thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第1节
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
THUVIA； MAID OF
MARS
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER I
CARTHORIS AND THUVIA
Upon a massive bench of polished ersite beneath the gorgeous
blooms of a giant pimalia a woman sat。 Her shapely； sandalled foot tapped
impatiently upon the jewel…strewn walk that wound beneath the stately
sorapus trees across the scarlet sward of the royal gardens of Thuvan Dihn；
Jeddak of Ptarth； as a dark…haired； red… skinned warrior bent low toward
her； whispering heated words close to her ear。
〃Ah； Thuvia of Ptarth；〃 he cried； 〃you are cold even before the fiery
blasts of my consuming love！ No harder than your heart； nor colder is the
hard； cold ersite of this thrice happy bench which supports your divine and
fadeless form！ Tell me； O Thuvia of Ptarth； that I may still hopethat
though you do not love me now； yet some day； some day； my princess； I…
…〃
The girl sprang to her feet with an exclamation of surprise and
displeasure。 Her queenly head was poised haughtily upon her smooth red
shoulders。 Her dark eyes looked angrily into those of the man。
〃You forget yourself； and the customs of Barsoom； Astok；〃 she said。
〃I have given you no right thus to address the daughter of Thuvan Dihn；
nor have you won such a right。〃
The man reached suddenly forth and grasped her by the arm。
〃You shall be my princess！〃 he cried。 〃By the breast of Issus； thou
shalt； nor shall any other come between Astok； Prince of Dusar； and his
heart's desire。 Tell me that there is another； and I shall cut out his foul
heart and fling it to the wild calots of the dead sea…bottoms！〃
At touch of the man's hand upon her flesh the girl went pallid beneath
her coppery skin； for the persons of the royal women of the courts of Mars
are held but little less than sacred。 The act of Astok； Prince of Dusar； was
profanation。 There was no terror in the eyes of Thuvia of Ptarthonly
horror for the thing the man had done and for its possible consequences。
〃Release me。〃 Her voice was levelfrigid。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
The man muttered incoherently and drew her roughly toward him。
〃Release me！〃 she repeated sharply； 〃or I call the guard； and the Prince
of Dusar knows what that will mean。〃
Quickly he threw his right arm about her shoulders and strove to draw
her face to his lips。 With a little cry she struck him full in the mouth with
the massive bracelets that circled her free arm。
〃Calot！〃 she exclaimed； and then： 〃The guard！ The guard！ Hasten
in protection of the Princess of Ptarth！〃
In answer to her call a dozen guardsmen came racing across the scarlet
sward； their gleaming long…swords naked in the sun； the metal of their
accoutrements clanking against that of their leathern harness； and in their
throats hoarse shouts of rage at the sight which met their eyes。
But before they had passed half across the royal garden to where Astok
of Dusar still held the struggling girl in his grasp； another figure sprang
from a cluster of dense foliage that half hid a golden fountain close at hand。
A tall； straight youth he was； with black hair and keen grey eyes； broad of
shoulder and narrow of hip； a clean…limbed fighting man。 His skin was
but faintly tinged with the copper colour that marks the red men of Mars
from the other races of the dying planethe was like them； and yet there
was a subtle difference greater even than that which lay in his lighter skin
and his grey eyes。
There was a difference； too； in his movements。 He came on in great
leaps that carried him so swiftly over the ground that the speed of the
guardsmen was as nothing by comparison。
Astok still clutched Thuvia's wrist as the young warrior confronted
him。 The new…comer wasted no time and he spoke but a single word。
〃Calot！〃 he snapped； and then his clenched fist landed beneath the
other's chin； lifting him high into the air and depositing him in a crumpled
heap within the centre of the pimalia bush beside the ersite bench。
Her champion turned toward the girl。 〃Kaor； Thuvia of Ptarth！〃 he
cried。 〃It seems that fate timed my visit well。〃
〃Kaor； Carthoris of Helium！〃 the princess returned the young man's
greeting； 〃and what less could one expect of the son of such a sire？〃
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
He bowed his acknowledgment of the compliment to his father； John
Carter； Warlord of Mars。 And then the guardsmen； panting from their
charge； came up just as the Prince of Dusar； bleeding at the mouth； and
with drawn sword； crawled from the entanglement of the pimalia。
Astok would have leaped to mortal combat with the son of Dejah
Thoris； but the guardsmen pressed about him； preventing； though it was
clearly evident that naught would have better pleased Carthoris of Helium。
〃But say the word； Thuvia of Ptarth；〃 he begged； 〃and naught will give
me greater pleasure than meting to this fellow the punishment he has
earned。〃
〃It cannot be； Carthoris；〃 she replied。 〃Even though he has forfeited
all claim upon my consideration； yet is he the guest of the jeddak； my
father； and to him alone may he account for the unpardonable act he has
committed。〃
〃As you say； Thuvia；〃 replied the Heliumite。 〃But afterward he shall
account to Carthoris； Prince of Helium； for this affront to the daughter of
my father's friend。〃 As he spoke； though； there burned in his eyes a fire
that proclaimed a nearer； dearer cause for his championship of this
glorious daughter of Barsoom。
The maid's cheek darkened beneath the satin of her transparent skin；
and the eyes of Astok； Prince of Dusar； darkened； too； as he read that
which passed unspoken between the two in the royal gardens of the
jeddak。
〃And thou to me；〃 he snapped at Carthoris； answering the young man's
challenge。
The guard still surrounded Astok。 It was a difficult position for the
young officer who commanded it。 His prisoner was the son of a mighty
jeddak； he was the guest of Thuvan Dihnuntil but now an honoured guest
upon whom every royal dignity had been showered。 To arrest him forcibly
could mean naught else than war； and yet he had done that which in the
eyes of the Ptarth warrior merited death。
The young man hesitated。 He looked toward his princess。 She； too；
guessed all that hung upon the action of the coming moment。 For many
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
years Dusar and Ptarth had been at peace with each other。 Their great
merchant ships plied back and forth between the larger cities of the two
nations。 Even now； far above the gold…shot scarlet dome of the jeddak's
palace； she could see the huge bulk of a giant freighter taking its majestic
way through the thin Barsoomian air toward the west and Dusar。
By a word she might plunge these two mighty nations into a bloody
conflict that would drain them of their bravest blood and their incalculable
riches； leaving them all helpless against the inroads of their envious and
less powerful neighbors； and at last a prey to the savage green hordes of
the dead sea…bottoms。
No sense of fear influenced her decision； for fear is seldom known to
the children of Mars。 It was rather a sense of the responsibility that she；
the daughter of their jeddak； felt for the welfare of her father's people。
〃I called you； Padwar；〃 she said to the lieutenant of the guard； 〃to
protect the person of your princess； and to keep the peace that must not be
violated within the royal gardens of the jeddak。 That is all。 You will
escort me to the palace； and the Prince of Helium will accompany me。〃
Without another glance in the direction of Astok she turned； and taking
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