a princess of mars- 第37部分

mighty　thoats　bore　their　terrible　riders　against　the　ramparts

of　the　enemy。　　At　the　same　moment　the　battle　line　of　Helium

surged　over　the　opposite　breastworks　of　the　Zodangans　and　in

another　moment　they　were　being　crushed　as　between　two

millstones。　　Nobly　they　fought；　but　in　vain。



The　plain　before　the　city　became　a　veritable　shambles　ere

the　last　Zodangan　surrendered；　but　finally　the　carnage　ceased；

the　prisoners　were　marched　back　to　Helium；　and　we　entered

the　greater　city's　gates；　a　huge　triumphal　procession　of

conquering　heroes。



The　broad　avenues　were　lined　with　women　and　children；

among　which　were　the　few　men　whose　duties　necessitated

that　they　remain　within　the　city　during　the　battle。　　We　were

greeted　with　an　endless　round　of　applause　and　showered　with

ornaments　of　gold；　platinum；　silver；　and　precious　jewels。

The　city　had　gone　mad　with　joy。



My　fierce　Tharks　caused　the　wildest　excitement　and　enthusiasm。

Never　before　had　an　armed　body　of　green　warriors　entered　the

gates　of　Helium；　and　that　they　came　now　as　friends　and　allies

filled　the　red　men　with　rejoicing。



That　my　poor　services　to　Dejah　Thoris　had　become　known

to　the　Heliumites　was　evidenced　by　the　loud　crying　of　my

name；　and　by　the　loads　of　ornaments　that　were　fastened　upon

me　and　my　huge　thoat　as　we　passed　up　the　avenues　to　the

palace；　for　even　in　the　face　of　the　ferocious　appearance　of

Woola　the　populace　pressed　close　about　me。



As　we　approached　this　magnificent　pile　we　were　met　by　a

party　of　officers　who　greeted　us　warmly　and　requested　that

Tars　Tarkas　and　his　jeds　with　the　jeddaks　and　jeds　of　his

wild　allies；　together　with　myself；　dismount　and　accompany

them　to　receive　from　Tardos　Mors　an　expression　of　his

gratitude　for　our　services。



At　the　top　of　the　great　steps　leading　up　to　the　main

portals　of　the　palace　stood　the　royal　party；　and　as　we　reached

the　lower　steps　one　of　their　number　descended　to　meet　us。



He　was　an　almost　perfect　specimen　of　manhood；　tall；　straight

as　an　arrow；　superbly　muscled　and　with　the　carriage　and

bearing　of　a　ruler　of　men。　　I　did　not　need　to　be　told　that　he

was　Tardos　Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium。



The　first　member　of　our　party　he　met　was　Tars　Tarkas

and　his　first　words　sealed　forever　the　new　friendship

between　the　races。



〃That　Tardos　Mors；〃　he　said；　earnestly；　〃may　meet　the

greatest　living　warrior　of　Barsoom　is　a　priceless　honor；　but

that　he　may　lay　his　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　a　friend　and

ally　is　a　far　greater　boon。〃



〃Jeddak　of　Helium；〃　returned　Tars　Tarkas；　〃it　has　remained

for　a　man　of　another　world　to　teach　the　green　warriors　of

Barsoom　the　meaning　of　friendship；　to　him　we　owe　the　fact　that

the　hordes　of　Thark　can　understand　you；　that　they　can　appreciate

and　reciprocate　the　sentiments　so　graciously　expressed。〃



Tardos　Mors　then　greeted　each　of　the　green　jeddaks　and　jeds；

and　to　each　spoke　words　of　friendship　and　appreciation



As　he　approached　me　he　laid　both　hands　upon　my　shoulders。



〃Welcome；　my　son；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　are　granted；　gladly；

and　without　one　word　of　opposition；　the　most　precious

jewel　in　all　Helium；　yes；　on　all　Barsoom；　is　sufficient

earnest　of　my　esteem。〃



We　were　then　presented　to　Mors　Kajak；　Jed　of　lesser　Helium；

and　father　of　Dejah　Thoris。　　He　had　followed　close　behind

Tardos　Mors　and　seemed　even　more　affected　by　the　meeting

than　had　his　father。



He　tried　a　dozen　times　to　express　his　gratitude　to　me；　but

his　voice　choked　with　emotion　and　he　could　not　speak；　and

yet　he　had；　as　I　was　to　later　learn；　a　reputation　for　ferocity

and　fearlessness　as　a　fighter　that　was　remarkable　even　upon

warlike　Barsoom。　　In　common　with　all　Helium　he　worshiped

his　daughter；　nor　could　he　think　of　what　she　had　escaped

without　deep　emotion。









CHAPTER　XXVII





FROM　JOY　TO　DEATH





For　ten　days　the　hordes　of　Thark　and　their　wild　allies　were

feasted　and　entertained；　and；　then；　loaded　with　costly

presents　and　escorted　by　ten　thousand　soldiers　of　Helium

commanded　by　Mors　Kajak；　they　started　on　the　return　journey

to　their　own　lands。　　The　jed　of　lesser　Helium　with　a　small

party　of　nobles　accompanied　them　all　the　way　to　Thark　to

cement　more　closely　the　new　bonds　of　peace　and　friendship。



Sola　also　accompanied　Tars　Tarkas；　her　father；　who　before

all　his　chieftains　had　acknowledged　her　as　his　daughter。



Three　weeks　later；　Mors　Kajak　and　his　officers；　accompanied

by　Tars　Tarkas　and　Sola；　returned　upon　a　battleship　that

had　been　dispatched　to　Thark　to　fetch　them　in　time　for

the　ceremony　which　made　Dejah　Thoris　and　John　Carter　one。



For　nine　years　I　served　in　the　councils　and　fought　in　the

armies　of　Helium　as　a　prince　of　the　house　of　Tardos　Mors。

The　people　seemed　never　to　tire　of　heaping　honors　upon　me；

and　no　day　passed　that　did　not　bring　some　new　proof　of

their　love　for　my　princess；　the　incomparable　Dejah　Thoris。



In　a　golden　incubator　upon　the　roof　of　our　palace　lay　a

snow…white　egg。　　For　nearly　five　years　ten　soldiers　of　the

jeddak's　Guard　had　constantly　stood　over　it；　and　not　a　day

passed　when　I　was　in　the　city　that　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　did

not　stand　hand　in　hand　before　our　little　shrine　planning　for

the　future；　when　the　delicate　shell　should　break。



Vivid　in　my　memory　is　the　picture　of　the　last　night　as　we

sat　there　talking　in　low　tones　of　the　strange　romance　which

had　woven　our　lives　together　and　of　this　wonder　which　was

coming　to　augment　our　happiness　and　fulfill　our　hopes。



In　the　distance　we　saw　the　bright…white　light　of　an

approaching　airship；　but　we　attached　no　special

significance　to　so　common　a　sight。　　Like　a　bolt　of

lightning　it　raced　toward　Helium　until　its　very　speed

bespoke　the　unusual。



Flashing　the　signals　which　proclaimed　it　a　dispatch　bearer

for　the　jeddak；　it　circled　impatiently　awaiting　the　tardy

patrol　boat　which　must　convoy　it　to　the　palace　docks。



Ten　minutes　after　it　touched　at　the　palace　a　message

called　me　to　the　council　chamber；　which　I　found　filling　with

the　members　of　that　body。



On　the　raised　platform　of　the　throne　was　Tardos　Mors；

pacing　back　and　forth　with　tense…drawn　face。　　When　all　were

in　their　seats　he　turned　toward　us。



〃This　morning；〃　he　said；　〃word　reached　the　several

governments　of　Barsoom　that　the　keeper　of　the　atmosphere

plant　had　made　no　wireless　report　for　two　days；　nor　had

almost　ceaseless　calls　upon　him　from　a　score　of　capitals

elicited　a　sign　of　response。



〃The　ambassadors　of　the　other　nations　asked　us　to　take

the　matter　in　hand　and　hasten　the　assistant　keeper　to　the

plant。　　All　day　a　thousand　cruisers　have　been　searching　for

him　until　just　now　one　of　them　returns　bearing　his　dead

body；　which　was　found　in　the　pits　beneath　his　house　horribly

mutilated　by　some　assassin。



〃I　do　not　need　to　tell　you　what　this　means　to　Barsoom。　　It

would　take　months　to　penetrate　those　mighty　walls；　in　fact

the　work　has　already　commenced；　and　there　would　be　little

to　fear　were　the　engine　of　the　pumping　plant　to　run　as　it

should　and　as　they　all　have　for　hundreds　of　years　now；　but　the

worst；　we　fear；　has　happened。　　The　instruments　show　a　rapidly

decreasing　air　pressure　on　all　parts　of　Barsoomthe　engine　has　stopped。〃



〃My　gentlemen；〃　he　concluded；　〃we　have　at　best　three　days　to　live。〃



There　was　absolute　silence　for　several　minutes；　and　then

a　young　noble　arose；　and　with　his　drawn　sword　held　high

above　his　head　addressed　Tardos　Mors。



〃The　men　of　Helium　have　prided　themselves　that　they　have

ever　shown　Barsoom　how　a　nation　of　red　men　should　live；

now　is　our　opportunity　to　show　them　how　they　should　die。

Let　us　go　about　our　duties　as　though　a　thousand　useful　years

still　lay　before　us。〃



The　chamber　rang　with　applause　and　as　there　was　nothing

better　to　do　than　to　allay　the　fears　of　the　people　by　our

example　we　went　our　ways　with　smiles　upon　our　faces　and

sorrow　gnawing　at　our　hearts。



When　I　returned　to　my　palace　I　found　that　the　rumor　already

had　reached　Dejah　Thoris；　so　I　told　her　all　that　I　had　heard。



〃We　have　been　very　happy；　John　Carter；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　thank

whatever　fate　overtakes　us　that　it　permits　us　to　die　together。〃



The　next　two　days　brought　no　noticeable　change　in　the

supply　of　air；　but　on　the　morning　of　the　third　day　breathing

became　difficult　at　the　higher　altitudes　of　the　rooftops。

The　avenues　and　plazas　of　Helium　were　filled　with　people。

All　business　had　ceased。　　For　the　most　part　the　people　looked

bravely　into　the　face　of　their　unalterable　doom。　　Here　and

there；　however；　men　and　women　gave　way　to　quiet　grief。



Toward　the　middle　of　the　day　many　of　the　weaker　commenced

to　succumb　and　within　an　hour　the　people　of　Barsoom

were　sinking　by　thousands　into　the　unconsciousness

which　precedes　death　by　asphyxiation。



Dejah　Thoris　and　I　with　the　other　members　of　the　royal

family　had　collected　in　a　sunken　garden　within　an　inner

courtyard　of　the　palace。　　We　conversed　in　low　tones；　when

we　conversed　at　all；　as　the　awe　of　the　grim　shadow　of　death

crept　over　us。　　Even　Woola　seemed　to　feel　the　weight　of　the

impending　calamity；　for　he　pressed　close　to　Dejah　Thoris

and　to　me；　whining　pitifully。



The　little　incubator　had　been　brought　from　the　roof　of

our　palace　at　request　of　Dejah　Thoris　and　now　she　sat　gazing

longingly　upon　the　unknown　little　life　that　now　she　would

never　know。



As　it　was　becoming　perceptibly　difficult　to　breathe　Tardos

Mors　arose；　saying；



〃Let　us　bid　each　other　farewell。　　The　days　of　the　greatness

of　Barsoom　are　over。　　Tomorrow's　sun　will　look　down　upon　a

dead　world　which　through　all　eternity　must　go　swinging　through

the　heavens　peopled　not　even　by　memories。　　It　is　the　end。〃



He　stooped　and　kissed　the　women　of　his　family；　and　laid

his　strong　hand　upon　the　shoulders　of　the　men。



As　I　turned　sadly　from　him　my　eyes　fell　upon　Dejah

Thoris。　　Her　head　was　drooping　u