a princess of mars-第43章

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to　enlist　the　services　of　three　smaller　hordes　on　the　promise

of　the　great　loot　of　Zodanga。



At　the　head　of　the　column　I　rode　beside　the　great　Thark

while　at　the　heels　of　my　mount　trotted　my　beloved　Woola。



We　traveled　entirely　by　night；　timing　our　marches　so　that

we　camped　during　the　day　at　deserted　cities　where；　even

to　the　beasts；　we　were　all　kept　indoors　during　the　daylight

hours。　　On　the　march　Tars　Tarkas；　through　his　remarkable

ability　and　statesmanship；　enlisted　fifty　thousand　more　warriors

from　various　hordes；　so　that；　ten　days　after　we　set　out　we　halted

at　midnight　outside　the　great　walled　city　of　Zodanga；　one　hundred

and　fifty　thousand　strong。



The　fighting　strength　and　efficiency　of　this　horde　of

ferocious　green　monsters　was　equivalent　to　ten　times

their　number　of　red　men。　　Never　in　the　history　of　Barsoom；

Tars　Tarkas　told　me；　had　such　a　force　of　green　warriors　marched

to　battle　together。　　It　was　a　monstrous　task　to　keep　even　a

semblance　of　harmony　among　them；　and　it　was　a　marvel　to

me　that　he　got　them　to　the　city　without　a　mighty　battle

among　themselves。



But　as　we　neared　Zodanga　their　personal　quarrels　were

submerged　by　their　greater　hatred　for　the　red　men；　and

especially　for　the　Zodangans；　who　had　for　years　waged　a

ruthless　campaign　of　extermination　against　the　green　men；

directing　special　attention　toward　despoiling　their　incubators。



Now　that　we　were　before　Zodanga　the　task　of　obtaining

entry　to　the　city　devolved　upon　me；　and　directing　Tars

Tarkas　to　hold　his　forces　in　two　divisions　out　of　earshot

of　the　city；　with　each　division　opposite　a　large　gateway；　I

took　twenty　dismounted　warriors　and　approached　one　of

the　small　gates　that　pierced　the　walls　at　short　intervals。

These　gates　have　no　regular　guard；　but　are　covered　by

sentries；　who　patrol　the　avenue　that　encircles　the　city　just

within　the　walls　as　our　metropolitan　police　patrol　their

beats。



The　walls　of　Zodanga　are　seventy…five　feet　in　height　and

fifty　feet　thick。　　They　are　built　of　enormous　blocks　of

carborundum；　and　the　task　of　entering　the　city　seemed；

to　my　escort　of　green　warriors；　an　impossibility。

The　fellows　who　had　been　detailed　to　accompany　me　were

of　one　of　the　smaller　hordes；　and　therefore　did　not　know　me。



Placing　three　of　them　with　their　faces　to　the　wall　and　arms　locked；

I　commanded　two　more　to　mount　to　their　shoulders；　and　a　sixth　I

ordered　to　climb　upon　the　shoulders　of　the　upper　two。　　The　head

of　the　topmost　warrior　towered　over　forty　feet　from　the　ground。



In　this　way；　with　ten　warriors；　I　built　a　series　of　three

steps　from　the　ground　to　the　shoulders　of　the　topmost　man。

Then　starting　from　a　short　distance　behind　them　I　ran

swiftly　up　from　one　tier　to　the　next；　and　with　a　final　bound

from　the　broad　shoulders　of　the　highest　I　clutched　the　top

of　the　great　wall　and　quietly　drew　myself　to　its　broad　expanse。

After　me　I　dragged　six　lengths　of　leather　from　an　equal　number

of　my　warriors。　　These　lengths　we　had　previously　fastened　together；

and　passing　one　end　to　the　topmost　warrior　I　lowered　the　other　end

cautiously　over　the　opposite　side　of　the　wall　toward　the　avenue　below。

No　one　was　in　sight；　so；　lowering　myself　to　the　end　of　my　leather　strap；

I　dropped　the　remaining　thirty　feet　to　the　pavement　below。



I　had　learned　from　Kantos　Kan　the　secret　of　opening

these　gates；　and　in　another　moment　my　twenty　great　fighting

men　stood　within　the　doomed　city　of　Zodanga。



I　found　to　my　delight　that　I　had　entered　at　the　lower

boundary　of　the　enormous　palace　grounds。　　The　building

itself　showed　in　the　distance　a　blaze　of　glorious　light；　and

on　the　instant　I　determined　to　lead　a　detachment　of　warriors

directly　within　the　palace　itself；　while　the　balance　of

the　great　horde　was　attacking　the　barracks　of　the　soldiery。



Dispatching　one　of　my　men　to　Tars　Tarkas　for　a　detail

of　fifty　Tharks；　with　word　of　my　intentions；　I　ordered　ten

warriors　to　capture　and　open　one　of　the　great　gates　while

with　the　nine　remaining　I　took　the　other。　　We　were　to　do

our　work　quietly；　no　shots　were　to　be　fired　and　no　general

advance　made　until　I　had　reached　the　palace　with　my　fifty

Tharks。　　Our　plans　worked　to　perfection。　　The　two　sentries

we　met　were　dispatched　to　their　fathers　upon　the　banks　of

the　lost　sea　of　Korus；　and　the　guards　at　both　gates　followed

them　in　silence。









CHAPTER　XXV





THE　LOOTING　OF　ZODANGA





As　the　great　gate　where　I　stood　swung　open　my　fifty　Tharks；

headed　by　Tars　Tarkas　himself；　rode　in　upon　their　mighty

thoats。　　I　led　them　to　the　palace　walls；　which　I　negotiated

easily　without　assistance。　　Once　inside；　however；　the　gate

gave　me　considerable　trouble；　but　I　finally　was　rewarded

by　seeing　it　swing　upon　its　huge　hinges；　and　soon　my　fierce

escort　was　riding　across　the　gardens　of　the　jeddak　of　Zodanga。



As　we　approached　the　palace　I　could　see　through　the

great　windows　of　the　first　floor　into　the　brilliantly

illuminated　audience　chamber　of　Than　Kosis。　　The　immense　hall

was　crowded　with　nobles　and　their　women；　as　though　some

important　function　was　in　progress。　　There　was　not　a　guard

in　sight　without　the　palace；　due；　I　presume；　to　the　fact

that　the　city　and　palace　walls　were　considered　impregnable；

and　so　I　came　close　and　peered　within。



At　one　end　of　the　chamber；　upon　massive　golden　thrones

encrusted　with　diamonds；　sat　Than　Kosis　and　his　consort；

surrounded　by　officers　and　dignitaries　of　state。　　Before　them

stretched　a　broad　aisle　lined　on　either　side　with　soldiery；

and　as　I　looked　there　entered　this　aisle　at　the　far　end　of

the　hall；　the　head　of　a　procession　which　advanced　to　the

foot　of　the　throne。



First　there　marched　four　officers　of　the　jeddak's　Guard

bearing　a　huge　salver　on　which　reposed；　upon　a　cushion

of　scarlet　silk；　a　great　golden　chain　with　a　collar　and

padlock　at　each　end。　　Directly　behind　these　officers　came

four　others　carrying　a　similar　salver　which　supported　the

magnificent　ornaments　of　a　prince　and　princess　of　the

reigning　house　of　Zodanga。



At　the　foot　of　the　throne　these　two　parties　separated

and　halted；　facing　each　other　at　opposite　sides　of　the　aisle。

Then　came　more　dignitaries；　and　the　officers　of　the　palace

and　of　the　army；　and　finally　two　figures　entirely　muffled　in

scarlet　silk；　so　that　not　a　feature　of　either　was　discernible。

These　two　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　throne；　facing　Than

Kosis。　　When　the　balance　of　the　procession　had　entered　and

assumed　their　stations　Than　Kosis　addressed　the　couple

standing　before　him。　　I　could　not　hear　his　words；　but

presently　two　officers　advanced　and　removed　the　scarlet　robe

from　one　of　the　figures；　and　I　saw　that　Kantos　Kan　had

failed　in　his　mission；　for　it　was　Sab　Than；　Prince　of　Zodanga；

who　stood　revealed　before　me。



Than　Kosis　now　took　a　set　of　the　ornaments　from　one

of　the　salvers　and　placed　one　of　the　collars　of　gold　about

his　son's　neck；　springing　the　padlock　fast。　　After　a　few　more

words　addressed　to　Sab　Than　he　turned　to　the　other　figure；

from　which　the　officers　now　removed　the　enshrouding　silks；

disclosing　to　my　now　comprehending　view　Dejah　Thoris；

Princess　of　Helium。



The　object　of　the　ceremony　was　clear　to　me；　in　another

moment　Dejah　Thoris　would　be　joined　forever　to　the　Prince

of　Zodanga。　　It　was　an　impressive　and　beautiful　ceremony；

I　presume；　but　to　me　it　seemed　the　most　fiendish　sight　I

had　ever　witnessed；　and　as　the　ornaments　were　adjusted　upon

her　beautiful　figure　and　her　collar　of　gold　swung　open　in

the　hands　of　Than　Kosis　I　raised　my　long…sword　above　my

head；　and；　with　the　heavy　hilt；　I　shattered　the　glass　of　the

great　window　and　sprang　into　the　midst　of　the　astonished

assemblage。　　With　a　bound　I　was　on　the　steps　of　the　platform

beside　Than　Kosis；　and　as　he　stood　riveted　with　surprise

I　brought　my　long…sword　down　upon　the　golden　chain

that　would　have　bound　Dejah　Thoris　to　another。



In　an　instant　all　was　confus