a princess of mars-第35章

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to　me　they　assured　me　that　I　would　have　ample　opportunity

if　I　lived　long　upon　Barsoom；　and　bidding　me　farewell

they　watched　me　until　I　was　out　of　sight　upon　the　broad

white　turnpike。









CHAPTER　XXI





AN　AIR　SCOUT　FOR　ZODANGA





As　I　proceeded　on　my　journey　toward　Zodanga　many　strange　and

interesting　sights　arrested　my　attention；　and　at　the　several

farm　houses　where　I　stopped　I　learned　a　number　of　new　and

instructive　things　concerning　the　methods　and　manners　of　Barsoom。



The　water　which　supplies　the　farms　of　Mars　is　collected

in　immense　underground　reservoirs　at　either　pole　from　the

melting　ice　caps；　and　pumped　through　long　conduits　to　the

various　populated　centers。　　Along　either　side　of　these　conduits；

and　extending　their　entire　length；　lie　the　cultivated　districts。

These　are　divided　into　tracts　of　about　the　same　size；　each　tract

being　under　the　supervision　of　one　or　more　government　officers。



Instead　of　flooding　the　surface　of　the　fields；　and　thus　wasting

immense　quantities　of　water　by　evaporation；　the　precious

liquid　is　carried　underground　through　a　vast　network　of

small　pipes　directly　to　the　roots　of　the　vegetation。　　The　crops

upon　Mars　are　always　uniform；　for　there　are　no　droughts；　no

rains；　no　high　winds；　and　no　insects；　or　destroying　birds。



On　this　trip　I　tasted　the　first　meat　I　had　eaten　since

leaving　Earthlarge；　juicy　steaks　and　chops　from　the　well…fed

domestic　animals　of　the　farms。　　Also　I　enjoyed　luscious　fruits

and　vegetables；　but　not　a　single　article　of　food　which　was

exactly　similar　to　anything　on　Earth。　　Every　plant　and　flower

and　vegetable　and　animal　has　been　so　refined　by　ages　of　careful；

scientific　cultivation　and　breeding　that　the　like　of　them　on

Earth　dwindled　into　pale；　gray；　characterless　nothingness

by　comparison。



At　a　second　stop　I　met　some　highly　cultivated　people　of

the　noble　class　and　while　in　conversation　we　chanced　to

speak　of　Helium。　　One　of　the　older　men　had　been　there　on

a　diplomatic　mission　several　years　before　and　spoke　with

regret　of　the　conditions　which　seemed　destined　ever　to　keep

these　two　countries　at　war。



〃Helium；〃　he　said；　〃rightly　boasts　the　most　beautiful

women　of　Barsoom；　and　of　all　her　treasures　the　wondrous

daughter　of　Mors　Kajak；　Dejah　Thoris；　is　the　most　exquisite

flower。



〃Why；〃　he　added；　〃the　people　really　worship　the　ground

she　walks　upon　and　since　her　loss　on　that　ill…starred

expedition　all　Helium　has　been　draped　in　mourning。



〃That　our　ruler　should　have　attacked　the　disabled　fleet

as　it　was　returning　to　Helium　was　but　another　of　his　awful

blunders　which　I　fear　will　sooner　or　later　compel　Zodanga

to　elevate　a　wiser　man　to　his　place。〃



〃Even　now；　though　our　victorious　armies　are　surrounding

Helium；　the　people　of　Zodanga　are　voicing　their　displeasure；

for　the　war　is　not　a　popular　one；　since　it　is　not　based　on

right　or　justice。　　Our　forces　took　advantage　of　the　absence

of　the　principal　fleet　of　Helium　on　their　search　for　the

princess；　and　so　we　have　been　able　easily　to　reduce　the　city

to　a　sorry　plight。　　it　is　said　she　will　fall　within　the　next　few

passages　of　the　further　moon。〃



〃And　what；　think　you；　may　have　been　the　fate　of　the

princess；　Dejah　Thoris？〃　I　asked　as　casually　as　possible。



〃She　is　dead；〃　he　answered。　　〃This　much　was　learned

from　a　green　warrior　recently　captured　by　our　forces　in

the　south。　　She　escaped　from　the　hordes　of　Thark　with　a

strange　creature　of　another　world；　only　to　fall　into　the　hands

of　the　Warhoons。　　Their　thoats　were　found　wandering　upon

the　sea　bottom　and　evidences　of　a　bloody　conflict　were

discovered　nearby。〃



While　this　information　was　in　no　way　reassuring；　neither

was　it　at　all　conclusive　proof　of　the　death　of　Dejah　Thoris；

and　so　I　determined　to　make　every　effort　possible　to　reach

Helium　as　quickly　as　I　could　and　carry　to　Tardos　Mors

such　news　of　his　granddaughter's　possible　whereabouts　as

lay　in　my　power。



Ten　days　after　leaving　the　three　Ptor　brothers　I　arrived

at　Zodanga。　　From　the　moment　that　I　had　come　in　contact

with　the　red　inhabitants　of　Mars　I　had　noticed　that　Woola

drew　a　great　amount　of　unwelcome　attention　to　me；　since

the　huge　brute　belonged　to　a　species　which　is　never

domesticated　by　the　red　men。　　Were　one　to　stroll　down

Broadway　with　a　Numidian　lion　at　his　heels　the　effect　would

be　somewhat　similar　to　that　which　I　should　have　produced

had　I　entered　Zodanga　with　Woola。



The　very　thought　of　parting　with　the　faithful　fellow　caused

me　so　great　regret　and　genuine　sorrow　that　I　put　it　off　until

just　before　we　arrived　at　the　city's　gates；　but　then；　finally；

it　became　imperative　that　we　separate。　　Had　nothing　further

than　my　own　safety　or　pleasure　been　at　stake　no　argument

could　have　prevailed　upon　me　to　turn　away　the　one　creature

upon　Barsoom　that　had　never　failed　in　a　demonstration

of　affection　and　loyalty；　but　as　I　would　willingly　have　offered

my　life　in　the　service　of　her　in　search　of　whom　I　was　about

to　challenge　the　unknown　dangers　of　this；　to　me；　mysterious

city；　I　could　not　permit　even　Woola's　life　to　threaten　the

success　of　my　venture；　much　less　his　momentary　happiness；

for　I　doubted　not　he　soon　would　forget　me。　　And　so　I　bade

the　poor　beast　an　affectionate　farewell；　promising　him；

however；　that　if　I　came　through　my　adventure　in　safety　that

in　some　way　I　should　find　the　means　to　search　him　out。



He　seemed　to　understand　me　fully；　and　when　I　pointed

back　in　the　direction　of　Thark　he　turned　sorrowfully　away；

nor　could　I　bear　to　watch　him　go；　but　resolutely　set　my

face　toward　Zodanga　and　with　a　touch　of　heartsickness

approached　her　frowning　walls。



The　letter　I　bore　from　them　gained　me　immediate　entrance

to　the　vast；　walled　city。　　It　was　still　very　early　in

the　morning　and　the　streets　were　practically　deserted。

The　residences；　raised　high　upon　their　metal　columns；　resembled

huge　rookeries；　while　the　uprights　themselves　presented　the

appearance　of　steel　tree　trunks。　　The　shops　as　a　rule　were

not　raised　from　the　ground　nor　were　their　doors　bolted　or

barred；　since　thievery　is　practically　unknown　upon　Barsoom。

Assassination　is　the　ever…present　fear　of　all　Barsoomians；

and　for　this　reason　alone　their　homes　are　raised　high　above

the　ground　at　night；　or　in　times　of　danger。



The　Ptor　brothers　had　given　me　explicit　directions　for

reaching　the　point　of　the　city　where　I　could　find　living

accommodations　and　be　near　the　offices　of　the　government

agents　to　whom　they　had　given　me　letters。　　My　way　led　to

the　central　square　or　plaza；　which　is　a　characteristic　of　all

Martian　cities。



The　plaza　of　Zodanga　covers　a　square　mile　and　is　bounded

by　the　palaces　of　the　jeddak；　the　jeds；　and　other　members

of　the　royalty　and　nobility　of　Zodanga；　as　well　as　by　the

principal　public　buildings；　cafes；　and　shops。



As　I　was　crossing　the　great　square　lost　in　wonder　and

admiration　of　the　magnificent　architecture　and　the　gorgeous

scarlet　vegetation　which　carpeted　the　broad　lawns　I

discovered　a　red　Martian　walking　briskly　toward　me　from　one

of　the　avenues。　　He　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　to　me；

but　as　he　came　abreast　I　recognized　him；　and　turning　I

placed　my　hand　upon　his　shoulder；　calling　out：



〃Kaor；　Kantos　Kan！〃



Like　lightning　he　wheeled　and　before　I　could　so　much

as　lower　my　hand　the　point　of　his　long…sword　was　at　my

breast。



〃Who　are　you？〃　he　growled；　and　then　as　a　backward　leap

carried　me　fifty　feet　from　his　sword　he　dropped　the　point

to　the　ground　and　exclaimed；　laughing；



〃I　do　not　need　a　better　reply；　there　is　but　one　man　upon

all　Barsoom　who　can　bounce　about　like　a　rubber　ball。　　By

the　mother　of　the　further　moon；　John　Carter；　how　came

you　here；　and　have　you　become　a　Darseen　that　you　can

change　your　color　at　will？〃



〃You　gave　me　a　bad　half　minute　my　friend；〃　he　continued；

after　I　had　briefly　outlined　my　adventures　since　parting

with　him　in　the