the gods of mars-第40部分

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〃In　the　guard…room　of　my　palace　are　many　fine　trappings。

Go　thou　there　and　select　the　harness　which　most　pleases　you

it　shall　be　yours。　　All　I　ask　is　that　you　wear　it；　that　I

may　know　that　my　wish　has　been　realized。　　Tell　me　that　you

will　do　it。〃



The　boy's　eyes　had　lighted　with　pleasure　as　I　spoke；　and　I

saw　him　glance　from　his　rusty　trappings　to　the　magnificence

of　my　own。　　For　a　moment　he　stood　in　thought　before　he

spoke；　and　for　that　moment　my　heart　fairly　ceased　beating

so　much　for　me　there　was　which　hung　upon　the　substance

of　his　answer。



〃And　I　went　to　the　palace　of　the　Prince　of　Helium　with　any

such　demand；　they　would　laugh　at　me　and；　into　the　bargain；

would　more　than　likely　throw　me　headforemost　into　the　avenue。　

No；　it　cannot　be；　though　I　thank　you　for　the　offer。　　Why；

if　Zat　Arras　even　dreamed　that　I　contemplated　such　a　thing

he　would　have　my　heart　cut　out　of　me。〃



〃There　can　be　no　harm　in　it；　my　boy；〃　I　urged。　　〃By　night

you　may　go　to　my　palace　with　a　note　from　me　to　Carthoris；

my　son。　　You　may　read　the　note　before　you　deliver　it；

that　you　may　know　that　it　contains　nothing　harmful　to

Zat　Arras。　　My　son　will　be　discreet；　and　so　none　but　us

three　need　know。　　It　is　very　simple；　and　such　a　harmless

act　that　it　could　be　condemned　by　no　one。〃



Again　he　stood　silently　in　deep　thought。



〃And　there　is　a　jewelled　short…sword　which　I　took　from　the

body　of　a　northern　Jeddak。　　When　you　get　the　harness；　see

that　Carthoris　gives　you　that　also。　　With　it　and　the　harness

which　you　may　select　there　will　be　no　more　handsomely

accoutred　warrior　in　all　Zodanga。



〃Bring　writing　materials　when　you　come　next　to　my　cell；

and　within　a　few　hours　we　shall　see　you　garbed　in　a　style

befitting　your　birth　and　carriage。〃



Still　in　thought；　and　without　speaking；　he　turned　and

left　me。　　I　could　not　guess　what　his　decision　might　be；　and

for　hours　I　sat　fretting　over　the　outcome　of　the　matter。



If　he　accepted　a　message　to　Carthoris　it　would　mean　to　me

that　Carthoris　still　lived　and　was　free。　　If　the　youth　returned

wearing　the　harness　and　the　sword；　I　would　know　that　Carthoris

had　received　my　note　and　that　he　knew　that　I　still　lived。

That　the　bearer　of　the　note　was　a　Zodangan　would　be　sufficient

to　explain　to　Carthoris　that　I　was　a　prisoner　of　Zat　Arras。



It　was　with　feelings　of　excited　expectancy　which　I　could　scarce

hide　that　I　heard　the　youth's　approach　upon　the　occasion　of

his　next　regular　visit。　　I　did　not　speak　beyond　my　accustomed

greeting　of　him。　　As　he　placed　the　food　upon　the　floor　by　my

side　he　also　deposited　writing　materials　at　the　same　time。



My　heart　fairly　bounded　for　joy。　　I　had　won　my　point。　　For

a　moment　I　looked　at　the　materials　in　feigned　surprise；　but

soon　I　permitted　an　expression　of　dawning　comprehension　to

come　into　my　face；　and　then；　picking　them　up；　I　penned

a　brief　order　to　Carthoris　to　deliver　to　Parthak　a　harness　of　his

selection　and　the　short…sword　which　I　described。　　That　was　all。

But　it　meant　everything　to　me　and　to　Carthoris。



I　laid　the　note　open　upon　the　floor。　　Parthak　picked　it　up　and；

without　a　word；　left　me。



As　nearly　as　I　could　estimate；　I　had　at　this　time　been

in　the　pits　for　three　hundred　days。　　If　anything　was　to　be　done

to　save　Dejah　Thoris　it　must　be　done　quickly；　for；　were　she

not　already　dead；　her　end　must　soon　come；　since　those

whom　Issus　chose　lived　but　a　single　year。



The　next　time　I　heard　approaching　footsteps　I　could　scarce

await　to　see　if　Parthak　wore　the　harness　and　the　sword；　but

judge；　if　you　can；　my　chagrin　and　disappointment　when　I

saw　that　he　who　bore　my　food　was　not　Parthak。



〃What　has　become　of　Parthak？〃　I　asked；　but　the　fellow

would　not　answer；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　deposited　my　food；

turned　and　retraced　his　steps　to　the　world　above。



Days　came　and　went；　and　still　my　new　jailer　continued

his　duties；　nor　would　he　ever　speak　a　word　to　me；　either　in

reply　to　the　simplest　question　or　of　his　own　initiative。



I　could　only　speculate　on　the　cause　of　Parthak's　removal；

but　that　it　was　connected　in　some　way　directly　with　the　note

I　had　given　him　was　most　apparent　to　me。　　After　all　my

rejoicing；　I　was　no　better　off　than　before；　for　now　I　did　not

even　know　that　Carthoris　lived；　for　if　Parthak　had　wished　to

raise　himself　in　the　estimation　of　Zat　Arras　he　would　have

permitted　me　to　go　on　precisely　as　I　did；　so　that　he　could

carry　my　note　to　his　master；　in　proof　of　his　own　loyalty

and　devotion。



Thirty　days　had　passed　since　I　had　given　the　youth　the

note。　　Three　hundred　and　thirty　days　had　passed　since　my

incarceration。　　As　closely　as　I　could　figure；　there　remained　a

bare　thirty　days　ere　Dejah　Thoris　would　be　ordered　to

the　arena　for　the　rites　of　Issus。



As　the　terrible　picture　forced　itself　vividly　across　my

imagination；　I　buried　my　face　in　my　arms；　and　only　with　the

greatest　difficulty　was　it　that　I　repressed　the　tears　that　welled

to　my　eyes　despite　my　every　effort。　　To　think　of　that　beautiful

creature　torn　and　rended　by　the　cruel　fangs　of　the　hideous

white　apes！　　It　was　unthinkable。　　Such　a　horrid　fact　could

not　be；　and　yet　my　reason　told　me　that　within　thirty　days

my　incomparable　Princess　would　be　fought　over　in　the

arena　of　the　First　Born　by　those　very　wild　beasts；　that　her

bleeding　corpse　would　be　dragged　through　the　dirt　and　the　dust；

until　at　last　a　part　of　it　would　be　rescued　to　be　served　as

food　upon　the　tables　of　the　black　nobles。



I　think　that　I　should　have　gone　crazy　but　for　the　sound

of　my　approaching　jailer。　　It　distracted　my　attention　from

the　terrible　thoughts　that　had　been　occupying　my　entire　mind。

Now　a　new　and　grim　determination　came　to　me。　　I　would　make

one　super…human　effort　to　escape。　　Kill　my　jailer　by　a　ruse；

and　trust　to　fate　to　lead　me　to　the　outer　world　in　safety。



With　the　thought　came　instant　action。　　I　threw　myself　upon

the　floor　of　my　cell　close　by　the　wall；　in　a　strained　and

distorted　posture；　as　though　I　were　dead　after　a　struggle

or　convulsions。　　When　he　should　stoop　over　me　I　had　but　to

grasp　his　throat　with　one　hand　and　strike　him　a　terrific　blow

with　the　slack　of　my　chain；　which　I　gripped　firmly　in　my

right　hand　for　the　purpose。



Nearer　and　nearer　came　the　doomed　man。　　Now　I　heard

him　halt　before　me。　　There　was　a　muttered　exclamation；　and

then　a　step　as　he　came　to　my　side。　　I　felt　him　kneel　beside　me。

My　grip　tightened　upon　the　chain。　　He　leaned　close　to　me。

I　must　open　my　eyes　to　find　his　throat；　grasp　it；　and　strike

one　mighty　final　blow　all　at　the　same　instant。



The　thing　worked　just　as　I　had　planned。　　So　brief　was　the

interval　between　the　opening　of　my　eyes　and　the　fall　of　the

chain　that　I　could　not　check　it；　though　it　that　minute

interval　I　recognized　the　face　so　close　to　mine　as　that

of　my　son；　Carthoris。



God！　　What　cruel　and　malign　fate　had　worked　to　such　a

frightful　end！　　What　devious　chain　of　circumstances　had　led

my　boy　to　my　side　at　this　one　particular　minute　of　our　lives

when　I　could　strike　him　down　and　kill　him；　in　ignorance

of　his　identity！　　A　benign　though　tardy　Providence　blurred　my

vision　and　my　mind　as　I　sank　into　unconsciousness　across　the

lifeless　body　of　my　only　son。



When　I　regained　consciousness　it　was　to　feel　a　cool；　firm

hand　pressed　upon　my　forehead。　　For　an　instant　I　did　not

open　my　eyes。　　I　was　endeavouring　to　gather　the　loose　ends

of　many　thoughts　and　memories　which　flitted　elusively

through　my　tired　and　overwrought　brain。



At　length　came　the　cruel　recollection　of　the　thing　that　I

had　done　in　my　last　conscious　act；　and　then　I　dared　not

to　open　my　eyes　for　fear　of　what　I　should　see　lying　beside

me。　　I　wondered　who　it　could　be　who　ministered　to　me。　

Carthoris　must　have　had　a　companion　whom　I　had　not　seen。

Well；　I　must　face　the　inevitable　some　time；　so　why　not　now；

and　with　a　sigh　I　opened　my　eyes。



Leaning　over　me　was　Carthoris；　a　great　bruise　upon　his

forehead　where　the　chain　had　struck；　but　alive；　thank

God；　alive！　　There　was　no　one　with　him。　　Reaching　out　my

arms；　I　took　my　boy　within　them；　and　if　ever　there　arose

from　any　planet　a　fervent　prayer　of　gratitude；　it　was　there

beneath　the　crust　of　dying　Mars　as　I　thanked　the　Eternal

Mystery　for　my　son's　life。



The　brief　instant　in　which　I　had　seen　and　recognized

Carthoris　before　the　chain　fell　must　have　been　ample　to

check　the　force　of　the　blow。　　He　told　me　that　he　had

lain　unconscious　for　a　timehow　long　he　did　not　know。



〃How　came　you　here　at　all？〃　I　asked；　mystified　that　he

had　found　me　without　a　guide。



〃It　was　by　your　wit　in　apprising　me　of　your　existence　and

imprisonment　through　the　youth；　Parthak。　　Until　he　came　for

his　harness　and　his　sword；　we　had　thought　you　dead。　　When

I　had　read　your　note　I　did　as　you　had　bid；　giving　Parthak　his

choice　of　the　harnesses　in　the　guardroom；　and　later　bringing

the　jewelled　short…sword　to　him；　but　the　minute　that　I　had

fulfilled　the　promise　you　evidently　had　made　him；　my

obligation　to　him　ceased。　　Then　I　commenced　to　question　him；

but　he　would　give　me　no　information　as　to　your　whereabouts。　

He　was　intensely　loyal　to　Zat　Arras。



〃Finally　I　gave　him　a　fair　choice　between　freedom　and

the　pits　beneath　the　palacethe　price　of　freedom　to　be　full

information　as　to　where　you　were　imprisoned　and　directions

which　would　lead　us　to　you；　but　still　he　maintained　his

stubborn　partisanship。　　Despairing；　I　had　him　removed　to

the　pits；　where　he　still　is。



〃No　threats　of　torture　or　death；　no　bribes；　however　fabulous；

would　move　him。　　His　only　reply　to　all　our　importunities

was　that　whenever　Parthak　died；　were　it　to…morrow　or　a

thousand　years　hence；　no　man　could　truly　say；　'A　traitor　is

gone　to　his　deserts。'



〃Finally；　Xodar；　who　is　a　fiend　for　subtle　craftiness；

evolved　a　plan　whereby　we　might　worm　the　information

from　him。　　And　so　I　caused　Hor　Vastus　to　be　harnessed　in