thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第16节
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is Thuvia； Princess of Ptarth。 In the courts of our fathers men do not
prostrate themselves before royalty。 Not since the First Born tore their
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immortal goddess limb from limb have men crawled upon their bellies to
any throne upon Barsoom。 Now think you that the daughter of one
mighty jeddak and the son of another would so humiliate themselves？〃
Tario looked at Carthoris for a long time。 At last he spoke。
〃There is no other jeddak upon Barsoom than Tario；〃 he said。 〃There is
no other race than that of Lothar； unless the hordes of Torquas may be
dignified by such an appellation。 Lotharians are white； your skins are red。
There are no women left upon Barsoom。 Your companion is a woman。〃
He half rose from the couch； leaning far forward and pointing an
accusing finger at Carthoris。
〃You are a lie！〃 he shrieked。 〃You are both lies； and you dare to
come before Tario； last and mightiest of the jeddaks of Barsoom； and
assert your reality。 Some one shall pay well for this； Jav； and unless I
mistake it is yourself who has dared thus flippantly to trifle with the good
nature of your jeddak。
〃Remove the man。 Leave the woman。 We shall see if both be lies。
And later； Jav； you shall suffer for your temerity。 There be few of us left；
butKomal must be fed。 Go！〃
Carthoris could see that Jav trembled as he prostrated himself once
more before his ruler； and then； rising； turned toward the Prince of
Helium。
〃Come！〃 he said。
〃And leave the Princess of Ptarth here alone？〃 cried Carthoris。
Jav brushed closely past him； whispering：
〃Follow mehe cannot harm her； except to kill； and that he can do
whether you remain or not。 We had best go nowtrust me。〃
Carthoris did not understand； but something in the urgency of the
other's tone assured him； and so he turned away； but not without a glance
toward Thuvia in which he attempted to make her understand that it was in
her own interest that he left her。
For answer she turned her back full upon him； but not without first
throwing him such a look of contempt that brought the scarlet to his cheek。
Then he hesitated； but Jav seized him by the wrist。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
〃Come！〃 he whispered。 〃Or he will have the bowmen upon you； and
this time there will be no escape。 Did you not see how futile is your steel
against thin air！〃
Carthoris turned unwillingly to follow。 As the two left the room he
turned to his companion。
〃If I may not kill thin air；〃 he asked； 〃how； then； shall I fear that thin
air may kill me？〃
〃You saw the Torquasians fall before the bowmen？〃 asked Jav。
Carthoris nodded。
〃So would you fall before them； and without one single chance for
self…defence or revenge。〃
As they talked Jav led Carthoris to a small room in one of the
numerous towers of the palace。 Here were couches； and Jav bid the
Heliumite be seated。
For several minutes the Lotharian eyed his prisoner； for such Carthoris
now realized himself to be。
〃I am half convinced that you are real；〃 he said at last。
Carthoris laughed。
〃Of course I am real；〃 he said。 〃What caused you to doubt it？ Can
you not see me； feel me？〃
〃So may I see and feel the bowmen；〃 replied Jav； 〃and yet we all know
that they； at least； are not real。〃
Carthoris showed by the expression of his face his puzzlement at each
new reference to the mysterious bowmenthe vanishing soldiery of
Lothar。
〃What； then； may they be？〃 he asked。
〃You really do not know？〃 asked Jav。
Carthoris shook his head negatively。
〃I can almost believe that you have told us the truth and that you are
really from another part of Barsoom； or from another world。 But tell me；
in your own country have you no bowmen to strike terror to the hearts of
the green hordesmen as they slay in company with the fierce banths of
war？〃
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〃We have soldiers；〃 replied Carthoris。 〃We of the red race are all
soldiers； but we have no bowmen to defend us； such as yours。 We defend
ourselves。〃
〃You go out and get killed by your enemies！〃 cried Jav incredulously。
〃Certainly；〃 replied Carthoris。 〃How do the Lotharians？〃
〃You have seen；〃 replied the other。 〃We send out our deathless
archersdeathless because they are lifeless； existing only in the
imaginations of our enemies。 It is really our giant minds that defend us；
sending out legions of imaginary warriors to materialize before the mind's
eye of the foe。
〃They see themthey see their bows drawn backthey see their
slender arrows speed with unerring precision toward their hearts。 And
they diekilled by the power of suggestion。〃
〃But the archers that are slain？〃 exclaimed Carthoris。 〃You call them
deathless； and yet I saw their dead bodies piled high upon the battlefield。
How may that be？〃
〃It is but to lend reality to the scene；〃 replied Jav。 〃We picture many of
our own defenders killed that the Torquasians may not guess that there are
really no flesh and blood creatures opposing them。
〃Once that truth became implanted in their minds； it is the theory of
many of us； no longer would they fall prey to the suggestion of the deadly
arrows； for greater would be the suggestion of the truth； and the more
powerful suggestion would prevailit is law。〃
〃And the banths？〃 questioned Carthoris。 〃They； too； were but
creatures of suggestion？〃
〃Some of them were real；〃 replied Jav。 〃Those that accompanied the
archers in pursuit of the Torquasians were unreal。 Like the archers； they
never returned； but； having served their purpose； vanished with the
bowmen when the rout of the enemy was assured。
〃Those that remained about the field were real。 Those we loosed as
scavengers to devour the bodies of the dead of Torquas。 This thing is
demanded by the realists among us。 I am a realist。 Tario is an etherealist。
〃The etherealists maintain that there is no such thing as matterthat all
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is mind。 They say that none of us exists； except in the imagination of his
fellows； other than as an intangible； invisible mentality。
〃According to Tario； it is but necessary that we all unite in imagining
that there are no dead Torquasians beneath our walls； and there will be
none； nor any need of scavenging banths。〃
〃You； then； do not hold Tario's beliefs？〃 asked Carthoris。
〃In part only；〃 replied the Lotharian。 〃I believe； in fact I know； that
there are some truly ethereal creatures。 Tario is one； I am convinced。 He
has no existence except in the imaginations of his people。
〃Of course； it is the contention of all us realists that all etherealists are
but figments of the imagination。 They contend that no food is necessary；
nor do they eat； but any one of the most rudimentary intelligence must
realize that food is a necessity to creatures having actual existence。〃
〃Yes；〃 agreed Carthoris； 〃not having eaten to…day I can readily agree
with you。〃
〃Ah； pardon me；〃 exclaimed Jav。 〃Pray be seated and satisfy your
hunger；〃 and with a wave of his hand he indicated a bountifully laden table
that had not been there an instant before he spoke。 Of that Carthoris was
positive； for he had searched the room diligently with his eyes several
times。
〃It is well；〃 continued Jav； 〃that you did not fall into the hands of an
ethereali
