thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第6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 more he thought upon it the more positive he became that not only
was there no assurance in her words that she loved him； but none either in
any act of hers。 No； the fact was； she did not love him。 She loved
another。 She had not been abductedshe had fled willingly with her
lover。
With such pleasant thoughts filling him alternately with despair and
rage； Carthoris at last dropped into the sleep of utter mental exhaustion。
The breaking of the sudden dawn found him still asleep。 His flier was
rushing swiftly above a barren； ochre plainthe world…old bottom of a
long…dead Martian sea。
In the distance rose low hills。 Toward these the craft was headed。
As it approached them； a great promontory might have been seen from its
deck； stretching out into what had once been a mighty ocean； and circling
back once more to enclose the forgotten harbour of a forgotten city； which
still stretched back from its deserted quays； an imposing pile of wondrous
architecture of a long…dead past。
The countless dismal windows； vacant and forlorn； stared； sightless；
from their marble walls； the whole sad city taking on the semblance of
scattered mounds of dead men's sun…bleached skullsthe casements
having the appearance of eyeless sockets； the portals； grinning jaws。
Closer came the flier； but now its speed was diminishingyet this was
not Ptarth。
Above the central plaza it stopped； slowly settling Marsward。 Within a
hundred yards of the ground it came to rest； floating gently in the light air；
and at the same instant an alarm sounded at the sleeper's ear。
Carthoris sprang to his feet。 Below him he looked to see the teeming
metropolis of Ptarth。 Beside him； already； there should have been an air
patrol。
He gazed about in bewildered astonishment。 There indeed was a
great city； but it was not Ptarth。 No multitudes surged through its broad
avenues。 No signs of life broke the dead monotony of its deserted roof
tops。 No gorgeous silks； no priceless furs lent life and colour to the cold
marble and the gleaming ersite。
24
… Page 25…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
No patrol boat lay ready with its familiar challenge。 Silent and empty
lay the great cityempty and silent the surrounding air。
What had happened？
Carthoris examined the dial of his compass。 The pointer was set
upon Ptarth。 Could the creature of his genius have thus betrayed him？
He would not believe it。
Quickly he unlocked the cover； turning it back upon its hinge。 A
single glance showed him the truth； or at least a part of itthe steel
projection that communicated the movement of the pointer upon the dial
to the heart of the mechanism beneath had been severed。
Who could have done the thingand why？
Carthoris could not hazard even a faint guess。 But the thing now was
to learn in what portion of the world he was； and then take up his
interrupted journey once more。
If it had been the purpose of some enemy to delay him； he had
succeeded well； thought Carthoris； as he unlocked the cover of the second
dial the first having shown that its pointer had not been set at all。
Beneath the second dial he found the steel pin severed as in the other；
but the controlling mechanism had first been set for a point upon the
western hemisphere。
He had just time to judge his location roughly at some place south…
west of Helium； and at a considerable distance from the twin cities； when
he was startled by a woman's scream beneath him。
Leaning over the side of the flier； he saw what appeared to be a red
woman being dragged across the plaza by a huge green warriorone of
those fierce； cruel denizens of the dead sea…bottoms and deserted cities of
dying Mars。
Carthoris waited to see no more。 Reaching for the control board； he
sent his craft racing plummet…like toward the ground。
The green man was hurrying his captive toward a huge thoat that
browsed upon the ochre vegetation of the once scarlet…gorgeous plaza。
At the same instant a dozen red warriors leaped from the entrance of a
nearby ersite palace； pursuing the abductor with naked swords and shouts
25
… Page 26…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
of rageful warning。
Once the woman turned her face upward toward the falling flier； and in
the single swift glance Carthoris saw that it was Thuvia of Ptarth！
26
… Page 27…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER IV
A GREEN MAN'S CAPTIVE
When the light of day broke upon the little craft to whose deck the
Princess of Ptarth had been snatched from her father's garden； Thuvia saw
that the night had wrought a change in her abductors。
No longer did their trappings gleam with the metal of Dusar； but
instead there was emblazoned there the insignia of the Prince of Helium。
The girl felt renewed hope； for she could not believe that in the heart
of Carthoris could lie intent to harm her。
She spoke to the warrior squatting before the control board。
〃Last night you wore the trappings of a Dusarian；〃 she said。 〃Now
your metal is that of Helium。 What means it？〃
The man looked at her with a grin。
〃The Prince of Helium is no fool；〃 he said。
Just then an officer emerged from the tiny cabin。 He reprimanded the
warrior for conversing with the prisoner； nor would he himself reply to
any of her inquiries。
No harm was offered her during the journey； and so they came at last
to their destination with the girl no wiser as to her abductors or their
purpose than at first。
Here the flier settled slowly into the plaza of one of those mute
monuments of Mars' dead and forgotten past the deserted cities that
fringe the sad ochre sea…bottoms where once rolled the mighty floods upon
whose bosoms moved the maritime commerce of the peoples that are gone
for ever。
Thuvia of Ptarth was no stranger to such places。 During her
wanderings in search of the River Iss； that time she had set out upon what；
for countless ages； had been the last； long pilgrimage of Martians； toward
the Valley Dor； where lies the Lost Sea of Korus； she had encountered
several of these sad reminders of the greatness and the glory of ancient
Barsoom。
27
… Page 28…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
And again； during her flight from the temples of the Holy Therns with
Tars Tarkas； Jeddak of Thark； she had seen them； with their weird and
ghostly inmates； the great white apes of Barsoom。
She knew； too； that many of them were used now by the nomadic
tribes of green men； but that among them all was no city that the red men
did not shun； for without exception they stood amidst vast； waterless tracts；
unsuited for the continued sustenance of the dominant race of Martians。
Why； then； should they be bringing her to such a place？ There was but
a single answer。 Such was the nature of their work that they must needs
seek the seclusion that a dead city afforded。 The girl trembled at thought
of her plight。
For two days her captors kept her within a huge palace that even in
decay reflected the splendour of the age which its youth had known。
Just before dawn on the third day she had been aroused by the voices
of two of her abductors。
〃He should be here by dawn；〃 one was saying。 〃Have her in
readiness upon the plazaelse he will never land。 The moment he finds
that he is in a strange country he will turn aboutmethinks the prince's
plan is weak in this one spot。〃
〃There was no other way；〃 replied the other。 〃It is wondrous work to
get them both here at all； and even if we do not succeed in luring him to
the ground； we shall have accomplished much。〃
Just then the speaker caught the eyes of Thuvia upon him； revealed by
the quick…moving patch of light cast by Thuria in her mad race through the
heavens。
With a quick sign to the other； he ceased speaking； and advancing
toward the girl； motioned her to rise。 Then he led her out into the night
toward the centre of the great plaza。
〃Stand here；〃 he commanded； 〃until we come for you。 We shall be
watching； and should you attempt to escape it will go ill with youmuch
worse than death。 Such are the prince's orders。〃
Then he turned and retraced his steps toward the palace； leaving her
alone in the midst of the unseen terrors of the haunted city； for in truth
28
… Page 29…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
these places are haunted in the belief of many Martians who still cling to
an ancient superstition which teaches that the spirits of Holy Therns who
die before their allotted one thousand years； pass； on occasions； into the
bodies of the great white apes。
To Thuvia； however； the real danger of attack by one of these ferocious；
manlike beasts was quite sufficient。 She no longer believed in the weird
soul transmigration that the therns had taught her before she was rescued
from their clutches by John Carter； but she well knew the horrid fate that
awaited her should one of the terrible beasts chance to spy her during its
nocturnal prowlings。
What was that？
Surely she could not be mistaken。 Something had moved； stealthily；
in the shadow of one of the great monoliths that line the avenue where it
entered the plaza opposite her！
Thar Ban； jed among the hord
