warlord of mars-第35节

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

that　I　had　endured　in　the　rapture　of　my　reward。

　

　

　

　

THE　NEW　RULER

　

　

The　flier　upon　whose　deck　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　found　ourselves

after　twelve　long　years　of　separation　proved　entirely　useless。

Her　buoyancy　tanks　leaked　badly。　　Her　engine　would　not　start。

We　were　helpless　there　in　mid　air　above　the　arctic　ice。

　

The　craft　had　drifted　across　the　chasm　which　held　the　corpses　of

Matai　Shang；　Thurid；　and　Phaidor；　and　now　hung　above　a　low　hill。

Opening　the　buoyancy　escape　valves　I　permitted　her　to　come　slowly

to　the　ground；　and　as　she　touched；　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　stepped　from

her　deck　and；　hand　in　hand；　turned　back　across　the　frozen　waste

toward　the　city　of　Kadabra。

　

Through　the　tunnel　that　had　led　me　in　pursuit　of　them　we　passed；

walking　slowly；　for　we　had　much　to　say　to　each　other。

　

She　told　me　of　that　last　terrible　moment　months　before　when　the

door　of　her　prison　cell　within　the　Temple　of　the　Sun　was　slowly

closing　between　us。　　Of　how　Phaidor　had　sprung　upon　her　with

uplifted　dagger；　and　of　Thuvia's　shriek　as　she　had　realized　the

foul　intention　of　the　thern　goddess。

　

It　had　been　that　cry　that　had　rung　in　my　ears　all　the　long；

weary　months　that　I　had　been　left　in　cruel　doubt　as　to　my

princess'　fate；　for　I　had　not　known　that　Thuvia　had　wrested

the　blade　from　the　daughter　of　Matai　Shang　before　it　had

touched　either　Dejah　Thoris　or　herself。

　

She　told　me；　too；　of　the　awful　eternity　of　her　imprisonment。

Of　the　cruel　hatred　of　Phaidor；　and　the　tender　love　of　Thuvia；

and　of　how　even　when　despair　was　the　darkest　those　two　red　girls

had　clung　to　the　same　hope　and　beliefthat　John　Carter　would

find　a　way　to　release　them。

　

Presently　we　came　to　the　chamber　of　Solan。　　I　had　been　proceeding

without　thought　of　caution；　for　I　was　sure　that　the　city　and　the

palace　were　both　in　the　hands　of　my　friends　by　this　time。

　

And　so　it　was　that　I　bolted　into　the　chamber　full　into

the　midst　of　a　dozen　nobles　of　the　court　of　Salensus　Oll。

They　were　passing　through　on　their　way　to　the　outside　world

along　the　corridors　we　had　just　traversed。

　

At　sight　of　us　they　halted　in　their　tracks；　and　then　an　ugly

smile　overspread　the　features　of　their　leader。

　

〃The　author　of　all　our　misfortunes！〃　he　cried；　pointing　at　me。

〃We　shall　have　the　satisfaction　of　a　partial　vengeance　at　least

when　we　leave　behind　us　here　the　dead　and　mutilated　corpses　of　the

Prince　and　Princess　of　Helium。

　

〃When　they　find　them；〃　he　went　on；　jerking　his　thumb　upward　toward

the　palace　above；　〃they　will　realize　that　the　vengeance　of　the

yellow　man　costs　his　enemies　dear。　　Prepare　to　die；　John　Carter；

but　that　your　end　may　be　the　more　bitter；　know　that　I　may　change

my　intention　as　to　meting　a　merciful　death　to　your　princess

possibly　she　shall　be　preserved　as　a　plaything　for　my　nobles。〃

　

I　stood　close　to　the　instrument…covered　wallDejah　Thoris　at　my　side。

She　looked　up　at　me　wonderingly　as　the　warriors　advanced　upon　us　with

drawn　swords；　for　mine　still　hung　within　its　scabbard　at　my　side；

and　there　was　a　smile　upon　my　lips。

　

The　yellow　nobles；　too；　looked　in　surprise；　and　then　as　I　made

no　move　to　draw　they　hesitated；　fearing　a　ruse；　but　their　leader

urged　them　on。　　When　they　had　come　almost　within　sword's　reach　of

me　I　raised　my　hand　and　laid　it　upon　the　polished　surface　of　a

great　lever；　and　then；　still　smiling　grimly；　I　looked　my　enemies

full　in　the　face。

　

As　one　they　came　to　a　sudden　stop；　casting　affrighted　glances

at　me　and　at　one　another。

　

〃Stop！〃　shrieked　their　leader。　　〃You　dream　not　what　you　do！〃

　

〃Right　you　are；〃　I　replied。　　〃John　Carter　does　not　dream。

He　knowsknows　that　should　one　of　you　take　another　step　toward

Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium；　I　pull　this　lever　wide；

and　she　and　I　shall　die　together；　but　we　shall　not　die　alone。〃

　

The　nobles　shrank　back；　whispering　together　for　a　few　moments。

At　last　their　leader　turned　to　me。

　

〃Go　your　way；　John　Carter；〃　he　said；　〃and　we　shall　go　ours。〃

　

〃Prisoners　do　not　go　their　own　way；〃　I　answered；　〃and　you　are

prisonersprisoners　of　the　Prince　of　Helium。〃

　

Before　they　could　make　answer　a　door　upon　the　opposite　side　of

the　apartment　opened　and　a　score　of　yellow　men　poured　into　the

apartment。　　For　an　instant　the　nobles　looked　relieved；　and　then　as

their　eyes　fell　upon　the　leader　of　the　new　party　their　faces　fell；

for　he　was　Talu；　rebel　Prince　of　Marentina；　and　they　knew　that　they

could　look　for　neither　aid　nor　mercy　at　his　hands。

　

〃Well　done；　John　Carter；〃　he　cried。　　〃You　turn　their　own

mighty　power　against　them。　　Fortunate　for　Okar　is　it　that　you　were

here　to　prevent　their　escape；　for　these　be　the　greatest　villains

north　of　the　ice…barrier；　and　this　one〃pointing　to　the　leader　of

the　party〃would　have　made　himself　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　in　the　place

of　the　dead　Salensus　Oll。　　Then　indeed　would　we　have　had　a　more

villainous　ruler　than　the　hated　tyrant　who　fell　before　your　sword。〃

　

The　Okarian　nobles　now　submitted　to　arrest；　since　nothing　but

death　faced　them　should　they　resist；　and；　escorted　by　the　warriors

of　Talu；　we　made　our　way　to　the　great　audience　chamber　that　had

been　Salensus　Oll's。　　Here　was　a　vast　concourse　of　warriors。

　

Red　men　from　Helium　and　Ptarth；　yellow　men　of　the　north；

rubbing　elbows　with　the　blacks　of　the　First　Born　who　had　come

under　my　friend　Xodar　to　help　in　the　search　for　me　and　my　princess。

There　were　savage；　green　warriors　from　the　dead　sea　bottoms

of　the　south；　and　a　handful　of　white…skinned　therns　who　had

renounced　their　religion　and　sworn　allegiance　to　Xodar。

　

There　was　Tardos　Mors　and　Mors　Kajak；　and　tall　and　mighty　in　his

gorgeous　warrior　trappings；　Carthoris；　my　son。　　These　three　fell

upon　Dejah　Thoris　as　we　entered　the　apartment；　and　though　the　lives

and　training　of　royal　Martians　tend　not　toward　vulgar　demonstration；

I　thought　that　they　would　suffocate　her　with　their　embraces。

　

And　there　were　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark；　and　Kantos　Kan；

my　old…time　friends；　and　leaping　and　tearing　at　my　harness

in　the　exuberance　of　his　great　love　was　dear　old　Woola

frantic　mad　with　happiness。

　

Long　and　loud　was　the　cheering　that　burst　forth　at　sight　of　us；

deafening　was　the　din　of　ringing　metal　as　the　veteran　warriors

of　every　Martian　clime　clashed　their　blades　together　on　high　in

token　of　success　and　victory；　but　as　I　passed　among　the　throng

of　saluting　nobles　and　warriors；　jeds　and　jeddaks；　my　heart

still　was　heavy；　for　there　were　two　faces　missing　that　I　would　have

given　much　to　have　seen　thereThuvan　Dihn　and　Thuvia　of　Ptarth

were　not　to　be　found　in　the　great　chamber。

　

I　made　inquiries　concerning　them　among　men　of　every　nation；

and　at　last　from　one　of　the　yellow　prisoners　of　war　I　learned　that

they　had　been　apprehended　by　an　officer　of　the　palace　as　they

sought　to　reach　the　Pit　of　Plenty　while　I　lay　imprisoned　there。

　

I　did　not　need　to　ask　to　know　what　had　sent　them　thither

the　courageous　jeddak　and　his　loyal　daughter。　　My　informer

said　that　they　lay　now　in　one　of　the　many　buried　dungeons

of　the　palace　where　they　had　been　placed　pending　a　decision

as　to　their　fate　by　the　tyrant　of　the　north。

　

A　moment　later　searching　parties　were　scouring　the　ancient　pile

in　search　of　them；　and　my　cup　of　happiness　was　full　when　I　saw

them　being　escorted　into　the　room　by　a　cheering　guard　of　honor。

　

Thuvia's　first　act　was　to　rush　to　the　side　of　Dejah　Thoris；

and　I　needed　no　better　proof　of　the　love　these　two　bore　for

each　other　than　the　sincerity　with　which　they　embraced。

　

Looking　down　upon　that　crowded　chamber　stood　the　silent　and

empty　throne　of　Okar。

　

Of　all　the　strange　scenes　it　must　have　witnessed　since　that

long…dead　age　that　had　first　seen　a　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　take　his

seat　upon　it；　none　might　compare　with　that　upon　which　it　now

looked　down；　and　as　I　pondered　the　past　and　future　of　that

long…buried　race　of　black…bearded　yellow　men　I　thought　that

I　saw　a　brighter　and　more　useful　existence　for　them　among

the　great　family　of　friendly　nations　that　now　stretched

from　the　south　pole　almost　to　their　very　doors。

　

Twenty…two　years　before　I　had　been　cast；　naked　and　a　stranger；

into　this　strange　and　savage　world。　　The　hand　of　every　race　and

nation　was　raised　in　continual　strife　and　warring　against　the　men

of　every　other　land　and　color。　　Today；　by　the　might　of　my　sword　and

the　loyalty　of　the　friends　my　sword　had　made　for　me；　black　man　and

white；　red　man　and　green　rubbed　shoulders　in　peace　and　good…fellowship。

All　the　nations　of　Barsoom　were　not　yet　as　one；　but　a　great　stride

forward　toward　that　goal　had　been　taken；　and　now　if　I　could　but

cement　the　fierce　yellow　race　into　this　solidarity　of　nations

I　should　feel　that　I　had　rounded　out　a　great　lifework；

and　repaid　to　Mars　at　least　a　portion　of　the　immense　debt　of

gratitude　I　owed　her