thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第25章
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beautiful she was！ His sudden determination faded beneath the glorious
light of her wondrous beauty。 He would wait until he had returned from
his little journey of deceptionmaybe there might be some other way then。
Some other hand to strike the blowwith that face； with those eyes before
him； he could never do it。 Of that he was positive。 He had always gloried
in the cruelty of his nature； but； Issus！ he was not that cruel。 No； another
must be foundone whom he could trust。
He was still looking at her as she stood there before him meeting his
gaze steadily and unafraid。 He felt the hot passion of his love
mounting higher and higher。
Why not sue once more？ If she would relent； all might yet be well。
Even if his father could not be persuaded； they could fly to Ptarth； laying
all the blame of the knavery and intrigue that had thrown four great
nations into war； upon the shoulders of Nutus。 And who was there that
would doubt the justice of the charge？
〃Thuvia；〃 he said； 〃I come once again； for the last time； to lay my
heart at your feet。 Ptarth and Kaol and Dusar are battling with Helium
because of you。 Wed me； Thuvia； and all may yet be as it should be。〃
The girl shook her head。
〃Wait！〃 he commanded； before she could speak。 〃Know the truth
before you speak words that may seal； not only your own fate； but that of
the thousands of warriors who battle because of you。
〃Refuse to wed me willingly； and Dusar would be laid waste should
ever the truth be known to Ptarth and Kaol and Helium。 They would raze
our cities； leaving not one stone upon another。 They would scatter our
peoples across the face of Barsoom from the frozen north to the frozen
south； hunting them down and slaying them； until this great nation
remained only as a hated memory in the minds of men。
〃But while they are exterminating the Dusarians； countless thousands
of their own warriors must perish and all because of the stubbornness of
a single woman who would not wed the prince who loves her。
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〃Refuse； Thuvia of Ptarth； and there remains but a single alternative
no man must ever know your fate。 Only a handful of loyal servitors
besides my royal father and myself know that you were stolen from the
gardens of Thuvan Dihn by Astok； Prince of Dusar； or that to…day you be
imprisoned in my palace。
〃Refuse； Thuvia of Ptarth； and you must die to save Dusar there is no
other way。 Nutus； the jeddak； has so decreed。 I have spoken。〃
For a long moment the girl let her level gaze rest full upon the face of
Astok of Dusar。 Then she spoke； and though the words were few； the
unimpassioned tone carried unfathomable depths of cold contempt。
〃Better all that you have threatened；〃 she said； 〃than you。〃
Then she turned her back upon him and went to stand once more
before the east window； gazing with sad eyes toward distant Ptarth。
Astok wheeled and left the room； returning after a short interval of
time with food and drink。
〃Here；〃 he said； 〃is sustenance until I return again。 The next to enter
this apartment will be your executioner。 Commend yourself to your
ancestors； Thuvia of Ptarth； for within a few days you shall be with them。〃
Then he was gone。
Half an hour later he was interviewing an officer high in the navy of
Dusar。
〃Whither went Vas Kor？〃 he asked。 〃He is not at his palace。〃
〃South； to the great waterway that skirts Torquas；〃 replied the other。
〃His son； Hal Vas； is Dwar of the Road there； and thither has Vas Kor gone
to enlist recruits among the workers on the farms。〃
〃Good；〃 said Astok； and a half…hour more found him rising above
Dusar in his swiftest flier。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER XIII
TURJUN； THE PANTHAN
The face of carthoris of Helium gave no token of the emotions that
convulsed him inwardly as he heard from the lips of Hal Vas that Helium
was at war with Dusar； and that fate had thrown him into the service of the
enemy。
That he might utilize this opportunity to the good of Helium scarce
sufficed to outweigh the chagrin he felt that he was not fighting in the
open at the head of his own loyal troops。
To escape the Dusarians might prove an easy matter； and then again it
might not。 Should they suspect his loyalty （and the loyalty of an
impressed panthan was always open to suspicion）； he might not find an
opportunity to elude their vigilance until after the termination of the war；
which might occur within days； or； again； only after long and weary years
of bloodshed。
He recalled that history recorded wars in which actual military
operations had been carried on without cessation for five or six hundred
years； and even now there were nations upon Barsoom with which Helium
had made no peace within the history of man。
The outlook was not cheering。 He could not guess that within a few
hours he would be blessing the fate that had thrown him into the service of
Dusar。
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Hal Vas。 〃Here is my father now。 Kaor！ Vas Kor。
Here is one you will be glad to meet a doughty panthan〃 He
hesitated。
〃Turjun；〃 interjected Carthoris； seizing upon the first appellation that
occurred to him。
As he spoke his eyes crossed quickly to the tall warrior who was
entering the room。 Where before had he seen that giant figure； that
taciturn countenance； and the livid sword…cut from temple to mouth？
〃Vas Kor；〃 repeated Carthoris mentally。 〃Vas Kor！〃 Where had he
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
seen the man before？
And then the noble spoke； and like a flash it all came back to
Carthoristhe forward servant upon the landing… stage at Ptarth that time
that he had been explaining the intricacies of his new compass to Thuvan
Dihn； the lone slave that had guarded his own hangar that night he had left
upon his ill…fated journey for Ptarththe journey that had brought him so
mysteriously to far Aaanthor。
〃Vas Kor；〃 he repeated aloud； 〃blessed be your ancestors for this
meeting；〃 nor did the Dusarian guess the wealth of meaning that lay
beneath that hackneyed phrase with which a Barsoomian acknowledges an
introduction。
〃And blessed be yours； Turjun；〃 replied Vas Kor。
Now came the introduction of Kar Komak to Vas Kor； and as Carthoris
went through the little ceremony there came to him the only explanation
he might make to account for the white skin and auburn hair of the
bowman； for he feared that the truth might not be believed and thus
suspicion be cast upon them both from the beginning。
〃Kar Komak；〃 he explained； 〃is； as you can see； a thern。 He has
wandered far from his icebound southern temples in search of adventure。
I came upon him in the pits of Aaanthor； but though I have known him so
short a time； I can vouch for his bravery and loyalty。〃
Since the destruction of the fabric of their false religion by John Carter；
the majority of the therns had gladly accepted the new order of things； so
that it was now no longer uncommon to see them mingling with the
multitudes of red men in any of the great cities of the outer world； so Vas
Kor neither felt nor expressed any great astonishment。
All during the interview Carthoris watched； catlike； for some
indication that Vas Kor recognized in the battered panthan the erstwhile
gorgeous Prince of Helium； but the sleepless nights； the long days of
marching and fighting； the wounds and the dried blood had evidently
sufficed to obliterate the last remnant of his likeness to his former self； and
then Vas Kor had seen him but twice in all his life。 Little wonder that he
did not know him。
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During the evening Vas Kor announced that on the morrow they
should depart north toward Dusar； picking up recruits at various stations
along the way。
In a great field behind the house a flier laya fair… sized cruiser…
transport that would accommodate many men； yet swift and well armed
also。 Here Carthoris slept； and Kar Komak； too； with the other recruits；
under guard of the regular Dusarian warriors that manned the craft。
Toward midnight Vas Kor returned to the vessel from his son's house；
repairing at once to his cabin。 Carthoris； with one of the Dusarians； was
on watch。 It was with difficulty that the Heliumite repressed a cold smile
as the noble passed within a foot of himwithin a foot of the long； slim；
Heliumitic blade that swung in his harness。
How easy it would have been！ How easy to avenge the cowardly
trick that had been played upon himto avenge Helium and Ptarth and
Thuvia！
But his hand moved not toward the dagger's hilt； for first Vas Kor
must serve a better purpose he might know where Thuvia of Ptarth lay
hidden now； if it had truly been Dusarians that had spirited her away
during the fight before Aaanthor。
And then； too； there was the instigator of the entire foul plot。 HE
must pay the penalty； and who better than Vas Kor could lead the Prince of
Helium to Astok of Dusar？
Faintly out of the night there came to Carthoris's ears the purring of a
distant motor。 He scanned the heavens。
Yes； there it was far in the north； dimly outlined aga
