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06 - Thuvia, Maid of Mars - Edgar Rice Burroughs · Classic Science Fiction Books

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  Speaker 1: Chapter six, The Jeddak of Lothar. The girl looked her incredulity.
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  Speaker 1: They lay in piles. She murmured, there were thousands of
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  Speaker 1: them but a minute ago, and now continued Carthoris, there
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  Speaker 1: remain but the Banths and the carcasses of the green men.
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  Speaker 1: They must have sent forth and carried the dead bowmen
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  Speaker 1: away while we were talking, said the girl. It is impossible,
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  Speaker 1: replied Carthoris. Thousands of dead lay there upon the field
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  Speaker 1: but a moment, since it would have required many hours
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  Speaker 1: to have removed them. The thing is uncanny. I had hoped,
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  Speaker 1: said Thuvia, that we might find an asylum with these
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  Speaker 1: fair skinned people. Notwithstanding their valor upon the field of battle,
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  Speaker 1: they did not strike me as a ferocious or warlike people.
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  Speaker 1: I had been about to suggest that we seek entrance
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  Speaker 1: to the city, But now I scarce know if I
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  Speaker 1: care to venture among people whose dead vanish into thin air.
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  Speaker 1: Let us chance, it, replied Carthoris. We can be no
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  Speaker 1: worse off within their walls than without. Here we may
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  Speaker 1: fall prey to the Banths or the no less fierce Torquasians. There,
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  Speaker 1: at least we shall find beings molded after our own images.
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  Speaker 1: All that causes me to hesitate, he added, is the
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  Speaker 1: danger of taking you past so many danths. A single
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  Speaker 1: sword would scarce prevail, or even a couple of them
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  Speaker 1: to charge simultaneously. Do not fear on that score, replied
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  Speaker 1: the girl, smiling, The banths will not harm us. As
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  Speaker 1: she spoke, she descended from the platform, and, with Carthoris
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  Speaker 1: at her side, stepped fearlessly out upon the bloody field
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  Speaker 1: in the direction of the walled city of Mystery. They
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  Speaker 1: had advanced but a short distance when a banth, looking
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  Speaker 1: up from its gory feast, descried them with an angry roar.
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  Speaker 1: The beast walked quickly in their direction, and at the
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  Speaker 1: sound of its voice, a score of others followed its example.
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  Speaker 1: Carthoris drew his long sword. The girl stole a quick
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  Speaker 1: glance at his face. She saw the smile upon his lips,
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  Speaker 1: and it was as wine to sick nerves. For even
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  Speaker 1: upon warlike barsoom, where all men are brave, woman reacts
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  Speaker 1: quickly to quiet indifference, to anger, to dare deviltry, that is,
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  Speaker 1: without bombast. You may return your sword, she said, I
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  Speaker 1: told you that the bans would not harm us. Look,
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  Speaker 1: and as she spoke she stepped quickly toward the nearest animal.
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  Speaker 1: Carthoris would have leaped after her to protect her, but
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  Speaker 1: with a gesture she motioned him back. He heard her
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  Speaker 1: calling to the banths in a low, sing song voice
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  Speaker 1: that was half purr. Instantly, the great heads went up,
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  Speaker 1: and all the wicked eyes were riveted upon the figure
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  Speaker 1: of the girl. Then, stealthily they commenced moving toward her.
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  Speaker 1: She had stopped now and was standing waiting them, one
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  Speaker 1: closer to her than the others. Hesitated, She spoke to
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  Speaker 1: him imperiously, as a master might speak to a refractory hound.
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  Speaker 1: The great carnivore let its head droop, and, with tail
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  Speaker 1: between its legs, came slinking to the girl's feet, and
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  Speaker 1: after it came the others, until she was entirely surrounded
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  Speaker 1: by the savage man eaters. Turning, she led them to
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  Speaker 1: where Carthoris stood. They growled a little as they neared
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  Speaker 1: the man, but a few sharp words of command put
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  Speaker 1: them in their places. How do you do it, exclaimed Carthoris.
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  Speaker 1: Your father once asked me that same question. In the
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  Speaker 1: galleries of the Golden Cliffs within the Aughts Mountains, beneath
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  Speaker 1: the temples of the ferns. I could not answer him,
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  Speaker 1: nor can I answer you. I do not know whence
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  Speaker 1: comes my power over them. But ever since the day
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  Speaker 1: that Satore Throg threw me among them in the banth
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  Speaker 1: pit of the holy Ferns, and the great creatures fawned
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  Speaker 1: upon me instead of devouring me, I ever have had
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  Speaker 1: the same strange power over them. They come at my
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  Speaker 1: call and do my bidding, even as the faithful Woolah
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  Speaker 1: does the bidding of your mighty sire. With a word,
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  Speaker 1: the girl dispersed the fierce pack roaring. They returned to
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  Speaker 1: their interrupted feast, while Carthoris and Thuvia passed among them
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  Speaker 1: toward the walled city. As they advanced, the man looked
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  Speaker 1: with wonder upon the dead bodies of those of the
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  Speaker 1: green men that had not been devoured or mauled by
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  Speaker 1: the banths. He called the girl's attention to them. No
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  Speaker 1: arrows protruded from the great carcasses. Nowhere upon any of
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  Speaker 1: them was the sign of mortal wound, nor even slightest
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  Speaker 1: scratch or abrasion. Before the Bowman's dead had disappeared, the
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  Speaker 1: corpses of the Torquasians had bristled with the deadly arrows
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  Speaker 1: of their foes. Where had the slender messengers of death departed?
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  Speaker 1: What unseen hand had plucked them from the bodies of
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  Speaker 1: the slain? Despite himself, Carthoris could scarce repress a shudder
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  Speaker 1: of apprehension as he glanced toward the silent city before them.
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  Speaker 1: No longer was sign of life visible upon wall or rooftop.
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  Speaker 1: All was quiet, brooding, ominous quiet. Yet he was sure
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  Speaker 1: that eyes watched them from somewhere behind that blank wall.
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  Speaker 1: He glanced at Thuvia. She was advancing with wide eyes
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  Speaker 1: fixed upon the city gate. He looked in the direction
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  Speaker 1: of her gaze, but saw nothing. His gaze upon her
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  Speaker 1: seemed to arouse her as from a lethargy. She glanced
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  Speaker 1: up at him, a quick, brave smile, touching her lips,
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  Speaker 1: and then, as though the act was involuntary, she came
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  Speaker 1: close to his side and placed one of her hands
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  Speaker 1: in his. He guessed that something within her that was
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  Speaker 1: beyond her conscious control, was appealing to him for protection.
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  Speaker 1: He threw an arm about her, and thus they crossed
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  Speaker 1: the field. She did not draw away from him. It
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  Speaker 1: is doubtful that she realized that his arm was there,
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  Speaker 1: so engrossed was she in the mystery of the strange
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  Speaker 1: city before them. They stopped before the gate. It was
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  Speaker 1: a mighty thing. From its construction, Carthoris could but dimly
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  Speaker 1: speculate upon its unthinkable antiquity. It was circular closing a
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  Speaker 1: circular aperture, and the heliumite knew from his study of
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  Speaker 1: ancient Barsoomian architecture that it rolled to one side, like
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  Speaker 1: a huge wheel, into an aperture in the wall. Even
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  Speaker 1: such old world cities as ancient Anthor were as yet
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  Speaker 1: undreamed of when the races lived that built such gates
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  Speaker 1: as these. As he stood speculating upon the identity of
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  Speaker 1: this forgotten city, a voice spoke to them from above.
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  Speaker 1: Both looked up. There, leaning over the edge of the
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  Speaker 1: high wall was a man. His hair was auburn, his
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  Speaker 1: skin fair, fairer even than that of John Carter the Virginian.
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  Speaker 1: His forehead was high, his eyes large and intelligent. The
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  Speaker 1: language that he used was intelligible to the two below,
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  Speaker 1: yet there was a marked difference between it and their
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  Speaker 1: Barsoomian tongue. Who are you, he asked, asked, and what
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  Speaker 1: do you here before the gate of Lothar. We are friends,
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  Speaker 1: replied Carthoris. This is the princess Thuvia of Ptarth, who
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  Speaker 1: was captured by the Torquasian Horde. I am Carthoris of Helium,
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  Speaker 1: Prince of the House of Tardos Mors Jeddak of Helium,
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  Speaker 1: and son of John Carter, Warlord of Mars, and of
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  Speaker 1: his wife dejah Thoris. Ptarth repeated the man Helium. He
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  Speaker 1: shook his head. I never heard of these strange places,
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  Speaker 1: nor did I know that there dwelt upon Barsoom a
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  Speaker 1: race of thy strange color. Where may these cities lie?
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  Speaker 1: Of which you speak? From our loftiest tower, we have
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  Speaker 1: never seen another city than Lothar. Carthoris pointed toward the northeast.
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  Speaker 1: In that direction lie Helium and Ptarth. He said, Helium
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  Speaker 1: is over eight hundred thousand hids from Lotho, while Ptarth
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  Speaker 1: lies nine thousand, five hundred hods northeast of Helium. Footnote
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  Speaker 1: on Barsoom. The ad is the basis of linear measurement.
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  Speaker 1: It is the equivalent of an earthly foot, measuring about
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  Speaker 1: eleven point six nine four earth inches. As has been
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  Speaker 1: my custom in the past, I have generally translated Barsoomian
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  Speaker 1: symbols of time, distance, et cetera, into their earthly equivalent,
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  Speaker 1: as being more easily understood by Earth readers. For those
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  Speaker 1: of a more studious turn of mind, it may be
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  Speaker 1: interesting to know the Martian table of linear measurement, and
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  Speaker 1: so I give it here. Ten sofads equals one ad.
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  Speaker 1: Two hundred ads equals one had, One hundred hads equals
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  Speaker 1: one care ad. Three hundred and sixty care ads equals
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  Speaker 1: one circumference of mars at equator. A had or Arsumian
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  Speaker 1: mile contains about two thousand, three hundred and thirty nine
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  Speaker 1: earth feet. A charade is one degree. A sopod is
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  Speaker 1: about one point one seven earth inches. End of Footnote Still,
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  Speaker 1: the man shook his head. I know nothing beyond the
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  Speaker 1: Lotharian hills, he said, Naught may live there beside the
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  Speaker 1: hideous green hordes of Torcas. They have conquered all Barsoom
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  Speaker 1: except this single valley and the city of Lothar. Here
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  Speaker 1: we have defied them for countless ages, though periodically they
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  Speaker 1: renew their attempts to destroy us. From whence you come,
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  Speaker 1: I cannot guess, unless you be descended from the slaves
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  Speaker 1: the Torkasians captured in early times when they reduced the
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  Speaker 1: outer world to their vassalage. But we had heard that
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  Speaker 1: they destroyed all of their races, but their own. Carthoris
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  Speaker 1: tried to explain that the Torcasians ruled but a relatively
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  Speaker 1: tiny part art of the surface of Barsoom, and even
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  Speaker 1: this only because their domain held nothing to attract the
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  Speaker 1: Red race. But the Lotharian could not seem to conceive
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  Speaker 1: of anything beyond the Valley of Lothar other than a
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  Speaker 1: trackless waste peopled by the ferocious green hordes of Torquas.
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  Speaker 1: After considerable parleying, he consented to admit them into the city,
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  Speaker 1: and a moment later, the wheel, like a gate, rolled
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  Speaker 1: back within its niche and Thuvia and Carthoris entered the
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  Speaker 1: city of Lothar. All about them were evidences of fabulous wealth.
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  Speaker 1: The facades of the buildings fronting upon the avenue within
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  Speaker 1: the wall were richly carven, and about the windows and
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  Speaker 1: doors were oftentimes set foot wide borders of precious stones,
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  Speaker 1: intricate mosaics, or tablets of beaten gold bearing bass reliefs
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  Speaker 1: depicting what may have been bits of the history of
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  Speaker 1: this forgotten people he with whom they had conversed across
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  Speaker 1: the wall was in the avenue to receive them. About
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  Speaker 1: him were a hundred or more men of the same race.
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  Speaker 1: All were clothed in flowing robes, and all were beardless.
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  Speaker 1: Their attitude was more of fearful suspicion than antagonism. They
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  Speaker 1: followed the newcomers with their eyes, but spoke no word
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  Speaker 1: to them. Carthoris could not but notice the fact that,
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  Speaker 1: though the city had been but a short time before
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  Speaker 1: surrounded by a horde of bloodthirsty demons, yet none of
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  Speaker 1: the citizens appeared to be armed, nor was there sign
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  Speaker 1: of soldiery about. He wondered if all the fighting men
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  Speaker 1: had sallied forth in one supreme effort to rout the foe,
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  Speaker 1: leaving the city all unguarded. He asked their host. The
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  Speaker 1: man smiled, No creature other than a score or so
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  Speaker 1: of our sacred banths has left Lothar to day, he replied.
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  Speaker 1: But the soldiers, the bowmen, exclaimed, Carthoris, we saw thousands
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  Speaker 1: emerge from this very gait, overwhelming the hordes of Torcass
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  Speaker 1: and putting them to rout with their deadly arrows and
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  Speaker 1: their fierce banths. Still the man smiled, his g knowing smile. Look,
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  Speaker 1: he cried, and pointed down a broad avenue before him.
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  Speaker 1: Carthoris and Thuvia followed the direction indicated, and there, marching
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  Speaker 1: bravely in the sunlight, they saw advancing toward them a
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  Speaker 1: great army of bowmen. Ah, exclaimed Thuvia. They have returned
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  Speaker 1: through another gate. Or perchance these be the troops that
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  Speaker 1: remained to defend the city. Again, the fellows smiled his
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  Speaker 1: uncanny smile. There are no soldiers in Lothar, he said. Look.
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  Speaker 1: Both Carthoris and Thuvia had turned toward him while he spoke,
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  Speaker 1: and now as they turned back again toward the advancing regiments,
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  Speaker 1: their eyes went wide in Astuoni, for the broad avenue
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  Speaker 1: before them was as deserted as the tomb. And those
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  Speaker 1: who marched out upon the hordes today, whispered Carthoris, they
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  Speaker 1: too were unreal. The man nodded, but their arrows slew.
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  Speaker 1: The green warriors insisted Thuvia. Let us go before Tario,
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  Speaker 1: replied the Lotharian, he will tell you that which he
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  Speaker 1: deems it best. You know, I might tell you too much.
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  Speaker 1: Who is Tario asked Carthoris. Jeddak of Lothar replied, the
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  Speaker 1: guide leading them up the broad avenue, down which they
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  Speaker 1: had but a moment since seen the phantom army. Marching
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  Speaker 1: for half an hour, they walked along lovely avenues between
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  Speaker 1: the most gorgeous buildings that the two had ever seen.
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  Speaker 1: Few people were in evidence. Carthoris could not but note
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  Speaker 1: the deserted appearance of the mighty city. At last they
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  Speaker 1: came to the royal Palace. Carthoris saw it from a distance, and,
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  Speaker 1: guessing the nature of the magnificent pile, wondered that even
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  Speaker 1: here there should be so little sign of activity and life.
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  Speaker 1: Not even a single guard was visible before the great entrance,
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  Speaker 1: nor into the gardens beyond, into which he could see,
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  Speaker 1: was there sign of the myriad of life that pulses
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  Speaker 1: within the precincts of the royal estates of the Red Jeddaks. Here,
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  Speaker 1: said their guide is the Palace of Tario. As he spoke,
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  Speaker 1: Carthoris again let his gaze rest upon the wondrous palace.
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  Speaker 1: With a startled exclamation. He rubbed his eyes and looked. Again. No,
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  Speaker 1: he could not be mistaken. Before the massive gate stood
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  Speaker 1: a score of centuries within. The avenue leading to the
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  Speaker 1: main building was lined on either side by ranks of bowmen.
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  Speaker 1: The gardens were dotted with officers and soldiers, moving quickly
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  Speaker 1: to and fro, as though bent upon the duties of
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  Speaker 1: the minute. What manner of people were these who could
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  Speaker 1: conjure an army out of thin air? He glanced at Thuvia,
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  Speaker 1: She too, evidently had witnessed the transformation. With a little shudder,
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  Speaker 1: she pressed more closely toward him. What do you make
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  Speaker 1: of it? She whispered? It is most uncanny. I cannot
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  Speaker 1: account for it, replied Carthoris, unless we have gone mad.
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  Speaker 1: Carthoris turned quickly toward the Lotharian. The fellow was smiling broadly.
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  Speaker 1: I thought that you just said there were no soldiers
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  Speaker 1: in Lothar, said the Heliumite, with a gesture toward the guardsman.
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  Speaker 1: What are these ask Tario, replied the other. We shall
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  Speaker 1: soon be before him. Nor was it long before they
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  Speaker 1: entered a lofty chamber, at one end of which a
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  Speaker 1: man reclined upon a rich couch that stood upon a
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  Speaker 1: high dais. As the trio approached, the man turned dreamy
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  Speaker 1: eyes sleepily upon them. Twenty feet from the dais, their
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  Speaker 1: conductor halted and whispering to Thuvia and Carthoris, to follow
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  Speaker 1: his example, threw himself headlong to the floor. Then rising
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  Speaker 1: to hands and knees, he commenced crawling toward the foot
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  Speaker 1: of the throne, swinging his head to and fro, and
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  Speaker 1: wiggling his body as you have seen a hound do
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  Speaker 1: when approaching its master. Thuvia glanced quickly toward Carthoris. He
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  Speaker 1: was standing erect with high held head and arms folded
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  Speaker 1: across his broad chest. A haughty smile curved his lips.
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  Speaker 1: The man upon the daiis was eyeing him intently, and
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  Speaker 1: Carthoris of Helium was looking straight in the other's face.
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  Speaker 1: Who be these Jav asked the man of him who
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  Speaker 1: crawled upon his belly along the floor. O Tario, most glorious, Jeddak,
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  Speaker 1: replied Jav. These be strangers who came with the hordes
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  Speaker 1: of Torquas to our gates, saying that they were prisoners
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  Speaker 1: of the Green Man. They tell strange tales of cities
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  Speaker 1: far beyond lothar Arise, Jav commanded Tario, and ask these
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  Speaker 1: two why they show not to Tario the respect that
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  Speaker 1: is his due. Jav arose and faced the strangers at
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  Speaker 1: sight of their erect positions, his face went livid. He
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  Speaker 1: leaped toward them creatures. He screamed, down down upon your
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  Speaker 1: bellies before the last of the Jeddaks of Barsoom. End
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  Speaker 1: of chapter six