thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第24章
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from all other savage beasts。 Even the great white apes would flee the
mighty banth in terror。 Men only need she fear； but she must take this
and many other chances before she could hope to reach her father's court
again。
When at last Carthoris found her； only to be struck down by the long…
sword of a green man； Thuvia prayed that the same fate might overtake
her。
The sight of the red warriors leaping from their fliers had； for a
moment； filled her with renewed hopehope that Carthoris of Helium
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might be only stunned and that they would rescue him； but when she saw
the Dusarian metal upon their harness； and that they sought only to escape
with her alone from the charging Torquasians； she gave up。
Komal； too； was deaddead across the body of the Heliumite。 She was；
indeed； alone now。 There was none to protect her。
The Dusarian warriors dragged her to the deck of the nearest flier。
All about them the green warriors surged in an attempt to wrest her from
the red。
At last those who had not died in the conflict gained the decks of the
two craft。 The engines throbbed and purredthe propellers whirred。
Quickly the swift boats shot heavenward。
Thuvia of Ptarth glanced about her。 A man stood near； smiling down
into her face。 With a gasp of recognition she looked full into his eyes；
and then with a little moan of terror and understanding she buried her face
in her hands and sank to the polished skeel…wood deck。 It was Astok；
Prince of Dusar； who bent above her。
Swift were the fliers of Astok of Dusar； and great the need for reaching
his father's court as quickly as possible； for the fleets of war of Helium and
Ptarth and Kaol were scattered far and wide above Barsoom。 Nor would
it go well with Astok or Dusar should any one of them discover Thuvia of
Ptarth a prisoner upon his own vessel。
Aaanthor lies in fifty south latitude； and forty east of Horz； the
deserted seat of ancient Barsoomian culture and learning； while Dusar lies
fifteen degrees north of the equator and twenty degrees east from Horz。
Great though the distance is； the fliers covered it without a stop。
Long before they had reached their destination Thuvia of Ptarth had
learned several things that cleared up the doubts that had assailed her mind
for many days。 Scarce had they risen above Aaanthor than she
recognized one of the crew as a member of the crew of that other flier that
had borne her from her father's gardens to Aaanthor。 The presence of
Astok upon the craft settled the whole question。 She had been stolen by
emissaries of the Dusarian princeCarthoris of Helium had had nothing to
do with it。
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Nor did Astok deny the charge when she accused him。 He only smiled
and pleaded his love for her。
〃I would sooner mate with a white ape！〃 she cried； when he would
have urged his suit。
Astok glowered sullenly upon her。
〃You shall mate with me； Thuvia of Ptarth；〃 he growled； 〃or； by your
first ancestor； you shall have your preferenceand mate with a white ape。〃
The girl made no reply； nor could he draw her into conversation during
the balance of the journey。
As a matter of fact Astok was a trifle awed by the proportions of the
conflict which his abduction of the Ptarthian princess had induced； nor
was he over comfortable with the weight of responsibility which the
possession of such a prisoner entailed。
His one thought was to get her to Dusar； and there let his father
assume the responsibility。 In the meantime he would be as careful as
possible to do nothing to affront her； lest they all might be captured and he
have to account for his treatment of the girl to one of the great jeddaks
whose interest centred in her。
And so at last they came to Dusar； where Astok hid his prisoner in a
secret room high in the east tower of his own palace。 He had sworn his
men to silence in the matter of the identity of the girl； for until he had seen
his father； Nutus； Jeddak of Dusar； he dared not let any one know whom
he had brought with him from the south。
But when he appeared in the great audience chamber before the cruel…
lipped man who was his sire； he found his courage oozing； and he dared
not speak of the princess hid within his palace。 It occurred to him to test
his father's sentiments upon the subject； and so he told a tale of capturing
one who claimed to know the whereabouts of Thuvia of Ptarth。
〃And if you command it； Sire；〃 he said； 〃I will go and capture her
fetching her here to Dusar。〃
Nutus frowned and shook his head。
〃You have done enough already to set Ptarth and Kaol and Helium all
three upon us at once should they learn your part in the theft of the Ptarth
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princess。 That you succeeded in shifting the guilt upon the Prince of
Helium was fortunate； and a masterly move of strategy； but were the girl
to know the truth and ever return to her father's court； all Dusar would
have to pay the penalty； and to have her here a prisoner amongst us would
be an admission of guilt from the consequences of which naught could
save us。 It would cost me my throne； Astok； and that I have no mind to
lose。
〃If we had her here〃 the elder man suddenly commenced to muse；
repeating the phrase again and again。 〃If we had her here； Astok；〃 he
exclaimed fiercely。 〃Ah； if we but had her here and none knew that she
was here！ Can you not guess； man？ The guilt of Dusar might be for ever
buried with her bones；〃 he concluded in a low； savage whisper。
Astok； Prince of Dusar； shuddered。
Weak he was； yes； and wicked； too； but the suggestion that his father's
words implied turned him cold with horror。
Cruel to their enemies are the men of Mars； but the word 〃enemies〃 is
commonly interpreted to mean men only。 Assassination runs riot in the
great Barsoomian cities； yet to murder a woman is a crime so unthinkable
that even the most hardened of the paid assassins would shrink from you
in horror should you suggest such a thing to him。
Nutus was apparently oblivious to his son's all…too…patent terror at his
suggestion。 Presently he continued：
〃You say that you know where the girl lies hid； since she was stolen
from your people at Aaanthor。 Should she be found by any one of the three
powers； her unsupported story would be sufficient to turn them all against
us。
〃There is but one way； Astok；〃 cried the older man。 〃You must return
at once to her hiding…place and fetch her hither in all secrecy。 And； look
you here！ Return not to Dusar without her； upon pain of death！〃
Astok； Prince of Dusar； well knew his royal father's temper。 He knew
that in the tyrant's heart there pulsed no single throb of love for any
creature。
Astok's mother had been a slave woman。 Nutus had never loved her。
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He had never loved another。 In youth he had tried to find a bride at the
courts of several of his powerful neighbours； but their women would have
none of him。
After a dozen daughters of his own nobility had sought self…
destruction rather than wed him he had given up。 And then it had been that
he had legally wed one of his slaves that he might have a son to stand
among the jeds when Nutus died and a new jeddak was chosen。
Slowly Astok withdrew from the presence of his father。 With white
face and shaking limbs he made his way to his own palace。 As he
crossed the courtyard his glance chanced to wander to the great east tower
looming high against the azure of the sky。
At sight of it beads of sweat broke out upon his brow。
Issus！ No other hand than his could be trusted to do the horrid thing。
With his own fingers he must crush the life from that perfect throat； or
plunge the silent blade into the red； red heart。
Her heart！ The heart that he had hoped would brim with love for
him！
But had it done so？ He recalled the haughty contempt with which his
protestations of love had been received。 He went cold and then hot to the
memory of it。 His compunctions cooled as the self…satisfaction of a near
revenge crowded out the finer instincts that had for a moment asserted
themselvesthe good that he had inherited from the slave woman was
once again submerged in the bad blood that had come down to him from
his royal sire； as； in the end； it always was。
A cold smile supplanted the terror that had dilated his eyes。 He
turned his steps toward the tower。 He would see her before he set out
upon the journey that was to blind his father to the fact that the girl was
already in Dusar。
Quietly he passed in through the secret way； ascending a spiral runway
to the apartment in which the Princess of Ptarth was immured。
As he entered the room he saw the girl leaning upon the sill of the east
casement； gazing out across the roof tops of Dusar toward distant Ptarth。
He hated Ptarth。 The thought of it filled him with rage。 Why not finish
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her now and have it done with？
At the sound of his step she turned quickly toward him。 Ah； how
beautiful she was！ His sudden determination faded beneath the glorious
light of her wondrous beauty。 He woul
