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С˵£º the gods of mars ×ÖÊý£º ÿҳ4000×Ö

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find¡¡him¡¡kneeling¡¡on¡¡the¡¡brink¡¡of¡¡an¡¡opening¡¡in¡¡the¡¡floor¡£



¡¨There¡¡is¡¡a¡¡drop¡¡here¡¡of¡¡about¡¡ten¡¡feet£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡whispered¡£

¡¨Hang¡¡by¡¡your¡¡hands¡¡and¡¡you¡¡will¡¡alight¡¡safely¡¡on¡¡a¡¡level

floor¡¡of¡¡soft¡¡sand¡£¡¨



Very¡¡quietly¡¡I¡¡lowered¡¡myself¡¡from¡¡the¡¡inky¡¡cell¡¡above¡¡into¡¡the

inky¡¡pit¡¡below¡£¡¡¡¡So¡¡utterly¡¡dark¡¡was¡¡it¡¡that¡¡we¡¡could¡¡not¡¡see

our¡¡hands¡¡at¡¡an¡¡inch¡¡from¡¡our¡¡noses¡£¡¡¡¡Never£»¡¡I¡¡think£»¡¡have¡¡I¡¡known

such¡¡complete¡¡absence¡¡of¡¡light¡¡as¡¡existed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡pits¡¡of¡¡Issus¡£



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connected¡¡with¡¡an¡¡experience¡¡of¡¡that¡¡nature¡¡which¡¡is¡¡quite

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and¡¡the¡¡distance¡¡below¡¡is¡¡shrouded¡¡in¡¡darkness¡¡there¡¡is¡¡a

feeling¡¡akin¡¡to¡¡panic¡¡at¡¡the¡¡thought¡¡of¡¡releasing¡¡the¡¡hold¡¡and

taking¡¡the¡¡plunge¡¡into¡¡unknown¡¡depths¡£



Although¡¡the¡¡boy¡¡had¡¡told¡¡me¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡but¡¡ten¡¡feet¡¡to

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were¡¡hanging¡¡above¡¡a¡¡bottomless¡¡pit¡£¡¡¡¡Then¡¡I¡¡released¡¡my

hold¡¡and¡¡droppedfour¡¡feet¡¡to¡¡a¡¡soft¡¡cushion¡¡of¡¡sand¡£



The¡¡boy¡¡followed¡¡me¡£



¡¨Raise¡¡me¡¡to¡¡your¡¡shoulders£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨and¡¡I¡¡will¡¡replace¡¡the¡¡trap¡£¡¨



This¡¡done¡¡he¡¡took¡¡me¡¡by¡¡the¡¡hand£»¡¡leading¡¡me¡¡very

slowly£»¡¡with¡¡much¡¡feeling¡¡about¡¡and¡¡frequent¡¡halts¡¡to¡¡assure

himself¡¡that¡¡he¡¡did¡¡not¡¡stray¡¡into¡¡wrong¡¡passageways¡£



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¡¨It¡¡will¡¡not¡¡be¡¡long£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨before¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡have¡¡light¡£

At¡¡the¡¡lower¡¡levels¡¡we¡¡meet¡¡the¡¡same¡¡strata¡¡of¡¡phosphorescent

rock¡¡that¡¡illuminates¡¡Omean¡£¡¨



Never¡¡shall¡¡I¡¡forget¡¡that¡¡trip¡¡through¡¡the¡¡pits¡¡of¡¡Issus¡£

While¡¡it¡¡was¡¡devoid¡¡of¡¡important¡¡incidents¡¡yet¡¡it¡¡was

filled¡¡for¡¡me¡¡with¡¡a¡¡strange¡¡charm¡¡of¡¡excitement¡¡and

adventure¡¡which¡¡I¡¡think¡¡I¡¡must¡¡have¡¡hinged¡¡principally¡¡on

the¡¡unguessable¡¡antiquity¡¡of¡¡these¡¡long¡­forgotten¡¡corridors¡£

The¡¡things¡¡which¡¡the¡¡Stygian¡¡darkness¡¡hid¡¡from¡¡my¡¡objective

eye¡¡could¡¡not¡¡have¡¡been¡¡half¡¡so¡¡wonderful¡¡as¡¡the¡¡pictures

which¡¡my¡¡imagination¡¡wrought¡¡as¡¡it¡¡conjured¡¡to¡¡life¡¡again¡¡the

ancient¡¡peoples¡¡of¡¡this¡¡dying¡¡world¡¡and¡¡set¡¡them¡¡once¡¡more¡¡to

the¡¡labours£»¡¡the¡¡intrigues£»¡¡the¡¡mysteries¡¡and¡¡the¡¡cruelties

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them¡¡step¡¡by¡¡step¡¡to¡¡the¡¡uttermost¡¡pinnacle¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world

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barrier¡¡of¡¡superstition¡£



In¡¡addition¡¡to¡¡the¡¡green¡¡men¡¡there¡¡had¡¡been¡¡three¡¡principal

races¡¡upon¡¡Barsoom¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡blacks£»¡¡the¡¡whites£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡race

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seas¡¡receded£»¡¡all¡¡other¡¡resources¡¡dwindled¡¡until¡¡life¡¡upon¡¡the

planet¡¡became¡¡a¡¡constant¡¡battle¡¡for¡¡survival¡£



The¡¡various¡¡races¡¡had¡¡made¡¡war¡¡upon¡¡one¡¡another¡¡for

ages£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡three¡¡higher¡¡types¡¡had¡¡easily¡¡bested¡¡the¡¡green

savages¡¡of¡¡the¡¡water¡¡places¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world£»¡¡but¡¡now¡¡that¡¡the

receding¡¡seas¡¡necessitated¡¡constant¡¡abandonment¡¡of¡¡their

fortified¡¡cities¡¡and¡¡forced¡¡upon¡¡them¡¡a¡¡more¡¡or¡¡less¡¡nomadic

life¡¡in¡¡which¡¡they¡¡became¡¡separated¡¡into¡¡smaller¡¡communities

they¡¡soon¡¡fell¡¡prey¡¡to¡¡the¡¡fierce¡¡hordes¡¡of¡¡green¡¡men¡£

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and¡¡yellows£»¡¡the¡¡result¡¡of¡¡which¡¡is¡¡shown¡¡in¡¡the¡¡present

splendid¡¡race¡¡of¡¡red¡¡men¡£



I¡¡had¡¡always¡¡supposed¡¡that¡¡all¡¡traces¡¡of¡¡the¡¡original¡¡races

had¡¡disappeared¡¡from¡¡the¡¡face¡¡of¡¡Mars£»¡¡yet¡¡within¡¡the¡¡past

four¡¡days¡¡I¡¡had¡¡found¡¡both¡¡whites¡¡and¡¡blacks¡¡in¡¡great¡¡multitudes¡£

Could¡¡it¡¡be¡¡possible¡¡that¡¡in¡¡some¡¡far¡­off¡¡corner¡¡of¡¡the¡¡planet

there¡¡still¡¡existed¡¡a¡¡remnant¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ancient¡¡race¡¡of¡¡yellow¡¡men£¿



My¡¡reveries¡¡were¡¡broken¡¡in¡¡upon¡¡by¡¡a¡¡low¡¡exclamation¡¡from¡¡the¡¡boy¡£



¡¨At¡¡last£»¡¡the¡¡lighted¡¡way£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡cried£»¡¡and¡¡looking¡¡up¡¡I¡¡beheld

at¡¡a¡¡long¡¡distance¡¡before¡¡us¡¡a¡¡dim¡¡radiance¡£



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emerged¡¡into¡¡well¡­lighted¡¡passageways¡£¡¡¡¡From¡¡then¡¡on¡¡our

progress¡¡was¡¡rapid¡¡until¡¡we¡¡came¡¡suddenly¡¡to¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡a

corridor¡¡that¡¡let¡¡directly¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡ledge¡¡surrounding¡¡the¡¡pool

of¡¡the¡¡submarine¡£



The¡¡craft¡¡lay¡¡at¡¡her¡¡moorings¡¡with¡¡uncovered¡¡hatch¡£

Raising¡¡his¡¡finger¡¡to¡¡his¡¡lips¡¡and¡¡then¡¡tapping¡¡his¡¡sword¡¡in¡¡a

significant¡¡manner£»¡¡the¡¡youth¡¡crept¡¡noiselessly¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡vessel¡£

I¡¡was¡¡close¡¡at¡¡his¡¡heels¡£



Silently¡¡we¡¡dropped¡¡to¡¡the¡¡deserted¡¡deck£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡hands

and¡¡knees¡¡crawled¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡hatchway¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡stealthy¡¡glance

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main¡¡cabin¡¡of¡¡the¡¡submarine¡£¡¡¡¡Even¡¡here¡¡was¡¡no¡¡sign¡¡of¡¡life¡£

Quickly¡¡we¡¡covered¡¡and¡¡secured¡¡the¡¡hatch¡£



Then¡¡the¡¡boy¡¡stepped¡¡into¡¡the¡¡pilot¡¡house£»¡¡touched¡¡a¡¡button

and¡¡the¡¡boat¡¡sank¡¡amid¡¡swirling¡¡waters¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡bottom

of¡¡the¡¡shaft¡£¡¡¡¡Even¡¡then¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡scurrying¡¡of¡¡feet¡¡as

we¡¡had¡¡expected£»¡¡and¡¡while¡¡the¡¡boy¡¡remained¡¡to¡¡direct¡¡the

boat¡¡I¡¡slid¡¡from¡¡cabin¡¡to¡¡cabin¡¡in¡¡futile¡¡search¡¡for¡¡some

member¡¡of¡¡the¡¡crew¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡craft¡¡was¡¡entirely¡¡deserted¡£

Such¡¡good¡¡fortune¡¡seemed¡¡almost¡¡unbelievable¡£



When¡¡I¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡the¡¡pilot¡¡house¡¡to¡¡report¡¡the¡¡good

news¡¡to¡¡my¡¡companion¡¡he¡¡handed¡¡me¡¡a¡¡paper¡£



¡¨This¡¡may¡¡explain¡¡the¡¡absence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡crew£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said¡£



It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡radio¡­aerial¡¡message¡¡to¡¡the¡¡commander¡¡of¡¡the¡¡submarine£º





¡¨The¡¡slaves¡¡have¡¡risen¡£¡¡¡¡Come¡¡with¡¡what¡¡men¡¡you¡¡have¡¡and

those¡¡that¡¡you¡¡can¡¡gather¡¡on¡¡the¡¡way¡£¡¡¡¡Too¡¡late¡¡to¡¡get¡¡aid

from¡¡Omean¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡are¡¡massacring¡¡all¡¡within¡¡the¡¡amphitheatre¡£¡¡

Issus¡¡is¡¡threatened¡£¡¡¡¡Haste¡£



¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¨ZITHAD¡¨





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¡¨We¡¡gave¡¡them¡¡a¡¡bad¡¡scareone¡¡that¡¡they¡¡will¡¡not¡¡soon¡¡forget¡£¡¨



¡¨Let¡¡us¡¡hope¡¡that¡¡it¡¡is¡¡but¡¡the¡¡beginning¡¡of¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡Issus£»¡¨¡¡I¡¡said¡£



¡¨Only¡¡our¡¡first¡¡ancestor¡¡knows£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡replied¡£



We¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡submarine¡¡pool¡¡in¡¡Omean¡¡without¡¡incident¡£¡¡

Here¡¡we¡¡debated¡¡the¡¡wisdom¡¡of¡¡sinking¡¡the¡¡craft¡¡before

leaving¡¡her£»¡¡but¡¡finally¡¡decided¡¡that¡¡it¡¡would¡¡add¡¡nothing

to¡¡our¡¡chances¡¡for¡¡escape¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡were¡¡plenty¡¡of¡¡blacks¡¡on

Omean¡¡to¡¡thwart¡¡us¡¡were¡¡we¡¡apprehended£»¡¡however¡¡many

more¡¡might¡¡come¡¡from¡¡the¡¡temples¡¡and¡¡gardens¡¡of¡¡Issus

would¡¡not¡¡in¡¡any¡¡decrease¡¡our¡¡chances¡£



We¡¡were¡¡now¡¡in¡¡a¡¡quandary¡¡as¡¡to¡¡how¡¡to¡¡pass¡¡the¡¡guards¡¡who

patrolled¡¡the¡¡island¡¡about¡¡the¡¡pool¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡last¡¡I¡¡hit¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡plan¡£



¡¨What¡¡is¡¡the¡¡name¡¡or¡¡title¡¡of¡¡the¡¡officer¡¡in¡¡charge¡¡of¡¡these¡¡guards£¿¡¨

I¡¡asked¡¡the¡¡boy¡£



¡¨A¡¡fellow¡¡named¡¡Torith¡¡was¡¡on¡¡duty¡¡when¡¡we¡¡entered¡¡this¡¡morning£»¡¨

he¡¡replied¡£



¡¨Good¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡what¡¡is¡¡the¡¡name¡¡of¡¡the¡¡commander¡¡of¡¡the¡¡submarine£¿¡¨



¡¨Yersted¡£¡¨



I¡¡found¡¡a¡¡dispatch¡¡blank¡¡in¡¡the¡¡cabin¡¡and¡¡wrote¡¡the¡¡following¡¡order£º





¡¨Dator¡¡Torith£º¡¡Return¡¡these¡¡two¡¡slaves¡¡at¡¡once¡¡to¡¡Shador¡£



¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¨YERSTED¡¨





That¡¡will¡¡be¡¡the¡¡simpler¡¡way¡¡to¡¡return£»¡¨¡¡I¡¡said£»¡¡smiling£»¡¡as¡¡I

handed¡¡the¡¡forged¡¡order¡¡to¡¡the¡¡boy¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Come£»¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡see¡¡now

how¡¡well¡¡it¡¡works¡£¡¨



¡¨But¡¡our¡¡swords£¡¡¨¡¡he¡¡exclaimed¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨What¡¡shall¡¡we¡¡say¡¡to¡¡explain¡¡them£¿¡¨



¡¨Since¡¡we¡¡cannot¡¡explain¡¡them¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡have¡¡to¡¡leave¡¡them¡¡behind¡¡us£»¡¨

I¡¡replied¡£



¡¨Is¡¡it¡¡not¡¡the¡¡extreme¡¡of¡¡rashness¡¡to¡¡thus¡¡put¡¡ourselves¡¡again£»

unarmed£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡power¡¡of¡¡the¡¡First¡¡Born£¿¡¨



¡¨It¡¡is¡¡the¡¡only¡¡way£»¡¨¡¡I¡¡answered¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨You¡¡may¡¡trust¡¡me¡¡to¡¡find

a¡¡way¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡prison¡¡of¡¡Shador£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡think£»¡¡once¡¡out£»

that¡¡we¡¡shall¡¡find¡¡no¡¡great¡¡difficulty¡¡in¡¡arming¡¡ourselves

once¡¡more¡¡in¡¡a¡¡country¡¡which¡¡abounds¡¡so¡¡plentifully¡¡in¡¡armed¡¡men¡£¡¨



¡¨As¡¡you¡¡say£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡replied¡¡with¡¡a¡¡smile¡¡and¡¡shrug¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡could¡¡not

follow¡¡another¡¡leader¡¡who¡¡inspired¡¡greater¡¡confidence¡¡than¡¡you¡£

Come£»¡¡let¡¡us¡¡put¡¡your¡¡ruse¡¡to¡¡the¡¡test¡£¡¨



Boldly¡¡we¡¡emerged¡¡from¡¡the¡¡hatchway¡¡of¡¡the¡¡craft£»¡¡leaving

our¡¡swords¡¡behind¡¡us£»¡¡and¡¡strode¡¡to¡¡the¡¡main¡¡exit¡¡which¡¡led

to¡¡the¡¡sentry's¡¡post¡¡and¡¡the¡¡office¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Dator¡¡of¡¡the¡¡guard¡£



At¡¡sight¡¡of¡¡us¡¡the¡¡members¡¡of¡¡the¡¡guard¡¡sprang¡¡forward¡¡in

surprise£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡levelled¡¡rifles¡¡halted¡¡us¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡held¡¡out¡¡the

message¡¡to¡¡one¡¡of¡¡them¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡took¡¡it¡¡and¡¡seeing¡¡to¡¡whom

it¡¡was¡¡addressed¡¡turned¡¡and¡¡handed¡¡it¡¡to¡¡Torith¡¡who¡¡was

emerging¡¡from¡¡his¡¡office¡¡to¡¡learn¡¡the¡¡cause¡¡of¡¡the¡¡commotion¡£



The¡¡black¡¡read¡¡the¡¡order£»¡¡and¡¡for¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡eyed¡¡us¡¡with

evident¡¡suspicion¡£



¡¨Where¡¡is¡¡Dator¡¡Yersted£¿¡¨¡¡he¡¡asked£»¡¡and¡¡my¡¡heart¡¡sank

within¡¡me£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡cursed¡¡myself¡¡for¡¡a¡¡stupid¡¡fool¡¡in¡¡not¡¡having

sunk¡¡the¡¡submarine¡¡to¡¡make¡¡good¡¡the¡¡lie¡¡that¡¡I¡¡must¡¡tell¡£



¡¨His¡¡orders¡¡were¡¡to¡¡return¡¡immediately¡¡to¡¡the¡¡temple¡¡landing£»¡¨

I¡¡replied¡£



Torith¡¡took¡¡a¡¡half¡¡step¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡entrance¡¡to¡¡the¡¡pool

as¡¡though¡¡to¡¡corroborate¡¡my¡¡story¡£¡¡¡¡For¡¡that¡¡instant¡¡everything

hung¡¡in¡¡the¡¡balance£»¡¡for¡¡had¡¡he¡¡done¡¡so¡¡and¡¡found¡¡the

empty¡¡submarine¡¡still¡¡lying¡¡at¡¡her¡¡wharf¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡weak

fabric¡¡of¡¡my¡¡concoction¡¡would¡¡have¡¡tumbled¡¡about¡¡our¡¡heads£»

but¡¡evidently¡¡he¡¡decided¡¡the¡¡message¡¡must¡¡be¡¡genuine£»

nor¡¡indeed¡¡was¡¡there¡¡any¡¡good¡¡reason¡¡to¡¡doubt¡¡it¡¡since¡¡it

would¡¡scarce¡¡have¡¡seemed¡¡credible¡¡to¡¡him¡¡that¡¡two¡¡slaves

would¡¡voluntarily¡¡have¡¡given¡¡themselves¡¡into¡¡custody¡¡in¡¡any

such¡¡manner¡¡as¡¡this¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡the¡¡very¡¡boldness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡plan

which¡¡rendered¡¡it¡¡successful¡£



¡¨Were¡¡you¡¡connected¡¡with¡¡the¡¡rising¡¡of¡¡the¡¡slaves£¿¡¨¡¡asked¡¡Torith¡£

¡¨We¡¡have¡¡just¡¡had¡¡meagre¡¡reports¡¡of¡¡some¡¡such¡¡event¡£¡¨



¡¨All¡¡were¡¡involved£»¡¨¡¡I¡¡replied¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨But¡¡it¡¡amounted¡¡to¡¡little¡£

The¡¡guards¡¡quickly¡¡overcame¡¡and¡¡killed¡¡the¡¡majority¡¡of¡¡us¡£¡¨



He¡¡seemed¡¡satisfied¡¡with¡¡this¡¡reply¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Take¡¡them¡¡to¡¡Shador£»¡¨

he¡¡ordered£»¡¡turning¡¡to¡¡one¡¡of¡¡his¡¡subordinates¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡entered

a¡¡small¡¡boat¡¡lying¡¡beside¡¡the¡¡island£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡a¡¡few¡¡minutes

were¡¡disembarking¡¡upon¡¡Shador¡£¡¡¡¡Here¡¡we¡¡were¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡our

respective¡¡cells£»¡¡I¡¡with¡¡Xodar£»¡¡the¡¡boy¡¡by¡¡himself£»¡¡and¡¡behind

locked¡¡doors¡¡we¡¡were¡¡again¡¡prisoners¡¡of¡¡the¡¡First¡¡Born¡£









CHAPTER¡¡XIII





A¡¡BREAK¡¡FOR¡¡LIBERTY





Xodar¡¡listened¡¡in¡¡incredulous¡¡astonishment¡¡to¡¡my¡¡narration

of¡¡the¡¡events¡¡which¡¡had¡¡transpired¡¡within¡¡the¡¡arena¡¡at¡¡the

rites¡¡of¡¡Issus¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡could¡¡scarce¡¡conceive£»¡¡even¡¡though¡¡he¡¡had

already¡¡professed¡¡his¡¡doubt¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡deity¡¡of¡¡Issus£»¡¡that¡¡one

could¡¡

·µ»ØĿ¼ ÉÏÒ»Ò³ ÏÂÒ»Ò³ »Øµ½¶¥²¿ ÔÞ£¨0£© ²È£¨0£©

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