warlord of mars-第36节

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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　for　having　given　me　my　Dejah　Thoris。

　

And　as　I　thought；　I　saw　but　one　way；　and　a　single　man　who　could

insure　the　success　of　my　hopes。　　As　is　ever　the　way　with　me；

I　acted　then　as　I　always　actwithout　deliberation　and

without　consultation。

　

Those　who　do　not　like　my　plans　and　my　ways　of　promoting　them

have　always　their　swords　at　their　sides　wherewith　to　back　up　their

disapproval；　but　now　there　seemed　to　be　no　dissenting　voice；　as；

grasping　Talu　by　the　arm；　I　sprang　to　the　throne　that　had　once　been

Salensus　Oll's。

　

〃Warriors　of　Barsoom；〃　I　cried；　〃Kadabra　has　fallen；　and　with　her

the　hateful　tyrant　of　the　north；　but　the　integrity　of　Okar　must

be　preserved。　　The　red　men　are　ruled　by　red　jeddaks；　the　green

warriors　of　the　ancient　seas　acknowledge　none　but　a　green　ruler；

the　First　Born　of　the　south　pole　take　their　law　from　black　Xodar；

nor　would　it　be　to　the　interests　of　either　yellow　or　red　man　were

a　red　jeddak　to　sit　upon　the　throne　of　Okar。

　

〃There　be　but　one　warrior　best　fitted　for　the　ancient　and　mighty

title　of　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　of　the　North。　　Men　of　Okar；　raise

your　swords　to　your　new　rulerTalu；　the　rebel　prince　of　Marentina！〃

　

And　then　a　great　cry　of　rejoicing　rose　among　the　free　men　of

Marentina　and　the　Kadabran　prisoners；　for　all　had　thought　that　the

red　men　would　retain　that　which　they　had　taken　by　force　of　arms；

for　such　had　been　the　way　upon　Barsoom；　and　that　they　should　be

ruled　henceforth　by　an　alien　Jeddak。

　

The　victorious　warriors　who　had　followed　Carthoris　joined　in　the

mad　demonstration；　and　amidst　the　wild　confusion　and　the　tumult

and　the　cheering；　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　passed　out　into　the　gorgeous

garden　of　the　jeddaks　that　graces　the　inner　courtyard　of　the

palace　of　Kadabra。

　

At　our　heels　walked　Woola；　and　upon　a　carved　seat　of　wondrous　beauty

beneath　a　bower　of　purple　blooms　we　saw　two　who　had　preceded　us

Thuvia　of　Ptarth　and　Carthoris　of　Helium。

　

The　handsome　head　of　the　handsome　youth　was　bent　low　above　the

beautiful　face　of　his　companion。　　I　looked　at　Dejah　Thoris；

smiling；　and　as　I　drew　her　close　to　me　I　whispered：　　〃Why　not？〃

　

Indeed；　why　not？　　What　matter　ages　in　this　world　of　perpetual　youth？

　

We　remained　at　Kadabra；　the　guests　of　Talu；　until　after　his

formal　induction　into　office；　and　then；　upon　the　great　fleet　which

I　had　been　so　fortunate　to　preserve　from　destruction；　we　sailed

south　across　the　ice…barrier；　but　not　before　we　had　witnessed　the

total　demolition　of　the　grim　Guardian　of　the　North　under　orders　of

the　new　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks。

　

〃Henceforth；〃　he　said；　as　the　work　was　completed；　〃the　fleets

of　the　red　men　and　the　black　are　free　to　come　and　go　across　the

ice…barrier　as　over　their　own　lands。

　

〃The　Carrion　Caves　shall　be　cleansed；　that　the　green　men　may

find　an　easy　way　to　the　land　of　the　yellow；　and　the　hunting　of　the

sacred　apt　shall　be　the　sport　of　my　nobles　until　no　single　specimen

of　that　hideous　creature　roams　the　frozen　north。〃

　

We　bade　our　yellow　friends　farewell　with　real　regret；　as　we

set　sail　for　Ptarth。　　There　we　remained；　the　guest　of　Thuvan　Dihn；

for　a　month；　and　I　could　see　that　Carthoris　would　have　remained

forever　had　he　not　been　a　Prince　of　Helium。

　

Above　the　mighty　forests　of　Kaol　we　hovered　until　word　from

Kulan　Tith　brought　us　to　his　single　landing…tower；　where　all　day

and　half　a　night　the　vessels　disembarked　their　crews。　　At　the　city

of　Kaol　we　visited；　cementing　the　new　ties　that　had　been　formed

between　Kaol　and　Helium；　and　then　one　long…to…be…remembered　day　we

sighted　the　tall；　thin　towers　of　the　twin　cities　of　Helium。

　

The　people　had　long　been　preparing　for　our　coming。　　The　sky

was　gorgeous　with　gaily　trimmed　fliers。　　Every　roof　within　both

cities　was　spread　with　costly　silks　and　tapestries。

　

Gold　and　jewels　were　scattered　over　roof　and　street　and　plaza；

so　that　the　two　cities　seemed　ablaze　with　the　fires　of　the　hearts

of　the　magnificent　stones　and　burnished　metal　that　reflected　the

brilliant　sunlight；　changing　it　into　countless　glorious　hues。

　

At　last；　after　twelve　years；　the　royal　family　of　Helium　was

reunited　in　their　own　mighty　city；　surrounded　by　joy…mad　millions

before　the　palace　gates。　　Women　and　children　and　mighty　warriors

wept　in　gratitude　for　the　fate　that　had　restored　their　beloved

Tardos　Mors　and　the　divine　princess　whom　the　whole　nation　idolized。

Nor　did　any　of　us　who　had　been　upon　that　expedition　of　indescribable

danger　and　glory　lack　for　plaudits。

　

That　night　a　messenger　came　to　me　as　I　sat　with　Dejah　Thoris

and　Carthoris　upon　the　roof　of　my　city　palace；　where　we　had　long

since　caused　a　lovely　garden　to　be　made　that　we　three　might　find

seclusion　and　quiet　happiness　among　ourselves；　far　from　the　pomp

and　ceremony　of　court；　to　summon　us　to　the　Temple　of　Reward

〃where　one　is　to　be　judged　this　night；〃　the　summons　concluded。

　

I　racked　my　brain　to　try　and　determine　what　important　case

there　might　be　pending　which　could　call　the　royal　family　from

their　palaces　on　the　eve　of　their　return　to　Helium　after　years

of　absence；　but　when　the　jeddak　summons　no　man　delays。

　

As　our　flier　touched　the　landing　stage　at　the　temple's　top　we

saw　countless　other　craft　arriving　and　departing。　　In　the　streets

below　a　great　multitude　surged　toward　the　great　gates　of　the　temple。

　

Slowly　there　came　to　me　the　recollection　of　the　deferred　doom　that

awaited　me　since　that　time　I　had　been　tried　here　in　the　Temple　by

Zat　Arras　for　the　sin　of　returning　from　the　Valley　Dor　and　the

Lost　Sea　of　Korus。

　

Could　it　be　possible　that　the　strict　sense　of　justice　which

dominates　the　men　of　Mars　had　caused　them　to　overlook　the

great　good　that　had　come　out　of　my　heresy？　　Could　they　ignore　the

fact　that　to　me；　and　me　alone；　was　due　the　rescue　of　Carthoris；

of　Dejah　Thoris；　of　Mors　Kajak；　of　Tardos　Mors？

　

I　could　not　believe　it；　and　yet　for　what　other　purpose　could　I

have　been　summoned　to　the　Temple　of　Reward　immediately　upon　the

return　of　Tardos　Mors　to　his　throne？

　

My　first　surprise　as　I　entered　the　temple　and　approached　the　Throne

of　Righteousness　was　to　note　the　men　who　sat　there　as　judges。

There　was　Kulan　Tith；　Jeddak　of　Kaol；　whom　we　had　but　just　left

within　his　own　palace　a　few　days　since；　there　was　Thuvan　Dihn；

Jeddak　of　Ptarthhow　came　he　to　Helium　as　soon　as　we？

　

There　was　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark；　and　Xodar；　Jeddak　of

the　First　Born；　there　was　Talu；　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　of　the　North；

whom　I　could　have　sworn　was　still　in　his　ice…bound　hothouse　city

beyond　the　northern　barrier；　and　among　them　sat　Tardos　Mors　and

Mors　Kajak；　with　enough　lesser　jeds　and　jeddaks　to　make　up　the

thirty…one　who　must　sit　in　judgment　upon　their　fellow…man。

　

A　right　royal　tribunal　indeed；　and　such　a　one；　I　warrant；　as　never

before　sat　together　during　all　the　history　of　ancient　Mars。

　

As　I　entered；　silence　fell　upon　the　great　concourse　of　people　that

packed　the　auditorium。　　Then　Tardos　Mors　arose。

　

〃John　Carter；〃　he　said　in　his　deep；　martial　voice；　〃take　your　place

upon　the　Pedestal　of　Truth；　for　you　are　to　be　tried　by　a　fair　and

impartial　tribunal　of　your　fellow…men。〃

　

With　level　eye　and　high…held　head　I　did　as　he　bade；　and　as　I　glanced

about　that　circle　of　faces　that　a　moment　before　I　could　have　sworn

contained　the　best　friends　I　had　upon　Barsoom；　I　saw　no　single

friendly　glanceonly　stern；　uncompromising　judges；　there　to

do　their　duty。

　

A　clerk　rose　and　from　a　great　book　read　a　long　list　of　the　more

notable　deeds　that　I　had　thought　to　my　credit；　covering　a　long

period　of　twenty…two　years　since　first　I　had　stepped　the　ocher　sea

bottom　beside　the　incubator　of　the　Tharks。　　With　the　others　he　read

of　all　that　I　had　done　within　the　circle　of　the　Otz　Mountains　where

the　Holy　Therns　and　the　First　Born　had　held　sway。

　

It　is　the　way　upon　Barsoom　to　recite　a　man's　virtues　with　his　sins

when　he　is　come　to　trial；　and　so　I　was　not　surprised　that　all　that

was　to　my　credit　should　be　read　there　to　my　judgeswho　knew　it

all　by　hearteven　down　to　the　present　moment。　　When　the　reading

had　ceased　Tardos　Mors　arose。

　

〃Most　righteous　judges；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you　have　heard　recited

all　that　is　known　of　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Heliumthe　good

with　the　bad。　　What　is　your　judgment？〃

　

Then　Tars　Tarkas　came　slowly　to　his　feet；　unfolding　all　his　mighty；

towering　height　until　he　loomed；　a　green…bronze　statue；　far　above　us　all。

He　turned　a　baleful　eye　upon　mehe；　Tars　Tarkas；　with　whom　I　had　fought

through　countless　battles；　whom　I　loved　as　a　brother。

　

I　could　have　wept　had　I　not　been　so　mad　with　rage　that　I

almost　whipped　my　sword　out　and　had　at　them　all　upon　the　spot。

　

〃Judges；〃　he　said；　〃there　can　be　but　one　verdict。　　No　longer　may

John　Carter　be　Prince　of　Helium〃he　paused