the gods of mars-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



roughly　stripped　his　gorgeous　trappings　from　him。



〃Begone；〃　screamed　the　infuriated　little　old　woman。　　〃Begone；

but　instead　of　the　light　of　the　gardens　of　Issus　let　you

serve　as　a　slave　of　this　slave　who　conquered　you　in　the

prison　on　the　Isle　of　Shador　in　the　Sea　of　Omean。　　Take　him

away　out　of　the　sight　of　my　divine　eyes。〃



Slowly　and　with　high　held　head　the　proud　Xodar　turned

and　stalked　from　the　chamber。　　Issus　rose　and　turned　to　leave

the　room　by　another　exit。



Turning　to　me；　she　said：　〃You　shall　be　returned　to　Shador

for　the　present。　　Later　Issus　will　see　the　manner　of　your

fighting。　　Go。〃　　Then　she　disappeared；　followed　by　her　retinue。

Only　Phaidor　lagged　behind；　and　as　I　started　to　follow　my

guard　toward　the　gardens；　the　girl　came　running　after　me。



〃Oh；　do　not　leave　me　in　this　terrible　place；〃　she　begged。

〃Forgive　the　things　I　said　to　you；　my　Prince。　　I　did　not

mean　them。　　Only　take　me　away　with　you。　　Let　me　share

your　imprisonment　on　Shador。〃　　Her　words　were　an　almost

incoherent　volley　of　thoughts；　so　rapidly　she　spoke。

〃You　did　not　understand　the　honour　that　I　did　you。　　Among　the

therns　there　is　no　marriage　or　giving　in　marriage；　as　among　the

lower　orders　of　the　outer　world。　　We　might　have　lived　together

for　ever　in　love　and　happiness。　　We　have　both　looked　upon

Issus　and　in　a　year　we　die。　　Let　us　live　that　year　at　least

together　in　what　measure　of　joy　remains　for　the　doomed。〃



〃If　it　was　difficult　for　me　to　understand　you；　Phaidor；〃　I

replied；　〃can　you　not　understand　that　possibly　it　is　equally

difficult　for　you　to　understand　the　motives；　the　customs

and　the　social　laws　that　guide　me？　　I　do　not　wish　to　hurt

you；　nor　to　seem　to　undervalue　the　honour　which　you　have

done　me；　but　the　thing　you　desire　may　not　be。　　Regardless

of　the　foolish　belief　of　the　peoples　of　the　outer　world；　or　of

Holy　Thern；　or　ebon　First　Born；　I　am　not　dead。　　While　I

live　my　heart　beats　for　but　one　womanthe　incomparable

Dejah　Thoris；　Princess　of　Helium。　　When　death　overtakes　me

my　heart　shall　have　ceased　to　beat；　but　what　comes　after

that　I　know　not。　　And　in　that　I　am　as　wise　as　Matai　Shang；

Master　of　Life　and　Death　upon　Barsoom；　or　Issus；　Goddess

of　Life　Eternal。〃



Phaidor　stood　looking　at　me　intently　for　a　moment。　　No

anger　showed　in　her　eyes　this　time；　only　a　pathetic　expression

of　hopeless　sorrow。



〃I　do　not　understand；〃　she　said；　and　turning　walked　slowly　in

the　direction　of　the　door　through　which　Issus　and　her　retinue

had　passed。　　A　moment　later　she　had　passed　from　my　sight。







CHAPTER　X





THE　PRISON　ISLE　OF　SHADOR





In　the　outer　gardens　to　which　the　guard　now　escorted　me；

I　found　Xodar　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　noble　blacks。

They　were　reviling　and　cursing　him。　　The　men　slapped

his　face。　　The　woman　spat　upon　him。



When　I　appeared　they　turned　their　attentions　toward　me。



〃Ah；〃　cried　one；　〃so　this　is　the　creature　who　overcame

the　great　Xodar　bare…handed。　　Let　us　see　how　it　was　done。〃



〃Let　him　bind　Thurid；〃　suggested　a　beautiful　woman；

laughing。　　〃Thurid　is　a　noble　Dator。　　Let　Thurid　show　the

dog　what　it　means　to　face　a　real　man。〃



〃Yes；　Thurid！　　Thurid！〃　cried　a　dozen　voices。



〃Here　he　is　now；〃　exclaimed　another；　and　turning　in　the

direction　indicated　I　saw　a　huge　black　weighed　down　with

resplendent　ornaments　and　arms　advancing　with　noble　and

gallant　bearing　toward　us。



〃What　now？〃　he　cried。　　〃What　would　you　of　Thurid？〃



Quickly　a　dozen　voices　explained。



Thurid　turned　toward　Xodar；　his　eyes　narrowing　to　two　nasty　slits。



〃Calot！〃　he　hissed。　　〃Ever　did　I　think　you　carried　the　heart

of　a　sorak　in　your　putrid　breast。　　Often　have　you　bested　me

in　the　secret　councils　of　Issus；　but　now　in　the　field　of　war

where　men　are　truly　gauged　your　scabby　heart　hath　revealed

its　sores　to　all　the　world。　　Calot；　I　spurn　you　with　my　foot；〃

and　with　the　words　he　turned　to　kick　Xodar。



My　blood　was　up。　　For　minutes　it　had　been　boiling　at　the　cowardly

treatment　they　had　been　according　this　once　powerful　comrade

because　he　had　fallen　from　the　favour　of　Issus。　　I　had　no　love

for　Xodar；　but　I　cannot　stand　the　sight　of　cowardly　injustice

and　persecution　without　seeing　red　as　through　a　haze　of　bloody　mist；

and　doing　things　on　the　impulse　of　the　moment　that　I　presume

I　never　should　do　after　mature　deliberation。



I　was　standing　close　beside　Xodar　as　Thurid　swung

his　foot　for　the　cowardly　kick。　　The　degraded　Dator

stood　erect　and　motionless　as　a　carven　image。

He　was　prepared　to　take　whatever　his　former　comrades

had　to　offer　in　the　way　of　insults　and　reproaches；

and　take　them　in　manly　silence　and　stoicism。



But　as　Thurid's　foot　swung　so　did　mine；　and　I　caught　him

a　painful　blow　upon　the　shin　bone　that　saved　Xodar　from

this　added　ignominy。



For　a　moment　there　was　tense　silence；　then　Thurid；

with　a　roar　of　rage　sprang　for　my　throat；　just　as　Xodar

had　upon　the　deck　of　the　cruiser。　　The　results　were　identical。

I　ducked　beneath　his　outstretched　arms；　and　as　he　lunged

past　me　planted　a　terrific　right　on　the　side　of　his　jaw。



The　big　fellow　spun　around　like　a　top；　his　knees　gave

beneath　him　and　he　crumpled　to　the　ground　at　my　feet。



The　blacks　gazed　in　astonishment；　first　at　the　still　form

of　the　proud　Dator　lying　there　in　the　ruby　dust　of　the　pathway；

then　at　me　as　though　they　could　not　believe　that　such　a　thing　could　be。



〃You　asked　me　to　bind　Thurid；〃　I　cried；　〃behold！〃　　And

then　I　stooped　beside　the　prostrate　form；　tore　the　harness

from　it；　and　bound　the　fellow's　arms　and　legs　securely。



〃As　you　have　done　to　Xodar；　now　do　you　likewise　to　Thurid。

Take　him　before　Issus；　bound　in　his　own　harness；　that　she

may　see　with　her　own　eyes　that　there　be　one　among

you　now　who　is　greater　than　the　First　Born。〃



〃Who　are　you？〃　whispered　the　woman　who　had　first　suggested

that　I　attempt　to　bind　Thurid。



〃I　am　a　citizen　of　two　worlds；　Captain　John　Carter　of　Virginia；

Prince　of　the　House　of　Tardos　Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium。

Take　this　man　to　your　goddess；　as　I　have　said；　and　tell　her；

too；　that　as　I　have　done　to　Xodar　and　Thurid；　so　also　can　I

do　to　the　mightiest　of　her　Dators。　　With　naked　hands；

with　long…sword　or　with　short…sword；　I　challenge　the

flower　of　her　fighting…men　to　combat。〃



〃Come；〃　said　the　officer　who　was　guarding　me　back　to　Shador；

〃my　orders　are　imperative；　there　is　to　be　no　delay。

Xodar；　come　you　also。〃



There　was　little　of　disrespect　in　the　tone　that　the　man　used　in

addressing　either　Xodar　or　myself。　　It　was　evident　that　he　felt

less　contempt　for　the　former　Dator　since　he　had　witnessed　the

ease　with　which　I　disposed　of　the　powerful　Thurid。



That　his　respect　for　me　was　greater　than　it　should　have

been　for　a　slave　was　quite　apparent　from　the　fact　that

during　the　balance　of　the　return　journey　he　walked　or　stood

always　behind　me；　a　drawn　short…sword　in　his　hand。



The　return　to　the　Sea　of　Omean　was　uneventful。　　We　dropped

down　the　awful　shaft　in　the　same　car　that　had　brought

us　to　the　surface。　　There　we　entered　the　submarine；

taking　the　long　dive　to　the　tunnel　far　beneath　the　upper

world。　　Then　through　the　tunnel　and　up　again　to　the　pool

from　which　we　had　had　our　first　introduction　to　the

wonderful　passageway　from　Omean　to　the　Temple　of　Issus。



From　the　island　of　the　submarine　we　were　transported

on　a　small　cruiser　to　the　distant　Isle　of　Shador。

Here　we　found　a　small　stone　prison　and　a　guard　of　half　a

dozen　blacks。　　There　was　no　ceremony　wasted　in　completing　our

incarceration。　　One　of　the　blacks　opened　the　door　of　the　prison

with　a　huge　key；　we　walked　in；　the　door　closed　behind　us；

the　lock　grated；　and　with　the　sound　there　swept　over　me

again　that　terrible　feeling　of　hopelessness　that　I　had　felt　in

the　Chamber　of　Mystery　in　the　Golden　Cliffs　beneath　the

gardens　of　the　Holy　Therns。



Then　Tars　Tarkas　had　been　with　me；　but　now　I　was　utterly

alone　in　so　far　as　friendly　companionship　was　concerned。　　I

fell　to　wondering　about　the　fate　of　the　great　Thark；　and　of

his　beautiful　companion；　the　girl；　Thuvia。　　Even　should　they

by　some　miracle　have　escaped　and　been　received　and　spared

by　a　friendly　nation；　what　hope　had　I　of　the　succour　which

I　knew　they　would　gladly　extend　if　it　lay　in　their　power。



They　could　not　guess　my　whereabouts　or　my　fate；　for　none

on　all　Barsoom　even　dream　of　such　a　place　as　this。　　Nor

would　it　have　advantaged　me　any　had　they　known　the　exact

location　of　my　prison；　for　who　could　hope　to　penetrate　to

this　buried　sea　in　the　face　of　the　mighty　navy　of　the　First

Born？　　No：　my　case　was　hopeless。



Well；　I　would　make　the　best　of　it；　and；　rising；　I　swept　aside

the　brooding　despair　that　had　been　endeavouring　to　claim　me。

With　the　idea　of　exploring　my　prison；　I　started　to　look　around。



Xodar　sat；　with　bowed　head；　upon　a　low　stone　bench　near

the　centre　of　the　room　in　which　we　were。　　He　had　not　spoken

since　Issus　had　degraded　him。



The　building　was　roofless；　the　walls　rising　to　a　height　of

about　thirty　feet。　　Half…way　up　were　a　couple　of　small；

heavily　barred　windows。　　The　prison　was　divided　into　several

rooms　by　partitions　twenty　feet　high。　　There　was　no　one　in

the　room　which　we　occupied；　but　two　doors　which　led　to

other　rooms　were　opened。　　I　entered　one　of　these　rooms；

but　found　it　vacant。　　Thus　I　continued　through　several　of　the

chambers　until　in　the　last　one　I　found　a　young　red　Martian

boy　sleeping　upon　the　stone　bench　which　constituted　the　only

furniture　of　any　of　the　prison　cells。



Evidently　he　was　the　only　other　prisoner。　　As　he　slept　I

leaned　over　and　looked　at　him。　　There　was　something　strangely

familiar　about　his　face；　and　yet　I　could　not　place　him。



His　features　were　very　regular　and；　like　the　proportions

of　his　graceful　limbs　and　body；　beautiful　in　the　extreme。

He　was　very　light　in　colour　for　a　red　man；　but　in　other

respects　he　seemed　a