warlord of mars-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Warlord　of　Mars


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Edgar　Rice　Burroughs

　

　



CONTENTS

　

　

On　the　River　Iss

Under　the　Mountains

The　Temple　of　the　Sun

The　Secret　Tower

On　the　Kaolian　Road

A　Hero　in　Kaol

New　Allies

Through　the　Carrion　Caves

With　the　Yellow　Men

In　Durance

The　Pity　of　Plenty

〃Follow　the　Rope！〃

The　Magnet　Switch

The　Tide　of　Battle

Rewards

The　New　Ruler

　

　

　

　

THE　WARLORD　OF　MARS

　

　

　

ON　THE　RIVER　ISS

　

　

In　the　shadows　of　the　forest　that　flanks　the　crimson　plain　by

the　side　of　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus　in　the　Valley　Dor；　beneath　the

hurtling　moons　of　Mars；　speeding　their　meteoric　way　close　above　the

bosom　of　the　dying　planet；　I　crept　stealthily　along　the　trail　of　a

shadowy　form　that　hugged　the　darker　places　with　a　persistency　that

proclaimed　the　sinister　nature　of　its　errand。

　

For　six　long　Martian　months　I　had　haunted　the　vicinity　of　the

hateful　Temple　of　the　Sun；　within　whose　slow…revolving　shaft；

far　beneath　the　surface　of　Mars；　my　princess　lay　entombed

but　whether　alive　or　dead　I　knew　not。　　Had　Phaidor's　slim　blade

found　that　beloved　heart？　　Time　only　would　reveal　the　truth。

　

Six　hundred　and　eighty…seven　Martian　days　must　come　and　go

before　the　cell's　door　would　again　come　opposite　the　tunnel's

end　where　last　I　had　seen　my　ever…beautiful　Dejah　Thoris。

　

Half　of　them　had　passed；　or　would　on　the　morrow；　yet　vivid　in

my　memory；　obliterating　every　event　that　had　come　before　or　after；

there　remained　the　last　scene　before　the　gust　of　smoke　blinded　my

eyes　and　the　narrow　slit　that　had　given　me　sight　of　the　interior　of

her　cell　closed　between　me　and　the　Princess　of　Helium　for　a　long

Martian　year。

　

As　if　it　were　yesterday；　I　still　saw　the　beautiful　face　of　Phaidor；

daughter　of　Matai　Shang；　distorted　with　jealous　rage　and　hatred

as　she　sprang　forward　with　raised　dagger　upon　the　woman　I　loved。

　

I　saw　the　red　girl；　Thuvia　of　Ptarth；　leap　forward　to　prevent

the　hideous　deed。

　

The　smoke　from　the　burning　temple　had　come　then　to　blot　out

the　tragedy；　but　in　my　ears　rang　the　single　shriek　as　the　knife

fell。　　Then　silence；　and　when　the　smoke　had　cleared；　the　revolving

temple　had　shut　off　all　sight　or　sound　from　the　chamber　in　which

the　three　beautiful　women　were　imprisoned。

　

Much　there　had　been　to　occupy　my　attention　since　that　terrible　moment；

but　never　for　an　instant　had　the　memory　of　the　thing　faded；

and　all　the　time　that　I　could　spare　from　the　numerous　duties　that

had　devolved　upon　me　in　the　reconstruction　of　the　government　of　the

First　Born　since　our　victorious　fleet　and　land　forces　had

overwhelmed　them；　had　been　spent　close　to　the　grim　shaft　that　held

the　mother　of　my　boy；　Carthoris　of　Helium。

　

The　race　of　blacks　that　for　ages　had　worshiped　Issus；　the

false　deity　of　Mars；　had　been　left　in　a　state　of　chaos　by　my

revealment　of　her　as　naught　more　than　a　wicked　old　woman。

In　their　rage　they　had　torn　her　to　pieces。

　

From　the　high　pinnacle　of　their　egotism　the　First　Born　had

been　plunged　to　the　depths　of　humiliation。　　Their　deity　was　gone；

and　with　her　the　whole　false　fabric　of　their　religion。　　Their

vaunted　navy　had　fallen　in　defeat　before　the　superior　ships　and

fighting　men　of　the　red　men　of　Helium。

　

Fierce　green　warriors　from　the　ocher　sea　bottoms　of　outer　Mars

had　ridden　their　wild　thoats　across　the　sacred　gardens　of　the

Temple　of　Issus；　and　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark；　fiercest　of

them　all；　had　sat　upon　the　throne　of　Issus　and　ruled　the　First　Born

while　the　allies　were　deciding　the　conquered　nation's　fate。

　

Almost　unanimous　was　the　request　that　I　ascend　the　ancient　throne

of　the　black　men；　even　the　First　Born　themselves　concurring　in　it；

but　I　would　have　none　of　it。　　My　heart　could　never　be　with　the　race

that　had　heaped　indignities　upon　my　princess　and　my　son。

　

At　my　suggestion　Xodar　became　Jeddak　of　the　First　Born。

He　had　been　a　dator；　or　prince；　until　Issus　had　degraded　him；

so　that　his　fitness　for　the　high　office　bestowed　was　unquestioned。

　

The　peace　of　the　Valley　Dor　thus　assured；　the　green　warriors

dispersed　to　their　desolate　sea　bottoms；　while　we　of　Helium

returned　to　our　own　country。　　Here　again　was　a　throne　offered　me；

since　no　word　had　been　received　from　the　missing　Jeddak　of　Helium；

Tardos　Mors；　grandfather　of　Dejah　Thoris；　or　his　son；　Mors　Kajak；

Jed　of　Helium；　her　father。

　

Over　a　year　had　elapsed　since　they　had　set　out　to　explore　the

northern　hemisphere　in　search　of　Carthoris；　and　at　last　their

disheartened　people　had　accepted　as　truth　the　vague　rumors　of　their

death　that　had　filtered　in　from　the　frozen　region　of　the　pole。

　

Once　again　I　refused　a　throne；　for　I　would　not　believe　that

the　mighty　Tardos　Mors；　or　his　no　less　redoubtable　son；　was　dead。

　

〃Let　one　of　their　own　blood　rule　you　until　they　return；〃

I　said　to　the　assembled　nobles　of　Helium；　as　I　addressed　them　from

the　Pedestal　of　Truth　beside　the　Throne　of　Righteousness　in　the

Temple　of　Reward；　from　the　very　spot　where　I　had　stood　a　year

before　when　Zat　Arras　pronounced　the　sentence　of　death　upon　me。

　

As　I　spoke　I　stepped　forward　and　laid　my　hand　upon　the

shoulder　of　Carthoris　where　he　stood　in　the　front　rank　of　the

circle　of　nobles　about　me。

　

As　one；　the　nobles　and　the　people　lifted　their　voices　in　a

long　cheer　of　approbation。　　Ten　thousand　swords　sprang　on　high　from

as　many　scabbards；　and　the　glorious　fighting　men　of　ancient　Helium

hailed　Carthoris　Jeddak　of　Helium。

　

His　tenure　of　office　was　to　be　for　life　or　until　his　great…

grandfather；　or　grandfather；　should　return。　　Having　thus

satisfactorily　arranged　this　important　duty　for　Helium；　I　started

the　following　day　for　the　Valley　Dor　that　I　might　remain　close　to

the　Temple　of　the　Sun　until　the　fateful　day　that　should　see　the

opening　of　the　prison　cell　where　my　lost　love　lay　buried。

　

Hor　Vastus　and　Kantos　Kan；　with　my　other　noble　lieutenants；

I　left　with　Carthoris　at　Helium；　that　he　might　have　the　benefit

of　their　wisdom；　bravery；　and　loyalty　in　the　performance　of　the

arduous　duties　which　had　devolved　upon　him。　　Only　Woola；

my　Martian　hound；　accompanied　me。

　

At　my　heels　tonight　the　faithful　beast　moved　softly　in　my

tracks。　　As　large　as　a　Shetland　pony；　with　hideous　head　and

frightful　fangs；　he　was　indeed　an　awesome　spectacle；　as　he　crept

after　me　on　his　ten　short；　muscular　legs；　but　to　me　he　was　the

embodiment　of　love　and　loyalty。

　

The　figure　ahead　was　that　of　the　black　dator　of　the　First　Born；

Thurid；　whose　undying　enmity　I　had　earned　that　time　I　laid

him　low　with　my　bare　hands　in　the　courtyard　of　the　Temple　of　Issus；

and　bound　him　with　his　own　harness　before　the　noble　men　and　women

who　had　but　a　moment　before　been　extolling　his　prowess。

　

Like　many　of　his　fellows；　he　had　apparently　accepted　the　new　order　of

things　with　good　grace；　and　had　sworn　fealty　to　Xodar；　his　new　ruler；

but　I　knew　that　he　hated　me；　and　I　was　sure　that　in　his　heart　he　envied

and　hated　Xodar；　so　I　had　kept　a　watch　upon　his　comings　and　goings；

to　the　end　that　of　late　I　had　become　convinced　that　he　was　occupied

with　some　manner　of　intrigue。

　

Several　times　I　had　observed　him　leaving　the　walled　city　of

the　First　Born　after　dark；　taking　his　way　out　into　the　cruel　and

horrible　Valley　Dor；　where　no　honest　business　could　lead　any　man。

　

Tonight　he　moved　quickly　along　the　edge　of　the　forest　until

well　beyond　sight　or　sound　of　the　city；　then　he　turned　across　the

crimson　sward　toward　the　shore　of　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus。

　

The　rays　of　the　nearer　moon；　swinging　low　across　the　valley；

touched　his　jewel…incrusted　harness　with　a　thousand　changing　lights

and　glanced　from　the　glossy　ebony　of　his　smooth　hide。　　Twice　he

turned　his　head　back　toward　the　forest；　after　the　manner　of　one　who　is

upon　an　evil　errand；　though　he　must　have　felt　quite　safe　from　pursuit。

　

I　did　not　dare　follow　him　there　beneath　the　moonlight；　since

it　best　suited　my　plans　not　to　interrupt　hisI　wished　him　to　reach

his　destination　unsuspecting；　that　I　might　learn　just　where　that

destination　lay　and　the　business　that　awaited　the　night　prowler　there。

　

So　it　was　that　I　remained　hidden　until　after　Thurid　had

disappeared　over　the　edge　of　the　steep　bank　beside　the　sea　a

quarter　of　a　mile　away。　　Then；　with　Woola　following；　I　hastened

across　the　open　after　the　black　dator。

　

The　quiet　of　the　tomb　lay　upon　the　mysterious　valley　of　death；

crouching　deep　in　its　warm　nest　within　the　sunken　area　at　the　south

pole　of　the　dying　planet。　　In　the　far　distance　the　Golden　Cliffs

raised　their　mighty　barrier　faces　far　into　the　starlit　heavens；

the　precious　metals　and　scintillating　jewels　that　composed　them

sparkling　in　the　brilliant　light　of　Mars's　two　gorgeous　moons。

　

At　my　back　was　the　forest；　pruned　and　trimmed　like　the　sward

to　parklike　symmetry　by　the　browsing　of　the　ghoulish　plant