a princess of mars-第18章

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commanding　Woola　to　remain　on　guard；　I　hastened　to　the

audience　chamber；　where　I　found　Lorquas　Ptomel　and　Tars

Tarkas　seated　upon　the　rostrum。










CHAPTER　XII





A　PRISONER　WITH　POWER





As　I　entered　and　saluted；　Lorquas　Ptomel　signaled　me　to　advance；

and；　fixing　his　great；　hideous　eyes　upon　me；　addressed　me　thus：



〃You　have　been　with　us　a　few　days；　yet　during　that　time

you　have　by　your　prowess　won　a　high　position　among　us。

Be　that　as　it　may；　you　are　not　one　of　us；　you　owe　us　no

allegiance。



〃Your　position　is　a　peculiar　one；〃　he　continued；　〃you　are

a　prisoner　and　yet　you　give　commands　which　must　be　obeyed；

you　are　an　alien　and　yet　you　are　a　Tharkian　chieftain；　you

are　a　midget　and　yet　you　can　kill　a　mighty　warrior　with　one

blow　of　your　fist。　　And　now　you　are　reported　to　have　been

plotting　to　escape　with　another　prisoner　of　another　race；　a

prisoner　who；　from　her　own　admission；　half　believes　you　are

returned　from　the　valley　of　Dor。　　Either　one　of　these　accusations；

if　proved；　would　be　sufficient　grounds　for　your　execution；

but　we　are　a　just　people　and　you　shall　have　a　trial　on　our

return　to　Thark；　if　Tal　Hajus　so　commands。



〃But；〃　he　continued；　in　his　fierce　guttural　tones；　〃if　you

run　off　with　the　red　girl　it　is　I　who　shall　have　to　account　to

Tal　Hajus；　it　is　I　who　shall　have　to　face　Tars　Tarkas；　and

either　demonstrate　my　right　to　command；　or　the　metal　from

my　dead　carcass　will　go　to　a　better　man；　for　such　is　the

custom　of　the　Tharks。



〃I　have　no　quarrel　with　Tars　Tarkas；　together　we　rule

supreme　the　greatest　of　the　lesser　communities　among　the

green　men；　we　do　not　wish　to　fight　between　ourselves；　and　so

if　you　were　dead；　John　Carter；　I　should　be　glad。　　Under　two

conditions　only；　however；　may　you　be　killed　by　us　without

orders　from　Tal　Hajus；　in　personal　combat　in　self…defense；

should　you　attack　one　of　us；　or　were　you　apprehended　in　an

attempt　to　escape。



〃As　a　matter　of　justice　I　must　warn　you　that　we　only

await　one　of　these　two　excuses　for　ridding　ourselves　of　so

great　a　responsibility。　　The　safe　delivery　of　the　red　girl　to

Tal　Hajus　is　of　the　greatest　importance。　　Not　in　a　thousand

years　have　the　Tharks　made　such　a　capture；　she　is　the

granddaughter　of　the　greatest　of　the　red　jeddaks；　who　is　also

our　bitterest　enemy。　　I　have　spoken。　　The　red　girl　told　us　that

we　were　without　the　softer　sentiments　of　humanity；　but　we

are　a　just　and　truthful　race。　　You　may　go。〃



Turning；　I　left　the　audience　chamber。　　So　this　was　the

beginning　of　Sarkoja's　persecution！　　I　knew　that　none　other

could　be　responsible　for　this　report　which　had　reached　the

ears　of　Lorquas　Ptomel　so　quickly；　and　now　I　recalled　those

portions　of　our　conversation　which　had　touched　upon　escape

and　upon　my　origin。



Sarkoja　was　at　this　time　Tars　Tarkas'　oldest　and　most

trusted　female。　　As　such　she　was　a　mighty　power　behind　the

throne；　for　no　warrior　had　the　confidence　of　Lorquas　Ptomel

to　such　an　extent　as　did　his　ablest　lieutenant；　Tars　Tarkas。



However；　instead　of　putting　thoughts　of　possible　escape

from　my　mind；　my　audience　with　Lorquas　Ptomel　only　served

to　center　my　every　faculty　on　this　subject。　　Now；　more　than

before；　the　absolute　necessity　for　escape；　in　so　far　as　Dejah

Thoris　was　concerned；　was　impressed　upon　me；　for　I　was

convinced　that　some　horrible　fate　awaited　her　at　the

headquarters　of　Tal　Hajus。



As　described　by　Sola；　this　monster　was　the　exaggerated

personification　of　all　the　ages　of　cruelty；　ferocity；　and

brutality　from　which　he　had　descended。　　Cold；　cunning；

calculating；　he　was；　also；　in　marked　contrast　to　most　of　his

fellows；　a　slave　to　that　brute　passion　which　the　waning

demands　for　procreation　upon　their　dying　planet　has　almost

stilled　in　the　Martian　breast。



The　thought　that　the　divine　Dejah　Thoris　might　fall　into

the　clutches　of　such　an　abysmal　atavism　started　the　cold

sweat　upon　me。　　Far　better　that　we　save　friendly　bullets　for

ourselves　at　the　last　moment；　as　did　those　brave　frontier

women　of　my　lost　land；　who　took　their　own　lives　rather　than

fall　into　the　hands　of　the　Indian　braves。



As　I　wandered　about　the　plaza　lost　in　my　gloomy　forebodings

Tars　Tarkas　approached　me　on　his　way　from　the　audience

chamber。　　His　demeanor　toward　me　was　unchanged；　and　he

greeted　me　as　though　we　had　not　just　parted　a　few

moments　before。



〃Where　are　your　quarters；　John　Carter？〃　he　asked。



〃I　have　selected　none；〃　I　replied。　　〃It　seemed　best　that　I

quartered　either　by　myself　or　among　the　other　warriors；　and

I　was　awaiting　an　opportunity　to　ask　your　advice。　　As　you

know；〃　and　I　smiled；　〃I　am　not　yet　familiar　with　all　the

customs　of　the　Tharks。〃



〃Come　with　me；〃　he　directed；　and　together　we　moved　off

across　the　plaza　to　a　building　which　I　was　glad　to　see

adjoined　that　occupied　by　Sola　and　her　charges。



〃My　quarters　are　on　the　first　floor　of　this　building；〃　he

said；　〃and　the　second　floor　also　is　fully　occupied　by　warriors；

but　the　third　floor　and　the　floors　above　are　vacant；　you　may

take　your　choice　of　these。



〃I　understand；〃　he　continued；　〃that　you　have　given　up

your　woman　to　the　red　prisoner。　　Well；　as　you　have　said；

your　ways　are　not　our　ways；　but　you　can　fight　well　enough

to　do　about　as　you　please；　and　so；　if　you　wish　to　give　your

woman　to　a　captive；　it　is　your　own　affair；　but　as　a　chieftain

you　should　have　those　to　serve　you；　and　in　accordance　with

our　customs　you　may　select　any　or　all　the　females　from　the

retinues　of　the　chieftains　whose　metal　you　now　wear。〃



I　thanked　him；　but　assured　him　that　I　could　get　along

very　nicely　without　assistance　except　in　the　matter　of

preparing　food；　and　so　he　promised　to　send　women　to　me　for

this　purpose　and　also　for　the　care　of　my　arms　and　the

manufacture　of　my　ammunition；　which　he　said　would　be

necessary。　　I　suggested　that　they　might　also　bring　some　of

the　sleeping　silks　and　furs　which　belonged　to　me　as　spoils　of

combat；　for　the　nights　were　cold　and　I　had　none　of　my　own。



He　promised　to　do　so；　and　departed。　　Left　alone；　I　ascended

the　winding　corridor　to　the　upper　floors　in　search　of

suitable　quarters。　　The　beauties　of　the　other　buildings　were

repeated　in　this；　and；　as　usual；　I　was　soon　lost　in　a　tour　of

investigation　and　discovery。



I　finally　chose　a　front　room　on　the　third　floor；　because

this　brought　me　nearer　to　Dejah　Thoris；　whose　apartment

was　on　the　second　floor　of　the　adjoining　building；　and　it

flashed　upon　me　that　I　could　rig　up　some　means　of　communication

whereby　she　might　signal　me　in　case　she　needed　either　my

services　or　my　protection。



Adjoining　my　sleeping　apartment　were　baths；　dressing

rooms；　and　other　sleeping　and　living　apartments；　in　all　some

ten　rooms　on　this　floor。　　The　windows　of　the　back　rooms

overlooked　an　enormous　court；　which　formed　the　center　of

the　square　made　by　the　buildings　which　faced　the　four

contiguous　streets；　and　which　was　now　given　over　to　the

quartering　of　the　various　animals　belonging　to　the　warriors

occupying　the　adjoining　buildings。



While　the　court　was　entirely　overgrown　with　the　yellow；

moss…like　vegetation　which　blankets　practically　the　entire

surface　of　Mars；　yet　numerous　fountains；　statuary；　benches；

and　pergola…like　contraptions　bore　witness　to　the　beauty

which　the　court　must　have　presented　in　bygone　times；　when

graced　by　the　fair…haired；　laughing　people　whom　stern　and

unalterable　cosmic　laws　had　driven　not　only　from　their　homes；

but　from　all　except　the　vague　legends　of　their　descendants。



One　could　easily　picture　the　gorgeous　foliage　of　the　luxuriant

Martian　vegetation　which　once　filled　this　scene　with　life

and　color；　the　graceful　figures　of　the　beautiful　women；　the

straight　and　handsome　men；　the　happy　frolicking　children

all　sunlight；　happiness　and　peace。　　It　was　difficult　to　realize

that　they　had　gone；　down　through　ages　of　darkness；　cruelty；

and　ignorance；　until　their　hereditary　instincts