warlord of mars-第12章

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screamed　a　useless　warning　just　as　Thurid's　foot；　swinging　in

a　mighty　kick；　landed　full　in　my　face。

　

Like　a　felled　ox；　I　reeled　and　tumbled　backward　over　the

tower's　side。

　

　

　

　

ON　THE　KAOLIAN　ROAD

　

　

If　there　be　a　fate　that　is　sometimes　cruel　to　me；　there　surely

is　a　kind　and　merciful　Providence　which　watches　over　me。

　

As　I　toppled　from　the　tower　into　the　horrid　abyss　below　I

counted　myself　already　dead；　and　Thurid　must　have　done　likewise；

for　he　evidently　did　not　even　trouble　himself　to　look　after　me；

but　must　have　turned　and　mounted　the　waiting　flier　at　once。

　

Ten　feet　only　I　fell；　and　then　a　loop　of　my　tough；　leathern　harness

caught　upon　one　of　the　cylindrical　stone　projections　in　the　tower's

surfaceand　held。　　Even　when　I　had　ceased　to　fall　I　could　not　believe

the　miracle　that　had　preserved　me　from　instant　death；　and　for　a　moment

I　hung　there；　cold　sweat　exuding　from　every　pore　of　my　body。

　

But　when　at　last　I　had　worked　myself　back　to　a　firm　position

I　hesitated　to　ascend；　since　I　could　not　know　that　Thurid　was　not

still　awaiting　me　above。

　

Presently；　however；　there　came　to　my　ears　the　whirring　of　the

propellers　of　a　flier；　and　as　each　moment　the　sound　grew　fainter

I　realized　that　the　party　had　proceeded　toward　the　south　without

assuring　themselves　as　to　my　fate。

　

Cautiously　I　retraced　my　way　to　the　roof；　and　I　must　admit

that　it　was　with　no　pleasant　sensation　that　I　raised　my　eyes　once

more　above　its　edge；　but；　to　my　relief；　there　was　no　one　in　sight；

and　a　moment　later　I　stood　safely　upon　its　broad　surface。

　

To　reach　the　hangar　and　drag　forth　the　only　other　flier　which

it　contained　was　the　work　of　but　an　instant；　and　just　as　the　two

thern　warriors　whom　Matai　Shang　had　left　to　prevent　this　very

contingency　emerged　upon　the　roof　from　the　tower's　interior；

I　rose　above　them　with　a　taunting　laugh。

　

Then　I　dived　rapidly　to　the　inner　court　where　I　had　last　seen　Woola；

and　to　my　immense　relief　found　the　faithful　beast　still　there。

　

The　twelve　great　banths　lay　in　the　doorways　of　their　lairs；

eyeing　him　and　growling　ominously；　but　they　had　not　disobeyed

Thuvia's　injunction；　and　I　thanked　the　fate　that　had　made　her

their　keeper　within　the　Golden　Cliffs；　and　endowed　her　with　the

kind　and　sympathetic　nature　that　had　won　the　loyalty　and　affection

of　these　fierce　beasts　for　her。

　

Woola　leaped　in　frantic　joy　when　he　discovered　me；　and　as　the

flier　touched　the　pavement　of　the　court　for　a　brief　instant　he

bounded　to　the　deck　beside　me；　and　in　the　bearlike　manifestation

of　his　exuberant　happiness　all　but　caused　me　to　wreck　the　vessel

against　the　courtyard's　rocky　wall。

　

Amid　the　angry　shouting　of　thern　guardsmen　we　rose　high　above

the　last　fortress　of　the　Holy　Therns；　and　then　raced　straight

toward　the　northeast　and　Kaol；　the　destination　which　I　had　heard

from　the　lips　of　Matai　Shang。

　

Far　ahead；　a　tiny　speck　in　the　distance；　I　made　out　another

flier　late　in　the　afternoon。　　It　could　be　none　other　than　that

which　bore　my　lost　love　and　my　enemies。

　

I　had　gained　considerably　on　the　craft　by　night；　and　then；

knowing　that　they　must　have　sighted　me　and　would　show　no　lights

after　dark；　I　set　my　destination　compass　upon　herthat　wonderful

little　Martian　mechanism　which；　once　attuned　to　the　object　of

destination；　points　away　toward　it；　irrespective　of　every　change

in　its　location。

　

All　that　night　we　raced　through　the　Barsoomian　void；　passing　over

low　hills　and　dead　sea　bottoms；　above　long…deserted　cities　and

populous　centers　of　red　Martian　habitation　upon　the　ribbon…like

lines　of　cultivated　land　which　border　the　globe…encircling

waterways；　which　Earth　men　call　the　canals　of　Mars。

　

Dawn　showed　that　I　had　gained　appreciably　upon　the　flier　ahead　of　me。

It　was　a　larger　craft　than　mine；　and　not　so　swift；　but　even　so；

it　had　covered　an　immense　distance　since　the　flight　began。

　

The　change　in　vegetation　below　showed　me　that　we　were　rapidly

nearing　the　equator。　　I　was　now　near　enough　to　my　quarry　to　have

used　my　bow　gun；　but；　though　I　could　see　that　Dejah　Thoris　was　not

on　deck；　I　feared　to　fire　upon　the　craft　which　bore　her。

　

Thurid　was　deterred　by　no　such　scruples；　and　though　it　must　have　been

difficult　for　him　to　believe　that　it　was　really　I　who　followed　them；

he　could　not　very　well　doubt　the　witness　of　his　own　eyes；　and　so　he

trained　their　stern　gun　upon　me　with　his　own　hands；　and　an　instant　later

an　explosive　radium　projectile　whizzed　perilously　close　above　my　deck。

　

The　black's　next　shot　was　more　accurate；　striking　my　flier

full　upon　the　prow　and　exploding　with　the　instant　of　contact；

ripping　wide　open　the　bow　buoyancy　tanks　and　disabling　the　engine。

　

So　quickly　did　my　bow　drop　after　the　shot　that　I　scarce　had

time　to　lash　Woola　to　the　deck　and　buckle　my　own　harness　to　a

gunwale　ring　before　the　craft　was　hanging　stern　up　and　making

her　last　long　drop　to　ground。

　

Her　stern　buoyancy　tanks　prevented　her　dropping　with　great　rapidity；

but　Thurid　was　firing　rapidly　now　in　an　attempt　to　burst　these　also；

that　I　might　be　dashed　to　death　in　the　swift　fall　that　would　instantly

follow　a　successful　shot。

　

Shot　after　shot　tore　past　or　into　us；　but　by　a　miracle　neither

Woola　nor　I　was　hit；　nor　were　the　after　tanks　punctured。　　This　good

fortune　could　not　last　indefinitely；　and；　assured　that　Thurid　would

not　again　leave　me　alive；　I　awaited　the　bursting　of　the　next　shell

that　hit；　and　then；　throwing　my　hands　above　my　head；　I　let　go　my　hold

and　crumpled；　limp　and　inert；　dangling　in　my　harness　like　a　corpse。

　

The　ruse　worked；　and　Thurid　fired　no　more　at　us。　　Presently　I

heard　the　diminishing　sound　of　whirring　propellers　and　realized

that　again　I　was　safe。

　

Slowly　the　stricken　flier　sank　to　the　ground；　and　when　I　had　freed

myself　and　Woola　from　the　entangling　wreckage　I　found　that　we　were

upon　the　verge　of　a　natural　forestso　rare　a　thing　upon　the　bosom

of　dying　Mars　that；　outside　of　the　forest　in　the　Valley　Dor　beside

the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus；　I　never　before　had　seen　its　like　upon　the　planet。

　

From　books　and　travelers　I　had　learned　something　of　the　little…known

land　of　Kaol；　which　lies　along　the　equator　almost　halfway　round　the

planet　to　the　east　of　Helium。

　

It　comprises　a　sunken　area　of　extreme　tropical　heat；　and　is

inhabited　by　a　nation　of　red　men　varying　but　little　in　manners；

customs；　and　appearance　from　the　balance　of　the　red　men　of　Barsoom。

　

I　knew　that　they　were　among　those　of　the　outer　world　who　still

clung　tenaciously　to　the　discredited　religion　of　the　Holy　Therns；

and　that　Matai　Shang　would　find　a　ready　welcome　and　safe　refuge

among　them；　while　John　Carter　could　look　for　nothing　better

than　an　ignoble　death　at　their　hands。

　

The　isolation　of　the　Kaolians　is　rendered　almost　complete　by

the　fact　that　no　waterway　connects　their　land　with　that　of　any

other　nation；　nor　have　they　any　need　of　a　waterway　since　the　low；

swampy　land　which　comprises　the　entire　area　of　their　domain

self…waters　their　abundant　tropical　crops。

　

For　great　distances　in　all　directions　rugged　hills　and　arid

stretches　of　dead　sea　bottom　discourage　intercourse　with　them；

and　since　there　is　practically　no　such　thing　as　foreign　commerce

upon　warlike　Barsoom；　where　each　nation　is　sufficient　to　itself；

really　little　has　been　known　relative　to　the　court　of　the　Jeddak　of　Kaol

and　the　numerous　strange；　but　interesting；　people　over　whom　he　rules。

　

Occasional　hunting　parties　have　traveled　to　this　out…of…the…way

corner　of　the　globe；　but　the　hostility　of　the　natives　has　usually

brought　disaster　upon　them；　so　that　even　the　sport　of　hunting　the

strange　and　savage　creatures　which　haunt　the　jungle　fastnesses

of　Kaol　has　of　later　years　proved　insufficient　lure　even　to　the

most　intrepid　warriors。

　

It　was　upon　the　verge　of　the　land　of　the　Kaols　that　I　now　knew

myself　to　be；　but　in　what　direction　to　search　f