a princess of mars-第23章

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of　Mars　lent　me　I　might　not　have　been　able　to　put　up　the

creditable　fight　I　did　against　him。



We　circled　for　some　time　without　doing　much　damage　on

either　side；　the　long；　straight；　needle…like　swords　flashing　in

the　sunlight；　and　ringing　out　upon　the　stillness　as　they

crashed　together　with　each　effective　parry。　　Finally　Zad；

realizing　that　he　was　tiring　more　than　I；　evidently　decided　to

close　in　and　end　the　battle　in　a　final　blaze　of　glory　for　himself；

just　as　he　rushed　me　a　blinding　flash　of　light　struck　full

in　my　eyes；　so　that　I　could　not　see　his　approach　and　could

only　leap　blindly　to　one　side　in　an　effort　to　escape　the

mighty　blade　that　it　seemed　I　could　already　feel　in　my　vitals。

I　was　only　partially　successful；　as　a　sharp　pain　in　my　left

shoulder　attested；　but　in　the　sweep　of　my　glance　as　I　sought

to　again　locate　my　adversary；　a　sight　met　my　astonished

gaze　which　paid　me　well　for　the　wound　the　temporary　blindness

had　caused　me。　　There；　upon　Dejah　Thoris'　chariot

stood　three　figures；　for　the　purpose　evidently　of　witnessing

the　encounter　above　the　heads　of　the　intervening　Tharks。

There　were　Dejah　Thoris；　Sola；　and　Sarkoja；　and　as　my

fleeting　glance　swept　over　them　a　little　tableau　was　presented

which　will　stand　graven　in　my　memory　to　the　day　of　my　death。



As　I　looked；　Dejah　Thoris　turned　upon　Sarkoja　with　the

fury　of　a　young　tigress　and　struck　something　from　her

upraised　hand；　something　which　flashed　in　the　sunlight　as

it　spun　to　the　ground。　　Then　I　knew　what　had　blinded　me　at

that　crucial　moment　of　the　fight；　and　how　Sarkoja　had　found

a　way　to　kill　me　without　herself　delivering　the　final　thrust。

Another　thing　I　saw；　too；　which　almost　lost　my　life　for　me

then　and　there；　for　it　took　my　mind　for　the　fraction　of　an

instant　entirely　from　my　antagonist；　for；　as　Dejah　Thoris

struck　the　tiny　mirror　from　her　hand；　Sarkoja；　her　face　livid

with　hatred　and　baffled　rage；　whipped　out　her　dagger　and

aimed　a　terrific　blow　at　Dejah　Thoris；　and　then　Sola；　our　dear

and　faithful　Sola；　sprang　between　them；　the　last　I　saw　was

the　great　knife　descending　upon　her　shielding　breast。



My　enemy　had　recovered　from　his　thrust　and　was　making　it

extremely　interesting　for　me；　so　I　reluctantly　gave　my

attention　to　the　work　in　hand；　but　my　mind　was　not　upon　the

battle。



We　rushed　each　other　furiously　time　after　time；　'til　suddenly；

feeling　the　sharp　point　of　his　sword　at　my　breast　in　a　thrust

I　could　neither　parry　nor　escape；　I　threw　myself　upon　him

with　outstretched　sword　and　with　all　the　weight　of　my

body；　determined　that　I　would　not　die　alone　if　I　could

prevent　it。　　I　felt　the　steel　tear　into　my　chest；　all　went

black　before　me；　my　head　whirled　in　dizziness；　and　I　felt　my

knees　giving　beneath　me。









CHAPTER　XV





SOLA　TELLS　ME　HER　STORY





When　consciousness　returned；　and；　as　I　soon　learned；　I　was

down　but　a　moment；　I　sprang　quickly　to　my　feet　searching

for　my　sword；　and　there　I　found　it；　buried　to　the　hilt　in　the

green　breast　of　Zad；　who　lay　stone　dead　upon　the　ochre

moss　of　the　ancient　sea　bottom。　　As　I　regained　my　full　senses

I　found　his　weapon　piercing　my　left　breast；　but　only　through

the　flesh　and　muscles　which　cover　my　ribs；　entering　near

the　center　of　my　chest　and　coming　out　below　the　shoulder。

As　I　had　lunged　I　had　turned　so　that　his　sword　merely

passed　beneath　the　muscles；　inflicting　a　painful　but　not

dangerous　wound。



Removing　the　blade　from　my　body　I　also　regained　my

own；　and　turning　my　back　upon　his　ugly　carcass；　I　moved；

sick；　sore；　and　disgusted；　toward　the　chariots　which　bore　my

retinue　and　my　belongings。　　A　murmur　of　Martian　applause

greeted　me；　but　I　cared　not　for　it。



Bleeding　and　weak　I　reached　my　women；　who；　accustomed　to

such　happenings；　dressed　my　wounds；　applying　the　wonderful

healing　and　remedial　agents　which　make　only　the　most

instantaneous　of　death　blows　fatal。　　Give　a　Martian　woman

a　chance　and　death　must　take　a　back　seat。　　They　soon　had

me　patched　up　so　that；　except　for　weakness　from　loss　of

blood　and　a　little　soreness　around　the　wound；　I　suffered　no

great　distress　from　this　thrust　which；　under　earthly　treatment；

undoubtedly　would　have　put　me　flat　on　my　back　for　days。



As　soon　as　they　were　through　with　me　I　hastened　to　the

chariot　of　Dejah　Thoris；　where　I　found　my　poor　Sola　with

her　chest　swathed　in　bandages；　but　apparently　little　the

worse　for　her　encounter　with　Sarkoja；　whose　dagger　it　seemed

had　struck　the　edge　of　one　of　Sola's　metal　breast　ornaments

and；　thus　deflected；　had　inflicted　but　a　slight　flesh　wound。



As　I　approached　I　found　Dejah　Thoris　lying　prone　upon

her　silks　and　furs；　her　lithe　form　wracked　with　sobs。　　She　did

not　notice　my　presence；　nor　did　she　hear　me　speaking　with

Sola；　who　was　standing　a　short　distance　from　the　vehicle。



〃Is　she　injured？〃　I　asked　of　Sola；　indicating　Dejah　Thoris

by　an　inclination　of　my　head。



〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃she　thinks　that　you　are　dead。〃



〃And　that　her　grandmother's　cat　may　now　have　no　one　to

polish　its　teeth？〃　I　queried；　smiling。



〃I　think　you　wrong　her；　John　Carter；〃　said　Sola。　　〃I　do　not

understand　either　her　ways　or　yours；　but　I　am　sure　the

granddaughter　of　ten　thousand　jeddaks　would　never　grieve

like　this　over　any　who　held　but　the　highest　claim　upon　her

affections。　　They　are　a　proud　race；　but　they　are　just；　as　are

all　Barsoomians；　and　you　must　have　hurt　or　wronged　her

grievously　that　she　will　not　admit　your　existence　living；

though　she　mourns　you　dead。



〃Tears　are　a　strange　sight　upon　Barsoom；〃　she　continued；

〃and　so　it　is　difficult　for　me　to　interpret　them。　　I　have　seen

but　two　people　weep　in　all　my　life；　other　than　Dejah　Thoris；

one　wept　from　sorrow；　the　other　from　baffled　rage。　　The　first

was　my　mother；　years　ago　before　they　killed　her；　the　other

was　Sarkoja；　when　they　dragged　her　from　me　today。〃



〃Your　mother！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃but；　Sola；　you　could　not

have　known　your　mother；　child。〃



〃But　I　did。　　And　my　father　also；〃　she　added。　　〃If　you

would　like　to　hear　the　strange　and　un…Barsoomian　story

come　to　the　chariot　tonight；　John　Carter；　and　I　will　tell　you

that　of　which　I　have　never　spoken　in　all　my　life　before。　　And

now　the　signal　has　been　given　to　resume　the　march；　you

must　go。〃



〃I　will　come　tonight；　Sola；〃　I　promised。　　〃Be　sure　to　tell

Dejah　Thoris　I　am　alive　and　well。　　I　shall　not　force　myself

upon　her；　and　be　sure　that　you　do　not　let　her　know　I　saw　her　tears。

If　she　would　speak　with　me　I　but　await　her　command。



Sola　mounted　the　chariot；　which　was　swinging　into　its　place

in　line；　and　I　hastened　to　my　waiting　thoat　and　galloped

to　my　station　beside　Tars　Tarkas　at　the　rear　of　the　column。



We　made　a　most　imposing　and　awe…inspiring　spectacle　as

we　strung　out　across　the　yellow　landscape；　the　two　hundred

and　fifty　ornate　and　brightly　colored　chariots；　preceded　by

an　advance　guard　of　some　two　hundred　mounted　warriors

and　chieftains　riding　five　abreast　and　one　hundred　yards

apart；　and　followed　by　a　like　number　in　the　same　formation；

with　a　score　or　more　of　flankers　on　either　side；　the　fifty　extra

mastodons；　or　heavy　draught　animals；　known　as　zitidars；

and　the　five　or　six　hundred　extra　thoats　of　the　warriors

running　loose　within　the　hollow　square　formed　by　the

surrounding　warriors。　　The　gleaming　metal　and　jewels　of

the　gorgeous　ornaments　of　the　men　and　women；　duplicated　in

the　trappings　of　the　zitidars　and　thoats；　and　interspersed

with　the　flashing　colors　of　magnificent　silks　and　furs　and

feathers；　lent　a　barbaric　splendor　to　the　caravan　which　would

have　turned　an　East　Indian　potentate　green　with　envy。



The　enormous　broad　tires　of　the　chariots　and　the　padded

feet　of　the　animals　brought　forth　no　sound　from　the　moss…

covered　sea　bottom；　and　so　we　moved　in　utter　silence；　like

some　huge　phantasmagoria；　except　when　the　stillness　was

broken　by　the　guttural　growling　of　a　goaded　zitidar；　or　the

squealing　o