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replied the other； 〃for the way which we took is by far the shorter
to this pointfor him who knows it。 John Carter would have found
it a short road to death had he taken it as you suggested to him。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lakor； 〃no amount of fighting ability would have
saved him from the pivoted flagstone。 He surely would have
stepped upon it； and by now； if the pit beneath it has a bottom；
which Thurid denies； he should have been rapidly approaching it。
Curses on that calot of his that warned him toward the safer avenue！〃
〃There be other dangers ahead of him； though；〃 spoke Lakor's
fellow； 〃which he may not so easily escapeshould he succeed
in escaping our two good swords。 Consider； for example； what
chance he will have； coming unexpectedly into the chamber of〃
I would have given much to have heard the balance of that conversation
that I might have been warned of the perils that lay ahead；
but fate intervened； and just at the very instant of all other
instants that I would not have elected to do it； I sneezed。
THE TEMPLE OF THE SUN
There was nothing for it now other than to fight； nor did I
have any advantage as I sprang； sword in hand； into the corridor
before the two therns； for my untimely sneeze had warned them of
my presence and they were ready for me。
There were no words； for they would have been a waste of breath。
The very presence of the two proclaimed their treachery。 That
they were following to fall upon me unawares was all too plain；
and they； of course； must have known that I understood their plan。
In an instant I was engaged with both； and though I loathe the
very name of thern； I must in all fairness admit that they are
mighty swordsmen； and these two were no exception； unless it were
that they were even more skilled and fearless than the average
among their race。
While it lasted it was indeed as joyous a conflict as I ever
had experienced。 Twice at least I saved my breast from the mortal
thrust of piercing steel only by the wondrous agility with which my
earthly muscles endow me under the conditions of lesser gravity and
air pressure upon Mars。
Yet even so I came near to tasting death that day in the gloomy
corridor beneath Mars's southern pole； for Lakor played a
trick upon me that in all my experience of fighting upon two
planets I never before had witnessed the like of。
The other thern was engaging me at the time； and I was forcing
him backtouching him here and there with my point until he was
bleeding from a dozen wounds； yet not being able to penetrate his
marvelous guard to reach a vulnerable spot for the brief instant
that would have been sufficient to send him to his ancestors。
It was then that Lakor quickly unslung a belt from his harness；
and as I stepped back to parry a wicked thrust he lashed one end
of it about my left ankle so that it wound there for an instant；
while he jerked suddenly upon the other end； throwing me
heavily upon my back。
Then； like leaping panthers； they were upon me； but they had
reckoned without Woola； and before ever a blade touched me；
a roaring embodiment of a thousand demons hurtled above my
prostrate form and my loyal Martian calot was upon them。
Imagine； if you can； a huge grizzly with ten legs armed with
mighty talons and an enormous froglike mouth splitting his head
from ear to ear； exposing three rows of long； white tusks。 Then
endow this creature of your imagination with the agility and
ferocity of a half…starved Bengal tiger and the strength of a span
of bulls； and you will have some faint conception of Woola in action。
Before I could call him off he had crushed Lakor into a jelly with
a single blow of one mighty paw； and had literally torn the other
thern to ribbons； yet when I spoke to him sharply he cowed sheepishly
as though he had done a thing to deserve censure and chastisement。
Never had I had the heart to punish Woola during the long years that
had passed since that first day upon Mars when the green jed of the
Tharks had placed him on guard over me； and I had won his love and
loyalty from the cruel and loveless masters of his former life；
yet I believe he would have submitted to any cruelty that I might
have inflicted upon him； so wondrous was his affection for me。
The diadem in the center of the circlet of gold upon the brow of
Lakor proclaimed him a Holy Thern； while his companion； not thus
adorned； was a lesser thern； though from his harness I gleaned that
he had reached the Ninth Cycle； which is but one below that of the
Holy Therns。
As I stood for a moment looking at the gruesome havoc Woola
had wrought； there recurred to me the memory of that other occasion
upon which I had masqueraded in the wig； diadem； and harness of
Sator Throg； the Holy Thern whom Thuvia of Ptarth had slain； and
now it occurred to me that it might prove of worth to utilize
Lakor's trappings for the same purpose。
A moment later I had torn his yellow wig from his bald pate
and transferred it and the circlet； as well as all his harness； to
my own person。
Woola did not approve of the metamorphosis。 He sniffed at me
and growled ominously； but when I spoke to him and patted his huge
head he at length became reconciled to the change； and at my
command trotted off along the corridor in the direction we had
been going when our progress had been interrupted by the therns。
We moved cautiously now； warned by the fragment of conversation
I had overheard。 I kept abreast of Woola that we might have
the benefit of all our eyes for what might appear suddenly
ahead to menace us； and well it was that we were forewarned。
At the bottom of a flight of narrow steps the corridor turned
sharply back upon itself； immediately making another turn in the
original direction； so that at that point it formed a perfect
letter S； the top leg of which debouched suddenly into a large
chamber； illy lighted； and the floor of which was completely
covered by venomous snakes and loathsome reptiles。
To have attempted to cross that floor would have been to court
instant death； and for a moment I was almost completely discouraged。
Then it occurred to me that Thurid and Matai Shang with their party
must have crossed it； and so there was a way。
Had it not been for the fortunate accident by which I overheard
even so small a portion of the therns' conversation we should
have blundered at least a step or two into that wriggling
mass of destruction； and a single step would have been all…
sufficient to have sealed our doom。
These were the only reptiles I had ever seen upon Barsoom；
but I knew from their similarity to the fossilized remains of
supposedly extinct species I had seen in the museums of Helium
that they comprised many of the known prehistoric reptilian genera；
as well as others undiscovered。
A more hideous aggregation of monsters had never before assailed
my vision。 It would be futile to attempt to describe them
to Earth men； since substance is the only thing which they possess
in common with any creature of the past or present with which you
are familiareven their venom is of an unearthly virulence that；
by comparison； would make the cobra de capello seem quite as
harmless as an angleworm。
As they spied me there was a concerted rush by those nearest
the entrance where we stood； but a line of radium bulbs inset along
the threshold of their chamber brought them to a sudden halt
evidently they dared not cross that line of light。
I had been quite sure that they would not venture beyond the
room in which I had discovered them； though I had not guessed at
what deterred them。 The simple fact that we had found no reptiles
in the corridor through which we had just come was sufficient
assurance that they did not venture there。
I drew Woola out of harm's way； and then began a careful survey
of as much of the Chamber of Reptiles as I could see from where
I stood。 As my eyes became accustomed to the dim light of its
interior I gradually made out a low gallery at the far end of
the apartment from which opened several exits。
Coming as close to the threshold as I dared； I followed this
gallery with my eyes； discovering that it circled the room as far
as I could see。 Then I glanced above me along the upper edge of
the entrance to which we had come； and there； to my delight； I saw
an end of the gallery not a foot above my head。 In an instant I
had leaped to it and called Woola after me。
Here there were no reptilesthe way was clear to the opposite
side of the hideous chamberand a moment later Woola and I dropped
down to safety in the corridor beyond。
Not ten minutes later we came into a vast circular apartment
of white marble； the walls of which were inlaid with gold in the
strange hieroglyphics of the First Born。
From the high dome of this migh