a princess of mars-第47章

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sorrow　gnawing　at　our　hearts。



When　I　returned　to　my　palace　I　found　that　the　rumor　already

had　reached　Dejah　Thoris；　so　I　told　her　all　that　I　had　heard。



〃We　have　been　very　happy；　John　Carter；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　thank

whatever　fate　overtakes　us　that　it　permits　us　to　die　together。〃



The　next　two　days　brought　no　noticeable　change　in　the

supply　of　air；　but　on　the　morning　of　the　third　day　breathing

became　difficult　at　the　higher　altitudes　of　the　rooftops。

The　avenues　and　plazas　of　Helium　were　filled　with　people。

All　business　had　ceased。　　For　the　most　part　the　people　looked

bravely　into　the　face　of　their　unalterable　doom。　　Here　and

there；　however；　men　and　women　gave　way　to　quiet　grief。



Toward　the　middle　of　the　day　many　of　the　weaker　commenced

to　succumb　and　within　an　hour　the　people　of　Barsoom

were　sinking　by　thousands　into　the　unconsciousness

which　precedes　death　by　asphyxiation。



Dejah　Thoris　and　I　with　the　other　members　of　the　royal

family　had　collected　in　a　sunken　garden　within　an　inner

courtyard　of　the　palace。　　We　conversed　in　low　tones；　when

we　conversed　at　all；　as　the　awe　of　the　grim　shadow　of　death

crept　over　us。　　Even　Woola　seemed　to　feel　the　weight　of　the

impending　calamity；　for　he　pressed　close　to　Dejah　Thoris

and　to　me；　whining　pitifully。



The　little　incubator　had　been　brought　from　the　roof　of

our　palace　at　request　of　Dejah　Thoris　and　now　she　sat　gazing

longingly　upon　the　unknown　little　life　that　now　she　would

never　know。



As　it　was　becoming　perceptibly　difficult　to　breathe　Tardos

Mors　arose；　saying；



〃Let　us　bid　each　other　farewell。　　The　days　of　the　greatness

of　Barsoom　are　over。　　Tomorrow's　sun　will　look　down　upon　a

dead　world　which　through　all　eternity　must　go　swinging　through

the　heavens　peopled　not　even　by　memories。　　It　is　the　end。〃



He　stooped　and　kissed　the　women　of　his　family；　and　laid

his　strong　hand　upon　the　shoulders　of　the　men。



As　I　turned　sadly　from　him　my　eyes　fell　upon　Dejah

Thoris。　　Her　head　was　drooping　upon　her　breast；　to　all

appearances　she　was　lifeless。　　With　a　cry　I　sprang　to　her

and　raised　her　in　my　arms。



Her　eyes　opened　and　looked　into　mine。



〃Kiss　me；　John　Carter；〃　she　murmured。　　〃I　love　you！

I　love　you！　　It　is　cruel　that　we　must　be　torn　apart　who

were　just　starting　upon　a　life　of　love　and　happiness。〃



As　I　pressed　her　dear　lips　to　mine　the　old　feeling　of

unconquerable　power　and　authority　rose　in　me。　　The　fighting

blood　of　Virginia　sprang　to　life　in　my　veins。



〃It　shall　not　be；　my　princess；〃　I　cried。　　〃There　is；　there

must　be　some　way；　and　John　Carter；　who　has　fought　his　way

through　a　strange　world　for　love　of　you；　will　find　it。〃



And　with　my　words　there　crept　above　the　threshold　of　my

conscious　mind　a　series　of　nine　long　forgotten　sounds。　　Like　a

flash　of　lightning　in　the　darkness　their　full　purport　dawned

upon　methe　key　to　the　three　great　doors　of　the　atmosphere　plant！



Turning　suddenly　toward　Tardos　Mors　as　I　still　clasped　my

dying　love　to　my　breast　I　cried。



〃A　flier；　Jeddak！　　Quick！　　Order　your　swiftest　flier　to　the

palace　top。　　I　can　save　Barsoom　yet。〃



He　did　not　wait　to　question；　but　in　an　instant　a　guard　was　racing

to　the　nearest　dock　and　though　the　air　was　thin　and　almost　gone

at　the　rooftop　they　managed　to　launch　the　fastest　one…man；

air…scout　machine　that　the　skill　of　Barsoom　had　ever　produced。



Kissing　Dejah　Thoris　a　dozen　times　and　commanding　Woola；

who　would　have　followed　me；　to　remain　and　guard　her；

I　bounded　with　my　old　agility　and　strength　to　the　high

ramparts　of　the　palace；　and　in　another　moment　I　was　headed

toward　the　goal　of　the　hopes　of　all　Barsoom。



I　had　to　fly　low　to　get　sufficient　air　to　breathe；　but　I　took

a　straight　course　across　an　old　sea　bottom　and　so　had　to　rise

only　a　few　feet　above　the　ground。



I　traveled　with　awful　velocity　for　my　errand　was　a　race

against　time　with　death。　　The　face　of　Dejah　Thoris　hung

always　before　me。　　As　I　turned　for　a　last　look　as　I　left

the　palace　garden　I　had　seen　her　stagger　and　sink　upon　the

ground　beside　the　little　incubator。　　That　she　had　dropped

into　the　last　coma　which　would　end　in　death；　if　the　air

supply　remained　unreplenished；　I　well　knew；　and　so；　throwing

caution　to　the　winds；　I　flung　overboard　everything　but　the

engine　and　compass；　even　to　my　ornaments；　and　lying　on　my

belly　along　the　deck　with　one　hand　on　the　steering　wheel

and　the　other　pushing　the　speed　lever　to　its　last　notch　I

split　the　thin　air　of　dying　Mars　with　the　speed　of　a　meteor。



An　hour　before　dark　the　great　walls　of　the　atmosphere

plant　loomed　suddenly　before　me；　and　with　a　sickening　thud

I　plunged　to　the　ground　before　the　small　door　which　was

withholding　the　spark　of　life　from　the　inhabitants　of　an

entire　planet。



Beside　the　door　a　great　crew　of　men　had　been　laboring

to　pierce　the　wall；　but　they　had　scarcely　scratched　the　flint…

like　surface；　and　now　most　of　them　lay　in　the　last　sleep　from

which　not　even　air　would　awaken　them。



Conditions　seemed　much　worse　here　than　at　Helium；　and

it　was　with　difficulty　that　I　breathed　at　all。　　There　were

a　few　men　still　conscious；　and　to　one　of　these　I　spoke。



〃If　I　can　open　these　doors　is　there　a　man　who　can　start

the　engines？〃　I　asked。



〃I　can；〃　he　replied；　〃if　you　open　quickly。　　I　can　last　but　a

few　moments　more。　　But　it　is　useless；　they　are　both　dead

and　no　one　else　upon　Barsoom　knew　the　secret　of　these　awful

locks。　　For　three　days　men　crazed　with　fear　have　surged

about　this　portal　in　vain　attempts　to　solve　its　mystery。〃



I　had　no　time　to　talk；　I　was　becoming　very　weak　and　it

was　with　difficulty　that　I　controlled　my　mind　at　all。



But；　with　a　final　effort；　as　I　sank　weakly　to　my　knees　I

hurled　the　nine　thought　waves　at　that　awful　thing　before　me。

The　Martian　had　crawled　to　my　side　and　with　staring　eyes

fixed　on　the　single　panel　before　us　we　waited　in　the　silence

of　death。



Slowly　the　mighty　door　receded　before　us。　　I　attempted　to

rise　and　follow　it　but　I　was　too　weak。



〃After　it；〃　I　cried　to　my　companion；　〃and　if　you　reach　the

pump　room　turn　loose　all　the　pumps。　　It　is　the　only　chance

Barsoom　has　to　exist　tomorrow！〃



From　where　I　lay　I　opened　the　second　door；　and　then　the

third；　and　as　I　saw　the　hope　of　Barsoom　crawling　weakly　on

hands　and　knees　through　the　last　doorway　I　sank　unconscious

upon　the　ground。









CHAPTER　XXVIII





AT　THE　ARIZONA　CAVE





It　was　dark　when　I　opened　my　eyes　again。　　Strange；　stiff

garments　were　upon　my　body；　garments　that　cracked　and

powdered　away　from　me　as　I　rose　to　a　sitting　posture。



I　felt　myself　over　from　head　to　foot　and　from　head　to

foot　I　was　clothed；　though　when　I　fell　unconscious　at　the

little　doorway　I　had　been　naked。　　Before　me　was　a　small

patch　of　moonlit　sky　which　showed　through　a　ragged　aperture。



As　my　hands　passed　over　my　body　they　came　in　contact

with　pockets　and　in　one　of　these　a　small　parcel　of　matches

wrapped　in　oiled　paper。　　One　of　these　matches　I　struck；　and

its　dim　flame　lighted　up　what　appeared　to　be　a　huge　cave；

toward　the　back　of　which　I　discovered　a　strange；　still　figure

huddled　over　a　tiny　bench。　　As　I　approached　it　I　saw　that　it

was　the　dead　and　mummified　remains　of　a　little　old　woman

with　long　black　hair；　and　the　thing　it　leaned　over　was　a　small

charcoal　burner　upon　which　rested　a　round　copper　vessel

containing　a　small　quantity　of　greenish　powder。



Behind　her；　depending　from　the　roof　upon　rawhide　thongs；

and　stretching　entirely　across　the　cave；　was　a　row　of　human

skeletons。　　From　the　thong　which　held　them　stretched　another

to　the　dead　hand　of　the　little　old　woman；　as　I　touched

the　cord　the　skeletons　swung　to　the　motion　with　a　noise　as

of　the　rustling　of　dry　leaves。



It　was　a　most　grotesque　and　horrid　tableau　and　I　hastened

out　into　the　fresh　air；　glad　to　escape　from　so　gruesome　a　place。



The　sight　that　met　my　eyes　as　I　stepp