the gods of mars-第20部分

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convey　to　the　mind　the　gorgeous　beauties　of　the　scene。



One　may　speak　of　scarlet　sward　and　ivory…stemmed　trees

decked　with　brilliant　purple　blooms；　of　winding　walks　paved

with　crushed　rubies；　with　emerald；　with　turquoise；　even　with

diamonds　themselves；　of　a　magnificent　temple　of　burnished

gold；　hand…wrought　with　marvellous　designs；　but　where　are

the　words　to　describe　the　glorious　colours　that　are　unknown

to　earthly　eyes？　where　the　mind　or　the　imagination　that

can　grasp　the　gorgeous　scintillations　of　unheard…of　rays　as

they　emanate　from　the　thousand　nameless　jewels　of　Barsoom？



Even　my　eyes；　for　long　years　accustomed　to　the　barbaric

splendours　of　a　Martian　Jeddak's　court；　were　amazed　at　the

glory　of　the　scene。



Phaidor's　eyes　were　wide　in　amazement。



〃The　Temple　of　Issus；〃　she　whispered；　half　to　herself。



Xodar　watched　us　with　his　grim　smile；　partly　of　amusement

and　partly　malicious　gloating。



The　gardens　swarmed　with　brilliantly　trapped　black　men

and　women。　　Among　them　moved　red　and　white　females

serving　their　every　want。　　The　places　of　the　outer　world　and

the　temples　of　the　therns　had　been　robbed　of　their　princesses

and　goddesses　that　the　blacks　might　have　their　slaves。



Through　this　scene　we　moved　toward　the　temple。　　At　the

main　entrance　we　were　halted　by　a　cordon　of　armed　guards。

Xodar　spoke　a　few　words　to　an　officer　who　came　forward　to

question　us。　　Together　they　entered　the　temple；　where　they

remained　for　some　time。



When　they　returned　it　was　to　announce　that　Issus　desired

to　look　upon　the　daughter　of　Matai　Shang；　and　the　strange

creature　from　another　world　who　had　been　a　Prince　of　Helium。



Slowly　we　moved　through　endless　corridors　of　unthinkable

beauty；　through　magnificent　apartments；　and　noble　halls。

At　length　we　were　halted　in　a　spacious　chamber　in　the　centre

of　the　temple。　　One　of　the　officers　who　had　accompanied　us

advanced　to　a　large　door　in　the　further　end　of　the　chamber。

Here　he　must　have　made　some　sort　of　signal　for　immediately

the　door　opened　and　another　richly　trapped　courtier　emerged。



We　were　then　led　up　to　the　door；　where　we　were　directed　to　get

down　on　our　hands　and　knees　with　our　backs　toward　the　room　we

were　to　enter。　　The　doors　were　swung　open　and　after　being

cautioned　not　to　turn　our　heads　under　penalty　of　instant

death　we　were　commanded　to　back　into　the　presence　of　Issus。



Never　have　I　been　in　so　humiliating　a　position　in　my　life；

and　only　my　love　for　Dejah　Thoris　and　the　hope　which　still

clung　to　me　that　I　might　again　see　her　kept　me　from　rising　to

face　the　goddess　of　the　First　Born　and　go　down　to　my

death　like　a　gentleman；　facing　my　foes　and　with　their　blood

mingling　with　mine。



After　we　had　crawled　in　this　disgusting　fashion　for　a　matter

of　a　couple　of　hundred　feet　we　were　halted　by　our　escort。



〃Let　them　rise；〃　said　a　voice　behind　us；　a　thin；　wavering

voice；　yet　one　that　had　evidently　been　accustomed　to　command

for　many　years。



〃Rise；〃　said　our　escort；　〃but　do　not　face　toward　Issus。〃



〃The　woman　pleases　me；〃　said　the　thin；　wavering　voice　again

after　a　few　moments　of　silence。　　〃She　shall　serve　me　the

allotted　time。　　The　man　you　may　return　to　the　Isle　of　Shador

which　lies　against　the　northern　shore　of　the　Sea　of　Omean。

Let　the　woman　turn　and　look　upon　Issus；　knowing　that　those

of　the　lower　orders　who　gaze　upon　the　holy　vision　of　her

radiant　face　survive　the　blinding　glory　but　a　single　year。〃



I　watched　Phaidor　from　the　corner　of　my　eye。　　She　paled

to　a　ghastly　hue。　　Slowly；　very　slowly　she　turned；　as　though

drawn　by　some　invisible　yet　irresistible　force。　　She　was

standing　quite　close　to　me；　so　close　that　her　bare　arm　touched

mine　as　she　finally　faced　Issus；　Goddess　of　Life　Eternal。



I　could　not　see　the　girl's　face　as　her　eyes　rested　for　the　first

time　on　the　Supreme　Deity　of　Mars；　but　felt　the　shudder　that　ran

through　her　in　the　trembling　flesh　of　the　arm　that　touched　mine。



〃It　must　be　dazzling　loveliness　indeed；〃　thought　I；　〃to

cause　such　emotion　in　the　breast　of　so　radiant　a　beauty

as　Phaidor；　daughter　of　Matai　Shang。〃



〃Let　the　woman　remain。　　Remove　the　man。　　Go。〃　　Thus

spoke　Issus；　and　the　heavy　hand　of　the　officer　fell　upon　my

shoulder。　　In　accordance　with　his　instructions　I　dropped　to

my　hands　and　knees　once　more　and　crawled　from　the　Presence。　

It　had　been　my　first　audience　with　deity；　but　I　am　free

to　confess　that　I　was　not　greatly　impressedother　than　with

the　ridiculous　figure　I　cut　scrambling　about　on　my　marrow　bones。



Once　without　the　chamber　the　doors　closed　behind　us　and

I　was　bid　to　rise。　　Xodar　joined　me　and　together　we　slowly

retraced　our　steps　toward　the　gardens。



〃You　spared　my　life　when　you　easily　might　have　taken　it；〃

he　said　after　we　had　proceeded　some　little　way　in　silence；

〃and　I　would　aid　you　if　I　might。　　I　can　help　to　make　your

life　here　more　bearable；　but　your　fate　is　inevitable。

You　may　never　hope　to　return　to　the　outer　world。〃



〃What　will　be　my　fate？〃　I　asked。



〃That　will　depend　largely　upon　Issus。　　So　long　as　she　does　not

send　for　you　and　reveal　her　face　to　you；　you　may　live　on　for

years　in　as　mild　a　form　of　bondage　as　I　can　arrange　for　you。〃



〃Why　should　she　send　for　me？〃　I　asked。



〃The　men　of　the　lower　orders　she　often　uses　for　various

purposes　of　amusement。　　Such　a　fighter　as　you；　for　example；

would　render　fine　sport　in　the　monthly　rites　of　the　temple。

There　are　men　pitted　against　men；　and　against　beasts　for　the

edification　of　Issus　and　the　replenishment　of　her　larder。〃



〃She　eats　human　flesh？〃　I　asked。　　Not　in　horror；　however；

for　since　my　recently　acquired　knowledge　of　the　Holy　Therns

I　was　prepared　for　anything　in　this　still　less　accessible　heaven；

where　all　was　evidently　dictated　by　a　single　omnipotence；

where　ages　of　narrow　fanaticism　and　self…worship　had　eradicated

all　the　broader　humanitarian　instincts　that　the　race　might

once　have　possessed。



They　were　a　people　drunk　with　power　and　success；　looking

upon　the　other　inhabitants　of　Mars　as　we　look　upon　the

beasts　of　the　field　and　the　forest。　　Why　then　should　they　not

eat　of　the　flesh　of　the　lower　orders　whose　lives　and　characters

they　no　more　understood　than　do　we　the　inmost　thoughts　and

sensibilities　of　the　cattle　we　slaughter　for　our　earthly　tables。



〃She　eats　only　the　flesh　of　the　best　bred　of　the　Holy　Therns

and　the　red　Barsoomians。　　The　flesh　of　the　others　goes　to　our

boards。　　The　animals　are　eaten　by　the　slaves。　　She　also　eats

other　dainties。〃



I　did　not　understand　then　that　there　lay　any　special　significance

in　his　reference　to　other　dainties。　　I　thought　the　limit　of

ghoulishness　already　had　been　reached　in　the　recitation　of

Issus'　menu。　　I　still　had　much　to　learn　as　to　the　depths　of

cruelty　and　bestiality　to　which　omnipotence　may　drag　its　possessor。



We　had　about　reached　the　last　of　the　many　chambers　and　corridors

which　led　to　the　gardens　when　an　officer　overtook　us。



〃Issus　would　look　again　upon　this　man；〃　he　said。　　〃The　girl　has

told　her　that　he　is　of　wondrous　beauty　and　of　such　prowess　that

alone　he　slew　seven　of　the　First　Born；　and　with　his　bare　hands

took　Xodar　captive；　binding　him　with　his　own　harness。〃



Xodar　looked　uncomfortable。　　Evidently　he　did　not　relish

the　thought　that　Issus　had　learned　of　his　inglorious　defeat。



Without　a　word　he　turned　and　we　followed　the　officer

once　again　to　the　closed　doors　before　the　audience　chamber

of　Issus；　Goddess　of　Life　Eternal。



Here　the　ceremony　of　entrance　was　repeated。　　Again　Issus

bid　me　rise。　　For　several　minutes　all　was　silent　as　the　tomb。

The　eyes　of　deity　were　appraising　me。



Presently　the　thin　wavering　voice　broke　the　stillness；

repeating　in　a　singsong　drone　the　words　which　for

countless　ages　had　sealed　the　doom　of　numberless　victims。



〃Let　the　man　turn　and　look　upon　Issus；　knowing　that　those

of　the　lower　orders　who　gaze　upon　the　holy　vision　of　her

radiant　face　survive　the　blinding　glory　but　a　single　year。〃



I　turned　as　I　had　been　bid；　expecting　such　a　treat　as　only

the　revealment　of　divine　glory　to　mortal　eyes　might　produce。

What　I　saw　was　a　solid　phalanx　of　armed　men　between　myself

and　a　dais　supporting　a　great　bench　of　carved　sorapus

wood。　　On　this　bench；　or　throne；　squatted　a　female　black。

She　was　evidently　very　old。　　Not　a　hair　remained　upon　her

wrinkled　skull。　　With　the　exception　of　two　yellow　fangs　she

was　entirely　toothless。　　On　either　side　of　her　thin；　hawk…like

nose　her　eyes　burned　from　the　depths　of　horribly　sunken

sockets。　　The　skin　of　her　face　was　seamed　and　creased　with

a　million　deepcut　furrows。　　Her　body　was　as　wrinkled　as　her

face；　and　as　repulsive。



Emaciated　arms　and　legs　attached　to　a　torso　which　seemed

to　be　mostly　distorted　abdomen　completed　the　〃holy　vision

of　her　radiant　beauty。〃



Surrounding　her　were　a　number　of　female　slaves；　among

them　Phaidor；　white　and　trembling。



〃This　is　the　man　who　slew　seven　of　the　First　Born　and；　bare…handed；

bound　Dator　Xodar　with　his　own　harness？〃　asked　Issus。



〃Most　glorious　vision　of　divine　loveliness；　it　is；〃　replied　the

officer　who　stood　at　my　side。



〃Produce　Dator　Xodar；〃　she　commanded。



Xodar　was　brought　from　the　adjoining　room。



Issus　glared　at　him；　a　baleful　light　in　her　hideous　eyes。



〃And　such　as　you　are　a　Dator　of　the　First　Born？〃　she　squealed。

〃For　the　disgrace　you　have　brought　upon　the　Immortal

Race　you　shall　be　degraded　to　a　rank　below　the　lowest。　

No　longer　be　you　a　Dator；　but　for　evermore　a　slave　of　slaves；

to　fetch　and　carry　for　the　lower　orders　that　serve　in　the　gardens

of　Issus。　　Remove　his　harness。　　Cowards　and　slaves　wear　no　trappings。〃



Xodar　stood　stiffly　erect。　　Not　a　muscle　twitched；　nor　a

tremor　shook　his　giant　frame　as　a　soldier　of　the　guard

roughly　stripped　his　gorgeous　trappings　from　him。



〃Begone；〃　screamed　the　infuriated　little　old　woman。　　〃B