a princess of mars-第26章

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the　rule　of　Tal　Hajus；　Jeddak　of　Thark。　　Five　communities

make　their　headquarters　at　the　city　of　Thark；　and　the

balance　are　scattered　among　other　deserted　cities　of

ancient　Mars　throughout　the　district　claimed　by　Tal　Hajus。



We　made　our　entry　into　the　great　central　plaza　early　in

the　afternoon。　　There　were　no　enthusiastic　friendly　greetings

for　the　returned　expedition。　　Those　who　chanced　to　be　in

sight　spoke　the　names　of　warriors　or　women　with　whom

they　came　in　direct　contact；　in　the　formal　greeting　of　their

kind；　but　when　it　was　discovered　that　they　brought　two

captives　a　greater　interest　was　aroused；　and　Dejah　Thoris

and　I　were　the　centers　of　inquiring　groups。



We　were　soon　assigned　to　new　quarters；　and　the　balance

of　the　day　was　devoted　to　settling　ourselves　to　the　changed

conditions。　　My　home　now　was　upon　an　avenue　leading　into

the　plaza　from　the　south；　the　main　artery　down　which　we

had　marched　from　the　gates　of　the　city。　　I　was　at　the　far

end　of　the　square　and　had　an　entire　building　to　myself。　　The

same　grandeur　of　architecture　which　was　so　noticeable

a　characteristic　of　Korad　was　in　evidence　here；　only；　if

that　were　possible；　on　a　larger　and　richer　scale。　　My　quarters

would　have　been　suitable　for　housing　the　greatest　of　earthly

emperors；　but　to　these　queer　creatures　nothing　about　a　building

appealed　to　them　but　its　size　and　the　enormity　of　its　chambers；

the　larger　the　building；　the　more　desirable；　and　so　Tal　Hajus

occupied　what　must　have　been　an　enormous　public　building；　the

largest　in　the　city；　but　entirely　unfitted　for　residence　purposes；

the　next　largest　was　reserved　for　Lorquas　Ptomel；　the　next　for　the

jed　of　a　lesser　rank；　and　so　on　to　the　bottom　of　the　list　of　five　jeds。

The　warriors　occupied　the　buildings　with　the　chieftains　to　whose

retinues　they　belonged；　or；　if　they　preferred；　sought　shelter

among　any　of　the　thousands　of　untenanted　buildings　in　their　own

quarter　of　town；　each　community　being　assigned　a　certain

section　of　the　city。　　The　selection　of　building　had　to　be　made

in　accordance　with　these　divisions；　except　in　so　far　as　the

jeds　were　concerned；　they　all　occupying　edifices　which

fronted　upon　the　plaza。



When　I　had　finally　put　my　house　in　order；　or　rather　seen

that　it　had　been　done；　it　was　nearing　sunset；　and　I　hastened

out　with　the　intention　of　locating　Sola　and　her　charges；　as

I　had　determined　upon　having　speech　with　Dejah　Thoris

and　trying　to　impress　on　her　the　necessity　of　our　at　least

patching　up　a　truce　until　I　could　find　some　way　of　aiding

her　to　escape。　　I　searched　in　vain　until　the　upper　rim　of　the

great　red　sun　was　just　disappearing　behind　the　horizon　and

then　I　spied　the　ugly　head　of　Woola　peering　from　a　second…

story　window　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　very　street　where

I　was　quartered；　but　nearer　the　plaza。



Without　waiting　for　a　further　invitation　I　bolted　up　the

winding　runway　which　led　to　the　second　floor；　and　entering

a　great　chamber　at　the　front　of　the　building　was　greeted

by　the　frenzied　Woola；　who　threw　his　great　carcass　upon

me；　nearly　hurling　me　to　the　floor；　the　poor　old　fellow　was

so　glad　to　see　me　that　I　thought　he　would　devour　me；　his

head　split　from　ear　to　ear；　showing　his　three　rows　of　tusks

in　his　hobgoblin　smile。



Quieting　him　with　a　word　of　command　and　a　caress；　I

looked　hurriedly　through　the　approaching　gloom　for　a　sign

of　Dejah　Thoris；　and　then；　not　seeing　her；　I　called　her　name。

There　was　an　answering　murmur　from　the　far　corner　of　the

apartment；　and　with　a　couple　of　quick　strides　I　was　standing

beside　her　where　she　crouched　among　the　furs　and　silks

upon　an　ancient　carved　wooden　seat。　　As　I　waited　she　rose

to　her　full　height　and　looking　me　straight　in　the　eye　said：



〃What　would　Dotar　Sojat；　Thark；　of　Dejah　Thoris　his　captive？〃



〃Dejah　Thoris；　I　do　not　know　how　I　have　angered　you。

It　was　furtherest　from　my　desire　to　hurt　or　offend　you；

whom　I　had　hoped　to　protect　and　comfort。　　Have　none　of

me　if　it　is　your　will；　but　that　you　must　aid　me　in　effecting

your　escape；　if　such　a　thing　be　possible；　is　not　my　request；

but　my　command。　　When　you　are　safe　once　more　at　your

father's　court　you　may　do　with　me　as　you　please；　but　from

now　on　until　that　day　I　am　your　master；　and　you　must

obey　and　aid　me。〃



She　looked　at　me　long　and　earnestly　and　I　thought　that

she　was　softening　toward　me。



〃I　understand　your　words；　Dotar　Sojat；〃　she　replied；　〃but

you　I　do　not　understand。　　You　are　a　queer　mixture　of　child

and　man；　of　brute　and　noble。　　I　only　wish　that　I　might　read

your　heart。〃



〃Look　down　at　your　feet；　Dejah　Thoris；　it　lies　there　now

where　it　has　lain　since　that　other　night　at　Korad；　and　where

it　will　ever　lie　beating　alone　for　you　until　death　stills　it

forever。〃



She　took　a　little　step　toward　me；　her　beautiful　hands

outstretched　in　a　strange；　groping　gesture。



〃What　do　you　mean；　John　Carter？〃　she　whispered。

〃What　are　you　saying　to　me？〃



〃I　am　saying　what　I　had　promised　myself　that　I　would

not　say　to　you；　at　least　until　you　were　no　longer　a　captive

among　the　green　men；　what　from　your　attitude　toward　me

for　the　past　twenty　days　I　had　thought　never　to　say　to　you；

I　am　saying；　Dejah　Thoris；　that　I　am　yours；　body　and　soul；

to　serve　you；　to　fight　for　you；　and　to　die　for　you。　　Only

one　thing　I　ask　of　you　in　return；　and　that　is　that　you　make

no　sign；　either　of　condemnation　or　of　approbation　of　my

words　until　you　are　safe　among　your　own　people；　and　that

whatever　sentiments　you　harbor　toward　me　they　be　not

influenced　or　colored　by　gratitude；　whatever　I　may　do　to

serve　you　will　be　prompted　solely　from　selfish　motives；

since　it　gives　me　more　pleasure　to　serve　you　than　not。〃



〃I　will　respect　your　wishes；　John　Carter；　because　I

understand　the　motives　which　prompt　them；　and　I　accept

your　service　no　more　willingly　than　I　bow　to　your　authority；

your　word　shall　be　my　law。　　I　have　twice　wronged　you

in　my　thoughts　and　again　I　ask　your　forgiveness。〃



Further　conversation　of　a　personal　nature　was　prevented

by　the　entrance　of　Sola；　who　was　much　agitated　and　wholly

unlike　her　usual　calm　and　possessed　self。



〃That　horrible　Sarkoja　has　been　before　Tal　Hajus；〃　she

cried；　〃and　from　what　I　heard　upon　the　plaza　there　is

little　hope　for　either　of　you。〃



〃What　do　they　say？〃　inquired　Dejah　Thoris。



〃That　you　will　be　thrown　to　the　wild　calots　＇dogs＇　in

the　great　arena　as　soon　as　the　hordes　have　assembled　for

the　yearly　games。〃



〃Sola；〃　I　said；　〃you　are　a　Thark；　but　you　hate　and　loathe

the　customs　of　your　people　as　much　as　we　do。　　Will　you

not　accompany　us　in　one　supreme　effort　to　escape？　　I　am

sure　that　Dejah　Thoris　can　offer　you　a　home　and　protection

among　her　people；　and　your　fate　can　be　no　worse　among

them　than　it　must　ever　be　here。〃



〃Yes；〃　cried　Dejah　Thoris；　〃come　with　us；　Sola；　you　will

be　better　off　among　the　red　men　of　Helium　than　you　are

here；　and　I　can　promise　you　not　only　a　home　with　us；　but

the　love　and　affection　your　nature　craves　and　which　must

always　be　denied　you　by　the　customs　of　your　own　race。

Come　with　us；　Sola；　we　might　go　without　you；　but　your

fate　would　be　terrible　if　they　thought　you　had　connived　to

aid　us。　　I　know　that　even　that　fear　would　not　tempt　you　to

interfere　in　our　escape；　but　we　want　you　with　us；　we　want

you　to　come　to　a　land　of　sunshine　and　happiness；　amongst

a　people　who　know　the　meaning　of　love；　of　sympathy；　and

of　gratitude。　　Say　that　you　will；　Sola；　tell　me　that　you　will。〃



〃The　great　waterway　which　leads　to　Helium　is　but　fifty

miles　to　the　south；〃　murmured　Sola；　half　to　herself；　〃a

swift　thoat　might　make　it　in　three　hours；　and　then　to

Helium　it　is　five　hundred　miles；　most　of　the　way　through

thinly　settled　districts。　　They　would　know　and　they　would

follow　us。　　We　might　hide　among　the　great　trees　for　a　time；

but　the　chances　are　small　indeed　for　escape。　　They　would

follow　us　to　the　very　gates　of　Helium；　and　they　would　t