a princess of mars-第15章

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even　to　your　women　and　children；　has　resulted　in　your

owning　nothing　in　common。　　You　hate　each　other　as　you　hate

all　else　except　yourselves。　　Come　back　to　the　ways　of　our

common　ancestors；　come　back　to　the　light　of　kindliness

and　fellowship。　　The　way　is　open　to　you；　you　will　find　the

hands　of　the　red　men　stretched　out　to　aid　you。　　Together　we

may　do　still　more　to　regenerate　our　dying　planet。　　The　grand…

daughter　of　the　greatest　and　mightiest　of　the　red　jeddaks　has

asked　you。　　Will　you　come？〃



Lorquas　Ptomel　and　the　warriors　sat　looking　silently　and

intently　at　the　young　woman　for　several　moments　after　she

had　ceased　speaking。　　What　was　passing　in　their　minds　no

man　may　know；　but　that　they　were　moved　I　truly　believe；

and　if　one　man　high　among　them　had　been　strong　enough

to　rise　above　custom；　that　moment　would　have　marked　a

new　and　mighty　era　for　Mars。



I　saw　Tars　Tarkas　rise　to　speak；　and　on　his　face　was　such

an　expression　as　I　had　never　seen　upon　the　countenance　of　a

green　Martian　warrior。　　It　bespoke　an　inward　and　mighty

battle　with　self；　with　heredity；　with　age…old　custom；　and

as　he　opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　a　look　almost　of　benignity；

of　kindliness；　momentarily　lighted　up　his　fierce　and　terrible

countenance。



What　words　of　moment　were　to　have　fallen　from　his　lips

were　never　spoken；　as　just　then　a　young　warrior；　evidently

sensing　the　trend　of　thought　among　the　older　men；　leaped

down　from　the　steps　of　the　rostrum；　and　striking　the　frail

captive　a　powerful　blow　across　the　face；　which　felled　her　to

the　floor；　placed　his　foot　upon　her　prostrate　form　and　turning

toward　the　assembled　council　broke　into　peals　of　horrid；

mirthless　laughter。



For　an　instant　I　thought　Tars　Tarkas　would　strike　him

dead；　nor　did　the　aspect　of　Lorquas　Ptomel　augur　any　too

favorably　for　the　brute；　but　the　mood　passed；　their　old　selves

reasserted　their　ascendency；　and　they　smiled。　　It　was　portentous

however　that　they　did　not　laugh　aloud；　for　the　brute's　act

constituted　a　side…splitting　witticism　according　to　the

ethics　which　rule　green　Martian　humor。



That　I　have　taken　moments　to　write　down　a　part　of　what

occurred　as　that　blow　fell　does　not　signify　that　I　remained

inactive　for　any　such　length　of　time。　　I　think　I　must　have

sensed　something　of　what　was　coming；　for　I　realize　now　that

I　was　crouched　as　for　a　spring　as　I　saw　the　blow　aimed　at

her　beautiful；　upturned；　pleading　face；　and　ere　the　hand

descended　I　was　halfway　across　the　hall。



Scarcely　had　his　hideous　laugh　rang　out　but　once；　when

I　was　upon　him。　　The　brute　was　twelve　feet　in　height　and

armed　to　the　teeth；　but　I　believe　that　I　could　have　accounted

for　the　whole　roomful　in　the　terrific　intensity　of　my　rage。

Springing　upward；　I　struck　him　full　in　the　face　as　he　turned

at　my　warning　cry　and　then　as　he　drew　his　short…sword　I

drew　mine　and　sprang　up　again　upon　his　breast；　hooking　one

leg　over　the　butt　of　his　pistol　and　grasping　one　of　his　huge

tusks　with　my　left　hand　while　I　delivered　blow　after　blow

upon　his　enormous　chest。



He　could　not　use　his　short…sword　to　advantage　because　I

was　too　close　to　him；　nor　could　he　draw　his　pistol；　which

he　attempted　to　do　in　direct　opposition　to　Martian　custom

which　says　that　you　may　not　fight　a　fellow　warrior　in

private　combat　with　any　other　than　the　weapon　with　which　you

are　attacked。　　In　fact　he　could　do　nothing　but　make　a　wild

and　futile　attempt　to　dislodge　me。　　With　all　his　immense　bulk

he　was　little　if　any　stronger　than　I；　and　it　was　but　the　matter

of　a　moment　or　two　before　he　sank；　bleeding　and　lifeless；

to　the　floor。



Dejah　Thoris　had　raised　herself　upon　one　elbow　and　was

watching　the　battle　with　wide；　staring　eyes。　　When　I　had

regained　my　feet　I　raised　her　in　my　arms　and　bore　her　to

one　of　the　benches　at　the　side　of　the　room。



Again　no　Martian　interfered　with　me；　and　tearing　a　piece

of　silk　from　my　cape　I　endeavored　to　staunch　the　flow　of

blood　from　her　nostrils。　　I　was　soon　successful　as　her

injuries　amounted　to　little　more　than　an　ordinary　nosebleed；

and　when　she　could　speak　she　placed　her　hand　upon　my

arm　and　looking　up　into　my　eyes；　said：



〃Why　did　you　do　it？　　You　who　refused　me　even　friendly　recognition

in　the　first　hour　of　my　peril！　　And　now　you　risk　your　life　and

kill　one　of　your　companions　for　my　sake。　　I　cannot　understand。

What　strange　manner　of　man　are　you；　that　you　consort　with　the

green　men；　though　your　form　is　that　of　my　race；　while　your　color

is　little　darker　than　that　of　the　white　ape？　　Tell　me；　are　you

human；　or　are　you　more　than　human？〃



〃It　is　a　strange　tale；〃　I　replied；　〃too　long　to　attempt　to　tell

you　now；　and　one　which　I　so　much　doubt　the　credibility　of　myself

that　I　fear　to　hope　that　others　will　believe　it。　　Suffice　it；

for　the　present；　that　I　am　your　friend；　and；　so　far　as　our

captors　will　permit；　your　protector　and　your　servant。〃



〃Then　you　too　are　a　prisoner？　　But　why；　then；　those　arms

and　the　regalia　of　a　Tharkian　chieftain？　　What　is　your　name？

Where　your　country？〃



〃Yes；　Dejah　Thoris；　I　too　am　a　prisoner；　my　name　is　John

Carter；　and　I　claim　Virginia；　one　of　the　United　States　of

America；　Earth；　as　my　home；　but　why　I　am　permitted　to

wear　arms　I　do　not　know；　nor　was　I　aware　that　my　regalia

was　that　of　a　chieftain。〃



We　were　interrupted　at　this　juncture　by　the　approach　of　one

of　the　warriors；　bearing　arms；　accouterments　and　ornaments；

and　in　a　flash　one　of　her　questions　was　answered　and　a

puzzle　cleared　up　for　me。　　I　saw　that　the　body　of　my　dead

antagonist　had　been　stripped；　and　I　read　in　the　menacing

yet　respectful　attitude　of　the　warrior　who　had　brought　me

these　trophies　of　the　kill　the　same　demeanor　as　that　evinced

by　the　other　who　had　brought　me　my　original　equipment；　and　now

for　the　first　time　I　realized　that　my　blow；　on　the　occasion　of

my　first　battle　in　the　audience　chamber　had　resulted　in　the

death　of　my　adversary。



The　reason　for　the　whole　attitude　displayed　toward　me　was

now　apparent；　I　had　won　my　spurs；　so　to　speak；　and　in　the

crude　justice；　which　always　marks　Martian　dealings；　and　which；

among　other　things；　has　caused　me　to　call　her　the　planet　of

paradoxes；　I　was　accorded　the　honors　due　a　conqueror；

the　trappings　and　the　position　of　the　man　I　killed。

In　truth；　I　was　a　Martian　chieftain；　and　this　I　learned　later

was　the　cause　of　my　great　freedom　and　my　toleration　in　the

audience　chamber。



As　I　had　turned　to　receive　the　dead　warrior's　chattels　I

had　noticed　that　Tars　Tarkas　and　several　others　had　pushed

forward　toward　us；　and　the　eyes　of　the　former　rested　upon

me　in　a　most　quizzical　manner。　　Finally　he　addressed　me：



〃You　speak　the　tongue　of　Barsoom　quite　readily　for　one

who　was　deaf　and　dumb　to　us　a　few　short　days　ago。　　Where

did　you　learn　it；　John　Carter？〃



〃You；　yourself；　are　responsible；　Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　replied；　〃in

that　you　furnished　me　with　an　instructress　of　remarkable

ability；　I　have　to　thank　Sola　for　my　learning。〃



〃She　has　done　well；〃　he　answered；　〃but　your　education　in

other　respects　needs　considerable　polish。　　Do　you　know　what

your　unprecedented　temerity　would　have　cost　you　had　you

failed　to　kill　either　of　the　two　chieftains　whose　metal　you

now　wear？〃



〃I　presume　that　that　one　whom　I　had　failed　to　kill；　would

have　killed　me；〃　I　answered；　smiling。



〃No；　you　are　wrong。　　Only　in　the　last　extremity　of　self…defense

would　a　Martian　warrior　kill　a　prisoner；　we　like　to　save　them

for　other　purposes；〃　and　his　face　bespoke　possibilities　that

were　not　pleasant　to　dwell　upon。



〃But　one　thing　can　save　you　now；〃　he　continued。　　〃Should

you；　in　recognition　of　your　remarkable　valor；　ferocity；

and　prowess；　be　considered　by　Tal　Hajus　as　worthy　of　his

service　you　may　be　taken　into　the　community　and　become　a

full…fledged　Tharkian。　　Until　we　reach　the　headquarters　of　Tal

Hajus　it　is　the　will　of　Lorquas　Ptomel　that　you　be　accorded

the　respect　your　acts　have　earn