warlord of mars- 第32部分

　

The　nobles　shrank　back；　whispering　together　for　a　few　moments。

At　last　their　leader　turned　to　me。

　

〃Go　your　way；　John　Carter；〃　he　said；　〃and　we　shall　go　ours。〃

　

〃Prisoners　do　not　go　their　own　way；〃　I　answered；　〃and　you　are

prisonersprisoners　of　the　Prince　of　Helium。〃

　

Before　they　could　make　answer　a　door　upon　the　opposite　side　of

the　apartment　opened　and　a　score　of　yellow　men　poured　into　the

apartment。　　For　an　instant　the　nobles　looked　relieved；　and　then　as

their　eyes　fell　upon　the　leader　of　the　new　party　their　faces　fell；

for　he　was　Talu；　rebel　Prince　of　Marentina；　and　they　knew　that　they

could　look　for　neither　aid　nor　mercy　at　his　hands。

　

〃Well　done；　John　Carter；〃　he　cried。　　〃You　turn　their　own

mighty　power　against　them。　　Fortunate　for　Okar　is　it　that　you　were

here　to　prevent　their　escape；　for　these　be　the　greatest　villains

north　of　the　ice…barrier；　and　this　one〃pointing　to　the　leader　of

the　party〃would　have　made　himself　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　in　the　place

of　the　dead　Salensus　Oll。　　Then　indeed　would　we　have　had　a　more

villainous　ruler　than　the　hated　tyrant　who　fell　before　your　sword。〃

　

The　Okarian　nobles　now　submitted　to　arrest；　since　nothing　but

death　faced　them　should　they　resist；　and；　escorted　by　the　warriors

of　Talu；　we　made　our　way　to　the　great　audience　chamber　that　had

been　Salensus　Oll's。　　Here　was　a　vast　concourse　of　warriors。

　

Red　men　from　Helium　and　Ptarth；　yellow　men　of　the　north；

rubbing　elbows　with　the　blacks　of　the　First　Born　who　had　come

under　my　friend　Xodar　to　help　in　the　search　for　me　and　my　princess。

There　were　savage；　green　warriors　from　the　dead　sea　bottoms

of　the　south；　and　a　handful　of　white…skinned　therns　who　had

renounced　their　religion　and　sworn　allegiance　to　Xodar。

　

There　was　Tardos　Mors　and　Mors　Kajak；　and　tall　and　mighty　in　his

gorgeous　warrior　trappings；　Carthoris；　my　son。　　These　three　fell

upon　Dejah　Thoris　as　we　entered　the　apartment；　and　though　the　lives

and　training　of　royal　Martians　tend　not　toward　vulgar　demonstration；

I　thought　that　they　would　suffocate　her　with　their　embraces。

　

And　there　were　Tars　Tarkas；　Jeddak　of　Thark；　and　Kantos　Kan；

my　old…time　friends；　and　leaping　and　tearing　at　my　harness

in　the　exuberance　of　his　great　love　was　dear　old　Woola

frantic　mad　with　happiness。

　

Long　and　loud　was　the　cheering　that　burst　forth　at　sight　of　us；

deafening　was　the　din　of　ringing　metal　as　the　veteran　warriors

of　every　Martian　clime　clashed　their　blades　together　on　high　in

token　of　success　and　victory；　but　as　I　passed　among　the　throng

of　saluting　nobles　and　warriors；　jeds　and　jeddaks；　my　heart

still　was　heavy；　for　there　were　two　faces　missing　that　I　would　have

given　much　to　have　seen　thereThuvan　Dihn　and　Thuvia　of　Ptarth

were　not　to　be　found　in　the　great　chamber。

　

I　made　inquiries　concerning　them　among　men　of　every　nation；

and　at　last　from　one　of　the　yellow　prisoners　of　war　I　learned　that

they　had　been　apprehended　by　an　officer　of　the　palace　as　they

sought　to　reach　the　Pit　of　Plenty　while　I　lay　imprisoned　there。

　

I　did　not　need　to　ask　to　know　what　had　sent　them　thither

the　courageous　jeddak　and　his　loyal　daughter。　　My　informer

said　that　they　lay　now　in　one　of　the　many　buried　dungeons

of　the　palace　where　they　had　been　placed　pending　a　decision

as　to　their　fate　by　the　tyrant　of　the　north。

　

A　moment　later　searching　parties　were　scouring　the　ancient　pile

in　search　of　them；　and　my　cup　of　happiness　was　full　when　I　saw

them　being　escorted　into　the　room　by　a　cheering　guard　of　honor。

　

Thuvia's　first　act　was　to　rush　to　the　side　of　Dejah　Thoris；

and　I　needed　no　better　proof　of　the　love　these　two　bore　for

each　other　than　the　sincerity　with　which　they　embraced。

　

Looking　down　upon　that　crowded　chamber　stood　the　silent　and

empty　throne　of　Okar。

　

Of　all　the　strange　scenes　it　must　have　witnessed　since　that

long…dead　age　that　had　first　seen　a　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　take　his

seat　upon　it；　none　might　compare　with　that　upon　which　it　now

looked　down；　and　as　I　pondered　the　past　and　future　of　that

long…buried　race　of　black…bearded　yellow　men　I　thought　that

I　saw　a　brighter　and　more　useful　existence　for　them　among

the　great　family　of　friendly　nations　that　now　stretched

from　the　south　pole　almost　to　their　very　doors。

　

Twenty…two　years　before　I　had　been　cast；　naked　and　a　stranger；

into　this　strange　and　savage　world。　　The　hand　of　every　race　and

nation　was　raised　in　continual　strife　and　warring　against　the　men

of　every　other　land　and　color。　　Today；　by　the　might　of　my　sword　and

the　loyalty　of　the　friends　my　sword　had　made　for　me；　black　man　and

white；　red　man　and　green　rubbed　shoulders　in　peace　and　good…fellowship。

All　the　nations　of　Barsoom　were　not　yet　as　one；　but　a　great　stride

forward　toward　that　goal　had　been　taken；　and　now　if　I　could　but

cement　the　fierce　yellow　race　into　this　solidarity　of　nations

I　should　feel　that　I　had　rounded　out　a　great　lifework；

and　repaid　to　Mars　at　least　a　portion　of　the　immense　debt　of

gratitude　I　owed　her　for　having　given　me　my　Dejah　Thoris。

　

And　as　I　thought；　I　saw　but　one　way；　and　a　single　man　who　could

insure　the　success　of　my　hopes。　　As　is　ever　the　way　with　me；

I　acted　then　as　I　always　actwithout　deliberation　and

without　consultation。

　

Those　who　do　not　like　my　plans　and　my　ways　of　promoting　them

have　always　their　swords　at　their　sides　wherewith　to　back　up　their

disapproval；　but　now　there　seemed　to　be　no　dissenting　voice；　as；

grasping　Talu　by　the　arm；　I　sprang　to　the　throne　that　had　once　been

Salensus　Oll's。

　

〃Warriors　of　Barsoom；〃　I　cried；　〃Kadabra　has　fallen；　and　with　her

the　hateful　tyrant　of　the　north；　but　the　integrity　of　Okar　must

be　preserved。　　The　red　men　are　ruled　by　red　jeddaks；　the　green

warriors　of　the　ancient　seas　acknowledge　none　but　a　green　ruler；

the　First　Born　of　the　south　pole　take　their　law　from　black　Xodar；

nor　would　it　be　to　the　interests　of　either　yellow　or　red　man　were

a　red　jeddak　to　sit　upon　the　throne　of　Okar。

　

〃There　be　but　one　warrior　best　fitted　for　the　ancient　and　mighty

title　of　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　of　the　North。　　Men　of　Okar；　raise

your　swords　to　your　new　rulerTalu；　the　rebel　prince　of　Marentina！〃

　

And　then　a　great　cry　of　rejoicing　rose　among　the　free　men　of

Marentina　and　the　Kadabran　prisoners；　for　all　had　thought　that　the

red　men　would　retain　that　which　they　had　taken　by　force　of　arms；

for　such　had　been　the　way　upon　Barsoom；　and　that　they　should　be

ruled　henceforth　by　an　alien　Jeddak。

　

The　victorious　warriors　who　had　followed　Carthoris　joined　in　the

mad　demonstration；　and　amidst　the　wild　confusion　and　the　tumult

and　the　cheering；　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　passed　out　into　the　gorgeous

garden　of　the　jeddaks　that　graces　the　inner　courtyard　of　the

palace　of　Kadabra。

　

At　our　heels　walked　Woola；　and　upon　a　carved　seat　of　wondrous　beauty

beneath　a　bower　of　purple　blooms　we　saw　two　who　had　preceded　us

Thuvia　of　Ptarth　and　Carthoris　of　Helium。

　

The　handsome　head　of　the　handsome　youth　was　bent　low　above　the

beautiful　face　of　his　companion。　　I　looked　at　Dejah　Thoris；

smiling；　and　as　I　drew　her　close　to　me　I　whispered：　　〃Why　not？〃

　

Indeed；　why　not？　　What　matter　ages　in　this　world　of　perpetual　youth？

　

We　remained　at　Kadabra；　the　guests　of　Talu；　until　after　his

formal　induction　into　office；　and　then；　upon　the　great　fleet　which

I　had　been　so　fortunate　to　preserve　from　destruction；　we　sailed

south　across　the　ice…barrier；　but　not　before　we　had　witnessed　the

total　demolition　of　the　grim　Guardian　of　the　North　under　orders　of

the　new　Jeddak　of　Jeddaks。

　

〃Henceforth；〃　he　said；　as　the　work　was　completed；　〃the　fleets

of　the　red　men　and　the　black　are　free　to　come　and　go　across　the

ice…barrier　as　over　their　own　lands。

　

〃The　Carrion　Caves　shall　be　cleansed；　that　the　green　men　may

find　an　easy　way　to　the　land　of　the　yellow；　and　the　hunting　of　the

sacred　apt　shall　be　the　sport　of　my　nobles　until　no　single　specimen

of　that　hideous　creature　roams　the　frozen　north。〃

　

We　bade　our　yellow　friends　farewell　with　real　regret；　as　we

set　sail　for　Ptarth。　　There　we　remained；　the　guest　of　Thuvan　Dihn；

for　a　month；　and　I　could　see　that　Carthoris　would　have　remained

forever　had　he　not　been　a　Prince　of　Helium。

　

Above　the　mighty　forests　of　Kaol　we　hovered　until　word　from

Kulan　Tith　brought　us　to　his　single　landing…tower；　where　all　day

and　half　a　night　the　vessels　disembarked　their　crews。　　At　the　city

of　Kaol　we　visited；　cementing　the　new　ties　that　had　been　formed

between　Kaol　and　Helium；　and　then　one　long…to…be…remembered　day　we

sighted　the　tall；　thin　towers　of　the　twin　cities　of　Helium。

　

The　people　had　long　been　preparing　for　our　coming。　　The　sky

was　gorgeous　with　gaily　trimmed　fliers。　　Every　roof　within　both

cities　was　spread　with　costly　silks　and　tapestries。

　

Gold　and　jewels　were　scattered　over　roof　and　street　and　plaza；

so　that　the　two　cities　seemed　ablaze　with　the　fires　of　the　hearts

of　the　magnificent　stones　and　burnished　metal　that　reflected　the

brilliant　sunlight；　changing　it　into　countless　glorious　hues。

　

At　last；　after　twelve　years；　the　royal　family　of　Helium　was

reunited　in　their　own　mighty　city；　surrounded　by　joy…mad　millions

before　the　palace　gates。　　Women　and　children　and　mighty　warriors

wept　in　gratitude　for　the　fate　that　had　restored　their　beloved

Tardos　Mors　and　the　divine　princess　whom　the　whole　nation　idolized。

Nor　did　any　of　us　who　had　been　upon　that　expedition　of　indescribable

danger　and　glory　lack　for　plaudits。

　

That　night　a　messenger　came　to　me　as　I　sat　with　Dejah　Thoris

and　Carthoris　upon　the　roof　of　my　city　palace；　where　we　had　long

since　caused　a　lovely　garden　to　be　made　that　we　three　might　find

seclusion　and　quiet　happiness　among　ourselves；　far　from　the　pomp

and　ceremony　of　court；　to　summon　us　to　the　Temple　of　Reward

〃where　one　is　to　be　judged　this　night；〃　the　summons　concluded。

　

I　racked　m