登陆注册
15299500000023

第23章 A HERO IN KAOL(3)

That they must be somewhere within the great rambling edifice I was positive, and I should have given much to have found a way to remain behind during Kulan Tith's absence, that I might search for them.

Toward noon we came in touch with the head of the column we had set out to meet.

It was a gorgeous train that accompanied the visiting jeddak, and for miles it stretched along the wide, white road to Kaol.

Mounted troops, their trappings of jewel and metal-incrusted leather glistening in the sunlight, formed the vanguard of the body, and then came a thousand gorgeous chariots drawn by huge zitidars.

These low, commodious wagons moved two abreast, and on either side of them marched solid ranks of mounted warriors, for in the chariots were the women and children of the royal court.

Upon the back of each monster zitidar rode a Martian youth, and the whole scene carried me back to my first days upon Barsoom, now twenty-two years in the past, when I had first beheld the gorgeous spectacle of a caravan of the green horde of Tharks.

Never before today had I seen zitidars in the service of red men.

These brutes are huge mastodonian animals that tower to an immense height even beside the giant green men and their giant thoats;but when compared to the relatively small red man and his breed of thoats they assume Brobdingnagian proportions that are truly appalling.

The beasts were hung with jeweled trappings and saddlepads of gay silk, embroidered in fanciful designs with strings of diamonds, pearls, rubies, emeralds, and the countless unnamed jewels of Mars, while from each chariot rose a dozen standards from which streamers, flags, and pennons fluttered in the breeze.

Just in front of the chariots the visiting jeddak rode alone upon a pure white thoat--another unusual sight upon Barsoom--and after them came interminable ranks of mounted spearmen, riflemen, and swordsmen.It was indeed a most imposing sight.

Except for the clanking of accouterments and the occasional squeal of an angry thoat or the low guttural of a zitidar, the passage of the cavalcade was almost noiseless, for neither thoat nor zitidar is a hoofed animal, and the broad tires of the chariots are of an elastic composition, which gives forth no sound.

Now and then the gay laughter of a woman or the chatter of children could be heard, for the red Martians are a social, pleasure-loving people--in direct antithesis to the cold and morbid race of green men.

The forms and ceremonials connected with the meeting of the two jeddaks consumed an hour, and then we turned and retraced our way toward the city of Kaol, which the head of the column reached just before dark, though it must have been nearly morning before the rear guard passed through the gateway.

Fortunately, I was well up toward the head of the column, and after the great banquet, which I attended with the officers of the royal guard, I was free to seek repose.There was so much activity and bustle about the palace all during the night with the constant arrival of the noble officers of the visiting jeddak's retinue that I dared not attempt to prosecute a search for Dejah Thoris, and so, as soon as it was seemly for me to do so, I returned to my quarters.

As I passed along the corridors between the banquet hall and the apartments that had been allotted me, I had a sudden feeling that I was under surveillance, and, turning quickly in my tracks, caught a glimpse of a figure which darted into an open doorway the instant I wheeled about.

Though I ran quickly back to the spot where the shadower had disappeared I could find no trace of him, yet in the brief glimpse that I had caught I could have sworn that I had seen a white face surmounted by a mass of yellow hair.

The incident gave me considerable food for speculation, since if I were right in the conclusion induced by the cursory glimpse I had had of the spy, then Matai Shang and Thurid must suspect my identity, and if that were true not even the service I had rendered Kulan Tith could save me from his religious fanaticism.

But never did vague conjecture or fruitless fears for the future lie with sufficient weight upon my mind to keep me from my rest, and so tonight I threw myself upon my sleeping silks and furs and passed at once into dreamless slumber.

Calots are not permitted within the walls of the palace proper, and so I had had to relegate poor Woola to quarters in the stables where the royal thoats are kept.He had comfortable, even luxurious apartments, but I would have given much to have had him with me;and if he had been, the thing which happened that night would not have come to pass.

I could not have slept over a quarter of an hour when I was suddenly awakened by the passing of some cold and clammy thing across my forehead.Instantly I sprang to my feet, clutching in the direction I thought the presence lay.For an instant my hand touched against human flesh, and then, as I lunged headforemost through the darkness to seize my nocturnal visitor, my foot became entangled in my sleeping silks and I fell sprawling to the floor.

By the time I had resumed my feet and found the button which controlled the light my caller had disappeared.Careful search of the room revealed nothing to explain either the identity or business of the person who had thus secretly sought me in the dead of night.

That the purpose might be theft I could not believe, since thieves are practically unknown upon Barsoom.Assassination, however, is rampant, but even this could not have been the motive of my stealthy friend, for he might easily have killed me had he desired.

I had about given up fruitless conjecture and was on the point of returning to sleep when a dozen Kaolian guardsmen entered my apartment.The officer in charge was one of my genial hosts of the morning, but now upon his face was no sign of friendship.

"Kulan Tith commands your presence before him," he said."Come!"

同类推荐
  • The Blithedale Romance

    The Blithedale Romance

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Song of Roland

    The Song of Roland

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 体仁要术

    体仁要术

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 菌阁琐谈

    菌阁琐谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 信及录

    信及录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 寻迹星辰录

    寻迹星辰录

    寻迹,寻找有缘者。每一个微小说都是一颗星辰。我心上的那些残缺,用千年寻你来填满!!!
  • 人鱼传记

    人鱼传记

    华夏第一权贵慕公子闪婚了,对象是个落魄千金。结婚第一天,他就对貌美如花的小妻子,说了三个不许。“不许说出我们的关系!”“不许乱碰我的东西!”“不许出现在我的视线之内!”然而婚后的慕公子自己居然一项都没有做到过,他每天都会努力的在她面前出现一、二、三、四、五、六……七八次!突然有一天,他意外的发现了一个惊人的大秘密,原来他的小妻子根本就不是人,而是……【本文无一夜情,无失忆,无车祸,一对一宠文】
  • 娱乐圈大牌策划

    娱乐圈大牌策划

    《爱情公寓》、《甄嬛传》、《芈月传》都是我拍的……《夜店》、《疯狂的石头》、《人在囧途》都是我导的……《爸爸去哪儿》、《奔跑吧兄弟》、《极限挑战》都是我策划的……美女们都吵着要上我的戏和节目?请问你知道我想上什么吗?
  • 嫡女宛秋

    嫡女宛秋

    前一世的她为世家嫡女,身世显赫,却遭身边亲近之人陷害,遭自己的夫君唾弃,最后葬身火海。醒来发现自己竟然回到十一岁那年,一切都没有变,变的只是体内的灵魂,重生之后的她是否依旧会按着命运的轨迹行走?是否依旧会爱上那个命定的魔障?这一次的棋盘将由自己来执子围杀,害过她的人她一个也不会放过!
  • 都市潇洒教师

    都市潇洒教师

    一生碌碌无为的张凡重生回到了二十年前,曾经欺负过我的人,都给劳资跪下!“啥?嚣张?”张凡摇了摇头“哥这叫张扬!”
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 我的七仙女

    我的七仙女

    听说集齐七龙珠可以召唤神龙,但你有没有听说,追七仙女生孩子,可以拯救世界?左手《泡妞宝典》,右手《上古神术》,都市屌丝男,竟是孙悟空转世。不闹天宫不取经,这样的悟空像明星。“老公,我们去哪里啊?”七仙女齐声问道。孙宇呆立片刻,答道:“走……回天庭。”爆笑来袭,热血守护,悟空爱上七仙女,这真的是情非得已,因为都是玉帝逼的……是阎王爷逼的……拜托,来逼我一次好不好,哪怕就一次……
  • 不恋红尘

    不恋红尘

    人生路漫漫,万水又千山。红尘敌不过,你在我心间。刘恋在街上目睹男朋友劈腿后,经受不住打击晕倒。后被路人送到医院检查出患了胃癌,生命所剩无几。刘恋辞去教师职务,开始环球旅行。旅途中,刘恋结识了厷尘。两人在旅途中产生了感情,分别时相约如果能够在这个城市重逢,就在一起。刘恋住进医院等待生命的终结,厷尘则进入一家维修公司做维修工。不久后,刘恋离世。一次偶然的机会,厷尘知道了关于刘恋的一切。不恋红尘,不恋回忆,只是舍不得你!
  • 再见了爱人之下篇

    再见了爱人之下篇

    也许冥冥之中,每个人的命运都已悄悄注定了他人生当中所要走的路。有些人一生下来就过着舒适的生活,从来都不知道什么叫苦,什么叫饿。但又有许多人的命运与之恰恰相反。这就是人与人之间命运最大的不同。我不知道我未来的人生路该怎么走,但我已经尝过什么是苦,什么是饿。即使前面有更大的阻碍,我想我还是会挺过去。苦难多磨的人生更能体现出一个人生命的光彩。
  • 笙谣

    笙谣

    作为仙境的公主,笙歌能做的只有保护家园,但是代价却是遗忘。笙歌转世为郡主,她的父亲权势滔天,一直想篡夺皇位,而当今的皇上顾源喜欢笙歌,笙歌的父亲也利用皇帝顾源对笙歌的爱,将笙歌与帝国皇帝萧卸联姻。最后父亲没有得到他梦寐以求的皇位,笙歌恢复记忆,寻找失散的朋友找出回家的办法,可是最后她彷徨了。