warlord of mars-第36章

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But　she　did　not　come；　and　glad　I　was；　for　it　would　have　doubled

my　burden　in　protecting　her　before　I　should　have　been　able　to

force　her　back　again　out　of　harm's　way。　　She　must　be　contemplating

some　cunning　strategy；　I　thought；　and　so　I　fought　on　secure　in　the

belief　that　my　divine　princess　stood　close　behind　me。

　

For　half　an　hour　at　least　I　must　have　fought　there　against　the

nobles　of　Okar　ere　ever　a　one　placed　a　foot　upon　the　dais　where

I　stood；　and　then　of　a　sudden　all　that　remained　of　them　formed　below

me　for　a　last；　mad；　desperate　charge；　but　even　as　they　advanced　the

door　at　the　far　end　of　the　chamber　swung　wide　and　a　wild…eyed

messenger　sprang　into　the　room。

　

〃The　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks！〃　he　cried。　　〃Where　is　the　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks？

The　city　has　fallen　before　the　hordes　from　beyond　the　barrier；　and　but

now　the　great　gate　of　the　palace　itself　has　been　forced　and　the

warriors　of　the　south　are　pouring　into　its　sacred　precincts。

　

〃Where　is　Salensus　Oll？　　He　alone　may　revive　the　flagging　courage

of　our　warriors。　　He　alone　may　save　the　day　for　Okar。　　Where　is

Salensus　Oll？〃

　

The　nobles　stepped　back　from　about　the　dead　body　of　their　ruler；

and　one　of　them　pointed　to　the　grinning　corpse。

　

The　messenger　staggered　back　in　horror　as　though　from　a　blow　in　the　face。

　

〃Then　fly；　nobles　of　Okar！〃　he　cried；　〃for　naught　can　save　you。　　Hark！

They　come！〃

　

As　he　spoke　we　heard　the　deep　roar　of　angry　men　from　the

corridor　without；　and　the　clank　of　metal　and　the　clang　of　swords。

　

Without　another　glance　toward　me；　who　had　stood　a　spectator　of

the　tragic　scene；　the　nobles　wheeled　and　fled　from　the　apartment

through　another　exit。

　

Almost　immediately　a　force　of　yellow　warriors　appeared　in　the

doorway　through　which　the　messenger　had　come。　　They　were　backing

toward　the　apartment；　stubbornly　resisting　the　advance　of　a　handful

of　red　men　who　faced　them　and　forced　them　slowly　but　inevitably　back。

　

Above　the　heads　of　the　contestants　I　could　see　from　my　elevated

station　upon　the　dais　the　face　of　my　old　friend　Kantos　Kan。

He　was　leading　the　little　party　that　had　won　its　way　into

the　very　heart　of　the　palace　of　Salensus　Oll。

　

In　an　instant　I　saw　that　by　attacking　the　Okarians　from　the

rear　I　could　so　quickly　disorganize　them　that　their　further

resistance　would　be　short…lived；　and　with　this　idea　in　mind　I

sprang　from　the　dais；　casting　a　word　of　explanation　to　Dejah　Thoris

over　my　shoulder；　though　I　did　not　turn　to　look　at　her。

　

With　myself　ever　between　her　enemies　and　herself；　and　with

Kantos　Kan　and　his　warriors　winning　to　the　apartment；　there　could

be　no　danger　to　Dejah　Thoris　standing　there　alone　beside　the　throne。

　

I　wanted　the　men　of　Helium　to　see　me　and　to　know　that　their

beloved　princess　was　here；　too；　for　I　knew　that　this　knowledge

would　inspire　them　to　even　greater　deeds　of　valor　than　they　had

performed　in　the　past；　though　great　indeed　must　have　been　those

which　won　for　them　a　way　into　the　almost　impregnable　palace　of

the　tyrant　of　the　north。

　

As　I　crossed　the　chamber　to　attack　the　Kadabrans　from　the　rear

a　small　doorway　at　my　left　opened；　and；　to　my　surprise；　revealed

the　figures　of　Matai　Shang；　Father　of　Therns　and　Phaidor；

his　daughter；　peering　into　the　room。

　

A　quick　glance　about　they　took。　　Their　eyes　rested　for　a　moment；

wide　in　horror；　upon　the　dead　body　of　Salensus　Oll；　upon　the　blood

that　crimsoned　the　floor；　upon　the　corpses　of　the　nobles　who　had

fallen　thick　before　the　throne；　upon　me；　and　upon　the　battling

warriors　at　the　other　door。

　

They　did　not　essay　to　enter　the　apartment；　but　scanned　its

every　corner　from　where　they　stood；　and　then；　when　their　eyes　had

sought　its　entire　area；　a　look　of　fierce　rage　overspread　the

features　of　Matai　Shang；　and　a　cold　and　cunning　smile　touched　the

lips　of　Phaidor。

　

Then　they　were　gone；　but　not　before　a　taunting　laugh　was　thrown

directly　in　my　face　by　the　woman。

　

I　did　not　understand　then　the　meaning　of　Matai　Shang's　rage　or

Phaidor's　pleasure；　but　I　knew　that　neither　boded　good　for　me。

　

A　moment　later　I　was　upon　the　backs　of　the　yellow　men；

and　as　the　red　men　of　Helium　saw　me　above　the　shoulders　of

their　antagonists　a　great　shout　rang　through　the　corridor；

and　for　a　moment　drowned　the　noise　of　battle。

　

〃For　the　Prince　of　Helium！〃　they　cried。　　〃For　the　Prince　of　Helium！〃

and；　like　hungry　lions　upon　their　prey；　they　fell　once　more　upon

the　weakening　warriors　of　the　north。

　

The　yellow　men；　cornered　between　two　enemies；　fought　with　the

desperation　that　utter　hopelessness　often　induces。　　Fought　as　I

should　have　fought　had　I　been　in　their　stead；　with　the　determination

to　take　as　many　of　my　enemies　with　me　when　I　died　as　lay　within　the

power　of　my　sword　arm。

　

It　was　a　glorious　battle；　but　the　end　seemed　inevitable；

when　presently　from　down　the　corridor　behind　the　red　men

came　a　great　body　of　reenforcing　yellow　warriors。

　

Now　were　the　tables　turned；　and　it　was　the　men　of　Helium　who

seemed　doomed　to　be　ground　between　two　millstones。　　All　were

compelled　to　turn　to　meet　this　new　assault　by　a　greatly

superior　force；　so　that　to　me　was　left　the　remnants　of

the　yellow　men　within　the　throneroom。

　

They　kept　me　busy；　too；　so　busy　that　I　began　to　wonder　if

indeed　I　should　ever　be　done　with　them。　　Slowly　they　pressed　me

back　into　the　room；　and　when　they　had　all　passed　in　after　me；

one　of　them　closed　and　bolted　the　door；　effectually　barring　the

way　against　the　men　of　Kantos　Kan。

　

It　was　a　clever　move；　for　it　put　me　at　the　mercy　of　a　dozen

men　within　a　chamber　from　which　assistance　was　locked　out；　and　it

gave　the　red　men　in　the　corridor　beyond　no　avenue　of　escape　should

their　new　antagonists　press　them　too　closely。

　

But　I　have　faced　heavier　odds　myself　than　were　pitted　against

me　that　day；　and　I　knew　that　Kantos　Kan　had　battled　his　way　from

a　hundred　more　dangerous　traps　than　that　in　which　he　now　was。

So　it　was　with　no　feelings　of　despair　that　I　turned　my　attention

to　the　business　of　the　moment。

　

Constantly　my　thoughts　reverted　to　Dejah　Thoris；　and　I　longed　for

the　moment　when；　the　fighting　done；　I　could　fold　her　in　my　arms；

and　hear　once　more　the　words　of　love　which　had　been　denied　me　for

so　many　years。

　

During　the　fighting　in　the　chamber　I　had　not　even　a　single

chance　to　so　much　as　steal　a　glance　at　her　where　she　stood　behind

me　beside　the　throne　of　the　dead　ruler。　　I　wondered　why　she　no

longer　urged　me　on　with　the　strains　of　the　martial　hymn　of　Helium；

but　I　did　not　need　more　than　the　knowledge　that　I　was　battling　for

her　to　bring　out　the　best　that　is　in　me。

　

It　would　be　wearisome　to　narrate　the　details　of　that　bloody　struggle；

of　how　we　fought　from　the　doorway；　the　full　length　of　the　room　to　the

very　foot　of　the　throne　before　the　last　of　my　antagonists　fell　with

my　blade　piercing　his　heart。

　

And　then；　with　a　glad　cry；　I　turned　with　outstretched　arms　to　seize

my　princess；　and　as　my　lips　smothered　hers　to　reap　the　reward　that

would　be　thrice　ample　payment　for　the　bloody　encounters　through　which

I　had　passed　for　her　dear　sake　from　the　south　pole　to　the　north。

　

The　glad　cry　died；　frozen　upon　my　lips；　my　arms　dropped　limp

and　lifeless　to　my　sides；　as　one　who　reels　beneath　the　burden　of　a

mortal　wound　I　staggered　up　the　steps　before　the　throne。

　

Dejah　Thoris　was　gone。

　

　

　

　

REWARDS

　

　

With　the　realization　that　Dejah　Thoris　was　no　longer　within　the

throneroom　came　the　belated　recollection　of　the　dark　face　that　I

had　glimpsed　peering　from　behind　the　draperies　that　backed　the

throne　of　Salensus　Oll　at　the　moment　that　I　had　first　come　so

unexpectedly　upon　the　strange　scene　being　enacted　within　the　chamber。

　

Why　had　the　sight　of　that　evil　countenance　not　warned　me　to

greater　caution？　　Why　had　I　permitted　the　rapid　development　of

new　situations　to　efface　the　recollection　of　that　menacing　danger？