a princess of mars-第20章

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During　the　days　just　preceding　our　departure　I　had　seen

but　little　of　Dejah　Thoris；　as　I　had　been　kept　very　busy　by

Tars　Tarkas　with　my　lessons　in　the　art　of　Martian　warfare；

as　well　as　in　the　training　of　my　thoats。　　The　few　times　I　had

visited　her　quarters　she　had　been　absent；　walking　upon　the

streets　with　Sola；　or　investigating　the　buildings　in　the　near

vicinity　of　the　plaza。　　I　had　warned　them　against　venturing

far　from　the　plaza　for　fear　of　the　great　white　apes；　whose

ferocity　I　was　only　too　well　acquainted　with。　　However；　since

Woola　accompanied　them　on　all　their　excursions；　and　as

Sola　was　well　armed；　there　was　comparatively　little　cause　for

fear。



On　the　evening　before　our　departure　I　saw　them　approaching

along　one　of　the　great　avenues　which　lead　into　the

plaza　from　the　east。　　I　advanced　to　meet　them；　and　telling

Sola　that　I　would　take　the　responsibility　for　Dejah　Thoris'

safekeeping；　I　directed　her　to　return　to　her　quarters　on　some

trivial　errand。　　I　liked　and　trusted　Sola；　but　for　some　reason　I

desired　to　be　alone　with　Dejah　Thoris；　who　represented　to

me　all　that　I　had　left　behind　upon　Earth　in　agreeable　and

congenial　companionship。　　There　seemed　bonds　of　mutual

interest　between　us　as　powerful　as　though　we　had　been　born

under　the　same　roof　rather　than　upon　different　planets；

hurtling　through　space　some　forty…eight　million　miles　apart。



That　she　shared　my　sentiments　in　this　respect　I　was　positive；

for　on　my　approach　the　look　of　pitiful　hopelessness　left

her　sweet　countenance　to　be　replaced　by　a　smile　of　joyful

welcome；　as　she　placed　her　little　right　hand　upon　my　left

shoulder　in　true　red　Martian　salute。



〃Sarkoja　told　Sola　that　you　had　become　a　true　Thark；〃　she

said；　〃and　that　I　would　now　see　no　more　of　you　than　of　any

of　the　other　warriors。〃



〃Sarkoja　is　a　liar　of　the　first　magnitude；〃　I　replied；

〃notwithstanding　the　proud　claim　of　the　Tharks　to

absolute　verity。〃



Dejah　Thoris　laughed。



〃I　knew　that　even　though　you　became　a　member　of　the

community　you　would　not　cease　to　be　my　friend；　'A　warrior

may　change　his　metal；　but　not　his　heart；'　as　the　saying

is　upon　Barsoom。〃



〃I　think　they　have　been　trying　to　keep　us　apart；〃　she

continued；　〃for　whenever　you　have　been　off　duty　one　of　the

older　women　of　Tars　Tarkas'　retinue　has　always　arranged　to

trump　up　some　excuse　to　get　Sola　and　me　out　of　sight。

They　have　had　me　down　in　the　pits　below　the　buildings

helping　them　mix　their　awful　radium　powder；　and　make　their

terrible　projectiles。　　You　know　that　these　have　to　be

manufactured　by　artificial　light；　as　exposure　to　sunlight　always

results　in　an　explosion。　　You　have　noticed　that　their　bullets

explode　when　they　strike　an　object？　　Well；　the　opaque；　outer

coating　is　broken　by　the　impact；　exposing　a　glass　cylinder；

almost　solid；　in　the　forward　end　of　which　is　a　minute　particle

of　radium　powder。　　The　moment　the　sunlight；　even　though

diffused；　strikes　this　powder　it　explodes　with　a　violence　which

nothing　can　withstand。　　If　you　ever　witness　a　night　battle

you　will　note　the　absence　of　these　explosions；　while　the

morning　following　the　battle　will　be　filled　at　sunrise　with　the

sharp　detonations　of　exploding　missiles　fired　the　preceding

night。　　As　a　rule；　however；　non…exploding　projectiles　are　used

at　night。〃1



While　I　was　much　interested　in　Dejah　Thoris'　explanation

of　this　wonderful　adjunct　to　Martian　warfare；　I　was　more

concerned　by　the　immediate　problem　of　their　treatment　of

her。　　That　they　were　keeping　her　away　from　me　was　not　a

matter　for　surprise；　but　that　they　should　subject　her　to

dangerous　and　arduous　labor　filled　me　with　rage。



〃Have　they　ever　subjected　you　to　cruelty　and　ignominy；

Dejah　Thoris？〃　I　asked；　feeling　the　hot　blood　of　my　fighting

ancestors　leap　in　my　veins　as　I　awaited　her　reply。



〃Only　in　little　ways；　John　Carter；〃　she　answered。　　〃Nothing

that　can　harm　me　outside　my　pride。　　They　know　that　I　am

the　daughter　of　ten　thousand　jeddaks；　that　I　trace　my

ancestry　straight　back　without　a　break　to　the　builder　of

the　first　great　waterway；　and　they；　who　do　not　even　know

their　own　mothers；　are　jealous　of　me。　　At　heart　they　hate

their　horrid　fates；　and　so　wreak　their　poor　spite　on　me　who

stand　for　everything　they　have　not；　and　for　all　they　most

crave　and　never　can　attain。　　Let　us　pity　them；　my　chieftain；

for　even　though　we　die　at　their　hands　we　can　afford　them

pity；　since　we　are　greater　than　they　and　they　know　it。〃



Had　I　known　the　significance　of　those　words　〃my　chieftain；〃

as　applied　by　a　red　Martian　woman　to　a　man；　I　should　have

had　the　surprise　of　my　life；　but　I　did　not　know　at　that　time；

nor　for　many　months　thereafter。　　Yes；　I　still　had　much　to

learn　upon　Barsoom。



〃I　presume　it　is　the　better　part　of　wisdom　that　we　bow　to

our　fate　with　as　good　grace　as　possible；　Dejah　Thoris；　but　I

hope；　nevertheless；　that　I　may　be　present　the　next　time　that

any　Martian；　green；　red；　pink；　or　violet；　has　the　temerity　to

even　so　much　as　frown　on　you；　my　princess。〃



Dejah　Thoris　caught　her　breath　at　my　last　words；　and





I　have　used　the　word　radium　in　describing　this　powder　because　in

the　light　of　recent　discoveries　on　Earth　I　believe　it　to　be　a　mixture　of

which　radium　is　the　base。　　In　Captain　Carter's　manuscript　it　is　mentioned

always　by　the　name　used　in　the　written　language　of　Helium　and　is

spelled　in　hieroglyphics　which　it　would　be　difficult　and　useless　to

reproduce。



gazed　upon　me　with　dilated　eyes　and　quickening　breath；　and

then；　with　an　odd　little　laugh；　which　brought　roguish　dimples

to　the　corners　of　her　mouth；　she　shook　her　head　and　cried：



〃What　a　child！　　A　great　warrior　and　yet　a　stumbling　little

child。〃



〃What　have　I　done　now？〃　I　asked；　in　sore　perplexity。



〃Some　day　you　shall　know；　John　Carter；　if　we　live；　but

I　may　not　tell　you。　　And　I；　the　daughter　of　Mors　Kajak；　son　of

Tardos　Mors；　have　listened　without　anger；〃　she　soliloquized

in　conclusion。



Then　she　broke　out　again　into　one　of　her　gay；　happy；　laughing　moods；

joking　with　me　on　my　prowess　as　a　Thark　warrior　as　contrasted　with

my　soft　heart　and　natural　kindliness。



〃I　presume　that　should　you　accidentally　wound　an　enemy

you　would　take　him　home　and　nurse　him　back　to　health；〃

she　laughed。



〃That　is　precisely　what　we　do　on　Earth；〃　I　answered。

〃At　least　among　civilized　men。〃



This　made　her　laugh　again。　　She　could　not　understand　it；

for；　with　all　her　tenderness　and　womanly　sweetness；　she　was

still　a　Martian；　and　to　a　Martian　the　only　good　enemy　is　a

dead　enemy；　for　every　dead　foeman　means　so　much　more　to

divide　between　those　who　live。



I　was　very　curious　to　know　what　I　had　said　or　done　to

cause　her　so　much　perturbation　a　moment　before　and　so　I

continued　to　importune　her　to　enlighten　me。



〃No；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃it　is　enough　that　you　have　said　it

and　that　I　have　listened。　　And　when　you　learn；　John　Carter；

and　if　I　be　dead；　as　likely　I　shall　be　ere　the　further

moon　has　circled　Barsoom　another　twelve　times；　remember

that　I　listened　and　that　Ismiled。〃



It　was　all　Greek　to　me；　but　the　more　I　begged　her　to

explain　the　more　positive　became　her　denials　of　my　request；

and；　so；　in　very　hopelessness；　I　desisted。



Day　had　now　given　away　to　night　and　as　we　wandered

along　the　great　avenue　lighted　by　the　two　moons　of

Barsoom；　and　with　Earth　looking　down　upon　us　out　of　her

luminous　green　eye；　it　seemed　that　we　were　alone　in　the

universe；　and　I；　at　least；　was　content　that　it　should　be　so。



The　chill　of　the　Martian　night　was　upon　us；　and　removing

my　silks　I　threw　them　across　the　shoulders　of　Dejah

Thoris。　　As　my　arm　rested　for　an　instant　upon　her　I　felt　a

thrill　pass　through　every　fiber　of　my　being　such　as　contact

with　no　other　mortal　had　even　produced；　and　it　seemed　to

me　that　she　had　leaned　slightly　toward　me；　but　of　that　I

was　not　sure。　　Only　I　knew　that　as　my　arm　rested　there

across　her　shoulders　longer　t