warlord of mars-第25节

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gratification　of　my　dearest　wish。〃

　

Thurid　nodded。

　

〃Then　shall　I　make　the　announcement　here　before　all　my　nobles；〃

continued　Salensus　Oll。　　〃For　a　year　no　queen　has　sat　upon　the

throne　beside　me；　and　now　it　suits　me　to　take　to　wife　one　who

is　reputed　the　most　beautiful　woman　upon　Barsoom。　　A　statement

which　none　may　truthfully　deny。

　

〃Nobles　of　Okar；　unsheathe　your　swords　and　do　homage　to　Dejah

Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium　and　future　Queen　of　Okar；　for　at　the　end

of　the　allotted　ten　days　she　shall　become　the　wife　of　Salensus　Oll。〃

　

As　the　nobles　drew　their　blades　and　lifted　them　on　high；　in

accordance　with　the　ancient　custom　of　Okar　when　a　jeddak　announces

his　intention　to　wed；　Dejah　Thoris　sprang　to　her　feet　and；　raising

her　hand　aloft；　cried　in　a　loud　voice　that　they　desist。

　

〃I　may　not　be　the　wife　of　Salensus　Oll；〃　she　pleaded；　〃for

already　I　be　a　wife　and　mother。　　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；

still　lives。　　I　know　it　to　be　true；　for　I　overheard　Matai　Shang

tell　his　daughter　Phaidor　that　he　had　seen　him　in　Kaor；　at　the

court　of　Kulan　Tith；　Jeddak。　　A　jeddak　does　not　wed　a　married

woman；　nor　will　Salensus　Oll　thus　violate　the　bonds　of　matrimony。〃

　

Salensus　Oll　turned　upon　Thurid　with　an　ugly　look。

　

〃Is　this　the　surprise　you　held　in　store　for　me？〃　he　cried。

〃You　assured　me　that　no　obstacle　which　might　not　be　easily

overcome　stood　between　me　and　this　woman；　and　now　I　find　that

the　one　insuperable　obstacle　intervenes。　　What　mean　you；　man？

What　have　you　to　say？〃

　

〃And　should　I　deliver　John　Carter　into　your　hands；　Salensus　Oll；

would　you　not　feel　that　I　had　more　than　satisfied　the　promise

that　I　made　you？〃　answered　Thurid。

　

〃Talk　not　like　a　fool；〃　cried　the　enraged　jeddak。　　〃I　am　no

child　to　be　thus　played　with。〃

　

〃I　am　talking　only　as　a　man　who　knows；〃　replied　Thurid。

〃Knows　that　he　can　do　all　that　he　claims。〃

　

〃Then　turn　John　Carter　over　to　me　within　ten　days　or　yourself

suffer　the　end　that　I　should　mete　out　to　him　were　he　in　my　power！〃

snapped　the　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks；　with　an　ugly　scowl。

　

〃You　need　not　wait　ten　days；　Salensus　Oll；〃　replied　Thurid；

and　then；　turning　suddenly　upon　me　as　he　extended　a　pointing

finger；　he　cried：　　〃There　stands　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium！〃

　

〃Fool！〃　shrieked　Salensus　Oll。　　〃Fool！　　John　Carter　is　a　white　man。

This　fellow　be　as　yellow　as　myself。　　John　Carter's　face　is

smoothMatai　Shang　has　described　him　to　me。　　This　prisoner　has　a

beard　and　mustache　as　large　and　black　as　any　in　Okar。　　Quick；

guardsmen；　to　the　pits　with　the　black　maniac　who　wishes　to　throw

his　life　away　for　a　poor　joke　upon　your　ruler！〃

　

〃Hold！〃　cried　Thurid；　and　springing　forward　before　I　could　guess

his　intention；　he　had　grasped　my　beard　and　ripped　the　whole　false

fabric　from　my　face　and　head；　revealing　my　smooth；　tanned　skin

beneath　and　my　close…cropped　black　hair。

　

Instantly　pandemonium　reigned　in　the　audience　chamber　of　Salensus　Oll。

Warriors　pressed　forward　with　drawn　blades；　thinking　that　I　might　be

contemplating　the　assassination　of　the　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks；　while　others；

out　of　curiosity　to　see　one　whose　name　was　familiar　from　pole　to　pole；

crowded　behind　their　fellows。

　

As　my　identity　was　revealed　I　saw　Dejah　Thoris　spring　to　her　feet

amazement　writ　large　upon　her　faceand　then　through　that　jam　of

armed　men　she　forced　her　way　before　any　could　prevent。　　A　moment

only　and　she　was　before　me　with　outstretched　arms　and　eyes　filled

with　the　light　of　her　great　love。

　

〃John　Carter！　　John　Carter！〃　she　cried　as　I　folded　her　to　my　breast；

and　then　of　a　sudden　I　knew　why　she　had　denied　me　in　the　garden

beneath　the　tower。

　

What　a　fool　I　had　been！　　Expecting　that　she　would　penetrate　the　marvelous

disguise　that　had　been　wrought　for　me　by　the　barber　of　Marentina！

She　had　not　known　me；　that　was　all；　and　when　she　saw　the　sign　of　love

from　a　stranger　she　was　offended　and　righteously　indignant。　　Indeed；

but　I　had　been　a　fool。

　

〃And　it　was　you；〃　she　cried；　〃who　spoke　to　me　from　the　tower！

How　could　I　dream　that　my　beloved　Virginian　lay　behind　that　fierce

beard　and　that　yellow　skin？〃

　

She　had　been　wont　to　call　me　her　Virginian　as　a　term　of　endearment；

for　she　knew　that　I　loved　the　sound　of　that　beautiful　name；

made　a　thousand　times　more　beautiful　and　hallowed　by　her　dear　lips；

and　as　I　heard　it　again　after　all　those　long　years　my　eyes

became　dimmed　with　tears　and　my　voice　choked　with　emotion。

　

But　an　instant　did　I　crush　that　dear　form　to　me　ere　Salensus　Oll；

trembling　with　rage　and　jealousy；　shouldered　his　way　to　us。

　

〃Seize　the　man；〃　he　cried　to　his　warriors；　and　a　hundred　ruthless

hands　tore　us　apart。

　

Well　it　was　for　the　nobles　of　the　court　of　Okar　that　John　Carter

had　been　disarmed。　　As　it　was；　a　dozen　of　them　felt　the　weight

of　my　clenched　fists；　and　I　had　fought　my　way　half　up　the

steps　before　the　throne　to　which　Salensus　Oll　had　carried　Dejah

Thoris　ere　ever　they　could　stop　me。

　

Then　I　went　down；　fighting；　beneath　a　half…hundred　warriors；　but

before　they　had　battered　me　into　unconsciousness　I　heard　that　from

the　lips　of　Dejah　Thoris　that　made　all　my　suffering　well　worth　while。

　

Standing　there　beside　the　great　tyrant；　who　clutched　her　by　the　arm；

she　pointed　to　where　I　fought　alone　against　such　awful　odds。

　

〃Think　you；　Salensus　Oll；　that　the　wife　of　such　as　he　is；〃　she　cried；

〃would　ever　dishonor　his　memory；　were　he　a　thousand　times　dead；

by　mating　with　a　lesser　mortal？　　Lives　there　upon　any　world　such

another　as　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium？　　Lives　there　another

man　who　could　fight　his　way　back　and　forth　across　a　warlike　planet；

facing　savage　beasts　and　hordes　of　savage　men；　for　the　love　of　a　woman？

　

〃I；　Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium；　am　his。　　He　fought　for　me　and　won　me。

If　you　be　a　brave　man　you　will　honor　the　bravery　that　is　his；　and　you　will

not　kill　him。　　Make　him　a　slave　if　you　will；　Salensus　Oll；　but　spare　his　life。

I　would　rather　be　a　slave　with　such　as　he　than　be　Queen　of　Okar。〃

　

〃Neither　slave　nor　queen　dictates　to　Salensus　Oll；〃　replied　the

Jeddak　of　Jeddaks。　　〃John　Carter　shall　die　a　natural　death　in　the

Pit　of　Plenty；　and　the　day　he　dies　Dejah　Thoris　shall　become　my　queen。〃

　

I　did　not　hear　her　reply；　for　it　was　then　that　a　blow　upon　my

head　brought　unconsciousness；　and　when　I　recovered　my　senses　only

a　handful　of　guardsmen　remained　in　the　audience　chamber　with　me。

As　I　opened　my　eyes　they　goaded　me　with　the　points　of　their　swords

and　bade　me　rise。

　

Then　they　led　me　through　long　corridors　to　a　court　far　toward　the

center　of　the　palace。

　

In　the　center　of　the　court　was　a　deep　pit；　near　the　edge　of　which　stood

half　a　dozen　other　guardsmen；　awaiting　me。　　One　of　them　carried　a　long

rope　in　his　hands；　which　he　commenced　to　make　ready　as　we　approached。

　

We　had　come　to　within　fifty　feet　of　these　men　when　I　felt　a

sudden　strange　and　rapid　pricking　sensation　in　one　of　my　fingers。

　

For　a　moment　I　was　nonplused　by　the　odd　feeling；　and　then　there

came　to　me　recollection　of　that　which　in　the　stress　of　my　adventure

I　had　entirely　forgottenthe　gift　ring　of　Prince　Talu　of　Marentina。

　

Instantly　I　looked　toward　the　group　we　were　nearing；　at　the

same　time　raising　my　left　hand　to　my　forehead；　that　the　ring　might

be　visible　to　one　who　sought　it。　　Simultaneously　one　of　the　waiting

warriors　raised　his　left　hand；　ostensibly　to　brush　back　his　hair；

and　upon　one　of　his　fingers　I　saw　the　duplicate　of　my　own　ring。

　

A　quick　look　of　intelligence　passed　between　us；　after　which　I　kept

my　eyes　turned　away　from　the　warrior　and　did　not　look　at　him　again；

for　fear　that　I　might　arouse　the　suspicion　of　the　Okarians。

When　we　reached　the　edge　of　the　pit　I　saw　that　it　was　very　deep；

and　presently　I　realized　I　was　soon　to　judge　just　how　far　it

extended　below　the　surface　of　the　court；　for　he　who　held　the　rope

passed　it　about　my　body　in　such　a　way　that　it　could　be　released

from　above　at　any　time；　and　then；　as　all　the　warriors　grasped　it；

he　pushed　me　forward；　and　I　fell　into　the　yawning　abyss。

　

After　the　first　jerk　as　I　reached　the　end　of　the　rope　that

had　been　paid　out　to　let　me　fall　below　the　pit's　edge　they

lowered　me　quickly　but　smoothly。　　The　moment　before　the　plunge；

while　two　or　three　of　the　men　had　been　assisting　in　adjusting　the

rope　about　me；　one　of　them　had　brought　his　mouth　close　to　my　cheek；

and　in　the　brief　interval　before　I　was　cast　into　the　forbidding

hole　he　breathed　a　single　word　into　my　ear：

　

〃Courage！〃

　

The　pit；　which　my　imagination　had　pictured　as　bottomless；　proved　to　be

not　more　than　a　hundred　feet　in　depth；　but　as　its　walls　were　smoothly

polished　it　might　as　well　have　been　a　thousand　feet；　for　I　could　never

hope　to　escape　without　outside　assistance。

　

For　a　day　I　was　left　in　darkness；　and　then；　quite　suddenly；

a　brilliant　light　illumined　my　strange　cell。　　I　was　reasonably

hungry