a princess of mars-第32章

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the　surface。　　it　had　partially　filled　with　debris　so　that　how

large　it　had　originally　been　was　difficult　to　say。　　In　its

present　condition　it　held　the　entire　twenty　thousand　Warhoons

of　the　assembled　hordes。



The　arena　was　immense　but　extremely　uneven　and　unkempt。

Around　it　the　Warhoons　had　piled　building　stone　from

some　of　the　ruined　edifices　of　the　ancient　city　to　prevent

the　animals　and　the　captives　from　escaping　into　the

audience；　and　at　each　end　had　been　constructed　cages

to　hold　them　until　their　turns　came　to　meet　some　horrible

death　upon　the　arena。



Kantos　Kan　and　I　were　confined　together　in　one　of　the　cages。

In　the　others　were　wild　calots；　thoats；　mad　zitidars；

green　warriors；　and　women　of　other　hordes；　and　many

strange　and　ferocious　wild　beasts　of　Barsoom　which　I　had

never　before　seen。　　The　din　of　their　roaring；　growling　and

squealing　was　deafening　and　the　formidable　appearance　of

any　one　of　them　was　enough　to　make　the　stoutest　heart　feel

grave　forebodings。



Kantos　Kan　explained　to　me　that　at　the　end　of　the　day　one

of　these　prisoners　would　gain　freedom　and　the　others　would

lie　dead　about　the　arena。　　The　winners　in　the　various　contests

of　the　day　would　be　pitted　against　each　other　until　only　two

remained　alive；　the　victor　in　the　last　encounter　being　set　free；

whether　animal　or　man。　　The　following　morning　the　cages　would

be　filled　with　a　new　consignment　of　victims；　and　so　on

throughout　the　ten　days　of　the　games。



Shortly　after　we　had　been　caged　the　amphitheater　began　to　fill

and　within　an　hour　every　available　part　of　the　seating　space

was　occupied。　　Dak　Kova；　with　his　jeds　and　chieftains；　sat　at

the　center　of　one　side　of　the　arena　upon　a　large　raised　platform。



At　a　signal　from　Dak　Kova　the　doors　of　two　cages　were

thrown　open　and　a　dozen　green　Martian　females　were

driven　to　the　center　of　the　arena。　　Each　was　given　a

dagger　and　then；　at　the　far　end；　a　pack　of　twelve　calots；

or　wild　dogs　were　loosed　upon　them。



As　the　brutes；　growling　and　foaming；　rushed　upon　the　almost

defenseless　women　I　turned　my　head　that　I　might　not　see　the

horrid　sight。　　The　yells　and　laughter　of　the　green　horde

bore　witness　to　the　excellent　quality　of　the　sport　and

when　I　turned　back　to　the　arena；　as　Kantos　Kan　told　me　it

was　over；　I　saw　three　victorious　calots；　snarling　and　growling

over　the　bodies　of　their　prey。　　The　women　had　given　a　good　account


of　themselves。



Next　a　mad　zitidar　was　loosed　among　the　remaining　dogs；

and　so　it　went　throughout　the　long；　hot；　horrible　day。



During　the　day　I　was　pitted　against　first　men　and　then

beasts；　but　as　I　was　armed　with　a　long…sword　and　always

outclassed　my　adversary　in　agility　and　generally　in　strength

as　well；　it　proved　but　child's　play　to　me。　　Time　and　time　again

I　won　the　applause　of　the　bloodthirsty　multitude；　and　toward

the　end　there　were　cries　that　I　be　taken　from　the　arena

and　be　made　a　member　of　the　hordes　of　Warhoon。



Finally　there　were　but　three　of　us　left；　a　great　green　warrior

of　some　far　northern　horde；　Kantos　Kan；　and　myself。



The　other　two　were　to　battle　and　then　I　to　fight　the　conqueror

for　the　liberty　which　was　accorded　the　final　winner。



Kantos　Kan　had　fought　several　times　during　the　day　and

like　myself　had　always　proven　victorious；　but　occasionally

by　the　smallest　of　margins；　especially　when　pitted　against

the　green　warriors。　　I　had　little　hope　that　he　could　best　his

giant　adversary　who　had　mowed　down　all　before　him　during

the　day。　　The　fellow　towered　nearly　sixteen　feet　in　height；

while　Kantos　Kan　was　some　inches　under　six　feet。　　As　they

advanced　to　meet　one　another　I　saw　for　the　first　time　a　trick

of　Martian　swordsmanship　which　centered　Kantos　Kan's

every　hope　of　victory　and　life　on　one　cast　of　the　dice；　for；

as　he　came　to　within　about　twenty　feet　of　the　huge　fellow

he　threw　his　sword　arm　far　behind　him　over　his　shoulder

and　with　a　mighty　sweep　hurled　his　weapon　point　foremost

at　the　green　warrior。　　It　flew　true　as　an　arrow　and　piercing

the　poor　devil's　heart　laid　him　dead　upon　the　arena。



Kantos　Kan　and　I　were　now　pitted　against　each　other　but

as　we　approached　to　the　encounter　I　whispered　to　him　to

prolong　the　battle　until　nearly　dark　in　the　hope　that　we

might　find　some　means　of　escape。　　The　horde　evidently

guessed　that　we　had　no　hearts　to　fight　each　other　and　so

they　howled　in　rage　as　neither　of　us　placed　a　fatal　thrust。

Just　as　I　saw　the　sudden　coming　of　dark　I　whispered　to

Kantos　Kan　to　thrust　his　sword　between　my　left　arm　and　my

body。　　As　he　did　so　I　staggered　back　clasping　the　sword

tightly　with　my　arm　and　thus　fell　to　the　ground　with　his

weapon　apparently　protruding　from　my　chest。　　Kantos　Kan

perceived　my　coup　and　stepping　quickly　to　my　side　he　placed　his

foot　upon　my　neck　and　withdrawing　his　sword　from　my　body

gave　me　the　final　death　blow　through　the　neck　which　is　supposed

to　sever　the　jugular　vein；　but　in　this　instance　the　cold

blade　slipped　harmlessly　into　the　sand　of　the　arena。　　In　the

darkness　which　had　now　fallen　none　could　tell　but　that　he

had　really　finished　me。　　I　whispered　to　him　to　go　and　claim

his　freedom　and　then　look　for　me　in　the　hills　east　of　the

city；　and　so　he　left　me。



When　the　amphitheater　had　cleared　I　crept　stealthily　to

the　top　and　as　the　great　excavation　lay　far　from　the　plaza

and　in　an　untenanted　portion　of　the　great　dead　city　I　had

little　trouble　in　reaching　the　hills　beyond。









CHAPTER　XX





IN　THE　ATMOSPHERE　FACTORY





For　two　days　I　waited　there　for　Kantos　Kan；　but　as　he　did

not　come　I　started　off　on　foot　in　a　northwesterly　direction

toward　a　point　where　he　had　told　me　lay　the　nearest　waterway。

My　only　food　consisted　of　vegetable　milk　from　the

plants　which　gave　so　bounteously　of　this　priceless　fluid。



Through　two　long　weeks　I　wandered；　stumbling　through

the　nights　guided　only　by　the　stars　and　hiding　during　the

days　behind　some　protruding　rock　or　among　the　occasional

hills　I　traversed。　　Several　times　I　was　attacked　by　wild　beasts；

strange；　uncouth　monstrosities　that　leaped　upon　me　in　the

dark；　so　that　I　had　ever　to　grasp　my　long…sword　in　my　hand

that　I　might　be　ready　for　them。　　Usually　my　strange；　newly

acquired　telepathic　power　warned　me　in　ample　time；　but

once　I　was　down　with　vicious　fangs　at　my　jugular　and　a

hairy　face　pressed　close　to　mine　before　I　knew　that　I　was

even　threatened。



What　manner　of　thing　was　upon　me　I　did　not　know；　but

that　it　was　large　and　heavy　and　many…legged　I　could　feel。

My　hands　were　at　its　throat　before　the　fangs　had　a　chance　to

bury　themselves　in　my　neck；　and　slowly　I　forced　the　hairy　face

from　me　and　closed　my　fingers；　vise…like；　upon　its　windpipe。



Without　sound　we　lay　there；　the　beast　exerting　every　effort

to　reach　me　with　those　awful　fangs；　and　I　straining　to

maintain　my　grip　and　choke　the　life　from　it　as　I　kept　it　from

my　throat。　　Slowly　my　arms　gave　to　the　unequal　struggle；

and　inch　by　inch　the　burning　eyes　and　gleaming　tusks　of　my

antagonist　crept　toward　me；　until；　as　the　hairy　face　touched

mine　again；　I　realized　that　all　was　over。　　And　then　a　living

mass　of　destruction　sprang　from　the　surrounding　darkness

full　upon　the　creature　that　held　me　pinioned　to　the　ground。

The　two　rolled　growling　upon　the　moss；　tearing　and　rending

one　another　in　a　frightful　manner；　but　it　was　soon　over　and

my　preserver　stood　with　lowered　head　above　the　throat　of

the　dead　thing　which　would　have　killed　me。



The　nearer　moon；　hurtling　suddenly　above　the　horizon

and　lighting　up　the　Barsoomian　scene；　showed　me　that　my

preserver　was　Woola；　but　from　whence　he　had　come；　or　how

found　me；　I　was　at　a　loss　to　know。　　That　I　was　glad　of　his

companionship　it　is　needless　to　say；　but　my　pleasure　at　seeing

him　was　tempered　by　anxiety　as　to　the　reason　of　his　leaving

Dejah　Thoris。　　Only　her　death　I　felt　sure；　could　account　for

his　absence　from　her；　so　faithful　I　knew　him　to　be　to　my