a princess of mars-第30部分

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a　little　ensign　which　denoted　that　his　craft　bore　a　member

of　the　royal　family　of　Zodanga；　and　together　we　made　our

way　through　the　maze　of　low…lying　air　vessels　until　we　hung

directly　over　the　jeddak　of　Zodanga　and　his　staff。　　All　were

mounted　upon　the　small　domestic　bull　thoats　of　the　red

Martians；　and　their　trappings　and　ornamentation　bore　such

a　quantity　of　gorgeously　colored　feathers　that　I　could　not　but

be　struck　with　the　startling　resemblance　the　concourse　bore

to　a　band　of　the　red　Indians　of　my　own　Earth。



One　of　the　staff　called　the　attention　of　Than　Kosis　to　the

presence　of　my　companion　above　them　and　the　ruler　motioned

for　him　to　descend。　　As　they　waited　for　the　troops

to　move　into　position　facing　the　jeddak　the　two　talked

earnestly　together；　the　jeddak　and　his　staff　occasionally

glancing　up　at　me。　　I　could　not　hear　their　conversation　and

presently　it　ceased　and　all　dismounted；　as　the　last　body　of

troops　had　wheeled　into　position　before　their　emperor。　　A

member　of　the　staff　advanced　toward　the　troops；　and　calling

the　name　of　a　soldier　commanded　him　to　advance。　　The

officer　then　recited　the　nature　of　the　heroic　act　which　had

won　the　approval　of　the　jeddak；　and　the　latter　advanced

and　placed　a　metal　ornament　upon　the　left　arm　of　the

lucky　man。



Ten　men　had　been　so　decorated　when　the　aide　called　out；



〃John　Carter；　air　scout！〃



Never　in　my　life　had　I　been　so　surprised；　but　the　habit

of　military　discipline　is　strong　within　me；　and　I　dropped

my　little　machine　lightly　to　the　ground　and　advanced　on

foot　as　I　had　seen　the　others　do。　　As　I　halted　before　the

officer；　he　addressed　me　in　a　voice　audible　to　the　entire

assemblage　of　troops　and　spectators。



〃In　recognition；　John　Carter；〃　he　said；　〃of　your　remarkable

courage　and　skill　in　defending　the　person　of　the　cousin

of　the　jeddak　Than　Kosis　and；　singlehanded；　vanquishing

three　green　warriors；　it　is　the　pleasure　of　our　jeddak　to

confer　on　you　the　mark　of　his　esteem。〃



Than　Kosis　then　advanced　toward　me　and　placing　an

ornament　upon　me；　said：



〃My　cousin　has　narrated　the　details　of　your　wonderful

achievement；　which　seems　little　short　of　miraculous；　and　if

you　can　so　well　defend　a　cousin　of　the　jeddak　how　much

better　could　you　defend　the　person　of　the　jeddak　himself。

You　are　therefore　appointed　a　padwar　of　The　Guards　and

will　be　quartered　in　my　palace　hereafter。〃



I　thanked　him；　and　at　his　direction　joined　the　members

of　his　staff。　　After　the　ceremony　I　returned　my　machine　to

its　quarters　on　the　roof　of　the　barracks　of　the　air…scout

squadron；　and　with　an　orderly　from　the　palace　to　guide　me

I　reported　to　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　palace。











CHAPTER　XXII





I　FIND　DEJAH





The　major…domo　to　whom　I　reported　had　been　given　instructions

to　station　me　near　the　person　of　the　jeddak；　who；　in　time

of　war；　is　always　in　great　danger　of　assassination；　as　the

rule　that　all　is　fair　in　war　seems　to　constitute　the　entire

ethics　of　Martian　conflict。



He　therefore　escorted　me　immediately　to　the　apartment

in　which　Than　Kosis　then　was。　　The　ruler　was　engaged　in

conversation　with　his　son；　Sab　Than；　and　several　courtiers

of　his　household；　and　did　not　perceive　my　entrance。



The　walls　of　the　apartment　were　completely　hung　with

splendid　tapestries　which　hid　any　windows　or　doors　which

may　have　pierced　them。　　The　room　was　lighted　by　imprisoned

rays　of　sunshine　held　between　the　ceiling　proper　and　what

appeared　to　be　a　ground…glass　false　ceiling　a　few　inches

below。



My　guide　drew　aside　one　of　the　tapestries；　disclosing　a

passage　which　encircled　the　room；　between　the　hangings　and

the　walls　of　the　chamber。　　Within　this　passage　I　was　to

remain；　he　said；　so　long　as　Than　Kosis　was　in　the　apartment。

When　he　left　I　was　to　follow。　　My　only　duty　was　to　guard

the　ruler　and　keep　out　of　sight　as　much　as　possible。　　I

would　be　relieved　after　a　period　of　four　hours。　　The　major…

domo　then　left　me。



The　tapestries　were　of　a　strange　weaving　which　gave　the

appearance　of　heavy　solidity　from　one　side；　but　from　my　hiding

place　I　could　perceive　all　that　took　place　within　the　room　as

readily　as　though　there　had　been　no　curtain　intervening。



Scarcely　had　I　gained　my　post　than　the　tapestry　at　the

opposite　end　of　the　chamber　separated　and　four　soldiers　of

The　Guard　entered；　surrounding　a　female　figure。　　As　they

approached　Than　Kosis　the　soldiers　fell　to　either　side　and

there　standing　before　the　jeddak　and　not　ten　feet　from　me；

her　beautiful　face　radiant　with　smiles；　was　Dejah　Thoris。



Sab　Than；　Prince　of　Zodanga；　advanced　to　meet　her；　and

hand　in　hand　they　approached　close　to　the　jeddak。　　Than

Kosis　looked　up　in　surprise；　and；　rising；　saluted　her。



〃To　what　strange　freak　do　I　owe　this　visit　from　the　Princess

of　Helium；　who；　two　days　ago；　with　rare　consideration

for　my　pride；　assured　me　that　she　would　prefer　Tal　Hajus；

the　green　Thark；　to　my　son？〃



Dejah　Thoris　only　smiled　the　more　and　with　the　roguish　dimples

playing　at　the　corners　of　her　mouth　she　made　answer：



〃From　the　beginning　of　time　upon　Barsoom　it　has　been

the　prerogative　of　woman　to　change　her　mind　as　she　listed

and　to　dissemble　in　matters　concerning　her　heart。　　That　you

will　forgive；　Than　Kosis；　as　has　your　son。　　Two　days　ago　I

was　not　sure　of　his　love　for　me；　but　now　I　am；　and　I　have

come　to　beg　of　you　to　forget　my　rash　words　and　to　accept

the　assurance　of　the　Princess　of　Helium　that　when　the　time

comes　she　will　wed　Sab　Than；　Prince　of　Zodanga。〃



〃I　am　glad　that　you　have　so　decided；〃　replied　Than　Kosis。

〃It　is　far　from　my　desire　to　push　war　further　against　the

people　of　Helium；　and；　your　promise　shall　be　recorded　and

a　proclamation　to　my　people　issued　forthwith。〃



〃It　were　better；　Than　Kosis；〃　interrupted　Dejah　Thoris；

〃that　the　proclamation　wait　the　ending　of　this　war。　　It　would

look　strange　indeed　to　my　people　and　to　yours　were　the

Princess　of　Helium　to　give　herself　to　her　country's　enemy

in　the　midst　of　hostilities。〃



〃Cannot　the　war　be　ended　at　once？〃　spoke　Sab　Than。

〃It　requires　but　the　word　of　Than　Kosis　to　bring　peace。

Say　it；　my　father；　say　the　word　that　will　hasten　my

happiness；　and　end　this　unpopular　strife。〃



〃We　shall　see；〃　replied　Than　Kosis；　〃how　the　people　of

Helium　take　to　peace。　　I　shall　at　least　offer　it　to　them。〃



Dejah　Thoris；　after　a　few　words；　turned　and　left　the

apartment；　still　followed　by　her　guards。



Thus　was　the　edifice　of　my　brief　dream　of　happiness

dashed；　broken；　to　the　ground　of　reality。　　The　woman　for

whom　I　had　offered　my　life；　and　from　whose　lips　I　had　so

recently　heard　a　declaration　of　love　for　me；　had　lightly

forgotten　my　very　existence　and　smilingly　given　herself　to

the　son　of　her　people's　most　hated　enemy。



Although　I　had　heard　it　with　my　own　ears　I　could　not

believe　it。　　I　must　search　out　her　apartments　and　force　her

to　repeat　the　cruel　truth　to　me　alone　before　I　would　be

convinced；　and　so　I　deserted　my　post　and　hastened　through

the　passage　behind　the　tapestries　toward　the　door　by　which

she　had　left　the　chamber。　　Slipping　quietly　through　this

opening　I　discovered　a　maze　of　winding　corridors；　branching

and　turning　in　every　direction。



Running　rapidly　down　first　one　and　then　another　of　them

I　soon　became　hopelessly　lost　and　was　standing　panting

against　a　side　wall　when　I　heard　voices　near　me。　　Apparently

they　were　coming　from　the　opposite　side　of　the　partition

against　which　I　leaned　and　presently　I　made　out　the　tones

of　Dejah　Thoris。　　I　could　not　hear　the　words　but　I　knew

that　I　could　not　possibly　be　mistaken　in　the　voice。



Moving　on　a　few　steps　I　discovered　another　passageway

at　the　end　of　which　lay　a　door。　　Walking　boldly　forward　I

pushed　into　the　room　only　to　find　myself　in　a　small　ante…

chamber　in　which　were　the　four　guards　who　had　accompanied

her。　　One　of　them　instantly　arose　and　accosted　me；　asking

the　nature　of　my　business。



〃I　am　from　Than　Kosis；〃　I　replied；　〃and　wish　to　speak

privately　with　Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium。〃



〃And　your　order？〃　asked　the　fellow。



I　did　not　know　what　he　meant；　but　replied　that　I　was　a

member　of　The　Guard；　and　without　waiting　for　a　reply

from　him　I　strode　toward　the　opposite　door　of　the　ante…

chamber；　behind　which　I　could　hear　Dejah　Thoris　conversing。



But　my　entrance　was　not　to　be　so　easily　accomplished。

The　guardsman　stepped　before　me；　saying；



〃No　one　comes　from　Than　Kosis　without　carrying　an

order　or　the　password。　　You　must　give　me　one　or　the　other

before　you　may　pass。〃



〃The　only　order　I　require；　my　friend；　to　enter　where　I

will；　hangs　at　my　side；〃　I　answered；　tapping　my　long…sword；

〃will　you　let　me　pass　in　peace　or　no？〃



For　reply　he　whipped　out　his　own　sword；　calling　to　the

others　to　join　him；　and　thus　the　four　stood；　with　drawn

weapons；　barring　my　further　progress。



〃You　are　not　here　by　the　order　of　Than　Kosis；〃　cried

the　one　who　had　first　addressed　me；　〃and　not　only　shall

you　not　enter　the　apartments　of　the　Princess　of　Helium　but

you　shall　go　back　to　Than　Kosis　under　guard　to　explain

this　unwarranted　temerity。　　Throw　down　your　sword；　you

cannot　hope　to　overcome　four　of　us；〃　he　added　with　a　grim

smile。



My　reply　was　a　quick　thrust　which　left　me　but　three

antagonists　and　I　can　assure　you　that　they　were　worthy　of

my　metal。　　They　had　me　backed　against　the　wall　in　no　time；

fighting　for　my　life。　　Slowly　I　worked　my　way　to　a　corner

of　the　room　where　I　could　force　them　to　come　at　me　only

one　at　a　time；　and　thus　we　fought　upward　of　twenty　minutes；

the　clanging　of　steel　on　steel　producing　a　veritable　bedlam

in　the　little　room。



The　noise　had　brought　Dejah　Thoris　to　the　door　of　her

apartment；　and　there　she　stood　throughout　the　conflict　with

Sola　at　her　back　peering　over　her　shoulder。　　Her　face　was

set　and　emotionless　and　I　knew　that　she　did　not　r