warlord of mars-第22章

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monsters　might　be　peacefully　slumbering；　and　thus　a　hazardous

opportunity　be　presented　to　us　to　cross　through　their　lair。

　

One　by　one　the　remaining　brutes　stretched　themselves　upon　the

bubbling　decomposition　that　covered　the　mass　of　bones　upon

the　floor　of　their　den；　until　but　a　single　apt　remained　awake。

This　huge　fellow　roamed　restlessly　about；　nosing　among　his

companion　and　the　abhorrent　litter　of　the　cave。

　

Occasionally　he　would　stop　to　peer　intently　toward　first

one　of　the　exits　from　the　chamber　and　then　the　other。

His　whole　demeanor　was　as　of　one　who　acts　as　sentry。

　

We　were　at　last　forced　to　the　belief　that　he　would　not　sleep

while　the　other　occupants　of　the　lair　slept；　and　so　cast　about　in

our　minds　for　some　scheme　whereby　we　might　trick　him。　　Finally　I

suggested　a　plan　to　Thuvan　Dihn；　and　as　it　seemed　as　good　as　any

that　we　had　discussed　we　decided　to　put　it　to　the　test。

　

To　this　end　Thuvan　Dihn　placed　himself　close　against　the

cave's　wall；　beside　the　entrance　to　the　eighth　chamber；　while　I

deliberately　showed　myself　to　the　guardian　apt　as　he　looked　toward

our　retreat。　　Then　I　sprang　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　entrance；

flattening　my　body　close　to　the　wall。

　

Without　a　sound　the　great　beast　moved　rapidly　toward　the

seventh　cave　to　see　what　manner　of　intruder　had　thus　rashly

penetrated　so　far　within　the　precincts　of　his　habitation。

　

As　he　poked　his　head　through　the　narrow　aperture　that　connects

the　two　caves　a　heavy　long…sword　was　awaiting　him　upon　either　hand；

and　before　he　had　an　opportunity　to　emit　even　a　single　growl　his

severed　head　rolled　at　our　feet。

　

Quickly　we　glanced　into　the　eighth　chambernot　an　apt　had　moved。

Crawling　over　the　carcass　of　the　huge　beast　that　blocked　the

doorway　Thuvan　Dihn　and　I　cautiously　entered　the　forbidding

and　dangerous　den。

　

Like　snails　we　wound　our　silent　and　careful　way　among　the

huge；　recumbent　forms。　　The　only　sound　above　our　breathing　was

the　sucking　noise　of　our　feet　as　we　lifted　them　from　the　ooze　of

decaying　flesh　through　which　we　crept。

　

Halfway　across　the　chamber　and　one　of　the　mighty　beasts

directly　before　me　moved　restlessly　at　the　very　instant　that　my

foot　was　poised　above　his　head；　over　which　I　must　step。

　

Breathlessly　I　waited；　balancing　upon　one　foot；　for　I　did　not

dare　move　a　muscle。　　In　my　right　hand　was　my　keen　short…sword；

the　point　hovering　an　inch　above　the　thick　fur　beneath　which

beat　the　savage　heart。

　

Finally　the　apt　relaxed；　sighing；　as　with　the　passing　of　a　bad

dream；　and　resumed　the　regular　respiration　of　deep　slumber。

I　planted　my　raised　foot　beyond　the　fierce　head　and　an　instant

later　had　stepped　over　the　beast。

　

Thuvan　Dihn　followed　directly　after　me；　and　another　moment

found　us　at　the　further　door；　undetected。

　

The　Carrion　Caves　consist　of　a　series　of　twenty…seven

connecting　chambers；　and　present　the　appearance　of　having　been

eroded　by　running　water　in　some　far…gone　age　when　a　mighty　river

found　its　way　to　the　south　through　this　single　breach　in　the

barrier　of　rock　and　ice　that　hems　the　country　of　the　pole。

　

Thuvan　Dihn　and　I　traversed　the　remaining　nineteen　caverns

without　adventure　or　mishap。

　

We　were　afterward　to　learn　that　but　once　a　month　is　it　possible

to　find　all　the　apts　of　the　Carrion　Caves　in　a　single　chamber。

　

At　other　times　they　roam　singly　or　in　pairs　in　and　out　of　the　caves；

so　that　it　would　have　been　practically　impossible　for　two　men　to

have　passed　through　the　entire　twenty…seven　chambers　without

encountering　an　apt　in　nearly　every　one　of　them。　　Once　a　month

they　sleep　for　a　full　day；　and　it　was　our　good　fortune　to　stumble

by　accident　upon　one　of　these　occasions。

　

Beyond　the　last　cave　we　emerged　into　a　desolate　country　of

snow　and　ice；　but　found　a　well…marked　trail　leading　north。

The　way　was　boulder…strewn；　as　had　been　that　south　of　the　barrier；

so　that　we　could　see　but　a　short　distance　ahead　of　us　at　any　time。

　

After　a　couple　of　hours　we　passed　round　a　huge　boulder　to　come

to　a　steep　declivity　leading　down　into　a　valley。

　

Directly　before　us　we　saw　a　half　dozen　menfierce；　black…bearded

fellows；　with　skins　the　color　of　a　ripe　lemon。

　

〃The　yellow　men　of　Barsoom！〃　ejaculated　Thuvan　Dihn；　as　though

even　now　that　he　saw　them　he　found　it　scarce　possible　to　believe

that　the　very　race　we　expected　to　find　hidden　in　this　remote　and

inaccessible　land　did　really　exist。

　

We　withdrew　behind　an　adjacent　boulder　to　watch　the　actions　of　the

little　party；　which　stood　huddled　at　the　foot　of　another　huge　rock；

their　backs　toward　us。

　

One　of　them　was　peering　round　the　edge　of　the　granite　mass　as

though　watching　one　who　approached　from　the　opposite　side。

　

Presently　the　object　of　his　scrutiny　came　within　the　range

of　my　vision　and　I　saw　that　it　was　another　yellow　man。　　All

were　clothed　in　magnificent　fursthe　six　in　the　black　and　yellow

striped　hide　of　the　orluk；　while　he　who　approached　alone　was

resplendent　in　the　pure　white　skin　of　an　apt。

　

The　yellow　men　were　armed　with　two　swords；　and　a　short　javelin

was　slung　across　the　back　of　each；　while　from　their　left　arms　hung

cuplike　shields　no　larger　than　a　dinner　plate；　the　concave　sides　of

which　turned　outward　toward　an　antagonist。

　

They　seemed　puny　and　futile　implements　of　safety　against　an

even　ordinary　swordsman；　but　I　was　later　to　see　the　purpose　of　them

and　with　what　wondrous　dexterity　the　yellow　men　manipulate　them。

　

One　of　the　swords　which　each　of　the　warriors　carried　caught　my

immediate　attention。　　I　call　it　a　sword；　but　really　it　was　a　sharp…

edged　blade　with　a　complete　hook　at　the　far　end。

　

The　other　sword　was　of　about　the　same　length　as　the　hooked

instrument；　and　somewhere　between　that　of　my　long…sword　and　my

short…sword。　　It　was　straight　and　two…edged。　　In　addition　to　the

weapons　I　have　ennumerated　each　man　carried　a　dagger　in　his　harness。

　

As　the　white…furred　one　approached；　the　six　grasped　their

swords　more　firmlythe　hooked　instrument　in　the　left　hand；　the

straight　sword　in　the　right；　while　above　the　left　wrist　the　small

shield　was　held　rigid　upon　a　metal　bracelet。

　

As　the　lone　warrior　came　opposite　them　the　six　rushed　out　upon

him　with　fiendish　yells　that　resembled　nothing　more　closely　than

the　savage　war　cry　of　the　Apaches　of　the　South…west。

　

Instantly　the　attacked　drew　both　his　swords；　and　as　the　six　fell

upon　him　I　witnessed　as　pretty　fighting　as　one　might　care　to　see。

　

With　their　sharp　hooks　the　combatants　attempted　to　take　hold　of　an

adversary；　but　like　lightning　the　cupshaped　shield　would　spring

before　the　darting　weapon　and　into　its　hollow　the　hook　would　plunge。

　

Once　the　lone　warrior　caught　an　antagonist　in　the　side　with

his　hook；　and　drawing　him　close　ran　his　sword　through　him。

　

But　the　odds　were　too　unequal；　and；　though　he　who　fought　alone

was　by　far　the　best　and　bravest　of　them　all；　I　saw　that　it　was

but　a　question　of　time　before　the　remaining　five　would　find　an

opening　through　his　marvelous　guard　and　bring　him　down。

　

Now　my　sympathies　have　ever　been　with　the　weaker　side　of　an　argument；

and　though　I　knew　nothing　of　the　cause　of　the　trouble　I　could　not

stand　idly　by　and　see　a　brave　man　butchered　by　superior　numbers。

　

As　a　matter　of　fact　I　presume　I　gave　little　attention　to

seeking　an　excuse；　for　I　love　a　good　fight　too　well　to　need　any

other　reason　for　joining　in　when　one　is　afoot。

　

So　it　was　that　before　Thuvan　Dihn　knew　what　I　was　about　he　saw

me　standing　by　the　side　of　the　white…clad　yellow　man；　battling　like

mad　with　his　five　adversaries。

　

　

　

　

WITH　THE　YELLOW　MEN

　

　

Thuvan　Dihn　was　not　long　in　joining　me；　and；　though　we　found

the　hooked　weapon　a　strange　and　savage　thing　with　which　to　deal；

the　three　of　us　soon　despatched　the　five　black…bearded　warriors　who

opposed　us。

　

When　the　battle　was　over　our　new　acquaintance　turned　to　me；

and　remov