warlord of mars-第14节

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mightiest　of　Martian　green　men；　had　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　me

through　long；　hot　Martian　days；　as　together　we　hewed　down　our　enemies

until　the　pile　of　corpses　about　us　rose　higher　than　a　tall　man's　head。

　

When　several　pressed　me　too　closely；　there　before　the　carved

gateway　of　Kaol；　I　leaped　above　their　heads；　and　fashioning　my

tactics　after　those　of　the　hideous　plant　men　of　Dor；　struck　down

upon　my　enemies'　heads　as　I　passed　above　them。

　

From　the　city　the　red　warriors　were　rushing　toward　us；　and　from

the　jungle　the　savage　horde　of　green　men　were　coming　to　meet　them。

In　a　moment　I　was　in　the　very　center　of　as　fierce　and　bloody　a

battle　as　I　had　ever　passed　through。

　

These　Kaolians　are　most　noble　fighters；　nor　are　the　green　men

of　the　equator　one　whit　less　warlike　than　their　cold；　cruel　cousins

of　the　temperate　zone。　　There　were　many　times　when　either　side

might　have　withdrawn　without　dishonor　and　thus　ended　hostilities；

but　from　the　mad　abandon　with　which　each　invariably　renewed

hostilities　I　soon　came　to　believe　that　what　need　not　have　been

more　than　a　trifling　skirmish　would　end　only　with　the　complete

extermination　of　one　force　or　the　other。

　

With　the　joy　of　battle　once　roused　within　me；　I　took　keen　delight

in　the　fray；　and　that　my　fighting　was　noted　by　the　Kaolians　was

often　evidenced　by　the　shouts　of　applause　directed　at　me。

　

If　I　sometimes　seem　to　take　too　great　pride　in　my　fighting

ability；　it　must　be　remembered　that　fighting　is　my　vocation。

If　your　vocation　be　shoeing　horses；　or　painting　pictures；　and　you

can　do　one　or　the　other　better　than　your　fellows；　then　you　are　a

fool　if　you　are　not　proud　of　your　ability。　　And　so　I　am　very　proud

that　upon　two　planets　no　greater　fighter　has　ever　lived　than　John

Carter；　Prince　of　Helium。

　

And　I　outdid　myself　that　day　to　impress　the　fact　upon　the　natives

of　Kaol；　for　I　wished　to　win　a　way　into　their　heartsand　their　city。

Nor　was　I　to　be　disappointed　in　my　desire。

　

All　day　we　fought；　until　the　road　was　red　with　blood　and　clogged

with　corpses。　　Back　and　forth　along　the　slippery　highway　the　tide　of

battle　surged；　but　never　once　was　the　gateway　to　Kaol　really　in　danger。

　

There　were　breathing　spells　when　I　had　a　chance　to　converse　with　the

red　men　beside　whom　I　fought；　and　once　the　jeddak；　Kulan　Tith　himself；

laid　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder　and　asked　my　name。

　

〃I　am　Dotar　Sojat；〃　I　replied；　recalling　a　name　given　me　by　the

Tharks　many　years　before；　from　the　surnames　of　the　first　two　of

their　warriors　I　had　killed；　which　is　the　custom　among　them。

　

〃You　are　a　mighty　warrior；　Dotar　Sojat；〃　he　replied；　〃and　when　this

day　is　done　I　shall　speak　with　you　again　in　the　great　audience　chamber。〃

　

And　then　the　fight　surged　upon　us　once　more　and　we　were　separated；

but　my　heart's　desire　was　attained；　and　it　was　with　renewed　vigor

and　a　joyous　soul　that　I　laid　about　me　with　my　long…sword　until

the　last　of　the　green　men　had　had　enough　and　had　withdrawn　toward

their　distant　sea　bottom。

　

Not　until　the　battle　was　over　did　I　learn　why　the　red　troops　had

sallied　forth　that　day。　　It　seemed　that　Kulan　Tith　was　expecting

a　visit　from　a　mighty　jeddak　of　the　northa　powerful　and　the

only　ally　of　the　Kaolians；　and　it　had　been　his　wish　to　meet　his

guest　a　full　day's　journey　from　Kaol。

　

But　now　the　march　of　the　welcoming　host　was　delayed　until　the

following　morning；　when　the　troops　again　set　out　from　Kaol。

I　had　not　been　bidden　to　the　presence　of　Kulan　Tith　after　the　battle；

but　he　had　sent　an　officer　to　find　me　and　escort　me　to　comfortable

quarters　in　that　part　of　the　palace　set　aside　for　the　officers　of

the　royal　guard。

　

There；　with　Woola；　I　had　spent　a　comfortable　night；　and　rose

much　refreshed　after　the　arduous　labors　of　the　past　few　days。

Woola　had　fought　with　me　through　the　battle　of　the　previous　day；

true　to　the　instincts　and　training　of　a　Martian　war　dog；　great

numbers　of　which　are　often　to　be　found　with　the　savage　green　hordes

of　the　dead　sea　bottoms。

　

Neither　of　us　had　come　through　the　conflict　unscathed；　but　the

marvelous；　healing　salves　of　Barsoom　had　sufficed；　overnight；

to　make　us　as　good　as　new。

　

I　breakfasted　with　a　number　of　the　Kaolian　officers；　whom　I　found

as　courteous　and　delightful　hosts　as　even　the　nobles　of　Helium；

who　are　renowned　for　their　ease　of　manners　and　excellence

of　breeding。　　The　meal　was　scarcely　concluded　when　a　messenger

arrived　from　Kulan　Tith　summoning　me　before　him。

　

As　I　entered　the　royal　presence　the　jeddak　rose；　and　stepping　from

the　dais　which　supported　his　magnificent　throne；　came　forward　to

meet　mea　mark　of　distinction　that　is　seldom　accorded　to　other

than　a　visiting　ruler。

　

〃Kaor；　Dotar　Sojat！〃　he　greeted　me。　　〃I　have　summoned　you　to

receive　the　grateful　thanks　of　the　people　of　Kaol；　for　had　it　not

been　for　your　heroic　bravery　in　daring　fate　to　warn　us　of　the

ambuscade　we　must　surely　have　fallen　into　the　well…laid　trap。

Tell　me　more　of　yourselffrom　what　country　you　come；　and　what

errand　brings　you　to　the　court　of　Kulan　Tith。〃

　

〃I　am　from　Hastor；〃　I　said；　for　in　truth　I　had　a　small　palace

in　that　southern　city　which　lies　within　the　far…flung　dominions　of

the　Heliumetic　nation。

　

〃My　presence　in　the　land　of　Kaol　is　partly　due　to　accident；　my

flier　being　wrecked　upon　the　southern　fringe　of　your　great　forest。

It　was　while　seeking　entrance　to　the　city　of　Kaol　that　I　discovered

the　green　horde　lying　in　wait　for　your　troops。〃

　

If　Kulan　Tith　wondered　what　business　brought　me　in　a　flier　to

the　very　edge　of　his　domain　he　was　good　enough　not　to　press　me

further　for　an　explanation；　which　I　should　indeed　have　had

difficulty　in　rendering。

　

During　my　audience　with　the　jeddak　another　party　entered　the　chamber

from　behind　me；　so　that　I　did　not　see　their　faces　until　Kulan　Tith

stepped　past　me　to　greet　them；　commanding　me　to　follow　and　be　presented。

　

As　I　turned　toward　them　it　was　with　difficulty　that　I　controlled

my　features；　for　there；　listening　to　Kulan　Tith's　eulogistic　words

concerning　me；　stood　my　arch…enemies；　Matai　Shang　and　Thurid。

　

〃Holy　Hekkador　of　the　Holy　Therns；〃　the　jeddak　was　saying；

〃shower　thy　blessings　upon　Dotar　Sojat；　the　valorous　stranger　from

distant　Hastor；　whose　wondrous　heroism　and　marvelous　ferocity　saved

the　day　for　Kaol　yesterday。〃

　

Matai　Shang　stepped　forward　and　laid　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder。

No　slightest　indication　that　he　recognized　me　showed　upon　his

countenancemy　disguise　was　evidently　complete。

　

He　spoke　kindly　to　me　and　then　presented　me　to　Thurid。　　The　black；

too；　was　evidently　entirely　deceived。　　Then　Kulan　Tith　regaled　them；

much　to　my　amusement；　with　details　of　my　achievements　upon　the

field　of　battle。

　

The　thing　that　seemed　to　have　impressed　him　most　was　my

remarkable　agility；　and　time　and　again　he　described　the　wondrous

way　in　which　I　had　leaped　completely　over　an　antagonist；　cleaving

his　skull　wide　open　with　my　long…sword　as　I　passed　above　him。

　

I　thought　that　I　saw　Thurid's　eyes　widen　a　bit　during　the

narrative；　and　several　times　I　surprised　him　gazing　intently　into

my　face　through　narrowed　lids。　　Was　he　commencing　to　suspect？

And　then　Kulan　Tith　told　of　the　savage　calot　that　fought　beside

me；　and　after　that　I　saw　suspicion　in　the　eyes　of　Matai　Shang

or　did　I　but　imagine　it？

　

At　the　close　of　the　audience　Kulan　Tith　announced　that　he

would　have　me　accompany　him　upon　the　way　to　meet　his　royal　guest；

and　as　I　departed　with　an　officer　who　was　to　procure　proper

trappings　and　a　suitable　mount　for　me；　both　Matai　Shang　and　Thurid

seemed　most　sincere　in　professing　their　pleasure　at　having　had　an

opportunity　to　know　me。　　It　was　with　a　sigh　of　relief　that　I

quitted　the　chamber；　convinced　that　nothing　more　than　a　guilty

conscience　had　prompted　my　belief　that　either　of　my　enemies

suspected　my　true　identity。

　

A　half…hour　later　I　rode　out　of　the　city　gate　with　the　column　that

accompanied　Kulan　Tith　upon　the　way　to　meet　his　friend　and　ally。

Though　my　eyes　and　ears　had　been　wide　open　during　my　audience

with　the　jeddak　and　my　various　passages　through　the　palace；

I　had　seen　or　heard　nothing　of　Dejah　Thoris　or　Thuvia　of　Ptarth。

That　they　must　be　somewhere　within　the　great　rambling　edifice

I　was　positive；　and　I　should　have　given　much　to　have　found　a

way　to　remain　behind　during　Kulan　Tith's　absence；　that　I　might

search　for　them。

　

Toward　noon　we　came　in　touch　with　the　head　of　the　column　we

had　set　out　to　meet。

　

It　was　a　gorgeous　train　that　accompanied　the　visiting　jeddak；

and　for　miles　it　stretched　along　the　wide；　white　road　to　Kaol。

Mounted　troops；　their　trappings　of　jewel　and　metal…incrusted

leather　glistening　in　the　sunlight；　formed　the　vanguard　of　the　body；

and　then　came　a　thousand　gorgeous　chariots　drawn　by　huge　zitidars。

　

These　low；　commodious　wagons　moved　two　abreast；　and　on　either

side　of　them　marched　s