the gods of mars-第47部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





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

I　think　that　it　took　a　moment　for　the　true　condition　to　make

any　impression　upon　hershe　could　not　at　first　realize　that

the　temple　had　fallen　before　the　assault　of　men　of　the　outer　world。

When　she　did；　there　must　have　come；　too；　a　terrible　realization

of　what　it　meant　to　herthe　loss　of　powerhumiliationthe

exposure　of　the　fraud　and　imposture　which　she　had　for　so　long

played　upon　her　own　people。



There　was　just　one　thing　needed　to　complete　the　reality

of　the　picture　she　was　seeing；　and　that　was　added　by　the

highest　noble　of　her　realmthe　high　priest　of　her　religion

the　prime　minister　of　her　government。



〃Issus；　Goddess　of　Death；　and　of　Life　Eternal；〃　he　cried；

〃arise　in　the　might　of　thy　righteous　wrath　and　with　one

single　wave　of　thy　omnipotent　hand　strike　dead　thy　blasphemers！　

Let　not　one　escape。　　Issus；　thy　people　depend　upon　thee。

Daughter　of　the　Lesser　Moon；　thou　only　art　all…powerful。

Thou　only　canst　save　thy　people。　　I　am　done。　　We　await　thy　will。

Strike！〃



And　then　it　was　that　she　went　mad。　　A　screaming；　gibbering

maniac　writhed　in　my　grasp。　　It　bit　and　clawed　and　scratched

in　impotent　fury。　　And　then　it　laughed　a　weird　and

terrible　laughter　that　froze　the　blood。　　The　slave　girls　upon

the　dais　shrieked　and　cowered　away。　　And　the　thing　jumped

at　them　and　gnashed　its　teeth　and　then　spat　upon　them　from

frothing　lips。　　God；　but　it　was　a　horrid　sight。



Finally；　I　shook　the　thing；　hoping　to　recall　it　for　a　moment

to　rationality。



〃Where　is　Dejah　Thoris？〃　I　cried　again。



The　awful　creature　in　my　grasp　mumbled　inarticulately

for　a　moment；　then　a　sudden　gleam　of　cunning　shot　into

those　hideous；　close…set　eyes。



〃Dejah　Thoris？　　Dejah　Thoris？〃　and　then　that　shrill；　unearthly

laugh　pierced　our　ears　once　more。



〃Yes；　Dejah　ThorisI　know。　　And　Thuvia；　and　Phaidor；

daughter　of　Matai　Shang。　　They　each　love　John　Carter。　　Ha…ah！

but　it　is　droll。　　Together　for　a　year　they　will　meditate　within

the　Temple　of　the　Sun；　but　ere　the　year　is　quite　gone　there　will

be　no　more　food　for　them。　　Ho…oh！　what　divine　entertainment；〃

and　she　licked　the　froth　from　her　cruel　lips。　　〃There

will　be　no　more　foodexcept　each　other。　　Ha…ah！　　Ha…ah！〃



The　horror　of　the　suggestion　nearly　paralysed　me。　　To　this

awful　fate　the　creature　within　my　power　had　condemned

my　Princess。　　I　trembled　in　the　ferocity　of　my　rage。　　As　a

terrier　shakes　a　rat　I　shook　Issus；　Goddess　of　Life　Eternal。



〃Countermand　your　orders！〃　I　cried。　　〃Recall　the　condemned。　

Haste；　or　you　die！〃



〃It　is　too　late。　　Ha…ah！　　Ha…ah！〃　and　then　she　commenced

her　gibbering　and　shrieking　again。



Almost　of　its　own　volition；　my　dagger　flew　up　above　that

putrid　heart。　　But　something　stayed　my　hand；　and　I　am　now

glad　that　it　did。　　It　were　a　terrible　thing　to　have　struck　down

a　woman　with　one's　own　hand。　　But　a　fitter　fate　occurred　to

me　for　this　false　deity。



〃First　Born；〃　I　cried；　turning　to　those　who　stood　within

the　chamber；　〃you　have　seen　to…day　the　impotency　of　Issus

the　gods　are　impotent。　　Issus　is　no　god。　　She　is　a　cruel

and　wicked　old　woman；　who　has　deceived　and　played　upon

you　for　ages。　　Take　her。　　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　would

not　contaminate　his　hand　with　her　blood；〃　and　with　that　I

pushed　the　raving　beast；　whom　a　short　half…hour　before　a

whole　world　had　worshipped　as　divine；　from　the　platform　of

her　throne　into　the　waiting　clutches　of　her　betrayed　and

vengeful　people。



Spying　Xodar　among　the　officers　of　the　red　men；　I　called

him　to　lead　me　quickly　to　the　Temple　of　the　Sun；　and；

without　waiting　to　learn　what　fate　the　First　Born　would

wreak　upon　their　goddess；　I　rushed　from　the　chamber　with

Xodar；　Carthoris；　Hor　Vastus；　Kantos　Kan；　and　a　score　of

other　red　nobles。



The　black　led　us　rapidly　through　the　inner　chambers　of

the　temple；　until　we　stood　within　the　central　courta　great

circular　space　paved　with　a　transparent　marble　of　exquisite

whiteness。　　Before　us　rose　a　golden　temple　wrought　in　the

most　wondrous　and　fanciful　designs；　inlaid　with　diamond；

ruby；　sapphire；　turquoise；　emerald；　and　the　thousand　nameless

gems　of　Mars；　which　far　transcend　in　loveliness　and　purity

of　ray　the　most　priceless　stones　of　Earth。



〃This　way；〃　cried　Xodar；　leading　us　toward　the　entrance　to

a　tunnel　which　opened　in　the　courtyard　beside　the　temple。　

Just　as　we　were　on　the　point　of　descending　we　heard　a

deep…toned　roar　burst　from　the　Temple　of　Issus；　which　we

had　but　just　quitted；　and　then　a　red　man；　Djor　Kantos；

padwar　of　the　fifth　utan；　broke　from　a　nearby　gate；

crying　to　us　to　return。



〃The　blacks　have　fired　the　temple；〃　he　cried。　　〃In　a　thousand

places　it　is　burning　now。　　Haste　to　the　outer　gardens；　or　you　are　lost。〃



As　he　spoke　we　saw　smoke　pouring　from　a　dozen　windows

looking　out　upon　the　courtyard　of　the　Temple　of　the　Sun；

and　far　above　the　highest　minaret　of　Issus　hung　an

ever…growing　pall　of　smoke。



〃Go　back！　　Go　back！〃　I　cried　to　those　who　had　accompanied　me。

〃The　way！　　Xodar；　point　the　way　and　leave　me。

I　shall　reach　my　Princess　yet。〃



〃Follow　me；　John　Carter；〃　replied　Xodar；　and　without

waiting　for　my　reply　he　dashed　down　into　the　tunnel　at　our

feet。　　At　his　heels　I　ran　down　through　a　half…dozen　tiers　of

galleries；　until　at　last　he　led　me　along　a　level　floor　at　the

end　of　which　I　discerned　a　lighted　chamber。



Massive　bars　blocked　our　further　progress；　but　beyond　I

saw　hermy　incomparable　Princess；　and　with　her　were

Thuvia　and　Phaidor。　　When　she　saw　me　she　rushed　toward　the

bars　that　separated　us。　　Already　the　chamber　had　turned

upon　its　slow　way　so　far　that　but　a　portion　of　the　opening

in　the　temple　wall　was　opposite　the　barred　end　of　the　corridor。　

Slowly　the　interval　was　closing。　　In　a　short　time　there

would　be　but　a　tiny　crack；　and　then　even　that　would　be

closed；　and　for　a　long　Barsoomian　year　the　chamber　would

slowly　revolve　until　once　more　for　a　brief　day　the　aperture

in　its　wall　would　pass　the　corridor's　end。



But　in　the　meantime　what　horrible　things　would　go　on

within　that　chamber！



〃Xodar！〃　I　cried。　　〃Can　no　power　stop　this　awful　revolving　thing？

Is　there　none　who　holds　the　secret　of　these　terrible　bars？〃



〃None；　I　fear；　whom　we　could　fetch　in　time；　though　I

shall　go　and　make　the　attempt。　　Wait　for　me　here。〃



After　he　had　left　I　stood　and　talked　with　Dejah　Thoris；

and　she　stretched　her　dear　hand　through　those　cruel　bars

that　I　might　hold　it　until　the　last　moment。



Thuvia　and　Phaidor　came　close　also；　but　when　Thuvia　saw

that　we　would　be　alone　she　withdrew　to　the　further　side　of

the　chamber。　　Not　so　the　daughter　of　Matai　Shang。



〃John　Carter；〃　she　said；　〃this　be　the　last　time　that　you　shall

see　any　of　us。　　Tell　me　that　you　love　me；　that　I　may　die　happy。〃



〃I　love　only　the　Princess　of　Helium；〃　I　replied　quietly。　　〃I　am

sorry；　Phaidor；　but　it　is　as　I　have　told　you　from　the　beginning。〃



She　bit　her　lip　and　turned　away；　but　not　before　I　saw

the　black　and　ugly　scowl　she　turned　upon　Dejah　Thoris。

Thereafter　she　stood　a　little　way　apart；　but　not　so　far　as　I

should　have　desired；　for　I　had　many　little　confidences　to

impart　to　my　long…lost　love。



For　a　few　minutes　we　stood　thus　talking　in　low　tones。

Ever　smaller　and　smaller　grew　the　opening。　　In　a　short　time

now　it　would　be　too　small　even　to　permit　the　slender　form

of　my　Princess　to　pass。　　Oh；　why　did　not　Xodar　haste。　　Above

we　could　hear　the　faint　echoes　of　a　great　tumult。　　It　was　the

multitude　of　black　and　red　and　green　men　fighting　their　way

through　the　fire　from　the　burning　Temple　of　Issus。



A　draught　from　above　brought　the　fumes　of　smoke　to

our　nostrils。　　As　we　stood　waiting　for　Xodar　the　smoke

became　thicker　and　thicker。　　Presently　we　heard　shouting　at

the　far　end　of　the　corridor；　and　hurrying　feet。



〃Come　back；　John　Carter；　come　back！〃　cried　a　voice；　〃even

the　pits　are　burning。〃



In　a　moment　a　dozen　men　broke　through　the　now　blinding

smoke　to　my　side。　　There　was　Carthoris；　and　Kantos　Kan；

and　Hor　Vastus；　and　Xodar；　with　a　few　more　who　had

followed　me　to　the　temple　court。



〃There　is　no　hope；　John　Carter；〃　cried　Xodar。　　〃The　keeper

of　the　keys　is　dead　and　his　keys　are　not　upon　his　carcass。

Our　only　hope　is　to　quench　this　conflagration　and　trust　to

fate　that　a　year　will　find　your　Princess　alive　and　well。　　I

have　brought　sufficient　food　to　last　them。　　When　this　crack

closes　no　smoke　can　reach　them；　and　if　we　hasten　to　extinguish

the　flames　I　believe　they　will　be　safe。〃



〃Go；　then；　yourself　and　take　these　others　with　you；〃　I　replied。　

〃I　shall　remain　here　beside　my　Princess　until　a　merciful

death　releases　me　from　my　anguish。　　I　care　not　to　live。〃



As　I　spoke　Xodar　had　been　tossing　a　great　number　of

tiny　cans　within　the　prison　cell。　　The　remaining　crack　was

not　over　an　inch　in　width　a　moment　later。　　Dejah　Thoris

stood　as　close　to　it　as　she　could；　whispering　words　of　hope

and　courage　to　me；　and　urging　me　to　save　myself。



Suddenly　beyond　her　I　saw　the　beautiful　face　of　Phaidor

contorted　into　an　expression　of　malign　hatred。　　As　my　eyes

met　hers　she　spoke。



〃Think　not；　John　Carter；　that　you　may　so　lightly　cast　aside

the　love　of　Phaidor；　daughter　of　Matai　Shang。　　Nor　ever　hope

to　hold　thy　Dejah　Thoris　in　thy　arms　again。　　Wait　you　the

long；　long　year；　but　know　that　when　the　waiting　is　over　it

shall　be　Phaidor's　arms　which　shall　welcome　younot　those

of　the　Princess　of　Helium。　　Behold；　she　dies！〃



And　as　she　finished　speaking　I　saw　her　raise　a　dagger　on　high；

and　then　I　saw　another　figure。　　It　was　Thuvia's。　　As　the

dagger　fell　toward　the　unprotected　breast　of　my　love；　Thuvia

was　almost　between　them。　　A　blinding　gust　of　smoke

blotted　out　the　tragedy　within　that　fearsome　cella　shriek

rang　out；　a　single　shriek；　as　the　dagger　fell。



The　smoke　cleared　away；　but　we　stood　gazing　upon