the gods of mars-第7部分

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His　tone　was　cold　and　ironical；　its　bitterness　but　reflecting

the　terrible　disappointment　he　had　suffered。　　Such　a　fearful

disillusionment；　such　a　blasting　of　life…long　hopes　and　aspirations；

such　an　uprooting　of　age…old　tradition　might　have　excused　a　vastly

greater　demonstration　on　the　part　of　the　Thark。



I　laid　my　hand　upon　his　shoulder。



〃I　am　sorry；〃　I　said；　nor　did　there　seem　aught　else　to　say。



〃Think；　John　Carter；　of　the　countless　billions　of　Barsoomians

who　have　taken　the　voluntary　pilgrimage　down　this　cruel　river

since　the　beginning　of　time；　only　to　fall　into　the　ferocious

clutches　of　the　terrible　creatures　that　to…day　assailed　us。



〃There　is　an　ancient　legend　that　once　a　red　man　returned

from　the　banks　of　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus；　returned　from　the

Valley　Dor；　back　through　the　mysterious　River　Iss；　and　the

legend　has　it　that　he　narrated　a　fearful　blasphemy　of　horrid

brutes　that　inhabited　a　valley　of　wondrous　loveliness；

brutes　that　pounced　upon　each　Barsoomian　as　he　terminated

his　pilgrimage　and　devoured　him　upon　the　banks　of　the　Lost

Sea　where　he　had　looked　to　find　love　and　peace　and　happiness；

but　the　ancients　killed　the　blasphemer；　as　tradition　has

ordained　that　any　shall　be　killed　who　return　from　the　bosom

of　the　River　of　Mystery。



〃But　now　we　know　that　it　was　no　blasphemy；　that　the

legend　is　a　true　one；　and　that　the　man　told　only　of　what　he

saw；　but　what　does　it　profit　us；　John　Carter；　since　even　should

we　escape；　we　also　would　be　treated　as　blasphemers？　　We

are　between　the　wild　thoat　of　certainty　and　the　mad　zitidar

of　factwe　can　escape　neither。〃



〃As　Earth　men　say；　we　are　between　the　devil　and　the　deep　sea；

Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　replied；　nor　could　I　help　but　smile　at　our　dilemma。



〃There　is　naught　that　we　can　do　but　take　things　as　they　come；

and　at　least　have　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　whoever

slays　us　eventually　will　have　far　greater　numbers　of　their

own　dead　to　count　than　they　will　get　in　return。　　White　ape　or

plant　man；　green　Barsoomian　or　red　man；　whosoever　it　shall

be　that　takes　the　last　toll　from　us　will　know　that　it　is　costly

in　lives　to　wipe　out　John　Carter；　Prince　of　the　House　of

Tardos　Mors；　and　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark；　at　the　same　time。〃



I　could　not　help　but　laugh　at　him　grim　humour；　and　he

joined　in　with　me　in　one　of　those　rare　laughs　of　real

enjoyment　which　was　one　of　the　attributes　of　this　fierce

Tharkian　chief　which　marked　him　from　the　others　of　his　kind。



〃But　about　yourself；　John　Carter；〃　he　cried　at　last。　　〃If　you

have　not　been　here　all　these　years　where　indeed　have　you

been；　and　how　is　it　that　I　find　you　here　to…day？〃



〃I　have　been　back　to　Earth；〃　I　replied。　　〃For　ten　long　Earth

years　I　have　been　praying　and　hoping　for　the　day　that　would

carry　me　once　more　to　this　grim　old　planet　of　yours；　for

which；　with　all　its　cruel　and　terrible　customs；　I　feel　a　bond

of　sympathy　and　love　even　greater　than　for　the　world　that

gave　me　birth。



〃For　ten　years　have　I　been　enduring　a　living　death　of

uncertainty　and　doubt　as　to　whether　Dejah　Thoris　lived；　and

now　that　for　the　first　time　in　all　these　years　my　prayers　have

been　answered　and　my　doubt　relieved　I　find　myself；　through

a　cruel　whim　of　fate；　hurled　into　the　one　tiny　spot　of　all

Barsoom　from　which　there　is　apparently　no　escape；　and　if

there　were；　at　a　price　which　would　put　out　for　ever　the　last

flickering　hope　which　I　may　cling　to　of　seeing　my　princess

again　in　this　lifeand　you　have　seen　to…day　with　what　pitiful

futility　man　yearns　toward　a　material　hereafter。



〃Only　a　bare　half…hour　before　I　saw　you　battling　with　the

plant　men　I　was　standing　in　the　moonlight　upon　the　banks　of

a　broad　river　that　taps　the　eastern　shore　of　Earth's　most

blessed　land。　　I　have　answered　you；　my　friend。　　Do　you　believe？〃



〃I　believe；〃　replied　Tars　Tarkas；　〃though　I　cannot　understand。〃



As　we　talked　I　had　been　searching　the　interior　of　the

chamber　with　my　eyes。　　It　was；　perhaps；　two　hundred　feet

in　length　and　half　as　broad；　with　what　appeared　to　be　a

doorway　in　the　centre　of　the　wall　directly　opposite　that

through　which　we　had　entered。



The　apartment　was　hewn　from　the　material　of　the　cliff；

showing　mostly　dull　gold　in　the　dim　light　which　a　single

minute　radium　illuminator　in　the　centre　of　the　roof　diffused

throughout　its　great　dimensions。　　Here　and　there　polished

surfaces　of　ruby；　emerald；　and　diamond　patched　the　golden

walls　and　ceiling。　　The　floor　was　of　another　material；　very

hard；　and　worn　by　much　use　to　the　smoothness　of　glass。

Aside　from　the　two　doors　I　could　discern　no　sign　of　other

aperture；　and　as　one　we　knew　to　be　locked　against　us　I

approached　the　other。



As　I　extended　my　hand　to　search　for　the　controlling　button；

that　cruel　and　mocking　laugh　rang　out　once　more；　so

close　to　me　this　time　that　I　involuntarily　shrank　back；

tightening　my　grip　upon　the　hilt　of　my　great　sword。



And　then　from　the　far　corner　of　the　great　chamber　a　hollow

voice　chanted：　〃There　is　no　hope；　there　is　no　hope；

the　dead　return　not；　the　dead　return　not；　nor　is　there

any　resurrection。　　Hope　not；　for　there　is　no　hope。〃



Though　our　eyes　instantly　turned　toward　the　spot　from

which　the　voice　seemed　to　emanate；　there　was　no　one　in

sight；　and　I　must　admit　that　cold　shivers　played　along　my

spine　and　the　short　hairs　at　the　base　of　my　head　stiffened

and　rose　up；　as　do　those　upon　a　hound's　neck　when　in　the

night　his　eyes　see　those　uncanny　things　which　are　hidden

from　the　sight　of　man。



Quickly　I　walked　toward　the　mournful　voice；　but　it　had

ceased　ere　I　reached　the　further　wall；　and　then　from　the　other

end　of　the　chamber　came　another　voice；　shrill　and　piercing：



〃Fools！　　Fools！〃　it　shrieked。　　〃Thinkest　thou　to　defeat　the

eternal　laws　of　life　and　death？　　Wouldst　cheat　the　mysterious

Issus；　Goddess　of　Death；　of　her　just　dues？　　Did　not　her　mighty

messenger；　the　ancient　Iss；　bear　you　upon　her　leaden　bosom

at　your　own　behest　to　the　Valley　Dor？



〃Thinkest　thou；　O　fools；　that　Issus　wilt　give　up　her　own？

Thinkest　thou　to　escape　from　whence　in　all　the　countless

ages　but　a　single　soul　has　fled？



〃Go　back　the　way　thou　camest；　to　the　merciful　maws　of　the

children　of　the　Tree　of　Life　or　the　gleaming　fangs　of　the

great　white　apes；　for　there　lies　speedy　surcease　from　suffering；

but　insist　in　your　rash　purpose　to　thread　the　mazes　of　the

Golden　Cliffs　of　the　Mountains　of　Otz；　past　the　ramparts

of　the　impregnable　fortresses　of　the　Holy　Therns；　and　upon

your　way　Death　in　its　most　frightful　form　will　overtake　you

a　death　so　horrible　that　even　the　Holy　Therns　themselves；

who　conceived　both　Life　and　Death；　avert　their　eyes　from

its　fiendishness　and　close　their　ears　against　the　hideous

shrieks　of　its　victims。



〃Go　back；　O　fools；　the　way　thou　camest。〃



And　then　the　awful　laugh　broke　out　from　another　part

of　the　chamber。



〃Most　uncanny；〃　I　remarked；　turning　to　Tars　Tarkas。



〃What　shall　we　do？〃　he　asked。　　〃We　cannot　fight　empty

air；　I　would　almost　sooner　return　and　face　foes　into　whose

flesh　I　may　feel　my　blade　bite　and　know　that　I　am　selling

my　carcass　dearly　before　I　go　down　to　that　eternal　oblivion

which　is　evidently　the　fairest　and　most　desirable　eternity　that

mortal　man　has　the　right　to　hope　for。〃



〃If；　as　you　say；　we　cannot　fight　empty　air；　Tars　Tarkas；〃

I　replied；　〃neither；　on　the　other　hand；　can　empty　air　fight　us。

I；　who　have　faced　and　conquered　in　my　time　thousands　of　sinewy

warriors　and　tempered　blades；　shall　not　be　turned　back　by　wind；

nor　no　more　shall　you；　Thark。〃



〃But　unseen　voices　may　emanate　from　unseen　and　unseeable

creatures　who　wield　invisible　blades；〃　answered　the　green　warrior。



〃Rot；　Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　cried；　〃those　voices　come　from　beings

as　real　as　you　or　as　I。　　In　their　veins　flows　lifeblood　that

may　be　let　as　easily　as　ours；　and　the　fact　that　they　remain

invisible　to　us　is　the　best　proof　to　my　mind　that　they　are

mortal；　nor　overly　courageous　mortals　at　that。　　Think　you；

Tars　Tarkas；　that　John　Carter　will　fly　at　the　first　shriek　of　a

cowardly　foe　who　dare　not　come　out　into　the　open　and　face　a　good　blade？〃



I　had　spoken　in　a　loud　voice　that　there　might　be　no

question　that　our　would…be　terrorizers　should　hear　me；　for　I

was　tiring　of　this　nerve…racking　fiasco。　　It　had　occurred　to　me；

too；　that　the　whole　business　was　but　a　plan　to　frighten　us

back　into　the　valley　of　death　from　which　we　had　escaped；　that

we　might　be　quickly　disposed　of　by　the　savage　creatures　there。



For　a　long　period　there　was　silence；　then　of　a　sudden　a　soft；

stealthy　sound　behind　me　caused　me　to　turn　suddenly　to　behold

a　great　many…legged　banth　creeping　sinuously　upon　me。



The　banth　is　a　fierce　beast　of　prey　that　roams　the　low

hills　surrounding　the　dead　seas　of　ancient　Mars。　　Like　nearly

all　Martian　animals　it　is　almost　hairless；　having　only　a　great

bristly　mane　about　its　thick　neck。



Its　long；　lithe　body　is　supported　by　ten　powerful　legs；　its

enormous　jaws　are　equipped；　like　those　of　the　calot；　or

Martian　hound；　with　several　rows　of　long　needle…like　fangs；

its　mouth　reaches　to　a　point　far　back　of　its　tiny　ears；　while

its　enormous；　protruding　eyes　of　green　add　the　last　touch　of

terror　to　its　awful　aspect。



As　it　crept　toward　me　it　lashed　its　powerful　tail　against

its　yellow　sides；　and　when　it　saw　that　it　was　discovered　it

emitted　the　terrifying　roar　which　often　freezes　its　prey　into

momentary　paralysis　in　the　instant　that　it　makes　its　spring。



And　so　it　launched　its　great　bulk　toward　me；　but　its

mighty　voice　had　held　no　paralysing　terrors　for　me；　and

it　met　cold　steel　instead　of　the　tender　flesh　its　cruel　jaws

gaped　so　widely　to　engulf。



An　instant　later　I　drew　my　blade　from　the　still　heart　of

this　great　Barsoomian　lion；　and　turning　toward　Tars　Tarkas

was　surprised　to　see　him　facing　a　similar　monster。



No　sooner　had　he　dispatched　his　than　I