thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第15节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to receive them。 About him were a hundred or more men of the same
race。 All were clothed in flowing robes and all were beardless。
Their attitude was more of fearful suspicion than antagonism。 They
followed the new…comers with their eyes； but spoke no word to them。
54
… Page 55…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
Carthoris could not but notice the fact that though the city had been
but a short time before surrounded by a horde of bloodthirsty demons yet
none of the citizens appeared to be armed； nor was there sign of soldiery
about。
He wondered if all the fighting men had sallied forth in one supreme
effort to rout the foe； leaving the city all unguarded。 He asked their host。
The man smiled。
〃No creature other than a score or so of our sacred banths has left
Lothar to…day；〃 he replied。
〃But the soldiersthe bowmen！〃 exclaimed Carthoris。 〃We saw
thousands emerge from this very gate； overwhelming the hordes of
Torquas and putting them to rout with their deadly arrows and their fierce
banths。〃
Still the man smiled his knowing smile。
〃Look！〃 he cried； and pointed down a broad avenue before him。
Carthoris and Thuvia followed the direction indicated； and there；
marching bravely in the sunlight； they saw advancing toward them a great
army of bowmen。
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Thuvia。 〃They have returned through another gate；
or perchance these be the troops that remained to defend the city？〃
Again the fellow smiled his uncanny smile。
〃There are no soldiers in Lothar；〃 he said。 〃Look！〃
Both Carthoris and Thuvia had turned toward him while he spoke； and
now as they turned back again toward the advancing regiments their eyes
went wide in astonishment； for the broad avenue before them was as
deserted as the tomb。
〃And those who marched out upon the hordes to…day？〃 whispered
Carthoris。 〃They； too； were unreal？〃
The man nodded。
〃But their arrows slew the green warriors；〃 insisted Thuvia。
〃Let us go before Tario；〃 replied the Lotharian。 〃He will tell you that
which he deems it best you know。 I might tell you too much。〃
〃Who is Tario？〃 asked Carthoris。
55
… Page 56…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
〃Jeddak of Lothar；〃 replied the guide； leading them up the broad
avenue down which they had but a moment since seen the phantom army
marching。
For half an hour they walked along lovely avenues between the most
gorgeous buildings that the two had ever seen。 Few people were in
evidence。 Carthoris could not but note the deserted appearance of the
mighty city。
At last they came to the royal palace。 Carthoris saw it from a
distance； and guessing the nature of the magnificent pile wondered that
even here there should be so little sign of activity and life。
Not even a single guard was visible before the great entrance gate； nor
in the gardens beyond； into which he could see； was there sign of the
myriad life that pulses within the precincts of the royal estates of the red
jeddaks。
〃Here；〃 said their guide； 〃is the palace of Tario。〃
As he spoke Carthoris again let his gaze rest upon the wondrous palace。
With a startled exclamation he rubbed his eyes and looked again。 No！
He could not be mistaken。 Before the massive gate stood a score of
sentries。 Within； the avenue leading to the main building was lined on
either side by ranks of bowmen。 The gardens were dotted with officers
and soldiers moving quickly to and fro； as though bent upon the duties of
the minute。
What manner of people were these who could conjure an army out of
thin air？ He glanced toward Thuvia。 She； too； evidently had witnessed
the transformation。
With a little shudder she pressed more closely toward him。
〃What do you make of it？〃 she whispered。 〃It is most uncanny。〃
〃I cannot account for it；〃 replied Carthoris； 〃unless we have gone
mad。〃
Carthoris turned quickly toward the Lotharian。 The fellow was
smiling broadly。
〃I thought that you just said that there were no soldiers in Lothar；〃 said
the Heliumite； with a gesture toward the guardsmen。 〃What are these？〃
56
… Page 57…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
〃Ask Tario；〃 replied the other。 〃We shall soon be before him。〃
Nor was it long before they entered a lofty chamber at one end of
which a man reclined upon a rich couch that stood upon a high dais。
As the trio approached； the man turned dreamy eyes sleepily upon
them。 Twenty feet from the dais their conductor halted； and； whispering
to Thuvia and Carthoris to follow his example； threw himself headlong to
the floor。 Then rising to hands and knees； he commenced crawling toward
the foot of the throne； swinging his head to and fro and wiggling his body
as you have seen a hound do when approaching its master。
Thuvia glanced quickly toward Carthoris。 He was standing erect；
with high…held head and arms folded across his broad chest。 A haughty
smile curved his lips。
The man upon the dais was eyeing him intently； and Carthoris of
Helium was looking straight in the other's face。
〃Who be these； Jav？〃 asked the man of him who crawled upon his
belly along the floor。
〃O Tario； most glorious Jeddak；〃 replied Jav； 〃these be strangers who
came with the hordes of Torquas to our gates； saying that they were
prisoners of the green men。 They tell strange tales of cities far beyond
Lothar。〃
〃Arise； Jav；〃 commanded Tario； 〃and ask these two why they show not
to Tario the respect that is his due。〃
Jav arose and faced the strangers。 At sight of their erect positions his
face went livid。 He leaped toward them。
〃Creatures！〃 he screamed。 〃Down！ Down upon your bellies before
the last of the jeddaks of Barsoom！〃
57
… Page 58…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER VII
THE PHANTOM BOWMEN
As Jav leaped toward him Carthoris laid his hand upon the hilt of his
long…sword。 The Lotharian halted。 The great apartment was empty
save for the four at the dais； yet as Jav stepped back from the menace of
the Heliumite's threatening attitude the latter found himself surrounded by
a score of bowmen。
From whence had they sprung？ Both Carthoris and Thuvia looked
their astonishment。
Now the former's sword leaped from its scabbard； and at the same
instant the bowmen drew back their slim shafts。
Tario had half raised himself upon one elbow。 For the first time he
saw the full figure of Thuvia； who had been concealed behind the person
of Carthoris。
〃Enough！〃 cried the jeddak； raising a protesting hand； but at that very
instant the sword of the Heliumite cut viciously at its nearest antagonist。
As the keen edge reached its goal Carthoris let the point fall to the
floor； as with wide eyes he stepped backward in consternation； throwing
the back of his left hand across his brow。 His steel had cut but empty air…
…his antagonist had vanishedthere were no bowmen in the room！
〃It is evident that these are strangers；〃 said Tario to Jav。 〃Let us first
determine that they knowingly affronted us before we take measures for
punishment。〃
Then he turned to Carthoris； but ever his gaze wandered to the perfect
lines of Thuvia's glorious figure； which the harness of a Barsoomian
princess accentuated rather than concealed。
〃Who are you；〃 he asked； 〃who knows not the etiquette of the court of
the last of jeddaks？〃
〃I am Carthoris； Prince of Helium；〃 replied the Heliumite。 〃And this
is Thuvia； Princess of Ptarth。 In the courts of our fathers men do not
pros
