the gods of mars-第41部分

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evolved　a　plan　whereby　we　might　worm　the　information

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

the　metal　of　a　Zodangan　soldier　and　chained　in　Parthak's

cell　beside　him。　　For　fifteen　days　the　noble　Hor　Vastus　has

languished　in　the　darkness　of　the　pits；　but　not　in　vain。

Little　by　little　he　won　the　confidence　and　friendship　of　the

Zodangan；　until　only　to…day　Parthak；　thinking　that　he　was

speaking　not　only　to　a　countryman；　but　to　a　dear　friend；

revealed　that　Hor　Vastus　the　exact　cell　in　which　you　lay。



〃It　took　me　but　a　short　time　to　locate　the　plans　of　the　pits

of　Helium　among　thy　official　papers。　　To　come　to　you；　though；

was　a　trifle　more　difficult　matter。　　As　you　know；　while　all

the　pits　beneath　the　city　are　connected；　there　are　but　single

entrances　from　those　beneath　each　section　and　its　neighbour；

and　that　at　the　upper　level　just　underneath　the　ground。



〃Of　course；　these　openings　which　lead　from　contiguous　pits　to

those　beneath　government　buildings　are　always　guarded；　and　so；

while　I　easily　came　to　the　entrance　to　the　pits　beneath　the

palace　which　Zat　Arras　is　occupying；　I　found　there　a　Zodangan

soldier　on　guard。　　There　I　left　him　when　I　had　gone　by；

but　his　soul　was　no　longer　with　him。



〃And　here　I　am；　just　in　time　to　be　nearly　killed　by　you；〃

he　ended；　laughing。



As　he　talked　Carthoris　had　been　working　at　the　lock　which

held　my　fetters；　and　now；　with　an　exclamation　of　pleasure；

he　dropped　the　end　of　the　chain　to　the　floor；　and　I　stood　up

once　more；　freed　from　the　galling　irons　I　had　chafed　in　for

almost　a　year。



He　had　brought　a　long…sword　and　a　dagger　for　me；　and

thus　armed　we　set　out　upon　the　return　journey　to　my　palace。



At　the　point　where　we　left　the　pits　of　Zat　Arras　we　found

the　body　of　the　guard　Carthoris　had　slain。　　It　had　not　yet　been

discovered；　and；　in　order　to　still　further　delay　search　and

mystify　the　jed's　people；　we　carried　the　body　with　us　for　a

short　distance；　hiding　it　in　a　tiny　cell　off　the　main　corridor

of　the　pits　beneath　an　adjoining　estate。



Some　half…hour　later　we　came　to　the　pits　beneath　our　own

palace；　and　soon　thereafter　emerged　into　the　audience　chamber

itself；　where　we　found　Kantos　Kan；　Tars　Tarkas；　Hor　Vastus；

and　Xodar　awaiting　us　most　impatiently。



No　time　was　lost　in　fruitless　recounting　of　my　imprisonment。　

What　I　desired　to　know　was　how　well　the　plans　we　had　laid

nearly　a　year　ago　and　had　been　carried　out。



〃It　has　taken　much　longer　than　we　had　expected；〃　replied

Kantos　Kan。　　〃The　fact　that　we　were　compelled　to　maintain

utter　secrecy　has　handicapped　us　terribly。　　Zat　Arras'　spies

are　everywhere。　　Yet；　to　the　best　of　my　knowledge；　no　word

of　our　real　plans　has　reached　the　villain's　ear。



〃To…night　there　lies　about　the　great　docks　at　Hastor　a　fleet

of　a　thousand　of　the　mightiest　battleships　that　ever　sailed

above　Barsoom；　and　each　equipped　to　navigate　the　air　of　Omean

and　the　waters　of　Omean　itself。　　Upon　each　battleship

there　are　five　ten…man　cruisers；　and　ten　five…man　scouts；

and　a　hundred　one…man　scouts；　in　all；　one　hundred　and　sixteen

thousand　craft　fitted　with　both　air　and　water　propellers。



〃At　Thark　lie　the　transports　for　the　green　warriors　of　Tars

Tarkas；　nine　hundred　large　troopships；　and　with　them　their

convoys。　　Seven　days　ago　all　was　in　readiness；　but　we　waited

in　the　hope　that　by　so　doing　your　rescue　might　be　encompassed

in　time　for　you　to　command　the　expedition。　　It　is　well　we　waited；

my　Prince。〃



〃How　is　it；　Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　asked；　〃that　the　men　of　Thark

take　not　the　accustomed　action　against　one　who　returns　from

the　bosom　of　Iss？〃



〃They　sent　a　council　of　fifty　chieftains　to　talk　with　me

here；〃　replied　the　Thark。　　〃We　are　a　just　people；　and　when　I

had　told　them　the　entire　story　they　were　as　one　man　in

agreeing　that　their　action　toward　me　would　be　guided　by　the

action　of　Helium　toward　John　Carter。　　In　the　meantime；　at

their　request；　I　was　to　resume　my　throne　as　Jeddak　of　Thark；

that　I　might　negotiate　with　neighboring　hordes　for　warriors

to　compose　the　land　forces　of　the　expedition。　　I　have　done

that　which　I　agreed。　　Two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　fighting

men；　gathered　from　the　ice　cap　at　the　north　to　the　ice　cap　at

the　south；　and　representing　a　thousand　different　communities；

from　a　hundred　wild　and　warlike　hordes；　fill　the　great　city

of　Thark　to…night。　　They　are　ready　to　sail　for　the　Land　of

the　First　Born　when　I　give　the　word　and　fight　there　until

I　bid　them　stop。　　All　they　ask　is　the　loot　they　take　and

transportation　to　their　own　territories　when　the　fighting

and　the　looting　are　over。　　I　am　done。〃



〃And　thou；　Hor　Vastus；〃　I　asked；　〃what　has　been　thy　success？〃



〃A　million　veteran　fighting…men　from　Helium's　thin　waterways　man

the　battleships；　the　transports；　and　the　convoys；〃　he　replied。

〃Each　is　sworn　to　loyalty　and　secrecy；　nor　were　enough　recruited

from　a　single　district　to　cause　suspicion。〃



〃Good！〃　I　cried。　　〃Each　has　done　his　duty；　and　now；　Kantos　Kan；

may　we　not　repair　at　once　to　Hastor　and　get　under　way　before

to…morrow's　sun？〃



〃We　should　lose　no　time；　Prince；〃　replied　Kantos　Kan。

〃Already　the　people　of　Hastor　are　questioning　the　purpose　of

so　great　a　fleet　fully　manned　with　fighting…men。　　I　wonder

much　that　word　of　it　has　not　before　reached　Zat　Arras。　　A

cruiser　awaits　above　at　your　own　dock；　let　us　leave　at〃

A　fusillade　of　shots　from　the　palace　gardens　just　without　cut

short　his　further　words。



Together　we　rushed　to　the　balcony　in　time　to　see　a　dozen

members　of　my　palace　guard　disappear　in　the　shadows　of

some　distant　shrubbery　as　in　pursuit　of　one　who　fled。　　Directly

beneath　us　upon　the　scarlet　sward　a　handful　of　guardsmen

were　stooping　above　a　still　and　prostrate　form。



While　we　watched　they　lifted　the　figure　in　their　arms　and

at　my　command　bore　it　to　the　audience　chamber　where　we

had　been　in　council。　　When　they　stretched　the　body　at　our

feet　we　saw　that　it　was　that　of　a　red　man　in　the　prime　of　life

his　metal　was　plain；　such　as　common　soldiers　wear；　or

those　who　wish　to　conceal　their　identity。



〃Another　of　Zat　Arras'　spies；〃　said　Hor　Vastus。



〃So　it　would　seem；〃　I　replied；　and　then　to　the　guard：

〃You　may　remove　the　body。〃



〃Wait！〃　said　Xodar。　　〃If　you　will；　Prince；　ask　that　a　cloth

and　a　little　thoat　oil　be　brought。〃



I　nodded　to　one　of　the　soldiers；　who　left　the　chamber；

returning　presently　with　the　things　that　Xodar　had　requested。

The　black　kneeled　beside　the　body　and；　dipping　a　corner　of

the　cloth　in　the　thoat　oil；　rubbed　for　a　moment　on　the　dead

face　before　him；　　Then　he　turned　to　me　with　a　smile；　pointing

to　his　work。　　I　looked　and　saw　that　where　Xodar　had　applied

the　thoat　oil　the　face　was　white；　as　white　as　mine；　and　then

Xodar　seized　the　black　hair　of　the　corpse　and　with　a　sudden

wrench　tore　it　all　away；　revealing　a　hairless　pate　beneath。



Guardsmen　and　nobles　pressed　close　about　the　silent　witness

upon　the　marble　floor。　　Many　were　the　exclamations　of

astonishment　and　questioning　wonder　as　Xodar's　acts

confirmed　the　suspicion　which　he　had　held。



〃A　thern！〃　whispered　Tars　Tarkas。



〃Worse　than　that；　I　fear；〃　replied　Xodar。　　〃But　let　us　see。〃



With　that　he　drew　his　dagger　and　cut　open　a　locked　pouch

which　had　dangled　from　the　thern's　harness；　and　from　it

he　brought　forth　a　circlet　of　gold　set　with　a　large　gemit

was　the　mate　to　that　which　I　had　taken　from　Sator　Throg。



〃He　was　a　Holy　Thern；〃　said　Xodar。　　〃Fortunate　indeed　it

is　for　us　that　he　did　not　escape。〃



The　officer　of　the　guard　entered　the　chamber　at　this　juncture。



〃My　Prince；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　to　report　that　this　fellow's

companion　escaped　us。　　I　think　that　it　was　with　the　connivance

of　one　or　more　of　the　men　at　the　gate。　　I　have　ordered

them　all　under　arrest。〃



Xodar　handed　him　the　thoat　oil　and　cloth。



〃With　this　you　may　discover　the　spy　among　you；〃　he　said。



I　at　once　ordered　a　secret　search　within　the　city；　for　every

Martian　noble　maintains　a　secret　service　of　his　own。



A　half…hour　later　the　officer　of　the　guard　came　again　to　report。

This　time　it　was　to　confirm　our　worst　fearshalf　the　guards　at

the　gate　that　night　had　been　therns　disguised　as　red　men。



〃Come！〃　I　cried。　　〃We　must　lose　no　time。　　On　to　Hastor　at

once。　　Should　the　therns　attempt　to　check　us　at　the　southern

verge　of　the　ice　cap　it　may　result　in　the　wrecking　of　all　our

plans　and　the　total　destruction　of　the　expedition。〃



Ten　minutes　later　we　were　speeding　through　the　night　toward　Hastor；

prepared　to　strike　the　first　blow　for　the　preservation　of　Dejah　Thoris。









CHAPTER　XX





THE　AIR　BATTLE





Two　hours　after　leaving　my　palace　at　Helium；　or　about

midnight；　Kantos　Kan；　Xodar；　and　I　arrived　at　Hastor。

Carthoris；　Tars　Tarkas；　and　Hor　Vastus　had　gone　directly

to　Thark　upon　another　cruiser。



The　transports　were　to　get　under　way　immediately　and

move　slowly　south。　　The　fleet　of　battleships　would　overtake

them　on　the　morning　of　the　second　day。



At　Hastor　we　found　all　in　readiness；　and　so　perfectly　had

Kantos　Kan　planned　every　detail　of　the　campaign　that　within

ten　minutes　of　our　arrival　the　first　of　the　fleet　had　soared

aloft　from　its　dock；　and　thereafter；　at　the　rate　of　one　a

second；　the　great　ships　floated　gracefully　out　into　the　night

to　form　a　long；　thin　line　which　stretched　for　miles　toward

the　south。



It　was　not　until　after　we　had　entered　the　cabin　of　Kantos

Kan　that　I　thought　to　ask　the　date；　for　up　to　now　I　was

not　positive　how　long　I　had　lain　in　the　pits　of　Zat　Arras。

When　Kantos　Kan　told　me；　I　realized　with　a　pang　of　dismay

that　I　had　misreckoned　the　time　while　I　lay　in　the　utter

darkness　of　my　cell。　　Three　hundred　and　sixty…five

days　had　passedit　was　too　late　to　save　Dejah　Thoris。



The　expedition　was　no　longer　one　of　rescue　but　of　revenge。　

I　did　not　remind　Kantos　Kan　of　the　terri