warlord of mars-第15部分

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〃More；　too；　I　heard；　and　that　of　the　chivalrous　kindness　that

John　Carter　had　accorded　my　daughter。　　They　told　me　how　he　fought

for　her　and　rescued　her；　and　how　he　spurned　escape　from　the　savage

Warhoons　of　the　south；　sending　her　to　safety　upon　his　own

thoat　and　remaining　upon　foot　to　meet　the　green　warriors。

　

〃Can　you　wonder；　Kulan　Tith；　that　I　am　willing　to　jeopardize

my　life；　the　peace　of　my　nation；　or　even　your　friendship；　which　I

prize　more　than　aught　else；　to　champion　the　Prince　of　Helium？〃

　

For　a　moment　Kulan　Tith　was　silent。　　I　could　see　by　the　expression

of　his　face　that　he　was　sore　perplexed。　　Then　he　spoke。

　

〃Thuvan　Dihn；〃　he　said；　and　his　tone　was　friendly　though　sad；

〃who　am　I　to　judge　my　fellow…man？　　In　my　eyes　the　Father　of　Therns

is　still　holy；　and　the　religion　which　he　teaches　the　only　true　religion；

but　were　I　faced　by　the　same　problem　that　has　vexed　you　I　doubt　not

that　I　should　feel　and　act　precisely　as　you　have。

　

〃In　so　far　as　the　Prince　of　Helium　is　concerned　I　may　act；　but　between

you　and　Matai　Shang　my　only　office　can　be　one　of　conciliation。

The　Prince　of　Helium　shall　be　escorted　in　safety　to　the　boundary

of　my　domain　ere　the　sun　has　set　again；　where　he　shall　be　free

to　go　whither　he　will；　but　upon　pain　of　death　must　he　never

again　enter　the　land　of　Kaol。

　

〃If　there　be　a　quarrel　between　you　and　the　Father　of　Therns；

I　need　not　ask　that　the　settlement　of　it　be　deferred　until　both

have　passed　beyond　the　limits　of　my　power。　　Are　you　satisfied；

Thuvan　Dihn？〃

　

The　Jeddak　of　Ptarth　nodded　his　assent；　but　the　ugly　scowl　that

he　bent　upon　Matai　Shang　harbored　ill　for　that　pasty…faced　godling。

　

〃The　Prince　of　Helium　is　far　from　satisfied；〃　I　cried；

breaking　rudely　in　upon　the　beginnings　of　peace；　for　I

had　no　stomach　for　peace　at　the　price　that　had　been　named。

　

〃I　have　escaped　death　in　a　dozen　forms　to　follow　Matai　Shang

and　overtake　him；　and　I　do　not　intend　to　be　led；　like　a　decrepit

thoat　to　the　slaughter；　from　the　goal　that　I　have　won　by　the

prowess　of　my　sword　arm　and　the　might　of　my　muscles。

　

〃Nor　will　Thuvan　Dihn；　Jeddak　of　Ptarth；　be　satisfied　when　he

has　heard　me　through。　　Do　you　know　why　I　have　followed　Matai　Shang

and　Thurid；　the　black　dator；　from　the　forests　of　the　Valley　Dor

across　half　a　world　through　almost　insurmountable　difficulties？

　

〃Think　you　that　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　would　stoop　to

assassination？　　Can　Kulan　Tith　be　such　a　fool　as　to　believe

that　lie；　whispered　in　his　ear　by　the　Holy　Thern　or　Dator　Thurid？

　

〃I　do　not　follow　Matai　Shang　to　kill　him；　though　the　God　of

mine　own　planet　knows　that　my　hands　itch　to　be　at　his　throat。

I　follow　him；　Thuvan　Dihn；　because　with　him　are　two　prisoners

my　wife；　Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium；　and　your　daughter；

Thuvia　of　Ptarth。

　

〃Now　think　you　that　I　shall　permit　myself　to　be　led　beyond

the　walls　of　Kaol　unless　the　mother　of　my　son　accompanies　me；

and　thy　daughter　be　restored？〃

　

Thuvan　Dihn　turned　upon　Kulan　Tith。　　Rage　flamed　in　his　keen　eyes；

but　by　the　masterfulness　of　his　self…control　he　kept　his　tones　level

as　he　spoke。

　

〃Knew　you　this　thing；　Kulan　Tith？〃　he　asked。　　〃Knew　you　that

my　daughter　lay　a　prisoner　in　your　palace？〃

　

〃He　could　not　know　it；〃　interrupted　Matai　Shang；　white　with

what　I　am　sure　was　more　fear　than　rage。　　〃He　could　not　know　it；

for　it　is　a　lie。〃

　

I　would　have　had　his　life　for　that　upon　the　spot；　but　even　as

I　sprang　toward　him　Thuvan　Dihn　laid　a　heavy　hand　upon　my　shoulder。

　

〃Wait；〃　he　said　to　me；　and　then　to　Kulan　Tith。　　〃It　is　not　a　lie。

This　much　have　I　learned　of　the　Prince　of　Heliumhe　does　not　lie。

Answer　me；　Kulan　TithI　have　asked　you　a　question。〃

　

〃Three　women　came　with　the　Father　of　Therns；〃　replied　Kulan　Tith。

〃Phaidor；　his　daughter；　and　two　who　were　reported　to　be　her　slaves。

If　these　be　Thuvia　of　Ptarth　and　Dejah　Thoris　of　Helium　I　did　not

know　itI　have　seen　neither。　　But　if　they　be；　then　shall　they　be

returned　to　you　on　the　morrow。〃

　

As　he　spoke　he　looked　straight　at　Matai　Shang；　not　as　a　devotee

should　look　at　a　high　priest；　but　as　a　ruler　of　men　looks　at　one

to　whom　he　issues　a　command。

　

It　must　have　been　plain　to　the　Father　of　Therns；　as　it　was　to　me；

that　the　recent　disclosures　of　his　true　character　had　done　much

already　to　weaken　the　faith　of　Kulan　Tith；　and　that　it　would　require

but　little　more　to　turn　the　powerful　jeddak　into　an　avowed　enemy；

but　so　strong　are　the　seeds　of　superstition　that　even　the　great

Kaolian　still　hesitated　to　cut　the　final　strand　that　bound　him

to　his　ancient　religion。

　

Matai　Shang　was　wise　enough　to　seem　to　accept　the　mandate　of

his　follower；　and　promised　to　bring　the　two　slave　women　to　the

audience　chamber　on　the　morrow。

　

〃It　is　almost　morning　now；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　should　dislike　to　break

in　upon　the　slumber　of　my　daughter；　or　I　would　have　them　fetched

at　once　that　you　might　see　that　the　Prince　of　Helium　is　mistaken；〃

and　he　emphasized　the　last　word　in　an　effort　to　affront　me　so

subtilely　that　I　could　not　take　open　offense。

　

I　was　about　to　object　to　any　delay；　and　demand　that　the　Princess

of　Helium　be　brought　to　me　forthwith；　when　Thuvan　Dihn　made　such

insistence　seem　unnecessary。

　

〃I　should　like　to　see　my　daughter　at　once；〃　he　said；　〃but　if

Kulan　Tith　will　give　me　his　assurance　that　none　will　be　permitted

to　leave　the　palace　this　night；　and　that　no　harm　shall　befall

either　Dejah　Thoris　or　Thuvia　of　Ptarth　between　now　and　the　moment

they　are　brought　into　our　presence　in　this　chamber　at　daylight　I

shall　not　insist。〃

　

〃None　shall　leave　the　palace　tonight；〃　replied　the　Jeddak　of　Kaol；

〃and　Matai　Shang　will　give　us　assurance　that　no　harm　will　come

to　the　two　women？〃

　

The　thern　assented　with　a　nod。　　A　few　moments　later　Kulan　Tith

indicated　that　the　audience　was　at　an　end；　and　at　Thuvan　Dihn's

invitation　I　accompanied　the　Jeddak　of　Ptarth　to　his　own　apartments；

where　we　sat　until　daylight；　while　he　listened　to　the　account　of

my　experiences　upon　his　planet　and　to　all　that　had　befallen

his　daughter　during　the　time　that　we　had　been　together。

　

I　found　the　father　of　Thuvia　a　man　after　my　own　heart；　and　that

night　saw　the　beginning　of　a　friendship　which　has　grown　until

it　is　second　only　to　that　which　obtains　between　Tars　Tarkas；

the　green　Jeddak　of　Thark；　and　myself。

　

The　first　burst　of　Mars's　sudden　dawn　brought　messengers　from

Kulan　Tith；　summoning　us　to　the　audience　chamber　where　Thuvan　Dihn

was　to　receive　his　daughter　after　years　of　separation；　and　I　was　to

be　reunited　with　the　glorious　daughter　of　Helium　after　an　almost

unbroken　separation　of　twelve　years。

　

My　heart　pounded　within　my　bosom　until　I　looked　about　me　in

embarrassment；　so　sure　was　I　that　all　within　the　room　must　hear。

My　arms　ached　to　enfold　once　more　the　divine　form　of　her

whose　eternal　youth　and　undying　beauty　were　but　outward

manifestations　of　a　perfect　soul。

　

At　last　the　messenger　despatched　to　fetch　Matai　Shang　returned。

I　craned　my　neck　to　catch　the　first　glimpse　of　those　who　should

be　following；　but　the　messenger　was　alone。

　

Halting　before　the　throne　he　addressed　his　jeddak　in　a　voice

that　was　plainly　audible　to　all　within　the　chamber。

　

〃O　Kulan　Tith；　Mightiest　of　Jeddaks；〃　he　cried；　after　the

fashion　of　the　court；　〃your　messenger　returns　alone；　for　when　he

reached　the　apartments　of　the　Father　of　Therns　he　found　them　empty；

as　were　those　occupied　by　his　suite。〃

　

Kulan　Tith　went　white。

　

A　low　groan　burst　from　the　lips　of　Thuvan　Dihn　who　stood　next　me；

not　having　ascended　the　throne　which　awaited　him　beside　his　host。

For　a　moment　the　silence　of　death　reigned　in　the　great　audience

chamber　of　Kulan　Tith；　Jeddak　of　Kaol。　　It　was　he　who　broke　the　spell。

　

Rising　from　his　throne　he　stepped　down　from　the　dais　to　the

side　of　Thuvan　Dihn。　　Tears　dimmed　his　eyes　as　he　placed　both

his　hands　upon　the　shoulders　of　his　friend。

　

〃O　Thuvan　Dihn；〃　he　cried；　〃that　this　should　have　happened　in　the

palace　of　thy　best　friend！　　With　my　own　hands　would　I　have　wrung

the　neck　of　Matai　Shang　had　I　guessed　what　was　in　his　foul　heart。

Last　night　my　life…long　faith　was　weakenedthis　morning　it　has

been　shattered；　but　too　late；　too　late。

　

〃To　wrest　your　daughter　and　the　wife　of　this　royal　warrior

from　the　clutches　of　these　archfiends　you　have　but　to　command　the

resources　of　a　mighty　nation；　for　all　Kaol　is　at　your　disposal。

What　may　be　done？　　Say　the　word！〃

　


〃First；〃　I　suggested；　〃let　us　find　those　of　your　people　who　be

responsible　for　the　escape　of　Matai　Shang　and　his　followers。

Without　assistance　on　the　part　of　the　palace　guard　this　thing

could　not　have　come　to　pass。　　Seek　the　guilty；　and　from　them

force　an　explanation　of　the　manner　of　their　going　and　the

direction　they　have　taken。〃

　

Before　Kulan　Tith　could　issue　the　commands　that　would　initiate

the　investigation　a　handsome　young　officer　stepped　forward　and

addressed　his　jeddak。

　

〃O　Kulan　Tith；　Mightiest　of　Jeddaks；〃　he　said；　〃I　alone　be

responsible　for　this　grievous　error。　　Last　night　it　was　I

who　commanded　the　palace　guard。　　I　was　on　duty　in　other　parts　of

the　palace　during　the　audience　of　the　early　morning；　and　knew

nothing　of　what　transpired　then；　so　that　when　the　Father　of　Therns

summoned　me　and　explained　that　it　was　your　wish　that　his　party　be

hastened　from　the　city　because　of　the　presence　here　of　a　deadly

enemy　who　sought　the　Holy　Hekkador's　life　I　did　only　what　a

lifetime　of　training　has　taught　me　was　the　proper　thing　to　do

I　obeyed　him　whom　I　believed　to　be　the　ruler　of　us　all；

mightier　even　than　thou；　mightiest　of　jeddaks。

　

〃Let　the　consequences　and　the　punishment　fall　on　me　alone；

for　I　alone　am　guilty。　　Those　others　of　the　palace　guard　who

assisted　in　the　flight　did　so　under　my　instructions。〃

　

Kulan　Tith　looked　first　at　me　and　then　at　Thuv