a princess of mars-第30部分

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the　use　of　the　ninth　ray；　one　of　the　beautiful　scintillations

which　I　had　noted　emanating　from　the　great　stone　in　my

host's　diadem。



This　ray　is　separated　from　the　other　rays　of　the　sun　by

means　of　finely　adjusted　instruments　placed　upon　the　roof

of　the　huge　building；　three…quarters　of　which　is　used　for

reservoirs　in　which　the　ninth　ray　is　stored。　　This　product　is

then　treated　electrically；　or　rather　certain　proportions　of

refined　electric　vibrations　are　incorporated　with　it；　and　the

result　is　then　pumped　to　the　five　principal　air　centers　of　the

planet　where；　as　it　is　released；　contact　with　the　ether　of

space　transforms　it　into　atmosphere。



There　is　always　sufficient　reserve　of　the　ninth　ray　stored　in

the　great　building　to　maintain　the　present　Martian　atmosphere　for

a　thousand　years；　and　the　only　fear；　as　my　new　friend　told　me；

was　that　some　accident　might　befall　the　pumping　apparatus。



He　led　me　to　an　inner　chamber　where　I　beheld　a　battery

of　twenty　radium　pumps　any　one　of　which　was　equal　to　the

task　of　furnishing　all　Mars　with　the　atmosphere　compound。

For　eight　hundred　years；　he　told　me；　he　had　watched　these

pumps　which　are　used　alternately　a　day　each　at　a　stretch；　or

a　little　over　twenty…four　and　one…half　Earth　hours。　　He　has　one

assistant　who　divides　the　watch　with　him。　　Half　a　Martian

year；　about　three　hundred　and　forty…four　of　our　days；　each

of　these　men　spend　alone　in　this　huge；　isolated　plant。



Every　red　Martian　is　taught　during　earliest　childhood　the

principles　of　the　manufacture　of　atmosphere；　but　only　two

at　one　time　ever　hold　the　secret　of　ingress　to　the　great　building；

which；　built　as　it　is　with　walls　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet

thick；　is　absolutely　unassailable；　even　the　roof　being　guarded

from　assault　by　air　craft　by　a　glass　covering　five　feet　thick。



The　only　fear　they　entertain　of　attack　is　from　the　green

Martians　or　some　demented　red　man；　as　all　Barsoomians

realize　that　the　very　existence　of　every　form　of　life　of　Mars

is　dependent　upon　the　uninterrupted　working　of　this　plant。



One　curious　fact　I　discovered　as　I　watched　his　thoughts

was　that　the　outer　doors　are　manipulated　by　telepathic

means。　　The　locks　are　so　finely　adjusted　that　the　doors　are

released　by　the　action　of　a　certain　combination　of　thought

waves。　　To　experiment　with　my　new…found　toy　I　thought　to

surprise　him　into　revealing　this　combination　and　so　I　asked

him　in　a　casual　manner　how　he　had　managed　to　unlock　the

massive　doors　for　me　from　the　inner　chambers　of　the　building。

As　quick　as　a　flash　there　leaped　to　his　mind　nine　Martian　sounds；

but　as　quickly　faded　as　he　answered　that　this　was　a　secret

he　must　not　divulge。



From　then　on　his　manner　toward　me　changed　as　though　he　feared

that　he　had　been　surprised　into　divulging　his　great　secret；

and　I　read　suspicion　and　fear　in　his　looks　and　thoughts；

though　his　words　were　still　fair。



Before　I　retired　for　the　night　he　promised　to　give　me　a

letter　to　a　nearby　agricultural　officer　who　would　help　me　on

my　way　to　Zodanga；　which　he　said；　was　the　nearest　Martian　city。



〃But　be　sure　that　you　do　not　let　them　know　you　are

bound　for　Helium　as　they　are　at　war　with　that　country。

My　assistant　and　I　are　of　no　country；　we　belong　to　all　Barsoom

and　this　talisman　which　we　wear　protects　us　in　all　lands；

even　among　the　green　menthough　we　do　not　trust　ourselves

to　their　hands　if　we　can　avoid　it；〃　he　added。



〃And　so　good…night；　my　friend；〃　he　continued；　〃may　you

have　a　long　and　restful　sleepyes；　a　long　sleep。〃



And　though　he　smiled　pleasantly　I　saw　in　his　thoughts　the

wish　that　he　had　never　admitted　me；　and　then　a　picture　of

him　standing　over　me　in　the　night；　and　the　swift　thrust　of

a　long　dagger　and　the　half　formed　words；　〃I　am　sorry；　but　it

is　for　the　best　good　of　Barsoom。〃



As　he　closed　the　door　of　my　chamber　behind　him　his

thoughts　were　cut　off　from　me　as　was　the　sight　of　him；　which

seemed　strange　to　me　in　my　little　knowledge　of　thought

transference。



What　was　I　to　do？　　How　could　I　escape　through　these

mighty　walls？　　Easily　could　I　kill　him　now　that　I　was　warned；

but　once　he　was　dead　I　could　no　more　escape；　and　with　the

stopping　of　the　machinery　of　the　great　plant　I　should　die

with　all　the　other　inhabitants　of　the　planetall；　even　Dejah

Thoris　were　she　not　already　dead。　　For　the　others　I　did　not

give　the　snap　of　my　finger；　but　the　thought　of　Dejah　Thoris

drove　from　my　mind　all　desire　to　kill　my　mistaken　host。



Cautiously　I　opened　the　door　of　my　apartment　and；　followed

by　Woola；　sought　the　inner　of　the　great　doors。　　A　wild

scheme　had　come　to　me；　I　would　attempt　to　force　the　great

locks　by　the　nine　thought　waves　I　had　read　in　my　host's　mind。



Creeping　stealthily　through　corridor　after　corridor　and

down　winding　runways　which　turned　hither　and　thither　I

finally　reached　the　great　hall　in　which　I　had　broken　my　long

fast　that　morning。　　Nowhere　had　I　seen　my　host；　nor　did　I

know　where　he　kept　himself　by　night。



I　was　on　the　point　of　stepping　boldly　out　into　the　room

when　a　slight　noise　behind　me　warned　me　back　into　the

shadows　of　a　recess　in　the　corridor。　　Dragging　Woola　after

me　I　crouched　low　in　the　darkness。



Presently　the　old　man　passed　close　by　me；　and　as　he　entered

the　dimly　lighted　chamber　which　I　had　been　about　to

pass　through　I　saw　that　he　held　a　long　thin　dagger　in　his

hand　and　that　he　was　sharpening　it　upon　a　stone。　　In　his　mind

was　the　decision　to　inspect　the　radium　pumps；　which　would

take　about　thirty　minutes；　and　then　return　to　my　bed　chamber

and　finish　me。



As　he　passed　through　the　great　hall　and　disappeared　down

the　runway　which　led　to　the　pump…room；　I　stole　stealthily


from　my　hiding　place　and　crossed　to　the　great　door；　the　inner

of　the　three　which　stood　between　me　and　liberty。



Concentrating　my　mind　upon　the　massive　lock　I　hurled

the　nine　thought　waves　against　it。　　In　breathless　expectancy

I　waited；　when　finally　the　great　door　moved　softly　toward

me　and　slid　quietly　to　one　side。　　One　after　the　other　the

remaining　mighty　portals　opened　at　my　command　and　Woola

and　I　stepped　forth　into　the　darkness；　free；　but　little　better

off　than　we　had　been　before；　other　than　that　we　had　full

stomachs。



Hastening　away　from　the　shadows　of　the　formidable　pile

I　made　for　the　first　crossroad；　intending　to　strike　the　central

turnpike　as　quickly　as　possible。　　This　I　reached　about　morning

and　entering　the　first　enclosure　I　came　to　I　searched　for

some　evidences　of　a　habitation。



There　were　low　rambling　buildings　of　concrete　barred

with　heavy　impassable　doors；　and　no　amount　of　hammering

and　hallooing　brought　any　response。　　Weary　and　exhausted

from　sleeplessness　I　threw　myself　upon　the　ground　commanding

Woola　to　stand　guard。



Some　time　later　I　was　awakened　by　his　frightful　growlings

and　opened　my　eyes　to　see　three　red　Martians　standing　a

short　distance　from　us　and　covering　me　with　their　rifles。



〃I　am　unarmed　and　no　enemy；〃　I　hastened　to　explain。　　〃I

have　been　a　prisoner　among　the　green　men　and　am　on　my

way　to　Zodanga。　　All　I　ask　is　food　and　rest　for　myself　and

my　calot　and　the　proper　directions　for　reaching　my　destination。〃



They　lowered　their　rifles　and　advanced　pleasantly　toward

me　placing　their　right　hands　upon　my　left　shoulder；　after　the

manner　of　their　custom　of　salute；　and　asking　me　many　questions

about　myself　and　my　wanderings。　　They　then　took　me　to　the

house　of　one　of　them　which　was　only　a　short　distance　away。



The　buildings　I　had　been　hammering　at　in　the　early

morning　were　occupied　only　by　stock　and　farm　produce；

the　house　proper　standing　among　a　grove　of　enormous　trees；

and；　like　all　red…Martian　homes；　had　been　raised　at　night

some　forty　or　fifty　feet　from　the　ground　on　a　large　round

metal　shaft　which　slid　up　or　down　within　a　sleeve　sunk　in

the　ground；　and　was　operated　by　a　tiny　radium　engine　in

the　entrance　hall　of　the　building。　　Instead　of　bothering　with

bolts　and　bars　for　their　dwellings；　the　red　Martians　simply

run　them　up　out　of　harm's　way　during　the　night。　　They　also

have　private　means　for　lowering　or　raising　them　from　the

ground　without　if　they　wish　to　go　away　and　leave　them。



These　brothers；　with　their　wives　and　children；　occupied　three

similar　houses　on　this　farm。　　They　did　no　work　themselves；

being　government　officers　in　charge。　　The　labor　was

performed　by　convicts；　prisoners　of　war；　delinquent　debtors

and　confirmed　bachelors　who　were　too　poor　to　pay　the　high

celibate　tax　which　all　red…Martian　governments　impose。



They　were　the　personification　of　cordiality　and　hospitality

and　I　spent　several　days　with　them；　resting　and　recuperating

from　my　long　and　arduous　experiences。



When　they　had　heard　my　storyI　omitted　all　reference

to　Dejah　Thoris　and　the　old　man　of　the　atmosphere　plant

they　advised　me　to　color　my　body　to　more　nearly　resemble

their　own　race　and　then　attempt　to　find　employment　in　Zodan