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第34章

a princess of mars-第34章

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letter to a nearby agricultural officer who would help me on

my way to Zodanga; which he said; was the nearest Martian city。



〃But be sure that you do not let them know you are

bound for Helium as they are at war with that country。

My assistant and I are of no country; we belong to all Barsoom

and this talisman which we wear protects us in all lands;

even among the green menthough we do not trust ourselves

to their hands if we can avoid it;〃 he added。



〃And so good…night; my friend;〃 he continued; 〃may you

have a long and restful sleepyes; a long sleep。〃



And though he smiled pleasantly I saw in his thoughts the

wish that he had never admitted me; and then a picture of

him standing over me in the night; and the swift thrust of

a long dagger and the half formed words; 〃I am sorry; but it

is for the best good of Barsoom。〃



As he closed the door of my chamber behind him his

thoughts were cut off from me as was the sight of him; which

seemed strange to me in my little knowledge of thought

transference。



What was I to do?  How could I escape through these

mighty walls?  Easily could I kill him now that I was warned;

but once he was dead I could no more escape; and with the

stopping of the machinery of the great plant I should die

with all the other inhabitants of the planetall; even Dejah

Thoris were she not already dead。  For the others I did not

give the snap of my finger; but the thought of Dejah Thoris

drove from my mind all desire to kill my mistaken host。



Cautiously I opened the door of my apartment and; followed

by Woola; sought the inner of the great doors。  A wild

scheme had come to me; I would attempt to force the great

locks by the nine thought waves I had read in my host's mind。



Creeping stealthily through corridor after corridor and

down winding runways which turned hither and thither I

finally reached the great hall in which I had broken my long

fast that morning。  Nowhere had I seen my host; nor did I

know where he kept himself by night。



I was on the point of stepping boldly out into the room

when a slight noise behind me warned me back into the

shadows of a recess in the corridor。  Dragging Woola after

me I crouched low in the darkness。



Presently the old man passed close by me; and as he entered

the dimly lighted chamber which I had been about to

pass through I saw that he held a long thin dagger in his

hand and that he was sharpening it upon a stone。  In his mind

was the decision to inspect the radium pumps; which would

take about thirty minutes; and then return to my bed chamber

and finish me。



As he passed through the great hall and disappeared down

the runway which led to the pump…room; I stole stealthily


from my hiding place and crossed to the great door; the inner

of the three which stood between me and liberty。



Concentrating my mind upon the massive lock I hurled

the nine thought waves against it。  In breathless expectancy

I waited; when finally the great door moved softly toward

me and slid quietly to one side。  One after the other the

remaining mighty portals opened at my command and Woola

and I stepped forth into the darkness; free; but little better

off than we had been before; other than that we had full

stomachs。



Hastening away from the shadows of the formidable pile

I made for the first crossroad; intending to strike the central

turnpike as quickly as possible。  This I reached about morning

and entering the first enclosure I came to I searched for

some evidences of a habitation。



There were low rambling buildings of concrete barred

with heavy impassable doors; and no amount of hammering

and hallooing brought any response。  Weary and exhausted

from sleeplessness I threw myself upon the ground commanding

Woola to stand guard。



Some time later I was awakened by his frightful growlings

and opened my eyes to see three red Martians standing a

short distance from us and covering me with their rifles。



〃I am unarmed and no enemy;〃 I hastened to explain。  〃I

have been a prisoner among the green men and am on my

way to Zodanga。  All I ask is food and rest for myself and

my calot and the proper directions for reaching my destination。〃



They lowered their rifles and advanced pleasantly toward

me placing their right hands upon my left shoulder; after the

manner of their custom of salute; and asking me many questions

about myself and my wanderings。  They then took me to the

house of one of them which was only a short distance away。



The buildings I had been hammering at in the early

morning were occupied only by stock and farm produce;

the house proper standing among a grove of enormous trees;

and; like all red…Martian homes; had been raised at night

some forty or fifty feet from the ground on a large round

metal shaft which slid up or down within a sleeve sunk in

the ground; and was operated by a tiny radium engine in

the entrance hall of the building。  Instead of bothering with

bolts and bars for their dwellings; the red Martians simply

run them up out of harm's way during the night。  They also

have private means for lowering or raising them from the

ground without if they wish to go away and leave them。



These brothers; with their wives and children; occupied three

similar houses on this farm。  They did no work themselves;

being government officers in charge。  The labor was

performed by convicts; prisoners of war; delinquent debtors

and confirmed bachelors who were too poor to pay the high

celibate tax which all red…Martian governments impose。



They were the personification of cordiality and hospitality

and I spent several days with them; resting and recuperating

from my long and arduous experiences。



When they had heard my storyI omitted all reference

to Dejah Thoris and the old man of the atmosphere plant

they advised me to color my body to more nearly resemble

their own race and then attempt to find employment in Zodanga;

either in the army or the navy。



〃The chances are small that your tale will be believed

until after you have proven your trustworthiness and won

friends among the higher nobles of the court。  This you can

most easily do through military service; as we are a warlike

people on Barsoom;〃 explained one of them; 〃and save our

richest favors for the fighting man。〃



When I was ready to depart they furnished me with a

small domestic bull thoat; such as is used for saddle

purposes by all red Martians。  The animal is about the size

of a horse and quite gentle; but in color and shape an exact

replica of his huge and fierce cousin of the wilds。



The brothers had supplied me with a reddish oil with which

I anointed my entire body and one of them cut my hair;

which had grown quite long; in the prevailing fashion of the

time; square at the back and banged in front; so that I could

have passed anywhere upon Barsoom as a full…fledged red

Martian。  My metal and ornaments were also renewed in the

style of a Zodangan gentleman; attached to the house of

Ptor; which was the family name of my benefactors。



They filled a little sack at my side with Zodangan money。

The medium of exchange upon Mars is not dissimilar from

our own except that the coins are oval。  Paper money is

issued by individuals as they require it and redeemed twice

yearly。  If a man issues more than he can redeem; the

government pays his creditors in full and the debtor works out

the amount upon the farms or in mines; which are all owned

by the government。  This suits everybody except the debtor as

it has been a difficult thing to obtain sufficient voluntary

labor to work the great isolated farm lands of Mars; stretching

as they do like narrow ribbons from pole to pole; through wild

stretches peopled by wild animals and wilder men。



When I mentioned my inability to repay them for their kindness

to me they assured me that I would have ample opportunity

if I live

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