I was lying among a pile of sleeping silks and furs in the corner of a small room in which were several green warriors3, and bending over me was an ancient and ugly female.
As I opened my eyes she turned to one of the warriors, saying,
"He will live, O Jed."
"'Tis well," replied the one so addressed, rising and approaching my couch, "he should render rare sport for the great games."
And now as my eyes fell upon him, I saw that he was no Thark, for his ornaments4 and metal were not of that horde5. He was a huge fellow, terribly scarred about the face and chest, and with one broken tusk6 and a missing ear. Strapped7 on either breast were human skulls8 and depending from these a number of dried human hands.
His reference to the great games of which I had heard so much while among the Tharks convinced me that I had but jumped from purgatory10 into gehenna.
After a few more words with the female, during which she assured him that I was now fully11 fit to travel, the jed ordered that we mount and ride after the main column.
I was strapped securely to as wild and unmanageable a thoat as I had ever seen, and, with a mounted warrior2 on either side to prevent the beast from bolting, we rode forth12 at a furious pace in pursuit of the column. My wounds gave me but little pain, so wonderfully and rapidly had the applications and injections of the female exercised their therapeutic13 powers, and so deftly14 had she bound and plastered the injuries.
Just before dark we reached the main body of troops shortly after they had made camp for the night. I was immediately taken before the leader, who proved to be the jeddak of the hordes15 of Warhoon.
Like the jed who had brought me, he was frightfully scarred, and also decorated with the breastplate of human skulls and dried dead hands which seemed to mark all the greater warriors among the Warhoons, as well as to indicate their awful ferocity, which greatly transcends16 even that of the Tharks.
The jeddak, Bar Comas17, who was comparatively young, was the object of the fierce and jealous hatred18 of his old lieutenant19, Dak Kova, the jed who had captured me, and I could not but note the almost studied efforts which the latter made to affront20 his superior.
He entirely21 omitted the usual formal salutation as we entered the presence of the jeddak, and as he pushed me roughly before the ruler he exclaimed in a loud and menacing voice.
"I have brought a strange creature wearing the metal of a Thark whom it is my pleasure to have battle with a wild thoat at the great games."
"He will die as Bar Comas, your jeddak, sees fit, if at all," replied the young ruler, with emphasis and dignity.
"If at all?" roared Dak Kova. "By the dead hands at my throat but he shall die, Bar Comas. No maudlin22 weakness on your part shall save him. O, would that Warhoon were ruled by a real jeddak rather than by a water-hearted weakling from whom even old Dak Kova could tear the metal with his bare hands!"
Bar Comas eyed the defiant23 and insubordinate chieftain for an instant, his expression one of haughty24, fearless contempt and hate, and then without drawing a weapon and without uttering a word he hurled25 himself at the throat of his defamer.
I never before had seen two green Martian warriors battle with nature's weapons and the exhibition of animal ferocity which ensued was as fearful a thing as the most disordered imagination could picture. They tore at each others' eyes and ears with their hands and with their gleaming tusks26 repeatedly slashed27 and gored28 until both were cut fairly to ribbons from head to foot.
Bar Comas had much the better of the battle as he was stronger, quicker and more intelligent. It soon seemed that the encounter was done saving only the final death thrust when Bar Comas slipped in breaking away from a clinch29. It was the one little opening that Dak Kova needed, and hurling30 himself at the body of his adversary31 he buried his single mighty32 tusk in Bar Comas' groin and with a last powerful effort ripped the young jeddak wide open the full length of his body, the great tusk finally wedging in the bones of Bar Comas' jaw33. Victor and vanquished34 rolled limp and lifeless upon the moss35, a huge mass of torn and bloody36 flesh.
Bar Comas was stone dead, and only the most herculean efforts on the part of Dak Kova's females saved him from the fate he deserved. Three days later he walked without assistance to the body of Bar Comas which, by custom, had not been moved from where it fell, and placing his foot upon the neck of his erstwhile ruler he assumed the title of Jeddak of Warhoon.
The dead jeddak's hands and head were removed to be added to the ornaments of his conqueror37, and then his women cremated38 what remained, amid wild and terrible laughter.
The injuries to Dak Kova had delayed the march so greatly that it was decided39 to give up the expedition, which was a raid upon a small Thark community in retaliation40 for the destruction of the incubator, until after the great games, and the entire body of warriors, ten thousand in number, turned back toward Warhoon.
My introduction to these cruel and bloodthirsty people was but an index to the scenes I witnessed almost daily while with them. They are a smaller horde than the Tharks but much more ferocious41. Not a day passed but that some members of the various Warhoon communities met in deadly combat. I have seen as high as eight mortal duels42 within a single day.
We reached the city of Warhoon after some three days march and I was immediately cast into a dungeon43 and heavily chained to the floor and walls. Food was brought me at intervals44 but owing to the utter darkness of the place I do not know whether I lay there days, or weeks, or months. It was the most horrible experience of all my life and that my mind did not give way to the terrors of that inky blackness has been a wonder to me ever since. The place was filled with creeping, crawling things; cold, sinuous45 bodies passed over me when I lay down, and in the darkness I occasionally caught glimpses of gleaming, fiery46 eyes, fixed47 in horrible intentness upon me. No sound reached me from the world above and no word would my jailer vouchsafe48 when my food was brought to me, although I at first bombarded him with questions.
Finally all the hatred and maniacal49 loathing50 for these awful creatures who had placed me in this horrible place was centered by my tottering51 reason upon this single emissary who represented to me the entire horde of Warhoons.
I had noticed that he always advanced with his dim torch to where he could place the food within my reach and as he stooped to place it upon the floor his head was about on a level with my breast. So, with the cunning of a madman, I backed into the far corner of my cell when next I heard him approaching and gathering52 a little slack of the great chain which held me in my hand I waited his coming, crouching53 like some beast of prey54. As he stooped to place my food upon the ground I swung the chain above my head and crashed the links with all my strength upon his skull9. Without a sound he slipped to the floor, stone dead.
Laughing and chattering55 like the idiot I was fast becoming I fell upon his prostrate56 form my fingers feeling for his dead throat. Presently they came in contact with a small chain at the end of which dangled57 a number of keys. The touch of my fingers on these keys brought back my reason with the suddenness of thought. No longer was I a jibbering idiot, but a sane58, reasoning man with the means of escape within my very hands.
As I was groping to remove the chain from about my victim's neck I glanced up into the darkness to see six pairs of gleaming eyes fixed, unwinking, upon me. Slowly they approached and slowly I shrank back from the awful horror of them. Back into my corner I crouched59 holding my hands palms out, before me, and stealthily on came the awful eyes until they reached the dead body at my feet. Then slowly they retreated but this time with a strange grating sound and finally they disappeared in some black and distant recess60 of my dungeon.
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1
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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4
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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tusk
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| n.獠牙，长牙，象牙 | |
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7
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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8
skulls
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| 颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜 | |
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skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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10
purgatory
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| n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的 | |
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11
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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12
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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therapeutic
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| adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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15
hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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16
transcends
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| 超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的第三人称单数 )； 优于或胜过… | |
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17
comas
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| n.昏迷( coma的名词复数 ) | |
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18
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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19
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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20
affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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21
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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22
maudlin
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| adj.感情脆弱的，爱哭的 | |
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23
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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25
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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26
tusks
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| n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头 | |
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27
slashed
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| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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28
gored
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| v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破( gore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
clinch
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| v.敲弯，钉牢；确定；扭住对方 [参]clench | |
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30
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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31
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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32
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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33
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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34
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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35
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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36
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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37
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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38
cremated
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| v.火葬，火化（尸体）( cremate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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40
retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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41
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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42
duels
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| n.两男子的决斗( duel的名词复数 )；竞争，斗争 | |
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43
dungeon
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| n.地牢，土牢 | |
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44
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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45
sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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46
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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47
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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48
vouchsafe
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| v.惠予，准许 | |
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49
maniacal
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| adj.发疯的 | |
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50
loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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51
tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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52
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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53
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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54
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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55
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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56
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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57
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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58
sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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59
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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