the gods of mars-第24部分

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these　we　were　herded。　　But；　unfortunately；　my　youthful　friend

was　not　of　those　who　occupied　a　cage　with　me。



Directly　opposite　my　cage　was　the　throne　of　Issus。　　Here

the　horrid　creature　squatted；　surrounded　by　a　hundred　slave

maidens　sparkling　in　jewelled　trappings。　　Brilliant　cloths　of

many　hues　and　strange　patterns　formed　the　soft　cushion

covering　of　the　dais　upon　which　they　reclined　about　her。



On　four　sides　of　the　throne　and　several　feet　below　it　stood

three　solid　ranks　of　heavily　armed　soldiery；　elbow　to　elbow。

In　front　of　these　were　the　high　dignitaries　of　this　mock

heavengleaming　blacks　bedecked　with　precious　stones；　upon

their　foreheads　the　insignia　of　their　rank　set　in　circles　of　gold。



On　both　sides　of　the　throne　stretched　a　solid　mass

of　humanity　from　top　to　bottom　of　the　amphitheatre。

There　were　as　many　women　as　men；　and　each　was　clothed　in

the　wondrously　wrought　harness　of　his　station　and　his　house。

With　each　black　was　from　one　to　three　slaves；　drawn　from

the　domains　of　the　therns　and　from　the　outer　world。　　The

blacks　are　all　〃noble。〃　　There　is　no　peasantry　among　the

First　Born。　　Even　the　lowest　soldier　is　a　god；　and　has　his

slaves　to　wait　upon　him。



The　First　Born　do　no　work。　　The　men　fightthat　is　a　sacred

privilege　and　duty；　to　fight　and　die　for　Issus。　　The　women　do

nothing；　absolutely　nothing。　　Slaves　wash　them；　slaves　dress

them；　slaves　feed　them。　　There　are　some；　even；　who　have

slaves　that　talk　for　them；　and　I　saw　one　who　sat　during

the　rites　with　closed　eyes　while　a　slave　narrated　to　her　the

events　that　were　transpiring　within　the　arena。



The　first　event　of　the　day　was　the　Tribute　to　Issus。　　It

marked　the　end　of　those　poor　unfortunates　who　had　looked

upon　the　divine　glory　of　the　goddess　a　full　year　before。

There　were　ten　of　themsplendid　beauties　from　the　proud

courts　of　mighty　Jeddaks　and　from　the　temples　of　the

Holy　Therns。　　For　a　year　they　had　served　in　the　retinue　of

Issus；　to…day　they　were　to　pay　the　price　of　this　divine

preferment　with　their　lives；　tomorrow　they　would　grace　the

tables　of　the　court　functionaries。



A　huge　black　entered　the　arena　with　the　young　women。

Carefully　he　inspected　them；　felt　of　their　limbs　and　poked

them　in　the　ribs。　　Presently　he　selected　one　of　their　number

whom　he　led　before　the　throne　of　Issus。　　He　addressed

some　words　to　the　goddess　which　I　could　not　hear。　　Issus

nodded　her　head。　　The　black　raised　his　hands　above　his　head

in　token　of　salute；　grasped　the　girl　by　the　wrist；　and　dragged

her　from　the　arena　through　a　small　doorway　below　the　throne。



〃Issus　will　dine　well　to…night；〃　said　a　prisoner　beside　me。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。



〃That　was　her　dinner　that　old　Thabis　is　taking　to　the

kitchens。　　Didst　not　note　how　carefully　he　selected　the

plumpest　and　tenderest　of　the　lot？〃



I　growled　out　my　curses　on　the　monster　sitting　opposite

us　on　the　gorgeous　throne。



〃Fume　not；〃　admonished　my　companion；　〃you　will　see

far　worse　than　that　if　you　live　even　a　month　among　the

First　Born。〃



I　turned　again　in　time　to　see　the　gate　of　a　nearby　cage

thrown　open　and　three　monstrous　white　apes　spring　into　the

arena。　　The　girls　shrank　in　a　frightened　group　in　the　centre

of　the　enclosure。



One　was　on　her　knees　with　imploring　hands　outstretched

toward　Issus；　but　the　hideous　deity　only　leaned　further

forward　in　keener　anticipation　of　the　entertainment　to　come。

At　length　the　apes　spied　the　huddled　knot　of　terror…stricken

maidens　and　with　demoniacal　shrieks　of　bestial　frenzy；

charged　upon　them。



A　wave　of　mad　fury　surged　over　me。　　The　cruel　cowardliness

of　the　power…drunk　creature　whose　malignant　mind　conceived

such　frightful　forms　of　torture　stirred　to　their　uttermost

depths　my　resentment　and　my　manhood。　　The　blood…red　haze

that　presaged　death　to　my　foes　swam　before　my　eyes。



The　guard　lolled　before　the　unbarred　gate　of　the　cage

which　confined　me。　　What　need　of　bars；　indeed；　to　keep

those　poor　victims　from　rushing　into　the　arena　which　the

edict　of　the　gods　had　appointed　as　their　death　place！



A　single　blow　sent　the　black　unconscious　to　the　ground。

Snatching　up　his　long…sword；　I　sprang　into　the　arena。　　The

apes　were　almost　upon　the　maidens；　but　a　couple　of　mighty

bounds　were　all　my　earthly　muscles　required　to　carry　me

to　the　centre　of　the　sand…strewn　floor。



For　an　instant　silence　reigned　in　the　great　amphitheatre；

then　a　wild　shout　arose　from　the　cages　of　the　doomed。

My　long…sword　circled　whirring　through　the　air；　and　a　great

ape　sprawled；　headless；　at　the　feet　of　the　fainting　girls。



The　other　apes　turned　now　upon　me；　and　as　I　stood　facing

them　a　sullen　roar　from　the　audience　answered　the　wild　cheers

from　the　cages。　　From　the　tail　of　my　eye　I　saw　a　score

of　guards　rushing　across　the　glistening　sand　toward　me。

Then　a　figure　broke　from　one　of　the　cages　behind　them。

It　was　the　youth　whose　personality　so　fascinated　me。



He　paused　a　moment　before　the　cages；　with　upraised　sword。



〃Come；　men　of　the　outer　world！〃　he　shouted。　　〃Let　us

make　our　deaths　worth　while；　and　at　the　back　of　this

unknown　warrior　turn　this　day's　Tribute　to　Issus　into　an

orgy　of　revenge　that　will　echo　through　the　ages　and　cause

black　skins　to　blanch　at　each　repetition　of　the　rites　of　Issus。

Come！　　The　racks　without　your　cages　are　filled　with　blades。〃



Without　waiting　to　note　the　outcome　of　his　plea；　he

turned　and　bounded　toward　me。　　From　every　cage　that

harboured　red　men　a　thunderous　shout　went　up　in　answer

to　his　exhortation。　　The　inner　guards　went　down　beneath

howling　mobs；　and　the　cages　vomited　forth　their　inmates　hot

with　the　lust　to　kill。



The　racks　that　stood　without　were　stripped　of　the　swords

with　which　the　prisoners　were　to　have　been　armed　to　enter

their　allotted　combats；　and　a　swarm　of　determined　warriors

sped　to　our　support。



The　great　apes；　towering　in　all　their　fifteen　feet　of　height；

had　gone　down　before　my　sword　while　the　charging　guards

were　still　some　distance　away。　　Close　behind　them　pursued

the　youth。　　At　my　back　were　the　young　girls；　and　as　it

was　in　their　service　that　I　fought；　I　remained　standing

there　to　meet　my　inevitable　death；　but　with　the　determination

to　give　such　an　account　of　myself　as　would　long　be　remembered

in　the　land　of　the　First　Born。



I　noted　the　marvellous　speed　of　the　young　red　man　as

he　raced　after　the　guards。　　Never　had　I　seen　such　speed　in

any　Martian。　　His　leaps　and　bounds　were　little　short　of　those

which　my　earthly　muscles　had　produced　to　create　such　awe

and　respect　on　the　part　of　the　green　Martians　into　whose

hands　I　had　fallen　on　that　long…gone　day　that　had　seen　my

first　advent　upon　Mars。



The　guards　had　not　reached　me　when　he　fell　upon　them

from　the　rear；　and　as　they　turned；　thinking　from　the

fierceness　of　his　onslaught　that　a　dozen　were　attacking　them；

I　rushed　them　from　my　side。



In　the　rapid　fighting　that　followed　I　had　little　chance

to　note　aught　else　than　the　movements　of　my　immediate

adversaries；　but　now　and　again　I　caught　a　fleeting　glimpse

of　a　purring　sword　and　a　lightly　springing　figure　of　sinewy

steel　that　filled　my　heart　with　a　strange　yearning　and　a

mighty　but　unaccountable　pride。



On　the　handsome　face　of　the　boy　a　grim　smile　played；

and　ever　and　anon　he　threw　a　taunting　challenge　to　the

foes　that　faced　him。　　In　this　and　other　ways　his　manner　of

fighting　was　similar　to　that　which　had　always　marked　me

on　the　field　of　combat。



Perhaps　it　was　this　vague　likeness　which　made　me　love

the　boy；　while　the　awful　havoc　that　his　sword　played　amongst

the　blacks　filled　my　soul　with　a　tremendous　respect　for　him。



For　my　part；　I　was　fighting　as　I　had　fought　a　thousand

times　beforenow　sidestepping　a　wicked　thrust；　now　stepping

quickly　in　to　let　my　sword's　point　drink　deep　in　a　foeman's

heart；　before　it　buried　itself　in　the　throat　of　his　companion。



We　were　having　a　merry　time　of　it；　we　two；　when　a　great

body　of　Issus'　own　guards　were　ordered　into　the　arena。

On　they　came　with　fierce　cries；　while　from　every　side　the

armed　prisoners　swarmed　upon　them。



For　half　an　hour　it　was　as　though　all　hell　had　broken　loose。

In　the　walled　confines　of　the　arena　we　fought　in　an

inextricable　masshowling；　cursing；　blood…streaked

demons；　and　ever　the　sword　of　the　young　red　man　flashed

beside　me。



Slowly　and　by　repeated　commands　I　had　succeeded　in　drawing

the　prisoners　into　a　rough　formation　about　us；　so　that　at

last　we　fought　formed　into　a　rude　circle　in　the　centre　of

which　were　the　doomed　maids。



Many　had　gone　down　on　both　sides；　but　by　far　the　greater

havoc　had　been　wrought　in　the　ranks　of　the　guards　of　Issus。

I　could　see　messengers　running　swiftly　through　the　audience；

and　as　they　passed　the　nobles　there　unsheathed　their　swords

and　sprang　into　the　arena。　　They　were　going　to　annihilate

us　by　force　of　numbersthat　was　quite　evidently　their　plan。



I　caught　a　glimpse　of　Issus　leaning　far　forward　upon　her

throne；　her　hideous　countenance　distorted　in　a　horrid

grimace　of　hate　and　rage；　in　which　I　thought　I　could

distinguish　an　expression　of　fear。　　It　was　that　face

that　inspired　me　to　the　thing　that　followed。



Quickly　I　ordered　fifty　of　the　prisoners　to　drop　back

behind　us　and　form　a　new　circle　about　the　maidens。



〃Remain　and　protect　them　until　I　return；〃　I　commanded。



Then；　turning　to　those　who　formed　the　outer　line；　I　cried；

〃Down　with　Issus！　　Follow　me　to　the　throne；　we　will　reap

vengeance　where　vengeance　is　deserved。〃



The　youth　at　my　side　was　the　first　to　take　up　the　cry　of

〃Down　with　Issus！〃　and　then　at　my　back　and　from　all

sides　rose　a　hoarse　shout；　〃To　the　throne！　　To　the　throne！〃



As　one　man　we　moved；　an　irresistible　fighting　mass；　over

the　bodies　of　dead　and　dying　foes　toward　the　gorgeous

throne　of　the　Martian　deity。　　Hordes　of　the　doughtiest

fighting…men　of　the　First　Born　poured　f