a princess of mars-第45章

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beneath。



In　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　we　sighted　the　scarlet　and

yellow　towers　of　Helium；　and　a　short　time　later　a　great　fleet

of　Zodangan　battleships　rose　from　the　camps　of　the　besiegers

without　the　city；　and　advanced　to　meet　us。



The　banners　of　Helium　had　been　strung　from　stem　to

stern　of　each　of　our　mighty　craft；　but　the　Zodangans　did

not　need　this　sign　to　realize　that　we　were　enemies；　for　our

green　Martian　warriors　had　opened　fire　upon　them　almost

as　they　left　the　ground。　　With　their　uncanny　marksmanship


they　raked　the　on…coming　fleet　with　volley　after　volley。



The　twin　cities　of　Helium；　perceiving　that　we　were　friends；

sent　out　hundreds　of　vessels　to　aid　us；　and　then　began　the

first　real　air　battle　I　had　ever　witnessed。



The　vessels　carrying　our　green　warriors　were　kept　circling

above　the　contending　fleets　of　Helium　and　Zodanga；　since

their　batteries　were　useless　in　the　hands　of　the　Tharks　who；

having　no　navy；　have　no　skill　in　naval　gunnery。　　Their　small…

arm　fire；　however；　was　most　effective；　and　the　final　outcome

of　the　engagement　was　strongly　influenced；　if　not　wholly

determined；　by　their　presence。



At　first　the　two　forces　circled　at　the　same　altitude；　pouring

broadside　after　broadside　into　each　other。　　Presently　a　great

hole　was　torn　in　the　hull　of　one　of　the　immense　battle　craft

from　the　Zodangan　camp；　with　a　lurch　she　turned　completely

over；　the　little　figures　of　her　crew　plunging；　turning

and　twisting　toward　the　ground　a　thousand　feet　below；　then

with　sickening　velocity　she　tore　after　them；　almost　completely

burying　herself　in　the　soft　loam　of　the　ancient　sea　bottom。



A　wild　cry　of　exultation　arose　from　the　Heliumite　squadron；

and　with　redoubled　ferocity　they　fell　upon　the　Zodangan

fleet。　　By　a　pretty　maneuver　two　of　the　vessels　of　Helium

gained　a　position　above　their　adversaries；　from　which　they

poured　upon　them　from　their　keel　bomb　batteries　a　perfect

torrent　of　exploding　bombs。



Then；　one　by　one；　the　battleships　of　Helium　succeeded　in

rising　above　the　Zodangans；　and　in　a　short　time　a　number

of　the　beleaguering　battleships　were　drifting　hopeless　wrecks

toward　the　high　scarlet　tower　of　greater　Helium。　　Several

others　attempted　to　escape；　but　they　were　soon　surrounded

by　thousands　of　tiny　individual　fliers；　and　above　each　hung

a　monster　battleship　of　Helium　ready　to　drop　boarding　parties

upon　their　decks。



Within　but　little　more　than　an　hour　from　the　moment　the

victorious　Zodangan　squadron　had　risen　to　meet　us　from

the　camp　of　the　besiegers　the　battle　was　over；　and　the

remaining　vessels　of　the　conquered　Zodangans　were　headed

toward　the　cities　of　Helium　under　prize　crews。



There　was　an　extremely　pathetic　side　to　the　surrender

of　these　mighty　fliers；　the　result　of　an　age…old　custom　which

demanded　that　surrender　should　be　signalized　by　the　voluntary

plunging　to　earth　of　the　commander　of　the　vanquished　vessel。

One　after　another　the　brave　fellows；　holding　their　colors

high　above　their　heads；　leaped　from　the　towering　bows　of

their　mighty　craft　to　an　awful　death。



Not　until　the　commander　of　the　entire　fleet　took　the　fearful

plunge；　thus　indicating　the　surrender　of　the　remaining　vessels；

did　the　fighting　cease；　and　the　useless　sacrifice　of　brave　men

come　to　an　end。



We　now　signaled　the　flagship　of　Helium's　navy　to　approach；

and　when　she　was　within　hailing　distance　I　called　out　that

we　had　the　Princess　Dejah　Thoris　on　board；　and　that　we

wished　to　transfer　her　to　the　flagship　that　she　might　be

taken　immediately　to　the　city。



As　the　full　import　of　my　announcement　bore　in　upon

them　a　great　cry　arose　from　the　decks　of　the　flagship；　and

a　moment　later　the　colors　of　the　Princess　of　Helium　broke

from　a　hundred　points　upon　her　upper　works。　　When　the

other　vessels　of　the　squadron　caught　the　meaning　of　the

signals　flashed　them　they　took　up　the　wild　acclaim　and

unfurled　her　colors　in　the　gleaming　sunlight。



The　flagship　bore　down　upon　us；　and　as　she　swung　gracefully

to　and　touched　our　side　a　dozen　officers　sprang　upon

our　decks。　　As　their　astonished　gaze　fell　upon　the　hundreds

of　green　warriors；　who　now　came　forth　from　the　fighting

shelters；　they　stopped　aghast；　but　at　sight　of　Kantos　Kan；

who　advanced　to　meet　them；　they　came　forward；　crowding

about　him。



Dejah　Thoris　and　I　then　advanced；　and　they　had　no　eyes

for　other　than　her。　　She　received　them　gracefully；　calling

each　by　name；　for　they　were　men　high　in　the　esteem　and

service　of　her　grandfather；　and　she　knew　them　well。



〃Lay　your　hands　upon　the　shoulder　of　John　Carter；〃　she

said　to　them；　turning　toward　me；　〃the　man　to　whom　Helium

owes　her　princess　as　well　as　her　victory　today。〃



They　were　very　courteous　to　me　and　said　many　kind　and

complimentary　things；　but　what　seemed　to　impress　them

most　was　that　I　had　won　the　aid　of　the　fierce　Tharks　in　my

campaign　for　the　liberation　of　Dejah　Thoris；　and　the　relief

of　Helium。



〃You　owe　your　thanks　more　to　another　man　than　to　me；〃

I　said；　〃and　here　he　is；　meet　one　of　Barsoom's　greatest

soldiers　and　statesmen；　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark。〃



With　the　same　polished　courtesy　that　had　marked　their

manner　toward　me　they　extended　their　greetings　to　the　great

Thark；　nor；　to　my　surprise；　was　he　much　behind　them　in

ease　of　bearing　or　in　courtly　speech。　　Though　not　a　garrulous

race；　the　Tharks　are　extremely　formal；　and　their　ways　lend

themselves　amazingly　well　to　dignified　and　courtly　manners。



Dejah　Thoris　went　aboard　the　flagship；　and　was　much　put

out　that　I　would　not　follow；　but；　as　I　explained　to　her；　the

battle　was　but　partly　won；　we　still　had　the　land　forces　of

the　besieging　Zodangans　to　account　for；　and　I　would　not　leave

Tars　Tarkas　until　that　had　been　accomplished。



The　commander　of　the　naval　forces　of　Helium　promised

to　arrange　to　have　the　armies　of　Helium　attack　from　the

city　in　conjunction　with　our　land　attack；　and　so　the　vessels

separated　and　Dejah　Thoris　was　borne　in　triumph　back　to

the　court　of　her　grandfather；　Tardos　Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium。



In　the　distance　lay　our　fleet　of　transports；　with　the　thoats

of　the　green　warriors；　where　they　had　remained　during　the

battle。　　Without　landing　stages　it　was　to　be　a　difficult　matter

to　unload　these　beasts　upon　the　open　plain；　but　there　was

nothing　else　for　it；　and　so　we　put　out　for　a　point　about　ten

miles　from　the　city　and　began　the　task。



It　was　necessary　to　lower　the　animals　to　the　ground　in

slings　and　this　work　occupied　the　remainder　of　the　day　and

half　the　night。　　Twice　we　were　attacked　by　parties　of　Zodangan

cavalry；　but　with　little　loss；　however；　and　after　darkness　shut

down　they　withdrew。



As　soon　as　the　last　thoat　was　unloaded　Tars　Tarkas　gave

the　command　to　advance；　and　in　three　parties　we　crept　upon

the　Zodangan　camp　from　the　north；　the　south　and　the　east。



About　a　mile　from　the　main　camp　we　encountered　their

outposts　and；　as　had　been　prearranged；　accepted　this　as　the

signal　to　charge。　　With　wild；　ferocious　cries　and　amidst　the

nasty　squealing　of　battle…enraged　thoats　we　bore　down　upon

the　Zodangans。



We　did　not　catch　them　napping；　but　found　a　well…entrenched

battle　line　confronting　us。　　Time　after　time　we　were　repulsed　until；

toward　noon；　I　began　to　fear　for　the　result　of　the　battle。



The　Zodangans　numbered　nearly　a　million　fighting　men；

gathered　from　pole　to　pole；　wherever　stretched　their　ribbon…

like　waterways；　while　pitted　against　them　were　less　than　a

hundred　thousand　green　warriors。　　The　forces　from　Helium

had　not　arrived；　nor　could　we　receive　any　word　from　them。



Just　at　noon　we　heard　heavy　firing　all　along　the　line　between

the　Zodangans　and　the　cities；　and　we　knew　then　that

our　much…needed　reinforcements　had　come。



Again　Tars　Tarkas　ordered　the　charge；　and　once　more　the

mighty　thoats　bore　their　terrible　riders　against　the　ramparts

of　the　enemy。　　At　the　same　moment　the　battle　line　of　Helium