登陆注册
5149900000048

第48章 THE MAGNET SWITCH(4)

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 calamity--at 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 goal--the 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 point had passed through his heart.

同类推荐
  • 白石道人诗说

    白石道人诗说

    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。
  • 文殊师利菩萨问菩提经论

    文殊师利菩萨问菩提经论

    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。
  • 命禄篇

    命禄篇

    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。
  • 佛说文殊师利净律经

    佛说文殊师利净律经

    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。
  • 三侠五义

    三侠五义

    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
  • 永恒之帝

    永恒之帝

    永恒一直是万物争议的话题,而在茫茫宇宙中,深藏着永恒的秘密,人类、异族都在追寻它的足迹。当有一天,他睁开了眼睛,我们的故事就从这里开始……
  • 三生三世枕上书(下册)

    三生三世枕上书(下册)

    三生三世最令人意外的设定,书写最令人叹服的前世今生:两千年的执念,不过换一场素来无缘。若终归无缘,却为何要让你我今生相见,一眼万年?迷雾重重的梦境中,穿行了谁的影子,湮灭了谁的相思,又掩埋了,谁的今生前世?“沉浮于梦境中的帝姬,你想要的是什么呢?”“毕生所求,不过是在他的眼中,能看到我的影子。”有一句话是情深缘浅,情深是她,缘浅是她和东华。有一个词是福薄,她福薄,所以遇到他,他福薄,所以错过她。“他很好,我和他,没有缘分罢了。”“天命说有缘如何,无缘又如何,本君不曾惧怕过天命,也无须天命施舍。”天命如何定下你我的因缘?一个人的疑惑,一众人的旋涡。
  • 废后重生之星图

    废后重生之星图

    重生废后带你大战娱乐圈恶女!文清慧成为帝后五年,却最终含恨而终。重生后,她成为年仅十岁的自闭症儿童。机缘巧合下,文清慧踏进21世纪的娱乐圈。
  • 销售的艺术:最适合中国的销售方法

    销售的艺术:最适合中国的销售方法

    李嘉诚、王永庆年轻时候都曾做过销售,各大公司的老板,其实都身兼另外一个职务——销售。销售是最基本的技能,销售也是人生最重要的技能。销售的最高境界是先把自己销售出去。本书将西方现金的营销理念和中国的实际情况相结合,通过大量销售一线的实战案例,给读者带来有趣又有用的阅读体验。
  • 来自未来的Angel

    来自未来的Angel

    2090年5月20日,科学家终极实验成功,他,‘千夜一号’诞生。本来是一件值得高兴的事情,但由于他的太成功,却被外界所议论纷纷,被科学家囚禁在实验室,担心他的到来影响人类生活的稳定。‘千夜一号’不甘被囚,终于破茧而出!那么,他去哪里了?科学家的女儿不知‘千夜一号’身份,深深的爱上他之后才发现不可能,斩断情丝,视若路人。‘千夜一号’后来命运怎么样?他和科学家的女儿之间能否擦出爱的火花?新世纪的科学家又将对‘千夜一号’有怎样的举措?这是一个怎样离奇的故事?请锁定《来自未来的Angel》,千紫颖带您一解缘由。
  • 重启飞扬年代

    重启飞扬年代

    人到中年的吴涛,常常想到,如果能够重新站在那个命运抉择的十字路口,他一定会选择另外一条路,开启一段精彩飞扬的人生。这一天真的来了,一夜之间重生回到1995年,那年填报中考志愿的当口,面对那张笑靥如花的俏脸,他欣欣然地做出了梦寐以求的选择。未来究竟是坦途还是荆棘密布,只有走过才知道。让我们跟着吴涛一起上路,看看会经历怎样的诗和远方。
  • 三喜和他的三房女人

    三喜和他的三房女人

    三喜又要添一房女人了,这是第三个。渠边洗衣服的女人搓着领口和袖口,相互压低语声拉呱,嗓子都变调了。碰见甩手走来的三喜,男人就远远招呼,三喜,又要说人了?好福气。三喜宽大的脸刷地紫赤了,泛出油光,连摆着手说,哪里哪里。当着三喜的面,屯里人脸上都挂了笑,可三喜一拐进巷子,屯里人就你望我我望你地嘀咕开了,吃一百个豆不嫌腥,真还敢娶,又不是本地的?这话议论过不止一次,还是一次次你问我我问你。没人答得上,只是都想起一些事。想起的是三喜的前两房女人……那天本来是个欢喜的日子。
  • 风中凌乱

    风中凌乱

    醉卧流云:“MM,上次跑的好快~”风凌乱:“—0—?”醉卧流云:“呵呵~老虎肉~”风凌乱:“厄……那个……”醉卧流云:“本来还想帮你刷……可是你跑的太快了……”
  • 娇宠小宝贝:总裁老公有点酷

    娇宠小宝贝:总裁老公有点酷

    她是公司小职员,被嫌贫爱富的前男友抛弃,谁知道转眼就睡了霸气总裁当男友!原本的唯唯诺诺顷刻不见,她差点被总裁大人宠成无恶不作的小混蛋!她闯祸,他兜着!她被欺负,他护着!为了她,他将那些花花草草踩在脚下,把狂蜂浪蝶全都掐死!
  • 罗尔斯·罗伊斯的传奇(发动机家族)

    罗尔斯·罗伊斯的传奇(发动机家族)

    丛书全面讲述了罗尔斯·罗伊斯公司的传奇故事,其时间跨度从罗尔斯·罗伊斯公司创业伊始,直至当今。罗尔斯·罗伊斯公司这个品牌是极富魅力的,而这份魅力得益于它的员工和产品。