During this apparent silence they were debating through the medium of strange, unspoken language the merits of my tale. At last the head of the tribunal communicated the result of their conference to the officer in charge of the Sagoth guard.
"Come," he said to me, "you are sentenced to the experimental pits for having dared to insult the intelligence of the mighty4 ones with the ridiculous tale you have had the temerity5 to unfold to them."
"Do you mean that they do not believe me?" I asked, totally astonished.
"Believe you!" he laughed. "Do you mean to say that you expected any one to believe so impossible a lie?"
It was hopeless, and so I walked in silence beside my guard down through the dark corridors and runways toward my awful doom6. At a low level we came upon a number of lighted chambers7 in which we saw many Mahars engaged in various occupations. To one of these chambers my guard escorted me, and before leaving they chained me to a side wall. There were other humans similarly chained. Upon a long table lay a victim even as I was ushered9 into the room. Several Mahars stood about the poor creature holding him down so that he could not move. Another, grasping a sharp knife with her three-toed fore2 foot, was laying open the victim's chest and abdomen10. No anesthetic11 had been administered and the shrieks12 and groans13 of the tortured man were terrible to hear. This, indeed, was vivisection with a vengeance14. Cold sweat broke out upon me as I realized that soon my turn would come. And to think that where there was no such thing as time I might easily imagine that my suffering was enduring for months before death finally released me!
The Mahars had paid not the slightest attention to me as I had been brought into the room. So deeply immersed were they in their work that I am sure they did not even know that the Sagoths had entered with me. The door was close by. Would that I could reach it! But those heavy chains precluded15 any such possibility. I looked about for some means of escape from my bonds. Upon the floor between me and the Mahars lay a tiny surgical16 instrument which one of them must have dropped. It looked not unlike a button-hook, but was much smaller, and its point was sharpened. A hundred times in my boyhood days had I picked locks with a buttonhook. Could I but reach that little bit of polished steel I might yet effect at least a temporary escape.
Crawling to the limit of my chain, I found that by reaching one hand as far out as I could my fingers still fell an inch short of the coveted17 instrument. It was tantalizing18! Stretch every fiber19 of my being as I would, I could not quite make it.
At last I turned about and extended one foot toward the object. My heart came to my throat! I could just touch the thing! But suppose that in my effort to drag it toward me I should accidentally shove it still farther away and thus entirely20 out of reach! Cold sweat broke out upon me from every pore. Slowly and cautiously I made the effort. My toes dropped upon the cold metal. Gradually I worked it toward me until I felt that it was within reach of my hand and a moment later I had turned about and the precious thing was in my grasp.
Assiduously I fell to work upon the Mahar lock that held my chain. It was pitifully simple. A child might have picked it, and a moment later I was free. The Mahars were now evidently completing their work at the table. One already turned away and was examining other victims, evidently with the intention of selecting the next subject.
Those at the table had their backs toward me. But for the creature walking toward us I might have escaped that moment. Slowly the thing approached me, when its attention was attracted by a huge slave chained a few yards to my right. Here the reptile21 stopped and commenced to go over the poor devil carefully, and as it did so its back turned toward me for an instant, and in that instant I gave two mighty leaps that carried me out of the chamber8 into the corridor beyond, down which I raced with all the speed I could command.
Where I was, or whither I was going, I knew not. My only thought was to place as much distance as possible between me and that frightful22 chamber of torture.
Presently I reduced my speed to a brisk walk, and later realizing the danger of running into some new predicament, were I not careful, I moved still more slowly and cautiously. After a time I came to a passage that seemed in some mysterious way familiar to me, and presently, chancing to glance within a chamber which led from the corridor I saw three Mahars curled up in slumber23 upon a bed of skins. I could have shouted aloud in joy and relief. It was the same corridor and the same Mahars that I had intended to have lead so important a role in our escape from Phutra. Providence24 had indeed been kind to me, for the reptiles25 still slept.
My one great danger now lay in returning to the upper levels in search of Perry and Ghak, but there was nothing else to be done, and so I hastened upward. When I came to the frequented portions of the building, I found a large burden of skins in a corner and these I lifted to my head, carrying them in such a way that ends and corners fell down about my shoulders completely hiding my face. Thus disguised I found Perry and Ghak together in the chamber where we had been wont26 to eat and sleep.
Both were glad to see me, it was needless to say, though of course they had known nothing of the fate that had been meted27 out to me by my judges. It was decided28 that no time should now be lost before attempting to put our plan of escape to the test, as I could not hope to remain hidden from the Sagoths long, nor could I forever carry that bale of skins about upon my head without arousing suspicion. However it seemed likely that it would carry me once more safely through the crowded passages and chambers of the upper levels, and so I set out with Perry and Ghak—the stench of the illy cured pelts29 fairly choking me.
Together we repaired to the first tier of corridors beneath the main floor of the buildings, and here Perry and Ghak halted to await me. The buildings are cut out of the solid limestone30 formation. There is nothing at all remarkable31 about their architecture. The rooms are sometimes rectangular, sometimes circular, and again oval in shape. The corridors which connect them are narrow and not always straight. The chambers are lighted by diffused32 sunlight reflected through tubes similar to those by which the avenues are lighted. The lower the tiers of chambers, the darker. Most of the corridors are entirely unlighted. The Mahars can see quite well in semidarkness.
Down to the main floor we encountered many Mahars, Sagoths, and slaves; but no attention was paid to us as we had become a part of the domestic life of the building. There was but a single entrance leading from the place into the avenue and this was well guarded by Sagoths—this doorway33 alone were we forbidden to pass. It is true that we were not supposed to enter the deeper corridors and apartments except on special occasions when we were instructed to do so; but as we were considered a lower order without intelligence there was little reason to fear that we could accomplish any harm by so doing, and so we were not hindered as we entered the corridor which led below.
Wrapped in a skin I carried three swords, and the two bows, and the arrows which Perry and I had fashioned. As many slaves bore skin-wrapped burdens to and fro my load attracted no comment. Where I left Ghak and Perry there were no other creatures in sight, and so I withdrew one sword from the package, and leaving the balance of the weapons with Perry, started on alone toward the lower levels.
Having come to the apartment in which the three Mahars slept I entered silently on tiptoe, forgetting that the creatures were without the sense of hearing. With a quick thrust through the heart I disposed of the first but my second thrust was not so fortunate, so that before I could kill the next of my victims it had hurled34 itself against the third, who sprang quickly up, facing me with wide-distended jaws35. But fighting is not the occupation which the race of Mahars loves, and when the thing saw that I already had dispatched two of its companions, and that my sword was red with their blood, it made a dash to escape me. But I was too quick for it, and so, half hopping36, half flying, it scurried37 down another corridor with me close upon its heels.
Its escape meant the utter ruin of our plan, and in all probability my instant death. This thought lent wings to my feet; but even at my best I could do no more than hold my own with the leaping thing before me.
Of a sudden it turned into an apartment on the right of the corridor, and an instant later as I rushed in I found myself facing two of the Mahars. The one who had been there when we entered had been occupied with a number of metal vessels38, into which had been put powders and liquids as I judged from the array of flasks39 standing about upon the bench where it had been working. In an instant I realized what I had stumbled upon. It was the very room for the finding of which Perry had given me minute directions. It was the buried chamber in which was hidden the Great Secret of the race of Mahars. And on the bench beside the flasks lay the skin-bound book which held the only copy of the thing I was to have sought, after dispatching the three Mahars in their sleep.
There was no exit from the room other than the doorway in which I now stood facing the two frightful reptiles. Cornered, I knew that they would fight like demons40, and they were well equipped to fight if fight they must. Together they launched themselves upon me, and though I ran one of them through the heart on the instant, the other fastened its gleaming fangs41 about my sword arm above the elbow, and then with her sharp talons42 commenced to rake me about the body, evidently intent upon disemboweling me. I saw that it was useless to hope that I might release my arm from that powerful, viselike grip which seemed to be severing43 my arm from my body. The pain I suffered was intense, but it only served to spur me to greater efforts to overcome my antagonist44.
Back and forth45 across the floor we struggled—the Mahar dealing46 me terrific, cutting blows with her fore feet, while I attempted to protect my body with my left hand, at the same time watching for an opportunity to transfer my blade from my now useless sword hand to its rapidly weakening mate. At last I was successful, and with what seemed to me my last ounce of strength I ran the blade through the ugly body of my foe47.
Soundless, as it had fought, it died, and though weak from pain and loss of blood, it was with an emotion of triumphant48 pride that I stepped across its convulsively stiffening49 corpse50 to snatch up the most potent51 secret of a world. A single glance assured me it was the very thing that Perry had described to me.
And as I grasped it did I think of what it meant to the human race of Pellucidar—did there flash through my mind the thought that countless52 generations of my own kind yet unborn would have reason to worship me for the thing that I had accomplished53 for them? I did not. I thought of a beautiful oval face, gazing out of limpid54 eyes, through a waving mass of jet-black hair. I thought of red, red lips, God-made for kissing. And of a sudden, apropos55 of nothing, standing there alone in the secret chamber of the Mahars of Pellucidar, I realized that I loved Dian the Beautiful.
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1
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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investigators
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| n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 ) | |
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4
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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temerity
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| n.鲁莽，冒失 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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7
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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abdomen
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| n.腹，下腹(胸部到腿部的部分) | |
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anesthetic
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| n.麻醉剂，麻药；adj.麻醉的，失去知觉的 | |
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12
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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14
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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precluded
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| v.阻止( preclude的过去式和过去分词 )；排除；妨碍；使…行不通 | |
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surgical
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| adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的 | |
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coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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18
tantalizing
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| adj.逗人的；惹弄人的；撩人的；煽情的v.逗弄，引诱，折磨( tantalize的现在分词 ) | |
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19
fiber
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| n.纤维，纤维质 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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reptiles
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| n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 ) | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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meted
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| v.（对某人）施以，给予（处罚等）( mete的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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29
pelts
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| n. 皮毛，投掷, 疾行 vt. 剥去皮毛，（连续）投掷 vi. 猛击，大步走 | |
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30
limestone
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| n.石灰石 | |
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31
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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32
diffused
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| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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34
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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35
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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36
hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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scurried
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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39
flasks
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| n.瓶，长颈瓶， 烧瓶( flask的名词复数 ) | |
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40
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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41
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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42
talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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43
severing
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的现在分词 )；断，裂 | |
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44
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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45
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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46
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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47
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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48
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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49
stiffening
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| n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式 | |
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50
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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51
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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52
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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53
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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54
limpid
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| adj.清澈的，透明的 | |
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55
apropos
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| adv.恰好地；adj.恰当的；关于 | |
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