warlord of mars-第15章

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to　hide　myself　in　some　crowded　quarter　where　detection　would

be　less　liable　to　occur。

　

With　this　idea　in　view　I　circled　the　great　wall；　keeping　within

the　fringe　of　the　forest；　which　is　cut　away　for　a　short　distance

from　the　wall　all　about　the　city；　that　no　enemy　may　utilize　the

trees　as　a　means　of　ingress。

　

Several　times　I　attempted　to　scale　the　barrier　at　different　points；

but　not　even　my　earthly　muscles　could　overcome　that　cleverly

constructed　rampart。　　To　a　height　of　thirty　feet　the　face　of　the

wall　slanted　outward；　and　then　for　almost　an　equal　distance　it

was　perpendicular；　above　which　it　slanted　in　again　for　some

fifteen　feet　to　the　crest。

　

And　smooth！　　Polished　glass　could　not　be　more　so。　　Finally　I

had　to　admit　that　at　last　I　had　discovered　a　Barsoomian

fortification　which　I　could　not　negotiate。

　

Discouraged；　I　withdrew　into　the　forest　beside　a　broad　highway

which　entered　the　city　from　the　east；　and　with　Woola　beside　me

lay　down　to　sleep。

　

　

　

　

A　HERO　IN　KAOL

　

　

It　was　daylight　when　I　was　awakened　by　the　sound　of　stealthy

movement　near　by。

　

As　I　opened　my　eyes　Woola；　too；　moved　and；　coming　up　to　his

haunches；　stared　through　the　intervening　brush　toward　the　road；

each　hair　upon　his　neck　stiffly　erect。

　

At　first　I　could　see　nothing；　but　presently　I　caught　a　glimpse

of　a　bit　of　smooth　and　glossy　green　moving　among　the　scarlet　and

purple　and　yellow　of　the　vegetation。

　

Motioning　Woola　to　remain　quietly　where　he　was；　I　crept　forward

to　investigate；　and　from　behind　the　bole　of　a　great　tree　I

saw　a　long　line　of　the　hideous　green　warriors　of　the　dead　sea

bottoms　hiding　in　the　dense　jungle　beside　the　road。

　

As　far　as　I　could　see；　the　silent　line　of　destruction　and

death　stretched　away　from　the　city　of　Kaol。　　There　could　be

but　one　explanation。　　The　green　men　were　expecting　an　exodus

of　a　body　of　red　troops　from　the　nearest　city　gate；　and　they

were　lying　there　in　ambush　to　leap　upon　them。

　

I　owed　no　fealty　to　the　Jeddak　of　Kaol；　but　he　was　of　the　same

race　of　noble　red　men　as　my　own　princess；　and　I　would　not　stand

supinely　by　and　see　his　warriors　butchered　by　the　cruel　and

heartless　demons　of　the　waste　places　of　Barsoom。

　

Cautiously　I　retraced　my　steps　to　where　I　had　left　Woola；

and　warning　him　to　silence；　signaled　him　to　follow　me。

Making　a　considerable　detour　to　avoid　the　chance　of　falling

into　the　hands　of　the　green　men；　I　came　at　last　to　the　great　wall。

　

A　hundred　yards　to　my　right　was　the　gate　from　which　the　troops

were　evidently　expected　to　issue；　but　to　reach　it　I　must　pass　the

flank　of　the　green　warriors　within　easy　sight　of　them；　and；　fearing

that　my　plan　to　warn　the　Kaolians　might　thus　be　thwarted；　I　decided

upon　hastening　toward　the　left；　where　another　gate　a　mile　away

would　give　me　ingress　to　the　city。

　

I　knew　that　the　word　I　brought　would　prove　a　splendid　passport

to　Kaol；　and　I　must　admit　that　my　caution　was　due　more　to　my

ardent　desire　to　make　my　way　into　the　city　than　to　avoid　a　brush

with　the　green　men。　　As　much　as　I　enjoy　a　fight；　I　cannot　always

indulge　myself；　and　just　now　I　had　more　weighty　matters　to　occupy

my　time　than　spilling　the　blood　of　strange　warriors。

　

Could　I　but　win　beyond　the　city's　wall；　there　might　be　opportunity

in　the　confusion　and　excitement　which　were　sure　to　follow　my

announcement　of　an　invading　force　of　green　warriors　to　find　my

way　within　the　palace　of　the　jeddak；　where　I　was　sure　Matai　Shang

and　his　party　would　be　quartered。

　

But　scarcely　had　I　taken　a　hundred　steps　in　the　direction　of　the

farther　gate　when　the　sound　of　marching　troops；　the　clank　of　metal；

and　the　squealing　of　thoats　just　within　the　city　apprised　me　of　the

fact　that　the　Kaolians　were　already　moving　toward　the　other　gate。

　

There　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　　In　another　moment　the　gate

would　be　opened　and　the　head　of　the　column　pass　out　upon

the　death…bordered　highway。

　

Turning　back　toward　the　fateful　gate；　I　ran　rapidly　along　the　edge　of

the　clearing；　taking　the　ground　in　the　mighty　leaps　that　had　first

made　me　famous　upon　Barsoom。　　Thirty；　fifty；　a　hundred　feet　at　a　bound

are　nothing　for　the　muscles　of　an　athletic　Earth　man　upon　Mars。

　

As　I　passed　the　flank　of　the　waiting　green　men　they　saw　my　eyes

turned　upon　them；　and　in　an　instant；　knowing　that　all　secrecy

was　at　an　end；　those　nearest　me　sprang　to　their　feet　in　an　effort

to　cut　me　off　before　I　could　reach　the　gate。

　

At　the　same　instant　the　mighty　portal　swung　wide　and　the　head

of　the　Kaolian　column　emerged。　　A　dozen　green　warriors　had

succeeded　in　reaching　a　point　between　me　and　the　gate；　but　they

had　but　little　idea　who　it　was　they　had　elected　to　detain。

　

I　did　not　slacken　my　speed　an　iota　as　I　dashed　among　them；　and

as　they　fell　before　my　blade　I　could　not　but　recall　the　happy

memory　of　those　other　battles　when　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark；

mightiest　of　Martian　green　men；　had　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　me

through　long；　hot　Martian　days；　as　together　we　hewed　down　our　enemies

until　the　pile　of　corpses　about　us　rose　higher　than　a　tall　man's　head。

　

When　several　pressed　me　too　closely；　there　before　the　carved

gateway　of　Kaol；　I　leaped　above　their　heads；　and　fashioning　my

tactics　after　those　of　the　hideous　plant　men　of　Dor；　struck　down

upon　my　enemies'　heads　as　I　passed　above　them。

　

From　the　city　the　red　warriors　were　rushing　toward　us；　and　from

the　jungle　the　savage　horde　of　green　men　were　coming　to　meet　them。

In　a　moment　I　was　in　the　very　center　of　as　fierce　and　bloody　a

battle　as　I　had　ever　passed　through。

　

These　Kaolians　are　most　noble　fighters；　nor　are　the　green　men

of　the　equator　one　whit　less　warlike　than　their　cold；　cruel　cousins

of　the　temperate　zone。　　There　were　many　times　when　either　side

might　have　withdrawn　without　dishonor　and　thus　ended　hostilities；

but　from　the　mad　abandon　with　which　each　invariably　renewed

hostilities　I　soon　came　to　believe　that　what　need　not　have　been

more　than　a　trifling　skirmish　would　end　only　with　the　complete

extermination　of　one　force　or　the　other。

　

With　the　joy　of　battle　once　roused　within　me；　I　took　keen　delight

in　the　fray；　and　that　my　fighting　was　noted　by　the　Kaolians　was

often　evidenced　by　the　shouts　of　applause　directed　at　me。

　

If　I　sometimes　seem　to　take　too　great　pride　in　my　fighting

ability；　it　must　be　remembered　that　fighting　is　my　vocation。

If　your　vocation　be　shoeing　horses；　or　painting　pictures；　and　you

can　do　one　or　the　other　better　than　your　fellows；　then　you　are　a

fool　if　you　are　not　proud　of　your　ability。　　And　so　I　am　very　proud

that　upon　two　planets　no　greater　fighter　has　ever　lived　than　John

Carter；　Prince　of　Helium。

　

And　I　outdid　myself　that　day　to　impress　the　fact　upon　the　natives

of　Kaol；　for　I　wished　to　win　a　way　into　their　heartsand　their　city。

Nor　was　I　to　be　disappointed　in　my　desire。

　

All　day　we　fought；　until　the　road　was　red　with　blood　and　clogged

with　corpses。　　Back　and　forth　along　the　slippery　highway　the　tide　of

battle　surged；　but　never　once　was　the　gateway　to　Kaol　really　in　danger。

　

There　were　breathing　spells　when　I　had　a　chance　to　converse　with　the

red　men　beside　whom　I　fought；　and　once　the　jeddak；　Kulan　Tith　himself；

laid　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder　and　asked　my　name。

　

〃I　am　Dotar　Sojat；〃　I　replied；　recalling　a　name　given　me　by　the

Tharks　many　years　before；　from　the　surnames　of　the　first　two　of

their　warriors　I　had　killed；　which　is　the　custom　among　them。

　

〃You　are　a　mighty　warrior；　Dotar　Sojat；〃　he　replied；　〃and　when　this

day　is　done　I　shall　speak　with　you　again　in　the　great　audience　chamber。〃

　

And　then　the　fight　surged　upon　us　once　more　and　we　were　separated；

but　my　heart's　desire　was　attained；　and　it　was　with　renewed　vigor

and　a　joyous　soul　that　I　laid　about　me　with　my　long…sword　until

the　last　of　the　green　men　had　had　enough　and　had　withdrawn　toward

their　distant　sea　bottom。