warlord of mars-第32章

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My　friend　walked　close　beside　me；　asking　many　silly　questions

about　the　country　from　which　I　had　come；　until　finally　his

fellows　paid　no　further　attention　to　him　or　his　gabbling。

　

Gradually；　as　he　spoke；　he　lowered　his　voice；　so　that　presently　he　was

able　to　converse　with　me　in　a　low　tone　without　attracting　attention。

His　ruse　was　a　clever　one；　and　showed　that　Talu　had　not　misjudged

the　man's　fitness　for　the　dangerous　duty　upon　which　he　was　detailed。

　

When　he　had　fully　assured　himself　that　the　other　guardsmen　were

not　listening；　he　asked　me　why　I　had　not　followed　the　rope；

and　when　I　told　him　that　it　had　ended　at　the　five　corridors　he　said

that　it　must　have　been　cut　by　someone　in　need　of　a　piece　of　rope；

for　he　was　sure　that　〃the　stupid　Kadabrans　would　never　have　guessed

its　purpose。〃

　

Before　we　had　reached　the　spot　from　which　the　five　corridors

diverge　my　Marentinian　friend　had　managed　to　drop　to　the　rear　of

the　little　column　with　me；　and　when　we　came　in　sight　of　the

branching　ways　he　whispered：

　

〃Run　up　the　first　upon　the　right。　　It　leads　to　the　watchtower　upon

the　south　wall。　　I　will　direct　the　pursuit　up　the　next　corridor；〃

and　with　that　he　gave　me　a　great　shove　into　the　dark　mouth　of

the　tunnel；　at　the　same　time　crying　out　in　simulated　pain

and　alarm　as　he　threw　himself　upon　the　floor　as　though　I　had

felled　him　with　a　blow。

　

From　behind　the　voices　of　the　excited　guardsmen　came

reverberating　along　the　corridor；　suddenly　growing　fainter　as

Talu's　spy　led　them　up　the　wrong　passageway　in　fancied　pursuit。

　

As　I　ran　for　my　life　through　the　dark　galleries　beneath　the　palace

of　Salensus　Oll　I　must　indeed　have　presented　a　remarkable　appearance

had　there　been　any　to　note　it；　for　though　death　loomed　large　about　me；

my　face　was　split　by　a　broad　grin　as　I　thought　of　the　resourcefulness

of　the　nameless　hero　of　Marentina　to　whom　I　owed　my　life。

　

Of　such　stuff　are　the　men　of　my　beloved　Helium；　and　when　I　meet　another

of　their　kind；　of　whatever　race　or　color；　my　heart　goes　out　to　him　as

it　did　now　to　my　new　friend　who　had　risked　his　life　for　me　simply

because　I　wore　the　mate　to　the　ring　his　ruler　had　put　upon　his　finger。

　

The　corridor　along　which　I　ran　led　almost　straight　for

a　considerable　distance；　terminating　at　the　foot　of　a

spiral　runway；　up　which　I　proceeded　to　emerge　presently

into　a　circular　chamber　upon　the　first　floor　of　a　tower。

　

In　this　apartment　a　dozen　red　slaves　were　employed　polishing

or　repairing　the　weapons　of　the　yellow　men。　　The　walls　of　the

room　were　lined　with　racks　in　which　were　hundreds　of　straight　and

hooked　swords；　javelins；　and　daggers。　　It　was　evidently　an　armory。

There　were　but　three　warriors　guarding　the　workers。

　

My　eyes　took　in　the　entire　scene　at　a　glance。　　Here　were　weapons

in　plenty！　　Here　were　sinewy　red　warriors　to　wield　them！

　

And　here　now　was　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　in　need　both

of　weapons　and　warriors！

　

As　I　stepped　into　the　apartment；　guards　and　prisoners　saw　me

simultaneously。

　

Close　to　the　entrance　where　I　stood　was　a　rack　of　straight

swords；　and　as　my　hand　closed　upon　the　hilt　of　one　of　them　my　eyes

fell　upon　the　faces　of　two　of　the　prisoners　who　worked　side　by　side。

　

One　of　the　guards　started　toward　me。　　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　demanded。

〃What　do　you　here？〃

　

〃I　come　for　Tardos　Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium；　and　his　son；　Mors　Kajak；〃

I　cried；　pointing　to　the　two　red　prisoners；　who　had　now

sprung　to　their　feet；　wide…eyed　in　astonished　recognition。

　

〃Rise；　red　men！　　Before　we　die　let　us　leave　a　memorial　in　the

palace　of　Okar's　tyrant　that　will　stand　forever　in　the　annals　of

Kadabra　to　the　honor　and　glory　of　Helium；〃　for　I　had　seen　that　all

the　prisoners　there　were　men　of　Tardos　Mors's　navy。

　

Then　the　first　guardsman　was　upon　me　and　the　fight　was　on；

but　scarce　did　we　engage　ere；　to　my　horror；　I　saw　that　the

red　slaves　were　shackled　to　the　floor。

　

　

　

　

THE　MAGNET　SWITCH

　

　

The　guardsmen　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　to　their　wards；

for　the　red　men　could　not　move　over　two　feet　from　the　great　rings

to　which　they　were　padlocked；　though　each　had　seized　a　weapon　upon

which　he　had　been　engaged　when　I　entered　the　room；　and　stood　ready

to　join　me　could　they　have　but　done　so。

　

The　yellow　men　devoted　all　their　attention　to　me；　nor　were　they　long

in　discovering　that　the　three　of　them　were　none　too　many　to　defend　the

armory　against　John　Carter。　　Would　that　I　had　had　my　own　good　long…sword

in　my　hand　that　day；　but；　as　it　was；　I　rendered　a　satisfactory　account

of　myself　with　the　unfamiliar　weapon　of　the　yellow　man。

　

At　first　I　had　a　time　of　it　dodging　their　villainous　hook…swords；

but　after　a　minute　or　two　I　had　succeeded　in　wresting　a　second　straight

sword　from　one　of　the　racks　along　the　wall；　and　thereafter；　using　it

to　parry　the　hooks　of　my　antagonists；　I　felt　more　evenly　equipped。

　

The　three　of　them　were　on　me　at　once；　and　but　for　a　lucky

circumstance　my　end　might　have　come　quickly。　　The　foremost

guardsman　made　a　vicious　lunge　for　my　side　with　his　hook　after　the

three　of　them　had　backed　me　against　the　wall；　but　as　I　sidestepped

and　raised　my　arm　his　weapon　but　grazed　my　side；　passing　into　a

rack　of　javelins；　where　it　became　entangled。

　

Before　he　could　release　it　I　had　run　him　through；　and　then；

falling　back　upon　the　tactics　that　have　saved　me　a　hundred　times

in　tight　pinches；　I　rushed　the　two　remaining　warriors；　forcing　them

back　with　a　perfect　torrent　of　cuts　and　thrusts；　weaving　my　sword

in　and　out　about　their　guards　until　I　had　the　fear　of　death　upon　them。

　

Then　one　of　them　commenced　calling　for　help；　but　it　was　too　late

to　save　them。

　

They　were　as　putty　in　my　hands　now；　and　I　backed　them　about　the

armory　as　I　would　until　I　had　them　where　I　wanted　themwithin

reach　of　the　swords　of　the　shackled　slaves。　　In　an　instant

both　lay　dead　upon　the　floor。　　But　their　cries　had　not　been

entirely　fruitless；　for　now　I　heard　answering　shouts　and　the

footfalls　of　many　men　running　and　the　clank　of　accouterments

and　the　commands　of　officers。

　

〃The　door！　　Quick；　John　Carter；　bar　the　door！〃　cried　Tardos　Mors。

　

Already　the　guard　was　in　sight；　charging　across　the　open　court

that　was　visible　through　the　doorway。

　

A　dozen　seconds　would　bring　them　into　the　tower。　　A　single

leap　carried　me　to　the　heavy　portal。　　With　a　resounding　bang　I

slammed　it　shut。

　

〃The　bar！〃　shouted　Tardos　Mors。

　

I　tried　to　slip　the　huge　fastening　into　place；　but　it　defied

my　every　attempt。

　

〃Raise　it　a　little　to　release　the　catch；〃　cried　one　of　the　red　men。

　

I　could　hear　the　yellow　warriors　leaping　along　the　flagging　just

beyond　the　door。　　I　raised　the　bar　and　shot　it　to　the　right

just　as　the　foremost　of　the　guardsmen　threw　himself　against　the

opposite　side　of　the　massive　panels。

　

The　barrier　heldI　had　been　in　time；　but　by　the　fraction　of

a　second　only。

　

Now　I　turned　my　attention　to　the　prisoners。　　To　Tardos　Mors　I

went　first；　asking　where　the　keys　might　be　which　would　unfasten

their　fetters。

　

〃The　officer　of　the　guard　has　them；〃　replied　the　Jeddak　of　Helium；

〃and　he　is　among　those　without　who　seek　entrance。　　You　will　have

to　force　them。〃

　

Most　of　the　prisoners　were　already　hacking　at　their　bonds　with

the　swords　in　their　hands。　　The　yellow　men　were　battering　at　the

door　with　javelins　and　axes。

　

I　turned　my　attention　to　the　chains　that　held　Tardos　Mors。

Again　and　again　I　cut　deep　into　the　metal　with　my　sharp　blade；

but　ever　faster　and　faster　fell　the　torrent　of　blows　upon　the　portal。

　

At　last　a　link　parted　beneath　my　efforts；　and　a　moment　later

Tardos　Mors　was　free；　though　a　few　inches　of　trailing　chain　still

dangled　from　his　ankle。

　

A　splinter　of　wood　falling　inward　from　the　door　announced　the

headway　that　our　enemies　were　making　toward　us。

　

The　mighty　panels　trembled　and　bent　beneath　the　furious　onslaugh