a princess of mars-第27章

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but　the　chances　are　small　indeed　for　escape。　　They　would

follow　us　to　the　very　gates　of　Helium；　and　they　would　take

toll　of　life　at　every　step；　you　do　not　know　them。〃



〃Is　there　no　other　way　we　might　reach　Helium？〃　I　asked。

〃Can　you　not　draw　me　a　rough　map　of　the　country　we

must　traverse；　Dejah　Thoris？〃



〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　and　taking　a　great　diamond　from

her　hair　she　drew　upon　the　marble　floor　the　first　map　of

Barsoomian　territory　I　had　ever　seen。　　It　was　crisscrossed　in

every　direction　with　long　straight　lines；　sometimes　running

parallel　and　sometimes　converging　toward　some　great　circle。

The　lines；　she　said；　were　waterways；　the　circles；　cities；　and

one　far　to　the　northwest　of　us　she　pointed　out　as　Helium。

There　were　other　cities　closer；　but　she　said　she　feared　to

enter　many　of　them；　as　they　were　not　all　friendly　toward　Helium。



Finally；　after　studying　the　map　carefully　in　the　moonlight

which　now　flooded　the　room；　I　pointed　out　a　waterway　far

to　the　north　of　us　which　also　seemed　to　lead　to　Helium。



〃Does　not　this　pierce　your　grandfather's　territory？〃　I

asked。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃but　it　is　two　hundred　miles　north

of　us；　it　is　one　of　the　waterways　we　crossed　on　the　trip

to　Thark。〃



〃They　would　never　suspect　that　we　would　try　for　that

distant　waterway；〃　I　answered；　〃and　that　is　why　I　think

that　it　is　the　best　route　for　our　escape。〃



Sola　agreed　with　me；　and　it　was　decided　that　we　should

leave　Thark　this　same　night；　just　as　quickly；　in　fact；　as　I

could　find　and　saddle　my　thoats。　　Sola　was　to　ride　one　and

Dejah　Thoris　and　I　the　other；　each　of　us　carrying　sufficient

food　and　drink　to　last　us　for　two　days；　since　the　animals

could　not　be　urged　too　rapidly　for　so　long　a　distance。



I　directed　Sola　to　proceed　with　Dejah　Thoris　along　one

of　the　less　frequented　avenues　to　the　southern　boundary　of

the　city；　where　I　would　overtake　them　with　the　thoats　as

quickly　as　possible；　then；　leaving　them　to　gather　what　food；

silks；　and　furs　we　were　to　need；　I　slipped　quietly　to　the

rear　of　the　first　floor；　and　entered　the　courtyard；　where

our　animals　were　moving　restlessly　about；　as　was　their　habit；

before　settling　down　for　the　night。



In　the　shadows　of　the　buildings　and　out　beneath　the　radiance

of　the　Martian　moons　moved　the　great　herd　of　thoats　and

zitidars；　the　latter　grunting　their　low　gutturals　and

the　former　occasionally　emitting　the　sharp　squeal　which

denotes　the　almost　habitual　state　of　rage　in　which　these

creatures　passed　their　existence。　　They　were　quieter　now；

owing　to　the　absence　of　man；　but　as　they　scented　me　they　became

more　restless　and　their　hideous　noise　increased。　　It　was　risky

business；　this　entering　a　paddock　of　thoats　alone　and　at　night；

first；　because　their　increasing　noisiness　might　warn　the　nearby

warriors　that　something　was　amiss；　and　also　because　for　the

slightest　cause；　or　for　no　cause　at　all　some　great　bull　thoat

might　take　it　upon　himself　to　lead　a　charge　upon　me。



Having　no　desire　to　awaken　their　nasty　tempers　upon　such

a　night　as　this；　where　so　much　depended　upon　secrecy　and

dispatch；　I　hugged　the　shadows　of　the　buildings；　ready　at

an　instant's　warning　to　leap　into　the　safety　of　a　nearby

door　or　window。　　Thus　I　moved　silently　to　the　great　gates

which　opened　upon　the　street　at　the　back　of　the　court；　and

as　I　neared　the　exit　I　called　softly　to　my　two　animals。　　How

I　thanked　the　kind　providence　which　had　given　me　the　foresight

to　win　the　love　and　confidence　of　these　wild　dumb　brutes；　for

presently　from　the　far　side　of　the　court　I　saw　two　huge　bulks

forcing　their　way　toward　me　through　the　surging　mountains　of　flesh。



They　came　quite　close　to　me；　rubbing　their　muzzles

against　my　body　and　nosing　for　the　bits　of　food　it　was

always　my　practice　to　reward　them　with。　　Opening　the　gates

I　ordered　the　two　great　beasts　to　pass　out；　and　then

slipping　quietly　after　them　I　closed　the　portals　behind　me。



I　did　not　saddle　or　mount　the　animals　there；　but　instead

walked　quietly　in　the　shadows　of　the　buildings　toward　an

unfrequented　avenue　which　led　toward　the　point　I　had　arranged

to　meet　Dejah　Thoris　and　Sola。　　With　the　noiselessness

of　disembodied　spirits　we　moved　stealthily　along　the

deserted　streets；　but　not　until　we　were　within　sight　of

the　plain　beyond　the　city　did　I　commence　to　breathe　freely。

I　was　sure　that　Sola　and　Dejah　Thoris　would　find　no　difficulty

in　reaching　our　rendezvous　undetected；　but　with　my　great　thoats

I　was　not　so　sure　for　myself；　as　it　was　quite　unusual　for　warriors

to　leave　the　city　after　dark；　in　fact　there　was　no　place　for　them

to　go　within　any　but　a　long　ride。



I　reached　the　appointed　meeting　place　safely；　but　as　Dejah

Thoris　and　Sola　were　not　there　I　led　my　animals　into　the

entrance　hall　of　one　of　the　large　buildings。　　Presuming　that

one　of　the　other　women　of　the　same　household　may　have

come　in　to　speak　to　Sola；　and　so　delayed　their　departure；

I　did　not　feel　any　undue　apprehension　until　nearly　an　hour

had　passed　without　a　sign　of　them；　and　by　the　time　another

half　hour　had　crawled　away　I　was　becoming　filled　with　grave

anxiety。　　Then　there　broke　upon　the　stillness　of　the　night

the　sound　of　an　approaching　party；　which；　from　the　noise；　I

knew　could　be　no　fugitives　creeping　stealthily　toward　liberty。

Soon　the　party　was　near　me；　and　from　the　black　shadows　of　my

entranceway　I　perceived　a　score　of　mounted　warriors；　who；

in　passing；　dropped　a　dozen　words　that　fetched　my　heart　clean

into　the　top　of　my　head。



〃He　would　likely　have　arranged　to　meet　them　just　without

the　city；　and　so〃　　I　heard　no　more；　they　had　passed　on；

but　it　was　enough。　　Our　plan　had　been　discovered；　and

the　chances　for　escape　from　now　on　to　the　fearful　end

would　be　small　indeed。　　My　one　hope　now　was　to　return

undetected　to　the　quarters　of　Dejah　Thoris　and　learn　what

fate　had　overtaken　her；　but　how　to　do　it　with　these　great

monstrous　thoats　upon　my　hands；　now　that　the　city　probably

was　aroused　by　the　knowledge　of　my　escape　was　a　problem

of　no　mean　proportions。



Suddenly　an　idea　occurred　to　me；　and　acting　on　my　knowledge

of　the　construction　of　the　buildings　of　these　ancient

Martian　cities　with　a　hollow　court　within　the　center　of　each

square；　I　groped　my　way　blindly　through　the　dark　chambers；

calling　the　great　thoats　after　me。　　They　had　difficulty　in

negotiating　some　of　the　doorways；　but　as　the　buildings　fronting

the　city's　principal　exposures　were　all　designed　upon　a

magnificent　scale；　they　were　able　to　wriggle　through　without

sticking　fast；　and　thus　we　finally　made　the　inner　court　where

I　found；　as　I　had　expected；　the　usual　carpet　of　moss…like

vegetation　which　would　prove　their　food　and　drink　until　I

could　return　them　to　their　own　enclosure。　　That　they　would

be　as　quiet　and　contented　here　as　elsewhere　I　was　confident；

nor　was　there　but　the　remotest　possibility　that　they　would

be　discovered；　as　the　green　men　had　no　great　desire　to　enter

these　outlying　buildings；　which　were　frequented　by　the

only　thing；　I　believe；　which　caused　them　the　sensation　of

fearthe　great　white　apes　of　Barsoom。



Removing　the　saddle　trappings；　I　hid　them　just　within

the　rear　doorway　of　the　building　through　which　we　had

entered　the　court；　and；　turning　the　beasts　loose；　quickly

made　my　way　across　the　court　to　the　rear　of　the　buildings

upon　the　further　side；　and　thence　to　the　avenue　beyond。

Waiting　in　the　doorway　of　the　building　until　I　was　assured

that　no　one　was　approaching；　I　hurried　across　to　the　opposite

side　and　through　the　first　doorway　to　the　court　beyond；

thus；　crossing　through　court　after　court　with　only　the　slight

chance　of　detection　which　the　necessary　crossing　of　the

avenues　entailed；　I　made　my　way　in　safety　to　the　courtyard

in　the　rear　of　Dejah　Thoris'　quarters。



Here；　of　course；　I　found　the　beasts　of　the　warriors　who

quartered　in　the　adjacent　buildings；　and　the　warriors

themselves　I　might　expect　to　meet　within　if　I　ent