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room; so I closed my eyes to shut out the sight.
For some reason, the plans of the building, that I had found in Ras Thavas's
desk, came to my mind; then I recalled the trip from Helium with The Warlord.
That reminded me of my own body, for I could see it now, trapped in the harness
of The Warlord's Guards. Where was it? I had last seen it on the ersite slab in
the small laboratory of Ras Thavas. That slab was empty now, and at its foot
hung a single sheet with the cryptic numbers 3-17 written on it. 3-17! What in
the world could that signify?
Suddenly my mind was galvanized into action. Those numbers might have
definite
significance! I leaped to my feet and hurried to Ras Thavas's little study. Here
I dragged out the plans of the building and spread them out, turning back the
pages to the floor plan of the pits. I ran my finger quickly down corridor 3 to
17. Could that be the answer? I examined the plans more carefully. In one corner
of cell 17 was a tiny circle. There were no circles in any of the other cells.
What did that circle mean? Did it mean anything? Did the "3-17" written on the
sheet at the foot of the table on which my body had lain have any connection
with a corridor and cell number? There was but one way to answer these
questions. I rose hurriedly from the desk and went out into the corridor.
Passing hormads and officers, I made my way to the ramp that led to the lower
floor and the pits. I carried the map of the pits indelibly imprinted upon my
memory. I could have found 3-17 with my eyes shut.
The corridors and the cells were plainly numbered; so that I had no difficulty
in finding cell 17 in corridor 3. I tried the door. It was locked! How stupid of
me. I might have known that it would be locked if it hid the thing for which I
sought. I knew where Ras Thavas kept the keys to the various locks in the
laboratory building; so now I retraced my steps, but this time I saw several
officers look at me in what I imagined was a suspicious manner. Spies, I
thought; some of Ay-mad's spies. I should have to be careful. That would mean
further delay.
Now I moved listlessly. I pretended to inspect one of the vat rooms. I sent one
of the officers I had long suspicioned on an errand. I went to a window and
looked out. Eventually I made my leisurely way to the study; and here I had no
difficulty in finding the key I sought, as Ras Thavas was meticulously
methodical in all he did; and each key had been numbered and marked.
Now I must return to the pits without arousing suspicion. Once again I sauntered
out through the corridors and rooms, and finally made my way to the ramp.
Unobserved, I descended. At last I stood again before the door to 3-17. I fitted
the key, took a last look up and down the corridor to assure myself that I was
alone, and then pushed the door open. Like the corridors, the cell was lighted
by means of the everlasting radium bulbs commonly used on Barsoom.
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Directly before me, on a table, lay my body. I entered the cell and closed the
door behind me. Yes, there was my body; and there the vessel containing my
blood. We were all together again, my body, my blood, and my brains; but we
were
still as far apart as the poles. Only Ras Thavas could bring us together as an
entity, and Ras Thavas was gone.
CHAPTER XV
I FIND MY MASTER
I STOOD FOR A long time looking at my body. I had never been a vain man, but
when I compared it with the horrid thing that my brain now animated it seemed
the most beautiful thing I had ever beheld. I thought of Janai in her apartments
above, and cursed myself for a fool for ever giving up the body that she might
have loved for one that no creature could love.
But such repining was of no avail, and I forced myself to think of other things.
The little circle that appeared in the plans of cell 17 came to my mind, and I
walked to the corner of the room where it had indicated that something might be
found different from what was in the construction of the other cells in the
pits. There was something there. It was scarcely visible, but it was there  a
faint line marking a circle about two feet in diameter. I got down on my hands
and knees and examined it. At one side of it was a small indentation. The thing,
looked as though it might be a cunningly fitted trap door and the indentation a
place to pry it open. I inserted the point of my dagger and pried. The trap rose
easily. Presently it was high enough to permit me to get my fingers beneath it,
and in another moment I had lifted it to one side revealing a dark void beneath.
What lay there? What was the purpose of the opening?
There was only one way to find out. I lowered my body through the aperture
which
was but barely large enough to accommodate my gross carcass. When I was
hanging
at the full length of my long right arm my toes just touched something solid. I
hoped it was the bottom of the pit, and let go.
I stood now on a solid flooring. The little light that came through the aperture
above me showed me a narrow corridor leading away into utter darkness. There
was
nothing for me to do but explore, now that I had come this far. I wished that I
might have returned the cover to its place; so that if any one should come to
the cell they might not discover the trap door; then I commenced to wonder just
how anyone could get out of this place if the cover were closed above them.
Open, a man could jump for the edge of the opening and draw himself up; but
closed, he simply couldn't get out.
There was something wrong here. There must be some other way. I commenced
to
grope about searching for it, whatever it was; and at last I found it  a pole
resting on pegs near the top of the corridor. By resting it against the edge of
the aperture, I climbed up and dragged the cover almost into position; then I
descended and, with the pole, poked the cover into place.
Now I started groping my way through utter darkness along the corridor. I felt
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ahead with a toe before taking a single step, and I kept my, hands on both sides
of the corridor lest I miss some forking or crossing corridor that might throw
me off my track when I returned  if ever I did return. That thought gave me
pause. What would happen to Janai if I failed to return? Perhaps I shouldn't
continue on this new adventure. Perhaps I should go back. But no. After all, it
was in her interests that I was thus exploring beneath the pits of Morbus.
Perhaps here was an avenue to freedom.
On and on I went. The floor of the corridor was level and there were no forks [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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