a princess of mars-第26章

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of　the　principal　fleet　of　Helium　on　their　search　for　the

princess；　and　so　we　have　been　able　easily　to　reduce　the　city

to　a　sorry　plight。　　it　is　said　she　will　fall　within　the　next　few

passages　of　the　further　moon。〃



〃And　what；　think　you；　may　have　been　the　fate　of　the

princess；　Dejah　Thoris？〃　I　asked　as　casually　as　possible。



〃She　is　dead；〃　he　answered。　　〃This　much　was　learned

from　a　green　warrior　recently　captured　by　our　forces　in

the　south。　　She　escaped　from　the　hordes　of　Thark　with　a

strange　creature　of　another　world；　only　to　fall　into　the　hands

of　the　Warhoons。　　Their　thoats　were　found　wandering　upon

the　sea　bottom　and　evidences　of　a　bloody　conflict　were

discovered　nearby。〃



While　this　information　was　in　no　way　reassuring；　neither

was　it　at　all　conclusive　proof　of　the　death　of　Dejah　Thoris；

and　so　I　determined　to　make　every　effort　possible　to　reach

Helium　as　quickly　as　I　could　and　carry　to　Tardos　Mors

such　news　of　his　granddaughter's　possible　whereabouts　as

lay　in　my　power。



Ten　days　after　leaving　the　three　Ptor　brothers　I　arrived

at　Zodanga。　　From　the　moment　that　I　had　come　in　contact

with　the　red　inhabitants　of　Mars　I　had　noticed　that　Woola

drew　a　great　amount　of　unwelcome　attention　to　me；　since

the　huge　brute　belonged　to　a　species　which　is　never

domesticated　by　the　red　men。　　Were　one　to　stroll　down

Broadway　with　a　Numidian　lion　at　his　heels　the　effect　would

be　somewhat　similar　to　that　which　I　should　have　produced

had　I　entered　Zodanga　with　Woola。



The　very　thought　of　parting　with　the　faithful　fellow　caused

me　so　great　regret　and　genuine　sorrow　that　I　put　it　off　until

just　before　we　arrived　at　the　city's　gates；　but　then；　finally；

it　became　imperative　that　we　separate。　　Had　nothing　further

than　my　own　safety　or　pleasure　been　at　stake　no　argument

could　have　prevailed　upon　me　to　turn　away　the　one　creature

upon　Barsoom　that　had　never　failed　in　a　demonstration

of　affection　and　loyalty；　but　as　I　would　willingly　have　offered

my　life　in　the　service　of　her　in　search　of　whom　I　was　about

to　challenge　the　unknown　dangers　of　this；　to　me；　mysterious

city；　I　could　not　permit　even　Woola's　life　to　threaten　the

success　of　my　venture；　much　less　his　momentary　happiness；

for　I　doubted　not　he　soon　would　forget　me。　　And　so　I　bade

the　poor　beast　an　affectionate　farewell；　promising　him；

however；　that　if　I　came　through　my　adventure　in　safety　that

in　some　way　I　should　find　the　means　to　search　him　out。



He　seemed　to　understand　me　fully；　and　when　I　pointed

back　in　the　direction　of　Thark　he　turned　sorrowfully　away；

nor　could　I　bear　to　watch　him　go；　but　resolutely　set　my

face　toward　Zodanga　and　with　a　touch　of　heartsickness

approached　her　frowning　walls。



The　letter　I　bore　from　them　gained　me　immediate　entrance

to　the　vast；　walled　city。　　It　was　still　very　early　in

the　morning　and　the　streets　were　practically　deserted。

The　residences；　raised　high　upon　their　metal　columns；　resembled

huge　rookeries；　while　the　uprights　themselves　presented　the

appearance　of　steel　tree　trunks。　　The　shops　as　a　rule　were

not　raised　from　the　ground　nor　were　their　doors　bolted　or

barred；　since　thievery　is　practically　unknown　upon　Barsoom。

Assassination　is　the　ever…present　fear　of　all　Barsoomians；

and　for　this　reason　alone　their　homes　are　raised　high　above

the　ground　at　night；　or　in　times　of　danger。



The　Ptor　brothers　had　given　me　explicit　directions　for

reaching　the　point　of　the　city　where　I　could　find　living

accommodations　and　be　near　the　offices　of　the　government

agents　to　whom　they　had　given　me　letters。　　My　way　led　to

the　central　square　or　plaza；　which　is　a　characteristic　of　all

Martian　cities。



The　plaza　of　Zodanga　covers　a　square　mile　and　is　bounded

by　the　palaces　of　the　jeddak；　the　jeds；　and　other　members

of　the　royalty　and　nobility　of　Zodanga；　as　well　as　by　the

principal　public　buildings；　cafes；　and　shops。



As　I　was　crossing　the　great　square　lost　in　wonder　and

admiration　of　the　magnificent　architecture　and　the　gorgeous

scarlet　vegetation　which　carpeted　the　broad　lawns　I

discovered　a　red　Martian　walking　briskly　toward　me　from　one

of　the　avenues。　　He　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　to　me；

but　as　he　came　abreast　I　recognized　him；　and　turning　I

placed　my　hand　upon　his　shoulder；　calling　out：



〃Kaor；　Kantos　Kan！〃



Like　lightning　he　wheeled　and　before　I　could　so　much

as　lower　my　hand　the　point　of　his　long…sword　was　at　my

breast。



〃Who　are　you？〃　he　growled；　and　then　as　a　backward　leap

carried　me　fifty　feet　from　his　sword　he　dropped　the　point

to　the　ground　and　exclaimed；　laughing；



〃I　do　not　need　a　better　reply；　there　is　but　one　man　upon

all　Barsoom　who　can　bounce　about　like　a　rubber　ball。　　By

the　mother　of　the　further　moon；　John　Carter；　how　came

you　here；　and　have　you　become　a　Darseen　that　you　can

change　your　color　at　will？〃



〃You　gave　me　a　bad　half　minute　my　friend；〃　he　continued；

after　I　had　briefly　outlined　my　adventures　since　parting

with　him　in　the　arena　at　Warhoon。　　〃Were　my　name

and　city　known　to　the　Zodangans　I　would　shortly　be　sitting

on　the　banks　of　the　lost　sea　of　Korus　with　my　revered　and

departed　ancestors。　　I　am　here　in　the　interest　of　Tardos

Mors；　Jeddak　of　Helium；　to　discover　the　whereabouts　of

Dejah　Thoris；　our　princess。　　Sab　Than；　prince　of　Zodanga；

has　her　hidden　in　the　city　and　has　fallen　madly　in　love

with　her。　　His　father；　Than　Kosis；　Jeddak　of　Zodanga；　has

made　her　voluntary　marriage　to　his　son　the　price　of　peace

between　our　countries；　but　Tardos　Mors　will　not　accede　to

the　demands　and　has　sent　word　that　he　and　his　people

would　rather　look　upon　the　dead　face　of　their　princess　than

see　her　wed　to　any　than　her　own　choice；　and　that　personally

he　would　prefer　being　engulfed　in　the　ashes　of　a　lost　and

burning　Helium　to　joining　the　metal　of　his　house　with　that

of　Than　Kosis。　　His　reply　was　the　deadliest　affront　he　could

have　put　upon　Than　Kosis　and　the　Zodangans；　but　his　people

love　him　the　more　for　it　and　his　strength　in　Helium　is

greater　today　than　ever。



〃I　have　been　here　three　days；〃　continued　Kantos　Kan；

〃but　I　have　not　yet　found　where　Dejah　Thoris　is　imprisoned。

Today　I　join　the　Zodangan　navy　as　an　air　scout　and　I　hope

in　this　way　to　win　the　confidence　of　Sab　Than；　the　prince；

who　is　commander　of　this　division　of　the　navy；　and　thus

learn　the　whereabouts　of　Dejah　Thoris。　　I　am　glad　that　you

are　here；　John　Carter；　for　I　know　your　loyalty　to　my　princess

and　two　of　us　working　together　should　be　able　to

accomplish　much。〃



The　plaza　was　now　commencing　to　fill　with　people　going

and　coming　upon　the　daily　activities　of　their　duties。　　The

shops　were　opening　and　the　cafes　filling　with　early　morning

patrons。　　Kantos　Kan　led　me　to　one　of　these　gorgeous　eating

places　where　we　were　served　entirely　by　mechanical　apparatus。

No　hand　touched　the　food　from　the　time　it　entered　the

building　in　its　raw　state　until　it　emerged　hot　and　delicious

upon　the　tables　before　the　guests；　in　response　to　the　touching

of　tiny　buttons　to　indicate　their　desires。



After　our　meal；　Kantos　Kan　took　me　with　him　to　the

headquarters　of　the　air…scout　squadron　and　introducing　me

to　his　superior　asked　that　I　be　enrolled　as　a　member　of　the

corps。　　In　accordance　with　custom　an　examination　was　necessary；

but　Kantos　Kan　had　told　me　to　have　no　fear　on　this　score　as　he

would　attend　to　that　part　of　the　matter。　　He　accomplished

this　by　taking　my　order　for　examination　to　the　examining

officer　and　representing　himself　as　John　Carter。



〃This　ruse　will　be　discovered　later；〃　he　cheerfully

explained；　〃when　they　check　up　my　weights；　measurements；

and　other　personal　identification　data；　but　it　will　be

several　months　before　this　is　done　and　our　mission　should

be　accomplished　or　have　failed　long　before　that　time。〃



The　next　few　days　were　spent　by　Kantos　Kan　in　teaching

me　the　intricacies　of　flying　and　of　repairing　the　dainty


little　contrivances　which　the　Martians　use　for　this　purpose。

The　body　of　the　one…man　air　craft　is　about　sixteen　feet

long；　two　feet　wide　and　three　inches　thick；　tapering　to　a

point　at　each　end。　　The　driver　sits　on　top　of　this　plane　upon

a　seat　constructed　over　the　small；　noiseless　radium　engine

which　propels　it。　　The　medium　of　buoyancy　is　contained

within　the　thin　metal　walls　of　the　body　and　consists　of

the　eighth　Barsoomian　ray；　or　ray　of　propulsion；　as　it　may

be　termed　in　view　of　its　properties。



This　ray；　like　the　ninth　ray；　is　unknown　on　Earth；　but

the　Martians　have　discovered　that　it　is　an　inherent　property

of　all　light　no　matter　from　what　source　it　emanates。　　They

have　learned　that　it　is　the　solar　eighth　ray　which　propels

the　light　of　the　sun　to　the　various　planets；　and　that　it　is

the　individual　eighth　ray　of　each　planet　which　〃reflects；〃　or

propels　the　light　thus　obtained　out　into　space　once　more。

The　solar　eighth　ray　would　be　absorbed　by　the　surface　of

Barsoom；　but　the　Barsoomian　eighth　ray；　which　tends　to

propel　light　from　Mars　into　space；　is　constantly　streaming

out　from　the　planet　constituting　a　force　of　repulsion　of

gravity　which　when　confined　is　able　to　life　enormous　weights

from　the　surface　of　the　ground。



It　is　this　ray　which　has　enabled　them　to　so　perfect　aviation

that　battle　ships　far　outweighing　anything　known　upon

Earth　sail　as　gracefully　and　lightly　through　the　thin　air　of

Barsoom　as　a　toy　balloon　in　the　heavy　atmosphere　of　Earth。



During　the　early　years　of　the　discovery　of　this　ray　many

strange　accidents　occurred　before　the　Martians　learned　to

measure　and　control　the　wonderful　power　they　had　found。

In　one　instance；　some　nine　hundred　years　before；　the　first

great　battle　ship　to　be　built　with　eighth　ray　reservoirs　was

stored　with　too　great　a　quantity　of　the　rays　and　she　had

sailed　up　from　Helium　with　five　hundred　officers　and　men；

never　to　return。



Her　power　of　repulsion　for　the　planet　was　so　great　that

it　had　carried　her　far　into　space；　where　she　can　be　seen

today；　by　the　aid　of　powerful　telescopes；　hurtling　through

the　heavens　ten　thousand　miles　from　Mars；　a　tiny　satellite

that　will　thus　encircle　Barsoom　to　the　end　of　time。



The　fourth　day　after　my　arrival　at　Zodanga　I　made　my

first　flight；　and　as　a　result　of　it　I　won　a　promotion　which

included　quarters　in　the　palace　of　Than　Kosis。



As　I　rose　above　the　city　I　circled　several　times；　as　I　had

seen　Kantos　Kan　do；　and　then　throwing　my　engine　into　top

speed　I　raced　at　terrific　velocity　toward　the　south；　following

one　of　the　great　waterways　which　enter　Zodanga　from　that

direction。



I　had　traversed　perhaps　two　hundred　miles　in　a　little　less

than　an　hour　when　I　descried　far　below　me　a　party　of

three　green　warriors　racing　madly　toward　a　small　figure　on

foot　which　seemed　to　be　trying　to　reach　the　confines　of　one

of　the　walled　fields。



Dropping　my　machine　rapidly　toward　them；　and　circling

to　the　re