gestures。　　I　could　have　sworn　that　I　knew　him；　and　yet

I　knew　too　that　I　had　never　seen　him　before。



When　we　reached　the　gardens　of　Issus　we　were　led　away

from　the　temple　instead　of　toward　it。　　The　way　wound　through

enchanted　parks　to　a　mighty　wall　that　towered　a　hundred

feet　in　air。



Massive　gates　gave　egress　upon　a　small　plain；　surrounded

by　the　same　gorgeous　forests　that　I　had　seen　at　the　foot　of

the　Golden　Cliffs。



Crowds　of　blacks　were　strolling　in　the　same　direction

that　our　guards　were　leading　us；　and　with　them　mingled

my　old　friends　the　plant　men　and　great　white　apes。



The　brutal　beasts　moved　among　the　crowd　as　pet　dogs

might。　　If　they　were　in　the　way　the　blacks　pushed　them

roughly　to　one　side；　or　whacked　them　with　the　flat　of　a

sword；　and　the　animals　slunk　away　as　in　great　fear。



Presently　we　came　upon　our　destination；　a　great　amphitheatre

situated　at　the　further　edge　of　the　plain；　and　about　half　a

mile　beyond　the　garden　walls。



Through　a　massive　arched　gateway　the　blacks　poured　in

to　take　their　seats；　while　our　guards　led　us　to　a　smaller

entrance　near　one　end　of　the　structure。



Through　this　we　passed　into　an　enclosure　beneath　the

seats；　where　we　found　a　number　of　other　prisoners　herded

together　under　guard。　　Some　of　them　were　in　irons；　but

for　the　most　part　they　seemed　sufficiently　awed　by　the

presence　of　their　guards　to　preclude　any　possibility　of

attempted　escape。



During　the　trip　from　Shador　I　had　had　no　opportunity

to　talk　with　my　fellow…prisoner；　but　now　that　we　were　safely

within　the　barred　paddock　our　guards　abated　their　watchfulness；

with　the　result　that　I　found　myself　able　to　approach　the　red

Martian　youth　for　whom　I　felt　such　a　strange　attraction。



〃What　is　the　object　of　this　assembly？〃　I　asked　him。

〃Are　we　to　fight　for　the　edification　of　the　First　Born；

or　is　it　something　worse　than　that？〃



〃It　is　a　part　of　the　monthly　rites　of　Issus；〃　he　replied；

〃in　which　black　men　wash　the　sins　from　their　souls　in　the

blood　of　men　from　the　outer　world。　　If；　perchance；　the

black　is　killed；　it　is　evidence　of　his　disloyalty　to　Issus

the　unpardonable　sin。　　If　he　lives　through　the　contest　he

is　held　acquitted　of　the　charge　that　forced　the　sentence　of

the　rites；　as　it　is　called；　upon　him。



〃The　forms　of　combat　vary。　　A　number　of　us　may　be

pitted　together　against　an　equal　number；　or　twice　the

number　of　blacks；　or　singly　we　may　be　sent　forth　to

face　wild　beasts；　or　some　famous　black　warrior。〃



〃And　if　we　are　victorious；〃　I　asked；　〃what　thenfreedom？〃



He　laughed。



〃Freedom；　forsooth。　　The　only　freedom　for　us　death。

None　who　enters　the　domains　of　the　First　Born　ever　leave。

If　we　prove　able　fighters　we　are　permitted　to　fight　often。

If　we　are　not　mighty　fighters〃　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃Sooner　or　later　we　die　in　the　arena。〃



〃And　you　have　fought　often？〃　I　asked。



〃Very　often；〃　he　replied。　　〃It　is　my　only　pleasure。　　Some

hundred　black　devils　have　I　accounted　for　during　nearly　a

year　of　the　rites　of　Issus。　　My　mother　would　be　very　proud

could　she　only　know　how　well　I　have　maintained　the　traditions

of　my　father's　prowess。〃



〃Your　father　must　have　been　a　mighty　warrior！〃　I　said。

〃I　have　known　most　of　the　warriors　of　Barsoom　in　my

time；　doubtless　I　knew　him。　　Who　was　he？〃



〃My　father　was〃



〃Come；　calots！〃　cried　the　rough　voice　of　a　guard。　　〃To

the　slaughter　with　you；〃　and　roughly　we　were　hustled　to

the　steep　incline　that　led　to　the　chambers　far　below　which

let　out　upon　the　arena。



The　amphitheatre；　like　all　I　had　ever　seen　upon　Barsoom；

was　built　in　a　large　excavation。　　Only　the　highest　seats；

which　formed　the　low　wall　surrounding　the　pit；　were　above　the

level　of　the　ground。　　The　arena　itself　was　far　below　the　surface。



Just　beneath　the　lowest　tier　of　seats　was　a　series　of

barred　cages　on　a　level　with　the　surface　of　the　arena。　　Into

these　we　were　herded。　　But；　unfortunately；　my　youthful　friend

was　not　of　those　who　occupied　a　cage　with