warlord of mars-第3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！



cannot　return　to　the　Valley　Dor　or　elsewhere　within　the　power　of

the　Prince　of　Helium；　but　even　that　I　do　not　demandit　shall　be　as

your　own　desire　in　the　matter　directs。〃

　

〃It　shall　be　as　you　wish；　Dator；〃　replied　Matai　Shang；　〃nor　is

that　allpower　and　riches　shall　be　yours　if　you　restore　my

daughter；　Phaidor；　to　me；　and　place　within　my　power　Dejah　Thoris；

Princess　of　Helium。

　

〃Ah；〃　he　continued　with　a　malicious　snarl；　〃but　the　Earth　man

shall　suffer　for　the　indignities　he　has　put　upon　the　holy　of

holies；　nor　shall　any　vileness　be　too　vile　to　inflict　upon　his

princess。　　Would　that　it　were　in　my　power　to　force　him　to　witness

the　humiliation　and　degradation　of　the　red　woman。〃

　

〃You　shall　have　your　way　with　her　before　another　day　has

passed；　Matai　Shang；〃　said　Thurid；　〃if　you　but　say　the　word。〃

　

〃I　have　heard　of　the　Temple　of　the　Sun；　Dator；〃　replied　Matai　Shang；

〃but　never　have　I　heard　that　its　prisoners　could　be　released

before　the　allotted　year　of　their　incarceration　had　elapsed。

How；　then；　may　you　accomplish　the　impossible？〃

　

〃Access　may　be　had　to　any　cell　of　the　temple　at　any　time；〃

replied　Thurid。　　〃Only　Issus　knew　this；　nor　was　it　ever　Issus'　way

to　divulge　more　of　her　secrets　than　were　necessary。　　By　chance；

after　her　death；　I　came　upon　an　ancient　plan　of　the　temple；

and　there　I　found；　plainly　writ；　the　most　minute　directions

for　reaching　the　cells　at　any　time。

　

〃And　more　I　learnedthat　many　men　had　gone　thither　for　Issus　in

the　past；　always　on　errands　of　death　and　torture　to　the　prisoners；

but　those　who　thus　learned　the　secret　way　were　wont　to　die

mysteriously　immediately　they　had　returned　and　made　their

reports　to　cruel　Issus。〃

　

〃Let　us　proceed；　then；〃　said　Matai　Shang　at　last。　　〃I　must

trust　you；　yet　at　the　same　time　you　must　trust　me；　for　we

are　six　to　your　one。〃

　

〃I　do　not　fear；〃　replied　Thurid；　〃nor　need　you。　　Our　hatred　of

the　common　enemy　is　sufficient　bond　to　insure　our　loyalty　to　each

other；　and　after　we　have　defiled　the　Princess　of　Helium　there　will

be　still　greater　reason　for　the　maintenance　of　our　allegiance

unless　I　greatly　mistake　the　temper　of　her　lord。〃

　

Matai　Shang　spoke　to　the　paddlers。　　The　boat　moved　on　up　the　tributary。

　

It　was　with　difficulty　that　I　restrained　myself　from　rushing　upon

them　and　slaying　the　two　vile　plotters；　but　quickly　I　saw　the　mad

rashness　of　such　an　act；　which　would　cut　down　the　only　man　who

could　lead　the　way　to　Dejah　Thoris'　prison　before　the　long

Martian　year　had　swung　its　interminable　circle。

　

If　he　should　lead　Matai　Shang　to　that　hollowed　spot；　then；

too；　should　he　lead　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium。

　

With　silent　paddle　I　swung　slowly　into　the　wake　of　the　larger　craft。

　

　

　

　

UNDER　THE　MOUNTAINS

　

　

As　we　advanced　up　the　river　which　winds　beneath　the　Golden

Cliffs　out　of　the　bowels　of　the　Mountains　of　Otz　to　mingle　its　dark

waters　with　the　grim　and　mysterious　Iss　the　faint　glow　which　had

appeared　before　us　grew　gradually　into　an　all…enveloping　radiance。

　

The　river　widened　until　it　presented　the　aspect　of　a　large

lake　whose　vaulted　dome；　lighted　by　glowing　phosphorescent　rock；

was　splashed　with　the　vivid　rays　of　the　diamond；　the　sapphire；

the　ruby；　and　the　countless；　nameless　jewels　of　Barsoom　which　lay

incrusted　in　the　virgin　gold　which　forms　the　major　portion　of　these

magnificent　cliffs。

　

Beyond　the　lighted　chamber　of　the　lake　was　darknesswhat　lay

behind　the　darkness　I　could　not　even　guess。

　

To　have　followed　the　thern　boat　across　the　gleaming　water

would　have　been　to　invite　instant　detection；　and　so；　though　I　was

loath　to　permit　Thurid　to　pass　even　for　an　instant　beyond　my　sight；

I　was　forced　to　wait　in　the　shadows　until　the　other　boat　had　passed

from　my　sight　at　the　far　extremity　of　the　lake。

　

Then　I　paddled　out　upon　the　brilliant　surface　in　the　direction

they　had　taken。

　

When；　after　what　seemed　an　eternity；　I　reached　the　shadows　at

the　upper　end　of　the　lake　I　found　that　the　river　issued　from　a　low

aperture；　to　pass　beneath　which　it　was　necessary　that　I　compel

Woola　to　lie　flat　in　the　boat；　and　I；　myself；　must　need　bend　double

before　the　low　roof　cleared　my　head。

　

Immediately　the　roof　rose　again　upon　the　other　side；　but　no　longer

was　the　way　brilliantly　lighted。　　Instead　only　a　feeble　glow　emanated

from　small　and　scattered　patches　of　phosphorescent　rock　in　wall　and　roof。

　

Directly　before　me　the　river　ran　into　this　smaller　chamber　through

three　separate　arched　openings。

　

Thurid　and　the　therns　were　nowhere　to　be　seeninto　which　of

the　dark　holes　had　they　disappeared？　　There　was　no　means　by　which

I　might　know；　and　so　I　chose　the　center　opening　as　being　as

likely　to　lead　me　in　the　right　direction　as　another。

　

Here　the　way　was　through　utter　darkness。　　The　stream　was　narrow

so　narrow　that　in　the　blackness　I　was　constantly　bumping　first

one　rock　wall　and　then　another　as　the　river　wound　hither　and

thither　along　its　flinty　bed。

　

Far　ahead　I　presently　heard　a　deep　and　sullen　roar　which

increased　in　volume　as　I　advanced；　and　then　broke　upon　my　ears　with

all　the　intensity　of　its　mad　fury　as　I　swung　round　a　sharp　curve

into　a　dimly　lighted　stretch　of　water。

　

Directly　before　me　the　river　thundered　down　from　above　in　a

mighty　waterfall　that　filled　the　narrow　gorge　from　side　to　side；

rising　far　above　me　several　hundred　feetas　magnificent　a

spectacle　as　I　ever　had　seen。

　

But　the　roarthe　awful；　deafening　roar　of　those　tumbling

waters　penned　in　the　rocky；　subterranean　vault！　　Had　the　fall　not

entirely　blocked　my　further　passage　and　shown　me　that　I　had

followed　the　wrong　course　I　believe　that　I　should　have　fled　anyway

before　the　maddening　tumult。

　

Thurid　and　the　therns　could　not　have　come　this　way。　　By

stumbling　upon　the　wrong　course　I　had　lost　the　trail；　and　they　had

gained　so　much　ahead　of　me　that　now　I　might　not　be　able　to　find

them　before　it　was　too　late；　if；　in　fact；　I　could　find　them　at　all。

　

It　had　taken　several　hours　to　force　my　way　up　to　the　falls

against　the　strong　current；　and　other　hours　would　be　required　for

the　descent；　although　the　pace　would　be　much　swifter。

　

With　a　sigh　I　turned　the　prow　of　my　craft　down　stream；　and

with　mighty　strokes　hastened　with　reckless　speed　through　the　dark

and　tortuous　channel　until　once　again　I　came　to　the　chamber　into

which　flowed　the　three　branches　of　the　river。

　

Two　unexplored　channels　still　remained　from　which　to　choose；

nor　was　there　any　means　by　which　I　could　judge　which　was　the　more

likely　to　lead　me　to　the　plotters。

　

Never　in　my　life；　that　I　can　recall；　have　I　suffered　such　an

agony　of　indecision。　　So　much　depended　upon　a　correct　choice；

so　much　depended　upon　haste。

　

The　hours　that　I　had　already　lost　might　seal　the　fate　of　the

incomparable　Dejah　Thoris　were　she　not　already　deadto　sacrifice

other　hours；　and　maybe　days　in　a　fruitless　exploration　of　another

blind　lead　would　unquestionably　prove　fatal。

　

Several　times　I　essayed　the　right…hand　entrance　only　to　turn

back　as　though　warned　by　some　strange　intuitive　sense　that

this　was　not　the　way。　　At　last；　convinced　by　the　oft…recurring

phenomenon；　I　cast　my　all　upon　the　left…hand　archway；　yet　it　was

with　a　lingering　doubt　that　I　turned　a　parting　look　at　the　sullen

waters　which　rolled；　dark　and　forbidding；　from　beneath　the　grim；

low　archway　on　the　right。

　

And　as　I　looked　there　came　bobbing　out　upon　the　current　from

the　Stygian　darkness　of　the　interior　the　shell　of　one　of　the　great；

succulent　fruits　of　the　sorapus　tree。

　

I　could　scarce　restrain　a　shout　of　elation　as　this　silent；　insensate

messenger　floated　past　me；　on　toward　the　Iss　and　Korus；　for　it

told　me　that　journeying　Martians　were　above　me　on　that　very　stream。

　

They　had　eaten　of　this　marvelous　fruit　which　nature　concentrates

within　the　hard　shell　of　the　sorapus　nut；　and　having　eaten　had

cast　the　husk　overboard。　　It　could　have　come　from　no　others　than

the　party　I　sought。

　

Quickly　I　abandoned　all　thought　of　the　left…hand　passage；　and

a　moment　later　had　turned　into　the　right。　　The　stream　soon　widened；

and　recurring　areas　of　phosphorescent　rock　lighted　my　way。

　

I　made　good　time；　but　was　convinced　that　I　was　nearly　a　day

behind　those　I　was　tracking。　　Neither　Woola　nor　I　had　eaten　since

the　previous　day；　but　in　so　far　as　he　was　concerned　it　mattered　but

little；　since　practically　all　the　animals　of　the　dead　sea　bottoms

of　Mars　are　able　to　go　for　incredible　periods　without　nourishment。

　

Nor　did　I　suffer。　　The　water　of　the　river　was　sweet　and　cold；

for　it　was　unpolluted　by　decaying　bodieslike　the　Issand　as　for

food；　why　the　mere　thought　that　I　was　nearing　my　beloved　princess

raised　me　above　every　material　want。

　

As　I　proceeded；　the　river　became　narrower　and　the　current

swift　and　turbulentso　swift　in　fact　that　it　was　with　difficulty

that　I　forced　my　craft　upward　at　all。　　I　could　not　have　been　making

to　exceed　a　hundred　yards　an　hour　when；　at　a　bend；　I　was　confronted

by　a　series　of　rapids　through　which　the　river　foamed　and　boiled　at

a　terrific　rate。

　

My　heart　sank　within　me。　　The　sorapus　nutshell　had　proved　a

false　prophet；　and；　after　all；　my　intuition　had　been　correctit

was　the　left…hand　channel　that　I　should　have　followed。

　

Had　I　been　a　woman　I　should　have　wept。　　At　my　right　was　a　great；

slow…moving　eddy　that　circled　far　beneath　the　cliff's　overhanging　side；

and　to　rest　my　tired　muscles　before　turning　back　I　let　my　boat　drift

into　its　embrace。

　

I　was　almost　prostrated　by　disappointment。　　It　would　mean

another　half…day's　loss　of　time　to　retrace　my　way　and　take　the　only

passage　that　yet　remained　unexplored。　　What　hellish　fate　had　led　me

to　select　from　three　possible　avenues　the　two　that　were　wrong？

　

As　the　lazy　current　of　the　eddy　carried　me　slowly　about　the

periphery　of　the　watery　circle　my　boat　twice