warlord of mars-第9节

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outbreak　of　rage　upon　my　partsomething　that　would　have

added　to　the　spice　of　his　revenge。　　But　I　did　not　give　him　the

satisfaction　that　he　craved。

　

Instead；　I　did　the　one　thing　of　all　others　that　might　rouse　his

anger　and　increase　his　hatred　of　me；　for　I　knew　that　if　I　died

Dejah　Thoris；　too；　would　find　a　way　to　die　before　they　could

heap　further　tortures　or　indignities　upon　her。

　

Of　all　the　holy　of　holies　which　the　thern　venerates　and　worships　none

is　more　revered　than　the　yellow　wig　which　covers　his　bald　pate；

and　next　thereto　comes　the　circlet　of　gold　and　the　great　diadem；

whose　scintillant　rays　mark　the　attainment　of　the　Tenth　Cycle。

　

And；　knowing　this；　I　removed　the　wig　and　circlet　from　my　head；

tossing　them　carelessly　upon　the　flagging　of　the　court。　　Then　I

wiped　my　feet　upon　the　yellow　tresses；　and　as　a　groan　of　rage　arose

from　the　balcony　I　spat　full　upon　the　holy　diadem。

　

Matai　Shang　went　livid　with　anger；　but　upon　the　lips　of　Thurid

I　could　see　a　grim　smile　of　amusement；　for　to　him　these　things　were

not　holy；　so；　lest　he　should　derive　too　much　amusement　from　my　act；

I　cried：　　〃And　thus　did　I　with　the　holies　of　Issus；　Goddess　of　Life

Eternal；　ere　I　threw　Issus　herself　to　the　mob　that　once　had

worshiped　her；　to　be　torn　to　pieces　in　her　own　temple。〃

　

That　put　an　end　to　Thurid's　grinning；　for　he　had　been　high　in

the　favor　of　Issus。

　

〃Let　us　have　an　end　to　this　blaspheming！〃　he　cried；　turning　to

the　Father　of　Therns。

　

Matai　Shang　rose　and；　leaning　over　the　edge　of　the　balcony；

gave　voice　to　the　weird　call　that　I　had　heard　from　the　lips　of　the

priests　upon　the　tiny　balcony　upon　the　face　of　the　Golden　Cliffs

overlooking　the　Valley　Dor；　when；　in　times　past；　they　called　the

fearsome　white　apes　and　the　hideous　plant　men　to　the　feast　of

victims　floating　down　the　broad　bosom　of　the　mysterious　Iss　toward

the　silian…infested　waters　of　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus。

〃Let　loose　the　death！〃　he　cried；　and　immediately　a　dozen

doors　in　the　base　of　the　tower　swung　open；　and　a　dozen　grim

and　terrible　banths　sprang　into　the　arena。

　

This　was　not　the　first　time　that　I　had　faced　the　ferocious

Barsoomian　lion；　but　never　had　I　been　pitted；　single…handed；

against　a　full　dozen　of　them。　　Even　with　the　assistance　of

the　fierce　Woola；　there　could　be　but　a　single　outcome　to　so

unequal　a　struggle。

　

For　a　moment　the　beasts　hesitated　beneath　the　brilliant　glare

of　the　torches；　but　presently　their　eyes；　becoming　accustomed　to

the　light；　fell　upon　Woola　and　me；　and　with　bristling　manes　and

deep…throated　roars　they　advanced；　lashing　their　tawny　sides　with

their　powerful　tails。

　

In　the　brief　interval　of　life　that　was　left　me　I　shot　a　last；

parting　glance　toward　my　Dejah　Thoris。　　Her　beautiful　face　was　set

in　an　expression　of　horror；　and　as　my　eyes　met　hers　she　extended

both　arms　toward　me　as；　struggling　with　the　guards　who　now　held　her；

she　endeavored　to　cast　herself　from　the　balcony　into　the　pit　beneath；

that　she　might　share　my　death　with　me。　　Then；　as　the　banths　were　about

to　close　upon　me；　she　turned　and　buried　her　dear　face　in　her　arms。

　

Suddenly　my　attention　was　drawn　toward　Thuvia　of　Ptarth。

The　beautiful　girl　was　leaning　far　over　the　edge　of　the　balcony；

her　eyes　bright　with　excitement。

　

In　another　instant　the　banths　would　be　upon　me；　but　I　could

not　force　my　gaze　from　the　features　of　the　red　girl；　for　I　knew

that　her　expression　meant　anything　but　the　enjoyment　of　the　grim

tragedy　that　would　so　soon　be　enacted　below　her；　there　was　some

deeper；　hidden　meaning　which　I　sought　to　solve。

　

For　an　instant　I　thought　of　relying　on　my　earthly　muscles　and

agility　to　escape　the　banths　and　reach　the　balcony；　which　I　could

easily　have　done；　but　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　desert　the

faithful　Woola　and　leave　him　to　die　alone　beneath　the　cruel　fangs

of　the　hungry　banths；　that　is　not　the　way　upon　Barsoom；　nor　was　it

ever　the　way　of　John　Carter。

　

Then　the　secret　of　Thuvia's　excitement　became　apparent　as　from

her　lips　there　issued　the　purring　sound　I　had　heard　once　before；

that　time　that；　within　the　Golden　Cliffs；　she　called　the　fierce

banths　about　her　and　led　them　as　a　shepherdess　might　lead　her　flock

of　meek　and　harmless　sheep。

　

At　the　first　note　of　that　soothing　sound　the　banths　halted　in

their　tracks；　and　every　fierce　head　went　high　as　the　beasts　sought

the　origin　of　the　familiar　call。　　Presently　they　discovered　the　red

girl　in　the　balcony　above　them；　and；　turning；　roared　out　their

recognition　and　their　greeting。

　

Guards　sprang　to　drag　Thuvia　away；　but　ere　they　had　succeeded

she　had　hurled　a　volley　of　commands　at　the　listening　brutes；

and　as　one　they　turned　and　marched　back　into　their　dens。

　

〃You　need　not　fear　them　now；　John　Carter！〃　cried　Thuvia；

before　they　could　silence　her。　　〃Those　banths　will　never　harm

you　now；　nor　Woola；　either。〃

　

It　was　all　I　cared　to　know。　　There　was　naught　to　keep　me　from

that　balcony　now；　and　with　a　long；　running　leap　I　sprang　far　aloft

until　my　hands　grasped　its　lowest　sill。

　

In　an　instant　all　was　wild　confusion。　　Matai　Shang　shrank　back。

Thurid　sprang　forward　with　drawn　sword　to　cut　me　down。

　

Again　Dejah　Thoris　wielded　her　heavy　irons　and　fought　him　back。

Then　Matai　Shang　grasped　her　about　the　waist　and　dragged　her

away　through　a　door　leading　within　the　tower。

　

For　an　instant　Thurid　hesitated；　and　then；　as　though　fearing

that　the　Father　of　Therns　would　escape　him　with　the　Princess　of

Helium；　he；　too；　dashed　from　the　balcony　in　their　wake。

　

Phaidor　alone　retained　her　presence　of　mind。　　Two　of　the　guards

she　ordered　to　bear　away　Thuvia　of　Ptarth；　the　others　she　commanded

to　remain　and　prevent　me　from　following。　　Then　she　turned　toward　me。

　

〃John　Carter；〃　she　cried；　〃for　the　last　time　I　offer　you　the

love　of　Phaidor；　daughter　of　the　Holy　Hekkador。　　Accept　and　your

princess　shall　be　returned　to　the　court　of　her　grandfather；　and　you

shall　live　in　peace　and　happiness。　　Refuse　and　the　fate　that　my

father　has　threatened　shall　fall　upon　Dejah　Thoris。

　

〃You　cannot　save　her　now；　for　by　this　time　they　have　reached　a　place

where　even　you　may　not　follow。　　Refuse　and　naught　can　save　you；

for；　though　the　way　to　the　last　stronghold　of　the　Holy　Therns

was　made　easy　for　you；　the　way　hence　hath　been　made　impossible。

What　say　you？〃

　

〃You　knew　my　answer；　Phaidor；〃　I　replied；　〃before　ever　you　spoke。

Make　way；〃　I　cried　to　the　guards；　〃for　John　Carter；　Prince　of

Helium；　would　pass！〃

　

With　that　I　leaped　over　the　low　baluster　that　surrounded　the

balcony；　and　with　drawn　long…sword　faced　my　enemies。

　

There　were　three　of　them；　but　Phaidor　must　have　guessed　what　the

outcome　of　the　battle　would　be；　for　she　turned　and　fled　from　the

balcony　the　moment　she　saw　that　I　would　have　none　of　her　proposition。

　

The　three　guardsmen　did　not　wait　for　my　attack。　　Instead；　they

rushed　methe　three　of　them　simultaneously；　and　it　was　that　which

gave　me　an　advantage；　for　they　fouled　one　another　in　the　narrow

precincts　of　the　balcony；　so　that　the　foremost　of　them　stumbled

full　upon　my　blade　at　the　first　onslaught。

　

The　red　stain　upon　my　point　roused　to　its　full　the　old　blood…lust

of　the　fighting　man　that　has　ever　been　so　strong　within　my　breast；

so　that　my　blade　flew　through　the　air　with　a　swiftness　and　deadly

accuracy　that　threw　the　two　remaining　therns　into　wild　despair。

　

When　at　last　the　sharp　steel　found　the　heart　of　one　of　them

the　other　turned　to　flee；　and；　guessing　that　his　steps　would　lead

him　along　the　way　taken　by　those　I　sought；　I　let　him　keep　ever　far

enough　ahead　to　think　that　he　was　safely　escaping　my　sword。

　

Through　several　inner　chambers　he　raced　until　he　came　to　a

spiral　runway。　　Up　this　he　dashed；　I　in　close　pursuit。　　At　the

upper　end　we　came　out　into　a　small　chamber；　the　walls　of　which　were

plank　except　for　a　single　window　overlooking　the　slopes　of　Otz　and

the　Valley　of　Lost　Souls　beyond。

　

Here　the　fellow　tore　frantically　at　what　appeared　to　be　but　a

piece　of　the　blank　wall　opposite　the　single　window。　　In　an　instant

I　guessed　that　it　was　a　secret　exit　from　the　room；　and　so　I　paused

that　he　might　have　an　opportunity　to　negotiate　it；　for　I　cared

nothing　to　take　the　life　of　this　poor　servitorall　I　craved　was　a

clear　road　in　pursuit　of　Dejah　Thoris；　my　long…lost　princess。

　

But；　try　as　he　would；　the　panel　would　yield　neither　to　cunning

nor　force；　so　that　eventually　he　gave　it　up　and　turned　to　face　me。

　

〃Go　thy　way；　Thern；〃　I　said　to　him；　pointing　toward　the　entrance

to　the　runway　up　which　we　had　but　just　come。　　〃I　have　no　quarrel

with　you；　nor　do　I　crave　your　life。　　Go！〃

　

For　answer　he　sprang　upon　me　with　his　sword；　and　so　suddenly；

at　that；　that　I　was　like　to　have　gone　down　before　his　first　rush。

So　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　give　him　what　he　sought；　and

that　as　quickly　as　might　be；　that　I　might　not　be　delayed　too　long