the gods of mars-第30部分

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and　Xodar　with　tools　in　hand　were　puttering　with　the　great

rent　in　the　bow　in　a　hopeless　endeavour　to　stem　the　tide

of　escaping　rays。



It　was　still　dark　when　we　passed　the　northern　boundary　of

the　ice　cap　and　the　area　of　clouds。　　Below　us　lay　a　typical

Martian　landscape。　　Rolling　ochre　sea　bottom　of　long　dead

seas；　low　surrounding　hills；　with　here　and　there　the　grim　and

silent　cities　of　the　dead　past；　great　piles　of　mighty

architecture　tenanted　only　by　age…old　memories　of　a

once　powerful　race；　and　by　the　great　white　apes　of　Barsoom。



It　was　becoming　more　and　more　difficult　to　maintain　our

little　vessel　in　a　horizontal　position。　　Lower　and　lower　sagged

the　bow　until　it　became　necessary　to　stop　the　engine　to　prevent

our　flight　terminating　in　a　swift　dive　to　the　ground。



As　the　sun　rose　and　the　light　of　a　new　day　swept　away

the　darkness　of　night　our　craft　gave　a　final　spasmodic　plunge；

turned　half　upon　her　side；　and　then　with　deck　tilting

at　a　sickening　angle　swung　in　a　slow　circle；　her　bow　dropping

further　below　her　stern　each　moment。



To　hand…rail　and　stanchion　we　clung；　and　finally　as　we

saw　the　end　approaching；　snapped　the　buckles　of　our　harness

to　the　rings　at　her　sides。　　In　another　moment　the　deck

reared　at　an　angle　of　ninety　degrees　and　we　hung　in　our

leather　with　feet　dangling　a　thousand　yards　above　the　ground。



I　was　swinging　quite　close　to　the　controlling　devices；　so　I

reached　out　to　the　lever　that　directed　the　rays　of　repulsion。

The　boat　responded　to　the　touch；　and　very　gently　we　began

to　sink　toward　the　ground。



It　was　fully　half　an　hour　before　we　touched。　　Directly　north

of　us　rose　a　rather　lofty　range　of　hills；　toward　which　we

decided　to　make　our　way；　since　they　afforded　greater

opportunity　for　concealment　from　the　pursuers　we　were

confident　might　stumble　in　this　direction。



An　hour　later　found　us　in　the　time…rounded　gullies　of　the

hills；　amid　the　beautiful　flowering　plants　that　abound　in　the

arid　waste　places　of　Barsoom。　　There　we　found　numbers　of

huge　milk…giving　shrubsthat　strange　plant　which　serves　in

great　part　as　food　and　drink　for　the　wild　hordes　of　green　men。

It　was　indeed　a　boon　to　us；　for　we　all　were　nearly　famished。



Beneath　a　cluster　of　these　which　afforded　perfect　concealment

from　wandering　air　scouts；　we　lay　down　to　sleepfor　me　the

first　time　in　many　hours。　　This　was　the　beginning　of　my

fifth　day　upon　Barsoom　since　I　had　found　myself　suddenly

translated　from　my　cottage　on　the　Hudson　to　Dor；　the

valley　beautiful；　the　valley　hideous。　　In　all　this　time　I　had

slept　but　twice；　though　once　the　clock　around　within　the

storehouse　of　the　therns。



It　was　mid…afternoon　when　I　was　awakened　by　some　one

seizing　my　hand　and　covering　it　with　kisses。　　With　a　start　I

opened　my　eyes　to　look　into　the　beautiful　face　of　Thuvia。



〃My　Prince！　　My　Prince！〃　she　cried；　in　an　ecstasy　of　happiness。　

〃'Tis　you　whom　I　had　mourned　as　dead。　　My　ancestors

have　been　good　to　me；　I　have　not　lived　in　vain。〃



The　girl's　voice　awoke　Xodar　and　Carthoris。　　The　boy

gazed　upon　the　woman　in　surprise；　but　she　did　not　seem　to

realize　the　presence　of　another　than　I。　　She　would　have

thrown　her　arms　about　my　neck　and　smothered　me　with

caresses；　had　I　not　gently　but　firmly　disengaged　myself。



〃Come；　come；　Thuvia；〃　I　said　soothingly；　〃you　are　overwrought

by　the　danger　and　hardships　you　have　passed　through。

You　forget　yourself；　as　you　forget　that　I　am　the　husband

of　the　Princess　of　Helium。〃



〃I　forget　nothing；　my　Prince；〃　she　replied。　　〃You　have

spoken　no　word　of　love　to　me；　nor　do　I　expect　that　you

ever　shall；　but　nothing　can　prevent　me　loving　you。　　I　would

not　take　the　place　of　Dejah　Thoris。　　My　greatest　ambition　is　to

serve　you；　my　Prince；　for　ever　as　your　slave。　　No　greater　boon

could　I　ask；　no　greater　honour　could　I　crave；　no　greater

happiness　could　I　hope。〃



As　I　have　before　said；　I　am　no　ladies'　man；　and　I　must　admit

that　I　seldom　have　felt　so　uncomfortable　and　embarrassed

as　I　did　that　moment。　　While　I　was　quite　familiar　with　the

Martian　custom　which　allows　female　slaves　to　Martian　men；

whose　high　and　chivalrous　honour　is　always　ample　protection

for　every　woman　in　his　household；　yet　I　had　never　myself

chosen　other　than　men　as　my　body　servants。



〃And　I　ever　return　to　Helium；　Thuvia；〃　I　said；　〃you　shall

go　with　me；　but　as　an　honoured　equal；　and　not　as　a　slave。

There　you　shall　find　plenty　of　handsome　young　nobles　who

would　face　Issus　herself　to　win　a　smile　from　you；　and　we　shall

have　you　married　in　short　order　to　one　of　the　best　of

them。　　Forget　your　foolish　gratitude…begotten　infatuation；

which　your　innocence　has　mistaken　for　love。　　I　like　your

friendship　better；　Thuvia。〃



〃You　are　my　master；　it　shall　be　as　you　say；〃　she　replied

simply；　but　there　was　a　note　of　sadness　in　her　voice。



〃How　came　you　here；　Thuvia？〃　I　asked。　　〃And　where　is　Tars　Tarkas？〃



〃The　great　Thark；　I　fear；　is　dead；〃　she　replied　sadly。

〃He　was　a　mighty　fighter；　but　a　multitude　of　green　warriors

of　another　horde　than　his　overwhelmed　him。　　The　last　that　I

saw　of　him　they　were　bearing　him；　wounded　and　bleeding；

to　the　deserted　city　from　which　they　had　sallied　to　attack　us。〃



〃You　are　not　sure　that　he　is　dead；　then？〃　I　asked。

〃And　where　is　this　city　of　which　you　speak？〃



〃It　is　just　beyond　this　range　of　hills。　　The　vessel　in　which

you　so　nobly　resigned　a　place　that　we　might　find　escape　defied

our　small　skill　in　navigation；　with　the　result　that　we　drifted

aimlessly　about　for　two　days。　　Then　we　decided　to　abandon

the　craft　and　attempt　to　make　our　way　on　foot　to　the　nearest

waterway。　　Yesterday　we　crossed　these　hills　and　came　upon

the　dead　city　beyond。　　We　had　passed　within　its　streets　and

were　walking　toward　the　central　portion；　when　at　an　intersecting

avenue　we　saw　a　body　of　green　warriors　approaching。



〃Tars　Tarkas　was　in　advance；　and　they　saw　him；　but　me　they　did

not　see。　　The　Thark　sprang　back　to　my　side　and　forced　me　into

an　adjacent　doorway；　where　he　told　me　to　remain　in　hiding

until　I　could　escape；　making　my　way　to　Helium　if　possible。



〃'There　will　be　no　escape　for　me　now；'　he　said；

'for　these　be　the　Warhoon　of　the　South。　　When　they

have　seen　my　metal　it　will　be　to　the　death。'



〃Then　he　stepped　out　to　meet　them。　　Ah；　my　Prince；　such

fighting！　　For　an　hour　they　swarmed　about　him；　until　the

Warhoon　dead　formed　a　hill　where　he　had　stood；　but　at　last

they　overwhelmed　him；　those　behind　pushing　the　foremost　upon

him　until　there　remained　no　space　to　swing　his　great　sword。

Then　he　stumbled　and　went　down　and　they　rolled　over　him　like

a　huge　wave。　　When　they　carried　him　away　toward　the　heart　of

the　city；　he　was　dead；　I　think；　for　I　did　not　see　him　move。〃



〃Before　we　go　farther　we　must　be　sure；〃　I　said。　　〃I　cannot

leave　Tars　Tarkas　alive　among　the　Warhoons。　　To…night　I　shall

enter　the　city　and　make　sure。〃



〃And　I　shall　go　with　you；〃　spoke　Carthoris。



〃And　I；〃　said　Xodar。



〃Neither　one　of　you　shall　go；〃　I　replied。　　〃It　is　work　that

requires　stealth　and　strategy；　not　force。　　One　man　alone　may

succeed　where　more　would　invite　disaster。　　I　shall　go　alone。

If　I　need　your　help；　I　will　return　for　you。〃



They　did　not　like　it；　but　both　were　good　soldiers；　and　it

had　been　agreed　that　I　should　command。　　The　sun　already

was　low；　so　that　I　did　not　have　long　to　wait　before　the

sudden　darkness　of　Barsoom　engulfed　us。



With　a　parting　word　of　instructions　to　Carthoris　and　Xodar；

in　case　I　should　not　return；　I　bade　them　all　farewell　and

set　forth　at　a　rapid　dogtrot　toward　the　city。



As　I　emerged　from　the　hills　the　nearer　moon　was　winging

its　wild　flight　through　the　heavens；　its　bright　beams　turning

to　burnished　silver　the　barbaric　splendour　of　the　ancient

metropolis。　　The　city　had　been　built　upon　the　gently　rolling

foothills　that　in　the　dim　and　distant　past　had　sloped　down

to　meet　the　sea。　　It　was　due　to　this　fact　that　I　had　no

difficulty　in　entering　the　streets　unobserved。



The　green　hordes　that　use　these　deserted　cities　seldom

occupy　more　than　a　few　squares　about　the　central　plaza；

and　as　they　come　and　go　always　across　the　dead　sea　bottoms

that　the　cities　face；　it　is　usually　a　matter　of　comparative

ease　to　enter　from　the　hillside。



Once　within　the　streets；　I　kept　close　in　the　dense　shadows

of　the　walls。　　At　intersections　I　halted　a　moment　to　make　sure

that　none　was　in　sight　before　I　sprang　quickly　to　the　shadows

of　the　opposite　side。　　Thus　I　made　the　journey　to　the　vicinity

of　the　plaza　without　detection。　　As　I　approached　the　purlieus

of　the　inhabited　portion　of　the　city　I　was　made　aware　of　the

proximity　of　the　warriors'　quarters　by　the　squealing　and

grunting　of　the　thoats　and　zitidars　corralled　within　the　hollow

courtyards　formed　by　the　buildings　surrounding　each　square。



These　old　familiar　sounds　that　are　so　distinctive　of　green

Martian　life　sent　a　thrill　of　pleasure　surging　through　me。　　It　was

as　one　might　feel　on　coming　home　after　a　long　absence。　　It

was　amid　such　sounds　that　I　had　first　courted　the　incomparable

Dejah　Thoris　in　the　age…old　marble　halls　of　the　dead　city　of　Korad。



As　I　stood　in　the　shadows　at　the　far　corner　of　the　first

square　which　housed　members　of　the　horde；　I　saw　warriors

emerging　from　several　of　the　buildings。　　They　all　went　in

the　same　direction；　toward　a　great　building　which　stood

in　the　centre　of　the　plaza。　　My　knowledge　of　green　Martian

customs　convinced　me　that　this　was　either　the　quarters　of　the

principal　chieftain　or　contained　the　audience　chamber　wherein

the　Jeddak　met　his　jeds　and　lesser　chieftains。　　In　either　event；

it　was　evident　that　something　was　afoot　which　might　have　a

bearing　on　the　recent　capture　of　Tars　Tarkas。



To　reach　this　building；　which　I　now　felt　it　imperative　that

I　do；　I　must　needs　traverse　the　entire　length　of　one　square

and　cross　a　broad　avenue　and　a　portion　o