warlord of mars-第14章

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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　not　spoken　too　soon。

　

〃And　now　as　to　yourself；　John　Carter；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　not

ask　your　business　here；　nor　do　I　wish　to　hear　it。　　I　have　eyes　and

ears　and　ordinary　intelligence；　and　yesterday　morning　I　saw　the

party　that　came　to　the　city　of　Kaol　from　the　north　in　a　small　flier。

But　one　thing　I　ask　of　you；　and　that　is：　the　word　of　John　Carter

that　he　contemplates　no　overt　act　against　either　the　nation

of　Kaol　or　its　jeddak。〃

　

〃You　may　have　my　word　as　to　that；　Torkar　Bar；〃　I　replied。

　

〃My　way　leads　along　the　Kaolian　road；　away　from　the　city　of　Kaol；〃

he　continued。　　〃I　have　seen　no　oneJohn　Carter　least　of　all。

Nor　have　you　seen　Torkar　Bar；　nor　ever　heard　of　him。　　You　understand？〃

　

〃Perfectly；〃　I　replied。

　

He　laid　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder。

　

〃This　road　leads　directly　into　the　city　of　Kaol；〃　he　said。

〃I　wish　you　fortune；〃　and　vaulting　to　the　back　of　his　thoat

he　trotted　away　without　even　a　backward　glance。

　

It　was　after　dark　when　Woola　and　I　spied　through　the　mighty

forest　the　great　wall　which　surrounds　the　city　of　Kaol。

　

We　had　traversed　the　entire　way　without　mishap　or　adventure；

and　though　the　few　we　had　met　had　eyed　the　great　calot　wonderingly；

none　had　pierced　the　red　pigment　with　which　I　had　smoothly　smeared

every　square　inch　of　my　body。

　

But　to　traverse　the　surrounding　country；　and　to　enter　the　guarded

city　of　Kulan　Tith；　Jeddak　of　Kaol；　were　two　very　different　things。

No　man　enters　a　Martian　city　without　giving　a　very　detailed　and

satisfactory　account　of　himself；　nor　did　I　delude　myself　with

the　belief　that　I　could　for　a　moment　impose　upon　the　acumen　of

the　officers　of　the　guard　to　whom　I　should　be　taken　the　moment

I　applied　at　any　one　of　the　gates。

　

My　only　hope　seemed　to　lie　in　entering　the　city　surreptitiously

under　cover　of　the　darkness；　and　once　in；　trust　to　my　own　wits

to　hide　myself　in　some　crowded　quarter　where　detection　would

be　less　liable　to　occur。

　

With　this　idea　in　vie