a princess of mars-第32章

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great　windows　of　the　first　floor　into　the　brilliantly

illuminated　audience　chamber　of　Than　Kosis。　　The　immense　hall

was　crowded　with　nobles　and　their　women；　as　though　some

important　function　was　in　progress。　　There　was　not　a　guard

in　sight　without　the　palace；　due；　I　presume；　to　the　fact

that　the　city　and　palace　walls　were　considered　impregnable；

and　so　I　came　close　and　peered　within。



At　one　end　of　the　chamber；　upon　massive　golden　thrones

encrusted　with　diamonds；　sat　Than　Kosis　and　his　consort；

surrounded　by　officers　and　dignitaries　of　state。　　Before　them

stretched　a　broad　aisle　lined　on　either　side　with　soldiery；

and　as　I　looked　there　entered　this　aisle　at　the　far　end　of

the　hall；　the　head　of　a　procession　which　advanced　to　the

foot　of　the　throne。



First　there　marched　four　officers　of　the　jeddak's　Guard

bearing　a　huge　salver　on　which　reposed；　upon　a　cushion

of　scarlet　silk；　a　great　golden　chain　with　a　collar　and

padlock　at　each　end。　　Directly　behind　these　officers　came

four　others　carrying　a　similar　salver　which　supported　the

magnificent　ornaments　of　a　prince　and　princess　of　the

reigning　house　of　Zodanga。



At　the　foot　of　the　throne　these　two　parties　separated

and　halted；　facing　each　other　at　opposite　sides　of　the　aisle。

Then　came　more　dignitaries；　and　the　officers　of　the　palace

and　of　the　army；　and　finally　two　figures　entirely　muffled　in

scarlet　silk；　so　that　not　a　feature　of　either　was　discernible。

These　two　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　throne；　facing　Than

Kosis。　　When　the　balance　of　the　procession　had　entered　and

assumed　their　stations　Than　Kosis　addressed　the　couple

standing　before　him。　　I　could　not　hear　his　words；　but

presently　two　officers　advanced　and　removed　the　scarlet　robe

from　one　of　the　figures；　and　I　saw　that　Kantos　Kan　had

failed　in　his　mission；　for　it　was　Sab　Than；　Prince　of　Zodanga；

who　stood　revealed　before　me。



Than　Kosis　now　took　a　set　of　the　ornaments　from　one

of　the　salvers　and　placed　one　of　the　collars　of　gold　about

his　son's　neck；　springing　the　padlock　fast。　　After　a　few　more

words　addressed　to　Sab　Than　he　turned　to　the　other　figure；

from　which　the　officers　now　removed　the　enshrouding　silks；

disclosing　to　my　now　comprehending　view　Dejah　Thoris；

Princess　of　Helium。



The　object　of　the　ceremony　was　clear　to　me；　in　another

moment　Dejah　Thoris　would　be　joined　forever　to　the　Prince

of　Zodanga。　　It　was　an　impressive　and　beautiful　ceremony；

I　presume；　but　to　me　it　seemed　the　most　fiendish　sight　I

had　ever　witnessed；　and　as　the　ornaments　were　adjusted　upon

her　beautiful　figure　and　her　collar　of　gold　swung　open　in

the　hands　of　Than　Kosis　I　raised　my　long…sword　above　my

head；　and；　with　the　heavy　hilt；　I　shattered　the　glass　of　the

great　window　and　sprang　into　the　midst　of　the　astonished

assemblage。　　With　a　bound　I　was　on　the　steps　of　the　platform

beside　Than　Kosis；　and　as　he　stood　riveted　with　surprise

I　brought　my　long…sword　down　upon　the　golden　chain

that　would　have　bound　Dejah　Thoris　to　another。



In　an　instant　all　was　confusion；　a　thousand　drawn　swords

menaced　me　from　every　quarter；　and　Sab　Than　sprang　upon

me　with　a　jeweled　dagger　he　had　drawn　from　his　nuptial

ornaments。　　I　could　have　killed　him　as　easily　as　I　might　a

fly；　but　the　age…old　custom　of　Barsoom　stayed　my　hand；

and　grasping　his　wrist　as　the　dagger　flew　toward　my　heart

I　held　him　as　though　in　a　vise　and　with　my　long…sword

pointed　to　the　far　end　of　the　hall。



〃Zodanga　has　fallen；〃　I　cried。　　〃Look！〃



All　eyes　turned　in　the　direction　I　had　indicated；　and

there；　forging　through　the　portals　of　the　entranceway　rode

Tars　Tarkas　and　his　fifty　warriors　on　their　great　thoats。



A　cry　of　alarm　and　amazement　broke　from　the　assemblage；

but　no　word　of　fear；　and　in　a　moment　the　soldiers　and　nobles

of　Zodanga　were　hurling　themselves　upon　the　advancing　Tharks。



Thrusting　Sab　Than　headlong　from　the　platform；　I　drew

Dejah　Thoris　to　my　side。　　Behind　the　throne　was　a　narrow

doorway　and　in　this　Than　Kosis　now　stood　facing　me；　with

drawn　long…sword。　　In　an　instant　we　were　engaged；　and　I

found　no　mean　antagonist。



As　we　circled　upon　the　broad　platform　I　saw　Sab　Than

rushing　up　the　steps　to　aid　his　father；　but；　as　he　raised　his

hand　to　strike；　Dejah　Thoris　sprang　before　him　and　then

my　sword　found　the　spot　that　made　Sab　Than　jeddak　of

Zodanga。　　As　his　father　rolled　dead　upon　the　floor　the　new

jeddak　tore　himself　free　from　Dejah　Thoris'　grasp；　and　again

we　faced　each　other。　　He　was　soon　joined　by　a　quartet　of

officers；　and；　with　my　back　against　a　golden　throne；　I　fought

once　again　for　Dejah　Thoris。　　I　was　hard　pressed　to　defend

myself　and　yet　not　strike　down　Sab　Than　and；　with　him；

my　last　chance　to　win　the　woman　I　loved。　　My　blade　was

swinging　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning　as　I　sought　to　parry

the　thrusts　and　cuts　of　my　opponents。　　Two　I　had　disarmed；

and　one　was　down；　when　several　more　rushed　to　the　aid　of

their　new　ruler；　and　to　avenge　the　death　of　the　old。



As　they　advanced　there　were　cries　of　〃The　woman！

The　woman！　　Strike　her　down；　it　is　her　plot。　　Kill　her！　　Kill

her！〃



Calling　to　Dejah　Thoris　to　get　behind　me　I　worked　my

way　toward　the　little　doorway　back　of　the　throne；　but　the

officers　realized　my　intentions；　and　three　of　them　sprang　in

behind　me　and　blocked　my　chances　for　gaining　a　position

where　I　could　have　defended　Dejah　Thoris　against　any　army

of　swordsmen。



The　Tharks　were　having　their　hands　full　in　the　center　of

the　room；　and　I　began　to　realize　that　nothing　short　of　a

miracle　could　save　Dejah　Thoris　and　myself；　when　I　saw

Tars　Tarkas　surging　through　the　crowd　of　pygmies　that

swarmed　about　him。　　With　one　swing　of　his　mighty　longsword

he　laid　a　dozen　corpses　at　his　feet；　and　so　he　hewed　a　pathway

before　him　until　in　another　moment　he　stood　upon　the　platform

beside　me；　dealing　death　and　destruction　right　and　left。



The　bravery　of　the　Zodangans　was　awe…inspiring；　not　one

attempted　to　escape；　and　when　the　fighting　ceased　it　was

because　only　Tharks　remained　alive　in　the　great　hall；　other

than　Dejah　Thoris　and　myself。



Sab　Than　lay　dead　beside　his　father；　and　the　corpses　of

the　flower　of　Zodangan　nobility　and　chivalry　covered　the

floor　of　the　bloody　shambles。



My　first　thought　when　the　battle　was　over　was　for　Kantos

Kan；　and　leaving　Dejah　Thoris　in　charge　of　Tars　Tarkas　I　took

a　dozen　warriors　and　hastened　to　the　dungeons　beneath　the

palace。　　The　jailers　had　all　left　to　join　the　fighters　in　the

throne　room；　so　we　searched　the　labyrinthine　prison　without

opposition。



I　called　Kantos　Kan's　name　aloud　in　each　new　corridor

and　compartment；　and　finally　I　was　rewarded　by　hearing　a

faint　response。　　Guided　by　the　sound；　we　soon　found　him

helpless　in　a　dark　recess。



He　was　overjoyed　at　seeing　me；　and　to　know　the　meaning

of　the　fight；　faint　echoes　of　which　had　reached　his　prison

cell。　　He　told　me　that　the　air　patrol　had　captured　him　before

he　reached　the　high　tower　of　the　palace；　so　that　he　had　not

even　seen　Sab　Than。



We　discovered　that　it　would　be　futile　to　attempt　to　cut

away　the　bars　and　chains　which　held　him　prisoner；　so；　at　his

suggestion　I　returned　to　search　the　bodies　on　the　floor　above

for　keys　to　open　the　padlocks　of　his　cell　and　of　his　chains。



Fortunately　among　the　first　I　examined　I　found　his　jailer；

and　soon　we　had　Kantos　Kan　with　us　in　the　throne　room。



The　sounds　of　heavy　firing；　mingled　with　shouts　and

cries；　came　to　us　from　the　city's　streets；　and　Tars　Tarkas

hastened　away　to　direct　the　fighting　without。　　Kantos　Kan

accompanied　him　to　act　as　guide；　the　green　warriors　commencing

a　thorough　search　of　the　palace　for　other　Zodangans　and　for　loot；

and　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　were　left　alone。



She　had　sunk　into　one　of　the　golden　thrones；　and　as　I

turned　to　her　she　greeted　me　with　a　wan　smile。



〃Was　there　ever　such　a　man！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　know　that

Barsoom　has　never　before　seen　your　like。　　Can　it　be　that　all

Earth　men　are　as　you？　　Alone；　a　stranger；　hunted；　threatened；

persecuted；　you　have　done　in　a　few　short　months　what　in

all　the　past　ages　of　Barsoom　no　man　has　ever　done：　joined

together　the　wild　hordes　of　the　sea　bottoms　and　brought　them

to　fight　as　allies　of　a　red　Martian　people。〃



〃The　answer　is　easy；　Dejah　Thoris；〃　I　replied　smiling。　　〃It

was　not　I　who　did　it；　it　was　love；　love　for　Dejah　Thoris；　a

power　that　would　work　greater　miracles　than　this　you　have　seen。〃



A　pretty　flush　overspread　her　face　and　she　answered；



〃You　may　say　that　now；　John　Carter；　and　I　may　listen；　for　I　am　free。〃



〃And　more　still　I　have　to　say；　ere　it　is　again　too　late；〃

I　returned。　　〃I　have　done　many　strange　things　in　my　life；　many

things　that　wiser　men　would　not　have　dared；　but　never　in　my

wildest　fancies　have　I　dreamed　of　winning　a　Dejah　Thoris

for　myselffor　never　had　I　dreamed　that　in　all　the　universe

dwelt　such　a　woman　as　the　Princess　of　Helium。　　That　you

are　a　princess　does　not　abash　me；　but　that　you　are　you　is

enough　to　make　me　doubt　my　sanity　as　I　ask　you；　my　princess；

to　be　mine。〃



〃He　does　not　need　to　be　abashed　who　so　well　knew　the

answer　to　his　plea　before　the　plea　were　made；〃　she　replied；

rising　and　placing　her　dear　hands　upon　my　shoulders；　and　so

I　took　her　in　my　arms　and　kissed　her。



And　thus　in　the　midst　of　a　city　of　wild　conflict；　filled

with　the　alarms　of　war；　with　death　and　destruction　reaping

their　terrible　harvest　around　her；　did　Dejah　Thoris；　Princess

of　Helium；　true　daughter　of　Mars；　the　God　of　War；　promise

herself　in　marriage　to　John　Carter；　Gentleman　of　Virginia。









CHAPTER　XXVI





THROUGH　CARNAGE　TO　JOY





Sometime　later　Tars　Tarkas　and　Kantos　Kan　returned　to

report　that　Zodanga　had　been　completely　reduced。　　Her　forces

were　entirely　destroyed　or　captured；　and　no　further　resistance

was　to　be　expected　from　within。　　Several　battleships　had　escaped；

but　there　were　thousands　of　war　and　merchant　vessels　under　guard

of　Thark　warriors。



The　lesser　hordes　had　commenced　looting　and　quarreling

among　themselves；　so　it　was　decided　that　we　collect　what

warriors　we　could；　man　as　many　vessels　as　possible　with

Zodangan　prisoners　and　make　for　Helium　without　further

loss　of　time。



Five　hours　later　we　sailed　from　the　roofs　of　the　dock

buildings　with　a　fleet　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　battleships；

carrying　nearly　one　hundred　thousand　green　warriors；　followed

by　a　fleet　of　transports　with　our　thoats。



Behind　us　we　left　the　stricken　city　in　the　fierce　and　brutal

clutches　of　some　forty　thousand　green　warriors　of　the　lesser

hordes。　　They　were　looting；　murdering；　and　fighting　amongst

themselves。　　In　a　hundred　places　they　had　applied　the　torch；

and　columns　of　dense　smoke　were　rising　above　the　city　as

though　to　blot　out　from　the　eye　of　heaven　the　horrid　sights

beneath。



In　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　we　sighted　the　sca