warlord of mars-第17节

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

returned　to　you　on　the　morrow。〃

　

As　he　spoke　he　looked　straight　at　Matai　Shang；　not　as　a　devotee

should　look　at　a　high　priest；　but　as　a　ruler　of　men　looks　at　one

to　whom　he　issues　a　command。

　

It　must　have　been　plain　to　the　Father　of　Therns；　as　it　was　to　me；

that　the　recent　disclosures　of　his　true　character　had　done　much

already　to　weaken　the　faith　of　Kulan　Tith；　and　that　it　would　require

but　little　more　to　turn　the　powerful　jeddak　into　an　avowed　enemy；

but　so　strong　are　the　seeds　of　superstition　that　even　the　great

Kaolian　still　hesitated　to　cut　the　final　strand　that　bound　him

to　his　ancient　religion。

　

Matai　Shang　was　wise　enough　to　seem　to　accept　the　mandate　of

his　follower；　and　promised　to　bring　the　two　slave　women　to　the

audience　chamber　on　the　morrow。

　

〃It　is　almost　morning　now；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　should　dislike　to　break

in　upon　the　slumber　of　my　daughter；　or　I　would　have　them　fetched

at　once　that　you　might　see　that　the　Prince　of　Helium　is　mistaken；〃

and　he　emphasized　the　last　word　in　an　effort　to　affront　me　so

subtilely　that　I　could　not　take　open　offense。

　

I　was　about　to　object　to　any　delay；　and　demand　that　the　Princess

of　Helium　be　brought　to　me　forthwith；　when　Thuvan　Dihn　made　such

insistence　seem　unnecessary。

　

〃I　should　like　to　see　my　daughter　at　once；〃　he　said；　〃but　if

Kulan　Tith　will　give　me　his　assurance　that　none　will　be　permitted

to　leave　the　palace　this　night；　and　that　no　harm　shall　befall

either　Dejah　Thoris　or　Thuvia　of　Ptarth　between　now　and　the　moment

they　are　brought　into　our　presence　in　this　chamber　at　daylight　I

shall　not　insist。〃

　

〃None　shall　leave　the　palace　tonight；〃　replied　the　Jeddak　of　Kaol；

〃and　Matai　Shang　will　give　us　assurance　that　no　harm　will　come

to　the　two　women？〃

　

The　thern　assented　with　a　nod。　　A　few　moments　later　Kulan　Tith

indicated　that　the　audience　was　at　an　end；　and　at　Thuvan　Dihn's

invitation　I　accompanied　the　Jeddak　of　Ptarth　to　his　own　apartments；

where　we　sat　until　daylight；　while　he　listened　to　the　account　of

my　experiences　upon　his　planet　and　to　all　that　had　befallen

his　daughter　during　the　time　that　we　had　been　together。

　

I　found　the　father　of　Thuvia　a　man　after　my　own　heart；　and　that

night　saw　the　beginning　of　a　friendship　which　has　grown　until

it　is　second　only　to　that　which　obtains　between　Tars　Tarkas；

the　green　Jeddak　of　Thark；　and　myself。

　

The　first　burst　of　Mars's　sudden　dawn　brought　messengers　from

Kulan　Tith；　summoning　us　to　the　audience　chamber　where　Thuvan　Dihn

was　to　receive　his　daughter　after　years　of　separation；　and　I　was　to

be　reunited　with　the　glorious　daughter　of　Helium　after　an　almost

unbroken　separation　of　twelve　years。

　

My　heart　pounded　within　my　bosom　until　I　looked　about　me　in

embarrassment；　so　sure　was　I　that　all　within　the　room　must　hear。

My　arms　ached　to　enfold　once　more　the　divine　form　of　her

whose　eternal　youth　and　undying　beauty　were　but　outward

manifestations　of　a　perfect　soul。

　

At　last　the　messenger　despatched　to　fetch　Matai　Shang　returned。

I　craned　my　neck　to　catch　the　first　glimpse　of　those　who　should

be　following；　but　the　messenger　was　alone。

　

Halting　before　the　throne　he　addressed　his　jeddak　in　a　voice

that　was　plainly　audible　to　all　within　the　chamber。

　

〃O　Kulan　Tith；　Mightiest　of　Jeddaks；〃　he　cried；　after　the

fashion　of　the　court；　〃your　messenger　returns　alone；　for　when　he

reached　the　apartments　of　the　Father　of　Therns　he　found　them　empty；

as　were　those　occupied　by　his　suite。〃

　

Kulan　Tith　went　white。

　

A　low　groan　burst　from　the　lips　of　Thuvan　Dihn　who　stood　next　me；

not　having　ascended　the　throne　which　awaited　him　beside　his　host。

For　a　moment　the　silence　of　death　reigned　in　the　great　audience

chamber　of　Kulan　Tith；　Jeddak　of　Kaol。　　It　was　he　who　broke　the　spell。

　

Rising　from　his　throne　he　stepped　down　from　the　dais　to　the

side　of　Thuvan　Dihn。　　Tears　dimmed　his　eyes　as　he　placed　both

his　hands　upon　the　shoulders　of　his　friend。

　

〃O　Thuvan　Dihn；〃　he　cried；　〃that　this　should　have　happened　in　the

palace　of　thy　best　friend！　　With　my　own　hands　would　I　have　wrung

the　neck　of　Matai　Shang　had　I　guessed　what　was　in　his　foul　heart。

Last　night　my　life…long　faith　was　weakenedthis　morning　it　has

been　shattered；　but　too　late；　too　late。

　

〃To　wrest　your　daughter　and　the　wife　of　this　royal　warrior

from　the　clutches　of　these　archfiends　you　have　but　to　command　the

resources　of　a　mighty　nation；　for　all　Kaol　is　at　your　disposal。

What　may　be　done？　　Say　the　word！〃

　


〃First；〃　I　suggested；　〃let　us　find　those　of　your　people　who　be

responsible　for　the　escape　of　Matai　Shang　and　his　followers。

Without　assistance　on　the　part　of　the　palace　guard　this　thing

could　not　have　come　to　pass。　　Seek　the　guilty；　and　from　them

force　an　explanation　of　the　manner　of　their　going　and　the

direction　they　have　taken。〃

　

Before　Kulan　Tith　could　issue　the　commands　that　would　initiate

the　investigation　a　handsome　young　officer　stepped　forward　and

addressed　his　jeddak。

　

〃O　Kulan　Tith；　Mightiest　of　Jeddaks；〃　he　said；　〃I　alone　be

responsible　for　this　grievous　error。　　Last　night　it　was　I

who　commanded　the　palace　guard。　　I　was　on　duty　in　other　parts　of

the　palace　during　the　audience　of　the　early　morning；　and　knew

nothing　of　what　transpired　then；　so　that　when　the　Father　of　Therns

summoned　me　and　explained　that　it　was　your　wish　that　his　party　be

hastened　from　the　city　because　of　the　presence　here　of　a　deadly

enemy　who　sought　the　Holy　Hekkador's　life　I　did　only　what　a

lifetime　of　training　has　taught　me　was　the　proper　thing　to　do

I　obeyed　him　whom　I　believed　to　be　the　ruler　of　us　all；

mightier　even　than　thou；　mightiest　of　jeddaks。

　

〃Let　the　consequences　and　the　punishment　fall　on　me　alone；

for　I　alone　am　guilty。　　Those　others　of　the　palace　guard　who

assisted　in　the　flight　did　so　under　my　instructions。〃

　

Kulan　Tith　looked　first　at　me　and　then　at　Thuvan　Dihn；　as　though

to　ask　our　judgment　upon　the　man；　but　the　error　was　so　evidently

excusable　that　neither　of　us　had　any　mind　to　see　the　young　officer

suffer　for　a　mistake　that　any　might　readily　have　made。

　

〃How　left　they；〃　asked　Thuvan　Dihn；　〃and　what　direction　did　they　take？〃

　

〃They　left　as　they　came；〃　replied　the　officer；　〃upon　their　own　flier。

For　some　time　after　they　had　departed　I　watched　the　vessel's　lights；

which　vanished　finally　due　north。〃

　

〃Where　north　could　Matai　Shang　find　an　asylum？〃　asked　Thuvan　Dihn

of　Kulan　Tith。

　

For　some　moments　the　Jeddak　of　Kaol　stood　with　bowed　head；

apparently　deep　in　thought。　　Then　a　sudden　light　brightened

his　countenance。

　

〃I　have　it！〃　he　cried。　　〃Only　yesterday　Matai　Shang　let　drop

a　hint　of　his　destination；　telling　me　of　a　race　of　people　unlike

ourselves　who　dwell　far　to　the　north。　　They；　he　said；　had　always

been　known　to　the　Holy　Therns　and　were　devout　and　faithful

followers　of　the　ancient　cult。　　Among　them　would　he　find　a

perpetual　haven　of　refuge；　where　no　‘lying　heretics'　might

seek　him　out。　　It　is　there　that　Matai　Shang　has　gone。〃

　

〃And　in　all　Kaol　there　be　no　flier　wherein　to　follow；〃　I　cried。

　

〃Nor　nearer　than　Ptarth；〃　replied　Thuvan　Dihn。

　

〃Wait！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃beyond　the　southern　fringe　of　this　great

forest　lies　the　wreck　of　the　thern　flier　which　brought　me　that　far

upon　my　way。　　If　you　will　loan　me　men　to　fetch　it；　and

artificers　to　assist　me；　I　can　repair　it　in　two　days；　Kulan　Tith。〃

　

I　had　been　more　than　half　suspicious　of　the　seeming　sincerity

of　the　Kaolian　jeddak's　sudden　apostasy；　but　the　alacrity　with

which　he　embraced　my　suggestion；　and　the　despatch　with　which　a

force　of　officers　and　men　were　placed　at　my　disposal　entirely

removed　the　last　vestige　of　my　doubts。

　

Two　days　later　the　flier　rested　upon　the　top　of　the　watchtower；

ready　to　depart。　　Thuvan　Dihn　and　Kulan　Tith　had　offered　me　the

entire　resources　of　two　nationsmillions　of　fighting　men　were

at　my　disposal；　but　my　flier　could　hold　but　one　other　than

myself　and　Woola。

　

As　I　stepped　aboard　her；　Thuvan　Dihn　took　his　place　beside　me。

I　cast　a　look　of　questioning　surprise　upon　him。　　He　turned　to　the

highest　of　his　own　officers　who　had　accompanied　him　to　Kaol。

　

〃To　you　I　entrust　the　return　of　my　retinue　to　Ptarth；〃　he　said。

〃There　my　son　rules　ably　in　my　absence。　　The　Prince　of　Helium

shall　not　go　alone　into　the　land　of　his　enemies。　　I　have　spoken。

Farewell！〃

　

　

　

　

THROUGH　THE　CARRION　CAVES

　

　

Straight　toward　the　north；　day　and　night；　our　destination　compass

led　us　after　the　fleeing　flier　upon　which　it　had　remained　set

since　I　first　attuned　it　after　leaving　the　thern　fortress。

　

Early　in　the　second　night　we　noticed　the　air　becoming

perceptibly　colder；　and　from　the　distance　we　had　come

from　the　equator　were　assured　that　we　were　rapidly

approaching　the　north　arctic　region。

　

My　knowled