the gods of mars-第39部分

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

sleep　I　had　had　an　opportunity　to　look　forward　to　since

I　had　returned　to　Barsoom。　　But　even　now　I　was　to　be　disappointed。



How　long　I　slept　I　do　not　know。　　When　I　awoke　suddenly

it　was　to　find　a　half…dozen　powerful　men　upon　me；　a　gag

already　in　my　mouth；　and　a　moment　later　my　arms　and　legs

securely　bound。　　So　quickly　had　they　worked　and　to　such

good　purpose；　that　I　was　utterly　beyond　the　power　to　resist

them　by　the　time　I　was　fully　awake。



Never　a　word　spoke　they；　and　the　gag　effectually　prevented

me　speaking。　　Silently　they　lifted　me　and　bore　me　toward

the　door　of　my　chamber。　　As　they　passed　the　window　through

which　the　farther　moon　was　casting　its　brilliant　beams；　I　saw

that　each　of　the　party　had　his　face　swathed　in　layers　of　silk

I　could　not　recognize　one　of　them。



When　they　had　come　into　the　corridor　with　me；　they　turned

toward　a　secret　panel　in　the　wall　which　led　to　the　passage

that　terminated　in　the　pits　beneath　the　palace。　　That　any

knew　of　this　panel　outside　my　own　household；　I　was　doubtful。

Yet　the　leader　of　the　band　did　not　hesitate　a　moment。　

He　stepped　directly　to　the　panel；　touched　the　concealed

button；　and　as　the　door　swung　open　he　stood　aside　while

his　companions　entered　with　me。　　Then　he　closed　the　panel

behind　him　and　followed　us。



Down　through　the　passageways　to　the　pits　we　went。　　The　leader

rapped　upon　it　with　the　hilt　of　his　swordthree　quick；　sharp

blows；　a　pause；　then　three　more；　another　pause；　and　then　two。

A　second　later　the　wall　swung　in；　and　I　was　pushed　within　a

brilliantly　lighted　chamber　in　which　sat　three　richly　trapped　men。



One　of　them　turned　toward　me　with　a　sardonic　smile　upon　his　thin；

cruel　lipsit　was　Zat　Arras。









CHAPTER　XIX





BLACK　DESPAIR





〃Ah；〃　said　Zat　Arras；　〃to　what　kindly　circumstance　am　I

indebted　for　the　pleasure　of　this　unexpected　visit　from　the

Prince　of　Helium？〃



While　he　was　speaking；　one　of　my　guards　had　removed　the

gag　from　my　mouth；　but　I　made　no　reply　to　Zat　Arras：

simply　standing　there　in　silence　with　level　gaze　fixed　upon

the　Jed　of　Zodanga。　　And　I　doubt　not　that　my　expression

was　coloured　by　the　contempt　I　felt　for　the　man。



The　eyes　of　those　within　the　chamber　were　fixed　first　upon

me　and　then　upon　Zat　Arras；　until　finally　a　flush　of　anger

crept　slowly　over　his　face。



〃You　may　go；〃　he　said　to　those　who　had　brought　me；

and　when　only　his　two　companions　and　ourselves　were　left

in　the　chamber；　he　spoke　to　me　again　in　a　voice　of　ice

very　slowly　and　deliberately；　with　many　pauses；　as　though

he　would　choose　his　words　cautiously。



〃John　Carter；〃　he　said；　〃by　the　edict　of　custom；　by　the　law

of　our　religion；　and　by　the　verdict　of　an　impartial　court；

you　are　condemned　to　die。　　The　people　cannot　save　youI

alone　may　accomplish　that。　　You　are　absolutely　in　my　power

to　do　with　as　I　wishI　may　kill　you；　or　I　may　free　you；

and　should　I　elect　to　kill　you；　none　would　be　the　wiser。



〃Should　you　go　free　in　Helium　for　a　year；　in　accordance　with

the　conditions　of　your　reprieve；　there　is　little　fear　that

the　people　would　ever　insist　upon　the　execution　of　the　sentence

imposed　upon　you。



〃You　may　go　free　within　two　minutes；　upon　one　condition。　

Tardos　Mors　will　never　return　to　Helium。　　Neither　will

Mors　Kajak；　nor　Dejah　Thoris。　　Helium　must　select　a　new

Jeddak　within　the　year。　　Zat　Arras　would　be　Jeddak　of　Helium。　

Say　that　you　will　espouse　my　cause。　　This　is　the　price　of

your　freedom。　　I　am　done。〃



I　knew　it　was　within　the　scope　of　Zat　Arras'　cruel　heart

to　destroy　me；　and　if　I　were　dead　I　could　see　little　reason

to　doubt　that　he　might　easily　become　Jeddak　of　Helium。　　Free；

I　could　prosecute　the　search　for　Dejah　Thoris。　　Were　I　dead；

my　brave　comrades　might　not　be　able　to　carry　out　our　plans。

So；　by　refusing　to　accede　to　his　request；　it　was　quite

probable　that　not　only　would　I　not　prevent　him　from

becoming　Jeddak　of　Helium；　but　that　I　would　be　the

means　of　sealing　Dejah　Thoris'　fateof　consigning　her；

through　my　refusal；　to　the　horrors　of　the　arena　of　Issus。



For　a　moment　I　was　perplexed；　but　for　a　moment　only。

The　proud　daughter　of　a　thousand　Jeddaks　would　choose

death　to　a　dishonorable　alliance　such　as　this；　nor　could

John　Carter　do　less　for　Helium　than　his　Princess　would　do。



Then　I　turned　to　Zat　Arras。



〃There　can　be　no　alliance；〃　I　said；　〃between　a　traitor　to

Helium　and　a　prince　of　the　House　of　Tardos　Mors。　　I

do　not　believe；　Zat　Arras；　that　the　great　Jeddak　is　dead。〃



Zat　Arras　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃It　will　not　be　long；　John　Carter；〃　he　said；　〃that　your

opinions　will　be　of　interest　even　to　yourself；　so　make　the　best

of　them　while　you　can。　　Zat　Arras　will　permit　you　in　due

time　to　reflect　further　upon　the　magnanimous　offer　he　has

made　you。　　Into　the　silence　and　darkness　of　the　pits　you

will　enter　upon　your　reflection　this　night　with　the　knowledge

that　should　you　fail　within　a　reasonable　time　to　agree　to　the

alternative　which　has　been　offered　you；　never　shall　you　emerge

from　the　darkness　and　the　silence　again。　　Nor　shall　you　know

at　what　minute　the　hand　will　reach　out　through　the　darkness

and　the　silence　with　the　keen　dagger　that　shall　rob　you

of　your　last　chance　to　win　again　the　warmth　and　the　freedom

and　joyousness　of　the　outer　world。〃



Zat　Arras　clapped　his　hands　as　he　ceased　speaking。

The　guards　returned。



Zat　Arras　waved　his　hand　in　my　direction。



〃To　the　pits；〃　he　said。　　That　was　all。　　Four　men　accompanied

me　from　the　chamber；　and　with　a　radium　hand…light　to　illumine

the　way；　escorted　me　through　seemingly　interminable　tunnels；

down；　ever　down　beneath　the　city　of　Helium。



At　length　they　halted　within　a　fair…sized　chamber。　　There

were　rings　set　in　the　rocky　walls。　　To　them　chains　were

fastened；　and　at　the　ends　of　many　of　the　chains　were　human

skeletons。　　One　of　these　they　kicked　aside；　and；　unlocking　the

huge　padlock　that　had　held　a　chain　about　what　had　once

been　a　human　ankle；　they　snapped　the　iron　band　about　my

own　leg。　　Then　they　left　me；　taking　the　light　with　them。



Utter　darkness　prevailed。　　For　a　few　minutes　I　could　hear

the　clanking　of　accoutrements；　but　even　this　grew　fainter

and　fainter；　until　at　last　the　silence　was　as　complete　as

the　darkness。　　I　was　alone　with　my　gruesome　companionswith

the　bones　of　dead　men　whose　fate　was　likely　but　the　index

of　my　own。



How　long　I　stood　listening　in　the　darkness　I　do　not　know；

but　the　silence　was　unbroken；　and　at　last　I　sunk　to　the　hard

floor　of　my　prison；　where；　leaning　my　head　against　the　stony

wall；　I　slept。



It　must　have　been　several　hours　later　that　I　awakened

to　find　a　young　man　standing　before　me。　　In　one　hand　he

bore　a　light；　in　the　other　a　receptacle　containing　a　gruel…like

mixturethe　common　prison　fare　of　Barsoom。



〃Zat　Arras　sends　you　greetings；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃and

commands　me　to　inform　you　that　though　he　is　fully　advised

of　the　plot　to　make　you　Jeddak　of　Helium；　he　is；　however；　not

inclined　to　withdraw　the　offer　which　he　has　made　you。

To　gain　your　freedom　you　have　but　to　request　me　to　advise

Zat　Arras　that　you　accept　the　terms　of　his　proposition。〃



I　but　shook　my　head。　　The　youth　said　no　more；　and；　after

placing　the　food　upon　the　floor　at　my　side；　returned　up　the

corridor；　taking　the　light　with　him。



Twice　a　day　for　many　days　this　youth　came　to　my　cell

with　food；　and　ever　the　same　greetings　from　Zat　Arras。

For　a　long　time　I　tried　to　engage　him　in　conversation

upon　other　matters；　but　he　would　not　talk；　and　so；

at　length；　I　desisted。



For　months　I　sought　to　devise　methods　to　inform　Carthoris

of　my　whereabouts。　　For　months　I　scraped　and　scraped

upon　a　single　link　of　the　massive　chain　which　held　me；

hoping　eventually　to　wear　it　through；　that　I　might　follow

the　youth　back　through　the　winding　tunnels　to　a　point　where

I　could　make　a　break　for　liberty。



I　was　beside　myself　with　anxiety　for　knowledge　of　the

progress　of　the　expedition　which　was　to　rescue　Dejah　Thoris。

I　felt　that　Carthoris　would　not　let　the　matter　drop；　were　he

free　to　act；　but　in　so　far　as　I　knew；　he　also　might　be　a

prisoner　in　Zat　Arras'　pits。



That　Zat　Arras'　spy　had　overheard　our　conversation　relative

to　the　selection　of　a　new　Jeddak；　I　knew；　and　scarcely

a　half…dozen　minutes　prior　we　had　discussed　the　details

of　the　plan　to　rescue　Dejah　Thoris。　　The　chances　were　that

that　matter；　too；　was　well　known　to　him。　　Carthoris；　Kantos

Kan；　Tars　Tarkas；　Hor　Vastus；　and　Xodar　might　even　now

be　the　victims　of　Zat　Arras'　assassins；　or　else　his　prisoners。



I　determined　to　make　at　least　one　more　effort　to　learn

something；　and　to　this　end　I　adopted　strategy　when　next

the　youth　came　to　my　cell。　　I　had　noticed　that　he　was　a

handsome　fellow；　about　the　size　and　age　of　Carthoris。

And　I　had　also　noticed　that　his　shabby　trappings　but　illy

comported　with　his　dignified　and　noble　bearing。



It　was　with　these　observations　as　a　basis　that　I　opened

my　negotiations　with　him　upon　his　next　subsequent　visit。



〃You　have　been　very　kind　to　me　during　my　imprisonment　here；〃

I　said　to　him；　〃and　as　I　feel　that　I　have　at　best　but　a

very　short　time　to　live；　I　wish；　ere　it　is　too　late；

to　furnish　substantial　testimony　of　my　appreciation　of　all

that　you　have　done　to　render　my　imprisonment　bearable。



〃Promptly　you　have　brought　my　food　each　day；　seeing　that

it　was　pure　and　of　sufficient　quantity。　　Never　by　word

or　deed　have　you　attempted　to　take　advantage　of　my

defenceless　condition　to　insult　or　torture　me。　　You　have

been　uniformly　courteous　and　considerateit　is　this　more

than　any　other　thing　which　prompts　my　feeling　of　gratitude

and　my　desire　to　give　you　some　slight　token　of　it。



〃In　the　guard…room　of　my　palace　are　many　fine　trappings。

Go　thou　there　and　select　the　harness　which　most　pleases　you

it　shall