warlord of mars-第16节

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〃You　stand　already　self…condemned。　　It　but　remains　to　determine　the

manner　of　your　death。　　Even　the　service　that　you　rendered　the　arms

of　Kaol　shall　avail　you　naught；　it　was　but　a　base　subterfuge　whereby

you　might　win　your　way　into　my　favor　and　reach　the　side　of　this　holy

man　whose　life　you　craved。　　To　the　pits　with　him！〃　he　concluded；

addressing　the　officer　of　my　guard。

　

Here　was　a　pretty　pass；　indeed！　　What　chance　had　I　against　a

whole　nation？　　What　hope　for　me　of　mercy　at　the　hands　of　the

fanatical　Kulan　Tith　with　such　advisers　as　Matai　Shang　and　Thurid。

The　black　grinned　malevolently　in　my　face。

　

〃You　shall　not　escape　this　time；　Earth　man；〃　he　taunted。

　

The　guards　closed　toward　me。　　A　red　haze　blurred　my　vision。

The　fighting　blood　of　my　Virginian　sires　coursed　hot　through

my　veins。　　The　lust　of　battle　in　all　its　mad　fury　was　upon　me。

　

With　a　leap　I　was　beside　Thurid；　and　ere　the　devilish　smirk

had　faded　from　his　handsome　face　I　had　caught　him　full　upon　the

mouth　with　my　clenched　fist；　and　as　the　good；　old　American　blow

landed；　the　black　dator　shot　back　a　dozen　feet；　to　crumple　in　a

heap　at　the　foot　of　Kulan　Tith's　throne；　spitting　blood　and　teeth

from　his　hurt　mouth。

　

Then　I　drew　my　sword　and　swung　round；　on　guard；　to　face　a　nation。

　

In　an　instant　the　guardsmen　were　upon　me；　but　before　a　blow

had　been　struck　a　mighty　voice　rose　above　the　din　of　shouting

warriors；　and　a　giant　figure　leaped　from　the　dais　beside　Kulan　Tith

and；　with　drawn　long…sword；　threw　himself　between　me　and　my　adversaries。

　

It　was　the　visiting　jeddak。

　

〃Hold！〃　he　cried。　　〃If　you　value　my　friendship；　Kulan　Tith；

and　the　age…old　peace　that　has　existed　between　our　peoples；

call　off　your　swordsmen；　for　wherever　or　against　whomsoever

fights　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　there　beside　him　and

to　the　death　fights　Thuvan　Dihn；　Jeddak　of　Ptarth。〃

　

The　shouting　ceased　and　the　menacing　points　were　lowered　as　a

thousand　eyes　turned　first　toward　Thuvan　Dihn　in　surprise　and　then

toward　Kulan　Tith　in　question。　　At　first　the　Jeddak　of　Kaol　went　white

in　rage；　but　before　he　spoke　he　had　mastered　himself；　so　that　his　tone

was　calm　and　even　as　befitted　intercourse　between　two　great　jeddaks。

　

〃Thuvan　Dihn；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃must　have　great　provocation

thus　to　desecrate　the　ancient　customs　which　inspire　the　deportment

of　a　guest　within　the　palace　of　his　host。　　Lest　I；　too；　should

forget　myself　as　has　my　royal　friend；　I　should　prefer　to　remain

silent　until　the　Jeddak　of　Ptarth　has　won　from　me　applause　for　his

action　by　relating　the　causes　which　provoked　it。〃

　

I　could　see　that　the　Jeddak　of　Ptarth　was　of　half　a　mind　to

throw　his　metal　in　Kulan　Tith's　face；　but　he　controlled　himself

even　as　well　as　had　his　host。

　

〃None　knows　better　than　Thuvan　Dihn；〃　he　said；　〃the　laws　which

govern　the　acts　of　men　in　the　domains　of　their　neighbors；　but

Thuvan　Dihn　owes　allegiance　to　a　higher　law　than　thesethe

law　of　gratitude。　　Nor　to　any　man　upon　Barsoom　does　he　owe　a

greater　debt　of　gratitude　than　to　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium。

　

〃Years　ago；　Kulan　Tith；〃　he　continued；　〃upon　the　occasion　of

your　last　visit　to　me；　you　were　greatly　taken　with　the　charms　and

graces　of　my　only　daughter；　Thuvia。　　You　saw　how　I　adored　her；　and

later　you　learned　that；　inspired　by　some　unfathomable　whim；　she　had

taken　the　last；　long；　voluntary　pilgrimage　upon　the　cold　bosom　of

the　mysterious　Iss；　leaving　me　desolate。

　

〃Some　months　ago　I　first　heard　of　the　expedition　which　John　Carter　had

led　against　Issus　and　the　Holy　Therns。　　Faint　rumors　of　the　atrocities

reported　to　have　been　committed　by　the　therns　upon　those　who　for

countless　ages　have　floated　down　the　mighty　Iss　came　to　my　ears。

　

〃I　heard　that　thousands　of　prisoners　had　been　released；　few　of

whom　dared　to　return　to　their　own　countries　owing　to　the　mandate　of

terrible　death　which　rests　against　all　who　return　from　the　Valley　Dor。

　

〃For　a　time　I　could　not　believe　the　heresies　which　I　heard；

and　I　prayed　that　my　daughter　Thuvia　might　have　died　before　she

ever　committed　the　sacrilege　of　returning　to　the　outer　world。

But　then　my　father's　love　asserted　itself；　and　I　vowed　that　I

would　prefer　eternal　damnation　to　further　separation　from　her

if　she　could　be　found。

　

〃So　I　sent　emissaries　to　Helium；　and　to　the　court　of　Xodar；

Jeddak　of　the　First　Born；　and　to　him　who　now　rules　those　of　the

thern　nation　that　have　renounced　their　religion；　and　from　each

and　all　I　heard　the　same　story　of　unspeakable　cruelties　and

atrocities　perpetrated　upon　the　poor　defenseless　victims　of

their　religion　by　the　Holy　Therns。

　

〃Many　there　were　who　had　seen　or　known　my　daughter；　and　from

therns　who　had　been　close　to　Matai　Shang　I　learned　of　the

indignities　that　he　personally　heaped　upon　her；　and　I　was　glad

when　I　came　here　to　find　that　Matai　Shang　was　also　your　guest；

for　I　should　have　sought　him　out　had　it　taken　a　lifetime。

　

〃More；　too；　I　heard；　and　that　of　the　chivalrous　kindness　that

John　Carter　had　accorded　my　daughter。　　They　told　me　how　he　fought

for　her　and　rescued　her；　and　how　he　spurned　escape　from　the　savage

Warhoons　of　the　south；　sending　her　to　safety　upon　his　own

thoat　and　remaining　upon　foot　to　meet　the　green　warriors。

　

〃Can　you　wonder；　Kulan　Tith；　that　I　am　willing　to　jeopardize

my　life；　the　peace　of　my　nation；　or　even　your　friendship；　which　I

prize　more　than　aught　else；　to　champion　the　Prince　of　Helium？〃

　

For　a　moment　Kulan　Tith　was　silent。　　I　could　see　by　the　expression

of　his　face　that　he　was　sore　perplexed。　　Then　he　spoke。

　

〃Thuvan　Dihn；〃　he　said；　and　his　tone　was　friendly　though　sad；

〃who　am　I　to　judge　my　fellow…man？　　In　my　eyes　the　Father　of　Therns

is　still　holy；　and　the　religion　which　he　teaches　the　only　true　religion；

but　were　I　faced　by　the　same　problem　that　has　vexed　you　I　doubt　not

that　I　should　feel　and　act　precisely　as　you　have。

　

〃In　so　far　as　the　Prince　of　Helium　is　concerned　I　may　act；　but　between

you　and　Matai　Shang　my　only　office　can　be　one　of　conciliation。

The　Prince　of　Helium　shall　be　escorted　in　safety　to　the　boundary

of　my　domain　ere　the　sun　has　set　again；　where　he　shall　be　free

to　go　whither　he　will；　but　upon　pain　of　death　must　he　never

again　enter　the　land　of　Kaol。

　

〃If　there　be　a　quarrel　between　you　and　the　Father　of　Therns；

I　need　not　ask　that　the　settlement　of　it　be　deferred　until　both

have　passed　beyond　the　limits　of　my　power。　　Are　you　satisfied；

Thuvan　Dihn？〃

　

The　Jeddak　of　Ptarth　nodded　his　assent；　but　the　ugly　scowl　that

he　bent　upon　Matai　Shang　harbored　ill　for　that　pasty…faced　godling。

　

〃The　Prince　of　Helium　is　far　from　satisfied；〃　I　cried；

breaking　rudely　in　upon　the　beginnings　of　peace；　for　I

had　no　stomach　for　peace　at　the　price　that　had　been　named。

　

〃I　have　escaped　death　in　a　dozen　forms　to　follow　Matai　Shang

and　overtake　him；　and　I　do　not　intend　to　be　led；　like　a　decrepit

thoat　to　the　slaughter；　from　the　goal　that　I　have　won　by　the

prowess　of　my　sword　arm　and　the　might　of　my　muscles。

　

〃Nor　will　Thuvan　Dihn；　Jeddak　of　Ptarth；　be　satisfied　when　he

has　heard　me　through。　　Do　you　know　why　I　have　followed　Matai　Shang

and　Thurid；　the　black　dator；　from　the　forests　of　the　Valley　Dor

across　half　a　world　through　almost　insurmountable　difficulties？

　

〃Think　you　that　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　would　stoop　to

assassination？　　Can　Kulan　Tith　be　such　a　fool　as　to　believe

that　lie；　whispered　in　his　ear　by　the　Holy　Thern　or　Dator　Thurid？

　

〃I　do　not　follow　Matai　Shang　to　kill　him；　though　the　God　of

mine　own　planet　knows　that　my　hands　itch　to　be　at　his　throat。

I　follow　him；　Thuvan　Dihn；　because　with　him　are　two　prisoners

my　wife；　Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium；　and　your　daughter；

Thuvia　of　Ptarth。

　

〃Now　think　you　that　I　shall　permit　myself　to　be　led　beyond

the　walls　of　Kaol　unless　the　mother　of　my　son　accompanies　me；

and　thy　daughter　be　restored？〃

　

Thuvan　Dihn　turned　upon　Kulan　Tith。　　Rage　flamed　in　his　keen　eyes；

but　by　the　masterfulness　of　his　self…control　he　kept　his　tones　level

as　he　spoke。

　

〃Knew　you　this　thing；　Kulan　Tith？〃　he　asked。　　〃Knew　you　that

my　daughter　lay　a　prisoner　in　your　palace？〃

　

〃He　could　not　know　it；〃　interrupted　Matai　Shang；　white　with

what　I　am　sure　was　more　fear　than　rage。　　〃He　could　not　know　it；

for　it　is　a　lie。〃

　

I　would　have　had　his　life　for　that　upon　the　spot；　but　even　as

I　sprang　toward　him　Thuvan　Dihn　laid　a　heavy　hand　upon　my　shoulder。

　

〃Wait；〃　he　said　to　me；　and　then　to　Kulan　Tith。　　〃It　is　not　a　lie。

This　much　have　I　learned　of　the　Prince　of　Heliumhe　does　not　lie。

Answer　me；　Kulan　TithI　have　asked　you　a　question。〃

　

〃Three　women　came　with　the　Father　of　Therns；〃　replied　Kulan　Tith。

〃Phaidor；　his　daughter；　and　two　who　were　reported　to　be　her　slaves。

If　these　be　Thuvia　of　Ptarth　and　Dejah　Thoris　of　Helium　I　did　not

know　itI　have　seen　neither。　　But　if　they　be；　then　shal