登陆注册
5149900000008

第8章 UNDER THE MOUNTAINS(4)

"Hold!" commanded Lakor."There will be plenty of time to fight if we find it wise to fight at all.There be good reasons why every thern upon Barsoom should yearn to spill the blood of the blasphemer, the sacrilegist; but let us mix wisdom with our righteous hate.The Prince of Helium is bound upon an errand which we ourselves, but a moment since, were wishing that we might undertake.

"Let him go then and slay the black.When he returns we shall still be here to bar his way to the outer world, and thus we shall have rid ourselves of two enemies, nor have incurred the displeasure of the Father of Therns."As he spoke I could not but note the crafty glint in his evil eyes, and while I saw the apparent logic of his reasoning I felt, subconsciously perhaps, that his words did but veil some sinister intent.The other thern turned toward him in evident surprise, but when Lakor had whispered a few brief words into his ear he, too, drew back and nodded acquiescence to his superior's suggestion.

"Proceed, John Carter," said Lakor; "but know that if Thurid does not lay you low there will be those awaiting your return who will see that you never pass again into the sunlight of the upper world.Go!"During our conversation Woola had been growling and bristling close to my side.Occasionally he would look up into my face with a low, pleading whine, as though begging for the word that would send him headlong at the bare throats before him.He, too, sensed the villainy behind the smooth words.

Beyond the therns several doorways opened off the guardroom, and toward the one upon the extreme right Lakor motioned.

"That way leads to Thurid," he said.

But when I would have called Woola to follow me there the beast whined and held back, and at last ran quickly to the first opening at the left, where he stood emitting his coughing bark, as though urging me to follow him upon the right way.

I turned a questioning look upon Lakor.

"The brute is seldom wrong," I said, "and while I do not doubt your superior knowledge, Thern, I think that I shall do well to listen to the voice of instinct that is backed by love and loyalty."As I spoke I smiled grimly that he might know without words that I distrusted him.

"As you will," the fellow replied with a shrug."In the end it shall be all the same."I turned and followed Woola into the left-hand passage, and though my back was toward my enemies, my ears were on the alert;yet I heard no sound of pursuit.The passageway was dimly lighted by occasional radium bulbs, the universal lighting medium of Barsoom.

These same lamps may have been doing continuous duty in these subterranean chambers for ages, since they require no attention and are so compounded that they give off but the minutest of their substance in the generation of years of luminosity.

We had proceeded for but a short distance when we commenced to pass the mouths of diverging corridors, but not once did Woola hesitate.

It was at the opening to one of these corridors upon my right that I presently heard a sound that spoke more plainly to John Carter, fighting man, than could the words of my mother tongue--it was the clank of metal--the metal of a warrior's harness--and it came from a little distance up the corridor upon my right.

Woola heard it, too, and like a flash he had wheeled and stood facing the threatened danger, his mane all abristle and all his rows of glistening fangs bared by snarling, backdrawn lips.

With a gesture I silenced him, and together we drew aside into another corridor a few paces farther on.

Here we waited; nor did we have long to wait, for presently we saw the shadows of two men fall upon the floor of the main corridor athwart the doorway of our hiding place.Very cautiously they were moving now--the accidental clank that had alarmed me was not repeated.

Presently they came opposite our station; nor was I surprised to see that the two were Lakor and his companion of the guardroom.

They walked very softly, and in the right hand of each gleamed a keen long-sword.They halted quite close to the entrance of our retreat, whispering to each other.

"Can it be that we have distanced them already?" said Lakor.

"Either that or the beast has led the man upon a wrong trail,"replied the other, "for the way which we took is by far the shorter to this point--for him who knows it.John Carter would have found it a short road to death had he taken it as you suggested to him.""Yes," said Lakor, "no amount of fighting ability would have saved him from the pivoted flagstone.He surely would have stepped upon it, and by now, if the pit beneath it has a bottom, which Thurid denies, he should have been rapidly approaching it.

Curses on that calot of his that warned him toward the safer avenue!""There be other dangers ahead of him, though," spoke Lakor's fellow, "which he may not so easily escape--should he succeed in escaping our two good swords.Consider, for example, what chance he will have, coming unexpectedly into the chamber of----"I would have given much to have heard the balance of that conversation that I might have been warned of the perils that lay ahead, but fate intervened, and just at the very instant of all other instants that I would not have elected to do it, I sneezed.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 佛心领悟:领悟佛学中的人生智慧

    佛心领悟:领悟佛学中的人生智慧

    即心是佛。佛心是什么?佛心就是佛的一切,或者说是佛的精神、要旨。佛心并不仅存于寺院中,更存于日常生活和工作中。本书共分八章,分别是佛心是放下,佛心是宽容,佛心是智慧,佛心是无欲,佛心是平常心,佛心是慈悲,佛心是力量,佛心是随缘。每一章下均设若干节内容,每一节下分“佛陀格言”、“佛学故事”、“佛心领悟”、“佛心慧语”、“佛林百科”等板块内容。本书通俗易懂,抛开了那些令平常人难以读懂的佛学理论,很好地阐释了“佛法本平常”这个主题,使读者可以无障碍地理解佛理、感受佛法。以一颗佛心去看待人间万相,怀一颗佛心去做人做事,你就是佛。
  • 科技探秘

    科技探秘

    《巅峰阅读文库·我的第一本探索书
  • 易经战略

    易经战略

    历史上的张良、诸葛亮、刘伯温等,这些著名的战略家,都精通《易经》,并利用易经的智慧“运筹帷幄,决胜千里”。伟大领袖毛泽东的战略思想,实也暗合着易学规律之道。《易经战略》,是张松先生穷十几年之精力,寻师问道、潜心研究与实践的成果。本书的精要所在,是阐发了易学规律的精华,将之用于战略实践的指导。
  • 重生国民男神!冷少,放肆撩

    重生国民男神!冷少,放肆撩

    遇到“他”之前,他雷厉风行,高冷如帝王。遇到“他”之后…“阿洛,看我,超级软萌易扑倒,要不要…唉,别走!……”“阿洛,看我,狂拽无敌吊炸天,要不…唉,你咋又走了……”“阿洛,看我,智商超群小奶狗,要不…唉,看我一眼啊……”当“他”和君九肆逛街时…“阿洛,你不会看上他了吧?啊?我告诉你,你这辈子只属于我一个人!你赶不走我的,就算你把我扔出去我也会自己跑回来的!”“那个…老舅啊…这是我哥…”“……”【女扮男装,男女双强,女主君洛,男主冷烯墨】(本文内容与现实会有出入,当做平行世界就好。)
  • 又想骗我打ADC

    又想骗我打ADC

    林皓,英雄联盟前世界第一ADC。一次失利,一次醉酒,莫名其妙的穿越到一个平行世界。在这里经过多年的奋斗,终究圆梦。登顶世界之巅。“看到了吗?要这样操作的薇恩才能活下来。”“哎,ADC要这样子的操作才能活下来,ADC也太难玩了吧。”“妈妈,这个人又想骗我打ADC。我想打上单。”“打什么ADC,我就是因为看了他的ADC,才玩了一把ADC,一顿操作猛如虎,结果0-8。”“算了算了,我就看看。ADC?这辈子都可能打ADC的。”
  • 荣宝斋

    荣宝斋

    本书讲述的是一个关于“家族奋斗”的故事。濒临破产的荣宝斋得以延续到今天,靠的是几代人的努力。在这本书里,作者从老东家张仰山开始,缓缓讲述了荣宝斋三代人的百年往事。这其中有同行的争斗,有战争的影响,有传奇的经历,也有店铺的经营与管理。一家老店,两幅字画,百年风云,终成一品名斋。祖宗蒙荫,义仆辅佐,宽厚公平,才创商业传奇。三代人运用智慧和勇气延续了荣宝斋的生命。
  • 兽王·巨狼无双

    兽王·巨狼无双

    兰虎在南极冰海一处寒泉中顺利凝聚出冰系暗能量核心,然后搭乘符青青姐弟的捕鲸船返航。苏尔为了获得神鹰城城主凌九霄的庇护而将双头巨狼送给凌九霄。兰虎返回陆地,恰逢神鹰商行奉凌九霄的命令将双头巨狼送往设立在海外一座岛上的基地中。兰虎顺着双头巨狼的气息追到海上,大战一触即发……
  • 你最喜欢的300篇哲理故事(青少年阅读故事书系)

    你最喜欢的300篇哲理故事(青少年阅读故事书系)

    在人生中,有些事必须得到别人的信赖才能实现;生命的源头就是知识和智慧,只有努力学习,才能和源头相连;当上苍要把更大的好运赐给我们的时候,我们却又茫然失措,徒然让机会溜掉;每个奇迹总是始于一种伟大的想法。或许没有人知道今天的一个想法将会走多远。只要沉下心来,你就会听见目标就在不远处。让我们从故事中去汲取这些人生的智慧,本书推荐了300篇哲理的小故事,希望读者们从中启发智慧以及受到激励。
  • 小虎哥的虚拟人生

    小虎哥的虚拟人生

    短篇集,包含六卷相互独立的作品,总有一款适合你。(⌒▽⌒)
  • 只手遮天:名妻归来

    只手遮天:名妻归来

    六年前,她潇洒的丢下一张欠条,带着儿子拍拍屁股走人。六年后,她带着卖萌耍宝的腹黑儿子回来,却没想到被宝贝儿子直接卖进权氏集团。而她的顶头上司竟然是欠条男!臭女人,竟然感动一张欠条打发我,这次一定要你乖乖认怂!当腹黑遇上腹黑,拼的是能力,拼的是演技,那么看谁戏高一筹!