the gods of mars-第38部分

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commander　of　the　fleet　held　with　her　when　she　was　brought

to　him。　　Later　she　was　bound　and　placed　in　the　compartment

with　Dejah　Thoris　and　myself。



〃The　new　captive　was　a　very　beautiful　girl。　　She　told

Dejah　Thoris　that　many　years　ago　she　had　taken　the　voluntary

pilgrimage　from　the　court　of　her　father；　the　Jeddak　of　Ptarth。

She　was　Thuvia；　the　Princess　of　Ptarth。　　And　then　she　asked

Dejah　Thoris　who　she　might　be；　and　when　she　heard　she

fell　upon　her　knees　and　kissed　Dejah　Thoris'　fettered　hands；

and　told　her　that　that　very　morning　she　had　been　with　John

Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　and　Carthoris；　her　son。



〃Dejah　Thoris　could　not　believe　her　at　first；　but　finally

when　the　girl　had　narrated　all　the　strange　adventures　that

had　befallen　her　since　she　had　met　John　Carter；　and　told　her

of　the　things　John　Carter；　and　Carthoris；　and　Xodar　had

narrated　of　their　adventures　in　the　Land　of　the　First　Born；

Dejah　Thoris　knew　that　it　could　be　none　other　than　the

Prince　of　Helium；　'For　who；'　she　said；　'upon　all　Barsoom

other　than　John　Carter　could　have　done　the　deeds　you　tell　of。'

And　when　Thuvia　told　Dejah　Thoris　of　her　love　for　John

Carter；　and　his　loyalty　and　devotion　to　the　Princess　of　his

choice；　Dejah　Thoris　broke　down　and　weptcursing　Zat

Arras　and　the　cruel　fate　that　had　driven　her　from　Helium

but　a　few　brief　days　before　the　return　of　her　beloved　lord。



〃'I　do　not　blame　you　for　loving　him；　Thuvia；'　she　said；

'and　that　your　affection　for　him　is　pure　and　sincere　I　can

well　believe　from　the　candour　of　your　avowal　of　it　to　me。'



〃The　fleet　continued　north　nearly　to　Helium；　but　last　night

they　evidently　realized　that　John　Carter　had　indeed　escaped

them　and　so　they　turned　toward　the　south　once　more。

Shortly　thereafter　a　guard　entered　our　compartment　and

dragged　me　to　the　deck。



〃'There　is　no　place　in　the　Land　of　the　First　Born　for　a

green　one；'　he　said；　and　with　that　he　gave　me　a　terrific

shove　that　carried　me　toppling　from　the　deck　of　the　battleship。　

Evidently　this　seemed　to　him　the　easiest　way　of　ridding

the　vessel　of　my　presence　and　killing　me　at　the　same　time。



〃But　a　kind　fate　intervened；　and　by　a　miracle　I　escaped

with　but　slight　bruises。　　The　ship　was　moving　slowly　at　the

time；　and　as　I　lunged　overboard　into　the　darkness　beneath　I

shuddered　at　the　awful　plunge　I　thought　awaited　me；　for　all

day　the　fleet　had　sailed　thousands　of　feet　above　the　ground；

but　to　my　utter　surprise　I　struck　upon　a　soft　mass　of

vegetation　not　twenty　feet　from　the　deck　of　the　ship。

In　fact；　the　keel　of　the　vessel　must　have　been　grazing

the　surface　of　the　ground　at　the　time。



〃I　lay　all　night　where　I　had　fallen　and　the　next　morning

brought　an　explanation　of　the　fortunate　coincidence　that　had

saved　me　from　a　terrible　death。　　As　the　sun　rose　I　saw　a　vast

panorama　of　sea　bottom　and　distant　hills　lying　far　below　me。

I　was　upon　the　highest　peak　of　a　lofty　range。　　The　fleet　in

the　darkness　of　the　preceding　night　had　barely　grazed　the

crest　of　the　hills；　and　in　the　brief　span　that　they　hovered

close　to　the　surface　the　black　guard　had　pitched　me；　as　he

supposed；　to　my　death。



〃A　few　miles　west　of　me　was　a　great　waterway。　　When　I

reached　it　I　found　to　my　delight　that　it　belonged　to　Helium。

Here　a　thoat　was　procured　for　methe　rest　you　know。〃



For　many　minutes　none　spoke。　　Dejah　Thoris　in　the　clutches

of　the　First　Born！　　I　shuddered　at　the　thought；　but　of　a

sudden　the　old　fire　of　unconquerable　self…confidence　surged

through　me。　　I　sprang　to　my　feet；　and　with　back…thrown

shoulders　and　upraised　sword　took　a　solemn　vow　to　reach；

rescue；　and　revenge　my　Princess。



A　hundred　swords　leaped　from　a　hundred　scabbards；　and　a

hundred　fighting…men　sprang　to　the　table…top　and　pledged

me　their　lives　and　fortunes　to　the　expedition。　　Already　my

plans　were　formulated。　　I　thanked　each　loyal　friend；　and　leaving

Carthoris　to　entertain　them；　withdrew　to　my　own　audience　chamber

with　Kantos　Kan；　Tars　Tarkas；　Xodar；　and　Hor　Vastus。



Here　we　discussed　the　details　of　our　expedition　until　long

after　dark。　　Xodar　was　positive　that　Issus　would　choose　both

Dejah　Thoris　and　Thuvia　to　serve　her　for　a　year。



〃For　that　length　of　time　at　least　they　will　be　comparatively　safe；〃

he　said；　〃and　we　will　at　least　know　where　to　look　for　them。〃



In　the　matter　of　equipping　a　fleet　to　enter　Omean　the　details

were　left　to　Kantos　Kan　and　Xodar。　　The　former　agreed　to　take

such　vessels　as　we　required　into　dock　as　rapidly　as　possible；

where　Xodar　would　direct　their　equipment　with　water　propellers。



For　many　years　the　black　had　been　in　charge　of　the

refitting　of　captured　battleships　that　they　might　navigate

Omean；　and　so　was　familiar　with　the　construction　of　the

propellers；　housings；　and　the　auxiliary　gearing　required。



It　was　estimated　that　it　would　require　six　months　to　complete

our　preparations　in　view　of　the　fact　that　the　utmost　secrecy

must　be　maintained　to　keep　the　project　from　the　ears　of　Zat　Arras。

Kantos　Kan　was　confident　now　that　the　man's　ambitions　were　fully

aroused　and　that　nothing　short　of　the　title　of　Jeddak　of　Helium

would　satisfy　him。



〃I　doubt；〃　he　said；　〃if　he　would　even　welcome　Dejah　Thoris'

return；　for　it　would　mean　another　nearer　the　throne　than　he。

With　you　and　Carthoris　out　of　the　way　there　would　be　little

to　prevent　him　from　assuming　the　title　of　Jeddak；　and　you　may

rest　assured　that　so　long　as　he　is　supreme　here　there　is　no

safety　for　either　of　you。〃



〃There　is　a　way；〃　cried　Hor　Vastus；　〃to　thwart　him　effectually

and　for　ever。〃



〃What？〃　I　asked。



He　smiled。



〃I　shall　whisper　it　here；　but　some　day　I　shall　stand　upon

the　dome　of　the　Temple　of　Reward　and　shout　it　to　cheering

multitudes　below。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Kantos　Kan。



〃John　Carter；　Jeddak　of　Helium；〃　said　Hor　Vastus　in　a　low　voice。



The　eyes　of　my　companions　lighted；　and　grim　smiles　of

pleasure　and　anticipation　overspread　their　faces；　as　each　eye

turned　toward　me　questioningly。　　But　I　shook　my　head。



〃No；　my　friends；〃　I　said；　smiling；　〃I　thank　you；　but　it

cannot　be。　　Not　yet；　at　least。　　When　we　know　that　Tardos　Mors

and　Mors　Kajak　are　gone　to　return　no　more；　if　I　be　here；

then　I　shall　join　you　all　to　see　that　the　people　of　Helium

are　permitted　to　choose　fairly　their　next　Jeddak。　　Whom　they

choose　may　count　upon　the　loyalty　of　my　sword；　nor　shall　I

seek　the　honour　for　myself。　　Until　then　Tardos　Mors　is　Jeddak

of　Helium；　and　Zat　Arras　is　his　representative。〃



〃As　you　will；　John　Carter；〃　said　Hor　Vastus；　〃but

What　was　that？〃　he　whispered；　pointing　toward　the　window

overlooking　the　gardens。



The　words　were　scarce　out　of　his　mouth　ere　he　had　sprung

to　the　balcony　without。



〃There　he　goes！〃　he　cried　excitedly。　　〃The　guards！　　Below　there！

The　guards！〃



We　were　close　behind　him；　and　all　saw　the　figure　of　a　man

run　quickly　across　a　little　piece　of　sward　and　disappear　in　the

shrubbery　beyond。



〃He　was　on　the　balcony　when　I　first　saw　him；〃　cried　Hor　Vastus。

〃Quick！　　Let　us　follow　him！〃



Together　we　ran　to　the　gardens；　but　even　though　we　scoured　the

grounds　with　the　entire　guard　for　hours；　no　trace　could　we　find

of　the　night　marauder。



〃What　do　you　make　of　it；　Kantos　Kan？〃　asked　Tars　Tarkas。



〃A　spy　sent　by　Zat　Arras；〃　he　replied。　　〃It　was　ever　his　way。〃



〃He　will　have　something　interesting　to　report　to　his　master　then；〃

laughed　Hor　Vastus。



〃I　hope　he　heard　only　our　references　to　a　new　Jeddak；〃　I

said。　　〃If　he　overheard　our　plans　to　rescue　Dejah　Thoris；　it

will　mean　civil　war；　for　he　will　attempt　to　thwart　us；　and

in　that　I　will　not　be　thwarted。　　There　would　I　turn　against

Tardos　Mors　himself；　were　it　necessary。　　If　it　throws　all　Helium

into　a　bloody　conflict；　I　shall　go　on　with　these　plans　to　save

my　Princess。　　Nothing　shall　stay　me　now　short　of　death；　and　should

I　die；　my　friends；　will　you　take　oath　to　prosecute　the　search　for

her　and　bring　her　back　in　safety　to　her　grandfather's　court？〃



Upon　the　hilt　of　his　sword　each　of　them　swore　to　do　as　I　had　asked。



It　was　agreed　that　the　battleships　that　were　to　be　remodelled

should　be　ordered　to　Hastor；　another　Heliumetic　city；　far　to

the　south…west。　　Kantos　Kan　thought　that　the　docks　there；

in　addition　to　their　regular　work；　would　accommodate　at

least　six　battleships　at　a　time。　　As　he　was　commander…in…

chief　of　the　navy；　it　would　be　a　simple　matter　for　him　to

order　the　vessels　there　as　they　could　be　handled；　and　thereafter

keep　the　remodelled　fleet　in　remote　parts　of　the　empire　until

we　should　be　ready　to　assemble　it　for　the　dash　upon　Omean。



It　was　late　that　night　before　our　conference　broke　up；

but　each　man　there　had　his　particular　duties　outlined；　and

the　details　of　the　entire　plan　had　been　mapped　out。



Kantos　Kan　and　Xodar　were　to　attend　to　the　remodelling

of　the　ships。　　Tars　Tarkas　was　to　get　into　communication

with　Thark　and　learn　the　sentiments　of　his　people　toward　his

return　from　Dor。　　If　favourable；　he　was　to　repair　immediately

to　Thark　and　devote　his　time　to　the　assembling　of　a　great　horde

of　green　warriors　whom　it　was　our　plan　to　send　in　transports

directly　to　the　Valley　Dor　and　the　Temple　of　Issus；　while　the

fleet　entered　Omean　and　destroyed　the　vessels　of　the　First　Born。



Upon　Hor　Vastus　devolved　the　delicate　mission　of　organising

a　secret　force　of　fighting…men　sworn　to　follow　John　Carter

wherever　he　might　lead。　　As　we　estimated　that　it　would　require

over　a　million　men　to　man　the　thousand　great　battleships

we　intended　to　use　on　Omean　and　the　transports　for　the　green

men　as　well　as　the　ships　that　were　to　convoy　the　transports；

it　was　no　trifling　job　that　Hor　Vastus　had　before　him。



After　they　had　left　I　bid　Carthoris　good…night；　for　I　was　very

tired；　and　going　to　my　own　apartments；　bathed　and　lay　down

upon　my　sleeping　silks　and　furs　for　the　first　good　night's

sleep　I　had　had