the gods of mars-第34部分

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thither　among　the　dead　and　dying。　　Dismounted　warriors　were

trampled　underfoot　in　the　stampede　which　followed。　　All

semblance　of　order　had　left　the　ranks　of　the　green　men；　and

as　they　looked　far　above　our　heads　to　trace　the　origin　of　this

unexpected　attack；　disorder　turned　to　retreat　and　retreat　to　a

wild　panic。　　In　another　moment　they　were　racing　as　madly

away　from　us　as　they　had　before　been　charging　down　upon　us。



We　turned　to　look　in　the　direction　from　whence　the　first

report　had　come；　and　there　we　saw；　just　clearing　the　tops　of

the　nearer　hills；　a　great　battleship　swinging　majestically

through　the　air。　　Her　bow　gun　spoke　again　even　as　we　looked；

and　another　shell　burst　among　the　fleeing　Warhoons。



As　she　drew　nearer　I　could　not　repress　a　wild　cry　of　elation；

for　upon　her　bows　I　saw　the　device　of　Helium。









CHAPTER　XVI





UNDER　ARREST





As　Carthoris；　Xodar；　Tars　Tarkas；　and　I　stood　gazing　at

the　magnificent　vessel　which　meant　so　much　to　all　of　us；

we　saw　a　second　and　then　a　third　top　the　summit　of　the

hills　and　glide　gracefully　after　their　sister。



Now　a　score　of　one…man　air　scouts　were　launching　from　the

upper　decks　of　the　nearer　vessel；　and　in　a　moment　more

were　speeding　in　long；　swift　dives　to　the　ground　about　us。



In　another　instant　we　were　surrounded　by　armed　sailors；

and　an　officer　had　stepped　forward　to　address　us；　when　his

eyes　fell　upon　Carthoris。　　With　an　exclamation　of　surprised

pleasure　he　sprang　forward；　and；　placing　his　hands　upon

the　boy's　shoulder；　called　him　by　name。



〃Carthoris；　my　Prince；〃　he　cried；　〃Kaor！　　Kaor！　　Hor　Vastus

greets　the　son　of　Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium；　and　of　her

husband；　John　Carter。　　Where　have　you　been；　O　my　Prince？

All　Helium　has　been　plunged　in　sorrow。　　Terrible　have　been　the

calamities　that　have　befallen　your　great…grandsire's　mighty

nation　since　the　fatal　day　that　saw　you　leave　our　midst。〃



〃Grieve　not；　my　good　Hor　Vastus；〃　cried　Carthoris；

〃since　I　bring　not　back　myself　alone　to　cheer　my　mother's

heart　and　the　hearts　of　my　beloved　people；　but　also　one

whom　all　Barsoom　loved　besther　greatest　warrior　and　her

saviourJohn　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium！〃



Hor　Vastus　turned　in　the　direction　indicated　by　Carthoris；

and　as　his　eyes　fell　upon　me　he　was　like　to　have　collapsed

from　sheer　surprise。



〃John　Carter！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　then　a　sudden　troubled

look　came　into　his　eyes。　　〃My　Prince；〃　he　started；　〃where

hast　thou〃　and　then　he　stopped；　but　I　knew　the　question

that　his　lips　dared　not　frame。　　The　loyal　fellow　would　not

be　the　one　to　force　from　mine　a　confession　of　the　terrible

truth　that　I　had　returned　from　the　bosom　of　the　Iss；　the

River　of　Mystery；　back　from　the　shore　of　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus；

and　the　Valley　Dor。



〃Ah；　my　Prince；〃　he　continued；　as　though　no　thought　had

interrupted　his　greeting；　〃that　you　are　back　is　sufficient；

and　let　Hor　Vastus'　sword　have　the　high　honour　of

being　first　at　thy　feet。〃　　With　these　words　the　noble

fellow　unbuckled　his　scabbard　and　flung　his　sword　upon

the　ground　before　me。



Could　you　know　the　customs　and　the　character　of　red

Martians　you　would　appreciate　the　depth　of　meaning　that

that　simple　act　conveyed　to　me　and　to　all　about　us　who

witnessed　it。　　The　thing　was　equivalent　to　saying；　〃My

sword；　my　body；　my　life；　my　soul　are　yours　to　do　with　as

you　wish。　　Until　death　and　after　death　I　look　to　you　alone

for　authority　for　my　every　act。　　Be　you　right　or　wrong；

your　word　shall　be　my　only　truth。　　Whoso　raises　his　hand

against　you　must　answer　to　my　sword。〃



It　is　the　oath　of　fealty　that　men　occasionally　pay　to　a

Jeddak　whose　high　character　and　chivalrous　acts　have

inspired　the　enthusiastic　love　of　his　followers。　　Never　had

I　known　this　high　tribute　paid　to　a　lesser　mortal。　　There　was

but　one　response　possible。　　I　stooped　and　lifted　the　sword

from　the　ground；　raised　the　hilt　to　my　lips；　and　then；

stepping　to　Hor　Vastus；　I　buckled　the　weapon　upon　him

with　my　own　hands。



〃Hor　Vastus；〃　I　said；　placing　my　hand　upon　his　shoulder；

〃you　know　best　the　promptings　of　your　own　heart。　　That　I

shall　need　your　sword　I　have　little　doubt；　but　accept　from

John　Carter　upon　his　sacred　honour　the　assurance　that　he

will　never　call　upon　you　to　draw　this　sword　other　than　in

the　cause　of　truth；　justice；　and　righteousness。〃



〃That　I　knew；　my　Prince；〃　he　replied；　〃ere　ever　I　threw

my　beloved　blade　at　thy　feet。〃



As　we　spoke　other　fliers　came　and　went　between　the

ground　and　the　battleship；　and　presently　a　larger　boat　was

launched　from　above；　one　capable　of　carrying　a　dozen

persons；　perhaps；　and　dropped　lightly　near　us。　　As　she　touched；

an　officer　sprang　from　her　deck　to　the　ground；　and；　advancing

to　Hor　Vastus；　saluted。



〃Kantos　Kan　desires　that　this　party　whom　we　have　rescued　be

brought　immediately　to　the　deck　of　the　Xavarian；〃　he　said。



As　we　approached　the　little　craft　I　looked　about　for　the

members　of　my　party　and　for　the　first　time　noticed　that

Thuvia　was　not　among　them。　　Questioning　elicited　the　fact

that　none　had　seen　her　since　Carthoris　had　sent　her　thoat

galloping　madly　toward　the　hills；　in　the　hope　of　carrying　her

out　of　harm's　way。



Immediately　Hor　Vastus　dispatched　a　dozen　air　scouts　in

as　many　directions　to　search　for　her。　　It　could　not　be

possible　that　she　had　gone　far　since　we　had　last　seen　her。

We　others　stepped　to　the　deck　of　the　craft　that　had　been　sent

to　fetch　us；　and　a　moment　later　were　upon　the　Xavarian。



The　first　man　to　greet　me　was　Kantos　Kan　himself。　　My

old　friend　had　won　to　the　highest　place　in　the　navy　of

Helium；　but　he　was　still　to　me　the　same　brave　comrade

who　had　shared　with　me　the　privations　of　a　Warhoon

dungeon；　the　terrible　atrocities　of　the　Great　Games；　and

later　the　dangers　of　our　search　for　Dejah　Thoris　within

the　hostile　city　of　Zodanga。



Then　I　had　been　an　unknown　wanderer　upon　a　strange

planet；　and　he　a　simple　padwar　in　the　navy　of　Helium。

To…day　he　commanded　all　Helium's　great　terrors　of　the

skies；　and　I　was　a　Prince　of　the　House　of　Tardos　Mors；

Jeddak　of　Helium。



He　did　not　ask　me　where　I　had　been。　　Like　Hor　Vastus；

he　too　dreaded　the　truth　and　would　not　be　the　one　to

wrest　a　statement　from　me。　　That　it　must　come　some　time　he

well　knew；　but　until　it　came　he　seemed　satisfied　to　but

know　that　I　was　with　him　once　more。　　He　greeted　Carthoris

and　Tars　Tarkas　with　the　keenest　delight；　but　he　asked

neither　where　he　had　been。　　He　could　scarcely　keep　his

hands　off　the　boy。



〃You　do　not　know；　John　Carter；〃　he　said　to　me；　〃how　we　of

Helium　love　this　son　of　yours。　　It　is　as　though　all　the

great　love　we　bore　his　noble　father　and　his　poor　mother

had　been　centred　in　him。　　When　it　became　known　that　he

was　lost；　ten　million　people　wept。〃



〃What　mean　you；　Kantos　Kan；〃　I　whispered；　〃by　'his

poor　mother'？〃　for　the　words　had　seemed　to　carry　a　sinister

meaning　which　I　could　not　fathom。



He　drew　me　to　one　side。



〃For　a　year；〃　he　said；　〃Ever　since　Carthoris　disappeared；

Dejah　Thoris　has　grieved　and　mourned　for　her　lost　boy。

The　blow　of　years　ago；　when　you　did　not　return　from　the

atmosphere　plant；　was　lessened　to　some　extent　by　the　duties　of

motherhood；　for　your　son　broke　his　white　shell　that　very　night。〃



〃That　she　suffered　terribly　then；　all　Helium　knew；　for

did　not　all　Helium　suffer　with　her　the　loss　of　her　lord！　　But

with　the　boy　gone　there　was　nothing　left；　and　after　expedition

upon　expedition　returned　with　the　same　hopeless　tale

of　no　clue　as　to　his　whereabouts；　our　beloved　Princess

drooped　lower　and　lower；　until　all　who　saw　her　felt　that　it

could　be　but　a　matter　of　days　ere　she　went　to　join　her

loved　ones　within　the　precincts　of　the　Valley　Dor。



〃As　a　last　resort；　Mors　Kajak；　her　father；　and　Tardos　Mors；

her　grandfather；　took　command　of　two　mighty　expeditions；

and　a　month　ago　sailed　away　to　explore　every　inch　of

ground　in　the　northern　hemisphere　of　Barsoom。　　For　two

weeks　no　word　has　come　back　from　them；　but　rumours　were

rife　that　they　had　met　with　a　terrible　disaster　and

that　all　were　dead。



〃About　this　time　Zat　Arras　renewed　his　importunities　for

her　hand　in　marriage。　　He　has　been　for　ever　after　her　since

you　disappeared。　　She　hated　him　and　feared　him；　but　with

both　her　father　and　grandfather　gone；　Zat　Arras　was　very

powerful；　for　he　is　still　Jed　of　Zodanga；　to　which　position；

you　will　remember；　Tardos　Mors　appointed　him　after　you

had　refused　the　honour。



〃He　had　a　secret　audience　with　her　six　days　ago。　　What

took　place　none　knows；　but　the　next　day　Dejah　Thoris

had　disappeared；　and　with　her　had　gone　a　dozen　of　her

household　guard　and　body　servants；　including　Sola　the

green　womanTars　Tarkas'　daughter；　you　recall。　　No　word

left　they　of　their　intentions；　but　it　is　always　thus　with　those

who　go　upon　the　voluntary　pilgrimage　from　which　none

returns。　　We　cannot　think　aught　than　that　Dejah　Thoris　has

sought　the　icy　bosom　of　Iss；　and　that　her　devoted　servants

have　chosen　to　accompany　her。



〃Zat　Arras　was　at　Helium　when　she　disappeared。　　He　commands

this　fleet　which　has　been　searching　for　her　since。

No　trace　of　her　have　we　found；　and　I　fear　that　it　be

a　futile　quest。〃



While　we　talked；　Hor　Vastus'　fliers　were　returning　to

the　Xavarian。　　Not　one；　however；　had　discovered　a　trace　of

Thuvia。　　I　was　much　depressed　over　the　news　of　Dejah

Thoris'　disappearance；　and　now　there　was　added　the　further

burden　of　apprehension　concerning　the　fate　of　this　girl　whom

I　believed　to　be　the　daughter　of　some　proud　Barsoomian

house；　and　it　had　been　my　intention　to　make　every　effort

to　return　her　to　her　people。



I　was　about　to　ask　Kantos　Kan　to　prosecute　a　further

search　for　her　when　a　flier　from　the　flagship　of　the　fleet

arrived　at　the　Xavarian　with　an　officer　bearing　a　message

to　Kantos　Kan　from　Arras。



My　friend　read　the　dispatch　and　then　turned　to