a princess of mars-第13章

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the　culprit's　peers；　and　I　may　say　that　justice　seldom

misses　fire；　but　seems　rather　to　rule　in　inverse　ratio　to

the　ascendency　of　law。　　In　one　respect　at　least　the　Martians

are　a　happy　people；　they　have　no　lawyers。



I　did　not　see　the　prisoner　again　for　several　days　subsequent

to　our　first　encounter；　and　then　only　to　catch　a　fleeting

glimpse　of　her　as　she　was　being　conducted　to　the　great

audience　chamber　where　I　had　had　my　first　meeting　with

Lorquas　Ptomel。　　I　could　not　but　note　the　unnecessary

harshness　and　brutality　with　which　her　guards　treated　her；

so　different　from　the　almost　maternal　kindliness　which　Sola

manifested　toward　me；　and　the　respectful　attitude　of　the　few

green　Martians　who　took　the　trouble　to　notice　me　at　all。



I　had　observed　on　the　two　occasions　when　I　had　seen　her

that　the　prisoner　exchanged　words　with　her　guards；　and　this

convinced　me　that　they　spoke；　or　at　least　could　make

themselves　understood　by　a　common　language。　　With　this　added

incentive　I　nearly　drove　Sola　distracted　by　my　importunities

to　hasten　on　my　education　and　within　a　few　more　days

I　had　mastered　the　Martian　tongue　sufficiently　well　to　enable

me　to　carry　on　a　passable　conversation　and　to　fully　understand

practically　all　that　I　heard。



At　this　time　our　sleeping　quarters　were　occupied　by　three

or　four　females　and　a　couple　of　the　recently　hatched　young；

beside　Sola　and　her　youthful　ward；　myself；　and　Woola　the

hound。　　After　they　had　retired　for　the　night　it　was　customary

for　the　adults　to　carry　on　a　desultory　conversation　for　a

short　time　before　lapsing　into　sleep；　and　now　that　I　could

understand　their　language　I　was　always　a　keen　listener；

although　I　never　proffered　any　remarks　myself。



On　the　night　following　the　prisoner's　visit　to　the　audience

chamber　the　conversation　finally　fell　upon　this　subject；　and

I　was　all　ears　on　the　instant。　　I　had　feared　to　question　Sola

relative　to　the　beautiful　captive；　as　I　could　not　but　recall　the

strange　expression　I　had　noted　upon　her　face　after　my　first

encounter　with　the　prisoner。　　That　it　denoted　jealousy　I　could

not　say；　and　yet；　judging　all　things　by　mundane　standards

as　I　still　did；　I　felt　it　safer　to　affect　indifference　in　the　matter

until　I　learned　more　surely　Sola's　attitude　toward　the　object

of　my　solicitude。



Sarkoja；　one　of　the　older　women　who　shared　our　domicile；

had　been　present　at　the　audience　as　one　of　the　captive's

guards；　and　it　was　toward　her　the　question　turned。



〃When；〃　asked　one　of　the　women；　〃will　we　enjoy　the

death　throes　of　the　red　one？　or　does　Lorquas　Ptomel；　Jed；

intend　holding　her　for　ransom？〃



〃They　have　decided　to　carry　her　with　us　back　to　Thark；

and　exhibit　her　last　agonies　at　the　great　games　before　Tal

Hajus；〃　replied　Sarkoja。



〃What　will　be　the　manner　of　her　going　out？〃　inquired

Sola。　　〃She　is　very　small　and　very　beautiful；　I　had　hoped　that

they　would　hold　her　for　ransom。〃



Sarkoja　and　the　other　women　grunted　angrily　at　this　evidence

of　weakness　on　the　part　of　Sola。



〃It　is　sad；　Sola；　that　you　were　not　born　a　million　years

ago；〃　snapped　Sarkoja；　〃when　all　the　hollows　of　the　land

were　filled　with　water；　and　the　peoples　were　as　soft　as　the

stuff　they　sailed　upon。　　In　our　day　we　have　progressed　to　a

point　where　such　sentiments　mark　weakness　and　atavism。　　It

will　not　be　well　for　you　to　permit　Tars　Tarkas　to　learn

that　you　hold　such　degenerate　sentiments；　as　I　doubt

that　he　would　care　to　entrust　such　as　you　with　the

grave　responsibilities　of　maternity。〃



〃I　see　nothing　wrong　with　my　expression　of　interest　in

this　red　woman；〃　retorted　Sola。　　〃She　has　never　harmed　us；

nor　would　she　should　we　have　fallen　into　her　hands。　　It　is

only　the　men　of　her　kind　who　war　upon　us；　and　I　have　ever

thought　that　their　attitude　toward　us　is　but　the　reflection

of　ours　toward　them。　　They　live　at　peace　with　all　their　fellows；

except　when　duty　calls　upon　them　to　make　war；　while　we

are　at　peace　with　none；　forever　warring　among　our　own

kind　as　well　as　upon　the　red　men；　and　even　in　our　own

communities　the　individuals　fight　amongst　themselves。

Oh；　it　is　one　continual；　awful　period　of　bloodshed　from　the

time　we　break　the　shell　until　we　gladly　embrace　the　bosom　of

the　river　of　mystery；　the　dark　and　ancient　Iss　which　carries　us

to　an　unknown；　but　at　least　no　more　frightful　and　terrible

existence！　　Fortunate　indeed　is　he　who　meets　his　end　in　an

early　death。　　Say　what　you　please　to　Tars　Tarkas；　he　can　mete

out　no　worse　fate　to　me　than　a　continuation　of　the　horrible

existence　we　are　forced　to　lead　in　this　life。〃



This　wild　outbreak　on　the　part　of　Sola　so　greatly　surprised

and　shocked　the　other　women；　that；　after　a　few　words　of

general　reprimand；　they　all　lapsed　into　silence　and　were

soon　asleep。　　One　thing　the　episode　had　accomplished　was

to　assure　me　of　Sola's　friendliness　toward　the　poor　girl；　and

also　to　convince　me　that　I　had　been　extremely　fortunate　in

falling　into　her　hands　rather　than　those　of　some　of　the　other

females。　　I　knew　that　she　was　fond　of　me；　and　now　that　I

had　discovered　that　she　hated　cruelty　and　barbarity　I　was

confident　that　I　could　depend　upon　her　to　aid　me　and　the

girl　captive　to　escape；　provided　of　course　that　such　a　thing

was　within　the　range　of　possibilities。



I　did　not　even　know　that　there　were　any　better　conditions

to　escape　to；　but　I　was　more　than　willing　to　take　my　chances

among　people　fashioned　after　my　own　mold　rather　than

to　remain　longer　among　the　hideous　and　bloodthirsty　green

men　of　Mars。　　But　where　to　go；　and　how；　was　as　much　of　a

puzzle　to　me　as　the　age…old　search　for　the　spring　of　eternal

life　has　been　to　earthly　men　since　the　beginning　of　time。



I　decided　that　at　the　first　opportunity　I　would　take　Sola

into　my　confidence　and　openly　ask　her　to　aid　me；　and　with

this　resolution　strong　upon　me　I　turned　among　my　silks　and

furs　and　slept　the　dreamless　and　refreshing　sleep　of　Mars。









CHAPTER　X





CHAMPION　AND　CHIEF





Early　the　next　morning　I　was　astir。　　Considerable　freedom　was

allowed　me；　as　Sola　had　informed　me　that　so　long　as　I　did

not　attempt　to　leave　the　city　I　was　free　to　go　and　come　as

I　pleased。　　She　had　warned　me；　however；　against　venturing　forth

unarmed；　as　this　city；　like　all　other　deserted　metropolises　of

an　ancient　Martian　civilization；　was　peopled　by　the　great

white　apes　of　my　second　day's　adventure。



In　advising　me　that　I　must　not　leave　the　boundaries　of

the　city　Sola　had　explained　that　Woola　would　prevent　this

anyway　should　I　attempt　it；　and　she　warned　me　most　urgently

not　to　arouse　his　fierce　nature　by　ignoring　his　warnings

should　I　venture　too　close　to　the　forbidden　territory。　　His

nature　was　such；　she　said；　that　he　would　bring　me　back　into

the　city　dead　or　alive　should　I　persist　in　opposing　him；

〃preferably　dead；〃　she　added。



On　this　morning　I　had　chosen　a　new　street　to　explore　when

suddenly　I　found　myself　at　the　limits　of　the　city。　　Before

me　were　low　hills　pierced　by　narrow　and　inviting　ravines。

I　longed　to　explore　the　country　before　me；　and；　like　the

pioneer　stock　from　which　I　sprang；　to　view　what　the

landscape　beyond　the　encircling　hills　might　disclose

from　the　summits　which　shut　out　my　view。



It　also　occurred　to　me　that　this　would　prove　an　excellent

opportunity　to　test　the　qualities　of　Woola。　　I　was　convinced

that　the　brute　loved　me；　I　had　seen　more　evidences　of　affection

in　him　than　in　any　other　Martian　animal；　man　or　beast；

and　I　was　sure　that　gratitude　for　the　acts　that　had　twice

saved　his　life　would　more　than　outweigh　his　loyalty　to　the

duty　imposed　upon　him　by　cruel　and　loveless　masters。



As　I　approached　the　boundary　line　Woola　ran　anxiously

before　me；　and　thrust　his　body　against　my　legs。　　His　expression

was　pleading　rather　than　ferocious；　nor　did　he　bare　his

great　tusks　or　utter　his　fearful　guttural　warnings。　　Denied

the　friendship　and　companionship　of　my　kind；　I　had　develope