thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第24节
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remained in ignorance of their danger。
War had been declared by Thuvan Dihn； but the messenger who had
been dispatched with the proclamation had been a Dusarian who had seen
to it that no word of warning reached the twin cities of the approach of a
hostile fleet。
For several days diplomatic relations had been severed between
Helium and her two most powerful neighbors； and with the departure of
the ministers had come a total cessation of wireless communication
between the disputants； as is usual upon Barsoom。
But of all this Carthoris was ignorant。 All that interested him at
present was the finding of Thuvia of Ptarth。 Her trail beside that of the
huge banth had been well marked to the tunnel； and was once more visible
leading southward into the foothills。
As he followed rapidly downward toward the dead sea… bottom； where
he knew he must lose the spoor in the resilient ochre vegetation； he was
suddenly surprised to see a naked man approaching him from the north…
east。
As the fellow drew closer； Carthoris halted to await his coming。 He
knew that the man was unarmed； and that he was apparently a Lotharian；
for his skin was white and his hair auburn。
He approached the Heliumite without sign of fear； and when quite
close called out the cheery Barsoomian 〃kaor〃 of greeting。
〃Who are you？〃 asked Carthoris。
〃I am Kar Komak； odwar of the bowmen；〃 replied the other。 〃A
strange thing has happened to me。 For ages Tario has been bringing me
into existence as he needed the services of the army of his mind。 Of all
the bowmen it has been Kar Komak who has been oftenest materialized。
〃For a long time Tario has been concentrating his mind upon my
permanent materialization。 It has been an obsession with him that some
day this thing could be accomplished and the future of Lothar assured。 He
asserted that matter was nonexistent except in the imagination of man
that all was mental； and so he believed that by persisting in his suggestion
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he could eventually make of me a permanent suggestion in the minds of
all creatures。 〃Yesterday he succeeded； but at such a time！ It must have
come all unknown to him； as it came to me without my knowledge； as；
with my horde of yelling bowmen； I pursued the fleeing Torquasians back
to their ochre plains。
〃As darkness settled and the time came for us to fade once more into
thin air； I suddenly found myself alone upon the edge of the great plain
which lies yonder at the foot of the low hills。
〃My men were gone back to the nothingness from which they had
sprung； but I remainednaked and unarmed。
〃At first I could not understand； but at last came a realization of what
had occurred。 Tario's long suggestions had at last prevailed； and Kar
Komak had become a reality in the world of men； but my harness and my
weapons had faded away with my fellows； leaving me naked and unarmed
in a hostile country far from Lothar。〃
〃You wish to return to Lothar？〃 asked Carthoris。
〃No！〃 replied Kar Komak quickly。 〃I have no love for Tario。 Being a
creature of his mind； I know him too well。 He is cruel and tyrannicala
master I have no desire to serve。 Now that he has succeeded in
accomplishing my permanent materialization； he will be unbearable； and
he will go on until he has filled Lothar with his creatures。 I wonder if he
has succeeded as well with the maid of Lothar。〃
〃I thought there were no women there；〃 said Carthoris。
〃In a hidden apartment in the palace of Tario；〃 replied Kar Komak；
〃the jeddak has maintained the suggestion of a beautiful girl； hoping that
some day she would become permanent。 I have seen her there。 She is
wonderful！ But for her sake I hope that Tario succeeds not so well with her
as he has with me。
〃Now； red man； I have told you of myselfwhat of you？〃
Carthoris liked the face and manner of the bowman。 There had been no
sign of doubt or fear in his expression as he had approached the heavily…
armed Heliumite； and he had spoken directly and to the point。
So the Prince of Helium told the bowman of Lothar who he was and
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what adventure had brought him to this far country。
〃Good！〃 exclaimed the other； when he had done。 〃Kar Komak will
accompany you。 Together we shall find the Princess of Ptarth and with
you Kar Komak will return to the world of mensuch a world as he knew
in the long…gone past when the ships of mighty Lothar ploughed angry
Throxus； and the roaring surf beat against the barrier of these parched and
dreary hills。〃
〃What mean you？〃 asked Carthoris。 〃Had you really a former actual
existence？〃
〃Most assuredly；〃 replied Kar Komak。 〃In my day I commanded the
fleets of Lotharmightiest of all the fleets that sailed the five salt seas。
〃Wherever men lived upon Barsoom there was the name of Kar
Komak known and respected。 Peaceful were the land races in those
distant daysonly the seafarers were warriors； but now has the glory of the
past faded； nor did I think until I met you that there remained upon
Barsoom a single person of our own mould who lived and loved and
fought as did the ancient seafarers of my time。
〃Ah； but it will seem good to see men once againreal men！ Never
had I much respect for the landsmen of my day。 They remained in their
walled cities wasting their time in play； depending for their protection
entirely upon the sea race。 And the poor creatures who remain； the Tarios
and Javs of Lothar； are even worse than their ancient forbears。〃
Carthoris was a trifle sceptical as to the wisdom of permitting the
stranger to attach himself to him。 There was always the chance that he was
but the essence of some hypnotic treachery which Tario or Jav was
attempting to exert upon the Heliumite； and yet； so sincere had been the
manner and the words of the bowman； so much the fighting man did he
seem； but Carthoris could not find it in his heart to doubt him。
The outcome of the matter was that he gave the naked odwar leave to
accompany him； and together they set out upon the spoor of Thuvia and
Komal。
Down to the ochre sea…bottom the trail led。 There it disappeared； as
Carthoris had known that it would； but where it entered the plain its
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direction had been toward Aaanthor and so toward Aaanthor the two
turned their faces。
It was a long and tedious journey； fraught with many dangers。 The
bowman could not travel at the pace set by Carthoris； whose muscles
carried him with great rapidity over the face of the small planet； the force
of gravity of which exerts so much less retarding power than that of the
Earth。 Fifty miles a day is a fair average for a Barsoomian； but the son of
John Carter might easily have covered a hundred or more miles had he
cared to desert his new…found comrade。
All the way they were in constant danger of discovery by roving bands
of Torquasians； and especially was this true before they reached the
boundary of Torquas。
Good fortune was with them； however； and although they sighted two
detachments of the savage green men； they were not themselves seen。
And so they came； upon the morning of the third day； within sight of
the glistening domes of distant Aaanthor。 Throughout the journey
Carthoris had ever strained his eyes ahead in search of Thuvia and the
great banth； but not till now had he seen aught to give him hope。
This morning； far ahead； half…way between themselves and Aaanthor；
the men saw two tiny figures moving toward the city。 For a moment they
watched them intently。 Then Carthoris； convin
