warlord of mars-第22部分

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Ptarth；　and　both　had　corroborated　my　statements　it　began　to　look

pretty　dark　for　Thurid。

　

I　saw　the　ugly　gleam　in　Matai　Shang's　evil　eyes　as　Dejah　Thoris

narrated　all　that　had　passed　between　Thurid　and　herself；　and

when　she　came　to　that　part　which　dealt　with　my　interference　with

the　dator　of　the　First　Born　her　gratitude　was　quite　apparent；

though　I　could　see　by　her　eyes　that　something　puzzled　her　strangely。

　

I　did　not　wonder　at　her　attitude　toward　me　while　others　were　present；

but　that　she　should　have　denied　me　while　she　and　Thuvia　were　the　only

occupants　of　the　garden　still　cut　me　sorely。

　

As　the　examination　proceeded　I　cast　a　glance　at　Thurid

and　startled　him　looking　wide…eyed　and　wonderingly　at　me；

and　then　of　a　sudden　he　laughed　full　in　my　face。

　

A　moment　later　Salensus　Oll　turned　toward　the　black。

　

〃What　have　you　to　say　in　explanation　of　these　charges？〃　he　asked

in　a　deep　and　terrible　voice。　　〃Dare　you　aspire　to　one　whom

the　Father　of　Therns　has　chosenone　who　might　even　be　a　fit　mate

for　the　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　himself？〃

　

And　then　the　black…bearded　tyrant　turned　and　cast　a　sudden

greedy　look　upon　Dejah　Thoris；　as　though　with　the　words　a　new

thought　and　a　new　desire　had　sprung　up　within　his　mind　and　breast。

　

Thurid　had　been　about　to　reply　and；　with　a　malicious　grin　upon

his　face；　was　pointing　an　accusing　finger　at　me；　when　Salensus

Oll's　words　and　the　expression　of　his　face　cut　him　short。

　

A　cunning　look　crept　into　his　eyes；　and　I　knew　from　the　expression　of

his　face　that　his　next　words　were　not　the　ones　he　had　intended　to　speak。

　

〃O　Mightiest　of　Jeddaks；〃　he　said；　〃the　man　and　the　women　do　not

speak　the　truth。　　The　fellow　had　come　into　the　garden　to　assist

them　to　escape。　　I　was　beyond　and　overheard　their　conversation；

and　when　I　entered；　the　woman　screamed　and　the　man　sprang　upon

me　and　would　have　killed　me。

　

〃What　know　you　of　this　man？　　He　is　a　stranger　to　you；　and　I

dare　say　that　you　will　find　him　an　enemy　and　a　spy。　　Let　him　be　put

on　trial；　Salensus　Oll；　rather　than　your　friend　and　guest；　Thurid；

Dator　of　the　First　Born。〃

　

Salensus　Oll　looked　puzzled。　　He　turned　again　and　looked　upon

Dejah　Thoris；　and　then　Thurid　stepped　quite　close　to　him　and

whispered　something　in　his　earwhat；　I　know　not。

　

Presently　the　yellow　ruler　turned　to　one　of　his　officers。

　

〃See　that　this　man　be　securely　confined　until　we　have　time　to

go　deeper　into　this　affair；〃　he　commanded；　〃and　as　bars　alone　seem

inadequate　to　restrain　him；　let　chains　be　added。〃

　

Then　he　turned　and　left　the　garden；　taking　Dejah　Thoris　with

himhis　hand　upon　her　shoulder。　　Thurid　and　Matai　Shang　went　also；

and　as　they　reached　the　gateway　the　black　turned　and　laughed　again

aloud　in　my　face。

　

What　could　be　the　meaning　of　his　sudden　change　toward　me？

Could　he　suspect　my　true　identity？　　It　must　be　that；　and　the　thing

that　had　betrayed　me　was　the　trick　and　blow　that　had　laid　him　low

for　the　second　time。

　

As　the　guards　dragged　me　away　my　heart　was　very　sad　and　bitter　indeed；

for　now　to　the　two　relentless　enemies　that　had　hounded　her　for　so　long

another　and　a　more　powerful　one　had　been　added；　for　I　would　have　been

but　a　fool　had　I　not　recognized　the　sudden　love　for　Dejah　Thoris　that　had

just　been　born　in　the　terrible　breast　of　Salensus　Oll；　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks；

ruler　of　Okar。

　

　

　

　

THE　PIT　OF　PLENTY

　

　

I　did　not　languish　long　within　the　prison　of　Salensus　Oll。

During　the　short　time　that　I　lay　there；　fettered　with　chains　of　gold；

I　often　wondered　as　to　the　fate　of　Thuvan　Dihn；　Jeddak　of　Ptarth。

　

My　brave　companion　had　followed　me　into　the　garden　as　I　attacked　Thurid；

and　when　Salensus　Oll　had　left　with　Dejah　Thoris　and　the　others；

leaving　Thuvia　of　Ptarth　behind；　he；　too；　had　remained　in　the　garden

with　his　daughter；　apparently　unnoticed；　for　he　was　appareled

similarly　to　the　guards。

　

The　last　I　had　seen　of　him　he　stood　waiting　for　the　warriors

who　escorted　me　to　close　the　gate　behind　them；　that　he　might　be

alone　with　Thuvia。　　Could　it　be　possible　that　they　had　escaped？

I　doubted　it；　and　yet　with　all　my　heart　I　hoped　that　it　might　be　true。

　

The　third　day　of　my　incarceration　brought　a　dozen　warriors　to

escort　me　to　the　audience　chamber；　where　Salensus　Oll　himself　was

to　try　me。　　A　great　number　of　nobles　crowded　the　room；　and　among

them　I　saw　Thurid；　but　Matai　Shang　was　not　there。

　

Dejah　Thoris；　as　radiantly　beautiful　as　ever；　sat　upon　a　small

throne　beside　Salensus　Oll。　　The　expression　of　sad　hopelessness

upon　her　dear　face　cut　deep　into　my　heart。

　

Her　position　beside　the　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　boded　ill　for　her　and　me；

and　on　the　instant　that　I　saw　her　there；　there　sprang　to　my　mind

the　firm　intention　never　to　leave　that　chamber　alive　if　I　must

leave　her　in　the　clutches　of　this　powerful　tyrant。

　

I　had　killed　better　men　than　Salensus　Oll；　and　killed　them

with　my　bare　hands；　and　now　I　swore　to　myself　that　I　should　kill

him　if　I　found　that　the　only　way　to　save　the　Princess　of　Helium。

That　it　would　mean　almost　instant　death　for　me　I　cared　not；　except

that　it　would　remove　me　from　further　efforts　in　behalf　of　Dejah

Thoris；　and　for　this　reason　alone　I　would　have　chosen　another　way；

for　even　though　I　should　kill　Salensus　Oll　that　act　would　not

restore　my　beloved　wife　to　her　own　people。　　I　determined　to

wait　the　final　outcome　of　the　trial；　that　I　might　learn　all　that　I

could　of　the　Okarian　ruler's　intentions；　and　then　act　accordingly。

　

Scarcely　had　I　come　before　him　than　Salensus　Oll　summoned　Thurid　also。

　

〃Dator　Thurid；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　made　a　strange　request　of　me；

but；　in　accordance　with　your　wishes　and　your　promise　that　it　will

result　only　to　my　interests；　I　have　decided　to　accede。

　

〃You　tell　me　that　a　certain　announcement　will　be　the　means　of

convicting　this　prisoner　and；　at　the　same　time；　open　the　way　to　the

gratification　of　my　dearest　wish。〃

　

Thurid　nodded。

　

〃Then　shall　I　make　the　announcement　here　before　all　my　nobles；〃

continued　Salensus　Oll。　　〃For　a　year　no　queen　has　sat　upon　the

throne　beside　me；　and　now　it　suits　me　to　take　to　wife　one　who

is　reputed　the　most　beautiful　woman　upon　Barsoom。　　A　statement

which　none　may　truthfully　deny。

　

〃Nobles　of　Okar；　unsheathe　your　swords　and　do　homage　to　Dejah

Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium　and　future　Queen　of　Okar；　for　at　the　end

of　the　allotted　ten　days　she　shall　become　the　wife　of　Salensus　Oll。〃

　

As　the　nobles　drew　their　blades　and　lifted　them　on　high；　in

accordance　with　the　ancient　custom　of　Okar　when　a　jeddak　announces

his　intention　to　wed；　Dejah　Thoris　sprang　to　her　feet　and；　raising

her　hand　aloft；　cried　in　a　loud　voice　that　they　desist。

　

〃I　may　not　be　the　wife　of　Salensus　Oll；〃　she　pleaded；　〃for

already　I　be　a　wife　and　mother。　　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；

still　lives。　　I　know　it　to　be　true；　for　I　overheard　Matai　Shang

tell　his　daughter　Phaidor　that　he　had　seen　him　in　Kaor；　at　the

court　of　Kulan　Tith；　Jeddak。　　A　jeddak　does　not　wed　a　married

woman；　nor　will　Salensus　Oll　thus　violate　the　bonds　of　matrimony。〃

　

Salensus　Oll　turned　upon　Thurid　with　an　ugly　look。

　

〃Is　this　the　surprise　you　held　in　store　for　me？〃　he　cried。

〃You　assured　me　that　no　obstacle　which　might　not　be　easily

overcome　stood　between　me　and　this　woman；　and　now　I　find　that

the　one　insuperable　obstacle　intervenes。　　What　mean　you；　man？

What　have　you　to　say？〃

　

〃And　should　I　deliver　John　Carter　into　your　hands；　Salensus　Oll；

would　you　not　feel　that　I　had　more　than　satisfied　the　promise

that　I　made　you？〃　answered　Thurid。

　

〃Talk　not　like　a　fool；〃　cried　the　enraged　jeddak。　　〃I　am　no

child　to　be　thus　played　with。〃

　

〃I　am　talking　only　as　a　man　who　knows；〃　replied　Thurid。

〃Knows　that　he　can　do　all　that　he　claims。〃

　

〃Then　turn　John　Carter　over　to　me　within　ten　days　or　yourself

suffer　the　end　that　I　should　mete　out　to　him　were　he　in　my　power！〃

snapped　the　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks；　with　an　ugly　scowl。

　

〃You　need　not　wait　ten　days；　Salensus　Oll；〃　replied　Thurid；

and　then；　turning　suddenly　upon　me　as　he　extended　a　pointing

finger；　he　cried：　　〃There　stands　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium！〃

　

〃Fool！〃　shrieked　Salensus　Oll。　　〃Fool！　　John　Carter　is　a　white　man。

This　fellow　be　as　yellow　as　myself。　　John　Carter's　face　is

smoothMatai　Shang　has　described　him　to　me。　　This　prisoner　has　a

beard　and　mustache　as　large　and　black　as　any　in　Okar。　　Quick；

guardsmen；　to　the　pits　with　the　black　maniac　who　wishes　to　throw

his　life　away　for　a　poor　joke　upon　your　ruler！〃

　

〃Hold！〃　cried　Thurid；　and　springing　forward　before　I　could　guess

his　intention；　he　had　grasped　my　beard　and　ripped　the　whole　false

fabric　from　my　face　and　head；　revealing　my　smooth；　tanned　skin

beneath　and　my　close…cropped　black　hair。

　

Instantly　pandemonium　reigned　in　the　audience　chamber　of　Salensus　Oll。

Warriors　pressed　forward　with　drawn　blades；　thinking　that　I　might　be

contemplating　the　assassination　of　the　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks；　while　others；

out　of　curiosity　to　see　one　whose　name　was　familiar　from　pole　to　pole；

crowded　behind　their　fellows。

　

As　my　identity　was　revealed　I　saw　Dejah　Thoris　spring　to　her　feet

amazement　writ　large　upon　her　faceand　then　through　that　jam　of

armed　men　she　forced　her　way　before　any　could　prevent。　　A　moment

only　and　she　was　before　me　with　outstretched　arms　and　eyes　filled

with　the　light　of　her　great　love。

　

〃John　Carter！　　John　Carter！〃　she　cried　as　I　folded　her　to　my　breast；

and　then　of　a　sudden　I　knew　why　she　had　denied　me　in　the　garden

beneath　the　tower。

　

What　a　fool　I　had　been！　　Expecting　that　she　would　penetrate　the　marvelous

disguise　that　had　been　wrought　for　me　by　the　barber　of　Marentina！

She　had　not　known　me；　that　was　all；　and　when　she　saw　the　sign　of　love

from　a　stranger　she　was　offended　and　righteously　indignant。　　Indeed；

but　I　had　been　a　fool。

　

〃And　it　was　you；〃　she