the gods of mars-第35部分

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to　Kantos　Kan　from　Arras。



My　friend　read　the　dispatch　and　then　turned　to　me。



〃Zat　Arras　commands　me　to　bring　our　'prisoners'　before

him。　　There　is　naught　else　to　do。　　He　is　supreme　in　Helium；

yet　it　would　be　far　more　in　keeping　with　chivalry　and　good

taste　were　he　to　come　hither　and　greet　the　saviour　of

Barsoom　with　the　honours　that　are　his　due。〃



〃You　know　full　well；　my　friend；〃　I　said；　smiling；　〃that

Zat　Arras　has　good　cause　to　hate　me。　　Nothing　would　please

him　better　than　to　humiliate　me　and　then　to　kill　me。　　Now

that　he　has　so　excellent　an　excuse；　let　us　go　and　see　if　he

has　the　courage　to　take　advantage　of　it。〃



Summoning　Carthoris；　Tars　Tarkas；　and　Xodar；　we　entered

the　small　flier　with　Kantos　Kan　and　Zat　Arras'　officer；　and

in　a　moment　were　stepping　to　the　deck　of　Zat　Arras'　flagship。



As　we　approached　the　Jed　of　Zodanga　no　sign　of　greeting

or　recognition　crossed　his　face；　not　even　to　Carthoris

did　he　vouchsafe　a　friendly　word。　　His　attitude　was　cold；

haughty；　and　uncompromising。



〃Kaor；　Zat　Arras；〃　I　said　in　greeting；　but　he　did　not　respond。



〃Why　were　these　prisoners　not　disarmed？〃　he　asked　to　Kantos　Kan。



〃They　are　not　prisoners；　Zat　Arras；〃　replied　the　officer。



〃Two　of　them　are　of　Helium's　noblest　family。　　Tars　Tarkas；

Jeddak　of　Thark；　is　Tardos　Mors'　best　beloved　ally。　　The

other　is　a　friend　and　companion　of　the　Prince　of　Helium

that　is　enough　for　me　to　know。〃



〃It　is　not　enough　for　me；　however；〃　retorted　Zat　Arras。

〃More　must　I　hear　from　those　who　have　taken　the　pilgrimage

than　their　names。　　Where　have　you　been；　John　Carter？〃



〃I　have　just　come　from　the　Valley　Dor　and　the　Land　of

the　First　Born；　Zat　Arras；〃　I　replied。



〃Ah！〃　he　exclaimed　in　evident　pleasure；　〃you　do　not

deny　it；　then？　　You　have　returned　from　the　bosom　of　Iss？〃



〃I　have　come　back　from　a　land　of　false　hope；　from　a

valley　of　torture　and　death；　with　my　companions　I　have

escaped　from　the　hideous　clutches　of　lying　fiends。　　I　have

come　back　to　the　Barsoom　that　I　saved　from　a　painless

death　to　again　save　her；　but　this　time　from　death　in　its

most　frightful　form。〃



〃Cease；　blasphemer！〃　cried　Zat　Arras。　　〃Hope　not　to

save　thy　cowardly　carcass　by　inventing　horrid　lies　to〃

But　he　got　no　further。　　One　does　not　call　John　Carter

〃coward〃　and　〃liar〃　thus　lightly；　and　Zat　Arras　should　have

known　it。　　Before　a　hand　could　be　raised　to　stop　me；　I　was

at　his　side　and　one　hand　grasped　his　throat。



〃Come　I　from　heaven　or　hell；　Zat　Arras；　you　will　find

me　still　the　same　John　Carter　that　I　have　always　been；　nor

did　ever　man　call　me　such　names　and　livewithout　apologizing。〃　

And　with　that　I　commenced　to　bend　him　back　across

my　knee　and　tighten　my　grip　upon　his　throat。



〃Seize　him！〃　cried　Zat　Arras；　and　a　dozen　officers　sprang

forward　to　assist　him。



Kantos　Kan　came　close　and　whispered　to　me。



〃Desist；　I　beg　of　you。　　It　will　but　involve　us　all；　for　I

cannot　see　these　men　lay　hands　upon　you　without　aiding　you。

My　officers　and　men　will　join　me　and　we　shall　have　a

mutiny　then　that　may　lead　to　the　revolution。　　For　the　sake　of

Tardos　Mors　and　Helium；　desist。〃



At　his　words　I　released　Zat　Arras　and；　turning　my　back

upon　him；　walked　toward　the　ship's　rail。



〃Come；　Kantos　Kan；〃　I　said；　〃the　Prince　of　Helium

would　return　to　the　Xavarian。〃



None　interfered。　　Zat　Arras　stood　white　and　trembling

amidst　his　officers。　　Some　there　were　who　looked　upon　him

with　scorn　and　drew　toward　me；　while　one；　a　man　long

in　the　service　and　confidence　of　Tardos　Mors；　spoke　to　me

in　a　low　tone　as　I　passed　him。



〃You　may　count　my　metal　among　your　fighting…men；

John　Carter；〃　he　said。



I　thanked　him　and　passed　on。　　In　silence　we　embarked；

and　shortly　after　stepped　once　more　upon　the　deck　of　the

Xavarian。　　Fifteen　minutes　later　we　received　orders　from　the

flagship　to　proceed　toward　Helium。



Our　journey　thither　was　uneventful。　　Carthoris　and　I　were

wrapped　in　the　gloomiest　of　thoughts。　　Kantos　Kan　was　sombre

in　contemplation　of　the　further　calamity　that　might　fall　upon

Helium　should　Zat　Arras　attempt　to　follow　the　age…old　precedent

that　allotted　a　terrible　death　to　fugitives　from　the　Valley

Dor。　　Tars　Tarkas　grieved　for　the　loss　of　his　daughter。　　Xodar

alone　was　care…freea　fugitive　and　outlaw；　he　could　be　no

worse　off　in　Helium　than　elsewhere。



〃Let　us　hope　that　we　may　at　least　go　out　with　good　red

blood　upon　our　blades；〃　he　said。　　It　was　a　simple　wish

and　one　most　likely　to　be　gratified。



Among　the　officers　of　the　Xavarian　I　thought　I　could

discern　division　into　factions　ere　we　had　reached　Helium。

There　were　those　who　gathered　about　Carthoris　and　myself

whenever　the　opportunity　presented；　while　about　an　equal

number　held　aloof　from　us。　　They　offered　us　only　the　most

courteous　treatment；　but　were　evidently　bound　by　their

superstitious　belief　in　the　doctrine　of　Dor　and　Iss　and　Korus。

I　could　not　blame　them；　for　I　knew　how　strong　a　hold　a

creed；　however　ridiculous　it　may　be；　may　gain　upon　an

otherwise　intelligent　people。



By　returning　from　Dor　we　had　committed　a　sacrilege；

by　recounting　our　adventures　there；　and　stating　the　facts

as　they　existed　we　had　outraged　the　religion　of　their　fathers。

We　were　blasphemerslying　heretics。　　Even　those　who　still

clung　to　us　from　personal　love　and　loyalty　I　think　did　so

in　the　face　of　the　fact　that　at　heart　they　questioned　our

veracityit　is　very　hard　to　accept　a　new　religion　for　an　old；

no　matter　how　alluring　the　promises　of　the　new　may　be；　but　to

reject　the　old　as　a　tissue　of　falsehoods　without　being　offered

anything　in　its　stead　is　indeed　a　most　difficult　thing　to　ask

of　any　people。



Kantos　Kan　would　not　talk　of　our　experiences　among　the　therns

and　the　First　Born。



〃It　is　enough；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　jeopardize　my　life　here

and　hereafter　by　countenancing　you　at　alldo　not　ask　me

to　add　still　further　to　my　sins　by　listening　to　what　I　have

always　been　taught　was　the　rankest　heresy。〃



I　knew　that　sooner　or　later　the　time　must　come　when

our　friends　and　enemies　would　be　forced　to　declare

themselves　openly。　　When　we　reached　Helium　there　must　be

an　accounting；　and　if　Tardos　Mors　had　not　returned　I　feared

that　the　enmity　of　Zat　Arras　might　weigh　heavily　against

us；　for　he　represented　the　government　of　Helium。　　To　take

sides　against　him　were　equivalent　to　treason。　　The　majority

of　the　troops　would　doubtless　follow　the　lead　of　their

officers；　and　I　knew　that　many　of　the　highest　and　most

powerful　men　of　both　land　and　air　forces　would　cleave　to

John　Carter　in　the　face　of　god；　man；　or　devil。



On　the　other　hand；　the　majority　of　the　populace

unquestionably　would　demand　that　we　pay　the　penalty　of

our　sacrilege。　　The　outlook　seemed　dark　from　whatever

angle　I　viewed　it；　but　my　mind　was　so　torn　with　anguish

at　the　thought　of　Dejah　Thoris　that　I　realize　now　that　I

gave　the　terrible　question　of　Helium's　plight　but　scant

attention　at　that　time。



There　was　always　before　me；　day　and　night；　a　horrible

nightmare　of　the　frightful　scenes　through　which　I　knew

my　Princess　might　even　then　be　passingthe　horrid　plant

menthe　ferocious　white　apes。　　At　times　I　would　cover

my　face　with　my　hands　in　a　vain　effort　to　shut　out　the

fearful　thing　from　my　mind。



It　was　in　the　forenoon　that　we　arrived　above　the　mile…

high　scarlet　tower　which　marks　greater　Helium　from　her

twin　city。　　As　we　descended　in　great　circles　toward　the

navy　docks　a　mighty　multitude　could　be　seen　surging　in　the

streets　beneath。　　Helium　had　been　notified　by　radio…aerogram

of　our　approach。



From　the　deck　of　the　Xavarian　we　four；　Carthoris；　Tars

Tarkas；　Xodar；　and　I；　were　transferred　to　a　lesser　flier

to　be　transported　to　quarters　within　the　Temple　of　Reward。

It　is　here　that　Martian　justice　is　meted　to　benefactor　and

malefactor。　　Here　the　hero　is　decorated。　　Here　the　felon

is　condemned。　　We　were　taken　into　the　temple　from　the

landing　stage　upon　the　roof；　so　that　we　did　not　pass　among

the　people　at　all；　as　is　customary。　　Always　before　I　had

seen　prisoners　of　note；　or　returned　wanderers　of　eminence；

paraded　from　the　Gate　of　Jeddaks　to　the　Temple　of　Reward

up　the　broad　Avenue　of　Ancestors　through　dense　crowds　of

jeering　or　cheering　citizens。



I　knew　that　Zat　Arras　dared　not　trust　the　people　near　to

us；　for　he　feared　that　their　love　for　Carthoris　and　myself

might　break　into　a　demonstration　which　would　wipe　out

their　superstitious　horror　of　the　crime　we　were　to　be

charged　with。　　What　his　plans　were　I　could　only　guess；　but

that　they　were　sinister　was　evidenced　by　the　fact　that　only

his　most　trusted　servitors　accompanied　us　upon　the　flier　to

the　Temple　of　Reward。



We　were　lodged　in　a　room　upon　the　south　side　of　the

temple；　overlooking　the　Avenue　of　Ancestors　down　which

we　could　see　the　full　length　to　the　Gate　of　Jeddaks；　five

miles　away。　　The　people　in　the　temple　plaza　and　in　the

streets　for　a　distance　of　a　full　mile　were　standing　as　close

packed　as　it　was　possible　for　them　to　get。　　They　were　very

orderlythere　were　neither　scoffs　nor　plaudits；　and　when

they　saw　us　at　the　window　above　them　there　were　many　who

buried　their　faces　in　their　arms　and　wept。



Late　in　the　afternoon　a　messenger　arrived　from　Zat　Arras

to　inform　us　that　we　would　be　tried　by　an　impartial　body

of　nobles　in　the　great　hall　of　the　temple　at　the　1st

zode*　on　the　following　day；　or　about　8：40　A。M。　Earth　time。





*Wherever　Captain　Carter　has　used　Martian　measurements　of　time；

distance；　weight；　and　the　like　I　have　translated　them　into　as　nearly　their

equivalent　in　earthly　values　as　is　possible。　　His　notes　contain　many

Martian　tables；　and　a　great　volume　of　scientific　data；　but　since　the

International　Astronomic　Society　is　at　present　engaged　in　classifying；

investigating；　and　verifying　this　vast　fund　of　remarkable　and　valuable

information；　I　have　felt　that　it　will　add