warlord of mars-第21章

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hundred　yards　to　the　foot　of　the　barrier。

　

Then；　turning　about　the　corner　of　a　wall…like　outcropping　of

granite；　we　came　upon　a　smooth　area　of　two　or　three　acres　before

the　base　of　the　towering　pile　of　ice　and　rock　that　had　baffled　us

for　days；　and　before　us　beheld　the　dark　and　cavernous　mouth　of　a　cave。

　

From　this　repelling　portal　the　horrid　stench　was　emanating；

and　as　Thuvan　Dihn　espied　the　place　he　halted　with　an　exclamation

of　profound　astonishment。

　

〃By　all　my　ancestors！〃　he　ejaculated。　　〃That　I　should　have

lived　to　witness　the　reality　of　the　fabled　Carrion　Caves！

If　these　indeed　be　they；　we　have　found　a　way　beyond　the　ice…barrier。

　

〃The　ancient　chronicles　of　the　first　historians　of　Barsoomso

ancient　that　we　have　for　ages　considered　them　mythologyrecord　the

passing　of　the　yellow　men　from　the　ravages　of　the　green　hordes　that

overran　Barsoom　as　the　drying　up　of　the　great　oceans　drove　the

dominant　races　from　their　strongholds。

　

〃They　tell　of　the　wanderings　of　the　remnants　of　this　once　powerful　race；

harassed　at　every　step；　until　at　last　they　found　a　way　through　the

ice…barrier　of　the　north　to　a　fertile　valley　at　the　pole。

　

〃At　the　opening　to　the　subterranean　passage　that　led　to　their

haven　of　refuge　a　mighty　battle　was　fought　in　which　the　yellow

men　were　victorious；　and　within　the　caves　that　gave　ingress

to　their　new　home　they　piled　the　bodies　of　the　dead；　both　yellow

and　green；　that　the　stench　might　warn　away　their　enemies　from

further　pursuit。

　

〃And　ever　since　that　long…gone　day　have　the　dead　of　this　fabled

land　been　carried　to　the　Carrion　Caves；　that　in　death　and　decay

they　might　serve　their　country　and　warn　away　invading　enemies。

Here；　too；　is　brought；　so　the　fable　runs；　all　the　waste

stuff　of　the　nationeverything　that　is　subject　to　rot；　and　that

can　add　to　the　foul　stench　that　assails　our　nostrils。

　

〃And　death　lurks　at　every　step　among　rotting　dead；　for　here

the　fierce　apts　lair；　adding　to　the　putrid　accumulation　with　the

fragments　of　their　own　prey　which　they　cannot　devour。　　It　is　a

horrid　avenue　to　our　goal；　but　it　is　the　only　one。〃

　

〃You　are　sure；　then；　that　we　have　found　the　way　to　the　land

of　the　yellow　men？〃　I　cried。

　

〃As　sure　as　may　be；〃　he　replied；　〃having　only　ancient　legend

to　support　my　belief。　　But　see　how　closely；　so　far；　each　detail

tallies　with　the　world…old　story　of　the　hegira　of　the　yellow　race。

Yes；　I　am　sure　that　we　have　discovered　the　way　to　their　ancient

hiding　place。〃

　

〃If　it　be　true；　and　let　us　pray　that　such　may　be　the　case；〃　I　said；

〃then　here　may　we　solve　the　mystery　of　the　disappearance　of

Tardos　Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium；　and　Mors　Kajak；　his　son；　for　no

other　spot　upon　Barsoom　has　remained　unexplored　by　the　many

expeditions　and　the　countless　spies　that　have　been　searching　for

them　for　nearly　two　years。　　The　last　word　that　came　from　them　was

that　they　sought　Carthoris；　my　own　brave　son；　beyond　the　ice…barrier。〃

　

As　we　talked　we　had　been　approaching　the　entrance　to　the　cave；

and　as　we　crossed　the　threshold　I　ceased　to　wonder　that　the

ancient　green　enemies　of　the　yellow　men　had　been　halted　by　the

horrors　of　that　awful　way。

　

The　bones　of　dead　men　lay　man　high　upon　the　broad　floor　of　the

first　cave；　and　over　all　was　a　putrid　mush　of　decaying　flesh；

through　which　the　apts　had　beaten　a　hideous　trail　toward　the

entrance　to　the　second　cave　beyond。

　

The　roof　of　this　first　apartment　was　low；　like　all　that　we

traversed　subsequently；　so　that　the　foul　odors　were　confined

and　condensed　to　such　an　extent　that　they　seemed　to　possess

tangible　substance。　　One　was　almost　tempted　to　draw　his

short…sword　and　hew　his　way　through　in　search　of　pure　air　beyond。

　

〃Can　man　breathe　this　polluted　air　and　live？〃

asked　Thuvan　Dihn；　choking。

　

〃Not　for　long；　I　imagine；〃　I　replied；　〃so　let　us　make　haste。

I　will　go　first；　and　you　bring　up　the　rear；　with　Woola　between。

Come；〃　and　with　the　words　I　dashed　forward；　across　the　fetid

mass　of　putrefaction。

　

It　was　not　until　we　had　passed　through　seven　caves　of　different

sizes　and　varying　but　little　in　the　power　and　quality　of　their

stenches　that　we　met　with　any　physical　opposition。　　Then；　within

the　eighth　cave；　we　came　upon　a　lair　of　apts。

　

A　full　score　of　the　mighty　beasts　were　disposed　about　the　chamber。

Some　were　sleeping；　while　others　tore　at　the　fresh…killed　carcasses

of　new…brought　prey；　or　fought　among　themselves　in　their　love…making。

　

Here　in　the　dim　light　of　their　subterranean　home　the　value　of

their　great　eyes　was　apparent；　for　these　inner　caves　are　shrouded

in　perpetual　gloom　that　is　but　little　less　than　utter　darkness。

　

To　attempt　to　pass　through　the　midst　of　that　fierce　herd

seemed；　even　to　me；　the　height　of　folly；　and　so　I　proposed　to

Thuvan　Dihn　that　he　return　to　the　outer　world　with　Woola；　that　the

two　might　find　their　way　to　civilization　and　come　again　with　a

sufficient　force　to　overcome　not　only　the　apts；　but　any　further

obstacles　that　might　lie　between　us　and　our　goal。

　

〃In　the　meantime；〃　I　continued；　〃I　may　discover　some　means　of

winning　my　way　alone　to　the　land　of　the　yellow　men；　but　if　I　am

unsuccessful　one　life　only　will　have　been　sacrificed。　　Should　we

all　go　on　and　perish；　there　will　be　none　to　guide　a　succoring　party

to　Dejah　Thoris　and　your　daughter。〃

　

〃I　shall　not　return　and　leave　you　here　alone；　John　Carter；〃

replied　Thuvan　Dihn。　　〃Whether　you　go　on　to　victory　or　death；

the　Jeddak　of　Ptarth　remains　at　your　side。　　I　have　spoken。〃

　

I　knew　from　his　tone　that　it　were　useless　to　attempt　to　argue

the　question；　and　so　I　compromised　by　sending　Woola　back　with　a

hastily　penned　note　enclosed　in　a　small　metal　case　and　fastened

about　his　neck。　　I　commanded　the　faithful　creature　to　seek

Carthoris　at　Helium；　and　though　half　a　world　and　countless

dangers　lay　between　I　knew　that　if　the　thing　could　be　done　Woola

would　do　it。

　

Equipped　as　he　was　by　nature　with　marvelous　speed　and　endurance；

and　with　frightful　ferocity　that　made　him　a　match　for　any　single

enemy　of　the　way；　his　keen　intelligence　and　wondrous　instinct

should　easily　furnish　all　else　that　was　needed　for　the　successful

accomplishment　of　his　mission。

　

It　was　with　evident　reluctance　that　the　great　beast　turned　to　leave

me　in　compliance　with　my　command；　and　ere　he　had　gone　I　could　not

resist　the　inclination　to　throw　my　arms　about　his　great　neck　in

a　parting　hug。　　He　rubbed　his　cheek　against　mine　in　a　final　caress；

and　a　moment　later　was　speeding　through　the　Carrion　Caves　toward

the　outer　world。

　

In　my　note　to　Carthoris　I　had　given　explicit　directions　for　locating

the　Carrion　Caves；　impressing　upon　him　the　necessity　for　making

entrance　to　the　country　beyond　through　this　avenue；　and　not　to　attempt

under　any　circumstances　to　cross　the　ice…barrier　with　a　fleet。

I　told　him　that　what　lay　beyond　the　eighth　cave　I　could　not

even　guess；　but　I　was　sure　that　somewhere　upon　the　other　side　of　the

ice…barrier　his　mother　lay　in　the　power　of　Matai　Shang；　and　that

possibly　his　grandfather　and　great…grandfather　as　well；　if　they　lived。

　

Further；　I　advised　him　to　call　upon　Kulan　Tith　and　the　son　of

Thuvan　Dihn　for　warriors　and　ships　that　the　expedition　might　be

sufficiently　strong　to　insure　success　at　the　first　blow。

　

〃And；〃　I　concluded；　〃if　there　be　time　bring　Tars　Tarkas　with　you；

for　if　I　live　until　you　reach　me　I　can　think　of　few　greater　pleasures

than　to　fight　once　more；　shoulder　to　shoulder；　with　my　old　friend。〃

　

When　Woola　had　left　us　Thuvan　Dihn　and　I；　hiding　in　the　seventh　cave；

discussed　and　discarded　many　plans　for　crossing　the　eighth　chamber。

From　where　we　stood　we　saw　that　the　fighting　among　the　apts　was

growing　less；　and　that　many　that　had　been　feeding　had　ceased　and

lain　down　to　sleep。

　

Presently　it　became　apparent　that　in　a　short　time　all　the　ferocious

monsters　might　be　peacefully　slumbering；　and　thus　a　hazardous

opportunit