thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第6节
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
behind to enter a section of small shops； where it stopped before the
entrance to one which bore the sign of a dealer in foreign silks。
Vas Kor entered the low…ceiling room。 A man at the far end motioned
him toward an inner apartment； giving no further sign of recognition until
he had passed in after the caller and closed the door。
Then he faced his visitor； saluting deferentially。
〃Most noble〃 he commenced； but Vas Kor silenced him with a
gesture。
〃No formalities；〃 he said。 〃We must forget that I am aught other than
your slave。 If all has been as carefully carried out as it has been planned；
we have no time to waste。 Instead we should be upon our way to the
slave market。 Are you ready？〃
The merchant nodded； and； turning to a great chest； produced the
unemblazoned trappings of a slave。 These Vas Kor immediately donned。
Then the two passed from the shop through a rear door； traversed a
winding alley to an avenue beyond； where they entered a flier which
awaited them。
Five minutes later the merchant was leading his slave to the public
market； where a great concourse of people filled the great open space in
the centre of which stood the slave block。
The crowds were enormous to…day； for Carthoris； Prince of Helium；
was to be the principal bidder。
One by one the masters mounted the rostrum beside the slave block
upon which stood their chattels。 Briefly and clearly each recounted the
virtues of his particular offering。
When all were done； the major…domo of the Prince of Helium recalled
to the block such as had favourably impressed him。 For such he had made
a fair offer。
There was little haggling as to price； and none at all when Vas Kor was
placed upon the block。 His merchant… master accepted the first offer that
was made for him； and thus a Dusarian noble entered the household of
Carthoris。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER III
TREACHERY
The day following the coming of Vas Kor to the palace of the Prince
of Helium great excitement reigned throughout the twin cities； reaching its
climax in the palace of Carthoris。 Word had come of the abduction of
Thuvia of Ptarth from her father's court； and with it the veiled hint that the
Prince of Helium might be suspected of considerable knowledge of the act
and the whereabouts of the princess。
In the council chamber of John Carter； Warlord of Mars； was Tardos
Mors； Jeddak of Helium； Mors Kajak； his son； Jed of Lesser Helium；
Carthoris； and a score of the great nobles of the empire。
〃There must be no war between Ptarth and Helium； my son；〃 said John
Carter。 〃That you are innocent of the charge that has been placed against
you by insinuation； we well know； but Thuvan Dihn must know it well；
too。
〃There is but one who may convince him； and that one be you。 You
must hasten at once to the court of Ptarth； and by your presence there as
well as by your words assure him that his suspicions are groundless。
Bear with you the authority of the Warlord of Barsoom； and of the Jeddak
of Helium to offer every resource of the allied powers to assist Thuvan
Dihn to recover his daughter and punish her abductors； whomsoever they
may be。
〃Go！ I know that I do not need to urge upon you the necessity for
haste。〃
Carthoris left the council chamber； and hastened to his palace。
Here slaves were busy in a moment setting things to rights for the
departure of their master。 Several worked about the swift flier that would
bear the Prince of Helium rapidly toward Ptarth。
At last all was done。 But two armed slaves remained on guard。 The
setting sun hung low above the horizon。 In a moment darkness would
envelop all。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
One of the guardsmen； a giant of a fellow across whose right cheek
there ran a thin scar from temple to mouth； approached his companion。
His gaze was directed beyond and above his comrade。 When he had
come quite close he spoke。
〃What strange craft is that？〃 he asked。
The other turned about quickly to gaze heavenward。 Scarce was his
back turned toward the giant than the short…sword of the latter was
plunged beneath his left shoulder blade； straight through his heart。
Voiceless； the soldier sank in his tracksstone dead。 Quickly the
murderer dragged the corpse into the black shadows within the hangar。
Then he returned to the flier。
Drawing a cunningly wrought key from his pocket…pouch； he removed
the cover of the right…hand dial of the controlling destination compass。
For a moment he studied the construction of the mechanism beneath。 Then
he returned the dial to its place； set the pointer； and removed it again to
note the resultant change in the position of the parts affected by the act。
A smile crossed his lips。 With a pair of cutters he snipped off the
projection which extended through the dial from the external pointernow
the latter might be moved to any point upon the dial without affecting the
mechanism below。 In other words； the eastern hemisphere dial was
useless。
Now he turned his attention to the western dial。 This he set upon a
certain point。 Afterward he removed the cover of this dial also； and with
keen tool cut the steel finger from the under side of the pointer。
As quickly as possible he replaced the second dial cover； and resumed
his place on guard。 To all intents and purposes the compass was as
efficient as before； but； as a matter of fact； the moving of the pointers upon
the dials resulted now in no corresponding shift of the mechanism
beneathand the device was set； immovably； upon a destination of the
slave's own choosing。
Presently came Carthoris； accompanied by but a handful of his
gentlemen。 He cast but a casual glance upon the single slave who stood
guard。 The fellow's thin； cruel lips； and the sword…cut that ran from
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
temple to mouth aroused the suggestion of an unpleasant memory within
him。 He wondered where Saran Tal had found the man then the matter
faded from his thoughts； and in another moment the Prince of Helium was
laughing and chatting with his companions； though below the surface his
heart was cold with dread； for what contingencies confronted Thuvia of
Ptarth he could not even guess。
First to his mind； naturally； had sprung the thought that Astok of Dusar
had stolen the fair Ptarthian； but almost simultaneously with the report of
the abduction had come news of the great fetes at Dusar in honour of the
return of the jeddak's son to the court of his father。
It could not have been he； thought Carthoris； for on the very night that
Thuvia was taken Astok had been in Dusar； and yet
He entered the flier； exchanging casual remarks with his companions
as he unlocked the mechanism of the compass and set the pointer upon the
capital city of Ptarth。
With a word of farewell he touched the button which controlled the
repulsive rays； and as the flier rose lightly into the air； the engine purred in
answer to the touch of his finger upon a second button； the propellers
whirred as his hand drew back the speed lever； and Carthoris； Prince of
Helium； was off into the gorgeous Martian night beneath the hurtling
moons and the million stars。
Scarce had the flier found its speed ere the man； wrapping his sleeping
silks and
