thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第3章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the pilot。 You see I have anticipated almost every contingency。〃
Thuvan Dihn smiled his appreciation of the marvellous device。 The
forward servant pushed almost to the flier's side。 His eyes were narrowed
to slits。
〃All but one；〃 he said。
The nobles looked at him in astonishment； and one of them grasped
the fellow none too gently by the shoulder to push him back to his proper
place。 Carthoris raised his hand。
〃Wait；〃 he urged。 〃Let us hear what the man has to sayno creation
of mortal mind is perfect。 Perchance he has detected a weakness that it
will be well to know at once。 Come； my good fellow； and what may be
the one contingency I have overlooked？〃
10
… Page 11…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
As he spoke Carthoris observed the servant closely for the first time。
He saw a man of giant stature and handsome； as are all those of the race of
Martian red men； but the fellow's lips were thin and cruel； and across one
cheek was the faint； white line of a sword…cut from the right temple to the
corner of the mouth。
〃Come；〃 urged the Prince of Helium。 〃Speak！〃
The man hesitated。 It was evident that he regretted the temerity that
had made him the centre of interested observation。 But at last； seeing no
alternative； he spoke。
〃It might be tampered with；〃 he said； 〃by an enemy。〃
Carthoris drew a small key from his leathern pocket…pouch。
〃Look at this；〃 he said； handing it to the man。 〃If you know aught of
locks； you will know that the mechanism which this unlooses is beyond
the cunning of a picker of locks。 It guards the vitals of the instrument from
crafty tampering。 Without it an enemy must half wreck the device to reach
its heart； leaving his handiwork apparent to the most casual observer。〃
The servant took the key； glanced at it shrewdly； and then as he made
to return it to Carthoris dropped it upon the marble flagging。 Turning to
look for it he planted the sole of his sandal full upon the glittering object。
For an instant he bore all his weight upon the foot that covered the key；
then he stepped back and with an exclamation as of pleasure that he had
found it； stooped； recovered it； and returned it to the Heliumite。 Then he
dropped back to his station behind the nobles and was forgotten。
A moment later Carthoris had made his adieux to Thuvan Dihn and his
nobles； and with lights twinkling had risen into the star…shot void of the
Martian night。
11
… Page 12…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER II
SLAVERY
As the ruler of Ptarth； followed by his courtiers； descended from the
landing…stage above the palace； the servants dropped into their places in
the rear of their royal or noble masters； and behind the others one lingered
to the last。 Then quickly stooping he snatched the sandal from his right
foot； slipping it into his pocket…pouch。
When the party had come to the lower levels； and the jeddak had
dispersed them by a sign； none noticed that the forward fellow who had
drawn so much attention to himself before the Prince of Helium departed；
was no longer among the other servants。
To whose retinue he had been attached none had thought to inquire； for
the followers of a Martian noble are many； coming and going at the whim
of their master； so that a new face is scarcely ever questioned； as the fact
that a man has passed within the palace walls is considered proof positive
that his loyalty to the jeddak is beyond question； so rigid is the
examination of each who seeks service with the nobles of the court。
A good rule that； and only relaxed by courtesy in favour of the retinue
of visiting royalty from a friendly foreign power。
It was late in the morning of the next day that a giant serving man in
the harness of the house of a great Ptarth noble passed out into the city
from the palace gates。 Along one broad avenue and then another he strode
briskly until he had passed beyond the district of the nobles and had come
to the place of shops。 Here he sought a pretentious building that rose
spire…like toward the heavens； its outer walls elaborately wrought with
delicate carvings and intricate mosaics。
It was the Palace of Peace in which were housed the representatives of
the foreign powers； or rather in which were located their embassies； for
the ministers themselves dwelt in gorgeous palaces within the district
occupied by the nobles。
Here the man sought the embassy of Dusar。 A clerk arose
12
… Page 13…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
questioningly as he entered； and at his request to have a word with the
minister asked his credentials。 The visitor slipped a plain metal armlet
from above his elbow； and pointing to an inscription upon its inner surface；
whispered a word or two to the clerk。
The latter's eyes went wide； and his attitude turned at once to one of
deference。 He bowed the stranger to a seat； and hastened to an inner
room with the armlet in his hand。 A moment later he reappeared and
conducted the caller into the presence of the minister。
For a long time the two were closeted together； and when at last the
giant serving man emerged from the inner office his expression was cast in
a smile of sinister satisfaction。 From the Palace of Peace he hurried
directly to the palace of the Dusarian minister。
That night two swift fliers left the same palace top。 One sped its
rapid course toward Helium； the other
Thuvia of Ptarth strolled in the gardens of her father's palace； as was
her nightly custom before retiring。 Her silks and furs were drawn about
her； for the air of Mars is chill after the sun has taken his quick plunge
beneath the planet's western verge。
The girl's thoughts wandered from her impending nuptials； that would
make her empress of Kaol； to the person of the trim young Heliumite who
had laid his heart at her feet the preceding day。
Whether it was pity or regret that saddened her expression as she
gazed toward the southern heavens where she had watched the lights of his
flier disappear the previous night； it would be difficult to say。
So； too； is it impossible to conjecture just what her emotions may have
been as she discerned the lights of a flier speeding rapidly out of the
distance from that very direction； as though impelled toward her garden by
the very intensity of the princess' thoughts。
She saw it circle lower above the palace until she was positive that it
but hovered in preparation for a landing。
Presently the powerful rays of its searchlight shot downward from the
bow。 They fell upon the landing…stage for a brief instant； revealing the
figures of the Ptarthian guard； picking into brilliant points of fire the gems
13
… Page 14…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
upon their gorgeous harnesses。
Then the blazing eye swept onward across the burnished domes and
graceful minarets； down into court and park and garden to pause at last
upon the ersite bench and the girl standing there beside it； her face
upturned full toward the flier。
For but an instant the searchlight halted upon Thuvia of Ptarth； then it
was extinguished as suddenly as it had come to life。 The flier passed on
above her to disappear beyond a grove of lofty skeel trees that grew within
the palace grounds。
The girl stood for some time as it had left her； except that her head was
bent and her eyes downcast in thought。
Who but Carthoris could it have been？ She tried to feel anger that he
should have returned thus； spying upon her； but she found it difficult to be
angry with the young prince of Helium。
What mad caprice could have induced him so to transgress the
etiquette of nations？ For lesser things great powers had gone to war。
The princess in her was shocked and angeredbut what of the girl！
And the guardwhat of them？ Evidently they； too； had been so much
surprised by the unprecedented action of the stranger that they had not
even challenged； but that they had no thought to let the thing go unnoticed
was quickly evidenced by the skirring of motors upon the landing…stage
and the quick shooting airward of a long…lined patrol boat。
Thuvia watched it dart swiftly eastward。 So； too； did other eyes
watch。
Within the dense shadows of the skeel grove； in a wide avenue beneath
o'erspreading foliage； a flier hung a dozen feet above the ground。 From
its deck keen eyes watched the far…fanning searchlight of the patrol boat。
No light shone from the enshadowed craft。 Upon its deck was the silence
of the tomb。 Its crew of a half…dozen red warriors watched the lights of
the patrol boat diminishing in the distance。
〃The intellects of our ancestors are with us to…night；〃 said one in a low
tone。
〃No plan ever carried better；〃 returned another。 〃They did precisely
14
… Page 15…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
as the prince foretold。〃
He who had first spoken turned toward the man who squatted before
the control board。
〃Now！〃 he whispered。 There was no other order given。 Every man
upon the craft had evidently been well schooled in each detail of that
night's work。 Silently the dark hull crept beneath the cathedral arches of
the dark and silent grove。
Thuvia of Ptarth； gazing toward the east； saw the blacker blot against
the blackness of the trees as the craft topped the buttressed garden wall。
She saw the dim bulk incline gently downward toward the scarlet sward of
the garden。
She knew that men came not thus with honourable intent。
