the gods of mars-第46部分

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I　lovedDejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium。









CHAPTER　XXII





VICTORY　AND　DEFEAT





〃John　Carter；　John　Carter；〃　she　sobbed；　with　her　dear

head　upon　my　shoulder；　〃even　now　I　can　scarce　believe　the

witness　of　my　own　eyes。　　When　the　girl；　Thuvia；　told　me

that　you　had　returned　to　Barsoom；　I　listened；　but　I　could

not　understand；　for　it　seemed　that　such　happiness　would　be

impossible　for　one　who　had　suffered　so　in　silent　loneliness　for

all　these　long　years。　　At　last；　when　I　realized　that　it　was　truth；

and　then　came　to　know　the　awful　place　in　which　I　was　held　prisoner；

I　learned　to　doubt　that　even　you　could　reach　me　here。



〃As　the　days　passed；　and　moon　after　moon　went　by

without　bringing　even　the　faintest　rumour　of　you；　I　resigned

myself　to　my　fate。　　And　now　that　you　have　come；　scarce　can

I　believe　it。　　For　an　hour　I　have　heard　the　sounds　of

conflict　within　the　palace。　　I　knew　not　what　they　meant；　but

I　have　hoped　against　hope　that　it　might　be　the　men　of

Helium　headed　by　my　Prince。



〃And　tell　me；　what　of　Carthoris；　our　son？〃



〃He　was　with　me　less　than　an　hour　since；　Dejah　Thoris；〃

I　replied。　　〃It　must　have　been　he　whose　men　you　have　heard

battling　within　the　precincts　of　the　temple。



〃Where　is　Issus？〃　I　asked　suddenly。



Dejah　Thoris　shrugged　her　shoulders。



〃She　sent　me　under　guard　to　this　room　just　before　the

fighting　began　within　the　temple　halls。　　She　said　that　she

would　send　for　me　later。　　She　seemed　very　angry　and　somewhat

fearful。　　Never　have　I　seen　her　act　in　so　uncertain　and　almost

terrified　a　manner。　　Now　I　know　that　it　must　have　been　because

she　had　learned　that　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　was

approaching　to　demand　an　accounting　of　her　for　the

imprisonment　of　his　Princess。〃



The　sounds　of　conflict；　the　clash　of　arms；　the　shouting　and

the　hurrying　of　many　feet　came　to　us　from　various　parts　of

the　temple。　　I　knew　that　I　was　needed　there；　but　I　dared

not　leave　Dejah　Thoris；　nor　dared　I　take　her　with　me　into

the　turmoil　and　danger　of　battle。



At　last　I　bethought　me　of　the　pits　from　which　I　had　just

emerged。　　Why　not　secrete　her　there　until　I　could　return　and

fetch　her　away　in　safety　and　for　ever　from　this　awful　place。

I　explained　my　plan　to　her。



For　a　moment　she　clung　more　closely　to　me。



〃I　cannot　bear　to　be　parted　from　you　now；　even　for　a　moment；

John　Carter；〃　she　said。　　〃I　shudder　at　the　thought　of

being　alone　again　where　that　terrible　creature　might

discover　me。　　You　do　not　know　her。　　None　can　imagine　her

ferocious　cruelty　who　has　not　witnessed　her　daily　acts　for

over　half　a　year。　　It　has　taken　me　nearly　all　this　time　to

realize　even　the　things　that　I　have　seen　with　my　own　eyes。〃



〃I　shall　not　leave　you；　then；　my　Princess；〃　I　replied。



She　was　silent　for　a　moment；　then　she　drew　my　face　to　hers

and　kissed　me。



〃Go；　John　Carter；〃　she　said。　　〃Our　son　is　there；　and　the

soldiers　of　Helium；　fighting　for　the　Princess　of　Helium。

Where　they　are　you　should　be。　　I　must　not　think　of　myself　now；

but　of　them　and　of　my　husband's　duty。　　I　may　not　stand　in

the　way　of　that。　　Hide　me　in　the　pits；　and　go。〃



I　led　her　to　the　door　through　which　I　had　entered　the

chamber　from　below。　　There　I　pressed　her　dear　form　to　me；

and　then；　though　it　tore　my　heart　to　do　it；　and　filled　me　only

with　the　blackest　shadows　of　terrible　foreboding；　I　guided

her　across　the　threshold；　kissed　her　once　again；　and　closed

the　door　upon　her。



Without　hesitating　longer；　I　hurried　from　the　chamber　in　the

direction　of　the　greatest　tumult。　　Scarce　half　a　dozen　chambers

had　I　traversed　before　I　came　upon　the　theatre　of　a　fierce

struggle。　　The　blacks　were　massed　at　the　entrance　to　a　great

chamber　where　they　were　attempting　to　block　the　further

progress　of　a　body　of　red　men　toward　the　inner　sacred

precincts　of　the　temple。



Coming　from　within　as　I　did；　I　found　myself　behind　the

blacks；　and；　without　waiting　to　even　calculate　their　numbers

or　the　foolhardiness　of　my　venture；　I　charged　swiftly　across

the　chamber　and　fell　upon　them　from　the　rear　with　my

keen　long…sword。



As　I　struck　the　first　blow　I　cried　aloud；　〃For　Helium！〃

And　then　I　rained　cut　after　cut　upon　the　surprised　warriors；

while　the　reds　without　took　heart　at　the　sound　of　my　voice；

and　with　shouts　of　〃John　Carter！　　John　Carter！〃　redoubled

their　efforts　so　effectually　that　before　the　blacks　could

recover　from　their　temporary　demoralization　their　ranks

were　broken　and　the　red　men　had　burst　into　the　chamber。



The　fight　within　that　room；　had　it　had　but　a　competent

chronicler；　would　go　down　in　the　annals　of　Barsoom　as　a

historic　memorial　to　the　grim　ferocity　of　her　warlike　people。

Five　hundred　men　fought　there　that　day；　the　black　men　against

the　red。　　No　man　asked　quarter　or　gave　it。　　As　though　by

common　assent　they　fought；　as　though　to　determine　once

and　for　all　their　right　to　live；　in　accordance　with　the　law　of

the　survival　of　the　fittest。



I　think　we　all　knew　that　upon　the　outcome　of　this　battle

would　hinge　for　ever　the　relative　positions　of　these　two

races　upon　Barsoom。　　It　was　a　battle　between　the　old　and　the

new；　but　not　for　once　did　I　question　the　outcome　of　it。

With　Carthoris　at　my　side　I　fought　for　the　red　men　of　Barsoom

and　for　their　total　emancipation　from　the　throttling　bondage

of　a　hideous　superstition。



Back　and　forth　across　the　room　we　surged；　until　the　floor

was　ankle　deep　in　blood；　and　dead　men　lay　so　thickly　there

that　half　the　time　we　stood　upon　their　bodies　as　we　fought。

As　we　swung　toward　the　great　windows　which　overlooked

the　gardens　of　Issus　a　sight　met　my　gaze　which　sent　a　wave　of

exultation　over　me。



〃Look！〃　I　cried。　　〃Men　of　the　First　Born；　look！〃



For　an　instant　the　fighting　ceased；　and　with　one　accord

every　eye　turned　in　the　direction　I　had　indicated；　and　the

sight　they　saw　was　one　no　man　of　the　First　Born　had　ever

imagined　could　be。



Across　the　gardens；　from　side　to　side；　stood　a　wavering

line　of　black　warriors；　while　beyond　them　and　forcing　them

ever　back　was　a　great　horde　of　green　warriors　astride　their

mighty　thoats。　　And　as　we　watched；　one；　fiercer　and　more

grimly　terrible　than　his　fellows；　rode　forward　from　the　rear；

and　as　he　came　he　shouted　some　fierce　command　to　his　terrible　legion。



It　was　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark；　and　as　he　couched　his　great

forty…foot　metal…shod　lance　we　saw　his　warriors　do　likewise。

Then　it　was　that　we　interpreted　his　command。　　Twenty　yards

now　separated　the　green　men　from　the　black　line。

Another　word　from　the　great　Thark；　and　with　a　wild　and

terrifying　battle…cry　the　green　warriors　charged。

For　a　moment　the　black　line　held；　but　only　for　a　momentthen

the　fearsome　beasts　that　bore　equally　terrible　riders　passed

completely　through　it。



After　them　came　utan　upon　utan　of　red　men。　　The　green

horde　broke　to　surround　the　temple。　　The　red　men　charged

for　the　interior；　and　then　we　turned　to　continue　our　interrupted

battle；　but　our　foes　had　vanished。



My　first　thought　was　of　Dejah　Thoris。　　Calling　to　Carthoris

that　I　had　found　his　mother；　I　started　on　a　run　toward　the

chamber　where　I　had　left　her；　with　my　boy　close　beside　me。

After　us　came　those　of　our　little　force　who　had　survived

the　bloody　conflict。



The　moment　I　entered　the　room　I　saw　that　some　one

had　been　there　since　I　had　left。　　A　silk　lay　upon　the　floor。

It　had　not　been　there　before。　　There　were　also　a　dagger　and

several　metal　ornaments　strewn　about　as　though　torn　from

their　wearer　in　a　struggle。　　But　worst　of　all；　the　door

leading　to　the　pits　where　I　had　hidden　my　Princess　was　ajar。



With　a　bound　I　was　before　it；　and；　thrusting　it　open；

rushed　within。　　Dejah　Thoris　had　vanished。　　I　called　her　name

aloud　again　and　again；　but　there　was　no　response。　　I　think

in　that　instant　I　hovered　upon　the　verge　of　insanity。　　I　do　not

recall　what　I　said　or　did；　but　I　know　that　for　an　instant　I

was　seized　with　the　rage　of　a　maniac。



〃Issus！〃　I　cried。　　〃Issus！　　Where　is　Issus？　　Search　the　temple

for　her；　but　let　no　man　harm　her　but　John　Carter。　　Carthoris；

where　are　the　apartments　of　Issus？〃



〃This　way；〃　cried　the　boy；　and；　without　waiting　to　know

that　I　had　heard　him；　he　dashed　off　at　breakneck　speed；

further　into　the　bowels　of　the　temple。　　As　fast　as　he　went；

however；　I　was　still　beside　him；　urging　him　on　to　greater　speed。



At　last　we　came　to　a　great　carved　door；　and　through

this　Carthoris　dashed；　a　foot　ahead　of　me。　　Within；　we　came

upon　such　a　scene　as　I　had　witnessed　within　the　temple

once　beforethe　throne　of　Issus；　with　the　reclining　slaves；

and　about　it　the　ranks　of　soldiery。



We　did　not　even　give　the　men　a　chance　to　draw；　so　quickly

were　we　upon　them。　　With　a　single　cut　I　struck　down　two

in　the　front　rank。　　And　then　by　the　mere　weight　and

momentum　of　my　body；　I　rushed　completely　through　the　two

remaining　ranks　and　sprang　upon　the　dais　beside　the　carved

sorapus　throne。



The　repulsive　creature；　squatting　there　in　terror；　attempted

to　escape　me　and　leap　into　a　trap　behind　her。　　But　this　time

I　was　not　to　be　outwitted　by　any　such　petty　subterfuge。　

Before　she　had　half　arisen　I　had　grasped　her　by　the　arm；　and

then；　as　I　saw　the　guard　starting　to　make　a　concerted　rush

upon　me　from　all　sides；　I　whipped　out　my　dagger　and；

holding　it　close　to　that　vile　breast；　ordered　them　to　halt。



〃Back！〃　I　cried　to　them。　　〃Back！　　The　first　black　foot　that　is

planted　upon　this　platform　sends　my　dagger　into　Issus'　heart。〃



For　an　instant　they　hesitated。　　Then　an　officer　ordered

them　back；　while　from　the　outer　corridor　there　swept　into　the

throne　room　at　the　heels　of　my　little　party　of　survivors　a

full　thousand　red　men　under　Kantos　Kan；　Hor　Vastus；　and　Xodar。



〃Where　is　Dejah　Thoris？〃　I　cried　to　the　thing　within　my　hands。



For　a　moment　her　eyes　roved　wildly　about　the　scene　beneath　her。

I　think　that　it　took　a