按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Tardos Mors and his great fleet； see where they lie； crumpled and
broken； a grim and terrible monument to the mighty force of
destruction which naught can resist。〃
I； too； saw； but something else I saw that Mors Kajak did not；
in my mind's eye I saw a buried chamber whose walls were lined with
strange instruments and devices。
In the center of the chamber was a long table； and before it sat a
little； pop…eyed old man counting his money； but； plainest of all；
I saw upon the wall a great switch with a small magnet inlaid
within the surface of its black handle。
Then I glanced out at the fast…approaching fleet。 In five minutes
that mighty armada of the skies would be bent and worthless scrap；
lying at the base of the shaft beyond the city's wall； and yellow
hordes would be loosed from another gate to rush out upon the few
survivors stumbling blindly down through the mass of wreckage；
then the apts would come。 I shuddered at the thought； for I could
vividly picture the whole horrible scene。
Quick have I always been to decide and act。 The impulse
that moves me and the doing of the thing seem simultaneous；
for if my mind goes through the tedious formality of reasoning；
it must be a subconscious act of which I am not objectively aware。
Psychologists tell me that； as the subconscious does not reason；
too close a scrutiny of my mental activities might prove anything
but flattering； but be that as it may； I have often won success
while the thinker would have been still at the endless task of
comparing various judgments。
And now celerity of action was the prime essential to the
success of the thing that I had decided upon。
Grasping my sword more firmly in my hand； I called to the red man
at the opening to the runway to stand aside。
〃Way for the Prince of Helium！〃 I shouted； and before the
astonished yellow man whose misfortune it was to be at the fighting
end of the line at that particular moment could gather his wits
together my sword had decapitated him； and I was rushing like a
mad bull down upon those behind him。
〃Way for the Prince of Helium！〃 I shouted as I cut a path
through the astonished guardsmen of Salensus Oll。
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 calamityat 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 goalthe 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。
THE TIDE OF BATTLE
But solan's last loud cry had not been without effect； for a
moment later a dozen guardsmen burst into the chamber； though not
before I had so bent and demolished the great switch that it could
not be again used to turn the powerful current into the mighty
magnet of destruction it controlled。
The result of the sudden coming of the guardsmen had been to compel
me to seek seclusion in the first passageway that I could find；
and that to my disappointment proved to be not the one with which
I was familiar； but another upon its left。
They must have either heard or guessed which way I went； for I had
proceeded but a short distance when I heard the sound of pursuit。
I had no mind to stop and fight these men here when there was
fighting aplenty elsewhere in the city of Kadabrafighting
that could be of much more avail to me and mine than useless
life…taking far be