thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第9节
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his arms； and with a savage cry of triumph disappeared down the black
canyon of the Avenue of Quays between the sullen palaces of forgotten
Aaanthor。
Carthoris' flier had not touched the ground before he had sprung from
its deck to race after the swift thoat； whose eight long legs were sending it
down the avenue at the rate of an express train； but the men of Dusar who
still remained alive had no mind to permit so valuable a capture to escape
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
them。
They had lost the girl。 That would be a difficult thing to explain to
Astok； but some leniency might be expected could they carry the Prince of
Helium to their master instead。
So the three who remained set upon Carthoris with their long…swords；
crying to him to surrender； but they might as successfully have cried aloud
to Thuria to cease her mad hurtling through the Barsoomian sky； for
Carthoris of Helium was a true son of the Warlord of Mars and his
incomparable Dejah Thoris。
Carthoris' long…sword had been already in his hand as he leaped from
the deck of the flier； so the instant that he realized the menace of the three
red warriors； he wheeled to face them； meeting their onslaught as only
John Carter himself might have done。
So swift his sword； so mighty and agile his half…earthly muscles； that
one of his opponents was down； crimsoning the ochre moss with his life…
blood； when he had scarce made a single pass at Carthoris。
Now the two remaining Dusarians rushed simultaneously upon the
Heliumite。 Three long…swords clashed and sparkled in the moonlight；
until the great white apes； roused from their slumbers； crept to the
lowering windows of the dead city to view the bloody scene beneath them。
Thrice was Carthoris touched； so that the red blood ran down his face；
blinding him and dyeing his broad chest。 With his free hand he wiped
the gore from his eyes； and with the fighting smile of his father touching
his lips； leaped upon his antagonists with renewed fury。
A single cut of his heavy sword severed the head of one of them； and
then the other； backing away clear of that point of death； turned and fled
toward the palace at his back。
Carthoris made no step to pursue。 He had other concern than the
meting of even well…deserved punishment to strange men who
masqueraded in the metal of his own house； for he had seen that these men
were tricked out in the insignia that marked his personal followers。
Turning quickly toward his flier； he was soon rising from the plaza in
pursuit of Thar Ban。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
The red warrior whom he had put to flight turned in the entrance to the
palace； and； seeing Carthoris' intent； snatched a rifle from those that he
and his fellows had left leaning against the wall as they had rushed out
with drawn swords to prevent the theft of their prisoner。
Few red men are good shots； for the sword is their chosen weapon； so
now as the Dusarian drew bead upon the rising flier； and touched the
button upon his rifle's stock； it was more to chance than proficiency that
he owed the partial success of his aim。
The projectile grazed the flier's side； the opaque coating breaking
sufficiently to permit daylight to strike in upon the powder phial within the
bullet's nose。 There was a sharp explosion。 Carthoris felt his craft reel
drunkenly beneath him； and the engine stopped。
The momentum the air boat had gained carried her on over the city
toward the sea…bottom beyond。
The red warrior in the plaza fired several more shots； none of which
scored。 Then a lofty minaret shut the drifting quarry from his view。
In the distance before him Carthoris could see the green warrior
bearing Thuvia of Ptarth away upon his mighty thoat。 The direction of
his flight was toward the north…west of Aaanthor； where lay a mountainous
country little known to red men。
The Heliumite now gave his attention to his injured craft。 A close
examination revealed the face that one of the buoyancy tanks had been
punctured； but the engine itself was uninjured。
A splinter from the projectile had damaged one of the control levers
beyond the possibility of repair outside a machine shop； but after
considerable tinkering； Carthoris was able to propel his wounded flier at
low speed； a rate which could not approach the rapid gait of the thoat；
whose eight long； powerful legs carried it over the ochre vegetation of the
dead sea…bottom at terrific speed。
The Prince of Helium chafed and fretted at the slowness of his pursuit；
yet he was thankful that the damage was no worse； for now he could at
least move more rapidly than on foot。
But even this meagre satisfaction was soon to be denied him； for
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presently the flier commenced to sag toward the port and by the bow。
The damage to the buoyancy tanks had evidently been more grievous than
he had at first believed。
All the balance of that long day Carthoris crawled erratically through
the still air； the bow of the flier sinking lower and lower； and the list to
port becoming more and more alarming； until at last； near dark； he was
floating almost bowdown； his harness buckled to a heavy deck ring to
keep him from being precipitated to the ground below。
His forward movement was now confined to a slow drifting with the
gentle breeze that blew out of the south…east； and when this died down
with the setting of the sun； he let the flier sink gently to the mossy carpet
beneath。
Far before him loomed the mountains toward which the green man had
been fleeing when last he had seen him； and with dogged resolution the
son of John Carter； endowed with the indomitable will of his mighty sire；
took up the pursuit on foot。
All that night he forged ahead until； with the dawning of a new day； he
entered the low foothills that guard the approach to the fastness of the
mountains of Torquas。
Rugged； granitic walls towered before him。 Nowhere could he
discern an opening through the formidable barrier； yet somewhere into this
inhospitable world of stone the green warrior had borne the woman of the
red man's heart's desire。
Across the yielding moss of the sea…bottom there had been no spoor to
follow； for the soft pads of the thoat but pressed down in his swift passage
the resilient vegetation which sprang up again behind his fleeting feet；
leaving no sign。
But here in the hills； where loose rock occasionally strewed the way；
where black loam and wild flowers partially replaced the sombre
monotony of the waste places of the lowlands； Carthoris hoped to find
some sign that would lead him in the right direction。
Yet； search as he would； the baffling mystery of the trail seemed likely
to remain for ever unsolved。
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It was drawing toward the day's close once more when the keen eyes
of the Heliumite discerned the tawny yellow of a sleek hide moving
among the boulders several hundred yards to his left。
Crouching quickly behind a large rock； Carthoris watched the thing
before him。 It was a huge banth； one of those savage Barsoomian lions
that roam the desolate hills of the dying planet。
The creature's nose was close to the ground。 It was evident that he
was following the spoor of meat by scent。
As Carthoris watched him； a great hope leaped into the man's heart。
Here； possibly； might lie the solution to the mystery he had been
endeavouring to solve。 This hungry carnivore； keen always for the flesh
of man； might
