the gods of mars-第17部分

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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；　throwing　my　speed　lever　to　its　last　notch。



Like　a　bolt　from　a　crossbow　my　splendid　craft　shot　its

steel　prow　straight　at　the　whirring　propellers　of　the　giant

above　us。　　If　I　could　but　touch　them　the　huge　bulk　would

be　disabled　for　hours　and　escape　once　more　possible。



At　the　same　instant　the　sun　shot　above　the　horizon；

disclosing　a　hundred　grim；　black　faces　peering　over

the　stern　of　the　battleship　upon　us。



At　sight　of　us　a　shout　of　rage　went　up　from　a　hundred　throats。

Orders　were　shouted；　but　it　was　too　late　to　save　the

giant　propellers；　and　with　a　crash　we　rammed　them。



Instantly　with　the　shock　of　impact　I　reversed　my　engine；

but　my　prow　was　wedged　in　the　hole　it　had　made　in　the

battleship's　stern。　　Only　a　second　I　hung　there　before　tearing

away；　but　that　second　was　amply　long　to　swarm　my　deck

with　black　devils。



There　was　no　fight。　　In　the　first　place　there　was　no　room

to　fight。　　We　were　simply　submerged　by　numbers。　　Then　as

swords　menaced　me　a　command　from　Xodar　stayed　the　hands

of　his　fellows。



〃Secure　them；〃　he　said；　〃but　do　not　injure　them。〃



Several　of　the　pirates　already　had　released　Xodar。　　He　now

personally　attended　to　my　disarming　and　saw　that　I　was

properly　bound。　　At　least　he　thought　that　the　binding　was

secure。　　It　would　have　been　had　I　been　a　Martian；　but　I　had

to　smile　at　the　puny　strands　that　confined　my　wrists。　　When

the　time　came　I　could　snap　them　as　they　had　been　cotton

string。



The　girl　they　bound　also；　and　then　they　fastened　us　together。　

In　the　meantime　they　had　brought　our　craft　alongside　the

disabled　battleship；　and　soon　we　were　transported　to　the　latter's　deck。



Fully　a　thousand　black　men　manned　the　great　engine　of　destruction。

Her　decks　were　crowded　with　them　as　they　pressed　forward　as　far　as

discipline　would　permit　to　get　a　glimpse　of　their　captives。



The　girl's　beauty　elicited　many　brutal　comments　and　vulgar　jests。

It　was　evident　that　these　self…thought　supermen　were　far　inferior

to　the　red　men　of　Barsoom　in　refinement　and　in　chivalry。



My　close…cropped　black　hair　and　thern　complexion　were

the　subjects　of　much　comment。　　When　Xodar　told　his　fellow

nobles　of　my　fighting　ability　and　strange　origin　they　crowded

about　me　with　numerous　questions。



The　fact　that　I　wore　the　harness　and　metal　of　a　thern　who

had　been　killed　by　a　member　of　my　party　convinced　them

that　I　was　an　enemy　of　their　hereditary　foes；　and　placed

me　on　a　better　footing　in　their　estimation。



Without　exception　the　blacks　were　handsome　men；　and

well　built。　　The　officers　were　conspicuous　through　the

wondrous　magnificence　of　their　resplendent　trappings。

Many　harnesses　were　so　encrusted　with　gold；　platinum；　silver

and　precious　stones　as　to　entirely　hide　the　leather　beneath。



The　harness　of　the　commanding　officer　was　a　solid　mass

of　diamonds。　　Against　the　ebony　background　of　his　skin　they

blazed　out　with　a　peculiarly　accentuated　effulgence。　　The　whole

scene　was　enchanting。　　The　handsome　men；　the　barbaric　splendour

of　the　accoutrements；　the　polished　skeel　wood　of　the　deck；　the

gloriously　grained　sorapus　of　the　cabins；　inlaid　with　priceless

jewels　and　precious　metals　in　intricate　and　beautiful　design；

the　burnished　gold　of　hand　rails；　the　shining　metal　of　the　guns。



Phaidor　and　I　were　taken　below　decks；　where；　still　fast　bound；

we　were　thrown　into　a　small　compartment　which　contained　a

single　port…hole。　　As　our　escort　left　us　they　barred　the

door　behind　them。



We　could　hear　the　men　working　on　the　broken　propellers；

and　from　the　port…hole　we　could　see　that　the　vessel　was

drifting　lazily　toward　the　south。



For　some　time　neither　of　us　spoke。　　Each　was　occupied

with　his　own　thoughts。　　For　my　part　I　was　wondering　as　to

the　fate　of　Tars　Tarkas　and　the　girl；　Thuvia。



Even　if　they　succeeded　in　eluding　pursuit　they　must　eventually

fall　into　the　hands　of　either　red　men　or　green；　and　as　fugitives

from　the　Valley　Dor　they　could　look　for　but　little　else　than　a

swift　and　terrible　death。



How　I　wished　that　I　might　have　accompanied　them。　　It

seemed　to　me　that　I　could　not　fail　to　impress　upon　the

intelligent　red　men　of　Barsoom　the　wicked　deception　that　a

cruel　and　senseless　superstition　had　foisted　upon　them。



Tardos　Mors　would　believe　me。　　Of　that　I　was　positive。　　And

that　he　would　have　the　courage　of　his　convictions　my　knowledge

of　his　character　assured　me。　　Dejah　Thoris　would　believe　me。

Not　a　doubt　as　to　that　entered　my　head。　　Then　there　were

a　thousand　of　my　red　and　green　warrior　friends　whom

I　knew　would　face　eternal　damnation　gladly　for　my　sake。

Like　Tars　Tarkas；　where　I　led　they　would　follow。



My　only　danger　lay　in　that　should　I　ever　escape　the　black

pirates　it　might　be　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　unfriendly　red

or　green　men。　　Then　it　would　mean　short　shrift　for　me。



Well；　there　seemed　little　to　worry　about　on　that　score；　for　the

likelihood　of　my　ever　escaping　the　blacks　was　extremely　remote。



The　girl　and　I　were　linked　together　by　a　rope　which　permitted

us　to　move　only　about　three　or　four　feet　from　each　other。

When　we　had　entered　the　compartment　we　had　seated　ourselves

upon　a　low　bench　beneath　the　porthole。　　The　bench　was　the

only　furniture　of　the　room。　　It　was　of　sorapus　wood。

The　floor；　ceiling　and　walls　were　of　carborundum　aluminum；

a　light；　impenetrable　composition　extensively　utilized

in　the　construction　of　Martian　fighting　ships。



As　I　had　sat　meditating　upon　the　future　my　eyes　had

been　riveted　upon　the　port…hole　which　was　just　level　with

them　as　I　sat。　　Suddenly　I　looked　toward　Phaidor。　　She　was

regarding　me　with　a　strange　expression　I　had　not　before　seen

upon　her　face。　　She　was　very　beautiful　then。



Instantly　her　white　lids　veiled　her　eyes；　and　I　thought　I

discovered　a　delicate　flush　tingeing　her　cheek。　　Evidently　she

was　embarrassed　at　having　been　detected　in　the　act　of　staring

at　a　lesser　creature；　I　thought。



〃Do　you　find　the　study　of　the　lower　orders　interesting？〃

I　asked；　laughing。



She　looked　up　again　with　a　nervous　but　relieved　little　laugh。



〃Oh　very；〃　she　said；　〃especially　when　they　have　such　excellent　profiles。〃



It　was　my　turn　to　flush；　but　I　did　not。　　I　felt　that　she　was

poking　fun　at　me；　and　I　admired　a　brave　heart　that　could　look

for　humour　on　the　road　to　death；　and　so　I　laughed　with　her。



〃Do　you　know　where　we　are　going？〃　she　said。



〃To　solve　the　mystery　of　the　eternal　hereafter；　I　imagine；〃　I　replied。



〃I　am　going　to　a　worse　fate　than　that；〃　she　said；　with　a　little　shudder。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃I　can　only　guess；〃　she　replied；　〃since　no　thern　damsel　of

all　the　millions　that　have　been　stolen　away　by　black　pirates

during　the　ages　they　have　raided　our　domains　has　ever　returned

to　narrate　her　experiences　among　them。　　That　they　never　take　a

man　prisoner　lends　strength　to　the　belief　that　the　fate　of　the

girls　they　steal　is　worse　than　death。〃



〃Is　it　not　a　just　retribution？〃　I　could　not　help　but　ask。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃Do　not　the　therns　themselves　do　likewise　with　the　poor　creatures

who　take　the　voluntary　pilgrimage　down　the　River　of　Mystery？　

Was　not　Thuvia　for　fifteen　years　a　plaything　and　a　slave？

Is　it　less　than　just　that　you　should　suffer　as　you　have

caused　others　to　suffer？〃



〃You　do　not　understand；〃　she　replied。　　〃We　therns　are　a　holy　race。

It　is　an　honour　to　a　lesser　creature　to　be　a　slave　among　us。

Did　we　not　occasionally　save　a　few　of　the　lower　orders　that

stupidly　float　down　an　unknown　river　to　an　unknown　end　all

would　become　the　prey　of　the　plant　men　and　the　apes。〃



〃But　do　you　not　by　every　means　encourage　the　superstition

among　those　of　the　outside　world？〃　I　argued。　　〃That　is　the

wickedest　of　your　deeds。　　Can　you　tell　me　why　you　foster

the　cruel　deception？〃



〃All　life　on　Barsoom；〃　she　said；　〃is　created　solely　for　the

support　of　the　race　of　therns。　　How　else　could　we　live　did

the　outer　world　not　furnish　our　labour　and　our　food？　　Think

you　that　a　thern　would　demean　himself　by　labour？〃



〃It　is　true　then　that　you　eat　human　flesh？〃　I　asked　in　horror。



She　looked　at　me　in　pitying　commiseration　for　my　ignorance。



〃Truly　we　eat　the　flesh　of　the　lower　orders。　　Do　not　you　also？〃



〃The　flesh　of　beasts；　yes；〃　I　replied；　〃but　not　the　flesh　of　man。〃



〃As　man　may　eat　of　the　flesh　of　beasts；　so　may　gods　eat　of

the　flesh　of　man。　　The　Holy　Therns　are　the　gods　of　Barsoom。〃



I　was　disgusted　and　I　imagine　that　I　showed　it。



〃You　are　an　unbeliever　now；〃　she　continued　gently；　〃but

should　we　be　fortunate　enough　to　escape　the　clutches　of　the

black　pirates　and　come　again　to　the　court　of　Matai　Shang　I

think　that　we　shall　find　an　argument　to　convince　you　of　the

error　of　your　ways。　　And；〃　she　hesitated；　〃perhaps　we　shall

find　a　way　to　keep　you　asasone　of　us。〃



Again　her　eyes　dropped　to　the　floor；　and　a　faint　colour

suffused　her　cheek。　　I　could　not　understand　her　meaning；　nor

did　I　for　a　long　time。　　Dejah　Thoris　was　wont　to　say　that　in

some　things　I　was　a　veritable　simpleton；　and　I　guess　that

she　was　right。



〃I　fear　that　I　would　ill　requite　your　father's　hospitality；〃

I　answered；　〃since　the　first　thing　that　I　should　do　were　I　a

thern　would　be　to　set　an　armed　guard　at　the　mouth　of　the

River　Iss　to　escort　the　poor　deluded　voyagers　back　to

the　outer　world。　　Also　should　I　devote　my　life　to　the

extermination　of　the　hideous　plant　men　and　their　horrible

companions；　the　great　white　apes。〃



She　looked　at　me　really　horror　struck。



〃No；　no；〃　she　cried；　〃you　must　not　say　such　terribly

sacrilegious　thingsyou　must　not　even　think　them。

Should　they　ever　guess　that　you　entertained　such

frightful　thoughts；　should　we　chance　to　regain　the

temples　of　the　therns；　they　would　mete　out　a　frightf