a princess of mars-第22章

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sight　behind　the　ridge。　　He　did　not　wait　for　them　to　join

him；　however；　instead　he　wheeled　his　thoat　and　came　tearing

madly　in　our　direction。



There　was　but　one　slight　chance　and　that　we　must　take

quickly。　　Raising　my　strange　Martian　rifle　to　my　shoulder　I

sighted　and　touched　the　button　which　controlled　the　trigger；

there　was　a　sharp　explosion　as　the　missile　reached　its　goal；　and

the　charging　chieftain　pitched　backward　from　his　flying

mount。



Springing　to　my　feet　I　urged　the　thoat　to　rise；　and　directed

Sola　to　take　Dejah　Thoris　with　her　upon　him　and　make　a

mighty　effort　to　reach　the　hills　before　the　green　warriors　were

upon　us。　　I　knew　that　in　the　ravines　and　gullies　they　might

find　a　temporary　hiding　place；　and　even　though　they　died

there　of　hunger　and　thirst　it　would　be　better　so　than　that

they　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Tharks。　　Forcing　my　two

revolvers　upon　them　as　a　slight　means　of　protection；　and；

as　a　last　resort；　as　an　escape　for　themselves　from　the　horrid

death　which　recapture　would　surely　mean；　I　lifted　Dejah

Thoris　in　my　arms　and　placed　her　upon　the　thoat　behind

Sola；　who　had　already　mounted　at　my　command。



〃Good…bye；　my　princess；〃　I　whispered；　〃we　may　meet　in

Helium　yet。　　I　have　escaped　from　worse　plights　than　this；〃

and　I　tried　to　smile　as　I　lied。



〃What；〃　she　cried；　〃are　you　not　coming　with　us？〃



〃How　may　I；　Dejah　Thoris？　　Someone　must　hold　these

fellows　off　for　a　while；　and　I　can　better　escape　them　alone

than　could　the　three　of　us　together。〃



She　sprang　quickly　from　the　thoat　and；　throwing　her　dear

arms　about　my　neck；　turned　to　Sola；　saying　with　quiet　dignity：

〃Fly；　Sola！　　Dejah　Thoris　remains　to　die　with　the　man　she

loves。〃



Those　words　are　engraved　upon　my　heart。　　Ah；　gladly

would　I　give　up　my　life　a　thousand　times　could　I　only　hear

them　once　again；　but　I　could　not　then　give　even　a　second　to

the　rapture　of　her　sweet　embrace；　and　pressing　my　lips　to

hers　for　the　first　time；　I　picked　her　up　bodily　and　tossed

her　to　her　seat　behind　Sola　again；　commanding　the　latter

in　peremptory　tones　to　hold　her　there　by　force；　and　then；

slapping　the　thoat　upon　the　flank；　I　saw　them　borne　away；

Dejah　Thoris　struggling　to　the　last　to　free　herself　from

Sola's　grasp。



Turning；　I　beheld　the　green　warriors　mounting　the　ridge

and　looking　for　their　chieftain。　　In　a　moment　they　saw　him；

and　then　me；　but　scarcely　had　they　discovered　me　than　I

commenced　firing；　lying　flat　upon　my　belly　in　the　moss。　　I　had

an　even　hundred　rounds　in　the　magazine　of　my　rifle；　and

another　hundred　in　the　belt　at　my　back；　and　I　kept　up　a

continuous　stream　of　fire　until　I　saw　all　of　the　warriors　who

had　been　first　to　return　from　behind　the　ridge　either　dead　or

scurrying　to　cover。



My　respite　was　short…lived　however；　for　soon　the　entire

party；　numbering　some　thousand　men；　came　charging　into

view；　racing　madly　toward　me。　　I　fired　until　my　rifle　was

empty　and　they　were　almost　upon　me；　and　then　a　glance

showing　me　that　Dejah　Thoris　and　Sola　had　disappeared

among　the　hills；　I　sprang　up；　throwing　down　my　useless　gun；

and　started　away　in　the　direction　opposite　to　that　taken　by

Sola　and　her　charge。



If　ever　Martians　had　an　exhibition　of　jumping；　it　was

granted　those　astonished　warriors　on　that　day　long　years　ago；

but　while　it　led　them　away　from　Dejah　Thoris　it　did　not　distract

their　attention　from　endeavoring　to　capture　me。



They　raced　wildly　after　me　until；　finally；　my　foot　struck　a

projecting　piece　of　quartz；　and　down　I　went　sprawling　upon

the　moss。　　As　I　looked　up　they　were　upon　me；　and　although

I　drew　my　long…sword　in　an　attempt　to　sell　my　life　as

dearly　as　possible；　it　was　soon　over。　　I　reeled　beneath　their

blows　which　fell　upon　me　in　perfect　torrents；　my　head　swam；

all　was　black；　and　I　went　down　beneath　them　to　oblivion。









CHAPTER　XVIII





CHAINED　IN　WARHOON





It　must　have　been　several　hours　before　I　regained　consciousness

and　I　well　remember　the　feeling　of　surprise　which　swept　over　me

as　I　realized　that　I　was　not　dead。



I　was　lying　among　a　pile　of　sleeping　silks　and　furs　in　the

corner　of　a　small　room　in　which　were　several　green　warriors；

and　bending　over　me　was　an　ancient　and　ugly　female。



As　I　opened　my　eyes　she　turned　to　one　of　the　warriors；　saying；



〃He　will　live；　O　Jed。〃



〃'Tis　well；〃　replied　the　one　so　addressed；　rising　and　approaching

my　couch；　〃he　should　render　rare　sport　for　the　great　games。〃



And　now　as　my　eyes　fell　upon　him；　I　saw　that　he　was　no

Thark；　for　his　ornaments　and　metal　were　not　of　that　horde。

He　was　a　huge　fellow；　terribly　scarred　about　the　face　and

chest；　and　with　one　broken　tusk　and　a　missing　ear。　　Strapped

on　either　breast　were　human　skulls　and　depending　from

these　a　number　of　dried　human　hands。



His　reference　to　the　great　games　of　which　I　had　heard　so

much　while　among　the　Tharks　convinced　me　that　I　had　but

jumped　from　purgatory　into　gehenna。



After　a　few　more　words　with　the　female；　during　which

she　assured　him　that　I　was　now　fully　fit　to　travel；　the　jed

ordered　that　we　mount　and　ride　after　the　main　column。



I　was　strapped　securely　to　as　wild　and　unmanageable　a

thoat　as　I　had　ever　seen；　and；　with　a　mounted　warrior　on

either　side　to　prevent　the　beast　from　bolting；　we　rode　forth

at　a　furious　pace　in　pursuit　of　the　column。　　My　wounds　gave

me　but　little　pain；　so　wonderfully　and　rapidly　had　the

applications　and　injections　of　the　female　exercised　their

therapeutic　powers；　and　so　deftly　had　she　bound　and　plastered

the　injuries。



Just　before　dark　we　reached　the　main　body　of　troops

shortly　after　they　had　made　camp　for　the　night。　　I　was

immediately　taken　before　the　leader；　who　proved　to　be　the

jeddak　of　the　hordes　of　Warhoon。



Like　the　jed　who　had　brought　me；　he　was　frightfully

scarred；　and　also　decorated　with　the　breastplate　of　human

skulls　and　dried　dead　hands　which　seemed　to　mark　all　the

greater　warriors　among　the　Warhoons；　as　well　as　to　indicate

their　awful　ferocity；　which　greatly　transcends　even　that　of

the　Tharks。



The　jeddak；　Bar　Comas；　who　was　comparatively　young；

was　the　object　of　the　fierce　and　jealous　hatred　of　his　old

lieutenant；　Dak　Kova；　the　jed　who　had　captured　me；　and　I

could　not　but　note　the　almost　studied　efforts　which　the

latter　made　to　affront　his　superior。



He　entirely　omitted　the　usual　formal　salutation　as　we　entered

the　presence　of　the　jeddak；　and　as　he　pushed　me　roughly　before

the　ruler　he　exclaimed　in　a　loud　and　menacing　voice。



〃I　have　brought　a　strange　creature　wearing　the　metal　of　a

Thark　whom　it　is　my　pleasure　to　have　battle　with　a　wild

thoat　at　the　great　games。〃



〃He　will　die　as　Bar　Comas；　your　jeddak；　sees　fit；　if　at　all；〃

replied　the　young　ruler；　with　emphasis　and　dignity。



〃If　at　all？〃　roared　Dak　Kova。　　〃By　the　dead　hands　at　my

throat　but　he　shall　die；　Bar　Comas。　　No　maudlin　weakness

on　your　part　shall　save　him。　　O；　would　that　Warhoon　were

ruled　by　a　real　jeddak　rather　than　by　a　water…hearted

weakling　from　whom　even　old　Dak　Kova　could　tear　the　metal

with　his　bare　hands！〃



Bar　Comas　eyed　the　defiant　and　insubordinate　chieftain　for

an　instant；　his　expression　one　of　haughty；　fearless　contempt

and　hate；　and　then　without　drawing　a　weapon　and　without

uttering　a　word　he　hurled　himself　at　the　throat　of　his　defamer。



I　never　before　had　seen　two　green　Martian　warriors　battle

with　nature's　weapons　and　the　exhibition　of　animal　ferocity

which　ensued　was　as　fearful　a　thing　as　the　most　disordered

imagination　could　picture。　　They　tore　at　each　others'　eyes

and　ears　with　their　hands　and　with　their　gleaming　tusks

repeatedly　slashed　and　gored　until　both　were　cut　fairly　to

ribbons　from　head　to　foot。



Bar　Comas　had　much　the　better　of　the　battle　as　he　was

stronger；　quicker　and　more　intelligent。　　It　soon　seemed　that

the　encounter　was　done　saving　only　the　final　death　thrust

when　Bar　Comas　slipped　in　breaking　away　from　a　clinch。　　It

was　the　one　little　opening　that　Dak　Kova　needed；　and　hurling

himself　at　the　body　of　his　adversary　he　buried　his　single

mighty　tusk　in　Bar　Comas'　groin　and　with　a　last　powerful

effort　ripped　the　young　jeddak　wide　open　the　full　length　of

his　body；　the　great　tusk　finally　wedging　in　the　bones　of　Bar

Comas'　jaw。　　Victor　and　vanquished　rolled　limp　and　lifeless

upon　the　moss；　a　huge　mass　of　torn　and　bloody　flesh。



Bar　Comas　was　stone　dead；　and　only　the　most　herculean　efforts　on

the　part　of　Dak　Kova's　females　saved　him　from　the　fate　he　deserved。

Three　days　later　he　walked　without　assistance　to　the　body　of　Bar

Comas　which；　by　custom；　had　not　been　moved　from　where　it　fell；

and　placing　his　foot　upon　the　neck　of　his　erstwhile　ruler　he

assumed　the　title　of　Jeddak　of　Warhoon。



The　dead　jeddak's　hands　and　head　were　removed　to　be　added

to　the　ornaments　of　his　conqueror；　and　then　his　women

cremated　what　remained；　amid　wild　and　terrible　laughter。



The　injuries　to　Dak　Kova　had　delayed　the　march　so

greatly　that　it　was　decided　to　give　up　the　expedition；　which

was　a　raid　upon　a　small　Thark　community　in　retaliation　for

the　destruction　of　the　incubator；　until　after　the　great　games；

and　the　entire　body　of　warriors；　ten　thousand　in　number；

turned　back　toward　Warhoon。



My　introduction　to　these　cruel　and　bloodthirsty　people

was　but　an　index　to　the　scenes　I　witnessed　almost　daily

while　with　them。　　They　are　a　smaller　horde　than　the　Tharks

but　much　more　ferocious。　　Not　a　day　passed　but　that　some

members　of　the　various　Warhoon　communities　met　in　deadly

combat。　　I　have　seen　as　high　as　eight　mortal　duels　within　a

single　day。



We　reached　the　city　of　Warhoon　after　some　three　days

march　and　I　was　immediately　cast　into　a　dungeon　and　heavily

chained　to　the　floor　and　walls。　　Food　was　brought　me　at

intervals　but　owing　to　the　utter　darkness　of　the　place　I　do　not

know　whether　I　lay　there　days；　or　weeks；　or　months。　　It　was

the　most　horrible　experience　of　all　my　life　and　that　my

mind　did　not　give　way　to　the　terrors　of　that　inky　blackness

has　been　a　wonder　to　me　ever　since。　　The　place　was　filled

with　creeping；　crawling　things；　cold；　sinuous　bodies　passed

over　me　when　I　lay　down；　and　in　the　darkness　I　occasionally

caught　glimpses　of　gleaming；　fiery　eyes；　fixed　in　horrible

intentness　upon　me。　　No　sound　reached　me　from　the　world

above　and　no　word　would　my　jailer　vouchsafe　when　my

food　was　brought　to　me；　although　I　at　first　bombarded　him

with　questions。



Finally　all　the　hatred　and　maniacal　loathing　for　these

awful　creatures　who　had　placed　me　in　this　horrible　place　was

centered　by　my　tottering　reason　upon　this　single　emissary

who　represented　to　me　the　entire　horde　of　Warhoons。



I　had　noticed　that　he　always　advanced　with　his　dim

torch　to　where　he　could　place　the　food　within　my　reach　and

as　he　stooped　to　place　it　upon　the　floor　his　head　was　about

on　a　level　with　my　breast。