thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第20节
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shall Jav be Jeddak of Lothar。'
〃At last； traitor； I have found you out。 Your own words have
condemned you as surely as the acts of these red creatures have sealed
their fatesunless〃 He paused。 〃Unless the woman〃
But he got no further。 Carthoris guessed what he would have said；
and before the words could be uttered he had sprung forward and struck
the man across the mouth with his open palm。
Tario frothed in rage and mortification。 〃And should you again
affront the Princess of Ptarth；〃 warned the Heliumite； 〃I shall forget that
you wear no swordnot for ever may I control my itching sword hand。〃
Tario shrank back toward the little doorways behind the dais。 He was
trying to speak； but so hideously were the muscles of his face working that
he could utter no word for several minutes。 At last he managed to
articulate intelligibly。
〃Die！〃 he shrieked。 〃Die！〃 and then he turned toward the exit at his
back。
Jav leaped forward； screaming in terror。
〃Have pity； Tario！ Have pity！ Remember the long ages that I have
served you faithfully。 Remember all that I have done for Lothar。 Do
not condemn me now to the death hideous。 Save me！ Save me！〃
But Tario only laughed a mocking laugh and continued to back toward
the hangings that hid the little doorway。
Jav turned toward Carthoris。
〃Stop him！〃 he screamed。 〃Stop him！ If you love life； let him not
leave this room；〃 and as he spoke he leaped in pursuit of his jeddak。
Carthoris followed Jav's example； but the 〃last of the jeddaks of
Barsoom〃 was too quick for them。 By the time they reached the arras
behind which he had disappeared； they found a heavy stone door blocking
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
their further progress。
Jav sank to the floor in a spasm of terror。
〃Come； man！〃 cried Carthoris。 〃We are not dead yet。 Let us hasten to
the avenues and make an attempt to leave the city。 We are still alive； and
while we live we may yet endeavour to direct our own destinies。 Of
what avail； to sink spineless to the floor？ Come； be a man！〃
Jav but shook his head。
〃Did you not hear him call the guards？〃 he moaned。 〃Ah； if we could
have but intercepted him！ Then there might have been hope； but； alas； he
was too quick for us。〃
〃Well； well；〃 exclaimed Carthoris impatiently。 〃What if he did call
the guards？ There will be time enough to worry about that after they
comeat present I see no indication that they have any idea of over…
exerting themselves to obey their jeddak's summons。〃
Jav shook his head mournfully。
〃You do not understand；〃 he said。 〃The guards have already come
and gone。 They have done their work and we are lost。 Look to the
various exits。〃
Carthoris and Thuvia turned their eyes in the direction of the several
doorways which pierced the walls of the great chamber。 Each was tightly
closed by huge stone doors。
〃Well？〃 asked Carthoris。
〃We are to die the death；〃 whispered Jav faintly。
Further than that he would not say。 He just sat upon the edge of the
jeddak's couch and waited。
Carthoris moved to Thuvia's side； and； standing there with naked
sword； he let his brave eyes roam ceaselessly about the great chamber； that
no foe might spring upon them unseen。
For what seemed hours no sound broke the silence of their living tomb。
No sign gave their executioners of the time or manner of their death。 The
suspense was terrible。 Even Carthoris of Helium began to feel the
terrible strain upon his nerves。 If he could but know how and whence the
hand of death was to strike； he could meet it unafraid； but to suffer longer
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
the hideous tension of this blighting ignorance of the plans of their
assassins was telling upon him grievously。
Thuvia of Ptarth drew quite close to him。 She felt safer with the feel
of his arm against hers； and with the contact of her the man took a new
grip upon himself。 With his old…time smile he turned toward her。
〃It would seem that they are trying to frighten us to death；〃 he said；
laughing； 〃and； shame be upon me that I should confess it； I think they
were close to accomplishing their designs upon me。〃
She was about to make some reply when a fearful shriek broke from
the lips of the Lotharian。
〃The end is coming！〃 he cried。 〃The end is coming！ The floor！ The
floor！ Oh； Komal； be merciful！〃
Thuvia and Carthoris did not need to look at the floor to be aware of
the strange movement that was taking place。
Slowly the marble flagging was sinking in all directions toward the
centre。 At first the movement； being gradual； was scarce noticeable； but
presently the angle of the floor became such that one might stand easily
only by bending one knee considerably。
Jav was shrieking still； and clawing at the royal couch that had already
commenced to slide toward the centre of the room； where both Thuvia and
Carthoris suddenly noted a small orifice which grew in diameter as the
floor assumed more closely a funnel…like contour。
Now it became more and more difficult to cling to the dizzy
inclination of the smooth and polished marble。
Carthoris tried to support Thuvia； but himself commenced to slide and
slip toward the ever…enlarging aperture。
Better to cling to the smooth stone he kicked off his sandals of zitidar
hide and with his bare feet braced himself against the sickening tilt； at the
same time throwing his arms supportingly about the girl。
In her terror her own hands clasped about the man's neck。 Her cheek
was close to his。 Death； unseen and of unknown form； seemed close
upon them； and because unseen and unknowable infinitely more terrifying。
〃Courage； my princess；〃 he whispered。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
She looked up into his face to see smiling lips above hers and brave
eyes； untouched by terror； drinking deeply of her own。
Then the floor sagged and tilted more swiftly。 There was a sudden
slipping rush as they were precipitated toward the aperture。
Jav's screams rose weird and horrible in their ears； and then the three
found themselves piled upon the royal couch of Tario； which had stuck
within the aperture at the base of the marble funnel。
For a moment they breathed more freely； but presently they discovered
that the aperture was continuing to enlarge。 The couch slipped
downward。 Jav shrieked again。 There was a sickening sensation as
they felt all let go beneath them； as they fell through darkness to an
unknown death。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER IX
THE BATTLE IN THE PLAIN
The distance from the bottom of the funnel to the floor of the
chamber beneath it could not have been great； for all three of the victims
of Tario's wrath alighted unscathed。
Carthoris； still clasping Thuvia tightly to his breast； came to the
ground catlike； upon his feet； breaking the shock for the girl。 Scarce had
his feet touched the rough stone flagging of this new chamber than his
sword flashed out ready for instant use。 But though the room was lighted；
there was no sign of enemy about。
Carthoris looked toward Jav。 The man was pasty white with fear。
〃What is to be our fate？〃 asked the Heliumite。 〃Tell me； man！
Shake off your terror long enough to tell me； so I may be prepared to sell
my life and that of the Princess of Ptarth as dearly as possible。〃
〃Komal！〃 whispere
