warlord of mars-第23章

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opposed　us。

　

When　the　battle　was　over　our　new　acquaintance　turned　to　me；

and　removing　the　shield　from　his　wrist；　held　it　out。　　I　did　not

know　the　significance　of　his　act；　but　judged　that　it　was　but　a

form　of　expressing　his　gratitude　to　me。

　

I　afterward　learned　that　it　symbolized　the　offering　of　a　man's　life

in　return　for　some　great　favor　done　him；　and　my　act　of　refusing；

which　I　had　immediately　done；　was　what　was　expected　of　me。

　

〃Then　accept　from　Talu；　Prince　of　Marentina；〃　said　the　yellow　man；

〃this　token　of　my　gratitude；〃　and　reaching　beneath　one　of　his

wide　sleeves　he　withdrew　a　bracelet　and　placed　it　upon　my　arm。

He　then　went　through　the　same　ceremony　with　Thuvan　Dihn。

　

Next　he　asked　our　names；　and　from　what　land　we　hailed。

He　seemed　quite　familiar　with　the　geography　of　the　outerworld；

and　when　I　said　I　was　from　Helium　he　raised　his　brows。

　

〃Ah；〃　he　said；　〃you　seek　your　ruler　and　his　company？〃

　

〃Know　you　of　them？〃　I　asked。

　

〃But　little　more　than　that　they　were　captured　by　my　uncle；　Salensus　Oll；

Jeddak　of　Jeddaks；　Ruler　of　Okar；　land　of　the　yellow　men　of　Barsoom。

As　to　their　fate　I　know　nothing；　for　I　am　at　war　with　my　uncle；

who　would　crush　my　power　in　the　principality　of　Marentina。

　

〃These　from　whom　you　have　just　saved　me　are　warriors　he　has

sent　out　to　find　and　slay　me；　for　they　know　that　often　I　come　alone

to　hunt　and　kill　the　sacred　apt　which　Salensus　Oll　so　much　reveres。

It　is　partly　because　I　hate　his　religion　that　Salensus　Oll　hates　me；

but　mostly　does　he　fear　my　growing　power　and　the　great　faction

which　has　arisen　throughout　Okar　that　would　be　glad　to　see

me　ruler　of　Okar　and　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　in　his　place。

　

〃He　is　a　cruel　and　tyrannous　master　whom　all　hate；　and　were　it　not

for　the　great　fear　they　have　of　him　I　could　raise　an　army　overnight

that　would　wipe　out　the　few　that　might　remain　loyal　to　him。　　My　own

people　are　faithful　to　me；　and　the　little　valley　of　Marentina　has

paid　no　tribute　to　the　court　of　Salensus　Oll　for　a　year。

　

〃Nor　can　he　force　us；　for　a　dozen　men　may　hold　the　narrow　way

to　Marentina　against　a　million。　　But　now；　as　to　thine　own　affairs。

How　may　I　aid　you？　　My　palace　is　at　your　disposal；　if　you　wish　to

honor　me　by　coming　to　Marentina。〃

　

〃When　our　work　is　done　we　shall　be　glad　to　accept　your　invitation；〃

I　replied。　　〃But　now　you　can　assist　us　most　by　directing　us　to　the

court　of　Salensus　Oll；　and　suggesting　some　means　by　which　we　may

gain　admission　to　the　city　and　the　palace；　or　whatever　other　place

we　find　our　friends　to　be　confined。〃

　

Talu　gazed　ruefully　at　our　smooth　faces　and　at　Thuvan　Dihn's

red　skin　and　my　white　one。

　

〃First　you　must　come　to　Marentina；〃　he　said；　〃for　a　great　change

must　be　wrought　in　your　appearance　before　you　can　hope　to

enter　any　city　in　Okar。　　You　must　have　yellow　faces　and　black

beards；　and　your　apparel　and　trappings　must　be　those　least　likely

to　arouse　suspicion。　　In　my　palace　is　one　who　can　make　you　appear

as　truly　yellow　men　as　does　Salensus　Oll　himself。〃

　

His　counsel　seemed　wise；　and　as　there　was　apparently　no　other

way　to　insure　a　successful　entry　to　Kadabra；　the　capital　city　of

Okar；　we　set　out　with　Talu；　Prince　of　Marentina；　for　his　little；

rock…bound　country。

　

The　way　was　over　some　of　the　worst　traveling　I　have　ever　seen；

and　I　do　not　wonder　that　in　this　land　where　there　are　neither

thoats　nor　fliers　that　Marentina　is　in　little　fear　of　invasion；　but

at　last　we　reached　our　destination；　the　first　view　of　which　I　had

from　a　slight　elevation　a　half…mile　from　the　city。

　

Nestled　in　a　deep　valley　lay　a　city　of　Martian　concrete；

whose　every　street　and　plaza　and　open　space　was　roofed　with　glass。

All　about　lay　snow　and　ice；　but　there　was　none　upon　the　rounded；

domelike；　crystal　covering　that　enveloped　the　whole　city。

　

Then　I　saw　how　these　people　combatted　the　rigors　of　the　arctic；

and　lived　in　luxury　and　comfort　in　the　midst　of　a　land　of

perpetual　ice。　　Their　cities　were　veritable　hothouses；　and　when　I

had　come　within　this　one　my　respect　and　admiration　for　the

scientific　and　engineering　skill　of　this　buried　nation　was　unbounded。

　

The　moment　we　entered　the　city　Talu　threw　off　his　outer　garments

of　fur；　as　did　we；　and　I　saw　that　his　apparel　differed　but　little

from　that　of　the　red　races　of　Barsoom。　　Except　for　his　leathern

harness；　covered　thick　with　jewels　and　metal；　he　was　naked；

nor　could　one　have　comfortably　worn　apparel　in　that　warm　and

humid　atmosphere。

　

For　three　days　we　remained　the　guests　of　Prince　Talu；　and

during　that　time　he　showered　upon　us　every　attention　and　courtesy

within　his　power。　　He　showed　us　all　that　was　of　interest　in　his

great　city。

　

The　Marentina　atmosphere　plant　will　maintain　life　indefinitely

in　the　cities　of　the　north　pole　after　all　life　upon　the　balance　of

dying　Mars　is　extinct　through　the　failure　of　the　air　supply；　should

the　great　central　plant　again　cease　functioning　as　it　did　upon　that

memorable　occasion　that　gave　me　the　opportunity　of　restoring　life

and　happiness　to　the　strange　world　that　I　had　already　learned　to

love　so　well。

　

He　showed　us　the　heating　system　that　stores　the　sun's　rays　in

great　reservoirs　beneath　the　city；　and　how　little　is　necessary　to

maintain　the　perpetual　summer　heat　of　the　glorious　garden　spot

within　this　arctic　paradise。

　

Broad　avenues　of　sod　sewn　with　the　seed　of　the　ocher　vegetation

of　the　dead　sea　bottoms　carried　the　noiseless　traffic　of　light

and　airy　ground　fliers　that　are　the　only　form　of　artificial

transportation　used　north　of　the　gigantic　ice…barrier。

　

The　broad　tires　of　these　unique　fliers　are　but　rubber…like　gas

bags　filled　with　the　eighth　Barsoomian　ray；　or　ray　of　propulsion

that　remarkable　discovery　of　the　Martians　that　has　made　possible

the　great　fleets　of　mighty　airships　that　render　the　red　man　of　the

outer　world　supreme。　　It　is　this　ray　which　propels　the　inherent　or

reflected　light　of　the　planet　off　into　space；　and　when　confined

gives　to　the　Martian　craft　their　airy　buoyancy。

　

The　ground　fliers　of　Marentina　contain　just　sufficient　buoyancy

in　their　automobile…like　wheels　to　give　the　cars　traction　for

steering　purposes；　and　though　the　hind　wheels　are　geared　to　the

engine；　and　aid　in　driving　the　machine；　the　bulk　of　this　work　is

carried　by　a　small　propeller　at　the　stern。

　

I　know　of　no　more　delightful　sensation　than　that　of　riding　in

one　of　these　luxuriously　appointed　cars　which　skim；　light　and　airy

as　feathers；　along　the　soft；　mossy　avenues　of　Marentina。　　They　move

with　absolute　noiselessness　between　borders　of　crimson　sward　and

beneath　arching　trees　gorgeous　with　the　wondrous　blooms　that　mark

so　many　of　the　highly　cultivated　varieties　of　Barsoomian　vegetation。

　

By　the　end　of　the　third　day　the　court　barberI　can　think　of　no

other　earthly　appellation　by　which　to　describe　himhad　wrought

so　remarkable　a　transformation　in　both　Thuvan　Dihn　and　myself　that

our　own　wives　would　never　have　known　us。　　Our　skins　were　of　the

same　lemon　color　as　his　own；　and　great；　black　beards　and　mustaches

had　been　deftly　affixed　to　our　smooth　faces。　　The　trappings　of

warriors　of　Okar　aided　in　the　deception；　and　for　wear　beyond　the

hothouse　cities　we　each　had　suits　of　the　black…　and　yellow…striped　orluk。

　

Talu　gave　us　careful　directions　for　the　journey　to　Kadabra；　the

capital　city　of　the　Okar　nation；　which　is　the　racial　name　of　the

yellow　men。　　This　good　friend　even　accompanied　us　part　way；　and　then；

promising　to　aid　us　in　any　way　that　he　found　possible；　bade　us　adieu。

　

On　parting　he　slipped　upon　my　finger　a　curiously　wrought　ring　set　with

a　dead…black；　lusterless　stone；　which　appeared　more　like　a　bit　of

bituminous　coal　than　the　priceless　Barsoomian　gem　which　in　reality　it　is。

　

〃There　had　been　but　three　others　cut　from　the　mother　stone；〃

he　said；　〃which　is　in　my　possession。　　These　three　are　worn　by

nobles　high　in　my　confidence；　all　of　whom　have　been