warlord of mars-第11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！



　

All　the　balance　of　the　night　they　kept　up　their　infernal　din；

but　why　they　did　not　attack　us　I　could　not　guess；　nor　am　I　sure　to

this　day；　unless　it　is　that　none　of　them　ever　venture　upon　the

patches　of　scarlet　sward　which　dot　the　swamp。

　

When　morning　broke　they　were　still　there；　walking　about　as　in

a　circle；　but　always　just　beyond　the　edge　of　the　sward。　　A　more

terrifying　aggregation　of　fierce　and　blood…thirsty　monsters　it

would　be　difficult　to　imagine。

　

Singly　and　in　pairs　they　commenced　wandering　off　into　the

jungle　shortly　after　sunrise；　and　when　the　last　of　them　had

departed　Woola　and　I　resumed　our　journey。

　

Occasionally　we　caught　glimpses　of　horrid　beasts　all　during　the　day；

but；　fortunately；　we　were　never　far　from　a　sward　island；　and　when

they　saw　us　their　pursuit　always　ended　at　the　verge　of　the　solid　sod。

　

Toward　noon　we　stumbled　upon　a　well…constructed　road　running

in　the　general　direction　we　had　been　pursuing。　　Everything　about

this　highway　marked　it　as　the　work　of　skilled　engineers；　and　I　was

confident；　from　the　indications　of　antiquity　which　it　bore；　as　well

as　from　the　very　evident　signs　of　its　being　still　in　everyday　use；

that　it　must　lead　to　one　of　the　principal　cities　of　Kaol。

　

Just　as　we　entered　it　from　one　side　a　huge　monster　emerged　from　the

jungle　upon　the　other；　and　at　sight　of　us　charged　madly　in　our　direction。

　

Imagine；　if　you　can；　a　bald…faced　hornet　of　your　earthly　experience

grown　to　the　size　of　a　prize　Hereford　bull；　and　you　will　have　some

faint　conception　of　the　ferocious　appearance　and　awesome　formidability

of　the　winged　monster　that　bore　down　upon　me。

　

Frightful　jaws　in　front　and　mighty；　poisoned　sting　behind　made　my

relatively　puny　long…sword　seem　a　pitiful　weapon　of　defense　indeed。

Nor　could　I　hope　to　escape　the　lightning…like　movements　or　hide

from　those　myriad　facet　eyes　which　covered　three…fourths　of　the

hideous　head；　permitting　the　creature　to　see　in　all　directions

at　one　and　the　same　time。

　

Even　my　powerful　and　ferocious　Woola　was　as　helpless　as　a　kitten

before　that　frightful　thing。　　But　to　flee　were　useless；　even　had

it　ever　been　to　my　liking　to　turn　my　back　upon　a　danger；　so　I　stood

my　ground；　Woola　snarling　at　my　side；　my　only　hope　to　die　as

I　had　always　livedfighting。

　

The　creature　was　upon　us　now；　and　at　the　instant　there　seemed

to　me　a　single　slight　chance　for　victory。　　If　I　could　but　remove

the　terrible　menace　of　certain　death　hidden　in　the　poison　sacs

that　fed　the　sting　the　struggle　would　be　less　unequal。

　

At　the　thought　I　called　to　Woola　to　leap　upon　the　creature's

head　and　hang　there；　and　as　his　mighty　jaws　closed　upon　that

fiendish　face；　and　glistening　fangs　buried　themselves　in　the　bone

and　cartilage　and　lower　part　of　one　of　the　huge　eyes；　I　dived

beneath　the　great　body　as　the　creature　rose；　dragging　Woola　from

the　ground；　that　it　might　bring　its　sting　beneath　and　pierce　the

body　of　the　thing　hanging　to　its　head。

　

To　put　myself　in　the　path　of　that　poison…laden　lance　was　to　court

instant　death；　but　it　was　the　only　way；　and　as　the　thing　shot

lightning…like　toward　me　I　swung　my　long…sword　in　a　terrific　cut

that　severed　the　deadly　member　close　to　the　gorgeously　marked　body。

　

Then；　like　a　battering…ram；　one　of　the　powerful　hind　legs　caught

me　full　in　the　chest　and　hurled　me；　half　stunned　and　wholly　winded；

clear　across　the　broad　highway　and　into　the　underbrush　of　the

jungle　that　fringes　it。

　

Fortunately；　I　passed　between　the　boles　of　trees；　had　I　struck

one　of　them　I　should　have　been　badly　injured；　if　not　killed；

so　swiftly　had　I　been　catapulted　by　that　enormous　hind　leg。

　

Dazed　though　I　was；　I　stumbled　to　my　feet　and　staggered　back　to

Woola's　assistance；　to　find　his　savage　antagonist　circling　ten

feet　above　the　ground；　beating　madly　at　the　clinging　calot　with

all　six　powerful　legs。

　

Even　during　my　sudden　flight　through　the　air　I　had　not　once

released　my　grip　upon　my　long…sword；　and　now　I　ran　beneath　the

two　battling　monsters；　jabbing　the　winged　terror　repeatedly

with　its　sharp　point。

　

The　thing　might　easily　have　risen　out　of　my　reach；　but　evidently

it　knew　as　little　concerning　retreat　in　the　face　of　danger　as

either　Woola　or　I；　for　it　dropped　quickly　toward　me；　and　before

I　could　escape　had　grasped　my　shoulder　between　its　powerful　jaws。

　

Time　and　again　the　now　useless　stub　of　its　giant　sting　struck

futilely　against　my　body；　but　the　blows　alone　were　almost　as

effective　as　the　kick　of　a　horse；　so　that　when　I　say　futilely；

I　refer　only　to　the　natural　function　of　the　disabled　member

eventually　the　thing　would　have　hammered　me　to　a　pulp。

Nor　was　it　far　from　accomplishing　this　when　an　interruption

occurred　that　put　an　end　forever　to　its　hostilities。

　

From　where　I　hung　a　few　feet　above　the　road　I　could　see　along　the

highway　a　few　hundred　yards　to　where　it　turned　toward　the　east；

and　just　as　I　had　about　given　up　all　hope　of　escaping　the　perilous

position　in　which　I　now　was　I　saw　a　red　warrior　come　into　view

from　around　the　bend。

　

He　was　mounted　on　a　splendid　thoat；　one　of　the　smaller　species

used　by　red　men；　and　in　his　hand　was　a　wondrous　long；　light　lance。

　

His　mount　was　walking　sedately　when　I　first　perceived　them；　but　the

instant　that　the　red　man's　eyes　fell　upon　us　a　word　to　the　thoat

brought　the　animal　at　full　charge　down　upon　us。　　The　long　lance　of

the　warrior　dipped　toward　us；　and　as　thoat　and　rider　hurtled　beneath；

the　point　passed　through　the　body　of　our　antagonist。

　

With　a　convulsive　shudder　the　thing　stiffened；　the　jaws　relaxed；

dropping　me　to　the　ground；　and　then；　careening　once　in　mid　air；

the　creature　plunged　headforemost　to　the　road；　full　upon　Woola；

who　still　clung　tenaciously　to　its　gory　head。

　

By　the　time　I　had　regained　my　feet　the　red　man　had　turned　and

ridden　back　to　us。　　Woola；　finding　his　enemy　inert　and　lifeless；

released　his　hold　at　my　command　and　wriggled　from　beneath　the　body

that　had　covered　him；　and　together　we　faced　the　warrior　looking

down　upon　us。

　

I　started　to　thank　the　stranger　for　his　timely　assistance；

but　he　cut　me　off　peremptorily。

　

〃Who　are　you；〃　he　asked；　〃who　dare　enter　the　land　of　Kaol　and

hunt　in　the　royal　forest　of　the　jeddak？〃

　

Then；　as　he　noted　my　white　skin　through　the　coating　of　grime

and　blood　that　covered　me；　his　eyes　went　wide　and　in　an　altered

tone　he　whispered：　　〃Can　it　be　that　you　are　a　Holy　Thern？〃

　

I　might　have　deceived　the　fellow　for　a　time；　as　I　had　deceived

others；　but　I　had　cast　away　the　yellow　wig　and　the　holy　diadem　in

the　presence　of　Matai　Shang；　and　I　knew　that　it　would　not　be　long

ere　my　new　acquaintance　discovered　that　I　was　no　thern　at　all。

　

〃I　am　not　a　thern；〃　I　replied；　and　then；　flinging　caution　to

the　winds；　I　said：　　〃I　am　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　whose

name　may　not　be　entirely　unknown　to　you。〃

　

If　his　eyes　had　gone　wide　when　he　thought　that　I　was　a　Holy　Thern；

they　fairly　popped　now　that　he　knew　that　I　was　John　Carter。

I　grasped　my　long…sword　more　firmly　as　I　spoke　the　words　which　I

was　sure　would　precipitate　an　attack；　but　to　my　surprise　they

precipitated　nothing　of　the　kind。

　

〃John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；〃　he　repeated　slowly；　as　though

he　could　not　quite　grasp　the　truth　of　the　statement。　　〃John　Carter；

the　mightiest　warrior　of　Barsoom！〃

　

And　then　he　dismounted　and　placed　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder

after　the　manner　of　most　friendly　greeting　upon　Mars。

　

〃It　is　my　duty；　and　it　should　be　my　pleasure；　to　kill　you；

John　Carter；〃　he　said；　〃but　always　in　my　heart　of　hearts　have　I

admired　your　prowess　and　believed　in　your　sincerity　the　while　I

have　questioned　and　disbelieved　the　therns　and　their　religion。

　

〃It　would　mean　my　instant　death　were　my　heresy　to　be　suspected

in　the　court　of　Kulan　Tith；　but　if　I　may　serve　you；　Prince；

you　have　but　to　command　Torkar　Bar；　Dwar　of　the　Kaolian　Road。〃

　

Truth　and　honesty　were　writ　large　upon　the　warrior's　noble　countenance；

so　that　I　could　not　but　have　trusted　him；　enemy　though　he　should　have　been。

His　title　of　Captain　of　the　Kaolian　Road　explained　his　timely　presence

in　the　heart　of　the　savage　forest；　for　every　highway　upon　Barsoom　is

patrolled　by　doughty　warriors　of　the　noble　class；　nor　is　there　any

service　more　honorable　than　this　lonely　and　dangerous　duty　in　the

less　frequented　sections　of　the　domains　of　the　red　men　of　Barsoom。

　

〃Torkar　Bar　has　already　placed　a　great　debt　of　gratitude　upon

my　shoulders；〃　I　replied；　pointing　to　the　carcass　of　the

creature　from　whose　heart　he　was　dragging　his　long　spear。

　

The　red　man　smiled。

　

〃It　was　fortunate　that　I　came　when　I　did；〃　he　said。　　〃Only

this　poisoned　spear　pricking　the　very　heart　of　a　sith　can　kill　it

quickly　enough　to　save　its　prey。　　In　this　section　of　Kaol　we　are

all　armed　with　a　long　sith　spear；　whose　point　is　smeared　with　the

poison　of　the　creature　it　is　intended　to　kill；　no　other　virus　acts

so　quickly　upon　the　beast　as　its　own。

　

〃Look；〃　he　continued；　drawing　his　dagger　and　making　an

incision　in　the　carcass　a　foot　above　the　root　of　the　sting；　from

which　he　presently　drew　forth　two　sacs；　each　of　which　held　fully　a

gallon　of　the　deadly　liquid。

　

〃Thus　we　maintain　our　supply；　though　were　it　not　for

certain　commercial　uses　to　which　the　virus　is　put；

it　would　scarcely　be　necessary　to　add　to　our　present　store；

since　the　sith　is　almost　extinct。

　

〃Only　occasionally　do　we　now　run　upon　one。　　Of　old；　however；

Kaol　was　overrun　with　the　frightful　monsters　that　often　came　in

herds　of　twenty　or　thirty；　darting　down　from　above　into　our　cities

and　carrying　away　women；　children；　and　even　warriors。〃

　

As　he　spoke　I　had　been　wondering　just　how　much　I　might　safely　tell

this　man　of　the　mission　which　brought　me　to　his　land；　but　his　next

words　anticipated　the　broaching　of　the　subject　on　my　part；　and

rendered　me　thankful　that　I　had