warlord of mars-第26章

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The　little　experience　we　had　had　with　the　strange　hooked　sword

of　the　yellow　man　and　his　cuplike　shield　made　it　seem　rather

unlikely　that　either　of　us　could　pass　this　final　test；　but　there

was　the　chance　that　we　might　be　quartered　in　the　palace　of　Salensus

Oll　for　several　days　after　being　accepted　by　Sorav　before　the

Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　would　find　time　to　put　us　to　the　final　test。

　

After　a　wait　of　several　minutes　in　an　ante…chamber　we　were　summoned

into　the　private　office　of　Sorav；　where　we　were　courteously　greeted

by　this　ferocious…appearing；　black…bearded　officer。　　He　asked　us　our

names　and　stations　in　our　own　city；　and　having　received　replies　that

were　evidently　satisfactory　to　him；　he　put　certain　questions　to　us

that　Talu　had　foreseen　and　prepared　us　for。

　

The　interview　could　not　have　lasted　over　ten　minutes　when

Sorav　summoned　an　aid　whom　he　instructed　to　record　us　properly；

and　then　escort　us　to　the　quarters　in　the　palace　which　are　set

aside　for　aspirants　to　membership　in　the　palace　guard。

　

The　aid　took　us　to　his　own　office　first；　where　he　measured

and　weighed　and　photographed　us　simultaneously　with　a　machine

ingeniously　devised　for　that　purpose；　five　copies　being

instantly　reproduced　in　five　different　offices　of　the　government；

two　of　which　are　located　in　other　cities　miles　distant。

Then　he　led　us　through　the　palace　grounds　to　the　main　guardroom

of　the　palace；　there　turning　us　over　to　the　officer　in　charge。

　

This　individual　again　questioned　us　briefly；　and　finally

despatched　a　soldier　to　guide　us　to　our　quarters。　　These　we　found

located　upon　the　second　floor　of　the　palace　in　a　semi…detached

tower　at　the　rear　of　the　edifice。

　

When　we　asked　our　guide　why　we　were　quartered　so　far　from　the

guardroom　he　replied　that　the　custom　of　the　older　members　of　the

guard　of　picking　quarrels　with　aspirants　to　try　their　metal　had

resulted　in　so　many　deaths　that　it　was　found　difficult　to　maintain

the　guard　at　its　full　strength　while　this　custom　prevailed。

Salensus　Oll　had；　therefore；　set　apart　these　quarters　for　aspirants；

and　here　they　were　securely　locked　against　the　danger　of　attack

by　members　of　the　guard。

　

This　unwelcome　information　put　a　sudden　check　to　all　our　well…

laid　plans；　for　it　meant　that　we　should　virtually　be　prisoners　in

the　palace　of　Salensus　Oll　until　the　time　that　he　should　see　fit

to　give　us　the　final　examination　for　efficiency。

　

As　it　was　this　interval　upon　which　we　had　banked　to　accomplish

so　much　in　our　search　for　Dejah　Thoris　and　Thuvia　of　Ptarth；　our

chagrin　was　unbounded　when　we　heard　the　great　lock　click　behind　our

guide　as　he　had　quitted　us　after　ushering　us　into　the　chambers　we

were　to　occupy。

　

With　a　wry　face　I　turned　to　Thuvan　Dihn。　　My　companion　but　shook

his　head　disconsolately　and　walked　to　one　of　the　windows　upon

the　far　side　of　the　apartment。

　

Scarcely　had　he　gazed　beyond　them　than　he　called　to　me　in　a

tone　of　suppressed　excitement　and　surprise。　　In　an　instant　I

was　by　his　side。

　

〃Look！〃　said　Thuvan　Dihn；　pointing　toward　the　courtyard　below。

　

As　my　eyes　followed　the　direction　indicated　I　saw　two　women

pacing　back　and　forth　in　an　enclosed　garden。

　

At　the　same　moment　I　recognized　themthey　were　Dejah　Thoris

and　Thuvia　of　Ptarth！

　

There　were　they　whom　I　had　trailed　from　one　pole　to　another；

the　length　of　a　world。　　Only　ten　feet　of　space　and　a　few　metal　bars

separated　me　from　them。

　

With　a　cry　I　attracted　their　attention；　and　as　Dejah　Thoris

looked　up　full　into　my　eyes　I　made　the　sign　of　love　that　the

men　of　Barsoom　make　to　their　women。

　

To　my　astonishment　and　horror　her　head　went　high；　and　as　a

look　of　utter　contempt　touched　her　finely　chiseled　features　she

turned　her　back　full　upon　me。　　My　body　is　covered　with　the　scars　of

a　thousand　conflicts；　but　never　in　all　my　long　life　have　I　suffered

such　anguish　from　a　wound；　for　this　time　the　steel　of　a　woman's

look　had　entered　my　heart。

　

With　a　groan　I　turned　away　and　buried　my　face　in　my　arms。　　I

heard　Thuvan　Dihn　call　aloud　to　Thuvia；　but　an　instant　later　his

exclamation　of　surprise　betokened　that　he；　too；　had　been　repulsed

by　his　own　daughter。

　

〃They　will　not　even　listen；〃　he　cried　to　me。　　〃They　have　put

their　hands　over　their　ears　and　walked　to　the　farther　end　of　the

garden。　　Ever　heard　you　of　such　mad　work；　John　Carter？　　The　two

must　be　bewitched。〃

　

Presently　I　mustered　the　courage　to　return　to　the　window；　for

even　though　she　spurned　me　I　loved　her；　and　could　not　keep　my　eyes

from　feasting　upon　her　divine　face　and　figure；　but　when　she　saw　me

looking　she　again　turned　away。

　

I　was　at　my　wit's　end　to　account　for　her　strange　actions；　and

that　Thuvia；　too；　had　turned　against　her　father　seemed　incredible。

Could　it　be　that　my　incomparable　princess　still　clung　to　the

hideous　faith　from　which　I　had　rescued　her　world？　　Could　it　be　that

she　looked　upon　me　with　loathing　and　contempt　because　I　had

returned　from　the　Valley　Dor；　or　because　I　had　desecrated　the

temples　and　persons　of　the　Holy　Therns？

　

To　naught　else　could　I　ascribe　her　strange　deportment；　yet　it

seemed　far　from　possible　that　such　could　be　the　case；　for　the　love

of　Dejah　Thoris　for　John　Carter　had　been　a　great　and　wondrous　love

far　above　racial　distinctions；　creed；　or　religion。

　

As　I　gazed　ruefully　at　the　back　of　her　haughty；　royal　head　a

gate　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　garden　opened　and　a　man　entered。

As　he　did　so　he　turned　and　slipped　something　into　the　hand　of　the

yellow　guardsman　beyond　the　gate；　nor　was　the　distance　too　great

that　I　might　not　see　that　money　had　passed　between　them。

　

Instantly　I　knew　that　this　newcomer　had　bribed　his　way　within

the　garden。　　Then　he　turned　in　the　direction　of　the　two　women；

and　I　saw　that　he　was　none　other　than　Thurid；　the　black　dator

of　the　First　Born。

　

He　approached　quite　close　to　them　before　he　spoke；　and　as　they

turned　at　the　sound　of　his　voice　I　saw　Dejah　Thoris　shrink　from　him。

　

There　was　a　nasty　leer　upon　his　face　as　he　stepped　close　to　her　and

spoke　again。　　I　could　not　hear　his　words；　but　her　answer　came　clearly。

　

〃The　granddaughter　of　Tardos　Mors　can　always　die；〃　she　said；

〃but　she　could　never　live　at　the　price　you　name。〃

　

Then　I　saw　the　black　scoundrel　go　upon　his　knees　beside　her；

fairly　groveling　in　the　dirt；　pleading　with　her。　　Only　part　of　what

he　said　came　to　me；　for　though　he　was　evidently　laboring　under　the

stress　of　passion　and　excitement；　it　was　equally　apparent　that　he

did　not　dare　raise　his　voice　for　fear　of　detection。

　

〃I　would　save　you　from　Matai　Shang；〃　I　heard　him　say。　　〃You　know

the　fate　that　awaits　you　at　his　hands。　　Would　you　not　choose

me　rather　than　the　other？〃

　

〃I　would　choose　neither；〃　replied　Dejah　Thoris；　〃even　were　I

free　to　choose；　as　you　know　well　I　am　not。〃

　

〃You　ARE　free！〃　he　cried。　　〃John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　is　dead。〃

　

〃I　know　better　than　that；　but　even　were　he　dead；　and　I　must

needs　choose　another　mate；　it　should　be　a　plant　man　or　a　great

white　ape　in　preference　to　either　Matai　Shang　or　you；　black　calot；〃

she　answered　with　a　sneer　of　contempt。

　

Of　a　sudden　the　vicious　beast　lost　all　control　of　himself；

as　with　a　vile　oath　he　leaped　at　the　slender　woman；　gripping　her

tender　throat　in　his　brute　clutch。　　Thuvia　screamed　and　sprang　to

aid　her　fellow…prisoner；　and　at　the　same　instant　I；　too；　went　mad；

and　tearing　at　the　bars　that　spanned　my　window　I　ripped　them　from

their　sockets　as　they　had　been　but　copper　wire。

　

Hurling　myself　through　the　aperture　I　reached　the　garden；

but　a　hundred　feet　from　where　the　black　was　choking　the　life

from　my　Dejah　Thoris；　and　with　a　single　great　bound　I　was　upon　him。

I　spoke　no　word　as　I　tore　his　defiling　fingers　from　that　beautiful

throat；　nor　did　I　utter　a　sound　as　I　hurled　him　twenty　feet　from　me。

　

Foaming　with　rage；　Thurid　regained　his　feet　and　charged　me

like　a　mad　bull。

　

〃