the gods of mars-第36部分

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investigating；　and　verifying　this　vast　fund　of　remarkable　and　valuable

information；　I　have　felt　that　it　will　add　nothing　to　the　interest　of　Captain

Carter's　story　or　to　the　sum　total　of　human　knowledge　to　maintain　a　strict

adherence　to　the　original　manuscript　in　these　matters；　while　it　might

readily　confuse　the　reader　and　detract　from　the　interest　of　the　history。

For　those　who　may　be　interested；　however；　I　will　explain　that　the　Martian

day　is　a　trifle　over　24　hours　37　minutes　duration　（Earth　time）。　　This　the

Martians　divide　into　ten　equal　parts；　commencing　the　day　at　about　6　A。M。

Earth　time。　　The　zodes　are　divided　into　fifty　shorter　periods；　each　of

which　in　turn　is　composed　of　200　brief　periods　of　time；　about　equivalent

to　the　earthly　second。　　The　Barsoomian　Table　of　Time　as　here　given　is　but

a　part　of　the　full　table　appearing　in　Captain　Carter's　notes。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TABLE



　　　　　200　tals　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　1　xat



　　　　　　50　xats　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　1　zode



　　　　　　10　zodes　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　1　revolution　of　Mars　upon　its　axis。











CHAPTER　XVII





THE　DEATH　SENTENCE





A　few　moments　before　the　appointed　time　on　the　following

morning　a　strong　guard　of　Zat　Arras'　officers　appeared　at　our

quarters　to　conduct　us　to　the　great　hall　of　the　temple。



In　twos　we　entered　the　chamber　and　marched　down　the

broad　Aisle　of　Hope；　as　it　is　called；　to　the　platform

in　the　centre　of　the　hall。　　Before　and　behind　us　marched

armed　guards；　while　three　solid　ranks　of　Zodangan　soldiery

lined　either　side　of　the　aisle　from　the　entrance　to　the　rostrum。



As　we　reached　the　raised　enclosure　I　saw　our　judges。

As　is　the　custom　upon　Barsoom　there　were　thirty…one；

supposedly　selected　by　lot　from　men　of　the　noble　class；　for

nobles　were　on　trial。　　But　to　my　amazement　I　saw　no　single

friendly　face　among　them。　　Practically　all　were　Zodangans；

and　it　was　I　to　whom　Zodanga　owed　her　defeat　at　the

hands　of　the　green　hordes　and　her　subsequent　vassalage　to

Helium。　　There　could　be　little　justice　here　for　John　Carter；

or　his　son；　or　for　the　great　Thark　who　had　commanded　the

savage　tribesmen　who　overran　Zodanga's　broad　avenues；

looting；　burning；　and　murdering。



About　us　the　vast　circular　coliseum　was　packed　to　its　full

capacity。　　All　classes　were　representedall　ages；　and　both

sexes。　　As　we　entered　the　hall　the　hum　of　subdued　conversation

ceased　until　as　we　halted　upon　the　platform；　or　Throne

of　Righteousness；　the　silence　of　death　enveloped　the

ten　thousand　spectators。



The　judges　were　seated　in　a　great　circle　about　the

periphery　of　the　circular　platform。　　We　were　assigned　seats

with　our　backs　toward　a　small　platform　in　the　exact　centre

of　the　larger　one。　　This　placed　us　facing　the　judges　and　the

audience。　　Upon　the　smaller　platform　each　would　take　his

place　while　his　case　was　being　heard。



Zat　Arras　himself　sat　in　the　golden　chair　of　the　presiding

magistrate。　　As　we　were　seated　and　our　guards　retired　to　the

foot　of　the　stairway　leading　to　the　platform；　he　arose　and

called　my　name。



〃John　Carter；〃　he　cried；　〃take　your　place　upon　the　Pedestal

of　Truth　to　be　judged　impartially　according　to　your　acts

and　here　to　know　the　reward　you　have　earned　thereby。〃

Then　turning　to　and　fro　toward　the　audience　he　narrated　the

acts　upon　the　value　of　which　my　reward　was　to　be　determined。



〃Know　you；　O　judges　and　people　of　Helium；〃　he　said；　〃that

John　Carter；　one　time　Prince　of　Helium；　has　returned　by　his

own　statement　from　the　Valley　Dor　and　even　from　the

Temple　of　Issus　itself。　　That；　in　the　presence　of　many　men

of　Helium　he　has　blasphemed　against　the　Sacred　Iss；　and

against　the　Valley　Dor；　and　the　Lost　Sea　of　Korus；　and　the

Holy　Therns　themselves；　and　even　against　Issus；　Goddess　of

Death；　and　of　Life　Eternal。　　And　know　you　further　by

witness　of　thine　own　eyes　that　see　him　here　now　upon　the

Pedestal　of　Truth　that　he　has　indeed　returned　from　these

sacred　precincts　in　the　face　of　our　ancient　customs；　and　in

violation　of　the　sanctity　of　our　ancient　religion。



〃He　who　be　once　dead　may　not　live　again。　　He　who　attempts

it　must　be　made　dead　for　ever。　　Judges；　your　duty　lies

plain　before　youhere　can　be　no　testimony　in

contravention　of　truth。　　What　reward　shall　be　meted　to

John　Carter　in　accordance　with　the　acts　he　has　committed？〃



〃Death！〃　shouted　one　of　the　judges。



And　then　a　man　sprang　to　his　feet　in　the　audience；　and　raising

his　hand　on　high；　cried：　〃Justice！　　Justice！　　Justice！〃

It　was　Kantos　Kan；　and　as　all　eyes　turned　toward　him　he

leaped　past　the　Zodangan　soldiery　and　sprang　upon　the　platform。



〃What　manner　of　justice　be　this？〃　he　cried　to　Zat　Arras。

〃The　defendant　has　not　been　heard；　nor　has　he　had　an

opportunity　to　call　others　in　his　behalf。　　In　the　name　of

the　people　of　Helium　I　demand　fair　and　impartial　treatment

for　the　Prince　of　Helium。〃



A　great　cry　arose　from　the　audience　then：　〃Justice！

Justice！　　Justice！〃　and　Zat　Arras　dared　not　deny　them。



〃Speak；　then；〃　he　snarled；　turning　to　me；　〃but　blaspheme

not　against　the　things　that　are　sacred　upon　Barsoom。〃



〃Men　of　Helium；〃　I　cried；　turning　to　the　spectators；　and

speaking　over　the　heads　of　my　judges；　〃how　can　John　Carter

expect　justice　from　the　men　of　Zodanga？　　He　cannot　nor

does　he　ask　it。　　It　is　to　the　men　of　Helium　that　he　states

his　case；　nor　does　he　appeal　for　mercy　to　any。　　It　is　not　in

his　own　cause　that　he　speaks　nowit　is　in　thine。　　In　the

cause　of　your　wives　and　daughters；　and　of　wives　and　daughters

yet　unborn。　　It　is　to　save　them　from　the　unthinkably　atrocious

indignities　that　I　have　seen　heaped　upon　the　fair　women

of　Barsoom　in　the　place　men　call　the　Temple　of　Issus。

It　is　to　save　them　from　the　sucking　embrace　of　the　plant　men；

from　the　fangs　of　the　great　white　apes　of　Dor；　from　the　cruel

lust　of　the　Holy　Therns；　from　all　that　the　cold；　dead　Iss

carries　them　to　from　homes　of　love　and　life　and　happiness。



〃Sits　there　no　man　here　who　does　not　know　the　history　of

John　Carter。　　How　he　came　among　you　from　another　world

and　rose　from　a　prisoner　among　the　green　men；　through

torture　and　persecution；　to　a　place　high　among　the　highest

of　Barsoom。　　Nor　ever　did　you　know　John　Carter　to　lie　in

his　own　behalf；　or　to　say　aught　that　might　harm　the　people

of　Barsoom；　or　to　speak　lightly　of　the　strange　religion　which

he　respected　without　understanding。



〃There　be　no　man　here；　or　elsewhere　upon　Barsoom　to…day

who　does　not　owe　his　life　directly　to　a　single　act　of　mine；

in　which　I　sacrificed　myself　and　the　happiness　of　my　Princess

that　you　might　live。　　And　so；　men　of　Helium；　I　think　that　I

have　the　right　to　demand　that　I　be　heard；　that　I　be　believed；

and　that　you　let　me　serve　you　and　save　you　from　the　false

hereafter　of　Dor　and　Issus　as　I　saved　you　from　the　real　death

that　other　day。



〃It　is　to　you　of　Helium　that　I　speak　now。　　When　I　am

done　let　the　men　of　Zodanga　have　their　will　with　me。　　Zat

Arras　has　taken　my　sword　from　me；　so　the　men　of　Zodanga

no　longer　fear　me。　　Will　you　listen？〃



〃Speak；　John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；〃　cried　a　great　noble

from　the　audience；　and　the　multitude　echoed　his　permission；

until　the　building　rocked　with　the　noise　of　their　demonstration。



Zat　Arras　knew　better　than　to　interfere　with　such　a　sentiment

as　was　expressed　that　day　in　the　Temple　of　Reward；　and　so　for

two　hours　I　talked　with　the　people　of　Helium。



But　when　I　had　finished；　Zat　Arras　arose　and；　turning　to

the　judges；　said　in　a　low　tone：　〃My　nobles；　you　have

heard　John　Carter's　plea；　every　opportunity　has　been　given

him　to　prove　his　innocence　if　he　be　not　guilty；　but　instead

he　has　but　utilized　the　time　in　further　blasphemy。　　What；

gentlemen；　is　your　verdict？〃



〃Death　to　the　blasphemer！〃　cried　one；　springing　to　his　feet；

and　in　an　instant　the　entire　thirty…one　judges　were　on　their　feet

with　upraised　swords　in　token　of　the　unanimity　of　their　verdict。



If　the　people　did　not　hear　Zat　Arras'　charge；　they　certainly

did　hear　the　verdict　of　the　tribunal。　　A　sullen　murmur

rose　louder　and　louder　about　the　packed　coliseum；　and　then

Kantos　Kan；　who　had　not　left　the　platform　since　first　he　had

taken　his　place　near　me；　raised　his　hand　for　silence。　　When　he

could　be　heard　he　spoke　to　the　people　in　a　cool　and　level　voice。



〃You　have　heard　the　fate　that　the　men　of　Zodanga　would

mete　to　Helium's　noblest　hero。　　It　may　be　the　duty　of

the　men　of　Helium　to　accept　the　verdict　as　final。　　Let　each

man　act　according　to　his　own　heart。　　Here　is　the　answer　of

Kantos　Kan；　head　of　the　navy　of　Helium；　to　Zat　Arras　and

his　judges；〃　and　with　that　he　unbuckled　his　scabbard　and

threw　his　sword　at　my　feet。



In　an　instant　soldiers　and　citizens；　officers　and　nobles

were　crowding　past　the　soldiers　of　Zodanga　and　forcing　their

way　to　the　Throne　of　Righteousness。　　A　hundred　men　surged

upon　the　platform；　and　a　hundred　blades　rattled　and　clanked

to　the　floor　at　my　feet。　　Zat　Arras　and　his　officers　were

furious；　but　they　were　helpless。　　One　by　one　I　raised　the

swords　to　my　lips　and　buckled　them　again　upon　their　owners。



〃Come；〃　sand　Kantos　Kan；　〃we　will　escort　John　Carter　and

his　party　to　his　own　palace；〃　and　they　formed　about　us　and

started　toward　the　stairs　leading　to　the　Aisle　of　Hope。



〃Stop！〃　cried　Zat　Arras。　　〃Soldiers　of　Helium；　let　no

prisoner　leave　the　Throne　of　Righteousness。〃



The　soldiery　from　Zodanga　were　the　only　organized　body

of　Heliumetic　troops　within　the　temple；　so　Zat　Arras　was

confident　that　his　orders　would　be　obeyed；　but　I　do　not

think　that　he　looked　for　the　opposition　that　was　raised　the

moment　the　soldiers　advanced　toward　the　throne。



From　every　quarter　of　the　coliseum　swords　flashed　and

men　rushed　threateningly　upon　the　Zodangans。　　Some　one

raised　a　cry：　〃Tardos　Mors　is　deada　thousand　years　to

John　Carter；　Jeddak　of　Helium。〃　　As　I　heard　that　and　saw　the

ugly　attitude