warlord of mars-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



about　their　heads　marked　them　as　Holy　Therns。

　

As　they　drew　up　beside　the　ledge　upon　which　Thurid　awaited

them；　he　in　the　bow　of　the　boat　arose　to　step　ashore；　and　then　I

saw　that　it　was　none　other　than　Matai　Shang；　Father　of　Therns。

　

The　evident　cordiality　with　which　the　two　men　exchanged

greetings　filled　me　with　wonder；　for　the　black　and　white　men　of

Barsoom　were　hereditary　enemiesnor　ever　before　had　I　known　of

two　meeting　other　than　in　battle。

　

Evidently　the　reverses　that　had　recently　overtaken　both　peoples

had　resulted　in　an　alliance　between　these　two　individualsat

least　against　the　common　enemyand　now　I　saw　why　Thurid　had

come　so　often　out　into　the　Valley　Dor　by　night；　and　that　the

nature　of　his　conspiring　might　be　such　as　to　strike　very　close

to　me　or　to　my　friends。

　

I　wished　that　I　might　have　found　a　point　closer　to　the　two　men

from　which　to　have　heard　their　conversation；　but　it　was　out　of　the

question　now　to　attempt　to　cross　the　river；　and　so　I　lay　quietly

watching　them；　who　would　have　given　so　much　to　have　known　how　close

I　lay　to　them；　and　how　easily　they　might　have　overcome　and　killed

me　with　their　superior　force。

　

Several　times　Thurid　pointed　across　the　river　in　my　direction；

but　that　his　gestures　had　any　reference　to　me　I　did　not　for　a

moment　believe。　　Presently　he　and　Matai　Shang　entered　the　latter's

boat；　which　turned　out　into　the　river　and；　swinging　round；　forged

steadily　across　in　my　direction。

　

As　they　advanced　I　moved　my　boat　farther　and　farther　in

beneath　the　overhanging　wall；　but　at　last　it　became　evident　that

their　craft　was　holding　the　same　course。　　The　five　paddlers　sent

the　larger　boat　ahead　at　a　speed　that　taxed　my　energies　to　equal。

　

Every　instant　I　expected　to　feel　my　prow　crash　against　solid　rock。

The　light　from　the　river　was　no　longer　visible；　but　ahead　I

saw　the　faint　tinge　of　a　distant　radiance；　and　still　the　water

before　me　was　open。

　

At　last　the　truth　dawned　upon　meI　was　following　a　subterranean

river　which　emptied　into　the　Iss　at　the　very　point　where　I　had　hidden。

　

The　rowers　were　now　quite　close　to　me。　　The　noise　of　their　own

paddles　drowned　the　sound　of　mine；　but　in　another　instant　the

growing　light　ahead　would　reveal　me　to　them。

　

There　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　　Whatever　action　I　was　to　take　must

be　taken　at　once。　　Swinging　the　prow　of　my　boat　toward　the　right；

I　sought　the　river's　rocky　side；　and　there　I　lay　while　Matai　Shang

and　Thurid　approached　up　the　center　of　the　stream；　which　was　much

narrower　than　the　Iss。

　

As　they　came　nearer　I　heard　the　voices　of　Thurid　and　the

Father　of　Therns　raised　in　argument。

　

〃I　tell　you；　Thern；〃　the　black　dator　was　saying；　〃that　I　wish

only　vengeance　upon　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium。　　I　am　leading

you　into　no　trap。　　What　could　I　gain　by　betraying　you　to　those　who

have　ruined　my　nation　and　my　house？〃

　

〃Let　us　stop　here　a　moment　that　I　may　hear　your　plans；〃

replied　the　hekkador；　〃and　then　we　may　proceed　with　a　better

understanding　of　our　duties　and　obligations。〃

　

To　the　rowers　he　issued　the　command　that　brought　their　boat　in

toward　the　bank　not　a　dozen　paces　beyond　the　spot　where　I　lay。

　

Had　they　pulled　in　below　me　they　must　surely　have　seen　me

against　the　faint　glow　of　light　ahead；　but　from　where　they　finally

came　to　rest　I　was　as　secure　from　detection　as　though　miles

separated　us。

　

The　few　words　I　had　already　overheard　whetted　my　curiosity；

and　I　was　anxious　to　learn　what　manner　of　vengeance　Thurid　was

planning　against　me。　　Nor　had　I　long　to　wait。　　I　listened　intently。

　

〃There　are　no　obligations；　Father　of　Therns；〃　continued　the

First　Born。　　〃Thurid；　Dator　of　Issus；　has　no　price。　　When　the　thing

has　been　accomplished　I　shall　be　glad　if　you　will　see　to　it　that　I

am　well　received；　as　is　befitting　my　ancient　lineage　and　noble

rank；　at　some　court　that　is　yet　loyal　to　thy　ancient　faith；　for　I

cannot　return　to　the　Valley　Dor　or　elsewhere　within　the　power　of

the　Prince　of　Helium；　but　even　that　I　do　not　demandit　shall　be　as

your　own　desire　in　the　matter　directs。〃

　

〃It　shall　be　as　you　wish；　Dator；〃　replied　Matai　Shang；　〃nor　is

that　allpower　and　riches　shall　be　yours　if　you　restore　my

daughter；　Phaidor；　to　me；　and　place　within　my　power　Dejah　Thoris；

Princess　of　Helium。

　

〃Ah；〃　he　continued　with　a　malicious　snarl；　〃but　the　Earth　man

shall　suffer　for　the　indignities　he　has　put　upon　the　holy　of

holies；　nor　shall　any　vileness　be　too　vile　to　inflict　upon　his

princess。　　Would　that　it　were　in　my　power　to　force　him　to　witness

the　humiliation　and　degradation　of　the　red　woman。〃

　

〃You　shall　have　your　way　with　her　before　another　day　has

passed；　Matai　Shang；〃　said　Thurid；　〃if　you　but　say　the　word。〃

　

〃I　have　heard　of　the　Temple　of　the　Sun；　Dator；〃　replied　Matai　Shang；

〃but　never　have　I　heard　that　its　prisoners　could　be　released

before　the　allotted　year　of　their　incarceration　had　elapsed。

How；　then；　may　you　accomplish　the　impossible？〃

　

〃Access　may　be　had　to　any　cell　of　the　temple　at　any　time；〃

replied　Thurid。　　〃Only　Issus　knew　this；　nor　was　it　ever　Issus'　way

to　divulge　more　of　her　secrets　than　were　necessary。　　By　chance；

after　her　death；　I　came　upon　an　ancient　plan　of　the　temple；

and　there　I　found；　plainly　writ；　the　most　minute　directions

for　reaching　the　cells　at　any　time。

　

〃And　more　I　learnedthat　many　men　had　gone　thither　for　Issus　in

the　past；　always　on　errands　of　death　and　torture　to　the　prisoners；

but　those　who　thus　learned　the　secret　way　were　wont　to　die

mysteriously　immediately　they　had　returned　and　made　their

reports　to　cruel　Issus。〃

　

〃Let　us　proceed；　then；〃　said　Matai　Shang　at　last。　　〃I　must

trust　you；　yet　at　the　same　time　you　must　trust　me；　for　we

are　six　to　your　one。〃

　

〃I　do　not　fear；〃　replied　Thurid；　〃nor　need　you。　　Our　hatred　of

the　common　enemy　is　sufficient　bond　to　insure　our　loyalty　to　each

other；　and　after　we　have　defiled　the　Princess　of　Helium　there　will

be　still　greater　reason　for　the　maintenance　of　our　allegiance

unless　I　greatly　mistake　the　temper　of　her　lord。〃

　

Matai　Shang　spoke　to　the　paddlers。　　The　boat　moved　on　up　the　tributary。

　

It　was　with　difficulty　that　I　restrained　myself　from　rushing　upon

them　and　slaying　the　two　vile　plotters；　but　quickly　I　saw　the　mad

rashness　of　such　an　act；　which　would　cut　down　the　only　man　who

could　lead　the　way　to　Dejah　Thoris'　prison　before　the　long

Martian　year　had　swung　its　interminable　circle。

　

If　he　should　lead　Matai　Shang　to　that　hollowed　spot；　then；

too；　should　he　lead　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium。

　

With　silent　paddle　I　swung　slowly　into　the　wake　of　the　larger　craft。

　

　

　

　

UNDER　THE　MOUNTAINS

　

　

As　we　advanced　up　the　river　which　winds　beneath　the　Golden

Cliffs　out　of　the　bowels　of　the　Mountains　of　Otz　to　mingle　its　dark

waters　with　the　grim　and　mysterious　Iss　the　faint　glow　which　had

appeared　before　us　grew　gradually　into　an　all…enveloping　radiance。

　

The　river　widened　until　it　presented　the　aspect　of　a　large

lake　whose　vaulted　dome；　lighted　by　glowing　phosphorescent　rock；

was　splashed　with　the　vivid　rays　of　the　diamond；　the　sapphire；

the　ruby；　and　the　countless；　nameless　jewels　of　Barsoom　which　lay

incrusted　in　the　virgin　gold　which　forms　the　major　portion　of　these

magnificent　cliffs。

　

Beyond　the　lighted　chamber　of　the　lake　was　darknesswhat　lay

behind　the　darkness　I　could　not　even　guess。

　

To　have　followed　the　thern　boat　across　the　gleaming　water

would　have　been　to　invite　instant　detection；　and　so；　though　I　was

loath　to　permit　Thurid　to　pass　even　for　an　instant　beyond　my　sight；

I　was　forced　to　wait　in　the　shadows　until　the　other　boat　had　passed

from　my　sight　at　the　far　extremity　of　the　lake。

　

Then　I　paddled　out　upon　the　brilliant　surface　in　the　direction

they　had　taken。

　

When；　after　what　seemed　an　eternity；　I　reached　the　shadows　at

the　upper　end　of　the　lake　I　found　that　the　river　i