thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第21章
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those same wordsin the throne…room of Tario of Lothar as they had
commenced to slip down the sinking marble floor toward an unknown
fate。
Then she had not chidden him for the use of that familiar salutation；
nor did she chide him now； though she was promised to another。 She
wondered at herselfflushing at her own turpitude； for upon Barsoom it is
a shameful thing for a woman to listen to those two words from another
than her husband or her betrothed。
Carthoris saw her flush of mortification； and in an instant regretted his
words。 There was but a moment before the green warriors would be
upon them。
〃Forgive me！〃 said the man in a low voice。 〃Let my great love be my
excusethat； and the belief that I have but a moment more of life；〃 and
with the words he turned to meet the foremost of the green warriors。
The fellow was charging with couched spear； but Carthoris leaped to
one side； and as the great thoat and its rider hurtled harmlessly past him he
swung his long…sword in a mighty cut that clove the green carcass in
twain。
At the same moment Kar Komak leaped with bare hands clawing at
the leg of another of the huge riders； the balance of the horde raced in to
close quarters； dismounting the better to wield their favourite long…swords；
the Dusarian fliers touched the soft carpet of the ochre…clad sea…bottom；
disgorging fifty fighting men from their bowels； and into the swirling sea
of cutting； slashing swords sprang Komal； the great banth。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER XI
GREEN MEN AND WHITE APES
A Torquasian sword smote a glancing blow across the forehead of
Carthoris。 He had a fleeting vision of soft arms about his neck； and
warm lips close to his before he lost consciousness。
How long he lay there senseless he could not guess； but when he
opened his eyes again he was alone； except for the bodies of the dead
green men and Dusarians； and the carcass of a great banth that lay half
across his own。
Thuvia was gone； nor was the body of Kar Komak among the dead。
Weak from loss of blood； Carthoris made his way slowly toward
Aaanthor； reaching its outskirts at dark。
He wanted water more than any other thing； and so he kept on up a
broad avenue toward the great central plaza； where he knew the precious
fluid was to be found in a half…ruined building opposite the great palace of
the ancient jeddak； who once had ruled this mighty city。
Disheartened and discouraged by the strange sequence of events that
seemed fore…ordained to thwart his every attempt to serve the Princess of
Ptarth； he paid little or no attention to his surroundings； moving through
the deserted city as though no great white apes lurked in the black
shadows of the mystery…haunted piles that flanked the broad avenues and
the great plaza。
But if Carthoris was careless of his surroundings； not so other eyes that
watched his entrance into the plaza； and followed his slow footsteps
toward the marble pile that housed the tiny； half…choked spring whose
water one might gain only by scratching a deep hole in the red sand that
covered it。
And as the Heliumite entered the small building a dozen mighty；
grotesque figures emerged from the doorway of the palace to speed
noiselessly across the plaza toward him。
For half an hour Carthoris remained in the building； digging for water
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and gaining the few much…needed drops which were the fruits of his
labour。 Then he rose and slowly left the structure。 Scarce had he
stepped beyond the threshold than twelve Torquasian warriors leaped upon
him。
No time then to draw long…sword； but swift from his harness flew his
long； slim dagger； and as he went down beneath them more than a single
green heart ceased beating at the bite of that keen point。
Then they overpowered him and took his weapons away； but only nine
of the twelve warriors who had crossed the plaza returned with their prize。
They dragged their prisoner roughly to the palace pits； where in utter
darkness they chained him with rusty links to the solid masonry of the
wall。
〃To…morrow Thar Ban will speak with you；〃 they said。 〃Now he sleeps。
But great will be his pleasure when he learns who has wandered amongst
usand great will be the pleasure of Hortan Gur when Thar Ban drags
before him the mad fool who dared prick the great jeddak with his sword。〃
Then they left him to the silence and the darkness。
For what seemed hours Carthoris squatted upon the stone floor of his
prison； his back against the wall in which was sunk the heavy eye…bolt that
secured the chain which held him。
Then； from out of the mysterious blackness before him； there came to
his ears the sound of naked feet moving stealthily upon stone
approaching nearer and nearer to where he lay； unarmed and defenceless。
Minutes passedminutes that seemed hoursduring which time
periods of sepulchral silence would be followed by a repetition of the
uncanny scraping of naked feet slinking warily upon him。
At last he heard a sudden rush of unshod soles across the empty
blackness； and at a little distance a scuffling sound； heavy breathing； and
once what he thought the muttered imprecation of a man battling against
great odds。 Then the clanging of a chain； and a noise as of the snapping
back against stone of a broken link。
Again came silence。 But for a moment only。 Now he heard once
more the soft feet approaching him。 He thought that he discerned wicked
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eyes gleaming fearfully at him through the darkness。 He knew that he
could hear the heavy breathing of powerful lungs。
Then came the rush of many feet toward him； and the THINGS were
upon him。
Hands terminating in manlike fingers clutched at his throat and arms
and legs。 Hairy bodies strained and struggled against his own smooth
hide as he battled in grim silence against these horrid foemen in the
darkness of the pits of ancient Aaanthor。
Thewed like some giant god was Carthoris of Helium； yet in the
clutches of these unseen creatures of the pit's Stygian night he was
helpless as a frail woman。
Yet he battled on； striking futile blows against great； hispid breasts he
could not see； feeling thick； squat throats beneath his fingers； the drool of
saliva upon his cheek； and hot； foul breath in his nostrils。
Fangs； too； mighty fangs； he knew were close； and why they did not
sink into his flesh he could not guess。
At last he became aware of the mighty surging of a number of his
antagonists back and forth upon the great chain that held him； and
presently came the same sound that he had heard at a little distance from
him a short time before he had been attackedhis chain had parted and the
broken end snapped back against the stone wall。
Now he was seized upon either side and dragged at a rapid pace
through the dark corridorstoward what fate he could not even guess。
At first he had thought his foes might be of the tribe of Torquas； but
their hairy bodies belied that belief。 Now he was at last quite sure of their
identity； though why they had not killed and devoured him at once he
could not imagine。
After half an hour or more of rapid racing through the underground
passages that are a distinguishing feature of all Barsoomian cities； modern
as well as ancient； his captors suddenly emerged into the moonlight of a
courtyard； far from the central plaza。
Immediately Carthoris saw that he was in the power of a tribe of the
great white apes of Barsoom。 All that had caused him doubt before as to
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the identity of his attackers was the hairiness of their breasts； for the white
apes are entirely hairless except for a great shock bristling from their
heads。
Now he saw the cause of that which had deceived him across the
chest of each of them were strips of hairy hide； usually of banth； in
imitation of the harness of the green warriors who so often camped at their
deserted city。
Carthoris had read of the existence of tribes of apes that seemed to be
progressing slowly toward higher standards of intelligence。 Into the
hands of such； he realized； he had fallen； butwhat were their intentions
toward him？
As he glanced about the courtyard； he saw fully fifty of the hideous
beasts； squatting on their haunches； and at a little distance from him
another human being； closely guarded。
As his eyes met those of his fellow…captive a smile lit the other's face；
and： 〃Kaor； red man！〃 burst from his lips。 It was Kar Komak； the
bowman。
〃Kaor！〃 cried Carthoris； in response。 〃How came you here； and what
befell the princess？〃
〃Red men like yourself descended in mighty ships that sailed the air；
even as the great ships of my distant day sailed the five seas；〃 replied Kar
Komak。 〃They fought with the green men of Torquas。 They slew
Komal； god of Lothar。 I thought they were your friends； and I was glad
when finally those of them who survived the battle carried the red girl to
one of the ships and sailed away with her into the safety of the high air。
〃Then the green men seized me； and carried me to a great； empty city；
wher
