thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第4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 garden。
She knew that men came not thus with honourable intent。 Yet she did
not cry aloud to alarm the near…by guardsmen； nor did she flee to the
safety of the palace。
Why？
I can see her shrug her shapely shoulders in reply as she voices the
age…old； universal answer of the woman： Because！
Scarce had the flier touched the ground when four men leaped from its
deck。 They ran forward toward the girl。
Still she made no sign of alarm； standing as though hypnotized。 Or
could it have been as one who awaited a welcome visitor？
Not until they were quite close to her did she move。 Then the nearer
moon； rising above the surrounding foliage； touched their faces； lighting
all with the brilliancy of her silver rays。
Thuvia of Ptarth saw only strangerswarriors in the harness of Dusar。
Now she took fright； but too late！
Before she could voice but a single cry； rough hands seized her。 A
heavy silken scarf was wound about her head。 She was lifted in strong
arms and borne to the deck of the flier。 There was the sudden whirl of
propellers； the rushing of air against her body； and； from far beneath the
shouting and the challenge from the guard。
Racing toward the south another flier sped toward Helium。 In its cabin
a tall red man bent over the soft sole of an upturned sandal。 With delicate
15
… Page 16…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
instruments he measured the faint imprint of a small object which
appeared there。 Upon a pad beside him was the outline of a key； and here
he noted the results of his measurements。
A smile played upon his lips as he completed his task and turned to
one who waited at the opposite side of the table。
〃The man is a genius；〃 he remarked。
〃Only a genius could have evolved such a lock as this is designed to
spring。 Here； take the sketch； Larok； and give all thine own genius full
and unfettered freedom in reproducing it in metal。〃
The warrior…artificer bowed。 〃Man builds naught；〃 he said； 〃that man
may not destroy。〃 Then he left the cabin with the sketch。
As dawn broke upon the lofty towers which mark the twin cities of
Heliumthe scarlet tower of one and the yellow tower of its sistera flier
floated lazily out of the north。
Upon its bow was emblazoned the signia of a lesser noble of a far city
of the empire of Helium。 Its leisurely approach and the evident
confidence with which it moved across the city aroused no suspicion in the
minds of the sleepy guard。 Their round of duty nearly done； they had
little thought beyond the coming of those who were to relieve them。
Peace reigned throughout Helium。 Stagnant； emasculating peace。
Helium had no enemies。 There was naught to fear。
Without haste the nearest air patrol swung sluggishly about and
approached the stranger。 At easy speaking distance the officer upon her
deck hailed the incoming craft。
The cheery 〃Kaor！〃 and the plausible explanation that the owner had
come from distant parts for a few days of pleasure in gay Helium sufficed。
The air…patrol boat sheered off； passing again upon its way。 The stranger
continued toward a public landing…stage； where she dropped into the ways
and came to rest。
At about the same time a warrior entered her cabin。
〃It is done； Vas Kor；〃 he said； handing a small metal key to the tall
noble who had just risen from his sleeping silks and furs。
〃Good！〃 exclaimed the latter。 〃You must have worked upon it all
16
… Page 17…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
during the night； Larok。〃
The warrior nodded。
〃Now fetch me the Heliumetic metal you wrought some days since；〃
commanded Vas Kor。
This done； the warrior assisted his master to replace the handsome
jewelled metal of his harness with the plainer ornaments of an ordinary
fighting man of Helium； and with the insignia of the same house that
appeared upon the bow of the flier。
Vas Kor breakfasted on board。 Then he emerged upon the aerial dock；
entered an elevator； and was borne quickly to the street below； where he
was soon engulfed by the early morning throng of workers hastening to
their daily duties。
Among them his warrior trappings were no more remarkable than is a
pair of trousers upon Broadway。 All Martian men are warriors； save
those physically unable to bear arms。 The tradesman and his clerk clank
with their martial trappings as they pursue their vocations。 The
schoolboy； coming into the world； as he does； almost adult from the snowy
shell that has encompassed his development for five long years； knows so
little of life without a sword at his hip that he would feel the same
discomfiture at going abroad unarmed that an Earth boy would experience
in walking the streets knicker…bockerless。
Vas Kor's destination lay in Greater Helium； which lies some seventy…
five miles across the level plain from Lesser Helium。 He had landed at
the latter city because the air patrol is less suspicious and alert than that
above the larger metropolis where lies the palace of the jeddak。
As he moved with the throng in the parklike canyon of the
thoroughfare the life of an awakening Martian city was in evidence about
him。 Houses； raised high upon their slender metal columns for the night
were dropping gently toward the ground。 Among the flowers upon the
scarlet sward which lies about the buildings children were already playing；
and comely women laughing and chatting with their neighbours as they
culled gorgeous blossoms for the vases within doors。
The pleasant 〃kaor〃 of the Barsoomian greeting fell continually upon
17
… Page 18…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
the ears of the stranger as friends and neighbours took up the duties of a
new day。
The district in which he had landed was residentiala district of
merchants of the more prosperous sort。 Everywhere were evidences of
luxury and wealth。 Slaves appeared upon every housetop with gorgeous
silks and costly furs； laying them in the sun for airing。 Jewel…encrusted
women lolled even thus early upon the carven balconies before their
sleeping apartments。 Later in the day they would repair to the roofs
when the slaves had arranged couches and pitched silken canopies to
shade them from the sun。
Strains of inspiring music broke pleasantly from open windows； for
the Martians have solved the problem of attuning the nerves pleasantly to
the sudden transition from sleep to waking that proves so difficult a thing
for most Earth folk。
Above him raced the long； light passenger fliers； plying； each in its
proper plane； between the numerous landing… stages for internal passenger
traffic。 Landing…stages that tower high into the heavens are for the great
international passenger liners。 Freighters have other landing…stages at
various lower levels； to within a couple of hundred feet of the ground； nor
dare any flier rise or drop from one plane to another except in certain
restricted districts where horizontal traffic is forbidden。
Along the close…cropped sward which paves the avenue ground fliers
were moving in continuous lines in opposite directions。 For the greater
part they skimmed along the surface of the sward； soaring gracefully into
the air at times to pass over a slower…going driver ahead； or at intersections；
where the north and south traffic has the right of way and the east and
west must rise above it。
From private hangars upon many a roof top fliers were darting into the
line of traffic。 Gay farewells and parting admonitions mingled with the
whirring of motors and the subdued noises of the city。
Yet with all the swift movement and the countless thousands rushing
hither and thither； the predominant suggestion was that of luxurious ease
and soft noiselessness。
18
… Page 19…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
Martians dislike harsh； discordant clamour。 The only loud noises
they can abide are the martial sounds of war； the clash of arms； the
collision of two mighty dreadnoughts of the air。 To them there is no
sweeter music than this。
At the intersection of two broad avenues Vas Kor descended from the
street level to one of the great pneumatic stations of the city。 Here he
paid before a little wicket the fare to his destination with a couple of the
dull； oval coins of Helium。
Beyond the gatekeeper he came to a slowly moving line of what to
Earthly eyes would have appeared to be conical…nosed； eight…foot
projectiles for some giant gun。 In slow procession the things moved in
single file along a grooved track。 A half dozen attendants assisted
passengers to enter； or directed these carriers to their proper destination。
Vas Kor approached one that was empty。 Upon its nose was a dial
and a pointer。 He set the pointer for a certain station in Greater Helium；
raised the arched lid of the thing； stepped in and lay down upon the
upholstered bottom。 An attendant closed the lid； which locked with a
little click； and the carrier continued its slow way。
Presently it switched itself automatically to another track； to enter； a
moment later； one of the series of dark… mouthed tubes。
The instant that its entire length was within the black aperture it sprang
