Latest / Daily Classic Sci Fi Books / 06 - Thuvia, Maid of Mars - Edgar Rice Burroughs
Transcript
- Chapter six, The Jeddak of Lothar. The girl looked her incredulity. They lay in piles. She murmured, there were thousands of them but a minute ago, and now continued Carthoris, there remain but the Banths and the carcasses of the green men. They must have sent forth and carried the dead bowmen away while we were talking, said the girl. It is impossible, replied Carthoris. Thousands of dead lay there upon the field but a moment, since it would have required many hours to have removed them. The thing is uncanny. I had hoped, said Thuvia, that we might find an asylum with these fair skinned people. Notwithstanding their valor upon the field of battle, they did not strike me as a ferocious or warlike people. I had been about to suggest that we seek entrance to the city, But now I scarce know if I care to venture among people whose dead vanish into thin air. Let us chance, it, replied Carthoris. We can be no worse off within their walls than without. Here we may fall prey to the Banths or the no less fierce Torquasians. There, at least we shall find beings molded after our own images. All that causes me to hesitate, he added, is the danger of taking you past so many danths. A single sword would scarce prevail, or even a couple of them to charge simultaneously. Do not fear on that score, replied the girl, smiling, The banths will not harm us. As she spoke, she descended from the platform, and, with Carthoris at her side, stepped fearlessly out upon the bloody field in the direction of the walled city of Mystery. They had advanced but a short distance when a banth, looking up from its gory feast, descried them with an angry roar. The beast walked quickly in their direction, and at the sound of its voice, a score of others followed its example. Carthoris drew his long sword. The girl stole a quick glance at his face. She saw the smile upon his lips, and it was as wine to sick nerves. For even upon warlike barsoom, where all men are brave, woman reacts quickly to quiet indifference, to anger, to dare deviltry, that is, without bombast. You may return your sword, she said, I told you that the bans would not harm us. Look, and as she spoke she stepped quickly toward the nearest animal. Carthoris would have leaped after her to protect her, but with a gesture she motioned him back. He heard her calling to the banths in a low, sing song voice that was half purr. Instantly, the great heads went up, and all the wicked eyes were riveted upon the figure of the girl. Then, stealthily they commenced moving toward her. She had stopped now and was standing waiting them, one closer to her than the others. Hesitated, She spoke to him imperiously, as a master might speak to a refractory hound. The great carnivore let its head droop, and, with tail between its legs, came slinking to the girl's feet, and after it came the others, until she was entirely surrounded by the savage man eaters. Turning, she led them to where Carthoris stood. They growled a little as they neared the man, but a few sharp words of command put them in their places. How do you do it, exclaimed Carthoris. Your father once asked me that same question. In the galleries of the Golden Cliffs within the Aughts Mountains, beneath the temples of the ferns. I could not answer him, nor can I answer you. I do not know whence comes my power over them. But ever since the day that Satore Throg threw me among them in the banth pit of the holy Ferns, and the great creatures fawned upon me instead of devouring me, I ever have had the same strange power over them. They come at my call and do my bidding, even as the faithful Woolah does the bidding of your mighty sire. With a word, the girl dispersed the fierce pack roaring. They returned to their interrupted feast, while Carthoris and Thuvia passed among them toward the walled city. As they advanced, the man looked with wonder upon the dead bodies of those of the green men that had not been devoured or mauled by the banths. He called the girl's attention to them. No arrows protruded from the great carcasses. Nowhere upon any of them was the sign of mortal wound, nor even slightest scratch or abrasion. Before the Bowman's dead had disappeared, the corpses of the Torquasians had bristled with the deadly arrows of their foes. Where had the slender messengers of death departed? What unseen hand had plucked them from the bodies of the slain? Despite himself, Carthoris could scarce repress a shudder of apprehension as he glanced toward the silent city before them. No longer was sign of life visible upon wall or rooftop. All was quiet, brooding, ominous quiet. Yet he was sure that eyes watched them from somewhere behind that blank wall. He glanced at Thuvia. She was advancing with wide eyes fixed upon the city gate. He looked in the direction of her gaze, but saw nothing. His gaze upon her seemed to arouse her as from a lethargy. She glanced up at him, a quick, brave smile, touching her lips, and then, as though the act was involuntary, she came close to his side and placed one of her hands in his. He guessed that something within her that was beyond her conscious control, was appealing to him for protection. He threw an arm about her, and thus they crossed the field. She did not draw away from him. It is doubtful that she realized that his arm was there, so engrossed was she in the mystery of the strange city before them. They stopped before the gate. It was a mighty thing. From its construction, Carthoris could but dimly speculate upon its unthinkable antiquity. It was circular closing a circular aperture, and the heliumite knew from his study of ancient Barsoomian architecture that it rolled to one side, like a huge wheel, into an aperture in the wall. Even such old world cities as ancient Anthor were as yet undreamed of when the races lived that built such gates as these. As he stood speculating upon the identity of this forgotten city, a voice spoke to them from above. Both looked up. There, leaning over the edge of the high wall was a man. His hair was auburn, his skin fair, fairer even than that of John Carter the Virginian. His forehead was high, his eyes large and intelligent. The language that he used was intelligible to the two below, yet there was a marked difference between it and their Barsoomian tongue. Who are you, he asked, asked, and what do you here before the gate of Lothar. We are friends, replied Carthoris. This is the princess Thuvia of Ptarth, who was captured by the Torquasian Horde. I am Carthoris of Helium, Prince of the House of Tardos Mors Jeddak of Helium, and son of John Carter, Warlord of Mars, and of his wife dejah Thoris. Ptarth repeated the man Helium. He shook his head. I never heard of these strange places, nor did I know that there dwelt upon Barsoom a race of thy strange color. Where may these cities lie? Of which you speak? From our loftiest tower, we have never seen another city than Lothar. Carthoris pointed toward the northeast. In that direction lie Helium and Ptarth. He said, Helium is over eight hundred thousand hids from Lotho, while Ptarth lies nine thousand, five hundred hods northeast of Helium. Footnote on Barsoom. The ad is the basis of linear measurement. It is the equivalent of an earthly foot, measuring about eleven point six nine four earth inches. As has been my custom in the past, I have generally translated Barsoomian symbols of time, distance, et cetera, into their earthly equivalent, as being more easily understood by Earth readers. For those of a more studious turn of mind, it may be interesting to know the Martian table of linear measurement, and so I give it here. Ten sofads equals one ad. Two hundred ads equals one had, One hundred hads equals one care ad. Three hundred and sixty care ads equals one circumference of mars at equator. A had or Arsumian mile contains about two thousand, three hundred and thirty nine earth feet. A charade is one degree. A sopod is about one point one seven earth inches. End of Footnote Still, the man shook his head. I know nothing beyond the Lotharian hills, he said, Naught may live there beside the hideous green hordes of Torcas. They have conquered all Barsoom except this single valley and the city of Lothar. Here we have defied them for countless ages, though periodically they renew their attempts to destroy us. From whence you come, I cannot guess, unless you be descended from the slaves the Torkasians captured in early times when they reduced the outer world to their vassalage. But we had heard that they destroyed all of their races, but their own. Carthoris tried to explain that the Torcasians ruled but a relatively tiny part art of the surface of Barsoom, and even this only because their domain held nothing to attract the Red race. But the Lotharian could not seem to conceive of anything beyond the Valley of Lothar other than a trackless waste peopled by the ferocious green hordes of Torquas. After considerable parleying, he consented to admit them into the city, and a moment later, the wheel, like a gate, rolled back within its niche and Thuvia and Carthoris entered the city of Lothar. All about them were evidences of fabulous wealth. The facades of the buildings fronting upon the avenue within the wall were richly carven, and about the windows and doors were oftentimes set foot wide borders of precious stones, intricate mosaics, or tablets of beaten gold bearing bass reliefs depicting what may have been bits of the history of this forgotten people he with whom they had conversed across the wall was in the avenue to receive them. About him were a hundred or more men of the same race. All were clothed in flowing robes, and all were beardless. Their attitude was more of fearful suspicion than antagonism. They followed the newcomers with their eyes, but spoke no word to them. Carthoris could not but notice the fact that, though the city had been but a short time before surrounded by a horde of bloodthirsty demons, yet none of the citizens appeared to be armed, nor was there sign of soldiery about. He wondered if all the fighting men had sallied forth in one supreme effort to rout the foe, leaving the city all unguarded. He asked their host. The man smiled, No creature other than a score or so of our sacred banths has left Lothar to day, he replied. But the soldiers, the bowmen, exclaimed, Carthoris, we saw thousands emerge from this very gait, overwhelming the hordes of Torcass and putting them to rout with their deadly arrows and their fierce banths. Still the man smiled, his g knowing smile. Look, he cried, and pointed down a broad avenue before him. Carthoris and Thuvia followed the direction indicated, and there, marching bravely in the sunlight, they saw advancing toward them a great army of bowmen. Ah, exclaimed Thuvia. They have returned through another gate. Or perchance these be the troops that remained to defend the city. Again, the fellows smiled his uncanny smile. There are no soldiers in Lothar, he said. Look. Both Carthoris and Thuvia had turned toward him while he spoke, and now as they turned back again toward the advancing regiments, their eyes went wide in Astuoni, for the broad avenue before them was as deserted as the tomb. And those who marched out upon the hordes today, whispered Carthoris, they too were unreal. The man nodded, but their arrows slew. The green warriors insisted Thuvia. Let us go before Tario, replied the Lotharian, he will tell you that which he deems it best. You know, I might tell you too much. Who is Tario asked Carthoris. Jeddak of Lothar replied, the guide leading them up the broad avenue, down which they had but a moment since seen the phantom army. Marching for half an hour, they walked along lovely avenues between the most gorgeous buildings that the two had ever seen. Few people were in evidence. Carthoris could not but note the deserted appearance of the mighty city. At last they came to the royal Palace. Carthoris saw it from a distance, and, guessing the nature of the magnificent pile, wondered that even here there should be so little sign of activity and life. Not even a single guard was visible before the great entrance, nor into the gardens beyond, into which he could see, was there sign of the myriad of life that pulses within the precincts of the royal estates of the Red Jeddaks. Here, said their guide is the Palace of Tario. As he spoke, Carthoris again let his gaze rest upon the wondrous palace. With a startled exclamation. He rubbed his eyes and looked. Again. No, he could not be mistaken. Before the massive gate stood a score of centuries within. The avenue leading to the main building was lined on either side by ranks of bowmen. The gardens were dotted with officers and soldiers, moving quickly to and fro, as though bent upon the duties of the minute. What manner of people were these who could conjure an army out of thin air? He glanced at Thuvia, She too, evidently had witnessed the transformation. With a little shudder, she pressed more closely toward him. What do you make of it? She whispered? It is most uncanny. I cannot account for it, replied Carthoris, unless we have gone mad. Carthoris turned quickly toward the Lotharian. The fellow was smiling broadly. I thought that you just said there were no soldiers in Lothar, said the Heliumite, with a gesture toward the guardsman. What are these ask Tario, replied the other. We shall soon be before him. Nor was it long before they entered a lofty chamber, at one end of which a man reclined upon a rich couch that stood upon a high dais. As the trio approached, the man turned dreamy eyes sleepily upon them. Twenty feet from the dais, their conductor halted and whispering to Thuvia and Carthoris, to follow his example, threw himself headlong to the floor. Then rising to hands and knees, he commenced crawling toward the foot of the throne, swinging his head to and fro, and wiggling his body as you have seen a hound do when approaching its master. Thuvia glanced quickly toward Carthoris. He was standing erect with high held head and arms folded across his broad chest. A haughty smile curved his lips. The man upon the daiis was eyeing him intently, and Carthoris of Helium was looking straight in the other's face. Who be these Jav asked the man of him who crawled upon his belly along the floor. O Tario, most glorious, Jeddak, replied Jav. These be strangers who came with the hordes of Torquas to our gates, saying that they were prisoners of the Green Man. They tell strange tales of cities far beyond lothar Arise, Jav commanded Tario, and ask these two why they show not to Tario the respect that is his due. Jav arose and faced the strangers at sight of their erect positions, his face went livid. He leaped toward them creatures. He screamed, down down upon your bellies before the last of the Jeddaks of Barsoom. End of chapter six