the gods of mars-第33部分

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that　day；　now　twenty　years　gone；　which　had　witnessed　my

first　advent　upon　Mars。　　He　had　met　me　with　levelled　spear

and　cruel　hatred　in　his　heart　as　he　charged　down　upon　me；

bending　low　at　the　side　of　his　mighty　thoat　as　I　stood　beside

the　incubator　of　his　horde　upon　the　dead　sea　bottom　beyond　Korad。

And　now　among　the　inhabitants　of　two　worlds　I　counted　none　a

better　friend　than　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　the　Tharks。



As　we　reached　the　courtyard　we　stood　in　the　shadows　beneath

the　balcony　for　a　moment　to　discuss　our　plans。



〃There　be　five　now　in　the　party；　Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　said；

〃Thuvia；　Xodar；　Carthoris；　and　ourselves。　　We　shall　need　five

thoats　to　bear　us。〃



〃Carthoris！〃　he　cried。　　〃Your　son？〃



〃Yes。　　I　found　him　in　the　prison　of　Shador；　on　the　Sea　of

Omean；　in　the　land　of　the　First　Born。〃



〃I　know　not　any　of　these　places；　John　Carter。　　Be　they

upon　Barsoom？〃



〃Upon　and　below；　my　friend；　but　wait　until　we　shall　have　made

good　our　escape；　and　you　shall　hear　the　strangest　narrative

that　ever　a　Barsoomian　of　the　outer　world　gave　ear　to。

Now　we　must　steal　our　thoats　and　be　well　away　to　the　north

before　these　fellows　discover　how　we　have　tricked　them。〃



In　safety　we　reached　the　great　gates　at　the　far　end　of　the

courtyard；　through　which　it　was　necessary　to　take　our

thoats　to　the　avenue　beyond。　　It　is　no　easy　matter　to　handle

five　of　these　great；　fierce　beasts；　which　by　nature　are　as　wild

and　ferocious　as　their　masters　and　held　in　subjection　by

cruelty　and　brute　force　alone。



As　we　approached　them　they　sniffed　our　unfamiliar　scent

and　with　squeals　of　rage　circled　about　us。　　Their　long；

massive　necks　upreared　raised　their　great；　gaping　mouths

high　above　our　heads。　　They　are　fearsome　appearing　brutes　at

best；　but　when　they　are　aroused　they　are　fully　as　dangerous

as　they　look。　　The　thoat　stands　a　good　ten　feet　at　the　shoulder。　

His　hide　is　sleek　and　hairless；　and　of　a　dark　slate　colour

on　back　and　sides；　shading　down　his　eight　legs　to　a　vivid

yellow　at　the　huge；　padded；　nailless　feet；　the　belly　is　pure

white。　　A　broad；　flat　tail；　larger　at　the　tip　than　at　the　root；

completes　the　picture　of　this　ferocious　green　Martian　mount

a　fit　war　steed　for　these　warlike　people。



As　the　thoats　are　guided　by　telepathic　means　alone；　there

is　no　need　for　rein　or　bridle；　and　so　our　object　now　was　to

find　two　that　would　obey　our　unspoken　commands。　　As　they

charged　about　us　we　succeeded　in　mastering　them　sufficiently

to　prevent　any　concerted　attack　upon　us；　but　the　din　of

their　squealing　was　certain　to　bring　investigating　warriors

into　the　courtyard　were　it　to　continue　much　longer。



At　length　I　was　successful　in　reaching　the　side　of　one

great　brute；　and　ere　he　knew　what　I　was　about　I　was　firmly

seated　astride　his　glossy　back。　　A　moment　later　Tars　Tarkas

had　caught　and　mounted　another；　and　then　between　us　we

herded　three　or　four　more　toward　the　great　gates。



Tars　Tarkas　rode　ahead　and；　leaning　down　to　the　latch；

threw　the　barriers　open；　while　I　held　the　loose　thoats　from

breaking　back　to　the　herd。　　Then　together　we　rode　through

into　the　avenue　with　our　stolen　mounts　and；　without　waiting

to　close　the　gates；　hurried　off　toward　the　southern　boundary

of　the　city。



Thus　far　our　escape　had　been　little　short　of　marvellous；

nor　did　our　good　fortune　desert　us；　for　we　passed　the　outer

purlieus　of　the　dead　city　and　came　to　our　camp　without　hearing

even　the　faintest　sound　of　pursuit。



Here　a　low　whistle；　the　prearranged　signal；　apprised　the　balance

of　our　party　that　I　was　returning；　and　we　were　met　by　the　three

with　every　manifestation　of　enthusiastic　rejoicing。



But　little　time　was　wasted　in　narration　of　our　adventure。

Tars　Tarkas　and　Carthoris　exchanged　the　dignified　and

formal　greetings　common　upon　Barsoom；　but　I　could　tell

intuitively　that　the　Thark　loved　my　boy　and　that　Carthoris

reciprocated　his　affection。



Xodar　and　the　green　Jeddak　were　formally　presented　to

each　other。　　Then　Thuvia　was　lifted　to　the　least　fractious

thoat；　Xodar　and　Carthoris　mounted　two　others；　and　we　set

out　at　a　rapid　pace　toward　the　east。　　At　the　far　extremity

of　the　city　we　circled　toward　the　north；　and　under　the

glorious　rays　of　the　two　moons　we　sped　noiselessly　across

the　dead　sea　bottom；　away　from　the　Warhoons　and　the　First

Born；　but　to　what　new　dangers　and　adventures　we　knew　not。



Toward　noon　of　the　following　day　we　halted　to　rest　our

mounts　and　ourselves。　　The　beasts　we　hobbled；　that　they

might　move　slowly　about　cropping　the　ochre　moss…like

vegetation　which　constitutes　both　food　and　drink　for　them

on　the　march。　　Thuvia　volunteered　to　remain　on　watch　while

the　balance　of　the　party　slept　for　an　hour。



It　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　but　closed　my　eyes　when　I

felt　her　hand　upon　my　shoulder　and　heard　her　soft　voice

warning　me　of　a　new　danger。



〃Arise；　O　Prince；〃　she　whispered。　　〃There　be　that　behind

us　which　has　the　appearance　of　a　great　body　of　pursuers。〃



The　girl　stood　pointing　in　the　direction　from　whence　we

had　come；　and　as　I　arose　and　looked；　I；　too；　thought　that

I　could　detect　a　thin　dark　line　on　the　far　horizon。　　I　awoke

the　others。　　Tars　Tarkas；　whose　giant　stature　towered　high

above　the　rest　of　us；　could　see　the　farthest。



〃It　is　a　great　body　of　mounted　men；〃　he　said；　〃and　they

are　travelling　at　high　speed。〃



There　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　　We　sprang　to　our　hobbled

thoats；　freed　them；　and　mounted。　　Then　we　turned　our　faces

once　more　toward　the　north　and　took　our　flight　again　at　the

highest　speed　of　our　slowest　beast。



For　the　balance　of　the　day　and　all　the　following　night　we

raced　across　that　ochre　wilderness　with　the　pursuers　at

our　back　ever　gaining　upon　us。　　Slowly　but　surely　they　were

lessening　the　distance　between　us。　　Just　before　dark　they　had

been　close　enough　for　us　to　plainly　distinguish　that　they　were

green　Martians；　and　all　during　the　long　night　we　distinctly

heard　the　clanking　of　their　accoutrements　behind　us。



As　the　sun　rose　on　the　second　day　of　our　flight　it　disclosed

the　pursuing　horde　not　a　half…mile　in　our　rear。　　As　they　saw

us　a　fiendish　shout　of　triumph　rose　from　their　ranks。



Several　miles　in　advance　lay　a　range　of　hillsthe　farther

shore　of　the　dead　sea　we　had　been　crossing。　　Could　we　but

reach　these　hills　our　chances　of　escape　would　be　greatly

enhanced；　but　Thuvia's　mount；　although　carrying　the　lightest

burden；　already　was　showing　signs　of　exhaustion。　　I　was

riding　beside　her　when　suddenly　her　animal　staggered　and

lurched　against　mine。　　I　saw　that　he　was　going　down；　but

ere　he　fell　I　snatched　the　girl　from　his　back　and　swung　her

to　a　place　upon　my　own　thoat；　behind　me；　where　she　clung

with　her　arms　about　me。



This　double　burden　soon　proved　too　much　for　my　already

overtaxed　beast；　and　thus　our　speed　was　terribly　diminished；

for　the　others　would　proceed　no　faster　than　the　slowest　of

us　could　go。　　In　that　little　party　there　was　not　one　who　would

desert　another；　yet　we　were　of　different　countries；　different

colours；　different　races；　different　religionsand　one　of　us

was　of　a　different　world。



We　were　quite　close　to　the　hills；　but　the　Warhoons　were

gaining　so　rapidly　that　we　had　given　up　all　hope　of　reaching

them　in　time。　　Thuvia　and　I　were　in　the　rear；　for　our　beast

was　lagging　more　and　more。　　Suddenly　I　felt　the　girl's　warm

lips　press　a　kiss　upon　my　shoulder。　　〃For　thy　sake；　O　my

Prince；〃　she　murmured。　　Then　her　arms　slipped　from　about

my　waist　and　she　was　gone。



I　turned　and　saw　that　she　had　deliberately　slipped　to　the

ground　in　the　very　path　of　the　cruel　demons　who　pursued

us；　thinking　that　by　lightening　the　burden　of　my　mount　it

might　thus　be　enabled　to　bear　me　to　the　safety　of　the　hills。

Poor　child！　　She　should　have　known　John　Carter　better　than　that。



Turning　my　thoat；　I　urged　him　after　her；　hoping　to　reach

her　side　and　bear　her　on　again　in　our　hopeless　flight。　

Carthoris　must　have　glanced　behind　him　at　about　the　same　time

and　taken　in　the　situation；　for　by　the　time　I　had　reached

Thuvia's　side　he　was　there　also；　and；　springing　from　his

mount；　he　threw　her　upon　its　back　and；　turning　the　animal's

head　toward　the　hills；　gave　the　beast　a　sharp　crack　across

the　rump　with　the　flat　of　his　sword。　　Then　he　attempted　to

do　the　same　with　mine。



The　brave　boy's　act　of　chivalrous　self…sacrifice　filled　me

with　pride；　nor　did　I　care　that　it　had　wrested　from　us　our

last　frail　chance　for　escape。　　The　Warhoons　were　now　close

upon　us。　　Tars　Tarkas　and　Xodar　had　discovered　our　absence

and　were　charging　rapidly　to　our　support。　　Everything　pointed

toward　a　splendid　ending　of　my　second　journey　to　Barsoom。

I　hated　to　go　out　without　having　seen　my　divine　Princess；　and

held　her　in　my　arms　once　again；　but　if　it　were　not　writ　upon

the　book　of　Fate　that　such　was　to　be；　then　would　I　take　the

most　that　was　coming　to　me；　and　in　these　last　few　moments

that　were　to　be　vouchsafed　me　before　I　passed　over　into　that

unguessed　future　I　could　at　least　give　such　an　account　of

myself　in　my　chosen　vocation　as　would　leave　the　Warhoons　of

the　South　food　for　discourse　for　the　next　twenty　generations。



As　Carthoris　was　not　mounted；　I　slipped　from　the　back　of

my　own　mount　and　took　my　place　at　his　side　to　meet　the

charge　of　the　howling　devils　bearing　down　upon　us。　　A

moment　later　Tars　Tarkas　and　Xodar　ranged　themselves　on

either　hand；　turning　their　thoats　loose　that　we　might　all

be　on　an　equal　footing。



The　Warhoons　were　perhaps　a　hundred　yards　from　us　when　a

loud　explosion　sounded　from　above　and　behind　us；　and　almost

at　the　same　instant　a　shell　burst　in　their　advancing　ranks。

At　once　all　was　confusion。　　A　hundred　warriors　toppled

to　the　ground。　　Riderless　thoats　plunged　hither　and

thither　among　the　dead　and　dying。　　Dismounted　warriors　were

trampled　underfoot　in　the　stampede　which　followed。　　All

semblance　of　order　had　lef