warlord of mars-第34章

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They　were　the　huge　green　allies　of　Heliumthe　savage　hordes　from

the　dead　sea　bottoms　of　the　far　south。

　

In　grim　and　terrible　silence　they　sped　on　toward　the　gate；

the　padded　hoofs　of　their　frightful　mounts　giving　forth　no　sound。

Into　the　doomed　city　they　charged；　and　as　they　wheeled　across　the

wide　plaza　before　the　palace　of　the　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　I　saw；　riding　at

their　head；　the　mighty　figure　of　their　mighty　leaderTars　Tarkas；

Jeddak　of　Thark。

　

My　wish；　then；　was　to　be　gratified；　for　I　was　to　see　my　old　friend

battling　once　again；　and　though　not　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　him；

I；　too；　would　be　fighting　in　the　same　cause　here　in　the　high　tower　of　Okar。

　

Nor　did　it　seem　that　our　foes　would　ever　cease　their　stubborn　attacks；

for　still　they　came；　though　the　way　to　our　chamber　was　often　clogged

with　the　bodies　of　their　dead。　　At　times　they　would　pause　long　enough

to　drag　back　the　impeding　corpses；　and　then　fresh　warriors　would　forge

upward　to　taste　the　cup　of　death。

　

I　had　been　taking　my　turn　with　the　others　in　defending　the

approach　to　our　lofty　retreat　when　Mors　Kajak；　who　had　been

watching　the　battle　in　the　street　below；　called　aloud　in

sudden　excitement。　　There　was　a　note　of　apprehension　in　his　voice

that　brought　me　to　his　side　the　instant　that　I　could　turn　my　place

over　to　another；　and　as　I　reached　him　he　pointed　far　out　across　the

waste　of　snow　and　ice　toward　the　southern　horizon。

　

〃Alas！〃　he　cried；　〃that　I　should　be　forced　to　witness　cruel　fate

betray　them　without　power　to　warn　or　aid；　but　they　be　past　either　now。〃

　

As　I　looked　in　the　direction　he　indicated　I　saw　the　cause　of

his　perturbation。　　A　mighty　fleet　of　fliers　was　approaching

majestically　toward　Kadabra　from　the　direction　of　the　ice…barrier。

On　and　on　they　came　with　ever　increasing　velocity。

　

〃The　grim　shaft　that　they　call　the　Guardian　of　the　North　is

beckoning　to　them；〃　said　Mors　Kajak　sadly；　〃just　as　it　beckoned　to

Tardos　Mors　and　his　great　fleet；　see　where　they　lie；　crumpled　and

broken；　a　grim　and　terrible　monument　to　the　mighty　force　of

destruction　which　naught　can　resist。〃

　

I；　too；　saw；　but　something　else　I　saw　that　Mors　Kajak　did　not；

in　my　mind's　eye　I　saw　a　buried　chamber　whose　walls　were　lined　with

strange　instruments　and　devices。

　

In　the　center　of　the　chamber　was　a　long　table；　and　before　it　sat　a

little；　pop…eyed　old　man　counting　his　money；　but；　plainest　of　all；

I　saw　upon　the　wall　a　great　switch　with　a　small　magnet　inlaid

within　the　surface　of　its　black　handle。

　

Then　I　glanced　out　at　the　fast…approaching　fleet。　　In　five　minutes

that　mighty　armada　of　the　skies　would　be　bent　and　worthless　scrap；

lying　at　the　base　of　the　shaft　beyond　the　city's　wall；　and　yellow

hordes　would　be　loosed　from　another　gate　to　rush　out　upon　the　few

survivors　stumbling　blindly　down　through　the　mass　of　wreckage；

then　the　apts　would　come。　　I　shuddered　at　the　thought；　for　I　could

vividly　picture　the　whole　horrible　scene。

　

Quick　have　I　always　been　to　decide　and　act。　　The　impulse

that　moves　me　and　the　doing　of　the　thing　seem　simultaneous；

for　if　my　mind　goes　through　the　tedious　formality　of　reasoning；

it　must　be　a　subconscious　act　of　which　I　am　not　objectively　aware。

Psychologists　tell　me　that；　as　the　subconscious　does　not　reason；

too　close　a　scrutiny　of　my　mental　activities　might　prove　anything

but　flattering；　but　be　that　as　it　may；　I　have　often　won　success

while　the　thinker　would　have　been　still　at　the　endless　task　of

comparing　various　judgments。

　

And　now　celerity　of　action　was　the　prime　essential　to　the

success　of　the　thing　that　I　had　decided　upon。

　

Grasping　my　sword　more　firmly　in　my　hand；　I　called　to　the　red　man

at　the　opening　to　the　runway　to　stand　aside。

　

〃Way　for　the　Prince　of　Helium！〃　I　shouted；　and　before　the

astonished　yellow　man　whose　misfortune　it　was　to　be　at　the　fighting

end　of　the　line　at　that　particular　moment　could　gather　his　wits

together　my　sword　had　decapitated　him；　and　I　was　rushing　like　a

mad　bull　down　upon　those　behind　him。

　

〃Way　for　the　Prince　of　Helium！〃　I　shouted　as　I　cut　a　path

through　the　astonished　guardsmen　of　Salensus　Oll。

　

Hewing　to　right　and　left；　I　beat　my　way　down　that　warrior…choked

spiral　until；　near　the　bottom；　those　below；　thinking　that　an　army

was　descending　upon　them；　turned　and　fled。

　

The　armory　at　the　first　floor　was　vacant　when　I　entered　it；

the　last　of　the　Okarians　having　fled　into　the　courtyard；　so　none

saw　me　continue　down　the　spiral　toward　the　corridor　beneath。

　

Here　I　ran　as　rapidly　as　my　legs　would　carry　me　toward　the

five　corners；　and　there　plunged　into　the　passageway　that　led

to　the　station　of　the　old　miser。

　

Without　the　formality　of　a　knock；　I　burst　into　the　room。

There　sat　the　old　man　at　his　table；　but　as　he　saw　me　he

sprang　to　his　feet；　drawing　his　sword。

　

With　scarce　more　than　a　glance　toward　him　I　leaped　for　the　great　switch；

but；　quick　as　I　was；　that　wiry　old　fellow　was　there　before　me。

　

How　he　did　it　I　shall　never　know；　nor　does　it　seem　credible

that　any　Martian…born　creature　could　approximate　the　marvelous

speed　of　my　earthly　muscles。

　

Like　a　tiger　he　turned　upon　me；　and　I　was　quick　to　see　why

Solan　had　been　chosen　for　this　important　duty。

　

Never　in　all　my　life　have　I　seen　such　wondrous　swordsmanship

and　such　uncanny　agility　as　that　ancient　bag　of　bones　displayed。

He　was　in　forty　places　at　the　same　time；　and　before　I　had　half　a　chance

to　awaken　to　my　danger　he　was　like　to　have　made　a　monkey　of　me；

and　a　dead　monkey　at　that。

　

It　is　strange　how　new　and　unexpected　conditions　bring　out

unguessed　ability　to　meet　them。

　

That　day　in　the　buried　chamber　beneath　the　palace　of　Salensus　Oll

I　learned　what　swordsmanship　meant；　and　to　what　heights　of　sword

mastery　I　could　achieve　when　pitted　against　such　a　wizard　of　the

blade　as　Solan。

　

For　a　time　he　liked　to　have　bested　me；　but　presently　the　latent

possibilities　that　must　have　been　lying　dormant　within　me　for　a

lifetime　came　to　the　fore；　and　I　fought　as　I　had　never　dreamed

a　human　being　could　fight。

　

That　that　duel…royal　should　have　taken　place　in　the　dark　recesses

of　a　cellar；　without　a　single　appreciative　eye　to　witness　it　has

always　seemed　to　me　almost　a　world　calamityat　least　from

the　viewpoint　Barsoomian；　where　bloody　strife　is　the　first

and　greatest　consideration　of　individuals；　nations；　and　races。

　

I　was　fighting　to　reach　the　switch；　Solan　to　prevent　me；

and；　though　we　stood　not　three　feet　from　it；　I　could　not　win

an　inch　toward　it；　for　he　forced　me　back　an　inch　for　the

first　five　minutes　of　our　battle。

　

I　knew　that　if　I　were　to　throw　it　in　time　to　save　the　oncoming

fleet　it　must　be　done　in　the　next　few　seconds；　and　so　I　tried　my

old　rushing　tactics；　but　I　might　as　well　have　rushed　a　brick　wall

for　all　that　Solan　gave　way。

　

In　fact；　I　came　near　to　impaling　myself　upon　his　point　for　my　pains；

but　right　was　on　my　side；　and　I　think　that　that　must　give　a　man

greater　confidence　than　though　he　knew　himself　to　be　battling

in　a　wicked　cause。

　

At　least；　I　did　not　want　in　confidence；　and　when　I　next　rushed

Solan　it　was　to　one　side　with　implicit　confidence　that　he　must　turn

to　meet　my　new　line　of　attack；　and　turn　he　did；　so　that　now　we

fought　with　our　sides　towards　the　coveted　goalthe　great　switch

stood　within　my　reach　upon　my　right　hand。

　

To　uncover　my　breast　for　an　instant　would　have　been　to　court

sudden　death；　but　I　saw　no　other　way　than　to　chance　it；　if　by　so

doing　I　might　rescue　that　oncoming；　succoring　fleet；　and　so；　in　the

face　of　a　wicked　sword…thrust；　I　reached　out　my　point　and　caught

the　great　switch　a　sudden　blow　that　released　it　from　its　seating。

　

So　surprised　and　horrified　was　Solan　that　he　forgot　to　finish

his　thrust；　instead；　he　wheeled　toward　the　switch　with　a　loud　shriek

a　shriek　which　was　his　last；　for　before　his　hand　could　touch　the

lever　it　sought；　my　sword's　poi