warlord of mars-第13章

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

myself　to　be；　but　in　what　direction　to　search　for　Dejah　Thoris；

or　how　far　into　the　heart　of　the　great　forest　I　might　have　to

penetrate　I　had　not　the　faintest　idea。

　

But　not　so　Woola。

　

Scarcely　had　I　disentangled　him　than　he　raised　his　head　high

in　air　and　commenced　circling　about　at　the　edge　of　the　forest。

Presently　he　halted；　and；　turning　to　see　if　I　were　following；

set　off　straight　into　the　maze　of　trees　in　the　direction　we　had

been　going　before　Thurid's　shot　had　put　an　end　to　our　flier。

　

As　best　I　could；　I　stumbled　after　him　down　a　steep　declivity

beginning　at　the　forest's　edge。

　

Immense　trees　reared　their　mighty　heads　far　above　us；　their　broad

fronds　completely　shutting　off　the　slightest　glimpse　of　the　sky。

It　was　easy　to　see　why　the　Kaolians　needed　no　navy；　their　cities；

hidden　in　the　midst　of　this　towering　forest；　must　be　entirely

invisible　from　above；　nor　could　a　landing　be　made　by　any　but　the

smallest　fliers；　and　then　only　with　the　greatest　risk　of　accident。

　

How　Thurid　and　Matai　Shang　were　to　land　I　could　not　imagine；

though　later　I　was　to　learn　that　to　the　level　of　the　forest

top　there　rises　in　each　city　of　Kaol　a　slender　watchtower

which　guards　the　Kaolians　by　day　and　by　night　against　the　secret

approach　of　a　hostile　fleet。　　To　one　of　these　the　hekkador　of　the

Holy　Therns　had　no　difficulty　in　approaching；　and　by　its　means　the

party　was　safely　lowered　to　the　ground。

　

As　Woola　and　I　approached　the　bottom　of　the　declivity　the

ground　became　soft　and　mushy；　so　that　it　was　with　the　greatest

difficulty　that　we　made　any　headway　whatever。

　

Slender　purple　grasses　topped　with　red　and　yellow　fern…like　fronds

grew　rankly　all　about　us　to　the　height　of　several　feet　above　my　head。

　

Myriad　creepers　hung　festooned　in　graceful　loops　from　tree　to　tree；

and　among　them　were　several　varieties　of　the　Martian　〃man…flower；〃

whose　blooms　have　eyes　and　hands　with　which　to　see　and　seize　the

insects　which　form　their　diet。

　

The　repulsive　calot　tree　was；　too；　much　in　evidence。　　It　is　a

carnivorous　plant　of　about　the　bigness　of　a　large　sage…brush　such

as　dots　our　western　plains。　　Each　branch　ends　in　a　set　of　strong　jaws；

which　have　been　known　to　drag　down　and　devour　large　and　formidable

beasts　of　prey。

　

Both　Woola　and　I　had　several　narrow　escapes　from　these　greedy；

arboreous　monsters。

　

Occasional　areas　of　firm　sod　gave　us　intervals　of　rest　from

the　arduous　labor　of　traversing　this　gorgeous；　twilight　swamp；　and

it　was　upon　one　of　these　that　I　finally　decided　to　make　camp　for

the　night　which　my　chronometer　warned　me　would　soon　be　upon　us。

　

Many　varieties　of　fruit　grew　in　abundance　about　us；　and　as　Martian

calots　are　omnivorous；　Woola　had　no　difficulty　in　making　a　square

meal　after　I　had　brought　down　the　viands　for　him。　　Then；　having　eaten；

too；　I　lay　down　with　my　back　to　that　of　my　faithful　hound；　and　dropped

into　a　deep　and　dreamless　sleep。

　

The　forest　was　shrouded　in　impenetrable　darkness　when　a　low

growl　from　Woola　awakened　me。　　All　about　us　I　could　hear　the

stealthy　movement　of　great；　padded　feet；　and　now　and　then　the

wicked　gleam　of　green　eyes　upon　us。　　Arising；　I　drew　my

long…sword　and　waited。

　

Suddenly　a　deep…toned；　horrid　roar　burst　from　some　savage

throat　almost　at　my　side。　　What　a　fool　I　had　been　not　to　have

found　safer　lodgings　for　myself　and　Woola　among　the　branches

of　one　of　the　countless　trees　that　surrounded　us！

　

By　daylight　it　would　have　been　comparatively　easy　to　have　hoisted

Woola　aloft　in　one　manner　or　another；　but　now　it　was　too　late。

There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　stand　our　ground　and　take

our　medicine；　though；　from　the　hideous　racket　which　now　assailed

our　ears；　and　for　which　that　first　roar　had　seemed　to　be　the　signal；

I　judged　that　we　must　be　in　the　midst　of　hundreds；　perhaps　thousands；

of　the　fierce；　man…eating　denizens　of　the　Kaolian　jungle。

　

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