a princess of mars-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



silks；　and　furs　we　were　to　need；　I　slipped　quietly　to　the

rear　of　the　first　floor；　and　entered　the　courtyard；　where

our　animals　were　moving　restlessly　about；　as　was　their　habit；

before　settling　down　for　the　night。



In　the　shadows　of　the　buildings　and　out　beneath　the　radiance

of　the　Martian　moons　moved　the　great　herd　of　thoats　and

zitidars；　the　latter　grunting　their　low　gutturals　and

the　former　occasionally　emitting　the　sharp　squeal　which

denotes　the　almost　habitual　state　of　rage　in　which　these

creatures　passed　their　existence。　　They　were　quieter　now；

owing　to　the　absence　of　man；　but　as　they　scented　me　they　became

more　restless　and　their　hideous　noise　increased。　　It　was　risky

business；　this　entering　a　paddock　of　thoats　alone　and　at　night；

first；　because　their　increasing　noisiness　might　warn　the　nearby

warriors　that　something　was　amiss；　and　also　because　for　the

slightest　cause；　or　for　no　cause　at　all　some　great　bull　thoat

might　take　it　upon　himself　to　lead　a　charge　upon　me。



Having　no　desire　to　awaken　their　nasty　tempers　upon　such

a　night　as　this；　where　so　much　depended　upon　secrecy　and

dispatch；　I　hugged　the　shadows　of　the　buildings；　ready　at

an　instant's　warning　to　leap　into　the　safety　of　a　nearby

door　or　window。　　Thus　I　moved　silently　to　the　great　gates

which　opened　upon　the　street　at　the　back　of　the　court；　and

as　I　neared　the　exit　I　called　softly　to　my　two　animals。　　How

I　thanked　the　kind　providence　which　had　given　me　the　foresight

to　win　the　love　and　confidence　of　these　wild　dumb　brutes；　for

presently　from　the　far　side　of　the　court　I　saw　two　huge　bulks

forcing　their　way　toward　me　through　the　surging　mountains　of　flesh。



They　came　quite　close　to　me；　rubbing　their　muzzles

against　my　body　and　nosing　for　the　bits　of　food　it　was

always　my　practice　to　reward　them　with。　　Opening　the　gates

I　ordered　the　two　great　beasts　to　pass　out；　and　then

slipping　quietly　after　them　I　closed　the　portals　behind　me。



I　did　not　saddle　or　mount　the　animals　there；　but　instead

walked　quietly　in　the　shadows　of　the　buildings　toward　an

unfrequented　avenue　which　led　toward　the　point　I　had　arranged

to　meet　Dejah　Thoris　and　Sola。　　With　the　noiselessness

of　disembodied　spirits　we　moved　stealthily　along　the

deserted　streets；　but　not　until　we　were　within　sight　of

the　plain　beyond　the　city　did　I　commence　to　breathe　freely。

I　was　sure　that　Sola　and　Dejah　Thoris　would　find　no　difficulty

in　reaching　our　rendezvous　undetected；　but　with　my　great　thoats

I　was　not　so　sure　for　myself；　as　it　was　quite　unusual　for　warriors

to　leave　the　city　after　dark；　in　fact　there　was　no　place　for　them

to　go　within　any　but　a　long　ride。



I　reached　the　appointed　meeting　place　safely；　but　as　Dejah

Thoris　and　Sola　were　not　there　I　led　my　animals　into　the

entrance　hall　of　one　of　the　large　buildings。　　Presuming　that

one　of　the　other　women　of　the　same　household　may　have

come　in　to　speak　to　Sola；　and　so　delayed　their　departure；

I　did　not　feel　any　undue　apprehension　until　nearly　an　hour

had　passed　without　a　sign　of　them；　and　by　the　time　another

half　hour　had　crawled　away　I　was　becoming　filled　with　grave

anxiety。　　Then　there　broke　upon　the　stillness　of　the　night

the　sound　of　an　approaching　party；　which；　from　the　noise；　I

knew　could　be　no　fugitives　creeping　stealthily　toward　liberty。

Soon　the　party　was　near　me；　and　from　the　black　shadows　of　my

entranceway　I　perceived　a　score　of　mounted　warriors；　who；

in　passing；　dropped　a　dozen　words　that　fetched　my　heart　clean

into　the　top　of　my　head。



〃He　would　likely　have　arranged　to　meet　them　just　without

the　city；　and　so〃　　I　heard　no　more；　they　had　passed　on；

but　it　was　enough。　　Our　plan　had　been　discovered；　and

the　chances　for　escape　from　now　on　to　the　fearful　end

would　be　small　indeed。　　My　one　hope　now　was　to　return

undetected　to　the　quarters　of　Dejah　Thoris　and　learn　what

fate　had　overtaken　her；　but　how　to　do　it　with　these　great

monstrous　thoats　upon　my　hands；　now　that　the　city　probably

was　aroused　by　the　knowledge　of　my　escape　was　a　problem

of　no　mean　proportions。



Suddenly　an　idea　occurred　to　me；　and　acting　on　my　knowledge

of　the　construction　of　the　buildings　of　these　ancient

Martian　cities　with　a　hollow　court　within　the　center　of　each

square；　I　groped　my　way　blindly　through　the　dark　chambers；

calling　the　great　thoats　after　me。　　They　had　difficulty　in

negotiating　some　of　the　doorways；　but　as　the　buildings　fronting

the　city's　principal　exposures　were　all　designed　upon　a

magnificent　scale；　they　were　able　to　wriggle　through　without

sticking　fast；　and　thus　we　finally　made　the　inner　court　where

I　found；　as　I　had　expected；　the　usual　carpet　of　moss…like

vegetation　which　would　prove　their　food　and　drink　until　I

could　return　them　to　their　own　enclosure。　　That　they　would

be　as　quiet　and　contented　here　as　elsewhere　I　was　confident；

nor　was　there　but　the　remotest　possibility　that　they　would

be　discovered；　as　the　green　men　had　no　great　desire　to　enter

these　outlying　buildings；　which　were　frequented　by　the

only　thing；　I　believe；　which　caused　them　the　sensation　of

fearthe　great　white　apes　of　Barsoom。



Removing　the　saddle　trappings；　I　hid　them　just　within

the　rear　doorway　of　the　building　through　which　we　had

entered　the　court；　and；　turning　the　beasts　loose；　quickly

made　my　way　across　the　court　to　the　rear　of　the　buildings

upon　the　further　side；　and　thence　to　the　avenue　beyond。

Waiting　in　the　doorway　of　the　building　until　I　was　assured

that　no　one　was　approaching；　I　hurried　across　to　the　opposite

side　and　through　the　first　doorway　to　the　court　beyond；

thus；　crossing　through　court　after　court　with　only　the　slight

chance　of　detection　which　the　necessary　crossing　of　the

avenues　entailed；　I　made　my　way　in　safety　to　the　courtyard

in　the　rear　of　Dejah　Thoris'　quarters。



Here；　of　course；　I　found　the　beasts　of　the　warriors　who

quartered　in　the　adjacent　buildings；　and　the　warriors

themselves　I　might　expect　to　meet　within　if　I　entered；　but；

fortunately　for　me；　I　had　another　and　safer　method　of　reaching

the　upper　story　where　Dejah　Thoris　should　be　found；　and；

after　first　determining　as　nearly　as　possible　which　of　the

buildings　she　occupied；　for　I　had　never　observed　them　before

from　the　court　side；　I　took　advantage　of　my　relatively　great

strength　and　agility　and　sprang　upward　until　I　grasped　the

sill　of　a　second…story　window　which　I　thought　to　be　in　the

rear　of　her　apartment。　　Drawing　myself　inside　the　room　I

moved　stealthily　toward　the　front　of　the　building；　and　not

until　I　had　quite　reached　the　doorway　of　her　room　was　I

made　aware　by　voices　that　it　was　occupied。



I　did　not　rush　headlong　in；　but　listened　without　to　assure

myself　that　it　was　Dejah　Thoris　and　that　it　was　safe　to

venture　within。　　It　was　well　indeed　that　I　took　this　precaution；

for　the　conversation　I　heard　was　in　the　low　gutturals　of　men；

and　the　words　which　finally　came　to　me　proved　a　most　timely　warning。

The　speaker　was　a　chieftain　and　he　was　giving　orders　to　four　of

his　warriors。



〃And　when　he　returns　to　this　chamber；〃　he　was　saying；　〃as　he

surely　will　when　he　finds　she　does　not　meet　him　at　the　city's　edge；

you　four　are　to　spring　upon　him　and　disarm　him。　　It　will　require

the　combined　strength　of　all　of　you　to　do　it　if　the　reports　they

bring　back　from　Korad　are　correct。　　When　you　have　him　fast　bound

bear　him　to　the　vaults　beneath　the　jeddak's　quarters　and　chain

him　securely　where　he　may　be　found　when　Tal　Hajus　wishes　him。

Allow　him　to　speak　with　none；　nor　permit　any　other　to　enter

this　apartment　before　he　comes。　　There　will　be　no　danger　of

the　girl　returning；　for　by　this　time　she　is　safe　in　the　arms

of　Tal　Hajus；　and　may　all　her　ancestors　have　pity　upon　her；

for　Tal　Hajus　will　have　none；　the　great　Sarkoja　has　done　a

noble　night's　work。　　I　go；　and　if　you　fail　to　capture　him　when

he　comes；　I　commend　your　carcasses　to　the　cold　bosom　of　Iss。〃









CHAPTER　XVII





A　COSTLY　RECAPTURE





As　the　speaker　ceased　he　turned　to　leave　the　apartment　by

the　door　where　I　was　standing；　but　I　needed　to　wait　no

longer；　I　had　heard　enough　to　fill　my　soul　with　dread；　and

stealing　quietly　away　I　returned　to　the　courtyard　by　the

way　I　had　come。　　My　plan　of　action　was　formed　upon　the

instant；　and　crossing　the　square　and　the　bordering　avenue

upon　the　opposite　side　I　soon　stood　within　the　courtyard

of　Tal　Hajus。



The　brilliantly　lighted　apartments　of　the　first　floor　told

me　where　first　to　seek；　and　advancing　to　the　windows　I

peered　within。　　I　soon　discovered　that　my　approach　was　not

to　be　the　easy　thing　I　had　hoped；　for　the　rear　rooms　bordering

the　court　were　filled　with　warriors　and　women。　　I　then

glanced　up　at　the　stories　above；　discovering　that　the　third

was　apparently　unlighted；　and　so　decided　to　make　my　entrance

to　the　building　from　that　point。　　It　was　the　work　of

but　a　moment　for　me　to　reach　the　windows　above；　and

soon　I　had　drawn　myself　within　the　sheltering　shadows　of

the　unlighted　third　floor。



Fortunately　the　room　I　had　selected　was　untenanted；　and

creeping　noiselessly　to　the　corridor　beyond　I　discovered

a　light　in　the　apartments　ahead　of　me。　　Reaching　what

appeared　to　be　a　doorway　I　discovered　that　it　was　but　an

opening　upon　an　immense　inner　chamber　which　towered　from

the　first　floor；　two　stories　below　me；　to　the　dome…like　roof

of　the　building；　high　above　my　head。　　The　floor　of　this

great　circular　hall　was　thronged　with　chieftains；　warriors

and　women；　and　at　one　end　was　a　great　raised　platform

upon　which　squatted　the　most　hideous　beast　I　had　ever　put

my　eyes　upon。　　He　had　all　the　cold；　hard；　cruel；　terrible

features　of　the　green　warriors；　but　accentuated　and　debased

by　the　animal　passions　to　which　he　had　given　himself　over

for　many　years。　　There　was　not　a　mark　of　dignity　or　pride

upon　his　bestial　countenance；　while　his　enormous　bulk　spread

itself　out　upon　the　platform　where　he　squatt