the gods of mars-第42部分

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I　did　not　remind　Kantos　Kan　of　the　terrible　fact　that　ere

we　could　hope　to　enter　the　Temple　of　Issus；　the　Princess

of　Helium　would　be　no　more。　　In　so　far　as　I　knew　she　might

be　already　dead；　for　I　did　not　know　the　exact　date　on　which

she　first　viewed　Issus。



What　now　the　value　of　burdening　my　friends　with　my

added　personal　sorrowsthey　had　shared　quite　enough　of

them　with　me　in　the　past。　　Hereafter　I　would　keep　my　grief

to　myself；　and　so　I　said　nothing　to　any　other　of　the　fact

that　we　were　too　late。　　The　expedition　could　yet　do　much

if　it　could　but　teach　the　people　of　Barsoom　the　facts　of

the　cruel　deception　that　had　been　worked　upon　them　for

countless　ages；　and　thus　save　thousands　each　year　from　the

horrid　fate　that　awaited　them　at　the　conclusion　of　the

voluntary　pilgrimage。



If　it　could　open　to　the　red　men　the　fair　Valley　Dor　it

would　have　accomplished　much；　and　in　the　Land　of　Lost

Souls　between　the　Mountains　of　Otz　and　the　ice　barrier

were　many　broad　acres　that　needed　no　irrigation　to　bear

rich　harvests。



Here　at　the　bottom　of　a　dying　world　was　the　only　naturally

productive　area　upon　its　surface。　　Here　alone　were　dews

and　rains；　here　alone　was　an　open　sea；　here　was　water　in

plenty；　and　all　this　was　but　the　stamping　ground　of　fierce

brutes　and　from　its　beauteous　and　fertile　expanse　the

wicked　remnants　of　two　once　mighty　races　barred　all　the

other　millions　of　Barsoom。　　Could　I　but　succeed　in　once

breaking　down　the　barrier　of　religious　superstition　which

had　kept　the　red　races　from　this　El　Dorado　it　would　be

a　fitting　memorial　to　the　immortal　virtues　of　my　PrincessI

should　have　again　served　Barsoom　and　Dejah　Thoris'　martyrdom

would　not　have　been　in　vain。



On　the　morning　of　the　second　day　we　raised　the　great

fleet　of　transports　and　their　consorts　at　the　first　flood

of　dawn；　and　soon　were　near　enough　to　exchange　signals。

I　may　mention　here　that　radio…aerograms　are　seldom　if

ever　used　in　war　time；　or　for　the　transmission　of　secret

dispatches　at　any　time；　for　as　often　as　one　nation　discovers

a　new　cipher；　or　invents　a　new　instrument　for　wireless

purposes　its　neighbours　bend　every　effort　until　they　are

able　to　intercept　and　translate　the　messages。　　For　so　long

a　time　has　this　gone　on　that　practically　every　possibility

of　wireless　communication　has　been　exhausted　and　no　nation

dares　transmit　dispatches　of　importance　in　this　way。



Tars　Tarkas　reported　all　well　with　the　transports。　　The

battleships　passed　through　to　take　an　advanced　position；

and　the　combined　fleets　moved　slowly　over　the　ice　cap；

hugging　the　surface　closely　to　prevent　detection　by　the

therns　whose　land　we　were　approaching。



Far　in　advance　of　all　a　thin　line　of　one…man　air　scouts

protected　us　from　surprise；　and　on　either　side　they　flanked

us；　while　a　smaller　number　brought　up　the　rear　some

twenty　miles　behind　the　transports。　　In　this　formation　we

had　progressed　toward　the　entrance　to　Omean　for　several

hours　when　one　of　our　scouts　returned　from　the　front　to

report　that　the　cone…like　summit　of　the　entrance　was　in

sight。　　At　almost　the　same　instant　another　scout　from　the

left　flank　came　racing　toward　the　flagship。



His　very　speed　bespoke　the　importance　of　his　information。　

Kantos　Kan　and　I　awaited　him　upon　the　little　forward　deck

which　corresponds　with　the　bridge　of　earthly　battleships。

Scarcely　had　his　tiny　flier　come　to　rest　upon　the　broad

landing…deck　of　the　flagship　ere　he　was　bounding　up　the

stairway　to　the　deck　where　we　stood。



〃A　great　fleet　of　battleships　south…south…east；　my　Prince；〃

he　cried。　　〃There　must　be　several　thousands　and　they　are

bearing　down　directly　upon　us。〃



〃The　thern　spies　were　not　in　the　palace　of　John　Carter

for　nothing；〃　said　Kantos　Kan　to　me。　　〃Your　orders；　Prince。〃



〃Dispatch　ten　battleships　to　guard　the　entrance　to　Omean；

with　orders　to　let　no　hostile　enter　or　leave　the　shaft。

That　will　bottle　up　the　great　fleet　of　the　First　Born。



〃Form　the　balance　of　the　battleships　into　a　great　V　with　the

apex　pointing　directly　south…south…east。　　Order　the　transports；

surrounded　by　their　convoys；　to　follow　closely　in　the　wake　of

the　battleships　until　the　point　of　the　V　has　entered　the

enemies'　line；　then　the　V　must　open　outward　at　the　apex；

the　battleships　of　each　leg　engage　the　enemy　fiercely　and

drive　him　back　to　form　a　lane　through　his　line　into　which　the

transports　with　their　convoys　must　race　at　top　speed　that　they

may　gain　a　position　above　the　temples　and　gardens　of　the　therns。



〃Here　let　them　land　and　teach　the　Holy　Therns　such　a

lesson　in　ferocious　warfare　as　they　will　not　forget　for

countless　ages。　　It　had　not　been　my　intention　to　be

distracted　from　the　main　issue　of　the　campaign；　but　we　must

settle　this　attack　with　the　therns　once　and　for　all；　or　there

will　be　no　peace　for　us　while　our　fleet　remains　near　Dor；

and　our　chances　of　ever　returning　to　the　outer　world　will

be　greatly　minimized。〃



Kantos　Kan　saluted　and　turned　to　deliver　my　instructions

to　his　waiting　aides。　　In　an　incredibly　short　space　of　time

the　formation　of　the　battleships　changed　in　accordance　with

my　commands；　the　ten　that　were　to　guard　the　way　to

Omean　were　speeding　toward　their　destination；　and　the

troopships　and　convoys　were　closing　up　in　preparation　for

the　spurt　through　the　lane。



The　order　of　full　speed　ahead　was　given；　the　fleet　sprang

through　the　air　like　coursing　greyhounds；　and　in　another

moment　the　ships　of　the　enemy　were　in　full　view。　　They

formed　a　ragged　line　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　in

either　direction　and　about　three　ships　deep。　　So　sudden　was

our　onslaught　that　they　had　no　time　to　prepare　for　it。　　It　was

as　unexpected　as　lightning　from　a　clear　sky。



Every　phase　of　my　plan　worked　splendidly。　　Our　huge

ships　mowed　their　way　entirely　through　the　line　of　thern

battlecraft；　then　the　V　opened　up　and　a　broad　lane　appeared

through　which　the　transports　leaped　toward　the　temples　of

the　therns　which　could　now　be　plainly　seen　glistening　in　the

sunlight。　　By　the　time　the　therns　had　rallied　from　the　attack　a

hundred　thousand　green　warriors　were　already　pouring

through　their　courts　and　gardens；　while　a　hundred　and　fifty

thousand　others　leaned　from　low　swinging　transports　to　direct

their　almost　uncanny　marksmanship　upon　the　thern　soldiery

that　manned　the　ramparts；　or　attempted　to　defend　the　temples。



Now　the　two　great　fleets　closed　in　a　titanic　struggle

far　above　the　fiendish　din　of　battle　in　the　gorgeous　gardens

of　the　therns。　　Slowly　the　two　lines　of　Helium's　battleships

joined　their　ends；　and　then　commenced　the　circling　within

the　line　of　the　enemy　which　is　so　marked　a　characteristic　of

Barsoomian　naval　warfare。



Around　and　around　in　each　other's　tracks　moved　the　ships　under

Kantos　Kan；　until　at　length　they　formed　nearly　a　perfect　circle。

By　this　time　they　were　moving　at　high　speed　so　that　they　presented

a　difficult　target　for　the　enemy。　　Broadside　after　broadside　they

delivered　as　each　vessel　came　in　line　with　the　ships　of　the　therns。

The　latter　attempted　to　rush　in　and　break　up　the　formation；　but　it

was　like　stopping　a　buzz　saw　with　the　bare　hand。



From　my　position　on　the　deck　beside　Kantos　Kan　I　saw

ship　after　ship　of　the　enemy　take　the　awful；　sickening　dive

which　proclaims　its　total　destruction。　　Slowly　we　manoeuvered

our　circle　of　death　until　we　hung　above　the　gardens　where

our　green　warriors　were　engaged。　　The　order　was　passed　down

for　them　to　embark。　　Then　they　rose　slowly　to　a　position　within

the　centre　of　the　circle。



In　the　meantime　the　therns'　fire　had　practically　ceased。

They　had　had　enough　of　us　and　were　only　too　glad　to　let

us　go　on　our　way　in　peace。　　But　our　escape　was　not　to　be

encompassed　with　such　ease；　for　scarcely　had　we　gotten

under　way　once　more　in　the　direction　of　the　entrance　to

Omean　than　we　saw　far　to　the　north　a　great　black　line　topping

the　horizon。　　It　could　be　nothing　other　than　a　fleet　of　war。



Whose　or　whither　bound；　we　could　not　even　conjecture。

When　they　had　come　close　enough　to　make　us　out　at　all；

Kantos　Kan's　operator　received　a　radio…aerogram；　which

he　immediately　handed　to　my　companion。　　He　read　the　thing

and　handed　it　to　me。



〃Kantos　Kan：〃　it　read。　　〃Surrender；　in　the　name　of　the

Jeddak　of　Helium；　for　you　cannot　escape；〃　and　it　was

signed；　〃Zat　Arras。〃



The　therns　must　have　caught　and　translated　the　message

almost　as　soon　as　did　we；　for　they　immediately　renewed

hostilities　when　they　realized　that　we　were　soon　to　be　set

upon　by　other　enemies。



Before　Zat　Arras　had　approached　near　enough　to　fire　a

shot　we　were　again　hotly　engaged　with　the　thern　fleet；　and

as　soon　as　he　drew　near　he　too　commenced　to　pour　a

terrific　fusillade　of　heavy　shot　into　us。　　Ship　after　ship　reeled

and　staggered　into　uselessness　beneath　the　pitiless　fire　that

we　were　undergoing。



The　thing　could　not　last　much　longer。　　I　ordered　the　transports

to　descend　again　into　the　gardens　of　the　therns。



〃Wreak　your　vengeance　to　the　utmost；〃　was　my　message

to　the　green　allies；　〃for　by　night　there　will　be　none　left　to

avenge　your　wrongs。〃



Presently　I　saw　the　ten　battleships　that　had　been　ordered

to　hold　the　shaft　of　Omean。　　They　were　returning　at　full

speed；　firing　their　stern　batteries　almost　continuously。　　There

could　be　but　one　explanation。　　They　were　being　pursued　by

another　hostile　fleet。　　Well；　the　situation　could　be　no　worse。

The　expedition　already　was　doomed。　　No　man　that　had

embarked　upon　it　would　return　across　that　dreary　ice　cap。

How　I　wished　that　I　fight　face　Zat　Arras　with　my　longsword

for　just　an　instant　before　I　died！　　It　was　he　who　had

caused　our　failure。



As　I　watched　the　oncoming　ten　I　saw　their　pursuers　race

swiftly　into　sight。　　It　was　another　great　fleet；　for　a　moment

I　could　not　believe　my　eyes；　but　finally　I　was　forced　to

admit　that　the　most　fatal　calamity　had　overtaken