warlord of mars-第16章

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the　last　of　the　green　men　had　had　enough　and　had　withdrawn　toward

their　distant　sea　bottom。

　

Not　until　the　battle　was　over　did　I　learn　why　the　red　troops　had

sallied　forth　that　day。　　It　seemed　that　Kulan　Tith　was　expecting

a　visit　from　a　mighty　jeddak　of　the　northa　powerful　and　the

only　ally　of　the　Kaolians；　and　it　had　been　his　wish　to　meet　his

guest　a　full　day's　journey　from　Kaol。

　

But　now　the　march　of　the　welcoming　host　was　delayed　until　the

following　morning；　when　the　troops　again　set　out　from　Kaol。

I　had　not　been　bidden　to　the　presence　of　Kulan　Tith　after　the　battle；

but　he　had　sent　an　officer　to　find　me　and　escort　me　to　comfortable

quarters　in　that　part　of　the　palace　set　aside　for　the　officers　of

the　royal　guard。

　

There；　with　Woola；　I　had　spent　a　comfortable　night；　and　rose

much　refreshed　after　the　arduous　labors　of　the　past　few　days。

Woola　had　fought　with　me　through　the　battle　of　the　previous　day；

true　to　the　instincts　and　training　of　a　Martian　war　dog；　great

numbers　of　which　are　often　to　be　found　with　the　savage　green　hordes

of　the　dead　sea　bottoms。

　

Neither　of　us　had　come　through　the　conflict　unscathed；　but　the

marvelous；　healing　salves　of　Barsoom　had　sufficed；　overnight；

to　make　us　as　good　as　new。

　

I　breakfasted　with　a　number　of　the　Kaolian　officers；　whom　I　found

as　courteous　and　delightful　hosts　as　even　the　nobles　of　Helium；

who　are　renowned　for　their　ease　of　manners　and　excellence

of　breeding。　　The　meal　was　scarcely　concluded　when　a　messenger

arrived　from　Kulan　Tith　summoning　me　before　him。

　

As　I　entered　the　royal　presence　the　jeddak　rose；　and　stepping　from

the　dais　which　supported　his　magnificent　throne；　came　forward　to

meet　mea　mark　of　distinction　that　is　seldom　accorded　to　other

than　a　visiting　ruler。

　

〃Kaor；　Dotar　Sojat！〃　he　greeted　me。　　〃I　have　summoned　you　to

receive　the　grateful　thanks　of　the　people　of　Kaol；　for　had　it　not

been　for　your　heroic　bravery　in　daring　fate　to　warn　us　of　the

ambuscade　we　must　surely　have　fallen　into　the　well…laid　trap。

Tell　me　more　of　yourselffrom　what　country　you　come；　and　what

errand　brings　you　to　the　court　of　Kulan　Tith。〃

　

〃I　am　from　Hastor；〃　I　said；　for　in　truth　I　had　a　small　palace

in　that　southern　city　which　lies　within　the　far…flung　dominions　of

the　Heliumetic　nation。

　

〃My　presence　in　the　land　of　Kaol　is　partly　due　to　accident；　my

flier　being　wrecked　upon　the　southern　fringe　of　your　great　forest。

It　was　while　seeking　entrance　to　the　city　of　Kaol　that　I　discovered

the　green　horde　lying　in　wait　for　your　troops。〃

　

If　Kulan　Tith　wondered　what　business　brought　me　in　a　flier　to

the　very　edge　of　his　domain　he　was　good　enough　not　to　press　me

further　for　an　explanation；　which　I　should　indeed　have　had

difficulty　in　rendering。

　

During　my　audience　with　the　jeddak　another　party　entered　the　chamber

from　behind　me；　so　that　I　did　not　see　their　faces　until　Kulan　Tith

stepped　past　me　to　greet　them；　commanding　me　to　follow　and　be　presented。

　

As　I　turned　toward　them　it　was　with　difficulty　that　I　controlled

my　features；　for　there；　listening　to　Kulan　Tith's　eulogistic　words

concerning　me；　stood　my　arch…enemies；　Matai　Shang　and　Thurid。

　

〃Holy　Hekkador　of　the　Holy　Therns；〃　the　jeddak　was　saying；

〃shower　thy　blessings　upon　Dotar　Sojat；　the　valorous　stranger　from

distant　Hastor；　whose　wondrous　heroism　and　marvelous　ferocity　saved

the　day　for　Kaol　yesterday。〃

　

Matai　Shang　stepped　forward　and　laid　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder。

No　slightest　indication　that　he　recognized　me　showed　upon　his

countenancemy　disguise　was　evidently　complete。

　

He　spoke　kindly　to　me　and　then　presented　me　to　Thurid。　　The　black；

too；　was　evidently　entirely　deceived。　　Then　Kulan　Tith　regaled　them；

much　to　my　amusement；　with　details　of　my　achievements　upon　the

field　of　battle。

　

The　thing　that　seemed　to　have　impressed　him　most　was　my

remarkable　agility；　and　time　and　again　he　described　the　wondrous

way　in　which　I　had　leaped　completely　over　an　antagonist；　cleaving

his　skull　wide　open　with　my　long…sword　as　I　passed　above　him。

　

I　thought　that　I　saw　Thurid's　eyes　widen　a　bit　during　the

narrative；　and　several　times　I　surprised　him　gazing　intently　into

my　face　through　narrowed　lids。　　Was　he　commencing　to　suspect？

And　then　Kulan　Tith　told　of　the　savage　calot　that　fought　beside

me；　and　after　that　I　saw　suspicion　in　the　eyes　of　Matai　Shang

or　did　I　but　imagine　it？

　

At　the　close　of　the　audience　Kulan　Tith　announced　that　he

would　have　me　accompany　him　upon　the　way　to　meet　his　royal　guest；

and　as　I　departed　with　an　officer　who　was　to　procure　proper

trappings　and　a　suitable　mount　for　me；　both　Matai　Shang　and　Thurid

seemed　most　sincere　in　professing　their　pleasure　at　having　had　an

opportunity　to　know　me。　　It　was　with　a　sigh　of　relief　that　I

quitted　the　chamber；　convinced　that　nothing　more　than　a　guilty

conscience　had　prompted　my　belief　that　either　of　my　enemies

suspected　my　true　identity。

　

A　half…hour　later　I　rode　out　of　the　city　gate　with　the　column　that

accompanied　Kulan　Tith　upon　the　way　to　meet　his　friend　and　ally。

Though　my　eyes　and　ears　had　been　wide　open　during　my　audience

with　the　jeddak　and　my　various　passages　through　the　palace；

I　had　seen　or　heard　nothing　of　Dejah　Thoris　or　Thuvia　of　Ptarth。

That　they　must　be　somewhere　within　the　great　rambling　edifice

I　was　positive；　and　I　should　have　given　much　to　have　found　a

way　to　remain　behind　during　Kulan　Tith's　absence；　that　I　might

search　for　them。

　

Toward　noon　we　came　in　touch　with　the　head　of　the　column　we

had　set　out　to　meet。

　

It　was　a　gorgeous　train　that　accompanied　the　visiting　jeddak；

and　for　miles　it　stretched　along　the　wide；　white　road　to　Kaol。

Mounted　troops；　their　trappings　of　jewel　and　metal…incrusted

leather　glistening　in　the　sunlight；　formed　the　vanguard　of　the　body；

and　then　came　a　thousand　gorgeous　chariots　drawn　by　huge　zitidars。

　

These　low；　commodious　wagons　moved　two　abreast；　and　on　either

side　of　them　marched　solid　ranks　of　mounted　warriors；　for　in

the　chariots　were　the　women　and　children　of　the　royal　court。

Upon　the　back　of　each　monster　zitidar　rode　a　Martian　youth；

and　the　whole　scene　carried　me　back　to　my　first　days　upon　Barsoom；

now　twenty…two　years　in　the　past；　when　I　had　first　beheld　the

gorgeous　spectacle　of　a　caravan　of　the　green　horde　of　Tharks。

　

Never　before　today　had　I　seen　zitidars　in　the　service　of　red　men。

These　brutes　are　huge　mastodonian　animals　that　tower　to　an　immense

height　even　beside　the　giant　green　men　and　their　giant　thoats；

but　when　compared　to　the　relatively　small　red　man　and　his　breed　of

thoats　they　assume　Brobdingnagian　proportions　that　are　truly　appalling。

　

The　beasts　were　hung　with　jeweled　trappings　and　saddlepads　of

gay　silk；　embroidered　in　fanciful　designs　with　strings　of　diamonds；

pearls；　rubies；　emeralds；　and　the　countless　unnamed　jewels　of

Mars；　while　from　each　chariot　rose　a　dozen　standards　from

which　streamers；　flags；　and　pennons　fluttered　in　the　breeze。

　

Just　in　front　of　the　chariots　the　visiting　jeddak　rode　alone

upon　a　pure　white　thoatanother　unusual　sight　upon　Barsoomand

after　them　came　interminable　ranks　of　mounted　spearmen；　riflemen；

and　swordsmen。　　It　was　indeed　a　most　imposing　sight。

　

Except　for　the　clanking　of　accouterments　and　the　occasional

squeal　of　an　angry　thoat　or　the　low　guttural　of　a　zitidar；

the　passage　of　the　cavalcade　was　almost　noiseless；　for　neither

thoat　nor　zitidar　is　a　hoofed　animal；　and　the　broad　tires　of　the

chariots　are　of　an　elastic　composition；　which　gives　forth　no　sound。

　

Now　and　then　the　gay　laughter　of　a　woman　or　the　chatter　of

children　could　be　heard；　for　the　red　Martians　are　a　social；

pleasure…loving　peoplein　direct　antithesis　to　the　cold　and

morbid　race　of　green　men。

　

The　forms　and　ceremonials　connected　with　the　meeting　of　the

two　jeddaks　consumed　an　hour；　and　then　we　turned　and　retraced　our

way　toward　the　city　of　Kaol