a princess of mars-第32章
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the surface。 it had partially filled with debris so that how
large it had originally been was difficult to say。 In its
present condition it held the entire twenty thousand Warhoons
of the assembled hordes。
The arena was immense but extremely uneven and unkempt。
Around it the Warhoons had piled building stone from
some of the ruined edifices of the ancient city to prevent
the animals and the captives from escaping into the
audience; and at each end had been constructed cages
to hold them until their turns came to meet some horrible
death upon the arena。
Kantos Kan and I were confined together in one of the cages。
In the others were wild calots; thoats; mad zitidars;
green warriors; and women of other hordes; and many
strange and ferocious wild beasts of Barsoom which I had
never before seen。 The din of their roaring; growling and
squealing was deafening and the formidable appearance of
any one of them was enough to make the stoutest heart feel
grave forebodings。
Kantos Kan explained to me that at the end of the day one
of these prisoners would gain freedom and the others would
lie dead about the arena。 The winners in the various contests
of the day would be pitted against each other until only two
remained alive; the victor in the last encounter being set free;
whether animal or man。 The following morning the cages would
be filled with a new consignment of victims; and so on
throughout the ten days of the games。
Shortly after we had been caged the amphitheater began to fill
and within an hour every available part of the seating space
was occupied。 Dak Kova; with his jeds and chieftains; sat at
the center of one side of the arena upon a large raised platform。
At a signal from Dak Kova the doors of two cages were
thrown open and a dozen green Martian females were
driven to the center of the arena。 Each was given a
dagger and then; at the far end; a pack of twelve calots;
or wild dogs were loosed upon them。
As the brutes; growling and foaming; rushed upon the almost
defenseless women I turned my head that I might not see the
horrid sight。 The yells and laughter of the green horde
bore witness to the excellent quality of the sport and
when I turned back to the arena; as Kantos Kan told me it
was over; I saw three victorious calots; snarling and growling
over the bodies of their prey。 The women had given a good account
of themselves。
Next a mad zitidar was loosed among the remaining dogs;
and so it went throughout the long; hot; horrible day。
During the day I was pitted against first men and then
beasts; but as I was armed with a long…sword and always
outclassed my adversary in agility and generally in strength
as well; it proved but child's play to me。 Time and time again
I won the applause of the bloodthirsty multitude; and toward
the end there were cries that I be taken from the arena
and be made a member of the hordes of Warhoon。
Finally there were but three of us left; a great green warrior
of some far northern horde; Kantos Kan; and myself。
The other two were to battle and then I to fight the conqueror
for the liberty which was accorded the final winner。
Kantos Kan had fought several times during the day and
like myself had always proven victorious; but occasionally
by the smallest of margins; especially when pitted against
the green warriors。 I had little hope that he could best his
giant adversary who had mowed down all before him during
the day。 The fellow towered nearly sixteen feet in height;
while Kantos Kan was some inches under six feet。 As they
advanced to meet one another I saw for the first time a trick
of Martian swordsmanship which centered Kantos Kan's
every hope of victory and life on one cast of the dice; for;
as he came to within about twenty feet of the huge fellow
he threw his sword arm far behind him over his shoulder
and with a mighty sweep hurled his weapon point foremost
at the green warrior。 It flew true as an arrow and piercing
the poor devil's heart laid him dead upon the arena。
Kantos Kan and I were now pitted against each other but
as we approached to the encounter I whispered to him to
prolong the battle until nearly dark in the hope that we
might find some means of escape。 The horde evidently
guessed that we had no hearts to fight each other and so
they howled in rage as neither of us placed a fatal thrust。
Just as I saw the sudden coming of dark I whispered to
Kantos Kan to thrust his sword between my left arm and my
body。 As he did so I staggered back clasping the sword
tightly with my arm and thus fell to the ground with his
weapon apparently protruding from my chest。 Kantos Kan
perceived my coup and stepping quickly to my side he placed his
foot upon my neck and withdrawing his sword from my body
gave me the final death blow through the neck which is supposed
to sever the jugular vein; but in this instance the cold
blade slipped harmlessly into the sand of the arena。 In the
darkness which had now fallen none could tell but that he
had really finished me。 I whispered to him to go and claim
his freedom and then look for me in the hills east of the
city; and so he left me。
When the amphitheater had cleared I crept stealthily to
the top and as the great excavation lay far from the plaza
and in an untenanted portion of the great dead city I had
little trouble in reaching the hills beyond。
CHAPTER XX
IN THE ATMOSPHERE FACTORY
For two days I waited there for Kantos Kan; but as he did
not come I started off on foot in a northwesterly direction
toward a point where he had told me lay the nearest waterway。
My only food consisted of vegetable milk from the
plants which gave so bounteously of this priceless fluid。
Through two long weeks I wandered; stumbling through
the nights guided only by the stars and hiding during the
days behind some protruding rock or among the occasional
hills I traversed。 Several times I was attacked by wild beasts;
strange; uncouth monstrosities that leaped upon me in the
dark; so that I had ever to grasp my long…sword in my hand
that I might be ready for them。 Usually my strange; newly
acquired telepathic power warned me in ample time; but
once I was down with vicious fangs at my jugular and a
hairy face pressed close to mine before I knew that I was
even threatened。
What manner of thing was upon me I did not know; but
that it was large and heavy and many…legged I could feel。
My hands were at its throat before the fangs had a chance to
bury themselves in my neck; and slowly I forced the hairy face
from me and closed my fingers; vise…like; upon its windpipe。
Without sound we lay there; the beast exerting every effort
to reach me with those awful fangs; and I straining to
maintain my grip and choke the life from it as I kept it from
my throat。 Slowly my arms gave to the unequal struggle;
and inch by inch the burning eyes and gleaming tusks of my
antagonist crept toward me; until; as the hairy face touched
mine again; I realized that all was over。 And then a living
mass of destruction sprang from the surrounding darkness
full upon the creature that held me pinioned to the ground。
The two rolled growling upon the moss; tearing and rending
one another in a frightful manner; but it was soon over and
my preserver stood with lowered head above the throat of
the dead thing which would have killed me。
The nearer moon; hurtling suddenly above the horizon
and lighting up the Barsoomian scene; showed me that my
preserver was Woola; but from whence he had come; or how
found me; I was at a loss to know。 That I was glad of his
companionship it is needless to say; but my pleasure at seeing
him was tempered by anxiety as to the reason of his leaving
Dejah Thoris。 Only her death I felt sure; could account for
his absence from her; so faithful I knew him to be to my