the gods of mars-第29部分

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backward　by　the　impact　of　my　smaller　vessel。　　Her　crew　fell

twisting　and　screaming　through　the　air　to　the　water　far　below；

while　the　cruiser；　her　propellers　still　madly　churning；　dived

swiftly　headforemost　after　them　to　the　bottom　of　the　Sea　of　Omean。



The　collision　crushed　our　steel　bows；　and　notwithstanding

every　effort　on　our　part　came　near　to　hurling　us　from　the

deck。　　As　it　was　we　landed　in　a　wildly　clutching　heap　at　the

very　extremity　of　the　flier；　where　Xodar　and　I　succeeded　in

grasping　the　hand…rail；　but　the　boy　would　have　plunged

overboard　had　I　not　fortunately　grasped　his　ankle　as　he

was　already　partially　over。



Unguided；　our　vessel　careened　wildly　in　its　mad　flight；

rising　ever　nearer　the　rocks　above。　　It　took　but　an　instant；

however；　for　me　to　regain　the　levers；　and　with　the　roof　barely

fifty　feet　above　I　turned　her　nose　once　more　into　the　horizontal

plane　and　headed　her　again　for　the　black　mouth　of　the　shaft。



The　collision　had　retarded　our　progress　and　now　a　hundred

swift　scouts　were　close　upon　us。　　Xodar　had　told　me

that　ascending　the　shaft　by　virtue　of　our　repulsive　rays　alone

would　give　our　enemies　their　best　chance　to　overtake　us；

since　our　propellers　would　be　idle　and　in　rising　we　would　be

outclassed　by　many　of　our　pursuers。　　The　swifter　craft　are

seldom　equipped　with　large　buoyancy　tanks；　since　the　added

bulk　of　them　tends　to　reduce　a　vessel's　speed。



As　many　boats　were　now　quite　close　to　us　it　was　inevitable

that　we　would　be　quickly　overhauled　in　the　shaft；　and　captured

or　killed　in　short　order。



To　me　there　always　seems　a　way　to　gain　the　opposite

side　of　an　obstacle。　　If　one　cannot　pass　over　it；　or　below　it；

or　around　it；　why　then　there　is　but　a　single　alternative　left；

and　that　is　to　pass　through　it。　　I　could　not　get　around　the

fact　that　many　of　these　other　boats　could　rise　faster　than

ours　by　the　fact　of　their　greater　buoyancy；　but　I　was　none

the　less　determined　to　reach　the　outer　world　far　in　advance

of　them　or　die　a　death　of　my　own　choosing　in　event　of　failure。



〃Reverse？〃　screamed　Xodar；　behind　me。　　〃For　the　love　of

your　first　ancestor；　reverse。　　We　are　at　the　shaft。〃



〃Hold　tight！〃　I　screamed　in　reply。　　〃Grasp　the　boy　and

hold　tightwe　are　going　straight　up　the　shaft。〃



The　words　were　scarce　out　of　my　mouth　as　we　swept　beneath

the　pitch…black　opening。　　I　threw　the　bow　hard　up；

dragged　the　speed　lever　to　its　last　notch；　and　clutching　a

stanchion　with　one　hand　and　the　steering…wheel　with　the　other

hung　on　like　grim　death　and　consigned　my　soul　to　its　author。



I　heard　a　little　exclamation　of　surprise　from　Xodar；　followed

by　a　grim　laugh。　　The　boy　laughed　too　and　said　something　which

I　could　not　catch　for　the　whistling　of　the　wind　of　our　awful　speed。



I　looked　above　my　head；　hoping　to　catch　the　gleam　of　stars　by

which　I　could　direct　our　course　and　hold　the　hurtling　thing

that　bore　us　true　to　the　centre　of　the　shaft。　　To　have

touched　the　side　at　the　speed　we　were　making　would　doubtless

have　resulted　in　instant　death　for　us　all。　　But　not　a　star

showed　aboveonly　utter　and　impenetrable　darkness。



Then　I　glanced　below　me；　and　there　I　saw　a　rapidly

diminishing　circle　of　lightthe　mouth　of　the　opening　above

the　phosphorescent　radiance　of　Omean。　　By　this　I　steered；

endeavouring　to　keep　the　circle　of　light　below　me　ever　perfect。

At　best　it　was　but　a　slender　cord　that　held　us　from　destruction；

and　I　think　that　I　steered　that　night　more　by　intuition　and　blind

faith　than　by　skill　or　reason。



We　were　not　long　in　the　shaft；　and　possibly　the　very　fact

of　our　enormous　speed　saved　us；　for　evidently　we　started　in

the　right　direction　and　so　quickly　were　we　out　again　that

we　had　no　time　to　alter　our　course。　　Omean　lies　perhaps　two

miles　below　the　surface　crust　of　Mars。　　Our　speed　must　have

approximated　two　hundred　miles　an　hour；　for　Martian　fliers　are

swift；　so　that　at　most　we　were　in　the　shaft　not　over　forty　seconds。



We　must　have　been　out　of　it　for　some　seconds　before　I

realised　that　we　had　accomplished　the　impossible。　　Black

darkness　enshrouded　all　about　us。　　There　were　neither　moons

nor　stars。　　Never　before　had　I　seen　such　a　thing　upon　Mars；

and　for　the　moment　I　was　nonplussed。　　Then　the　explanation

came　to　me。　　It　was　summer　at　the　south　pole。　　The　ice　cap

was　melting　and　those　meteoric　phenomena；　clouds；　unknown

upon　the　greater　part　of　Barsoom；　were　shutting　out　the　light

of　heaven　from　this　portion　of　the　planet。



Fortunate　indeed　it　was　for　us；　nor　did　it　take　me　long　to

grasp　the　opportunity　for　escape　which　this　happy　condition

offered　us。　　Keeping　the　boat's　nose　at　a　stiff　angle　I　raced　her

for　the　impenetrable　curtain　which　Nature　had　hung　above　this　dying

world　to　shut　us　out　from　the　sight　of　our　pursuing　enemies。



We　plunged　through　the　cold　camp　fog　without　diminishing

our　speed；　and　in　a　moment　emerged　into　the　glorious

light　of　the　two　moons　and　the　million　stars。　　I　dropped　into

a　horizontal　course　and　headed　due　north。　　Our　enemies　were

a　good　half…hour　behind　us　with　no　conception　of　our　direction。　

We　had　performed　the　miraculous　and　come　through　a　thousand

dangers　unscathedwe　had　escaped　from　the　land　of　the　First　Born。

No　other　prisoners　in　all　the　ages　of　Barsoom　had　done　this　thing；

and　now　as　I　looked　back　upon　it　it　did　not　seem　to　have　been　so

difficult　after　all。



I　said　as　much　to　Xodar；　over　my　shoulder。



〃It　is　very　wonderful；　nevertheless；〃　he　replied。

〃No　one　else　could　have　accomplished　it　but　John　Carter。〃



At　the　sound　of　that　name　the　boy　jumped　to　his　feet。



〃John　Carter！〃　he　cried。　　〃John　Carter！　　Why；　man；　John　Carter；

Prince　of　Helium；　has　been　dead　for　years。　　I　am　his　son。〃









CHAPTER　XIV





THE　EYES　IN　THE　DARK





My　son！　　I　could　not　believe　my　ears。　　Slowly　I　rose　and　faced

the　handsome　youth。　　Now　that　I　looked　at　him　closely　I

commenced　to　see　why　his　face　and　personality　had　attracted

me　so　strongly。　　There　was　much　of　his　mother's　incomparable

beauty　in　his　clear…cut　features；　but　it　was　strongly

masculine　beauty；　and　his　grey　eyes　and　the　expression　of

them　were　mine。



The　boy　stood　facing　me；　half　hope　and　half　uncertainty

in　his　look。



〃Tell　me　of　your　mother；〃　I　said。　　〃Tell　me　all　you　can　of

the　years　that　I　have　been　robbed　by　a　relentless　fate　of　her

dear　companionship。〃



With　a　cry　of　pleasure　he　sprang　toward　me　and　threw　his

arms　about　my　neck；　and　for　a　brief　moment　as　I　held　my

boy　close　to　me　the　tears　welled　to　my　eyes　and　I　was

like　to　have　choked　after　the　manner　of　some　maudlin

foolbut　I　do　not　regret　it；　nor　am　I　ashamed。　　A　long　life

has　taught　me　that　a　man　may　seem　weak　where　women

and　children　are　concerned　and　yet　be　anything　but　a

weakling　in　the　sterner　avenues　of　life。



〃Your　stature；　your　manner；　the　terrible　ferocity　of

your　swordsmanship；〃　said　the　boy；　〃are　as　my　mother　has

described　them　to　me　a　thousand　timesbut　even　with　such

evidence　I　could　scarce　credit　the　truth　of　what　seemed

so　improbable　to　me；　however　much　I　desired　it　to　be　true。

Do　you　know　what　thing　it　was　that　convinced　me　more　than

all　the　others？〃



〃What；　my　boy？〃　I　asked。



〃Your　first　words　to　methey　were　of　my　mother。　　None

else　but　the　man　who　loved　her　as　she　has　told　me　my　father

did　would　have　thought　first　of　her。〃



〃For　long　years；　my　son；　I　can　scarce　recall　a　moment

that　the　radiant　vision　of　your　mother's　face　has　not　been

ever　before　me。　　Tell　me　of　her。〃



〃Those　who　have　known　her　longest　say　that　she　has　not

changed；　unless　it　be　to　grow　more　beautifulwere　that

possible。　　Only；　when　she　thinks　I　am　not　about　to　see　her；

her　face　grows　very　sad；　and；　oh；　so　wistful。　　She　thinks　ever

of　you；　my　father；　and　all　Helium　mourns　with　her　and　for


her。　　Her　grandfather's　people　love　her。　　They　loved　you　also；

and　fairly　worship　your　memory　as　the　saviour　of　Barsoom。



〃Each　year　that　brings　its　anniversary　of　the　day　that　saw

you　racing　across　a　near　dead　world　to　unlock　the　secret　of

that　awful　portal　behind　which　lay　the　mighty　power　of　life

for　countless　millions　a　great　festival　is　held　in　your　honour；

but　there　are　tears　mingled　with　the　thanksgivingtears　of

real　regret　that　the　author　of　the　happiness　is　not　with　them

to　share　the　joy　of　living　he　died　to　give　them。　　Upon　all

Barsoom　there　is　no　greater　name　than　John　Carter。〃



〃And　by　what　name　has　your　mother　called　you；　my　boy？〃

I　asked。



〃The　people　of　Helium　asked　that　I　be　named　with　my

father's　name；　but　my　mother　said　no；　that　you　and　she　had

chosen　a　name　for　me　together；　and　that　your　wish　must　be

honoured　before　all　others；　so　the　name　that　she　called　me

is　the　one　that　you　desired；　a　combination　of　hers　and

yoursCarthoris。〃



Xodar　had　been　at　the　wheel　as　I　talked　with　my　son；

and　now　he　called　me。



〃She　is　dropping　badly　by　the　head；　John　Carter；〃　he　said。

〃So　long　as　we　were　rising　at　a　stiff　angle　it　was　not

noticeable；　but　now　that　I　am　trying　to　keep　a　horizontal

course　it　is　different。　　The　wound　in　her　bow　has　opened

one　of　her　forward　ray　tanks。〃



It　was　true；　and　after　I　had　examined　the　damage　I　found

it　a　much　graver　matter　than　I　had　anticipated。　　Not　only　was

the　forced　angle　at　which　we　were　compelled　to　maintain

the　bow　in　order　to　keep　a　horizontal　course　greatly　impeding

our　speed；　but　at　the　rate　that　we　were　losing　our　repulsive

rays　from　the　forward　tanks　it　was　but　a　question　of　an　hour

or　more　when　we　would　be　floating　stern　up　and　helpless。



We　had　slightly　reduced　our　speed　with　the　dawning　of　a

sense　of　security；　but　now　I　took　the　helm　once　more　and

pulled　the　noble　little　engine　wide　open；　so　that　again　we

raced　north　at　terrific　velocity。　　In　the　meantime　Carthoris

and　Xodar　with　tools　in　hand　were　puttering　with　the　great

rent　in　the　bow　in　a　hopeles