a princess of mars-第21章

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was　not　sure。　　Only　I　knew　that　as　my　arm　rested　there

across　her　shoulders　longer　than　the　act　of　adjusting　the

silk　required　she　did　not　draw　away；　nor　did　she　speak。

And　so；　in　silence；　we　walked　the　surface　of　a　dying　world；

but　in　the　breast　of　one　of　us　at　least　had　been　born　that

which　is　ever　oldest；　yet　ever　new。



I　loved　Dejah　Thoris。　　The　touch　of　my　arm　upon　her　naked

shoulder　had　spoken　to　me　in　words　I　would　not　mistake；

and　I　knew　that　I　had　loved　her　since　the　first　moment

that　my　eyes　had　met　hers　that　first　time　in　the　plaza

of　the　dead　city　of　Korad。









CHAPTER　XIV





A　DUEL　TO　THE　DEATH





My　first　impulse　was　to　tell　her　of　my　love；　and　then　I

thought　of　the　helplessness　of　her　position　wherein　I　alone

could　lighten　the　burdens　of　her　captivity；　and　protect　her　in

my　poor　way　against　the　thousands　of　hereditary　enemies

she　must　face　upon　our　arrival　at　Thark。　　I　could　not　chance

causing　her　additional　pain　or　sorrow　by　declaring　a　love

which；　in　all　probability　she　did　not　return。　　Should　I　be　so

indiscreet；　her　position　would　be　even　more　unbearable　than

now；　and　the　thought　that　she　might　feel　that　I　was　taking

advantage　of　her　helplessness；　to　influence　her　decision　was

the　final　argument　which　sealed　my　lips。



〃Why　are　you　so　quiet；　Dejah　Thoris？〃　I　asked。　　〃Possibly

you　would　rather　return　to　Sola　and　your　quarters。〃



〃No；〃　she　murmured；　〃I　am　happy　here。　　I　do　not　know

why　it　is　that　I　should　always　be　happy　and　contented

when　you；　John　Carter；　a　stranger；　are　with　me；　yet　at　such

times　it　seems　that　I　am　safe　and　that；　with　you；　I　shall　soon

return　to　my　father's　court　and　feel　his　strong　arms　about　me

and　my　mother's　tears　and　kisses　on　my　cheek。〃



〃Do　people　kiss；　then；　upon　Barsoom？〃　I　asked；　when　she

had　explained　the　word　she　used；　in　answer　to　my　inquiry　as

to　its　meaning。



〃Parents；　brothers；　and　sisters；　yes；　and；〃　she　added　in　a

low；　thoughtful　tone；　〃lovers。〃



〃And　you；　Dejah　Thoris；　have　parents　and　brothers　and

sisters？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　alover？〃



She　was　silent；　nor　could　I　venture　to　repeat　the　question。



〃The　man　of　Barsoom；〃　she　finally　ventured；　〃does　not

ask　personal　questions　of　women；　except　his　mother；　and　the

woman　he　has　fought　for　and　won。〃



〃But　I　have　fought〃　I　started；　and　then　I　wished　my

tongue　had　been　cut　from　my　mouth；　for　she　turned　even　as

I　caught　myself　and　ceased；　and　drawing　my　silks　from　her

shoulder　she　held　them　out　to　me；　and　without　a　word；　and

with　head　held　high；　she　moved　with　the　carriage　of　the

queen　she　was　toward　the　plaza　and　the　doorway　of　her

quarters。



I　did　not　attempt　to　follow　her；　other　than　to　see　that　she

reached　the　building　in　safety；　but；　directing　Woola　to

accompany　her；　I　turned　disconsolately　and　entered　my　own　house。

I　sat　for　hours　cross…legged；　and　cross…tempered；　upon　my　silks

meditating　upon　the　queer　freaks　chance　plays　upon　us　poor

devils　of　mortals。



So　this　was　love！　　I　had　escaped　it　for　all　the　years　I　had

roamed　the　five　continents　and　their　encircling　seas；　in　spite

of　beautiful　women　and　urging　opportunity；　in　spite　of　a　half…

desire　for　love　and　a　constant　search　for　my　ideal；　it　had

remained　for　me　to　fall　furiously　and　hopelessly　in　love　with　a

creature　from　another　world；　of　a　species　similar　possibly；

yet　not　identical　with　mine。　　A　woman　who　was　hatched　from

an　egg；　and　whose　span　of　life　might　cover　a　thousand　years；

whose　people　had　strange　customs　and　ideas；　a　woman　whose

hopes；　whose　pleasures；　whose　standards　of　virtue　and　of

right　and　wrong　might　vary　as　greatly　from　mine　as　did　those

of　the　green　Martians。



Yes；　I　was　a　fool；　but　I　was　in　love；　and　though　I　was

suffering　the　greatest　misery　I　had　ever　known　I　would　not

have　had　it　otherwise　for　all　the　riches　of　Barsoom。　　Such　is

love；　and　such　are　lovers　wherever　love　is　known。



To　me；　Dejah　Thoris　was　all　that　was　perfect；　all　that　was

virtuous　and　beautiful　and　noble　and　good。　　I　believed　that

from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　from　the　depth　of　my　soul　on

that　night　in　Korad　as　I　sat　cross…legged　upon　my　silks　while

the　nearer　moon　of　Barsoom　raced　through　the　western　sky

toward　the　horizon；　and　lighted　up　the　gold　and　marble；　and

jeweled　mosaics　of　my　world…old　chamber；　and　I　believe　it

today　as　I　sit　at　my　desk　in　the　little　study　overlooking　the

Hudson。　　Twenty　years　have　intervened；　for　ten　of　them　I

lived　and　fought　for　Dejah　Thoris　and　her　people；　and　for

ten　I　have　lived　upon　her　memory。



The　morning　of　our　departure　for　Thark　dawned　clear

and　hot；　as　do　all　Martian　mornings　except　for　the　six　weeks

when　the　snow　melts　at　the　poles。



I　sought　out　Dejah　Thoris　in　the　throng　of　departing　chariots；

but　she　turned　her　shoulder　to　me；　and　I　could　see　the　red　blood

mount　to　her　cheek。　　With　the　foolish　inconsistency

of　love　I　held　my　peace　when　I　might　have　plead　ignorance

of　the　nature　of　my　offense；　or　at　least　the　gravity　of　it；

and　so　have　effected；　at　worst；　a　half　conciliation。



My　duty　dictated　that　I　must　see　that　she　was　comfortable；

and　so　I　glanced　into　her　chariot　and　rearranged　her　silks

and　furs。　　In　doing　so　I　noted　with　horror　that　she　was

heavily　chained　by　one　ankle　to　the　side　of　the　vehicle。



〃What　does　this　mean？〃　I　cried；　turning　to　Sola。



〃Sarkoja　thought　it　best；〃　she　answered；　her　face　betokening

her　disapproval　of　the　procedure。



Examining　the　manacles　I　saw　that　they　fastened　with　a

massive　spring　lock。



〃Where　is　the　key；　Sola？　　Let　me　have　it。〃



〃Sarkoja　wears　it；　John　Carter；〃　she　answered。



I　turned　without　further　word　and　sought　out　Tars　Tarkas；

to　whom　I　vehemently　objected　to　the　unnecessary　humiliations

and　cruelties；　as　they　seemed　to　my　lover's　eyes；　that　were

being　heaped　upon　Dejah　Thoris。



〃John　Carter；〃　he　answered；　〃if　ever　you　and　Dejah　Thoris

escape　the　Tharks　it　will　be　upon　this　journey。　　We　know　that

you　will　not　go　without　her。　　You　have　shown　yourself　a

mighty　fighter；　and　we　do　not　wish　to　manacle　you；　so　we

hold　you　both　in　the　easiest　way　that　will　yet　ensure　security。

I　have　spoken。〃



I　saw　the　strength　of　his　reasoning　at　a　flash；　and　knew

that　it　were　futile　to　appeal　from　his　decision；　but　I　asked

that　the　key　be　taken　from　Sarkoja　and　that　she　be　directed

to　leave　the　prisoner　alone　in　future。



〃This　much；　Tars　Tarkas；　you　may　do　for　me　in　return　for

the　friendship　that；　I　must　confess；　I　feel　for　you。〃



〃Friendship？〃　he　replied。　　〃There　is　no　such　thing；　John

Carter；　but　have　your　will。　　I　shall　direct　that　Sarkoja　cease

to　annoy　the　girl；　and　I　myself　will　take　the　custody　of　the

key。〃



〃Unless　you　wish　me　to　assume　the　responsibility；〃　I　said；

smiling。



He　looked　at　me　long　and　earnestly　before　he　spoke。



〃Were　you　to　give　me　your　word　that　neither　you　nor

Dejah　Thoris　would　attempt　to　escape　until　after　we　have

safely　reached　the　court　of　Tal　Hajus　you　might　have　the

key　and　throw　the　chains　into　the　river　Iss。〃



〃It　were　better　that　you　held　the　key；　Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　replied



He　smiled；　and　said　no　more；　but　that　night　as　we　were

making　camp　I　saw　him　unfasten　Dejah　Thoris'　fetters　himself。



With　all　his　cruel　ferocity　and　coldness　there　was　an

undercurrent　of　something　in　Tars　Tarkas　which　he　seemed

ever　battling　to　subdue。　　Could　it　be　a　vestige　of　some　human

instinct　come　back　from　an　ancient　forbear　to　haunt　him

with　the　horror　of　his　people's　ways！



As　I　was　approaching　Dejah　Thoris'　chariot　I　passed　Sarkoja；

and　the　black；　venomous　look　she　accorded　me　was　the　sweetest

balm　I　had　felt　for　many　hours。　　Lord；　how　she　hated　me！

It　bristled　from　her　so　palpably　that　one　might　almost

have　cut　it　with　a　sword。



A　few　moments　later　I　saw　her　deep　in　conversation　with

a　warrior　named　Zad；　a　big；　hulking；　powerful　brute；　but

one　who　had　never　made　a