warlord of mars-第24章

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he　said；　〃which　is　in　my　possession。　　These　three　are　worn　by

nobles　high　in　my　confidence；　all　of　whom　have　been　sent　on　secret

missions　to　the　court　of　Salensus　Oll。

　

〃Should　you　come　within　fifty　feet　of　any　of　these　three　you　will

feel　a　rapid；　pricking　sensation　in　the　finger　upon　which　you

wear　this　ring。　　He　who　wears　one　of　its　mates　will　experience　the

same　feeling；　it　is　caused　by　an　electrical　action　that　takes　place

the　moment　two　of　these　gems　cut　from　the　same　mother　stone　come

within　the　radius　of　each　other's　power。　　By　it　you　will　know　that

a　friend　is　at　hand　upon　whom　you　may　depend　for　assistance

in　time　of　need。

　

〃Should　another　wearer　of　one　of　these　gems　call　upon　you　for　aid

do　not　deny　him；　and　should　death　threaten　you　swallow　the　ring

rather　than　let　it　fall　into　the　hands　of　enemies。　　Guard　it　with

your　life；　John　Carter；　for　some　day　it　may　mean　more　than　life　to　you。〃

　

With　this　parting　admonition　our　good　friend　turned　back

toward　Marentina；　and　we　set　our　faces　in　the　direction　of　the

city　of　Kadabra　and　the　court　of　Salensus　Oll；　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks。

　

That　very　evening　we　came　within　sight　of　the　walled　and　glass…roofed

city　of　Kadabra。　　It　lies　in　a　low　depression　near　the　pole；　surrounded

by　rocky；　snow…clad　hills。　　From　the　pass　through　which　we　entered

the　valley　we　had　a　splendid　view　of　this　great　city　of　the　north。

Its　crystal　domes　sparkled　in　the　brilliant　sunlight　gleaming　above

the　frost…covered　outer　wall　that　circles　the　entire　one　hundred　miles

of　its　circumference。

　

At　regular　intervals　great　gates　give　entrance　to　the　city；

but　even　at　the　distance　from　which　we　looked　upon　the　massive　pile

we　could　see　that　all　were　closed；　and；　in　accordance　with　Talu's

suggestion；　we　deferred　attempting　to　enter　the　city　until　the

following　morning。

　

As　he　had　said；　we　found　numerous　caves　in　the　hillsides　about　us；

and　into　one　of　these　we　crept　for　the　night。　　Our　warm　orluk

skins　kept　us　perfectly　comfortable；　and　it　was　only　after　a　most

refreshing　sleep　that　we　awoke　shortly　after　daylight　on　the

following　morning。

　

Already　the　city　was　astir；　and　from　several　of　the　gates　we　saw

parties　of　yellow　men　emerging。　　Following　closely　each　detail

of　the　instructions　given　us　by　our　good　friend　of　Marentina；　we

remained　concealed　for　several　hours　until　one　party　of　some　half

dozen　warriors　had　passed　along　the　trail　below　our　hiding　place

and　entered　the　hills　by　way　of　the　pass　along　which　we　had　come

the　previous　evening。

　

After　giving　them　time　to　get　well　out　of　sight　of　our　cave；

Thuvan　Dihn　and　I　crept　out　and　followed　them；　overtaking　them

when　they　were　well　into　the　hills。

　

When　we　had　come　almost　to　them　I　called　aloud　to　their　leader；

when　the　whole　party　halted　and　turned　toward　us。

The　crucial　test　had　come。　　Could　we　but　deceive　these　men

the　rest　would　be　comparatively　easy。

　

〃Kaor！〃　I　cried　as　I　came　closer　to　them。

　

〃Kaor！〃　responded　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　party。

　

〃We　be　from　Illall；〃　I　continued；　giving　the　name　of　the　most　remote

city　of　Okar；　which　has　little　or　no　intercourse　with　Kadabra。

〃Only　yesterday　we　arrived；　and　this　morning　the　captain　of

the　gate　told　us　that　you　were　setting　out　to　hunt　orluks；

which　is　a　sport　we　do　not　find　in　our　own　neighborhood。　　We　have

hastened　after　you　to　pray　that　you　allow　us　to　accompany　you。〃

　

The　officer　was　entirely　deceived；　and　graciously　permitted　us

to　go　with　them　for　the　day。　　The　chance　guess　that　they　were　bound

upon　an　orluk　hunt　proved　correct；　and　Talu　had　said　that　the

chances　were　ten　to　one　that　such　would　be　the　mission　of　any　party

leaving　Kadabra　by　the　pass　through　which　we　entered　the　valley；

since　that　way　leads　directly　to　the　vast　plains　frequented　by　this

elephantine　beast　of　prey。

　

In　so　far　as　the　hunt　was　concerned；　the　day　was　a　failure；

for　we　did　not　see　a　single　orluk；　but　this　proved　more　than

fortunate　for　us；　since　the　yellow　men　were　so　chagrined　by　their

misfortune　that　they　would　not　enter　the　city　by　the　same　gate　by

which　they　had　left　it　in　the　morning；　as　it　seemed　that　they　had

made　great　boasts　to　the　captain　of　that　gate　about　their　skill　at

this　dangerous　sport。

　

We；　therefore；　approached　Kadabra　at　a　point　several　miles

from　that　at　which　the　party　had　quitted　it　in　the　morning；

and　so　were　relieved　of　the　danger　of　embarrassing　questions

and　explanations　on　the　part　of　the　gate　captain；　whom　we　had

said　had　directed　us　to　this　particular　hunting　party。

　

We　had　come　quite　close　to　the　city　when　my　attention　was

attracted　toward　a　tall；　black　shaft　that　reared　its　head　several

hundred　feet　into　the　air　from　what　appeared　to　be　a　tangled　mass

of　junk　or　wreckage；　now　partially　snow…covered。

　

I　did　not　dare　venture　an　inquiry　for　fear　of　arousing　suspicion

by　evident　ignorance　of　something　which　as　a　yellow　man　I　should

have　known；　but　before　we　reached　the　city　gate　I　was　to　learn

the　purpose　of　that　grim　shaft　and　the　meaning　of　the　mighty

accumulation　beneath　it。

　

We　had　come　almost　to　the　gate　when　one　of　the　party　called　to

his　fellows；　at　the　same　time　pointing　toward　the　distant

southern　horizon。　　Following　the　direction　he　indicated；　my　eyes

descried　the　hull　of　a　large　flier　approaching　rapidly　from　above

the　crest　of　the　encircling　hills。

　

〃Still　other　fools　who　would　solve　the　mysteries　of　the

forbidden　north；〃　said　the　officer；　half　to　himself。

〃Will　they　never　cease　their　fatal　curiosity？〃

　

〃Let　us　hope　not；〃　answered　one　of　the　warriors；　〃for　then

what　should　we　do　for　slaves　and　sport？〃

　

〃True；　but　what　stupid　beasts　they　are　to　continue　to　come　to

a　region　from　whence　none　of　them　ever　has　returned。〃

　

〃Let　us　tarry　and　watch　the　end　of　this　one；〃　suggested　one　of　the　men。

　

The　officer　looked　toward　the　city。

　

〃The　watch　has　seen　him；〃　he　said；　〃we　may　remain；　for　we　may　be　needed。〃

　

I　looked　toward　the　city　and　saw　several　hundred　warriors　issuing

from　the　nearest　gate。　　They　moved　leisurely；　as　though　there

were　no　need　for　hastenor　was　there；　as　I　was　presently　to　learn。

　

Then　I　turned　my　eyes　once　more　toward　the　flier。　　She　was

moving　rapidly　toward　the　city；　and　when　she　had　come　close　enough

I　was　surprised　to　see　that　her　propellers　were　idle。

　

Straight　for　that　grim　shaft　she　bore。　　At　the　last　minute　I

saw　the　great　blades　move　to　reverse　her；　yet　on　she　came　as　though

drawn　by　some　mighty；　irresistible　power。

　

Intense　excitement　prevailed　upon　her　deck；　where　men　were

running　hither　and　thither；　manning　the　guns　and　preparing　to

launch　the　small；　one…man　fliers；　a　fleet　of　which　is　part　of　the

equipment　of　every　Martian　war　vessel。　　Closer　and　closer　to　the

black　shaft　the　ship　sped。　　In　another　instant　she　must　strike；　and

then　I　saw　the　familiar　signal　flown　that　sends　the　lesser　boats　in

a　great　flock　from　the　deck　of　the　mother　ship。

　

Instantly　a　hundred　tiny　fliers　rose　from　her　deck；　like　a

swarm　of　huge　dragon　flies；　but　scarcely　were　they　clear　of　the

battleship　than　the　nose　of　each　turned　toward　the　shaft；　and　they；

too；　rushed　on　at　frightful　speed　toward　the　same　now　seemingly

inevitable　end　that　menaced　the　larger　vessel。

　

A　moment　later　the　collision　came。　　Men　were　hurled　in　every

direction　from　the　ship's　deck；　while　she；　bent　and　crumpled；

took　the　last；　long　plunge　to　the　scrap…heap　at　the　shaft's　base。

　

With　her　fell　a　shower　of　her　own　tiny　fliers；　for　each　of

them　had　come　in　violent　collision　with　the　solid　shaft。

　

I　noticed　that　the　wrecked　fliers　scraped　down　the　shaft's　side；

and　that　their　fall　was　not　as　rapid　as　might　have　been　expected；

and　then　suddenly　the　secret　of　the　shaft　burst　upon　me；

and　with　it　an　explanation　of　the　cause　that　prevented　a　flier

that　passed　too　far　across　the　ice…barrier　ever　returning。

　

The　sha