thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第22节
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sign of pursuit developing。 Here Jav set in motion the mechanism that
rolled the huge； wheel…like gate aside； and a moment later the three；
accompanied by the banth； stepped out into the plain before Lothar。
Scarce had they covered a hundred yards when the sound of many men
shouting arose behind them。 As they turned they saw a company of
bowmen debouching upon the plain from the gate through which they had
but just passed。
Upon the wall above the gate were a number of Lotharians； among
whom Jav recognized Tario。 The jeddak stood glaring at them； evidently
concentrating all the forces of his trained mind upon them。 That he was
making a supreme effort to render his imaginary creatures deadly was
apparent。
Jav turned white； and commenced to tremble。 At the crucial moment
he appeared to lose the courage of his conviction。 The great banth turned
back toward the advancing bowmen and growled。 Carthoris placed
himself between Thuvia and the enemy and； facing them； awaited the
outcome of their charge。
Suddenly an inspiration came to Carthoris。
〃Hurl your own bowmen against Tario's！〃 he cried to Jav。 〃Let us see a
materialized battle between two mentalities。〃
The suggestion seemed to hearten the Lotharian； and in another
moment the three stood behind solid ranks of huge bowmen who hurled
taunts and menaces at the advancing company emerging from the walled
city。
Jav was a new man the moment his battalions stood between him and
Tario。 One could almost have sworn the man believed these creatures of
his strange hypnotic power to be real flesh and blood。
With hoarse battle cries they charged the bowmen of Tario。 Barbed
shafts flew thick and fast。 Men fell； and the ground was red with gore。
Carthoris and Thuvia had difficulty in reconciling the reality of it all
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with their knowledge of the truth。 They saw utan after utan march from the
gate in perfect step to reinforce the outnumbered company which Tario
had first sent forth to arrest them。
They saw Jav's forces grow correspondingly until all about them rolled
a sea of fighting； cursing warriors； and the dead lay in heaps about the
field。
Jav and Tario seemed to have forgotten all else beside the struggling
bowmen that surged to and fro； filling the broad field between the forest
and the city。
The wood loomed close behind Thuvia and Carthoris。 The latter cast a
glance toward Jav。
〃Come！〃 he whispered to the girl。 〃Let them fight out their empty
battleneither； evidently； has power to harm the other。 They are like two
controversialists hurling words at one another。 While they are engaged
we may as well be devoting our energies to an attempt to find the passage
through the cliffs to the plain beyond。〃
As he spoke； Jav； turning from the battle for an instant； caught his
words。 He saw the girl move to accompany the Heliumite。 A cunning
look leaped to the Lotharian's eyes。
The thing that lay beyond that look had been deep in his heart since
first he had laid eyes upon Thuvia of Ptarth。 He had not recognized it；
however； until now that she seemed about to pass out of his existence。
He centred his mind upon the Heliumite and the girl for an instant。
Carthoris saw Thuvia of Ptarth step forward with outstretched hand。
He was surprised at this sudden softening toward him； and it was with a
full heart that he let his fingers close upon hers； as together they turned
away from forgotten Lothar； into the woods； and bent their steps toward
the distant mountains。
As the Lotharian had turned toward them； Thuvia had been surprised
to hear Carthoris suddenly voice a new plan。
〃Remain here with Jav；〃 she had heard him say； 〃while I go to search
for the passage through the cliffs。〃
She had dropped back in surprise and disappointment； for she knew
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that there was no reason why she should not have accompanied him。
Certainly she should have been safer with him than left here alone with the
Lotharian。
And Jav watched the two and smiled his cunning smile。
When Carthoris had disappeared within the wood； Thuvia seated
herself apathetically upon the scarlet sward to watch the seemingly
interminable struggles of the bowmen。
The long afternoon dragged its weary way toward darkness； and still
the imaginary legions charged and retreated。 The sun was about to set
when Tario commenced to withdraw his troops slowly toward the city。
His plan for cessation of hostilities through the night evidently met
with Jav's entire approval； for he caused his forces to form themselves in
orderly utans and march just within the edge of the wood； where they were
soon busily engaged in preparing their evening meal； and spreading down
their sleeping silks and furs for the night。
Thuvia could scarce repress a smile as she noted the scrupulous care
with which Jav's imaginary men attended to each tiny detail of deportment
as truly as if they had been real flesh and blood。
Sentries were posted between the camp and the city。 Officers clanked
hither and thither issuing commands and seeing to it that they were
properly carried out。
Thuvia turned toward Jav。
〃Why is it；〃 she asked； 〃that you observe such careful nicety in the
regulation of your creatures when Tario knows quite as well as you that
they are but figments of your brain？ Why not permit them simply to
dissolve into thin air until you again require their futile service？〃
〃You do not understand them；〃 replied Jav。 〃While they exist they
are real。 I do but call them into being now； and in a way direct their
general actions。 But thereafter； until I dissolve them； they are as actual as
you or I。 Their officers command them； under my guidance。 I am the
generalthat is all。 And the psychological effect upon the enemy is far
greater than were I to treat them merely as substanceless vagaries。
〃Then； too；〃 continued the Lotharian； 〃there is always the hope； which
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with us is little short of belief； that some day these materializations will
merge into the realthat they will remain； some of them； after we have
dissolved their fellows； and that thus we shall have discovered a means for
perpetuating our dying race。
〃Some there are who claim already to have accomplished the thing。
It is generally supposed that the etherealists have quite a few among their
number who are permanent materializations。 It is even said that such is
Tario； but that cannot be； for he existed before we had discovered the full
possibilities of suggestion。
〃There are others among us who insist that none of us is real。 That we
could not have existed all these ages without material food and water had
we ourselves been material。 Although I am a realist； I rather incline
toward this belief myself。
〃It seems well and sensibly based upon the belief that our ancient
forbears developed before their extinction such wondrous mentalities that
some of the stronger minds among them lived after the death of their
bodiesthat we are but the deathless minds of individuals long dead。
〃It would appear possible； and yet in so far as I am concerned I have
all the attributes of corporeal existence。 I eat； I sleep〃he paused； casting a
meaning look upon the girl〃I love！〃
Thuvia could not mistake the palpable meaning of his words and
expression。 She turned away with a little shrug of disgust that was not
lost upon the Lotharian。
He came close to her and seized her arm。
〃Why not Jav？〃 he cried。 〃Who more honourable than the second of
the world'
