warlord of mars-第2章

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I　did　not　dare　follow　him　there　beneath　the　moonlight；　since

it　best　suited　my　plans　not　to　interrupt　hisI　wished　him　to　reach

his　destination　unsuspecting；　that　I　might　learn　just　where　that

destination　lay　and　the　business　that　awaited　the　night　prowler　there。

　

So　it　was　that　I　remained　hidden　until　after　Thurid　had

disappeared　over　the　edge　of　the　steep　bank　beside　the　sea　a

quarter　of　a　mile　away。　　Then；　with　Woola　following；　I　hastened

across　the　open　after　the　black　dator。

　

The　quiet　of　the　tomb　lay　upon　the　mysterious　valley　of　death；

crouching　deep　in　its　warm　nest　within　the　sunken　area　at　the　south

pole　of　the　dying　planet。　　In　the　far　distance　the　Golden　Cliffs

raised　their　mighty　barrier　faces　far　into　the　starlit　heavens；

the　precious　metals　and　scintillating　jewels　that　composed　them

sparkling　in　the　brilliant　light　of　Mars's　two　gorgeous　moons。

　

At　my　back　was　the　forest；　pruned　and　trimmed　like　the　sward

to　parklike　symmetry　by　the　browsing　of　the　ghoulish　plant　men。

　

Before　me　lay　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus；　while　farther　on　I　caught

the　shimmering　ribbon　of　Iss；　the　River　of　Mystery；　where　it　wound

out　from　beneath　the　Golden　Cliffs　to　empty　into　Korus；　to　which

for　countless　ages　had　been　borne　the　deluded　and　unhappy　Martians

of　the　outer　world　upon　the　voluntary　pilgrimage　to　this　false　heaven。

　

The　plant　men；　with　their　blood…sucking　hands；　and　the　monstrous

white　apes　that　make　Dor　hideous　by　day；　were　hidden　in　their

lairs　for　the　night。

　

There　was　no　longer　a　Holy　Thern　upon　the　balcony　in　the　Golden

Cliffs　above　the　Iss　to　summon　them　with　weird　cry　to　the　victims

floating　down　to　their　maws　upon　the　cold；　broad　bosom　of　ancient　Iss。

　

The　navies　of　Helium　and　the　First　Born　had　cleared　the

fortresses　and　the　temples　of　the　therns　when　they　had　refused　to

surrender　and　accept　the　new　order　of　things　that　had　swept　their

false　religion　from　long…suffering　Mars。

　

In　a　few　isolated　countries　they　still　retained　their　age…old

power；　but　Matai　Shang；　their　hekkador；　Father　of　Therns；　had　been

driven　from　his　temple。　　Strenuous　had　been　our　endeavors　to

capture　him；　but　with　a　few　of　the　faithful　he　had　escaped；　and　was

in　hidingwhere　we　knew　not。

　

As　I　came　cautiously　to　the　edge　of　the　low　cliff　overlooking

the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus　I　saw　Thurid　pushing　out　upon　the　bosom　of

the　shimmering　water　in　a　small　skiffone　of　those　strangely

wrought　craft　of　unthinkable　age　which　the　Holy　Therns；　with　their

organization　of　priests　and　lesser　therns；　were　wont　to　distribute

along　the　banks　of　the　Iss；　that　the　long　journey　of　their　victims

might　be　facilitated。

　

Drawn　up　on　the　beach　below　me　were　a　score　of　similar　boats；

each　with　its　long　pole；　at　one　end　of　which　was　a　pike；　at　the

other　a　paddle。　　Thurid　was　hugging　the　shore；　and　as　he　passed　out

of　sight　round　a　near…by　promontory　I　shoved　one　of　the　boats　into

the　water　and；　calling　Woola　into　it；　pushed　out　from　shore。

　

The　pursuit　of　Thurid　carried　me　along　the　edge　of　the　sea

toward　the　mouth　of　the　Iss。　　The　farther　moon　lay　close　to　the

horizon；　casting　a　dense　shadow　beneath　the　cliffs　that　fringed　the

water。　　Thuria；　the　nearer　moon；　had　set；　nor　would　it　rise　again

for　near　four　hours；　so　that　I　was　ensured　concealing　darkness　for

that　length　of　time　at　least。

　

On　and　on　went　the　black　warrior。　　Now　he　was　opposite　the

mouth　of　the　Iss。　　Without　an　instant's　hesitation　he　turned　up　the

grim　river；　paddling　hard　against　the　strong　current。

　

After　him　came　Woola　and　I；　closer　now；　for　the　man　was　too

intent　upon　forcing　his　craft　up　the　river　to　have　any　eyes　for

what　might　be　transpiring　behind　him。　　He　hugged　the　shore　where

the　current　was　less　strong。

　

Presently　he　came　to　the　dark　cavernous　portal　in　the　face　of

the　Golden　Cliffs；　through　which　the　river　poured。　　On　into　the

Stygian　darkness　beyond　he　urged　his　craft。

　

It　seemed　hopeless　to　attempt　to　follow　him　here　where　I　could

not　see　my　hand　before　my　face；　and　I　was　almost　on　the　point　of

giving　up　the　pursuit　and　drifting　back　to　the　mouth　of　the　river；

there　to　await　his　return；　when　a　sudden　bend　showed　a　faint

luminosity　ahead。

　

My　quarry　was　plainly　visible　again；　and　in　the　increasing

light　from　the　phosphorescent　rock　that　lay　embedded　in　great

patches　in　the　roughly　arched　roof　of　the　cavern　I　had　no

difficulty　in　following　him。

　

It　was　my　first　trip　upon　the　bosom　of　Iss；　and　the　things

I　saw　there　will　live　forever　in　my　memory。

　

Terrible　as　they　were；　they　could　not　have　commenced　to

approximate　the　horrible　conditions　which　must　have　obtained　before

Tars　Tarkas；　the　great　green　warrior；　Xodar；　the　black　dator；　and

I　brought　the　light　of　truth　to　the　outer　world　and　stopped　the　mad

rush　of　millions　upon　the　voluntary　pilgrimage　to　what　they　believed

would　end　in　a　beautiful　valley　of　peace　and　happiness　and　love。

　

Even　now　the　low　islands　which　dotted　the　broad　stream　were　choked

with　the　skeletons　and　half　devoured　carcasses　of　those　who；

through　fear　or　a　sudden　awakening　to　the　truth；　had　halted　almost

at　the　completion　of　their　journey。

　

In　the　awful　stench　of　these　frightful　charnel　isles　haggard

maniacs　screamed　and　gibbered　and　fought　among　the　torn　remnants　of

their　grisly　feasts；　while　on　those　which　contained　but　clean…

picked　bones　they　battled　with　one　another；　the　weaker　furnishing

sustenance　for　the　stronger；　or　with　clawlike　hands　clutched　at　the

bloated　bodies　that　drifted　down　with　the　current。

　

Thurid　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　to　the　screaming　things

that　either　menaced　or　pleaded　with　him　as　the　mood　directed

themevidently　he　was　familiar　with　the　horrid　sights　that

surrounded　him。　　He　continued　up　the　river　for　perhaps　a　mile；

and　then；　crossing　over　to　the　left　bank；　drew　his　craft　up　on

a　low　ledge　that　lay　almost　on　a　level　with　the　water。

　

I　dared　not　follow　across　the　stream；　for　he　most　surely　would

have　seen　me。　　Instead　I　stopped　close　to　the　opposite　wall　beneath

an　overhanging　mass　of　rock　that　cast　a　dense　shadow　beneath　it。

Here　I　could　watch　Thurid　without　danger　of　discovery。

　

The　black　was　standing　upon　the　ledge　beside　his　boat；　looking

up　the　river；　as　though　he　were　awaiting　one　whom　he　expected

from　that　direction。

　

As　I　lay　there　beneath　the　dark　rocks　I　noticed　that　a　strong

current　seemed　to　flow　directly　toward　the　center　of　the　river；

so　that　it　was　difficult　to　hold　my　craft　in　its　position。　　I　edged

farther　into　the　shadow　that　I　might　find　a　hold　upon　the　bank；

but；　though　I　proceeded　several　yards；　I　touched　nothing；　and　then；

finding　that　I　would　soon　reach　a　point　from　where　I　could　no

longer　see　the　black　man；　I　was　compelled　to　remain　where　I　was；

holding　my　position　as　best　I　could　by　paddling　strongly　against

the　current　which　flowed　from　beneath　the　rocky　mass　behind　me。

　

I　could　not　imagine　what　might　cause　this　strong　lateral　flow；

for　the　main　channel　of　the　river　was　plainly　visible　to　me　from

where　I　sat；　and　I　could　see　the　rippling　junction　of　it　and　the

mysterious　current　which　had　aroused　my　curiosity。

　

While　I　was　still　speculating　upon　the　phenomenon；　my

attention　was　suddenly　riveted　upon　Thurid；　who　had　raised　both

palms　forward　above　his　head　in　the　universal　salute　of　Martians；

and　a　moment　later　his　〃Kaor！〃　the　Barsoomian　word　of　greeting；

came　in　low　but　distinct　tones。

　

I　turned　my　eyes　up　the　river　in　the　direction　that　his　were　bent；

and　presently　there　came　within　my　limited　range　of　vision　a

long　boat；　in　which　were　six　men。　　Five　were　at　the　paddles；

while　the　sixth　sat　in　the　seat　of　honor。

　

The　white　skins；　the　flowing　yellow　wigs　which　covered　their

bald　pates；　and　the　gorgeous　diadems　set　in　circlets　of　gold

about　their　heads　marked　them　as　Holy　Therns。

　

As　they　drew　up　beside　the　ledge　upon　which　Thurid　awai