a princess of mars-第41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！



Quick；　explain　yourself；　or　I　call　the　guard。〃



〃Look　you　here；　sentry；　and　you　shall　see　how　I　came　and

how　close　a　shave　I　had　to　not　coming　at　all；〃　I　answered；

turning　toward　the　edge　of　the　roof；　where；　twenty　feet

below；　at　the　end　of　my　strap；　hung　all　my　weapons。



The　fellow；　acting　on　impulse　of　curiosity；　stepped　to　my

side　and　to　his　undoing；　for　as　he　leaned　to　peer　over　the

eaves　I　grasped　him　by　his　throat　and　his　pistol　arm　and

threw　him　heavily　to　the　roof。　　The　weapon　dropped　from

his　grasp；　and　my　fingers　choked　off　his　attempted　cry　for

assistance。　　I　gagged　and　bound　him　and　then　hung　him

over　the　edge　of　the　roof　as　I　myself　had　hung　a　few

moments　before。　　I　knew　it　would　be　morning　before　he　would

be　discovered；　and　I　needed　all　the　time　that　I　could　gain。



Donning　my　trappings　and　weapons　I　hastened　to　the

sheds；　and　soon　had　out　both　my　machine　and　Kantos　Kan's。

Making　his　fast　behind　mine　I　started　my　engine；　and　skimming

over　the　edge　of　the　roof　I　dove　down　into　the　streets　of

the　city　far　below　the　plane　usually　occupied　by　the　air

patrol。　　In　less　than　a　minute　I　was　settling　safely　upon

the　roof　of　our　apartment　beside　the　astonished　Kantos　Kan。



I　lost　no　time　in　explanation；　but　plunged　immediately

into　a　discussion　of　our　plans　for　the　immediate　future。

It　was　decided　that　I　was　to　try　to　make　Helium　while　Kantos

Kan　was　to　enter　the　palace　and　dispatch　Sab　Than。　　If　successful

he　was　then　to　follow　me。　　He　set　my　compass　for　me；　a　clever

little　device　which　will　remain　steadfastly　fixed　upon　any　given

point　on　the　surface　of　Barsoom；　and　bidding　each　other　farewell

we　rose　together　and　sped　in　the　direction　of　the　palace　which

lay　in　the　route　which　I　must　take　to　reach　Helium。



As　we　neared　the　high　tower　a　patrol　shot　down　from

above；　throwing　its　piercing　searchlight　full　upon　my　craft；

and　a　voice　roared　out　a　command　to　halt；　following　with　a

shot　as　I　paid　no　attention　to　his　hail。　　Kantos　Kan　dropped

quickly　into　the　darkness；　while　I　rose　steadily　and　at　terrific

speed　raced　through　the　Martian　sky　followed　by　a　dozen　of

the　air…scout　craft　which　had　joined　the　pursuit；　and　later

by　a　swift　cruiser　carrying　a　hundred　men　and　a　battery　of

rapid…fire　guns。　　By　twisting　and　turning　my　little　machine；

now　rising　and　now　falling；　I　managed　to　elude　their　search…

lights　most　of　the　time；　but　I　was　also　losing　ground　by　these

tactics；　and　so　I　decided　to　hazard　everything　on　a　straight…

away　course　and　leave　the　result　to　fate　and　the　speed　of　my

machine。



Kantos　Kan　had　shown　me　a　trick　of　gearing；　which　is　known

only　to　the　navy　of　Helium；　that　greatly　increased　the　speed

of　our　machines；　so　that　I　felt　sure　I　could　distance

my　pursuers　if　I　could　dodge　their　projectiles　for　a　few　moments。



As　I　sped　through　the　air　the　screeching　of　the　bullets

around　me　convinced　me　that　only　by　a　miracle　could　I　escape；

but　the　die　was　cast；　and　throwing　on　full　speed　I　raced

a　straight　course　toward　Helium。　　Gradually　I　left　my

pursuers　further　and　further　behind；　and　I　was　just

congratulating　myself　on　my　lucky　escape；　when　a　well…directed

shot　from　the　cruiser　exploded　at　the　prow　of　my　little　craft。

The　concussion　nearly　capsized　her；　and　with　a　sickening

plunge　she　hurtled　downward　through　the　dark　night。



How　far　I　fell　before　I　regained　control　of　the　plane　I　do

not　know；　but　I　must　have　been　very　close　to　the　ground

when　I　started　to　rise　again；　as　I　plainly　heard　the　squealing

of　animals　below　me。　　Rising　again　I　scanned　the　heavens　for

my　pursuers；　and　finally　making　out　their　lights　far　behind　me；

saw　that　they　were　landing；　evidently　in　search　of　me。



Not　until　their　lights　were　no　longer　discernible　did　I

venture　to　flash　my　little　lamp　upon　my　compass；　and　then

I　found　to　my　consternation　that　a　fragment　of　the

projectile　had　utterly　destroyed　my　only　guide；　as　well　as　my

speedometer。　　It　was　true　I　could　follow　the　stars　in　the

general　direction　of　Helium；　but　without　knowing　the　exact

location　of　the　city　or　the　speed　at　which　I　was　traveling

my　chances　for　finding　it　were　slim。



Helium　lies　a　thousand　miles　southwest　of　Zodanga；　and

with　my　compass　intact　I　should　have　made　the　trip；　barring

accidents；　in　between　four　and　five　hours。　　As　it　turned

out；　however；　morning　found　me　speeding　over　a　vast　expanse

of　dead　sea　bottom　after　nearly　six　hours　of　continuous

flight　at　high　speed。　　Presently　a　great　city　showed

below　me；　but　it　was　not　Helium；　as　that　alone　of　all

Barsoomian　metropolises　consists　in　two　immense　circular

walled　cities　about　seventy…five　miles　apart　and　would

have　been　easily　distinguishable　from　the　altitude　at

which　I　was　flying。



Believing　that　I　had　come　too　far　to　the　north　and　west；

I　turned　back　in　a　southeasterly　direction；　passing　during

the　forenoon　several　other　large　cities；　but　none　resembling

the　description　which　Kantos　Kan　had　given　me　of　Helium。

In　addition　to　the　twin…city　formation　of　Helium；　another

distinguishing　feature　is　the　two　immense　towers；　one　of

vivid　scarlet　rising　nearly　a　mile　into　the　air　from　the

center　of　one　of　the　cities；　while　the　other；　of　bright　yellow

and　of　the　same　height；　marks　her　sister。









CHAPTER　XXIV





TARS　TARKAS　FINDS　A　FRIEND





About　noon　I　passed　low　over　a　great　dead　city　of　ancient

Mars；　and　as　I　skimmed　out　across　the　plain　beyond　I

came　full　upon　several　thousand　green　warriors　engaged　in

a　terrific　battle。　　Scarcely　had　I　seen　them　than　a　volley　of

shots　was　directed　at　me；　and　with　the　almost　unfailing

accuracy　of　their　aim　my　little　craft　was　instantly　a　ruined

wreck；　sinking　erratically　to　the　ground。



I　fell　almost　directly　in　the　center　of　the　fierce　combat；

among　warriors　who　had　not　seen　my　approach　so　busily

were　they　engaged　in　life　and　death　struggles。　　The　men

were　fighting　on　foot　with　long…swords；　while　an　occasional

shot　from　a　sharpshooter　on　the　outskirts　of　the　conflict

would　bring　down　a　warrior　who　might　for　an　instant　separate

himself　from　the　entangled　mass。



As　my　machine　sank　among　them　I　realized　that　it　was　fight

or　die；　with　good　chances　of　dying　in　any　event；　and　so　I

struck　the　ground　with　drawn　long…sword　ready　to　defend

myself　as　I　could。



I　fell　beside　a　huge　monster　who　was　engaged　with　three

antagonists；　and　as　I　glanced　at　his　fierce　face；　filled　with

the　light　of　battle；　I　recognized　Tars　Tarkas　the　Thark。　　He

did　not　see　me；　as　I　was　a　trifle　behind　him；　and　just　then

the　three　warriors　opposing　him；　and　whom　I　recognized

as　Warhoons；　charged　simultaneously。　　The　mighty　fellow

made　quick　work　of　one　of　them；　but　in　stepping　back　for

another　thrust　he　fell　over　a　dead　body　behind　him　and

was　down　and　at　the　mercy　of　his　foes　in　an　instant。　　Quick

as　lightning　they　were　upon　him；　and　Tars　Tarkas　would

have　been　gathered　to　his　fathers　in　short　order　had　I　not

sprung　before　his　prostrate　form　and　engaged　his　adversaries。

I　had　accounted　for　one　of　them　when　the　mighty　Thark

regained　his　feet　and　quickly　settled　the　other。



He　gave　me　one　look；　and　a　slight　smile　touched　his　grim

lip　as；　touching　my　shoulder；　he　said；



〃I　would　scarcely　recognize　you；　John　Carter；　but　there

is　no　other　mortal　upon　Barsoom　who　would　have　done

what　you　have　for　me。　　I　think　I　have　learned　that　there　is

such　a　thing　as　friendship；　my　friend。〃



He　said　no　more；　nor　was　there　opportunity；　for　the

Warhoons　were　closing　in　about　us；　and　together　we　fought；

shoulder　to　shoulder；　during　all　that　long；　hot　afternoon；

until　the　tide　of　battle　turned　and　the　remnant　of　the　fierce

Warhoon　horde　fell　back　upon　their　thoats；　and　fled　into

the　gathering　darkness。



Ten　thousand　men　had　been　engaged　in　that　titanic　struggle；

and　upon　the　field　of　battle　lay　three　thousand　dead。

Neither　side　asked　or　gave　quarter；　nor　did　they　attempt