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！
For a day I was left in darkness； and then； quite suddenly；
a brilliant light illumined my strange cell。 I was reasonably
hungry and thirsty by this time； not having tasted food or drink
since the day prior to my incarceration。
To my amazement I found the sides of the pit； that I had
thought smooth； lined with shelves； upon which were the most
delicious viands and liquid refreshments that Okar afforded。
With an exclamation of delight I sprang forward to partake of
some of the welcome food； but ere ever I reached it the light
was extinguished； and； though I groped my way about the chamber；
my hands came in contact with nothing beside the smooth； hard wall
that I had felt on my first examination of my prison。
Immediately the pangs of hunger and thirst began to assail me。
Where before I had had but a mild craving for food and drink；
I now actually suffered for want of it； and all because of the
tantalizing sight that I had had of food almost within my grasp。
Once more darkness and silence enveloped me； a silence that was
broken only by a single mocking laugh。
For another day nothing occurred to break the monotony of my
imprisonment or relieve the suffering superinduced by hunger
and thirst。 Slowly the pangs became less keen； as suffering
deaded the activity of certain nerves； and then the light
flashed on once again； and before me stood an array of new
and tempting dishes； with great bottles of clear water and
flagons of refreshing wine； upon the outside of which the
cold sweat of condensation stood。
Again； with the hunger madness of a wild beast； I sprang
forward to seize those tempting dishes； but； as before；
the light went out and I came to a sudden stop against a hard wall。
Then the mocking laugh rang out for a second time。
The Pit of Plenty！
Ah； what a cruel mind must have devised this exquisite；
hellish torture！ Day after day was the thing repeated；
until I was on the verge of madness； and then； as I had
done in the pits of the Warhoons； I took a new； firm hold
upon my reason and forced it back into the channels of sanity。
By sheer will…power I regained control over my tottering mentality；
and so successful was I that the next time that the light came I sat
quite still and looked indifferently at the fresh and tempting food
almost within my reach。 Glad I was that I had done so； for it gave me
an opportunity to solve the seeming mystery of those vanishing banquets。
As I made no move to reach the food； the torturers left the light
turned on in the hope that at last I could refrain no longer from
giving them the delicious thrill of enjoyment that my former futile
efforts to obtain it had caused。
And as I sat scrutinizing the laden shelves I presently saw
how the thing was accomplished； and so simple was it that I
wondered I had not guessed it before。 The wall of my prison was of
clearest glassbehind the glass were the tantalizing viands。
After nearly an hour the light went out； but this time there was
no mocking laughterat least not upon the part of my tormentors；
but I； to be at quits with them； gave a low laugh that none might
mistake for the cackle of a maniac。
Nine days passed； and I was weak from hunger and thirst； but no
longer sufferingI was past that。 Then； down through the
darkness above； a little parcel fell to the floor at my side。
Indifferently I groped for it； thinking it but some new
invention of my jailers to add to my sufferings。
At last I found ita tiny package wrapped in paper； at the
end of a strong and slender cord。 As I opened it a few lozenges
fell to the floor。 As I gathered them up； feeling of them and
smelling of them； I discovered that they were tablets of
concentrated food such as are quite common in all parts of Barsoom。
Poison！ I thought。
Well； what of it？ Why not end my misery now rather than drag out
a few more wretched days in this dark pit？ Slowly I raised one
of the little pellets to my lips。
〃Good…bye； my Dejah Thoris！〃 I breathed。 〃I have lived for
you and fought for you； and now my next dearest wish is to be
realized； for I shall die for you；〃 and； taking the morsel
in my mouth； I devoured it。
One by one I ate them all； nor ever did anything taste better
than those tiny bits of nourishment； within which I knew must lie
the seeds of deathpossibly of some hideous； torturing death。
As I sat quietly upon the floor of my prison； waiting for the end；
my fingers by accident came in contact with the bit of paper
in which the things had been wrapped； and as I idly played with it；
my mind roaming far back into the past； that I might live again for
a few brief moments before I died some of the many happy moments of
a long and happy life； I became aware of strange protuberances upon
the smooth surface of the parchment…like substance in my hands。
For a time they carried no special significance to my mindI
merely was mildly wondrous that they were there； but at last they
seemed to take form； and then I realized that there was but a
single line of them； like writing。
Now； more interestedly； my fingers traced and retraced them。
There were four separate and distinct combinations of raised lines。
Could it be that these were four words； and that they were intended
to carry a message to me？
The more I thought of it the more excited I became； until my
fingers raced madly back and forth over those bewildering
little hills and valleys upon that bit of paper。
But I could make nothing of them； and at last I decided
that my very haste was preventing me from solving the mystery。
Then I took it more slowly。 Again and again my forefinger
traced the first of those four combinations。
Martian writing is rather difficult to explain to an Earth man
it is something of a cross between shorthand and picture…writing；
and is an entirely different language from the spoken language of Mars。
Upon Barsoom there is but a single oral language。
It is spoken today by every race and nation； just as it was at
the beginning of human life upon Barsoom。 It has grown with the
growth of the planet's learning and scientific achievements； but so
ingenious a thing it is that new words to express new thoughts or
describe new conditions or discoveries form themselvesno other
word could explain the thing that a new word is required for other
than the word that naturally falls to it； and so； no matter how far
removed two nations or races； their spoken languages are identical。
Not so their written languages； however。 No two nations have the
same written language； and often cities of the same nation have
a written language that differs greatly from that of the nation
to which they belong。
Thus it was that the signs upon the paper； if in reality they
were words； baffled me for some time； but at last I made out
the first one。
It was 〃courage；〃 and it was written in the letters of Marentina。
Courage！
That was the word the yellow guardsman had whispered in my ear
as I stood upon the verge of the Pit of Plenty。
The message must be from him； and he I knew was a friend。
With renewed hope I bent my every energy to the deciphering of
the balance of the message； and at last success rewarded my
endeavorI had read the four words：
〃Courage！ Follow the rope。〃
〃FOLLOW THE ROPE〃
What could it mean？
〃Follow the rope。〃 What rope？
Presently I recalled the cord that had been attached to the
parcel when it fell at my side； and after a little groping my hand
came in contact with it again。 It depended from above； and when I
pulled upon it I discovered that it was rigidly fastened； possibly
at the pit's mouth。
Upon examination I found that the cord； though small； was amply able
to sustain the weight of several men。 Then I made another discovery
there was a second message knotted in the rope at about the height
of my head。 This I deciphered more easily； now that the key was mine。
〃Bring the rope with you。 Beyond the knots lies danger。〃
That was all there was to this message。 It was evidently
hastily formedan afterthought。
I did not pause longer than to learn the contents of the
second message； and； though I was none too sure of the
meaning of the final admonition； 〃Beyond the knots lies danger；〃
yet I was sure that here before me lay an avenue of escape；
and that the sooner I took advantage of it the more likely
was I to win to liberty。
At least； I could be but little worse off than I had been in
the Pit of Plenty。
I was to find； however； ere I was well out of that damnable
hole that I might have been very much worse off had I been
compelled to remain there another two minutes。
It had taken me about that length of time to ascend some fifty
feet above the bottom when