thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第27节
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〃Come！〃 whispered Kar Komak。 〃Now may we escape while their
attention is diverted from us by my bowmen。〃
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〃And leave those brave fellows leaderless？〃 cried Carthoris； whose
loyal nature revolted at the merest suggestion of such a thing。
Kar Komak laughed。
〃You forget；〃 he said； 〃that they are but thin air figments of my brain。
They will vanish； unscathed； when we have no further need for them。
Praised be your first ancestor； redman； that you thought of this chance in
time！ It would never have occurred to me to imagine that I might wield
the same power that brought me into existence。〃
〃You are right；〃 said Carthoris。 〃Still； I hate to leave them； though
there is naught else to do；〃 and so the two turned from the courtyard； and
making their way into one of the broad avenues； crept stealthily in the
shadows of the building toward the great central plaza upon which were
the buildings occupied by the green warriors when they visited the
deserted city。
When they had come to the plaza's edge Carthoris halted。
〃Wait here；〃 he whispered。 〃I go to fetch thoats； since on foot we
may never hope to escape the clutches of these green fiends。〃
To reach the courtyard where the thoats were kept it was necessary for
Carthoris to pass through one of the buildings which surrounded the
square。 Which were occupied and which not he could not even guess； so
he was compelled to take considerable chances to gain the enclosure in
which he could hear the restless beasts squealing and quarrelling among
themselves。
Chance carried him through a dark doorway into a large chamber in
which lay a score or more green warriors wrapped in their sleeping silks
and furs。 Scarce had Carthoris passed through the short hallway that
connected the door of the building and the great room beyond it than he
became aware of the presence of something or some one in the hallway
through which he had but just passed。
He heard a man yawn； and then； behind him； he saw the figure of a
sentry rise from where the fellow had been dozing； and stretching himself
resume his wakeful watchfulness。
Carthoris realized that he must have passed within a foot of the warrior；
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doubtless rousing him from his slumber。 To retreat now would be
impossible。 Yet to cross through that roomful of sleeping warriors
seemed almost equally beyond the pale of possibility。
Carthoris shrugged his broad shoulders and chose the lesser evil。
Warily he entered the room。 At his right； against the wall； leaned several
swords and rifles and spearsextra weapons which the warriors had
stacked here ready to their hands should there be a night alarm calling
them suddenly from slumber。 Beside each sleeper lay his weaponthese
were never far from their owners from childhood to death。
The sight of the swords made the young man's palm itch。 He stepped
quickly to them； selecting two short…swords one for Kar Komak； the
other for himself； also some trappings for his naked comrade。
Then he started directly across the centre of the apartment among the
sleeping Torquasians。
Not a man of them moved until Carthoris had completed more than
half of the short though dangerous journey。 Then a fellow directly in his
path turned restlessly upon his sleeping silks and furs。
The Heliumite paused above him； one of the short…swords in readiness
should the warrior awaken。 For what seemed an eternity to the young
prince the green man continued to move uneasily upon his couch； then； as
though actuated by springs； he leaped to his feet and faced the red man。
Instantly Carthoris struck； but not before a savage grunt escaped the
other's lips。 In an instant the room was in turmoil。 Warriors leaped to
their feet； grasping their weapons as they rose； and shouting to one another
for an explanation of the disturbance。
To Carthoris all within the room was plainly visible in the dim light
reflected from without； for the further moon stood directly at zenith； but to
the eyes of the newly…awakened green men objects as yet had not taken on
familiar formsthey but saw vaguely the figures of warriors moving about
their apartment。
Now one stumbled against the corpse of him whom Carthoris had slain。
The fellow stooped and his hand came in contact with the cleft skull。 He
saw about him the giant figures of other green men； and so he jumped to
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the only conclusion that was open to him。
〃The Thurds！〃 he cried。 〃The Thurds are upon us！ Rise； warriors of
Torquas； and drive home your swords within the hearts of Torquas' ancient
enemies！〃
Instantly the green men began to fall upon one another with naked
swords。 Their savage lust of battle was aroused。 To fight； to kill； to die
with cold steel buried in their vitals！ Ah； that to them was Nirvana。
Carthoris was quick to guess their error and take advantage of it。 He
knew that in the pleasure of killing they might fight on long after they had
discovered their mistake； unless their attention was distracted by sight of
the real cause of the altercation； and so he lost no time in continuing
across the room to the doorway upon the opposite side； which opened into
the inner court； where the savage thoats were squealing and fighting
among themselves。
Once here he had no easy task before him。 To catch and mount one
of these habitually rageful and intractable beasts was no child's play under
the best of conditions； but now； when silence and time were such
important considerations； it might well have seemed quite hopeless to a
less resourceful and optimistic man than the son of the great warlord。
From his father he had learned much concerning the traits of these
mighty beasts； and from Tars Tarkas； also； when he had visited that great
green jeddak among his horde at Thark。 So now he centred upon the
work in hand all that he had ever learned about them from others and from
his own experience； for he； too； had ridden and handled them many times。
The temper of the thoats of Torquas appeared even shorter than their
vicious cousins among the Tharks and Warhoons； and for a time it seemed
unlikely that he should escape a savage charge on the part of a couple of
old bulls that circled； squealing； about him； but at last he managed to get
close enough to one of them to touch the beast。 With the feel of his hand
upon the sleek hide the creature quieted； and in answer to the telepathic
command of the red man sank to its knees。
In a moment Carthoris was upon its back； guiding it toward the great
gate that leads from the courtyard through a large building at one end into
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an avenue beyond。
The other bull； still squealing and enraged； followed after his fellow。
There was no bridle upon either； for these strange creatures are controlled
entirely by suggestionwhen they are controlled at all。
Even in the hands of the giant green men bridle reins would be
hopelessly futile against the mad savagery and mastodonic strength of the
thoat； and so they are guided by that strange telepathic power with which
the men of Mars have learned to communicate in a crude way with the
lower orders of their planet。
With difficulty Carthoris urged the two beasts to the gate； where；
leaning down； he raised the latch。 Then the thoat that he was riding
placed his great shoulder to the skeel…wood planking； pushed through； and
a moment later the man and the two beasts were swinging silently down
the avenue to the edge of th
