登陆注册
5149900000013

第13章 THE SECRET TOWER(1)

I have no stomach to narrate the monotonous events of the tedious days that Woola and I spent ferreting our way across the labyrinth of glass, through the dark and devious ways beyond that led beneath the Valley Dor and Golden Cliffs to emerge at last upon the flank of the Otz Mountains just above the Valley of Lost Souls--that pitiful purgatory peopled by the poor unfortunates who dare not continue their abandoned pilgrimage to Dor, or return to the various lands of the outer world from whence they came.

Here the trail of Dejah Thoris' abductors led along the mountains' base, across steep and rugged ravines, by the side of appalling precipices, and sometimes out into the valley, where we found fighting aplenty with the members of the various tribes that make up the population of this vale of hopelessness.

But through it all we came at last to where the way led up a narrow gorge that grew steeper and more impracticable at every step until before us loomed a mighty fortress buried beneath the side of an overhanging cliff.

Here was the secret hiding place of Matai Shang, Father of Therns.

Here, surrounded by a handful of the faithful, the hekkador of the ancient faith, who had once been served by millions of vassals and dependents, dispensed the spiritual words among the half dozen nations of Barsoom that still clung tenaciously to their false and discredited religion.

Darkness was just falling as we came in sight of the seemingly impregnable walls of this mountain stronghold, and lest we be seen I drew back with Woola behind a jutting granite promontory, into a clump of the hardy, purple scrub that thrives upon the barren sides of Otz.

Here we lay until the quick transition from daylight to darkness had passed.Then I crept out to approach the fortress walls in search of a way within.

Either through carelessness or over-confidence in the supposed inaccessibility of their hiding place, the triple-barred gate stood ajar.Beyond were a handful of guards, laughing and talking over one of their incomprehensible Barsoomian games.

I saw that none of the guardsmen had been of the party that accompanied Thurid and Matai Shang; and so, relying entirely upon my disguise, I walked boldly through the gateway and up to the thern guard.

The men stopped their game and looked up at me, but there was no sign of suspicion.Similarly they looked at Woola, growling at my heel.

"Kaor!" I said in true Martian greeting, and the warriors arose and saluted me."I have but just found my way hither from the Golden Cliffs," I continued, "and seek audience with the hekkador, Matai Shang, Father of Therns.Where may he be found?""Follow me," said one of the guard, and, turning, led me across the outer courtyard toward a second buttressed wall.

Why the apparent ease with which I seemingly deceived them did not rouse my suspicions I know not, unless it was that my mind was still so full of that fleeting glimpse of my beloved princess that there was room in it for naught else.Be that as it may, the fact is that I marched buoyantly behind my guide straight into the jaws of death.

Afterward I learned that thern spies had been aware of my coming for hours before I reached the hidden fortress.

The gate had been purposely left ajar to tempt me on.The guards had been schooled well in their part of the conspiracy; and I, more like a schoolboy than a seasoned warrior, ran headlong into the trap.

At the far side of the outer court a narrow door let into the angle made by one of the buttresses with the wall.Here my guide produced a key and opened the way within; then, stepping back, he motioned me to enter.

"Matai Shang is in the temple court beyond," he said; and as Woola and I passed through, the fellow closed the door quickly upon us.

The nasty laugh that came to my ears through the heavy planking of the door after the lock clicked was my first intimation that all was not as it should be.

I found myself in a small, circular chamber within the buttress.

Before me a door opened, presumably, upon the inner court beyond.

For a moment I hesitated, all my suspicions now suddenly, though tardily, aroused; then, with a shrug of my shoulders, I opened the door and stepped out into the glare of torches that lighted the inner court.

Directly opposite me a massive tower rose to a height of three hundred feet.It was of the strangely beautiful modern Barsoomian style of architecture, its entire surface hand carved in bold relief with intricate and fanciful designs.Thirty feet above the courtyard and overlooking it was a broad balcony, and there, indeed, was Matai Shang, and with him were Thurid and Phaidor, Thuvia, and Dejah Thoris--the last two heavily ironed.A handful of thern warriors stood just behind the little party.

As I entered the enclosure the eyes of those in the balcony were full upon me.

An ugly smile distorted the cruel lips of Matai Shang.Thurid hurled a taunt at me and placed a familiar hand upon the shoulder of my princess.Like a tigress she turned upon him, striking the beast a heavy blow with the manacles upon her wrist.

He would have struck back had not Matai Shang interfered, and then I saw that the two men were not over-friendly; for the manner of the thern was arrogant and domineering as he made it plain to the First Born that the Princess of Helium was the personal property of the Father of Therns.And Thurid's bearing toward the ancient hekkador savored not at all of liking or respect.

When the altercation in the balcony had subsided Matai Shang turned again to me.

"Earth man," he cried, "you have earned a more ignoble death than now lies within our weakened power to inflict upon you;but that the death you die tonight may be doubly bitter, know you that when you have passed, your widow becomes the wife of Matai Shang, Hekkador of the Holy Therns, for a Martian year.

同类推荐
  • 五言古

    五言古

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说胜幡璎珞陀罗尼经

    佛说胜幡璎珞陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 登裴秀才迪小台

    登裴秀才迪小台

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Last Chronicle of Barset

    The Last Chronicle of Barset

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 粤逆纪略

    粤逆纪略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 万古修真图

    万古修真图

    千年化灵只为飞升,万年修仙可得长生否?天道至公,不眷苍生。敢问苍茫,何人掌乾坤?
  • RHETORIC

    RHETORIC

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 错过是最美的回忆

    错过是最美的回忆

    错过的人,错过的事,回想起来,酸酸甜甜。他离开她,她理解,却心痛;他离开他,他理解,却不甘;站在人生的轨迹上,两个被‘抛弃’的人,相遇,开始新的故事。当他们的故事变成回忆,又是什么味道?食用指南:1.本文人物众多,主线CP互动缓慢;副线CP不少;有甜有虐;适用于喜欢人物复杂,线索繁多,人物故事饱满的读者食用;2.本文所有角色都有两面性;如若‘敌对’,只因各自立场选择不同;3.本文含少量BL,如若不喜,可以避开;4.本文存属虚构,YY之品,人物无原型,不与现实挂钩;如有雷同,纯属巧合;在故事能顺利进行的前提下,作者君尽量保证逻辑通顺,少雷,少狗血,如有漏洞,欢迎指正。
  • 娇妻

    娇妻

    A市的最大的跨国公司的苏氏集团,突然败落,千金大小姐苏皖不得不踏上职场开始基层工作,偶遇霍氏总裁霍庆天,从此两人开始了一段相濡以沫的爱恋.......
  • 谁说不相爱

    谁说不相爱

    当2007年的炎热笼罩着大地,空气里的分子不断波动,连视线也不清晰了起来,杨达夷第一次背着行李和学费坐了四个小时的火车来到了这个海滨城市D市,感受咸腥的海风气,也在海边找到了自己的学校,山明水秀、景色宜人。杨达夷不是一个成绩好的学生,中考的那天赶上大雨,像是个落汤鸡的一样的在考场里头晕脑胀,最后干脆昏睡了过去,所以成绩可想而知的落榜了。与班级里一个较好的女生同时报考了中专学院,凭着一颗……
  • 恶少逼婚:女人乖乖让我爱

    恶少逼婚:女人乖乖让我爱

    仲轩漠是云阳城赫赫有名的权贵,内敛深沉,强悍凌厉,却没想到在个街头小巷被一个女人给壁咚了,还夺走了守了二十八年的初吻?他发誓一定要找到她,然后呢?狠狠的吻回来。再次相遇,他们同时失恋,他把她给胸咚了,将手中的戒指套在了她手上,“女人,你要对我负责!”OMG的,那么多大总裁滚了床单都不负责的,她就这么轻轻的吻了一下,要负什么责啊?“这位先生,你是侏罗纪世界出来的?”某男挑着略带深意的唇角,“是啊,你最好不要惹恼一只大型猛兽,否则后果……”怀中女人脸色立马变了,冷冷的回了他一句,“你有病!”“我们现在就去民政局领证去。”他极尽所能的爱她,疼她,宠她,只因为她是他的老婆!
  • 大象之舞:大企业如何在创新方面完胜小企业

    大象之舞:大企业如何在创新方面完胜小企业

    大企业如何在创新方面完胜小企业》试图扭转近十年来人们习以为常的偏见:在创新性方面,新秀们往往会胜过规模庞大的业内成熟企业。但这种认识并不一定正确。或者说,这种认识至少不会总是正确。的确,在企业创新性竞争方面,小而灵活会胜过大而迟缓,然而大而灵活的企业将会胜过一切竞争对手。
  • 邪善夜魅百变君

    邪善夜魅百变君

    她只是个普普通通的大学生,但却穿越到了穷凶极恶的世界,她手无缚鸡之力怎能相安异世?她是被封印的可以冻结万物亦善亦邪的雪域一族,时光轮转是一直平和的沉睡,但当险恶重重时,她又将怎样?他是俊美非凡无所不能的非凡男子。他是邪恶的主上?他是善良的良人?他还是普通的市井小民?他是谁?
  • 洪荒之血道冥河

    洪荒之血道冥河

    鲜血流尽,本以为是生命终结,然而,被命运石板选中,古泽穿越混沌,成为魔神,以血立道,成就至强!开天是劫,在洪荒活出第三世,则...我为冥河!无量劫来时,吾必以血漫三界,屠苍天,戮仇寇!凡阻我道者,必杀之!!血海不枯,冥河不死!!
  • 一顾倾城:齐少的甜美娇妻

    一顾倾城:齐少的甜美娇妻

    【已完结,请放心阅读!】一纸婚书,一无所有的寂静成了豪门阔少齐默然的新婚妻子。婚后,丈夫的冷落,小三的步步紧逼,是什么成就了她的义无反顾?情景一:寂静:“齐默然,你想用我们的孩子去救你和她的孩子?你不觉得你太残忍了一点吗?”齐默然:“残忍,哼……寂静,我告诉i你,要说残忍,我都不及你们的母女的千分之一!”情景二:寂静:“你非我爱人,怎知我情深。难过亦过,难道嫌我伤得还不够多?”齐默然:“青梅枯萎,竹马老去,从此,我爱上的人都只能是你。”