warlord of mars-第31部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



that　I　had　gained　would　be　lostthen　my　fingers　reached　a　knot

at　the　very　end　of　the　rope　and　slipped　no　more。

　

With　a　prayer　of　gratitude　upon　my　lips　I　scrambled　upward　toward

the　boat's　deck。　　I　could　not　see　Thurid　and　Matai　Shang　now；

but　I　heard　the　sounds　of　conflict　and　thus　knew　that　they

still　foughtthe　thern　for　his　life　and　the　black　for　the

increased　buoyancy　that　relief　from　the　weight　of　even　a　single

body　would　give　the　craft。

　

Should　Matai　Shang　die　before　I　reached　the　deck　my　chances　of

ever　reaching　it　would　be　slender　indeed；　for　the　black　dator　need

but　cut　the　rope　above　me　to　be　freed　from　me　forever；　for　the

vessel　had　drifted　across　the　brink　of　a　chasm　into　whose　yawning

depths　my　body　would　drop　to　be　crushed　to　a　shapeless　pulp　should

Thurid　reach　the　rope　now。

　

At　last　my　hand　closed　upon　the　ship's　rail　and　that　very

instant　a　horrid　shriek　rang　out　below　me　that　sent　my　blood　cold

and　turned　my　horrified　eyes　downward　to　a　shrieking；　hurtling；

twisting　thing　that　shot　downward　into　the　awful　chasm　beneath　me。

　

It　was　Matai　Shang；　Holy　Hekkador；　Father　of　Therns；　gone　to

his　last　accounting。

　

Then　my　head　came　above　the　deck　and　I　saw　Thurid；　dagger　in　hand；

leaping　toward　me。　　He　was　opposite　the　forward　end　of　the　cabin；

while　I　was　attempting　to　clamber　aboard　near　the　vessel's　stern。

But　a　few　paces　lay　between　us。　　No　power　on　earth　could　raise　me

to　that　deck　before　the　infuriated　black　would　be　upon　me。

　

My　end　had　come。　　I　knew　it；　but　had　there　been　a　doubt　in　my

mind　the　nasty　leer　of　triumph　upon　that　wicked　face　would　have

convinced　me。　　Beyond　Thurid　I　could　see　my　Dejah　Thoris；　wide…eyed

and　horrified；　struggling　at　her　bonds。　　That　she　should　be　forced

to　witness　my　awful　death　made　my　bitter　fate　seem　doubly　cruel。

　

I　ceased　my　efforts　to　climb　across　the　gunwale。　　Instead　I　took

a　firm　grasp　upon　the　rail　with　my　left　hand　and　drew　my　dagger。

　

I　should　at　least　die　as　I　had　livedfighting。

　

As　Thurid　came　opposite　the　cabin's　doorway　a　new　element

projected　itself　into　the　grim　tragedy　of　the　air　that　was

being　enacted　upon　the　deck　of　Matai　Shang's　disabled　flier。

　

It　was　Phaidor。

　

With　flushed　face　and　disheveled　hair；　and　eyes　that　betrayed

the　recent　presence　of　mortal　tearsabove　which　this　proud　goddess

had　always　held　herselfshe　leaped　to　the　deck　directly　before　me。

　

In　her　hand　was　a　long；　slim　dagger。　　I　cast　a　last　look　upon

my　beloved　princess；　smiling；　as　men　should　who　are　about　to　die。

Then　I　turned　my　face　up　toward　Phaidorwaiting　for　the　blow。

　

Never　have　I　seen　that　beautiful　face　more　beautiful　than　it

was　at　that　moment。　　It　seemed　incredible　that　one　so　lovely　could

yet　harbor　within　her　fair　bosom　a　heart　so　cruel　and　relentless；

and　today　there　was　a　new　expression　in　her　wondrous　eyes　that　I　never

before　had　seen　therean　unfamiliar　softness；　and　a　look　of　suffering。

　

Thurid　was　beside　her　nowpushing　past　to　reach　me　first；　and　then

what　happened　happened　so　quickly　that　it　was　all　over　before　I　could

realize　the　truth　of　it。

　

Phaidor's　slim　hand　shot　out　to　close　upon　the　black's　dagger　wrist。

Her　right　hand　went　high　with　its　gleaming　blade。

　

〃That　for　Matai　Shang！〃　she　cried；　and　she　buried　her　blade

deep　in　the　dator's　breast。　　〃That　for　the　wrong　you　would　have　done

Dejah　Thoris！〃　and　again　the　sharp　steel　sank　into　the　bloody　flesh。

　

〃And　that；　and　that；　and　that！〃　she　shrieked；　〃for　John　Carter；

Prince　of　Helium；〃　and　with　each　word　her　sharp　point　pierced

the　vile　heart　of　the　great　villain。　　Then；　with　a　vindictive

shove　she　cast　the　carcass　of　the　First　Born　from　the　deck　to

fall　in　awful　silence　after　the　body　of　his　victim。

　

I　had　been　so　paralyzed　by　surprise　that　I　had　made　no　move　to　reach

the　deck　during　the　awe…inspiring　scene　which　I　had　just　witnessed；

and　now　I　was　to　be　still　further　amazed　by　her　next　act；　for　Phaidor

extended　her　hand　to　me　and　assisted　me　to　the　deck；　where　I　stood

gazing　at　her　in　unconcealed　and　stupefied　wonderment。

　

A　wan　smile　touched　her　lipsit　was　not　the　cruel　and　haughty

smile　of　the　goddess　with　which　I　was　familiar。　　〃You　wonder；

John　Carter；〃　she　said；　〃what　strange　thing　has　wrought　this

change　in　me？　　I　will　tell　you。　　It　is　lovelove　of　you；〃

and　when　I　darkened　my　brows　in　disapproval　of　her　words

she　raised　an　appealing　hand。

　

〃Wait；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　a　different　love　from　mineit　is

the　love　of　your　princess；　Dejah　Thoris；　for　you　that　has　taught

me　what　true　love　may　bewhat　it　should　be；　and　how　far　from

real　love　was　my　selfish　and　jealous　passion　for　you。

　

〃Now　I　am　different。　　Now　could　I　love　as　Dejah　Thoris　loves；

and　so　my　only　happiness　can　be　to　know　that　you　and　she　are　once

more　united；　for　in　her　alone　can　you　find　true　happiness。

　

〃But　I　am　unhappy　because　of　the　wickedness　that　I　have　wrought。

I　have　many　sins　to　expiate；　and　though　I　be　deathless；　life　is

all　too　short　for　the　atonement。

　

〃But　there　is　another　way；　and　if　Phaidor；　daughter　of　the

Holy　Hekkador　of　the　Holy　Therns；　has　sinned　she　has　this　day

already　made　partial　reparation；　and　lest　you　doubt　the　sincerity

of　her　protestations　and　her　avowal　of　a　new　love　that　embraces

Dejah　Thoris　also；　she　will　prove　her　sincerity　in　the　only　way

that　lies　openhaving　saved　you　for　another；　Phaidor　leaves　you

to　her　embraces。〃

　

With　her　last　word　she　turned　and　leaped　from　the　vessel's

deck　into　the　abyss　below。

　

With　a　cry　of　horror　I　sprang　forward　in　a　vain　attempt　to

save　the　life　that　for　two　years　I　would　so　gladly　have　seen

extinguished。　　I　was　too　late。

　

With　tear…dimmed　eyes　I　turned　away　that　I　might　not　see　the

awful　sight　beneath。

　

A　moment　later　I　had　struck　the　bonds　from　Dejah　Thoris；　and　as

her　dear　arms　went　about　my　neck　and　her　perfect　lips　pressed　to

mine　I　forgot　the　horrors　that　I　had　witnessed　and　the　suffering

that　I　had　endured　in　the　rapture　of　my　reward。

　

　

　

　

THE　NEW　RULER

　

　

The　flier　upon　whose　deck　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　found　ourselves

after　twelve　long　years　of　separation　proved　entirely　useless。

Her　buoyancy　tanks　leaked　badly。　　Her　engine　would　not　start。

We　were　helpless　there　in　mid　air　above　the　arctic　ice。

　

The　craft　had　drifted　across　the　chasm　which　held　the　corpses　of

Matai　Shang；　Thurid；　and　Phaidor；　and　now　hung　above　a　low　hill。

Opening　the　buoyancy　escape　valves　I　permitted　her　to　come　slowly

to　the　ground；　and　as　she　touched；　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　stepped　from

her　deck　and；　hand　in　hand；　turned　back　across　the　frozen　waste

toward　the　city　of　Kadabra。

　

Through　the　tunnel　that　had　led　me　in　pursuit　of　them　we　passed；

walking　slowly；　for　we　had　much　to　say　to　each　other。

　

She　told　me　of　that　last　terrible　moment　months　before　when　the

door　of　her　prison　cell　within　the　Temple　of　the　Sun　was　slowly

closing　between　us。　　Of　how　Phaidor　had　sprung　upon　her　with

uplifted　dagger；　and　of　Thuvia's　shriek　as　she　had　realized　the

foul　intention　of　the　thern　goddess。

　

It　had　been　that　cry　that　had　rung　in　my　ears　all　the　long；

weary　months　that　I　had　been　left　in　cruel　doubt　as　to　my

princess'　fate；　for　I　had　not　known　that　Thuvia　had　wrested

the　blade　from　the　daughter　of　Matai　Shang　before　it　had

touched　either　Dejah　Thoris　or　herself。

　

She　told　me；　too；　of　the　awful　eternity　of　her　imprisonment。

Of　the　cruel　hatred　of　Phaidor；　and　the　tender　love　of　Thuvia；

and　of　how　even　when　despair　was　the　darkest　those　two　red　girls

had　clung　to　the　same　hope　and　beliefthat　John　Carter　would

find　a　way　to　release　them。

　

Presently　we　came　to　the　chamber　of　Solan。　　I　had　been　proceeding

without　thought　of　caution；　for　I　was　sure　that　the　city　and　the

palace　were　both　in　the　hands　of　my　friends　by　this　time。

　

And　so　it　was　that　I　bolted　into　the　chamber　full　into

the　midst　of　a　dozen　nobles　of　the　court　of　Salensus　Oll。

They　were　passing　through　on　their　way　to　the　outside　world

along　the　corridors　we　had　just　traversed。

　

At　sight　of　us　they　halted　in　their　tracks；　and　then　an　ugly

smile　overspread　the　features　of　their　leader。

　

〃The　author　of　all　our　misfortunes！〃　he　cried；　pointing　at　me。

〃We　shall　have　the　satisfaction　of　a　partial　vengeance　at　least

when　we　leave　behind　us　here　the　dead　and　mutilated　corpses　of　the

Prince　and　Princess　of　Helium。

　

〃When　they　find　them；〃　he　went　on；　jerking　his　thumb　upward　toward

the　palace　above；　〃they　will　realize　that　the　vengeance　of　the

yellow　man　costs　his　enemies　dear。　　Prepare　to　die；　John　Carter；

but　that　your　end　may　be　the　more　bitter；　know　that　I　may　change

my　intention　as　to　meting　a　merciful　death　to　your　princess

possibly　she　shall　be　preserved　as　a　plaything　for　my　nobles。〃

　

I　stood　close　to　the　instrument…covered　wallDejah　Thoris　at　my　side。

She　looked　up　at　me　wonderingly　as　the　warriors　advanced　upon　us　with

drawn　swords；　for　mine　still　hung　within　its　scabbard　at　my　side；

and　there　was　a　smile　upon　my　lips。

　

The　yellow　nobles；　too；　looked　in　surprise；　and　then　as　I　made

no　move　to　draw　they　hesitated；　fearing　a　ruse；　but　their　leader

urged　them　on。　　When　they　had　come　almost　within　sword's　reach　of

me　I　raised　my　hand　and　laid　it　upon　the　polished　surface　of　a

great　lever；　and　then；　still　smiling　grimly；　I　looked　my　enemies

full　in　the　face。

　

As　one　they　came　to　a　sudden　stop；　casting　affrighted　glances

at　me　and　at　one　another。

　

〃Stop！〃　shrieked　their　leader。　　〃You　dream　not　what　you　do！〃

　

〃Right　you　are；〃　I　replied。　　〃John　Carter　does　not　dream。

He　knowsknows　that　should　one　of　you　take　another　step　toward

Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium；　I　pull　this　lever　wide；

and　she　and　I　shall　die　together；　but　we　shall　not　die　alone。〃

　

The　nobles　shrank　back；　whispering　together　for　a　few　moments。

At　last　their　lea