warlord of mars-第31章

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With　that　the　dator　threw　a　well…filled　money…pouch　upon　the　table。

　

Solan　opened　the　pouch　and　with　trembling　fingers　counted　its　contents。

His　weird　eyes　assumed　a　greedy　expression；　and　his　unkempt　beard

and　mustache　twitched　with　the　muscles　of　his　mouth　and　chin。

It　was　quite　evident　from　his　very　mannerism　that　Thurid　had

keenly　guessed　the　man's　weaknesseven　the　clawlike；　clutching

movement　of　the　fingers　betokened　the　avariciousness　of　the　miser。

　

Having　satisfied　himself　that　the　amount　was　correct；　Solan

replaced　the　money　in　the　pouch　and　rose　from　the　table。

　

〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃are　you　quite　sure　that　you　know　the　way　to

your　destination？　　You　must　travel　quickly　to　cover　the　ground

to　the　cave　and　from　thence　beyond　the　Great　Power；　all　within

a　brief　hour；　for　no　more　dare　I　spare　you。〃

　

〃Let　me　repeat　it　to　you；〃　said　Thurid；　〃that　you　may　see　if

I　be　letter…perfect。〃

　

〃Proceed；〃　replied　Solan。

　

〃Through　yonder　door；〃　he　commenced；　pointing　to　a　door　at　the

far　end　of　the　apartment；　〃I　follow　a　corridor；　passing　three

diverging　corridors　upon　my　right；　then　into　the　fourth　right…hand

corridor　straight　to　where　three　corridors　meet；　here　again　I

follow　to　the　right；　hugging　the　left　wall　closely　to　avoid　the　pit。

　

〃At　the　end　of　this　corridor　I　shall　come　to　a　spiral　runway；

which　I　must　follow　down　instead　of　up；　after　that　the　way

is　along　but　a　single　branchless　corridor。　　Am　I　right？〃

　

〃Quite　right；　Dator；〃　answered　Solan；　〃and　now　begone。　　Already

have　you　tempted　fate　too　long　within　this　forbidden　place。〃

　

〃Tonight；　or　tomorrow；　then；　you　may　expect　the　signal；〃　said　Thurid；

rising　to　go。

　

〃Tonight；　or　tomorrow；〃　repeated　Solan；　and　as　the　door　closed

behind　his　guest　the　old　man　continued　to　mutter　as　he　turned

back　to　the　table；　where　he　again　dumped　the　contents　of　the

money…pouch；　running　his　fingers　through　the　heap　of　shining　metal；

piling　the　coins　into　little　towers；　counting；　recounting；　and　fondling

the　wealth　the　while　he　muttered　on　and　on　in　a　crooning　undertone。

　

Presently　his　fingers　ceased　their　play；　his　eyes　popped　wider　than　ever

as　they　fastened　upon　the　door　through　which　Thurid　had　disappeared。

The　croon　changed　to　a　querulous　muttering；　and　finally　to　an　ugly　growl。

　

Then　the　old　man　rose　from　the　table；　shaking　his　fist　at　the　closed　door。

Now　he　raised　his　voice；　and　his　words　came　distinctly。

　

〃Fool！〃　he　muttered。　　〃Think　you　that　for　your　happiness　Solan

will　give　up　his　life？　　If　you　escaped；　Salensus　Oll　would

know　that　only　through　my　connivance　could　you　have　succeeded。

Then　would　he　send　for　me。　　What　would　you　have　me　do？　　Reduce　the

city　and　myself　to　ashes？　　No；　fool；　there　is　a　better　waya　better

way　for　Solan　to　keep　thy　money　and　be　revenged　upon　Salensus　Oll。〃

　

He　laughed　in　a　nasty；　cackling　note。

　

〃Poor　fool！　　You　may　throw　the　great　switch　that　will　give　you

the　freedom　of　the　air　of　Okar；　and　then；　in　fatuous　security；

go　on　with　thy　red　princess　to　the　freedom　ofdeath。　　When　you　have

passed　beyond　this　chamber　in　your　flight；　what　can　prevent　Solan

replacing　the　switch　as　it　was　before　your　vile　hand　touched　it？

Nothing；　and　then　the　Guardian　of　the　North　will　claim　you　and　your

woman；　and　Salensus　Oll；　when　he　sees　your　dead　bodies；　will　never

dream　that　the　hand　of　Solan　had　aught　to　do　with　the　thing。〃

　

Then　his　voice　dropped　once　more　into　mutterings　that　I　could

not　translate；　but　I　had　heard　enough　to　cause　me　to　guess　a

great　deal　more；　and　I　thanked　the　kind　Providence　that　had　led

me　to　this　chamber　at　a　time　so　filled　with　importance　to　Dejah

Thoris　and　myself　as　this。

　

But　how　to　pass　the　old　man　now！　　The　cord；　almost　invisible

upon　the　floor；　stretched　straight　across　the　apartment　to　a　door

upon　the　far　side。

　

There　was　no　other　way　of　which　I　knew；　nor　could　I　afford　to

ignore　the　advice　to　〃follow　the　rope。〃　　I　must　cross　this　room；

but　however　I　should　accomplish　it　undetected　with　that　old　man

in　the　very　center　of　it　baffled　me。

　

Of　course　I　might　have　sprung　in　upon　him　and　with　my　bare　hands

silenced　him　forever；　but　I　had　heard　enough　to　convince　me　that

with　him　alive　the　knowledge　that　I　had　gained　might　serve　me

at　some　future　moment；　while　should　I　kill　him　and　another　be

stationed　in　his　place　Thurid　would　not　come　hither　with　Dejah

Thoris；　as　was　quite　evidently　his　intention。

　

As　I　stood　in　the　dark　shadow　of　the　tunnel's　end　racking　my

brain　for　a　feasible　plan　the　while　I　watched；　catlike；　the　old

man's　every　move；　he　took　up　the　money…pouch　and　crossed　to　one

end　of　the　apartment；　where；　bending　to　his　knees；　he　fumbled　with

a　panel　in　the　wall。

　

Instantly　I　guessed　that　here　was　the　hiding　place　in　which　he

hoarded　his　wealth；　and　while　he　bent　there；　his　back　toward　me；　I

entered　the　chamber　upon　tiptoe；　and　with　the　utmost　stealth

essayed　to　reach　the　opposite　side　before　he　should　complete　his

task　and　turn　again　toward　the　room's　center。

　

Scarcely　thirty　steps；　all　told；　must　I　take；　and　yet　it

seemed　to　my　overwrought　imagination　that　that　farther　wall　was

miles　away；　but　at　last　I　reached　it；　nor　once　had　I　taken　my　eyes

from　the　back　of　the　old　miser's　head。

　

He　did　not　turn　until　my　hand　was　upon　the　button　that　controlled

the　door　through　which　my　way　led；　and　then　he　turned　away

from　me　as　I　passed　through　and　gently　closed　the　door。

　

For　an　instant　I　paused；　my　ear　close　to　the　panel；　to　learn

if　he　had　suspected　aught；　but　as　no　sound　of　pursuit　came　from

within　I　wheeled　and　made　my　way　along　the　new　corridor；　following

the　rope；　which　I　coiled　and　brought　with　me　as　I　advanced。

　

But　a　short　distance　farther　on　I　came　to　the　rope's　end　at

a　point　where　five　corridors　met。　　What　was　I　to　do？　　Which

way　should　I　turn？　　I　was　nonplused。

　

A　careful　examination　of　the　end　of　the　rope　revealed　the　fact

that　it　had　been　cleanly　cut　with　some　sharp　instrument。　　This　fact

and　the　words　that　had　cautioned　me　that　danger　lay　beyond　the

KNOTS　convinced　me　that　the　rope　had　been　severed　since　my　friend

had　placed　it　as　my　guide；　for　I　had　but　passed　a　single　knot；

whereas　there　had　evidently　been　two　or　more　in　the　entire　length

of　the　cord。

　

Now；　indeed；　was　I　in　a　pretty　fix；　for　neither　did　I　know

which　avenue　to　follow　nor　when　danger　lay　directly　in　my　path；

but　there　was　nothing　else　to　be　done　than　follow　one　of　the　corridors；

for　I　could　gain　nothing　by　remaining　where　I　was。

　

So　I　chose　the　central　opening；　and　passed　on　into　its　gloomy

depths　with　a　prayer　upon　my　lips。

　

The　floor　of　the　tunnel　rose　rapidly　as　I　advanced；　and　a

moment　later　the　way　came　to　an　abrupt　end　before　a　heavy　door。

　

I　could　hear　nothing　beyond；　and；　with　my　accustomed　rashness；

pushed　the　portal　wide　to　step　into　a　room　filled　with　yellow

warriors。

　

The　first　to　see　me　opened　his　eyes　wide　in　astonishment；　and

at　the　same　instant　I　felt　the　tingling　sensation　in　my　finger

that　denoted　the　presence　of　a　friend　of　the　ring。

　

Then　others　saw　me；　and　there　was　a　concerted　rush　to　lay　hands　upon　me；

for　these　were　all　members　of　the　palace　guardmen　familiar　with　my　face。

　

The　first　to　reach　me　was　the　wearer　of　the　mate　to　my　strange　ring；

and　as　he　came　close　he　whispered：　　〃Surrender　to　me！〃　then　in　a

loud　voice　shouted：　　〃You　are　my　prisoner；　white　man；〃　and　menaced

me　with　his　two　weapons。

　

And　so　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　meekly　surrendered　to　a

single　antagonist。　　The　others　now　swarmed　about　us；　asking　many

questions；　but　I　would　not　talk　to　them；　and　finally　my　captor

announced　that　he　would　lead　me　back　to　my　cell。

　

An　officer　ordered　several　other　warriors　to　accompany　him；

and　a　moment　later　we　were　retracing　the　way　I　had　just　come。

My　friend　walked　close　beside　me；　asking　many　silly　questions

about　the　country　from　which