the gods of mars-第16部分

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I　dropped　the　vessel　quickly　to　a　lower　level。　　Nor　was　I　a

moment　too　soon。　　The　girl　had　swooned。



The　black；　too；　was　unconscious；　while　I；　myself；　retained

my　senses；　I　think；　only　by　sheer　will。　　The　one　on　whom　all

responsibility　rests　is　apt　to　endure　the　most。



We　were　swinging　along　low　above　the　foothills　of　the

Otz。　　It　was　comparatively　warm　and　there　was　plenty　of　air

for　our　starved　lungs；　so　I　was　not　surprised　to　see　the

black　open　his　eyes；　and　a　moment　later　the　girl　also。



〃It　was　a　close　call；〃　she　said。



〃It　has　taught　me　two　things　though；〃　I　replied。



〃What？〃



〃That　even　Phaidor；　daughter　of　the　Master　of　Life　and

Death；　is　mortal；〃　I　said　smiling。



〃There　is　immortality　only　in　Issus；〃　she　replied。　　〃And　Issus

is　for　the　race　of　therns　alone。　　Thus　am　I　immortal。〃



I　caught　a　fleeting　grin　passing　across　the　features　of　the

black　as　he　heard　her　words。　　I　did　not　then　understand　why

he　smiled。　　Later　I　was　to　learn；　and　she；　too；　in　a　most

horrible　manner。



〃If　the　other　thing　you　have　just　learned；〃　she　continued；

〃has　led　to　as　erroneous　deductions　as　the　first　you　are　little

richer　in　knowledge　than　you　were　before。〃



〃The　other；〃　I　replied；　〃is　that　our　dusky　friend　here　does

not　hail　from　the　nearer　moonhe　was　like　to　have　died　at

a　few　thousand　feet　above　Barsoom。　　Had　we　continued　the

five　thousand　miles　that　lie　between　Thuria　and　the　planet

he　would　have　been　but　the　frozen　memory　of　a　man。〃



Phaidor　looked　at　the　black　in　evident　astonishment。



〃If　you　are　not　of　Thuria；　then　where？〃　she　asked。



He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　turned　his　eyes　elsewhere；

but　did　not　reply。



The　girl　stamped　her　little　foot　in　a　peremptory　manner。



〃The　daughter　of　Matai　Shang　is　not　accustomed　to　having　her

queries　remain　unanswered；〃　she　said。　　〃One　of　the　lesser　breed

should　feel　honoured　that　a　member　of　the　holy　race　that　was　born

to　inherit　life　eternal　should　deign　even　to　notice　him。〃



Again　the　black　smiled　that　wicked；　knowing　smile。



〃Xodar；　Dator　of　the　First　Born　of　Barsoom；　is　accustomed　to

give　commands；　not　to　receive　them；〃　replied　the　black　pirate。

Then；　turning　to　me；　〃What　are　your　intentions　concerning　me？〃



〃I　intend　taking　you　both　back　to　Helium；〃　I　said。

〃No　harm　will　come　to　you。　　You　will　find　the　red　men　of

Helium　a　kindly　and　magnanimous　race；　but　if　they　listen　to

me　there　will　be　no　more　voluntary　pilgrimages　down　the

river　Iss；　and　the　impossible　belief　that　they　have　cherished

for　ages　will　be　shattered　into　a　thousand　pieces。〃



〃Are　you　of　Helium？〃　he　asked。



〃I　am　a　Prince　of　the　House　of　Tardos　Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium；〃

I　replied；　〃but　I　am　not　of　Barsoom。　　I　am　of　another　world。〃



Xodar　looked　at　me　intently　for　a　few　moments。



〃I　can　well　believe　that　you　are　not　of　Barsoom；〃　he　said

at　length。　　〃None　of　this　world　could　have　bested　eight　of　the

First　Born　single…handed。　　But　how　is　it　that　you　wear　the

golden　hair　and　the　jewelled　circlet　of　a　Holy　Thern？〃　　He

emphasized　the　word　holy　with　a　touch　of　irony。



〃I　had　forgotten　them；〃　I　said。　　〃They　are　the　spoils　of

conquest；〃　and　with　a　sweep　of　my　hand　I　removed　the

disguise　from　my　head。



When　the　black's　eyes　fell　on　my　close…cropped　black　hair

they　opened　in　astonishment。　　Evidently　he　had　looked　for

the　bald　pate　of　a　thern。



〃You　are　indeed　of　another　world；〃　he　said；　a　touch　of

awe　in　his　voice。　　〃With　the　skin　of　a　thern；　the　black　hair　of

a　First　Born　and　the　muscles　of　a　dozen　Dators　it　was　no

disgrace　even　for　Xodar　to　acknowledge　your　supremacy。

A　thing　he　could　never　do　were　you　a　Barsoomian；〃　he　added。



〃You　are　travelling　several　laps　ahead　of　me；　my　friend；〃

I　interrupted。　　〃I　glean　that　your　name　is　Xodar；　but　whom；

pray；　are　the　First　Born；　and　what　a　Dator；　and　why；　if　you

were　conquered　by　a　Barsoomian；　could　you　not　acknowledge　it？〃



〃The　First　Born　of　Barsoom；〃　he　explained；　〃are　the　race

of　black　men　of　which　I　am　a　Dator；　or；　as　the　lesser

Barsoomians　would　say；　Prince。　　My　race　is　the　oldest

on　the　planet。　　We　trace　our　lineage；　unbroken；　direct　to

the　Tree　of　Life　which　flourished　in　the　centre　of　the

Valley　Dor　twenty…three　million　years　ago。



〃For　countless　ages　the　fruit　of　this　tree　underwent　the

gradual　changes　of　evolution；　passing　by　degrees　from　true

plant　life　to　a　combination　of　plant　and　animal。　　In　the　first

stages　the　fruit　of　the　tree　possessed　only　the　power　of

independent　muscular　action；　while　the　stem　remained　attached

to　the　parent　plant；　later　a　brain　developed　in　the　fruit；　so

that　hanging　there　by　their　long　stems　they　thought　and

moved　as　individuals。



〃Then；　with　the　development　of　perceptions　came　a　comparison

of　them；　judgments　were　reached　and　compared；　and　thus　reason

and　the　power　to　reason　were　born　upon　Barsoom。



〃Ages　passed。　　Many　forms　of　life　came　and　went　upon

the　Tree　of　Life；　but　still　all　were　attached　to　the　parent

plant　by　stems　of　varying　lengths。　　At　length　the　fruit　tree

consisted　in　tiny　plant　men；　such　as　we　now　see　reproduced

in　such　huge　dimensions　in　the　Valley　Dor；　but　still　hanging

to　the　limbs　and　branches　of　the　tree　by　the　stems　which

grew　from　the　tops　of　their　heads。



〃The　buds　from　which　the　plant　men　blossomed　resembled

large　nuts　about　a　foot　in　diameter；　divided　by　double

partition　walls　into　four　sections。　　In　one　section　grew　the　plant

man；　in　another　a　sixteen…legged　worm；　in　the　third　the

progenitor　of　the　white　ape　and　in　the　fourth　the　primaeval

black　man　of　Barsoom。



〃When　the　bud　burst　the　plant　man　remained　dangling　at

the　end　of　his　stem；　but　the　three　other　sections　fell　to　the

ground；　where　the　efforts　of　their　imprisoned　occupants　to

escape　sent　them　hopping　about　in　all　directions。



〃Thus　as　time　went　on；　all　Barsoom　was　covered　with

these　imprisoned　creatures。　　For　countless　ages　they　lived　their

long　lives　within　their　hard　shells；　hopping　and　skipping　about

the　broad　planet；　falling　into　rivers；　lakes；　and　seas；　to　be　still

further　spread　about　the　surface　of　the　new　world。



〃Countless　billions　died　before　the　first　black　man　broke

through　his　prison　walls　into　the　light　of　day。　　Prompted　by

curiosity；　he　broke　open　other　shells　and　the　peopling　of

Barsoom　commenced。



〃The　pure　strain　of　the　blood　of　this　first　black　man　has

remained　untainted　by　admixture　with　other　creatures　in　the

race　of　which　I　am　a　member；　but　from　the　sixteen…legged

worm；　the　first　ape　and　renegade　black　man　has　sprung　every

other　form　of　animal　life　upon　Barsoom。



〃The　therns；〃　and　he　smiled　maliciously　as　he　spoke；　〃are

but　the　result　of　ages　of　evolution　from　the　pure　white　ape

of　antiquity。　　They　are　a　lower　order　still。　　There　is　but　one

race　of　true　and　immortal　humans　on　Barsoom。　　It　is　the

race　of　black　men。



〃The　Tree　of　Life　is　dead；　but　before　it　died　the　plant

men　learned　to　detach　themselves　from　it　and　roam　the　face

of　Barsoom　with　the　other　children　of　the　First　Parent。



〃Now　their　bisexuality　permits　them　to　reproduce　themselves

after　the　manner　of　true　plants；　but　otherwise　they　have

progressed　but　little　in　all　the　ages　of　their　existence。

Their　actions　and　movements　are　largely　matters　of　instinct

and　not　guided　to　any　great　extent　by　reason；　since　the　brain

of　a　plant　man　is　but　a　trifle　larger　than　the　end　of　your

smallest　finger。　　They　live　upon　vegetation　and　the　blood　of

animals；　and　their　brain　is　just　large　enough　to　direct　their

movements　in　the　direction　of　food；　and　to　translate　the　food

sensations　which　are　carried　to　it　from　their　eyes　and　ears。

They　have　no　sense　of　self…preservation　and　so　are　entirely

without　fear　in　the　face　of　danger。　　That　is　why　they　are　such

terrible　antagonists　in　combat。〃



I　wondered　why　the　black　man　took　such　pains　to　discourse

thus　at　length　to　enemies　upon　the　genesis　of　life　Barsoomian。

It　seemed　a　strangely　inopportune　moment　for　a　proud　member

of　a　proud　race　to　unbend　in　casual　conversation　with　a　captor。

Especially　in　view　of　the　fact　that　the　black　still　lay　securely

bound　upon　the　deck。



It　was　the　faintest　straying　of　his　eye　beyond　me　for　the

barest　fraction　of　a　second　that　explained　his　motive　for

thus　dragging　out　my　interest　in　his　truly　absorbing　story。



He　lay　a　little　forward　of　where　I　stood　at　the　levers；　and

thus　he　faced　the　stern　of　the　vessel　as　he　addressed　me。　　It

was　at　the　end　of　his　description　of　the　plant　men　that　I

caught　his　eye　fixed　momentarily　upon　something　behind　me。



Nor　could　I　be　mistaken　in　the　swift　gleam　of　triumph

that　brightened　those　dark　orbs　for　an　instant。



Some　time　before　I　had　reduced　our　speed；　for　we　had　left　the

Valley　Dor　many　miles　astern；　and　I　felt　comparatively　safe。



I　turned　an　apprehensive　glance　behind　me；　and　the　sight

that　I　saw　froze　the　new…born　hope　of　freedom　that　had　been

springing　up　within　me。



A　great　battleship；　forging　silent　and　unlighted　through　the

dark　night；　loomed　close　astern。







CHAPTER　VIII





THE　DEPTHS　OF　OMEAN





Now　I　realized　why　the　black　pirate　had　kept　me　engrossed

with　his　strange　tale。　　For　miles　he　had　sensed　the　approach

of　succour；　and　but　for　that　single　tell…tale　glance　the

battleship　would　have　been　directly　above　us　in　another　moment；

and　the　boarding　party　which　was　doubtless　even　now　swinging

in　their　harness　from　the　ship's　keel；　would　have　swarmed　our　deck；

placing　my　rising　hope　of　escape　in　sudden　and　total　eclipse。



I　was　too　old　a　hand　in　aerial　warfare　to　be　at　a　loss

now　for　the　right　manoeuvre。　　Simultaneously　I　reversed　the

engines　and　dropped　the　little　vessel　a　sheer　hundred　feet。



Above　my　head　I　could　see　the　dangling　forms　of　the

boarding　party　as　the　battleship　raced　over　us。　　Then　I　rose　at

a　sharp　angle；　thro