登陆注册
15299500000052

第52章 REWARDS(1)

With the realization that Dejah Thoris was no longer within the throneroom came the belated recollection of the dark face that Ihad glimpsed peering from behind the draperies that backed the throne of Salensus Oll at the moment that I had first come so unexpectedly upon the strange scene being enacted within the chamber.

Why had the sight of that evil countenance not warned me to greater caution? Why had I permitted the rapid development of new situations to efface the recollection of that menacing danger?

But, alas, vain regret would not erase the calamity that had befallen.

Once again had Dejah Thoris fallen into the clutches of that archfiend, Thurid, the black dator of the First Born.Again was all my arduous labor gone for naught.Now I realized the cause of the rage that had been writ so large upon the features of Matai Shang and the cruel pleasure that I had seen upon the face of Phaidor.

They had known or guessed the truth, and the hekkador of the Holy Therns, who had evidently come to the chamber in the hope of thwarting Salensus Oll in his contemplated perfidy against the high priest who coveted Dejah Thoris for himself, realized that Thurid had stolen the prize from beneath his very nose.

Phaidor's pleasure had been due to her realization of what this last cruel blow would mean to me, as well as to a partial satisfaction of her jealous hatred for the Princess of Helium.

My first thought was to look beyond the draperies at the back of the throne, for there it was that I had seen Thurid.With a single jerk I tore the priceless stuff from its fastenings, and there before me was revealed a narrow doorway behind the throne.

No question entered my mind but that here lay the opening of the avenue of escape which Thurid had followed, and had there been it would have been dissipated by the sight of a tiny, jeweled ornament which lay a few steps within the corridor beyond.

As I snatched up the bauble I saw that it bore the device of the Princess of Helium, and then pressing it to my lips I dashed madly along the winding way that led gently downward toward the lower galleries of the palace.

I had followed but a short distance when I came upon the room in which Solan formerly had held sway.His dead body still lay where I had left it, nor was there any sign that another had passed through the room since I had been there; but I knew that two had done so--Thurid, the black dator, and Dejah Thoris.

For a moment I paused uncertain as to which of the several exits from the apartment would lead me upon the right path.

I tried to recollect the directions which I had heard Thurid repeat to Solan, and at last, slowly, as though through a heavy fog, the memory of the words of the First Born came to me:

"Follow a corridor, passing three diverging corridors upon the right;then into the fourth right-hand corridor to where three corridors meet;here again follow to the right, hugging the left wall closely to avoid the pit.At the end of this corridor I shall come to a spiral runway which I must follow down instead of up; after that the way is along but a single branchless corridor."And I recalled the exit at which he had pointed as he spoke.

It did not take me long to start upon that unknown way, nor did I go with caution, although I knew that there might be grave dangers before me.

Part of the way was black as sin, but for the most it was fairly well lighted.The stretch where I must hug the left wall to avoid the pits was darkest of them all, and I was nearly over the edge of the abyss before I knew that I was near the danger spot.

A narrow ledge, scarce a foot wide, was all that had been left to carry the initiated past that frightful cavity into which the unknowing must surely have toppled at the first step.But at last I had won safely beyond it, and then a feeble light made the balance of the way plain, until, at the end of the last corridor, I came suddenly out into the glare of day upon a field of snow and ice.

Clad for the warm atmosphere of the hothouse city of Kadabra, the sudden change to arctic frigidity was anything but pleasant;but the worst of it was that I knew I could not endure the bitter cold, almost naked as I was, and that I would perish before ever I could overtake Thurid and Dejah Thoris.

To be thus blocked by nature, who had had all the arts and wiles of cunning man pitted against him, seemed a cruel fate, and as I staggered back into the warmth of the tunnel's end I was as near hopelessness as I ever have been.

I had by no means given up my intention of continuing the pursuit, for if needs be I would go ahead though I perished ere ever I reached my goal, but if there were a safer way it were well worth the delay to attempt to discover it, that I might come again to the side of Dejah Thoris in fit condition to do battle for her.

Scarce had I returned to the tunnel than I stumbled over a portion of a fur garment that seemed fastened to the floor of the corridor close to the wall.In the darkness I could not see what held it, but by groping with my hands I discovered that it was wedged beneath the bottom of a closed door.

Pushing the portal aside, I found myself upon the threshold of a small chamber, the walls of which were lined with hooks from which depended suits of the complete outdoor apparel of the yellow men.

Situated as it was at the mouth of a tunnel leading from the palace, it was quite evident that this was the dressing-room used by the nobles leaving and entering the hothouse city, and that Thurid, having knowledge of it, had stopped here to outfit himself and Dejah Thoris before venturing into the bitter cold of the arctic world beyond.

In his haste he had dropped several garments upon the floor, and the telltale fur that had fallen partly within the corridor had proved the means of guiding me to the very spot he would least have wished me to have knowledge of.

同类推荐
  • 实知篇

    实知篇

    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。
  • 佛说四人出现世间经

    佛说四人出现世间经

    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。
  • 部执异论

    部执异论

    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。
  • 天女散花

    天女散花

    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。
  • 慎行论

    慎行论

    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。
热门推荐
  • 天道系统之崛起

    天道系统之崛起

    ‘盖亚,这不就是一巴掌的鸡蛋嘛’‘这不是普通的鸡蛋,你没发现它是空的吗’‘................’
  • 态度是战出来的

    态度是战出来的

    他,曾是一名最出色的特种兵,更是部队有名的兵王!他曾跨越东南亚缅甸、金三角、越南、老挝等地区,剿灭了无数企图将毒品运进华夏的犯罪份子。面对困难,他如同西游记里的孙悟空一样,逆流而上、永不言败,毫无畏惧,从来不会像猪八戒那般,只会喋喋不休的抱怨。“身为军人,我将剿灭一切敌人,保家卫国!我宣誓,犯我中华者,虽远必诛!我相信,态度,是靠自己战出来的,并不是空口无凭的。”这句话是那一次在东南亚琅勃拉邦省西部,金三角边境地区对抗恐怖分子时,他亲口说的,结果也如他说的那般,他确实用实力证明了自己,证明了华夏军人的力量,可,就是那一次,他付出了从军以来,最大的代价...
  • 九维医幻

    九维医幻

    宇宙浩瀚,太阳系及太阳系之外有很多我们未知的星球生物,在高超医疗、科技下,生物可以永生,在一定物质媒介下不同星球间能对话交流,生育,并可以在不同星球九个维度空间穿行。
  • 傲娇小王妃:王爷笑一个

    傲娇小王妃:王爷笑一个

    平凡女孩突变傲娇公主!她本为一个学生,家中飞来横祸,自己不得不闯荡。身为偷心工作室的一员,安柠棑过上了穿越穿到吐的生活。一次任务,她与他一见倾心,却意外陷入重重阴谋。身世之谜,双重人格,当一切皆是虚假的,他还会在自己身边吗?
  • 星兽至尊

    星兽至尊

    万商有着一个听上去很有钱的名字,可惜却是一个穷的不能再穷的宅男小子,一天穿越后,新生活自此开启,星兽们等着啊。
  • 魂断罗布泊

    魂断罗布泊

    古老的罗布泊,无不流露着它的神秘,虽然先前多次有人想一探究竟,但是都不了了之,到底真相是如何,无论是玉佩,还是神秘的病毒,古老王国的女王,都值得思考,还有男主角的身世之谜,梦境的主要寓意,都是我的用意,不过,在去罗布泊探险之前,我先要和你聊聊他的过去............
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 来自二次元的魂魄

    来自二次元的魂魄

    二次元的魂魄由于间隙碎裂,四散到三次元世界。当普通的人获得了这种力量。。“血。。我要更多血。这个世界,看来不会让我无聊,呐,金木?”“呼,想要杀死拥有藤原妹红之魂的我,该说你是天真呢,还是可爱呢?”“于是我决定用arhcer的能力制杖卖钱,我真是天才。”“想试试铁龙爸爸的铁有多硬吗?”“杂种,给本王跪下!”“让你见识一下真正的超电磁炮!”“停下吧,时间。”
  • 校花的极品预言师

    校花的极品预言师

    【火爆新书】一场考试,改变了我的人生,让我拥有一种预知未来的资本。考试提前知道答案,全部满分。买彩票,百分百必中。清纯校花,看穿心思,成就一代魅力天王!
  • 餐霞记

    餐霞记

    师傅,是人生中的一盏明灯,照亮了苦海彼岸的旅途。他告诉我,修道的精彩之处,不仅在于修正自己的错误,登上更高的山峰,还在于你能点亮多少人的心灯,战胜自己的杂念困惑。世上仙魔,从来由人来做。本人刚建了一个群:533438940.希望大家能加入讨论