warlord of mars-第34节

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though　not　with　the　speed　that　marks　the　well…conditioned　flier。

　

I　was　still　some　hundred　yards　away　as　I　saw　them　rising　from　my　grasp。

　

Back　by　the　city　of　Kadabra　lay　a　great　fleet　of　mighty　fliers

the　ships　of　Helium　and　Ptarth　that　I　had　saved　from　destruction

earlier　in　the　day；　but　before　ever　I　could　reach　them　Thurid

could　easily　make　good　his　escape。

　

As　I　ran　I　saw　Matai　Shang　clambering　up　the　swaying；　swinging

ladder　toward　the　deck；　while　above　him　leaned　the　evil　face　of　the

First　Born。　　A　trailing　rope　from　the　vessel's　stern　put　new　hope

in　me；　for　if　I　could　but　reach　it　before　it　whipped　too　high　above

my　head　there　was　yet　a　chance　to　gain　the　deck　by　its　slender　aid。

　

That　there　was　something　radically　wrong　with　the　flier　was　evident

from　its　lack　of　buoyancy；　and　the　further　fact　that　though　Thurid

had　turned　twice　to　the　starting　lever　the　boat　still　hung　motionless

in　the　air；　except　for　a　slight　drifting　with　a　low　breeze　from　the　north。

　

Now　Matai　Shang　was　close　to　the　gunwale。　　A　long；　claw…like

hand　was　reaching　up　to　grasp　the　metal　rail。

　

Thurid　leaned　farther　down　toward　his　co…conspirator。

　

Suddenly　a　raised　dagger　gleamed　in　the　upflung　hand　of　the　black。

Down　it　drove　toward　the　white　face　of　the　Father　of　Therns。

With　a　loud　shriek　of　fear　the　Holy　Hekkador　grasped　frantically

at　that　menacing　arm。

　

I　was　almost　to　the　trailing　rope　by　now。　　The　craft　was　still

rising　slowly；　the　while　it　drifted　from　me。　　Then　I　stumbled　on

the　icy　way；　striking　my　head　upon　a　rock　as　I　fell　sprawling　but

an　arm's　length　from　the　rope；　the　end　of　which　was　now　just

leaving　the　ground。

　

With　the　blow　upon　my　head　came　unconsciousness。

　

It　could　not　have　been　more　than　a　few　seconds　that　I　lay

senseless　there　upon　the　northern　ice；　while　all　that　was

dearest　to　me　drifted　farther　from　my　reach　in　the　clutches　of

that　black　fiend；　for　when　I　opened　my　eyes　Thurid　and　Matai　Shang

yet　battled　at　the　ladder's　top；　and　the　flier　drifted　but　a

hundred　yards　farther　to　the　southbut　the　end　of　the　trailing

rope　was　now　a　good　thirty　feet　above　the　ground。

　

Goaded　to　madness　by　the　cruel　misfortune　that　had　tripped　me

when　success　was　almost　within　my　grasp；　I　tore　frantically　across

the　intervening　space；　and　just　beneath　the　rope's　dangling　end　I

put　my　earthly　muscles　to　the　supreme　test。

　

With　a　mighty；　catlike　bound　I　sprang　upward　toward　that　slender

strandthe　only　avenue　which　yet　remained　that　could　carry

me　to　my　vanishing　love。

　

A　foot　above　its　lowest　end　my　fingers　closed。　　Tightly　as　I

clung　I　felt　the　rope　slipping；　slipping　through　my　grasp。

I　tried　to　raise　my　free　hand　to　take　a　second　hold　above　my　first；

but　the　change　of　position　that　resulted　caused　me　to　slip　more

rapidly　toward　the　end　of　the　rope。

　

Slowly　I　felt　the　tantalizing　thing　escaping　me。　　In　a　moment　all

that　I　had　gained　would　be　lostthen　my　fingers　reached　a　knot

at　the　very　end　of　the　rope　and　slipped　no　more。

　

With　a　prayer　of　gratitude　upon　my　lips　I　scrambled　upward　toward

the　boat's　deck。　　I　could　not　see　Thurid　and　Matai　Shang　now；

but　I　heard　the　sounds　of　conflict　and　thus　knew　that　they

still　foughtthe　thern　for　his　life　and　the　black　for　the

increased　buoyancy　that　relief　from　the　weight　of　even　a　single

body　would　give　the　craft。

　

Should　Matai　Shang　die　before　I　reached　the　deck　my　chances　of

ever　reaching　it　would　be　slender　indeed；　for　the　black　dator　need

but　cut　the　rope　above　me　to　be　freed　from　me　forever；　for　the

vessel　had　drifted　across　the　brink　of　a　chasm　into　whose　yawning

depths　my　body　would　drop　to　be　crushed　to　a　shapeless　pulp　should

Thurid　reach　the　rope　now。

　

At　last　my　hand　closed　upon　the　ship's　rail　and　that　very

instant　a　horrid　shriek　rang　out　below　me　that　sent　my　blood　cold

and　turned　my　horrified　eyes　downward　to　a　shrieking；　hurtling；

twisting　thing　that　shot　downward　into　the　awful　chasm　beneath　me。

　

It　was　Matai　Shang；　Holy　Hekkador；　Father　of　Therns；　gone　to

his　last　accounting。

　

Then　my　head　came　above　the　deck　and　I　saw　Thurid；　dagger　in　hand；

leaping　toward　me。　　He　was　opposite　the　forward　end　of　the　cabin；

while　I　was　attempting　to　clamber　aboard　near　the　vessel's　stern。

But　a　few　paces　lay　between　us。　　No　power　on　earth　could　raise　me

to　that　deck　before　the　infuriated　black　would　be　upon　me。

　

My　end　had　come。　　I　knew　it；　but　had　there　been　a　doubt　in　my

mind　the　nasty　leer　of　triumph　upon　that　wicked　face　would　have

convinced　me。　　Beyond　Thurid　I　could　see　my　Dejah　Thoris；　wide…eyed

and　horrified；　struggling　at　her　bonds。　　That　she　should　be　forced

to　witness　my　awful　death　made　my　bitter　fate　seem　doubly　cruel。

　

I　ceased　my　efforts　to　climb　across　the　gunwale。　　Instead　I　took

a　firm　grasp　upon　the　rail　with　my　left　hand　and　drew　my　dagger。

　

I　should　at　least　die　as　I　had　livedfighting。

　

As　Thurid　came　opposite　the　cabin's　doorway　a　new　element

projected　itself　into　the　grim　tragedy　of　the　air　that　was

being　enacted　upon　the　deck　of　Matai　Shang's　disabled　flier。

　

It　was　Phaidor。

　

With　flushed　face　and　disheveled　hair；　and　eyes　that　betrayed

the　recent　presence　of　mortal　tearsabove　which　this　proud　goddess

had　always　held　herselfshe　leaped　to　the　deck　directly　before　me。

　

In　her　hand　was　a　long；　slim　dagger。　　I　cast　a　last　look　upon

my　beloved　princess；　smiling；　as　men　should　who　are　about　to　die。

Then　I　turned　my　face　up　toward　Phaidorwaiting　for　the　blow。

　

Never　have　I　seen　that　beautiful　face　more　beautiful　than　it

was　at　that　moment。　　It　seemed　incredible　that　one　so　lovely　could

yet　harbor　within　her　fair　bosom　a　heart　so　cruel　and　relentless；

and　today　there　was　a　new　expression　in　her　wondrous　eyes　that　I　never

before　had　seen　therean　unfamiliar　softness；　and　a　look　of　suffering。

　

Thurid　was　beside　her　nowpushing　past　to　reach　me　first；　and　then

what　happened　happened　so　quickly　that　it　was　all　over　before　I　could

realize　the　truth　of　it。

　

Phaidor's　slim　hand　shot　out　to　close　upon　the　black's　dagger　wrist。

Her　right　hand　went　high　with　its　gleaming　blade。

　

〃That　for　Matai　Shang！〃　she　cried；　and　she　buried　her　blade

deep　in　the　dator's　breast。　　〃That　for　the　wrong　you　would　have　done

Dejah　Thoris！〃　and　again　the　sharp　steel　sank　into　the　bloody　flesh。

　

〃And　that；　and　that；　and　that！〃　she　shrieked；　〃for　John　Carter；

Prince　of　Helium；〃　and　with　each　word　her　sharp　point　pierced

the　vile　heart　of　the　great　villain。　　Then；　with　a　vindictive

shove　she　cast　the　carcass　of　the　First　Born　from　the　deck　to

fall　in　awful　silence　after　the　body　of　his　victim。

　

I　had　been　so　paralyzed　by　surprise　that　I　had　made　no　move　to　reach

the　deck　during　the　awe…inspiring　scene　which　I　had　just　witnessed；

and　now　I　was　to　be　still　further　amazed　by　her　next　act；　for　Phaidor

extended　her　hand　to　me　and　assisted　me　to　the　deck；　where　I　stood

gazing　at　her　in　unconcealed　and　stupefied　wonderment。

　

A　wan　smile　touched　her　lipsit　was　not　the　cruel　and　haughty

smile　of　the　goddess　with　which　I　was　familiar。　　〃You　wonder；

John　Carter；〃　she　said；　〃what　strange　thing　has　wrought　this

change　in　me？　　I　will　tell　you。　　It　is　lovelove　of　you；〃

and　when　I　darkened　my　brows　in　disapproval　of　her　words

she　raised　an　appealing　hand。

　

〃Wait；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　a　different　love　from　mineit　is

the　love　of　your　princess；　Dejah　Thoris；　for　you　that　has　taught

me　what　true　love　may　bewhat　it　should　be；　and　how　far　from

real　love　was　my　selfish　and　jealous　passion　for　you。

　

〃Now　I　am　different。　　Now　could　I　love　as　Dejah　Thoris　loves；

and　so　my　only　happiness　can　be　to　know　that　you　and　she　are　once

more　united；　for　in　her　alone　can　you　find　true　happiness。

　

〃But　I　am　unhappy　because　of　the　wickedness　that　I　have　wrought。

I　have　many　sins　to　expiate；　and　though　I　be　deathless；　life　is

all　too　short　for　the　atonement。

　

〃But　there　is　another　way；　and　if　Phaidor；　daughter　of　the

Holy　Hekkador　of　the　Holy　Therns；　has　sinned　she　has　this　day

already　made　partial　reparation；　and　lest　you　doubt　the　sincerity

of　her　protestations　and　her　avowal　of　a　new　love　that　embraces

Dejah　Thoris　also；　she　will　prove　her　sincerity　in　the　only　way

that　lies　openhaving　saved　you　for　another；　Phaidor　leaves　you

to　her　embraces。〃

　

With　her　last　word　she　turned　and　leaped　from　the　vessel's

deck　into　the　abyss　below。

　

With　a　cry　of　horror　I　sprang　forward　in　a　vain　attempt　to

save　the　life　that　for　two　years　I　would　so　gladly　have　seen

extinguished。　　I　was　too　late。

　

With　tear…dimmed　eyes　I　turned　away　that　I　might　not　see　the

awful　sight　beneath。

　

A　moment　later　I　had　struck　the　bonds　from　Dejah　Thoris；　and　as

her　dear　arms　went　about　my　neck　and　her　perfect　lips　pressed　to

mine　I　forgot　the　horrors　that　I　had　witnessed　and　the　suffering

that　I　had　endured　in　the　r