a princess of mars-第42章

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Neither　side　asked　or　gave　quarter；　nor　did　they　attempt

to　take　prisoners。



On　our　return　to　the　city　after　the　battle　we　had　gone

directly　to　Tars　Tarkas'　quarters；　where　I　was　left　alone

while　the　chieftain　attended　the　customary　council　which

immediately　follows　an　engagement。



As　I　sat　awaiting　the　return　of　the　green　warrior　I　heard

something　move　in　an　adjoining　apartment；　and　as　I　glanced

up　there　rushed　suddenly　upon　me　a　huge　and　hideous

creature　which　bore　me　backward　upon　the　pile　of　silks　and

furs　upon　which　I　had　been　reclining。　　It　was　Woolafaithful；

loving　Woola。　　He　had　found　his　way　back　to　Thark　and；

as　Tars　Tarkas　later　told　me；　had　gone　immediately　to　my

former　quarters　where　he　had　taken　up　his　pathetic　and

seemingly　hopeless　watch　for　my　return。



〃Tal　Hajus　knows　that　you　are　here；　John　Carter；〃　said

Tars　Tarkas；　on　his　return　from　the　jeddak's　quarters；

〃Sarkoja　saw　and　recognized　you　as　we　were　returning。　　Tal

Hajus　has　ordered　me　to　bring　you　before　him　tonight。　　I

have　ten　thoats；　John　Carter；　you　may　take　your　choice

from　among　them；　and　I　will　accompany　you　to　the　nearest

waterway　that　leads　to　Helium。　　Tars　Tarkas　may　be　a　cruel

green　warrior；　but　he　can　be　a　friend　as　well。　　Come；　we

must　start。〃



〃And　when　you　return；　Tars　Tarkas？〃　I　asked。



〃The　wild　calots；　possibly；　or　worse；〃　he　replied。　　〃Unless

I　should　chance　to　have　the　opportunity　I　have　so　long

waited　of　battling　with　Tal　Hajus。〃



〃We　will　stay；　Tars　Tarkas；　and　see　Tal　Hajus　tonight。

You　shall　not　sacrifice　yourself；　and　it　may　be　that　tonight

you　can　have　the　chance　you　wait。〃



He　objected　strenuously；　saying　that　Tal　Hajus　often　flew

into　wild　fits　of　passion　at　the　mere　thought　of　the　blow　I

had　dealt　him；　and　that　if　ever　he　laid　his　hands　upon　me

I　would　be　subjected　to　the　most　horrible　tortures。



While　we　were　eating　I　repeated　to　Tars　Tarkas　the　story

which　Sola　had　told　me　that　night　upon　the　sea　bottom

during　the　march　to　Thark。



He　said　but　little；　but　the　great　muscles　of　his　face

worked　in　passion　and　in　agony　at　recollection　of　the

horrors　which　had　been　heaped　upon　the　only　thing　he　had

ever　loved　in　all　his　cold；　cruel；　terrible　existence。



He　no　longer　demurred　when　I　suggested　that　we　go　before

Tal　Hajus；　only　saying　that　he　would　like　to　speak　to

Sarkoja　first。　　At　his　request　I　accompanied　him　to　her

quarters；　and　the　look　of　venomous　hatred　she　cast　upon

me　was　almost　adequate　recompense　for　any　future　misfortunes

this　accidental　return　to　Thark　might　bring　me。



〃Sarkoja；〃　said　Tars　Tarkas；　〃forty　years　ago　you　were

instrumental　in　bringing　about　the　torture　and　death　of　a

woman　named　Gozava。　　I　have　just　discovered　that　the　warrior

who　loved　that　woman　has　learned　of　your　part　in　the　transaction。

He　may　not　kill　you；　Sarkoja；　it　is　not　our　custom；　but　there　is

nothing　to　prevent　him　tying　one　end　of　a　strap　about　your　neck

and　the　other　end　to　a　wild　thoat；　merely　to　test　your　fitness

to　survive　and　help　perpetuate　our　race。　　Having　heard　that　he

would　do　this　on　the　morrow；　I　thought　it　only　right　to　warn　you；

for　I　am　a　just　man。　　The　river　Iss　is　but　a　short　pilgrimage；

Sarkoja。　　Come；　John　Carter。〃



The　next　morning　Sarkoja　was　gone；　nor　was　she　ever　seen　after。



In　silence　we　hastened　to　the　jeddak's　palace；　where　we　were

immediately　admitted　to　his　presence；　in　fact；　he　could

scarcely　wait　to　see　me　and　was　standing　erect　upon　his

platform　glowering　at　the　entrance　as　I　came　in。



〃Strap　him　to　that　pillar；〃　he　shrieked。　　〃We　shall　see　who

it　is　dares　strike　the　mighty　Tal　Hajus。　　Heat　the　irons；　with

my　own　hands　I　shall　burn　the　eyes　from　his　head　that　he

may　not　pollute　my　person　with　his　vile　gaze。〃



〃Chieftains　of　Thark；〃　I　cried；　turning　to　the　assembled

council　and　ignoring　Tal　Hajus；　〃I　have　been　a　chief　among

you；　and　today　I　have　fought　for　Thark　shoulder　to　shoulder

with　her　greatest　warrior。　　You　owe　me；　at　least；　a　hearing。

I　have　won　that　much　today。　　You　claim　to　be　just　people〃



〃Silence；〃　roared　Tal　Hajus。　　〃Gag　the　creature　and　bind

him　as　I　command。〃



〃Justice；　Tal　Hajus；〃　exclaimed　Lorquas　Ptomel。　　〃Who　are

you　to　set　aside　the　customs　of　ages　among　the　Tharks。〃



〃Yes；　justice！〃　echoed　a　dozen　voices；　and　so；　while　Tal

Hajus　fumed　and　frothed；　I　continued。



〃You　are　a　brave　people　and　you　love　bravery；　but　where

was　your　mighty　jeddak　during　the　fighting　today？　　I　did

not　see　him　in　the　thick　of　battle；　he　was　not　there。　　He

rends　defenseless　women　and　little　children　in　his　lair；　but

how　recently　has　one　of　you　seen　him　fight　with　men？　　Why；

even　I；　a　midget　beside　him；　felled　him　with　a　single　blow

of　my　fist。　　Is　it　of　such　that　the　Tharks　fashion　their　jeddaks？

There　stands　beside　me　now　a　great　Thark；　a　mighty　warrior

and　a　noble　man。　　Chieftains；　how　sounds；　Tars　Tarkas；

Jeddak　of　Thark？〃



A　roar　of　deep…toned　applause　greeted　this　suggestion。



〃It　but　remains　for　this　council　to　command；　and　Tal　Hajus

must　prove　his　fitness　to　rule。　　Were　he　a　brave　man　he　would

invite　Tars　Tarkas　to　combat；　for　he　does　not　love　him；

but　Tal　Hajus　is　afraid；　Tal　Hajus；　your　jeddak；　is　a　coward。

With　my　bare　hands　I　could　kill　him；　and　he　knows　it。〃



After　I　ceased　there　was　tense　silence；　as　all　eyes　were

riveted　upon　Tal　Hajus。　　He　did　not　speak　or　move；　but　the

blotchy　green　of　his　countenance　turned　livid；　and　the　froth

froze　upon　his　lips。



〃Tal　Hajus；〃　said　Lorquas　Ptomel　in　a　cold；　hard　voice；

〃never　in　my　long　life　have　I　seen　a　jeddak　of　the　Tharks

so　humiliated。　　There　could　be　but　one　answer　to　this　arraignment。

We　wait　it。〃　　And　still　Tal　Hajus　stood　as　though　electrified。



〃Chieftains；〃　continued　Lorquas　Ptomel；　〃shall　the　jeddak；

Tal　Hajus；　prove　his　fitness　to　rule　over　Tars　Tarkas？〃



There　were　twenty　chieftains　about　the　rostrum；　and

twenty　swords　flashed　high　in　assent。



There　was　no　alternative。　　That　decree　was　final；　and　so

Tal　Hajus　drew　his　long…sword　and　advanced　to　meet　Tars　Tarkas。



The　combat　was　soon　over；　and；　with　his　foot　upon　the　neck　of

the　dead　monster；　Tars　Tarkas　became　jeddak　among　the　Tharks。



His　first　act　was　to　make　me　a　full…fledged　chieftain　with

the　rank　I　had　won　by　my　combats　the　first　few　weeks

of　my　captivity　among　them。



Seeing　the　favorable　disposition　of　the　warriors　toward

Tars　Tarkas；　as　well　as　toward　me；　I　grasped　the　opportunity

to　enlist　them　in　my　cause　against　Zodanga。　　I　told　Tars　Tarkas

the　story　of　my　adventures；　and　in　a　few　words　had　explained

to　him　the　thought　I　had　in　mind。



〃John　Carter　has　made　a　proposal；〃　he　said；　addressing

the　council；　〃which　meets　with　my　sanction。　　I　shall　put　it

to　you　briefly。　　Dejah　Thoris；　the　Princess　of　Helium；　who

was　our　prisoner；　is　now　held　by　the　jeddak　of　Zodanga；

whose　son　she　must　wed　to　save　her　country　from　devastation

at　the　hands　of　the　Zodangan　forces。



〃John　Carter　suggests　that　we　rescue　her　and　return　her

to　Helium。　　The　loot　of　Zodanga　would　be　magnificent；　and

I　have　often　thought　that　had　we　an　alliance　with　the　people

of　Helium　we　could　obtain　sufficient　assurance　of　sustenance

to　permit　us　to　increase　the　size　and　frequency　of　our　hatchings；

and　thus　become　unquestionably　supreme　among　the　green　men　of

all　Barsoom。　　What　say　you？〃



It　was　a　chance　to　fight；　an　opportunity　to　loot；　and　they

rose　to　the　bait　as　a　speckled　trout　to　a　fly。



For　Tharks　they　were　wildly　enthusiastic；　and　before　another　half

hour　had　passed　twenty　mounted　messengers　were　speeding　across

dead　sea　bottoms　to　call　the　hordes　together　for　the　expedition。



In　three　days　we　were　on　the　march　toward　Zodanga；

one　hundred　thousand　strong；　as　Tars　Tarkas　had　been　able

to　enlist　the　services　of　three　smaller　hordes　on　the　promise

of　the　great　loot　of　Zodanga。



At　the　head　of　the　column　I　rode　beside　the　g