warlord of mars-第33章

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The　mighty　panels　trembled　and　bent　beneath　the　furious　onslaught

of　the　enraged　yellow　men。

　

What　with　the　battering　upon　the　door　and　the　hacking　of　the

red　men　at　their　chains　the　din　within　the　armory　was　appalling。

No　sooner　was　Tardos　Mors　free　than　he　turned　his　attention　to

another　of　the　prisoners；　while　I　set　to　work　to　liberate　Mors　Kajak。

　

We　must　work　fast　if　we　would　have　all　those　fetters　cut　before

the　door　gave　way。　　Now　a　panel　crashed　inward　upon　the　floor；

and　Mors　Kajak　sprang　to　the　opening　to　defend　the　way　until

we　should　have　time　to　release　the　others。

　

With　javelins　snatched　from　the　wall　he　wrought　havoc　among

the　foremost　of　the　Okarians　while　we　battled　with　the　insensate

metal　that　stood　between　our　fellows　and　freedom。

　

At　length　all　but　one　of　the　prisoners　were　freed；　and　then

the　door　fell　with　a　mighty　crash　before　a　hastily　improvised

battering…ram；　and　the　yellow　horde　was　upon　us。

　

〃To　the　upper　chambers！〃　shouted　the　red　man　who　was　still

fettered　to　the　floor。　　〃To　the　upper　chambers！　　There　you　may

defend　the　tower　against　all　Kadabra。　　Do　not　delay　because　of　me；

who　could　pray　for　no　better　death　than　in　the　service　of

Tardos　Mors　and　the　Prince　of　Helium。〃

　

But　I　would　have　sacrificed　the　life　of　every　man　of　us　rather

than　desert　a　single　red　man；　much　less　the　lion…hearted　hero　who

begged　us　to　leave　him。

　

〃Cut　his　chains；〃　I　cried　to　two　of　the　red　men；　〃while　the

balance　of　us　hold　off　the　foe。〃

　

There　were　ten　of　us　now　to　do　battle　with　the　Okarian　guard；

and　I　warrant　that　that　ancient　watchtower　never　looked　down　upon

a　more　hotly　contested　battle　than　took　place　that　day　within

its　own　grim　walls。

　

The　first　inrushing　wave　of　yellow　warriors　recoiled　from　the

slashing　blades　of　ten　of　Helium's　veteran　fighting　men。　　A　dozen

Okarian　corpses　blocked　the　doorway；　but　over　the　gruesome　barrier

a　score　more　of　their　fellows　dashed；　shouting　their　hoarse　and

hideous　war…cry。

　

Upon　the　bloody　mound　we　met　them；　hand　to　hand；　stabbing　where

the　quarters　were　too　close　to　cut；　thrusting　when　we　could　push

a　foeman　to　arm's　length；　and　mingled　with　the　wild　cry　of　the

Okarian　there　rose　and　fell　the　glorious　words：　　〃For　Helium！

For　Helium！〃　that　for　countless　ages　have　spurred　on　the　bravest　of

the　brave　to　those　deeds　of　valor　that　have　sent　the　fame　of　Helium's

heroes　broadcast　throughout　the　length　and　breadth　of　a　world。

　

Now　were　the　fetters　struck　from　the　last　of　the　red　men；

and　thirteen　strong　we　met　each　new　charge　of　the　soldiers

of　Salensus　Oll。　　Scarce　one　of　us　but　bled　from　a　score

of　wounds；　yet　none　had　fallen。

　

From　without　we　saw　hundreds　of　guardsmen　pouring　into　the　courtyard；

and　along　the　lower　corridor　from　which　I　had　found　my　way　to　the

armory　we　could　hear　the　clank　of　metal　and　the　shouting　of　men。

　

In　a　moment　we　should　be　attacked　from　two　sides；　and　with

all　our　prowess　we　could　not　hope　to　withstand　the　unequal　odds

which　would　thus　divide　our　attention　and　our　small　numbers。

　

〃To　the　upper　chambers！〃　cried　Tardos　Mors；　and　a　moment　later

we　fell　back　toward　the　runway　that　led　to　the　floors　above。

　

Here　another　bloody　battle　was　waged　with　the　force　of　yellow

men　who　charged　into　the　armory　as　we　fell　back　from　the　doorway。

Here　we　lost　our　first　man；　a　noble　fellow　whom　we　could　ill　spare；

but　at　length　all　had　backed　into　the　runway　except　myself；　who

remained　to　hold　back　the　Okarians　until　the　others　were　safe　above。

　

In　the　mouth　of　the　narrow　spiral　but　a　single　warrior　could

attack　me　at　a　time；　so　that　I　had　little　difficulty　in　holding

them　all　back　for　the　brief　moment　that　was　necessary。　　Then；

backing　slowly　before　them；　I　commenced　the　ascent　of　the　spiral。

　

All　the　long　way　to　the　tower's　top　the　guardsmen　pressed　me　closely。

When　one　went　down　before　my　sword　another　scrambled　over　the　dead　man　to

take　his　place；　and　thus；　taking　an　awful　toll　with　each　few　feet　gained；

I　came　to　the　spacious　glass…walled　watchtower　of　Kadabra。

　

Here　my　companions　clustered　ready　to　take　my　place；　and　for　a

moment's　respite　I　stepped　to　one　side　while　they　held　the　enemy　off。

　

From　the　lofty　perch　a　view　could　be　had　for　miles　in　every　direction。

Toward　the　south　stretched　the　rugged；　ice…clad　waste　to　the　edge　of

the　mighty　barrier。　　Toward　the　east　and　west；　and　dimly　toward　the

north　I　descried　other　Okarian　cities；　while　in　the　immediate　foreground；

just　beyond　the　walls　of　Kadabra；　the　grim　guardian　shaft　reared　its

somber　head。

　

Then　I　cast　my　eyes　down　into　the　streets　of　Kadabra；　from　which

a　sudden　tumult　had　arisen；　and　there　I　saw　a　battle　raging；

and　beyond　the　city's　walls　I　saw　armed　men　marching　in　great

columns　toward　a　near…by　gate。

　

Eagerly　I　pressed　forward　against　the　glass　wall　of　the　observatory；

scarce　daring　to　credit　the　testimony　of　my　own　　eyes。　　But　at　last

I　could　doubt　no　longer；　and　with　a　shout　of　joy　that　rose　strangely

in　the　midst　of　the　cursing　and　groaning　of　the　battling　men　at　the

entrance　to　the　chamber；　I　called　to　Tardos　Mors。

　

As　he　joined　me　I　pointed　down　into　the　streets　of　Kadabra　and

to　the　advancing　columns　beyond；　above　which　floated　bravely　in

the　arctic　air　the　flags　and　banners　of　Helium。

　

An　instant　later　every　red　man　in　the　lofty　chamber　had　seen

the　inspiring　sight；　and　such　a　shout　of　thanksgiving　arose　as　I

warrant　never　before　echoed　through　that　age…old　pile　of　stone。

　

But　still　we　must　fight　on；　for　though　our　troops　had　entered　Kadabra；

the　city　was　yet　far　from　capitulation；　nor　had　the　palace　been

even　assaulted。　　Turn　and　turn　about　we　held　the　top　of　the　runway

while　the　others　feasted　their　eyes　upon　the　sight　of　our　valiant

countrymen　battling　far　beneath　us。

　

Now　they　have　rushed　the　palace　gate！　　Great　battering…rams

are　dashed　against　its　formidable　surface。　　Now　they　are　repulsed

by　a　deadly　shower　of　javelins　from　the　wall's　top！

　

Once　again　they　charge；　but　a　sortie　by　a　large　force　of　Okarians

from　an　intersecting　avenue　crumples　the　head　of　the　column；

and　the　men　of　Helium　go　down；　fighting；　beneath　an　overwhelming　force。

　

The　palace　gate　flies　open　and　a　force　of　the　jeddak's　own　guard；

picked　men　from　the　flower　of　the　Okarian　army；　sallies　forth

to　shatter　the　broken　regiments。　　For　a　moment　it　looks　as

though　nothing　could　avert　defeat；　and　then　I　see　a　noble　figure

upon　a　mighty　thoatnot　the　tiny　thoat　of　the　red　man；　but　one　of

his　huge　cousins　of　the　dead　sea　bottoms。

　

The　warrior　hews　his　way　to　the　front；　and　behind　him　rally　the

disorganized　soldiers　of　Helium。　　As　he　raises　his　head　aloft

to　fling　a　challenge　at　the　men　upon　the　palace　walls　I　see

his　face；　and　my　heart　swells　in　pride　and　happiness　as　the

red　warriors　leap　to　the　side　of　their　leader　and　win　back

the　ground　that　they　had　but　just　lostthe　face　of　him　upon

the　mighty　thoat　is　the　face　of　my　sonCarthoris　of　Helium。

　

At　his　side　fights　a　huge　Martian　war…hound；　nor　did　I　need　a

second　look　to　know　that　it　was　Woolamy　faithful　Woola　who　had

thus　well　performed　his　arduous　task　and　brought　the　succoring

legions　in　the　nick　of　time。

　

〃In　the　nick　of　time？〃

　

Who　yet　might　say　that　they　were　not　too　late　to　save；　but　surely

they　could　avenge！　　And　such　retribution　as　that　unconquered　army

would　deal　out　to　the　hateful　Okarians！　　I　sighed　to　think　that　I

might　not　be　alive　to　witness　it。

　

Again　I　turned　to　the　windows。　　The　red　men　had　not　yet　forced

the　outer　palace　wall；　but　they　were　fighting　nobly　against　the

best　that　Okar　affordedvaliant　warriors　who　contested　every　inch

of　the　way。

　

Now　my　attention　was　caught　by　a　new　element　without　the　city　wall

a　great　body　of　mounted　warriors　looming　large　above　the　red　men。

They　were　the　huge　green　allies　of　Heliumthe　savage　hordes　from

the　dead　sea