warlord of mars-第31节

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blade　as　Solan。

　

For　a　time　he　liked　to　have　bested　me；　but　presently　the　latent

possibilities　that　must　have　been　lying　dormant　within　me　for　a

lifetime　came　to　the　fore；　and　I　fought　as　I　had　never　dreamed

a　human　being　could　fight。

　

That　that　duel…royal　should　have　taken　place　in　the　dark　recesses

of　a　cellar；　without　a　single　appreciative　eye　to　witness　it　has

always　seemed　to　me　almost　a　world　calamityat　least　from

the　viewpoint　Barsoomian；　where　bloody　strife　is　the　first

and　greatest　consideration　of　individuals；　nations；　and　races。

　

I　was　fighting　to　reach　the　switch；　Solan　to　prevent　me；

and；　though　we　stood　not　three　feet　from　it；　I　could　not　win

an　inch　toward　it；　for　he　forced　me　back　an　inch　for　the

first　five　minutes　of　our　battle。

　

I　knew　that　if　I　were　to　throw　it　in　time　to　save　the　oncoming

fleet　it　must　be　done　in　the　next　few　seconds；　and　so　I　tried　my

old　rushing　tactics；　but　I　might　as　well　have　rushed　a　brick　wall

for　all　that　Solan　gave　way。

　

In　fact；　I　came　near　to　impaling　myself　upon　his　point　for　my　pains；

but　right　was　on　my　side；　and　I　think　that　that　must　give　a　man

greater　confidence　than　though　he　knew　himself　to　be　battling

in　a　wicked　cause。

　

At　least；　I　did　not　want　in　confidence；　and　when　I　next　rushed

Solan　it　was　to　one　side　with　implicit　confidence　that　he　must　turn

to　meet　my　new　line　of　attack；　and　turn　he　did；　so　that　now　we

fought　with　our　sides　towards　the　coveted　goalthe　great　switch

stood　within　my　reach　upon　my　right　hand。

　

To　uncover　my　breast　for　an　instant　would　have　been　to　court

sudden　death；　but　I　saw　no　other　way　than　to　chance　it；　if　by　so

doing　I　might　rescue　that　oncoming；　succoring　fleet；　and　so；　in　the

face　of　a　wicked　sword…thrust；　I　reached　out　my　point　and　caught

the　great　switch　a　sudden　blow　that　released　it　from　its　seating。

　

So　surprised　and　horrified　was　Solan　that　he　forgot　to　finish

his　thrust；　instead；　he　wheeled　toward　the　switch　with　a　loud　shriek

a　shriek　which　was　his　last；　for　before　his　hand　could　touch　the

lever　it　sought；　my　sword's　point　had　passed　through　his　heart。

　

　

　

　

THE　TIDE　OF　BATTLE

　

　

But　solan's　last　loud　cry　had　not　been　without　effect；　for　a

moment　later　a　dozen　guardsmen　burst　into　the　chamber；　though　not

before　I　had　so　bent　and　demolished　the　great　switch　that　it　could

not　be　again　used　to　turn　the　powerful　current　into　the　mighty

magnet　of　destruction　it　controlled。

　

The　result　of　the　sudden　coming　of　the　guardsmen　had　been　to　compel

me　to　seek　seclusion　in　the　first　passageway　that　I　could　find；

and　that　to　my　disappointment　proved　to　be　not　the　one　with　which

I　was　familiar；　but　another　upon　its　left。

　

They　must　have　either　heard　or　guessed　which　way　I　went；　for　I　had

proceeded　but　a　short　distance　when　I　heard　the　sound　of　pursuit。

I　had　no　mind　to　stop　and　fight　these　men　here　when　there　was

fighting　aplenty　elsewhere　in　the　city　of　Kadabrafighting

that　could　be　of　much　more　avail　to　me　and　mine　than　useless

life…taking　far　below　the　palace。

　

But　the　fellows　were　pressing　me；　and　as　I　did　not　know　the　way

at　all；　I　soon　saw　that　they　would　overtake　me　unless　I　found　a

place　to　conceal　myself　until　they　had　passed；　which　would　then　give

me　an　opportunity　to　return　the　way　I　had　come　and　regain　the　tower；

or　possibly　find　a　way　to　reach　the　city　streets。

　

The　passageway　had　risen　rapidly　since　leaving　the　apartment

of　the　switch；　and　now　ran　level　and　well　lighted　straight　into　the

distance　as　far　as　I　could　see。　　The　moment　that　my　pursuers

reached　this　straight　stretch　I　would　be　in　plain　sight　of　them；

with　no　chance　to　escape　from　the　corridor　undetected。

　

Presently　I　saw　a　series　of　doors　opening　from　either　side　of

the　corridor；　and　as　they　all　looked　alike　to　me　I　tried　the　first

one　that　I　reached。　　It　opened　into　a　small　chamber；　luxuriously

furnished；　and　was　evidently　an　ante…chamber　off　some　office　or

audience　chamber　of　the　palace。

　

On　the　far　side　was　a　heavily　curtained　doorway　beyond　which

I　heard　the　hum　of　voices。　　Instantly　I　crossed　the　small　chamber；

and；　parting　the　curtains；　looked　within　the　larger　apartment。

　

Before　me　were　a　party　of　perhaps　fifty　gorgeously　clad　nobles

of　the　court；　standing　before　a　throne　upon　which　sat　Salensus　Oll。

The　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　was　addressing　them。

　

〃The　allotted　hour　has　come；〃　he　was　saying　as　I　entered　the　apartment；

〃and　though　the　enemies　of　Okar　be　within　her　gates；　naught　may　stay　the

will　of　Salensus　Oll。　　The　great　ceremony　must　be　omitted　that　no　single

man　may　be　kept　from　his　place　in　the　defenses　other　than　the　fifty　that

custom　demands　shall　witness　the　creation　of　a　new　queen　in　Okar。

　

〃In　a　moment　the　thing　shall　have　been　done　and　we　may　return

to　the　battle；　while　she　who　is　now　the　Princess　of　Helium　looks

down　from　the　queen's　tower　upon　the　annihilation　of　her　former

countrymen　and　witnesses　the　greatness　which　is　her　husband's。〃

　

Then；　turning　to　a　courtier；　he　issued　some　command　in　a　low　voice。

　

The　addressed　hastened　to　a　small　door　at　the　far　end　of　the

chamber　and；　swinging　it　wide；　cried：　　〃Way　for　Dejah　Thoris；

future　Queen　of　Okar！〃

　

Immediately　two　guardsmen　appeared　dragging　the　unwilling　bride

toward　the　altar。　　Her　hands　were　still　manacled　behind　her；

evidently　to　prevent　suicide。

　

Her　disheveled　hair　and　panting　bosom　betokened　that；　chained　though

she　was；　still　had　she　fought　against　the　thing　that　they　would　do　to　her。

　

At　sight　of　her　Salensus　Oll　rose　and　drew　his　sword；　and　the　sword

of　each　of　the　fifty　nobles　was　raised　on　high　to　form　an　arch；

beneath　which　the　poor；　beautiful　creature　was　dragged　toward　her　doom。

　

A　grim　smile　forced　itself　to　my　lips　as　I　thought　of　the　rude

awakening　that　lay　in　store　for　the　ruler　of　Okar；　and　my　itching

fingers　fondled　the　hilt　of　my　bloody　sword。

　

As　I　watched　the　procession　that　moved　slowly　toward　the　throne

a　procession　which　consisted　of　but　a　handful　of　priests；

who　followed　Dejah　Thoris　and　the　two　guardsmenI　caught　a

fleeting　glimpse　of　a　black　face　peering　from　behind　the

draperies　that　covered　the　wall　back　of　the　dais　upon　which

stood　Salensus　Oll　awaiting　his　bride。

　

Now　the　guardsmen　were　forcing　the　Princess　of　Helium　up　the

few　steps　to　the　side　of　the　tyrant　of　Okar；　and　I　had　no　eyes

and　no　thoughts　for　aught　else。　　A　priest　opened　a　book　and；

raising　his　hand；　commenced　to　drone　out　a　sing…song　ritual。

Salensus　Oll　reached　for　the　hand　of　his　bride。

　

I　had　intended　waiting　until　some　circumstance　should　give　me

a　reasonable　hope　of　success；　for；　even　though　the　entire　ceremony

should　be　completed；　there　could　be　no　valid　marriage　while　I　lived。

What　I　was　most　concerned　in；　of　course；　was　the　rescuing　of

Dejah　ThorisI　wished　to　take　her　from　the　palace　of　Salensus　Oll；

if　such　a　thing　were　possible；　but　whether　it　were　accomplished

before　or　after　the　mock　marriage　was　a　matter　of　secondary　import。

　

When；　however；　I　saw　the　vile　hand　of　Salensus　Oll　reach　out　for

the　hand　of　my　beloved　princess　I　could　restrain　myself　no　longer；

and　before　the　nobles　of　Okar　knew　that　aught　had　happened　I　had

leaped　through　their　thin　line　and　was　upon　the　dais　beside

Dejah　Thoris　and　Salensus　Oll。

　

With　the　flat　of　my　sword　I　struck　down　his　polluting　hand；

and　grasping　Dejah　Thoris　round　the　waist；　I　swung　her　behind

me　as；　with　my　back　against　the　draperies　of　the　dais；　I　faced

the　tyrant　of　the　north　and　his　roomful　of　noble　warriors。

　

The　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　was　a　great　mountain　of　a　mana　coarse；

brutal　beast　of　a　manand　as　he　towered　above　me　there；　his　fierce

black　whiskers　and　mustache　bristling　in　rage；　I　can　well　imagine

that　a　less　seasoned　warrior　might　have　trembled　before　him。

　

With　a　snarl　he　sprang　toward　me　with　naked　sword；　but　whether

Salensus　Oll　was　a　good　swordsman　or　a　poor　I　never　learned；

for　with　Dejah　Thoris　at　my　back　I　was　no　longer　humanI　was

a　superman；　and　no　man　could　have　withstood　me　then。

　

With　a　single；　low：　　〃For　the　Princess　of　Helium！〃　I　ran　my

blade　straight　through　the　rotten　heart　of　Okar's　rotten　ruler；

and　before　the　white；　drawn　faces　of　his　nobles　Salensus　Oll　rolled；

grinning　in　horrible　death；　to　the　foot　of　the　steps　below　his

marriage　throne。

　

For　a　moment　tense　silence　reigned　in　the　nuptial…room。　　Then　the

fifty　nobles　rushed　upon　me。　　Furiously　we　fought；　but　the

advantage　was　mine；　for　I　stood　upon　a　raised　platform　above　them；

and　I　fought　for　the　most　glorious　woman　of　a　glorious　race；

and　I　fought　for　a　great　love　and　for　the　mother　of　my　boy。

　

And　from　behind　my　shoulder；　in　the　silvery　cadence　of　that

dear　voice；　rose　the　brave　battle　anthem　of　Helium　which　the

nation's　women　sing　as　their　men　march　out　to　victory。

　

That　alone　was　enough　to　inspire　me　to　victory