thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第30节
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that in the tyrant's heart there pulsed no single throb of love for any
creature。
Astok's mother had been a slave woman。 Nutus had never loved her。
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He had never loved another。 In youth he had tried to find a bride at the
courts of several of his powerful neighbours； but their women would have
none of him。
After a dozen daughters of his own nobility had sought self…
destruction rather than wed him he had given up。 And then it had been that
he had legally wed one of his slaves that he might have a son to stand
among the jeds when Nutus died and a new jeddak was chosen。
Slowly Astok withdrew from the presence of his father。 With white
face and shaking limbs he made his way to his own palace。 As he
crossed the courtyard his glance chanced to wander to the great east tower
looming high against the azure of the sky。
At sight of it beads of sweat broke out upon his brow。
Issus！ No other hand than his could be trusted to do the horrid thing。
With his own fingers he must crush the life from that perfect throat； or
plunge the silent blade into the red； red heart。
Her heart！ The heart that he had hoped would brim with love for
him！
But had it done so？ He recalled the haughty contempt with which his
protestations of love had been received。 He went cold and then hot to the
memory of it。 His compunctions cooled as the self…satisfaction of a near
revenge crowded out the finer instincts that had for a moment asserted
themselvesthe good that he had inherited from the slave woman was
once again submerged in the bad blood that had come down to him from
his royal sire； as； in the end； it always was。
A cold smile supplanted the terror that had dilated his eyes。 He
turned his steps toward the tower。 He would see her before he set out
upon the journey that was to blind his father to the fact that the girl was
already in Dusar。
Quietly he passed in through the secret way； ascending a spiral runway
to the apartment in which the Princess of Ptarth was immured。
As he entered the room he saw the girl leaning upon the sill of the east
casement； gazing out across the roof tops of Dusar toward distant Ptarth。
He hated Ptarth。 The thought of it filled him with rage。 Why not finish
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her now and have it done with？
At the sound of his step she turned quickly toward him。 Ah； how
beautiful she was！ His sudden determination faded beneath the glorious
light of her wondrous beauty。 He would wait until he had returned from
his little journey of deceptionmaybe there might be some other way then。
Some other hand to strike the blowwith that face； with those eyes before
him； he could never do it。 Of that he was positive。 He had always gloried
in the cruelty of his nature； but； Issus！ he was not that cruel。 No； another
must be foundone whom he could trust。
He was still looking at her as she stood there before him meeting his
gaze steadily and unafraid。 He felt the hot passion of his love
mounting higher and higher。
Why not sue once more？ If she would relent； all might yet be well。
Even if his father could not be persuaded； they could fly to Ptarth； laying
all the blame of the knavery and intrigue that had thrown four great
nations into war； upon the shoulders of Nutus。 And who was there that
would doubt the justice of the charge？
〃Thuvia；〃 he said； 〃I come once again； for the last time； to lay my
heart at your feet。 Ptarth and Kaol and Dusar are battling with Helium
because of you。 Wed me； Thuvia； and all may yet be as it should be。〃
The girl shook her head。
〃Wait！〃 he commanded； before she could speak。 〃Know the truth
before you speak words that may seal； not only your own fate； but that of
the thousands of warriors who battle because of you。
〃Refuse to wed me willingly； and Dusar would be laid waste should
ever the truth be known to Ptarth and Kaol and Helium。 They would raze
our cities； leaving not one stone upon another。 They would scatter our
peoples across the face of Barsoom from the frozen north to the frozen
south； hunting them down and slaying them； until this great nation
remained only as a hated memory in the minds of men。
〃But while they are exterminating the Dusarians； countless thousands
of their own warriors must perish and all because of the stubbornness of
a single woman who would not wed the prince who loves her。
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〃Refuse； Thuvia of Ptarth； and there remains but a single alternative
no man must ever know your fate。 Only a handful of loyal servitors
besides my royal father and myself know that you were stolen from the
gardens of Thuvan Dihn by Astok； Prince of Dusar； or that to…day you be
imprisoned in my palace。
〃Refuse； Thuvia of Ptarth； and you must die to save Dusar there is no
other way。 Nutus； the jeddak； has so decreed。 I have spoken。〃
For a long moment the girl let her level gaze rest full upon the face of
Astok of Dusar。 Then she spoke； and though the words were few； the
unimpassioned tone carried unfathomable depths of cold contempt。
〃Better all that you have threatened；〃 she said； 〃than you。〃
Then she turned her back upon him and went to stand once more
before the east window； gazing with sad eyes toward distant Ptarth。
Astok wheeled and left the room； returning after a short interval of
time with food and drink。
〃Here；〃 he said； 〃is sustenance until I return again。 The next to enter
this apartment will be your executioner。 Commend yourself to your
ancestors； Thuvia of Ptarth； for within a few days you shall be with them。〃
Then he was gone。
Half an hour later he was interviewing an officer high in the navy of
Dusar。
〃Whither went Vas Kor？〃 he asked。 〃He is not at his palace。〃
〃South； to the great waterway that skirts Torquas；〃 replied the other。
〃His son； Hal Vas； is Dwar of the Road there； and thither has Vas Kor gone
to enlist recruits among the workers on the farms。〃
〃Good；〃 said Astok； and a half…hour more found him rising above
Dusar in his swiftest flier。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER XIII
TURJUN； THE PANTHAN
The face of carthoris of Helium gave no token of the emotions that
convulsed him inwardly as he heard from the lips of Hal Vas that Helium
was at war with Dusar； and that fate had thrown him into the service of the
enemy。
That he might utilize this opportunity to the good of Helium scarce
sufficed to outweigh the chagrin he felt that he was not fighting in the
open at the head of his own loyal troops。
To escape the Dusarians might prove an easy matter； and then again it
might not。 Should they suspect his loyalty （and the loyalty of an
impressed panthan was always open to suspicion）； he might not find an
opportunity to elude their vigilance until after the termination of the war；
which might occur within days； or； again； only after long and weary years
of bloodshed。
He recalled that history recorded wars in which actual military
operations had been carried on without cessation for five or six hundred
years； and even now there were nations upon Barsoom with which Helium
had made no peace within the history of man。
The outlook was not cheering。 He could not guess that within a few
hours he would be blessing the fate that had thrown him into the service of
Dusar。
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Hal Vas。 〃Here is my father now。
