thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第21节
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！
my life and that of the Princess of Ptarth as dearly as possible。〃
〃Komal！〃 whispered Jav。 〃We are to be devoured by Komal！〃
〃Your deity？〃 asked Carthoris。
The Lotharian nodded his head。 Then he pointed toward a low
doorway at one end of the chamber。
〃From thence will he come upon us。 Lay aside your puny sword；
fool。 It will but enrage him the more and make our sufferings the worse。〃
Carthoris smiled； gripping his long…sword the more firmly。
Presently Jav gave a horrified moan； at the same time pointing toward
the door。
〃He has come；〃 he whimpered。
Carthoris and Thuvia looked in the direction the Lotharian had
indicated； expecting to see some strange and fearful creature in human
form； but to their astonishment they saw the broad head and great…maned
shoulders of a huge banth； the largest that either ever had seen。
Slowly and with dignity the mighty beast advanced into the room。
Jav had fallen to the floor； and was wriggling his body in the same servile
manner that he had adopted toward Tario。 He spoke to the fierce beast as
78
… Page 79…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
he would have spoken to a human being； pleading with it for mercy。
Carthoris stepped between Thuvia and the banth； his sword ready to
contest the beast's victory over them。 Thuvia turned toward Jav。
〃Is this Komal； your god？〃 she asked。
Jav nodded affirmatively。 The girl smiled； and then； brushing past
Carthoris； she stepped swiftly toward the growling carnivore。
In low； firm tones she spoke to it as she had spoken to the banths of the
Golden Cliffs and the scavengers before the walls of Lothar。
The beast ceased its growling。 With lowered head and catlike purr； it
came slinking to the girl's feet。 Thuvia turned toward Carthoris。
〃It is but a banth；〃 she said。 〃We have nothing to fear from it。〃
Carthoris smiled。
〃I did not fear it；〃 he replied； 〃for I； too； believed it to be only a banth；
and I have my long…sword。〃
Jav sat up and gazed at the spectacle before himthe slender girl
weaving her fingers in the tawny mane of the huge creature that he had
thought divine； while Komal rubbed his hideous snout against her side。
〃So this is your god！〃 laughed Thuvia。
Jav looked bewildered。 He scarce knew whether he dare chance
offending Komal or not； for so strong is the power of superstition that
even though we know that we have been reverencing a sham； yet still we
hesitate to admit the validity of our new…found convictions。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃this is Komal。 For ages the enemies of Tario have
been hurled to this pit to fill his maw； for Komal must be fed。〃
〃Is there any way out of this chamber to the avenues of the city？〃
asked Carthoris。
Jav shrugged。
〃I do not know；〃 he replied。 〃Never have I been here before； nor ever
have I cared to do so。〃
〃Come；〃 suggested Thuvia； 〃let us explore。 There must be a way out。〃
Together the three approached the doorway through which Komal had
entered the apartment that was to have witnessed their deaths。 Beyond
was a low…roofed lair； with a small door at the far end。
79
… Page 80…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
This； to their delight； opened to the lifting of an ordinary latch； letting
them into a circular arena； surrounded by tiers of seats。
〃Here is where Komal is fed in public；〃 explained Jav。 〃Had Tario
dared it would have been here that our fates had been sealed； but he feared
too much thy keen blade； red man； and so he hurled us all downward to
the pit。 I did not know how closely connected were the two chambers。
Now we may easily reach the avenues and the city gates。 Only the
bowmen may dispute the right of way； and； knowing their secret； I doubt
that they have power to harm us。〃
Another door led to a flight of steps that rose from the arena level
upward through the seats to an exit at the back of the hall。 Beyond this
was a straight； broad corridor； running directly through the palace to the
gardens at the side。
No one appeared to question them as they advanced； mighty Komal
pacing by the girl's side。
〃Where are the people of the palacethe jeddak's retinue？〃 asked
Carthoris。 〃Even in the city streets as we came through I scarce saw sign
of a human being； yet all about are evidences of a mighty population。〃
Jav sighed。
〃Poor Lothar；〃 he said。 〃It is indeed a city of ghosts。 There are scarce
a thousand of us left； who once were numbered in the millions。 Our great
city is peopled by the creatures of our own imaginings。 For our own
needs we do not take the trouble to materialize these peoples of our brain；
yet they are apparent to us。
〃Even now I see great throngs lining the avenue； hastening to and fro
in the round of their duties。 I see women and children laughing on the
balconiesthese we are forbidden to materialize； but yet I see themthey
are here。 。 。 。 But why not？〃 he mused。 〃No longer need I fear Tariohe
has done his worst； and failed。 Why not indeed？
〃Stay； friends；〃 he continued。 〃Would you see Lothar in all her
glory？〃
Carthoris and Thuvia nodded their assent； more out of courtesy than
because they fully grasped the import of his mutterings。
80
… Page 81…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
Jav gazed at them penetratingly for an instant； then； with a wave of his
hand； cried： 〃Look！〃
The sight that met them was awe…inspiring。 Where before there had
been naught but deserted pavements and scarlet swards； yawning windows
and tenantless doors； now swarmed a countless multitude of happy；
laughing people。
〃It is the past；〃 said Jav in a low voice。 〃They do not see usthey but
live the old dead past of ancient Lotharthe dead and crumbled Lothar of
antiquity； which stood upon the shore of Throxus； mightiest of the five
oceans。
〃See those fine； upstanding men swinging along the broad avenue？
See the young girls and the women smile upon them？ See the men greet
them with love and respect？ Those be seafarers coming up from their ships
which lie at the quays at the city's edge。
〃Brave men； theyah； but the glory of Lothar has faded！ See their
weapons。 They alone bore arms； for they crossed the five seas to strange
places where dangers were。 With their passing passed the martial spirit of
the Lotharians； leaving； as the ages rolled by； a race of spineless cowards。
〃We hated war； and so we trained not our youth in warlike ways。
Thus followed our undoing； for when the seas dried and the green hordes
encroached upon us we could do naught but flee。 But we remembered
the seafaring bowmen of the days of our gloryit is the memory of these
which we hurl upon our enemies。〃
As Jav ceased speaking； the picture faded； and once more； the three
took up their way toward the distant gates； along deserted avenues。
Twice they sighted Lotharians of flesh and blood。 At sight of them
and the huge banth which they must have recognized as Komal； the
citizens turned and fled。
〃They will carry word of our flight to Tario；〃 cried Jav； 〃and soon he
will send his bowmen after us。 Let us hope that our theory is correct； and
that their shafts are powerless against minds cognizant of their unreality。
Otherwise we are doomed。
〃Explain； red man； to the woman the truths that I have explained to
81
… Page 82…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
you； that she may meet the arrows with a stronger counter…suggestion of
immunity。〃
Carthoris did as Jav bid him； but they came to the great gates without
sign of pursuit developing。 Here Jav set in motion the mechanism that
rolled the huge；
