warlord of mars-第23部分

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

but　I　had　been　a　fool。

　

〃And　it　was　you；〃　she　cried；　〃who　spoke　to　me　from　the　tower！

How　could　I　dream　that　my　beloved　Virginian　lay　behind　that　fierce

beard　and　that　yellow　skin？〃

　

She　had　been　wont　to　call　me　her　Virginian　as　a　term　of　endearment；

for　she　knew　that　I　loved　the　sound　of　that　beautiful　name；

made　a　thousand　times　more　beautiful　and　hallowed　by　her　dear　lips；

and　as　I　heard　it　again　after　all　those　long　years　my　eyes

became　dimmed　with　tears　and　my　voice　choked　with　emotion。

　

But　an　instant　did　I　crush　that　dear　form　to　me　ere　Salensus　Oll；

trembling　with　rage　and　jealousy；　shouldered　his　way　to　us。

　

〃Seize　the　man；〃　he　cried　to　his　warriors；　and　a　hundred　ruthless

hands　tore　us　apart。

　

Well　it　was　for　the　nobles　of　the　court　of　Okar　that　John　Carter

had　been　disarmed。　　As　it　was；　a　dozen　of　them　felt　the　weight

of　my　clenched　fists；　and　I　had　fought　my　way　half　up　the

steps　before　the　throne　to　which　Salensus　Oll　had　carried　Dejah

Thoris　ere　ever　they　could　stop　me。

　

Then　I　went　down；　fighting；　beneath　a　half…hundred　warriors；　but

before　they　had　battered　me　into　unconsciousness　I　heard　that　from

the　lips　of　Dejah　Thoris　that　made　all　my　suffering　well　worth　while。

　

Standing　there　beside　the　great　tyrant；　who　clutched　her　by　the　arm；

she　pointed　to　where　I　fought　alone　against　such　awful　odds。

　

〃Think　you；　Salensus　Oll；　that　the　wife　of　such　as　he　is；〃　she　cried；

〃would　ever　dishonor　his　memory；　were　he　a　thousand　times　dead；

by　mating　with　a　lesser　mortal？　　Lives　there　upon　any　world　such

another　as　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium？　　Lives　there　another

man　who　could　fight　his　way　back　and　forth　across　a　warlike　planet；

facing　savage　beasts　and　hordes　of　savage　men；　for　the　love　of　a　woman？

　

〃I；　Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium；　am　his。　　He　fought　for　me　and　won　me。

If　you　be　a　brave　man　you　will　honor　the　bravery　that　is　his；　and　you　will

not　kill　him。　　Make　him　a　slave　if　you　will；　Salensus　Oll；　but　spare　his　life。

I　would　rather　be　a　slave　with　such　as　he　than　be　Queen　of　Okar。〃

　

〃Neither　slave　nor　queen　dictates　to　Salensus　Oll；〃　replied　the

Jeddak　of　Jeddaks。　　〃John　Carter　shall　die　a　natural　death　in　the

Pit　of　Plenty；　and　the　day　he　dies　Dejah　Thoris　shall　become　my　queen。〃

　

I　did　not　hear　her　reply；　for　it　was　then　that　a　blow　upon　my

head　brought　unconsciousness；　and　when　I　recovered　my　senses　only

a　handful　of　guardsmen　remained　in　the　audience　chamber　with　me。

As　I　opened　my　eyes　they　goaded　me　with　the　points　of　their　swords

and　bade　me　rise。

　

Then　they　led　me　through　long　corridors　to　a　court　far　toward　the

center　of　the　palace。

　

In　the　center　of　the　court　was　a　deep　pit；　near　the　edge　of　which　stood

half　a　dozen　other　guardsmen；　awaiting　me。　　One　of　them　carried　a　long

rope　in　his　hands；　which　he　commenced　to　make　ready　as　we　approached。

　

We　had　come　to　within　fifty　feet　of　these　men　when　I　felt　a

sudden　strange　and　rapid　pricking　sensation　in　one　of　my　fingers。

　

For　a　moment　I　was　nonplused　by　the　odd　feeling；　and　then　there

came　to　me　recollection　of　that　which　in　the　stress　of　my　adventure

I　had　entirely　forgottenthe　gift　ring　of　Prince　Talu　of　Marentina。

　

Instantly　I　looked　toward　the　group　we　were　nearing；　at　the

same　time　raising　my　left　hand　to　my　forehead；　that　the　ring　might

be　visible　to　one　who　sought　it。　　Simultaneously　one　of　the　waiting

warriors　raised　his　left　hand；　ostensibly　to　brush　back　his　hair；

and　upon　one　of　his　fingers　I　saw　the　duplicate　of　my　own　ring。

　

A　quick　look　of　intelligence　passed　between　us；　after　which　I　kept

my　eyes　turned　away　from　the　warrior　and　did　not　look　at　him　again；

for　fear　that　I　might　arouse　the　suspicion　of　the　Okarians。

When　we　reached　the　edge　of　the　pit　I　saw　that　it　was　very　deep；

and　presently　I　realized　I　was　soon　to　judge　just　how　far　it

extended　below　the　surface　of　the　court；　for　he　who　held　the　rope

passed　it　about　my　body　in　such　a　way　that　it　could　be　released

from　above　at　any　time；　and　then；　as　all　the　warriors　grasped　it；

he　pushed　me　forward；　and　I　fell　into　the　yawning　abyss。

　

After　the　first　jerk　as　I　reached　the　end　of　the　rope　that

had　been　paid　out　to　let　me　fall　below　the　pit's　edge　they

lowered　me　quickly　but　smoothly。　　The　moment　before　the　plunge；

while　two　or　three　of　the　men　had　been　assisting　in　adjusting　the

rope　about　me；　one　of　them　had　brought　his　mouth　close　to　my　cheek；

and　in　the　brief　interval　before　I　was　cast　into　the　forbidding

hole　he　breathed　a　single　word　into　my　ear：

　

〃Courage！〃

　

The　pit；　which　my　imagination　had　pictured　as　bottomless；　proved　to　be

not　more　than　a　hundred　feet　in　depth；　but　as　its　walls　were　smoothly

polished　it　might　as　well　have　been　a　thousand　feet；　for　I　could　never

hope　to　escape　without　outside　assistance。

　

For　a　day　I　was　left　in　darkness；　and　then；　quite　suddenly；

a　brilliant　light　illumined　my　strange　cell。　　I　was　reasonably

hungry　and　thirsty　by　this　time；　not　having　tasted　food　or　drink

since　the　day　prior　to　my　incarceration。

　

To　my　amazement　I　found　the　sides　of　the　pit；　that　I　had

thought　smooth；　lined　with　shelves；　upon　which　were　the　most

delicious　viands　and　liquid　refreshments　that　Okar　afforded。

　

With　an　exclamation　of　delight　I　sprang　forward　to　partake　of

some　of　the　welcome　food；　but　ere　ever　I　reached　it　the　light

was　extinguished；　and；　though　I　groped　my　way　about　the　chamber；

my　hands　came　in　contact　with　nothing　beside　the　smooth；　hard　wall

that　I　had　felt　on　my　first　examination　of　my　prison。

　

Immediately　the　pangs　of　hunger　and　thirst　began　to　assail　me。

Where　before　I　had　had　but　a　mild　craving　for　food　and　drink；

I　now　actually　suffered　for　want　of　it；　and　all　because　of　the

tantalizing　sight　that　I　had　had　of　food　almost　within　my　grasp。

　

Once　more　darkness　and　silence　enveloped　me；　a　silence　that　was

broken　only　by　a　single　mocking　laugh。

　

For　another　day　nothing　occurred　to　break　the　monotony　of　my

imprisonment　or　relieve　the　suffering　superinduced　by　hunger

and　thirst。　　Slowly　the　pangs　became　less　keen；　as　suffering

deaded　the　activity　of　certain　nerves；　and　then　the　light

flashed　on　once　again；　and　before　me　stood　an　array　of　new

and　tempting　dishes；　with　great　bottles　of　clear　water　and

flagons　of　refreshing　wine；　upon　the　outside　of　which　the

cold　sweat　of　condensation　stood。

　

Again；　with　the　hunger　madness　of　a　wild　beast；　I　sprang

forward　to　seize　those　tempting　dishes；　but；　as　before；

the　light　went　out　and　I　came　to　a　sudden　stop　against　a　hard　wall。

　

Then　the　mocking　laugh　rang　out　for　a　second　time。

　

The　Pit　of　Plenty！

　

Ah；　what　a　cruel　mind　must　have　devised　this　exquisite；

hellish　torture！　　Day　after　day　was　the　thing　repeated；

until　I　was　on　the　verge　of　madness；　and　then；　as　I　had

done　in　the　pits　of　the　Warhoons；　I　took　a　new；　firm　hold

upon　my　reason　and　forced　it　back　into　the　channels　of　sanity。

　

By　sheer　will…power　I　regained　control　over　my　tottering　mentality；

and　so　successful　was　I　that　the　next　time　that　the　light　came　I　sat

quite　still　and　looked　indifferently　at　the　fresh　and　tempting　food

almost　within　my　reach。　　Glad　I　was　that　I　had　done　so；　for　it　gave　me

an　opportunity　to　solve　the　seeming　mystery　of　those　vanishing　banquets。

　

As　I　made　no　move　to　reach　the　food；　the　torturers　left　the　light

turned　on　in　the　hope　that　at　last　I　could　refrain　no　longer　from

giving　them　the　delicious　thrill　of　enjoyment　that　my　former　futile

efforts　to　obtain　it　had　caused。

　

And　as　I　sat　scrutinizing　the　laden　shelves　I　presently　saw

how　the　thing　was　accomplished；　and　so　simple　was　it　that　I

wondered　I　had　not　guessed　it　before。　　The　wall　of　my　prison　was　of

clearest　glassbehind　the　glass　were　the　tantalizing　viands。

　

After　nearly　an　hour　the　light　went　out；　but　this　time　there　was

no　mocking　laughterat　least　not　upon　the　part　of　my　tormentors；

but　I；　to　be　at　quits　with　them；　gave　a　low　laugh　that　none　might

mistake　for　the　cackle　of　a　maniac。

　

Nine　days　passed；　and　I　was　weak　from　hunger　and　thirst；　but　no

longer　sufferingI　was　past　that。　　Then；　down　through　the

darkness　above；　a　little　parcel　fell　to　the　floor　at　my　side。

　

Indifferently　I　groped　for　it；　thinking　it　but　some　new

invention　of　my　jailers　to　add　to　my　sufferings。

　

At　last　I　found　ita　tiny　package　wrapped　in　paper；　at　the

end　of　a　strong　and　slender　cord。　　As　I　opened　it　a　few　lozenges

fell　to　the　floor。　　As　I　gathered　them　up；　feeling　of　them　and

smelling　of　them；　I　discovered　that　they　were　tablets　of

concentrated　food　such　as　are　quite　common　in　all　parts　of　Barsoom。

　

Poison！　I　thought。

　

Well；　what　of　it？　　Why　not　end　my　misery　now　rather　than　drag　out

a　few　more　wretched　days　in　this　dark　pit？　　Slowly　I　raised　one

of　the　little　pellets　to　my　lips。

　

〃Good…bye；　my　Dejah　Thoris！〃　I　breathed。　　〃I　have　lived　for

you　and　fought　for　you；　and　now　my　next　dearest　wish　is　to　be

realized；　for　I　shall　die　for　you；〃　and；　taking　the　morsel

in　my　mouth；　I　devoured　it。

　

One　by　one　I　ate　them　all；　nor　ever　did　anything　taste　better

than　those　tiny　bits　of　nourishment；　within　which　I　knew　must　lie

the　seeds　of　deathpossibly　of　some　hideous；　torturing　death。

　

As　I　sat　quietly　upon　the　floor　of　my　prison；　waiting　for　the　end；

my　fingers　by　accident　came　in　contact　with　the　bit　of　paper

in　which　the　things　had　been　wrapped；　and　as　I　idly　played　with　it；

my　mind　roaming　far　back　into　the　past；　that　I　might　live　again　for

a　few　brief　moments　before　I　died　some　of　the　many　happy　moments　of

a　long　and　happy　life；　I　became　aware　of　strange　protuberances　upon

the　smooth　surface　of　the　parchment…like　substance　in　my　hands。

　

For　a　time　they　carried　no　special　significance　to　my　mindI

merely　was　mildly　wondrous