a princess of mars-第14章

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great　tusks　or　utter　his　fearful　guttural　warnings。　　Denied

the　friendship　and　companionship　of　my　kind；　I　had　developed

considerable　affection　for　Woola　and　Sola；　for　the　normal

earthly　man　must　have　some　outlet　for　his　natural　affections；

and　so　I　decided　upon　an　appeal　to　a　like　instinct　in　this

great　brute；　sure　that　I　would　not　be　disappointed。



I　had　never　petted　nor　fondled　him；　but　now　I　sat　upon

the　ground　and　putting　my　arms　around　his　heavy　neck　I

stroked　and　coaxed　him；　talking　in　my　newly　acquired

Martian　tongue　as　I　would　have　to　my　hound　at　home；　as　I

would　have　talked　to　any　other　friend　among　the　lower

animals。　　His　response　to　my　manifestation　of　affection　was

remarkable　to　a　degree；　he　stretched　his　great　mouth　to　its

full　width；　baring　the　entire　expanse　of　his　upper　rows　of

tusks　and　wrinkling　his　snout　until　his　great　eyes　were

almost　hidden　by　the　folds　of　flesh。　　If　you　have　ever　seen　a

collie　smile　you　may　have　some　idea　of　Woola's　facial　distortion。



He　threw　himself　upon　his　back　and　fairly　wallowed　at

my　feet；　jumped　up　and　sprang　upon　me；　rolling　me　upon

the　ground　by　his　great　weight；　then　wriggling　and　squirming

around　me　like　a　playful　puppy　presenting　its　back　for

the　petting　it　craves。　　I　could　not　resist　the　ludicrousness

of　the　spectacle；　and　holding　my　sides　I　rocked　back　and　forth

in　the　first　laughter　which　had　passed　my　lips　in　many　days；

the　first；　in　fact；　since　the　morning　Powell　had　left　camp

when　his　horse；　long　unused；　had　precipitately　and　unexpectedly

bucked　him　off　headforemost　into　a　pot　of　frijoles。



My　laughter　frightened　Woola；　his　antics　ceased　and　he

crawled　pitifully　toward　me；　poking　his　ugly　head　far　into

my　lap；　and　then　I　remembered　what　laughter　signified　on

Marstorture；　suffering；　death。　　Quieting　myself；　I　rubbed

the　poor　old　fellow's　head　and　back；　talked　to　him　for　a　few

minutes；　and　then　in　an　authoritative　tone　commanded　him

to　follow　me；　and　arising　started　for　the　hills。



There　was　no　further　question　of　authority　between　us；

Woola　was　my　devoted　slave　from　that　moment　hence；　and

I　his　only　and　undisputed　master。　　My　walk　to　the　hills

occupied　but　a　few　minutes；　and　I　found　nothing　of　particular

interest　to　reward　me。　　Numerous　brilliantly　colored　and

strangely　formed　wild　flowers　dotted　the　ravines　and　from

the　summit　of　the　first　hill　I　saw　still　other　hills　stretching　off

toward　the　north；　and　rising；　one　range　above　another；　until

lost　in　mountains　of　quite　respectable　dimensions；　though　I

afterward　found　that　only　a　few　peaks　on　all　Mars　exceed

four　thousand　feet　in　height；　the　suggestion　of　magnitude

was　merely　relative。



My　morning's　walk　had　been　large　with　importance　to

me　for　it　had　resulted　in　a　perfect　understanding　with　Woola；

upon　whom　Tars　Tarkas　relied　for　my　safe　keeping。　　I　now

knew　that　while　theoretically　a　prisoner　I　was　virtually　free；

and　I　hastened　to　regain　the　city　limits　before　the　defection

of　Woola　could　be　discovered　by　his　erstwhile　masters。　　The

adventure　decided　me　never　again　to　leave　the　limits　of　my

prescribed　stamping　grounds　until　I　was　ready　to　venture　forth

for　good　and　all；　as　it　would　certainly　result　in　a　curtailment

of　my　liberties；　as　well　as　the　probable　death　of　Woola；　were　we

to　be　discovered。



On　regaining　the　plaza　I　had　my　third　glimpse　of　the

captive　girl。　　She　was　standing　with　her　guards　before　the

entrance　to　the　audience　chamber；　and　as　I　approached　she

gave　me　one　haughty　glance　and　turned　her　back　full　upon

me。　　The　act　was　so　womanly；　so　earthly　womanly；　that

though　it　stung　my　pride　it　also　warmed　my　heart　with　a

feeling　of　companionship；　it　was　good　to　know　that　someone

else　on　Mars　beside　myself　had　human　instincts　of　a　civilized

order；　even　though　the　manifestation　of　them　was　so　painful

and　mortifying。



Had　a　green　Martian　woman　desired　to　show　dislike　or　contempt

she　would；　in　all　likelihood；　have　done　it　with　a　sword

thrust　or　a　movement　of　her　trigger　finger；　but　as　their

sentiments　are　mostly　atrophied　it　would　have　required　a

serious　injury　to　have　aroused　such　passions　in　them。　　Sola；

let　me　add；　was　an　exception；　I　never　saw　her　perform　a　cruel

or　uncouth　act；　or　fail　in　uniform　kindliness　and　good

nature。　　She　was　indeed；　as　her　fellow　Martian　had　said　of　her；

an　atavism；　a　dear　and　precious　reversion　to　a　former　type

of　loved　and　loving　ancestor。



Seeing　that　the　prisoner　seemed　the　center　of　attraction　I

halted　to　view　the　proceedings。　　I　had　not　long　to　wait

for　presently　Lorquas　Ptomel　and　his　retinue　of　chieftains

approached　the　building　and；　signing　the　guards　to　follow　with

the　prisoner　entered　the　audience　chamber。　　Realizing　that　I

was　a　somewhat　favored　character；　and　also　convinced　that

the　warriors　did　not　know　of　my　proficiency　in　their　language；

as　I　had　pleaded　with　Sola　to　keep　this　a　secret　on　the

grounds　that　I　did　not　wish　to　be　forced　to　talk　with　the

men　until　I　had　perfectly　mastered　the　Martian　tongue；　I

chanced　an　attempt　to　enter　the　audience　chamber　and　listen

to　the　proceedings。



The　council　squatted　upon　the　steps　of　the　rostrum；　while

below　them　stood　the　prisoner　and　her　two　guards。　　I　saw

that　one　of　the　women　was　Sarkoja；　and　thus　understood

how　she　had　been　present　at　the　hearing　of　the　preceding

day；　the　results　of　which　she　had　reported　to　the　occupants

of　our　dormitory　last　night。　　Her　attitude　toward　the　captive

was　most　harsh　and　brutal。　　When　she　held　her；　she　sunk　her

rudimentary　nails　into　the　poor　girl's　flesh；　or　twisted　her

arm　in　a　most　painful　manner。　　When　it　was　necessary　to

move　from　one　spot　to　another　she　either　jerked　her　roughly；

or　pushed　her　headlong　before　her。　　She　seemed　to　be　venting

upon　this　poor　defenseless　creature　all　the　hatred；　cruelty；

ferocity；　and　spite　of　her　nine　hundred　years；　backed　by

unguessable　ages　of　fierce　and　brutal　ancestors。



The　other　woman　was　less　cruel　because　she　was　entirely

indifferent；　if　the　prisoner　had　been　left　to　her　alone；　and

fortunately　she　was　at　night；　she　would　have　received　no

harsh　treatment；　nor；　by　the　same　token　would　she　have

received　any　attention　at　all。



As　Lorquas　Ptomel　raised　his　eyes　to　address　the　prisoner

they　fell　on　me　and　he　turned　to　Tars　Tarkas　with　a　word；

and　gesture　of　impatience。　　Tars　Tarkas　made　some　reply

which　I　could　not　catch；　but　which　caused　Lorquas　Ptomel　to

smile；　after　which　they　paid　no　further　attention　to　me。



〃What　is　your　name？〃　asked　Lorquas　Ptomel；　addressing

the　prisoner。



〃Dejah　Thoris；　daughter　of　Mors　Kajak　of　Helium。〃



〃And　the　nature　of　your　expedition？〃　he　continued。



〃It　was　a　purely　scientific　research　party　sent　out　by　my

father's　father；　the　Jeddak　of　Helium；　to　rechart　the　air

currents；　and　to　take　atmospheric　density　tests；〃　replied

the　fair　prisoner；　in　a　low；　well…modulated　voice。



〃We　were　unprepared　for　battle；〃　she　continued；　〃as　we

were　on　a　peaceful　mission；　as　our　banners　and　the　colors　of

our　craft　denoted。　　The　work　we　were　doing　was　as　much　in

your　interests　as　in　ours；　for　you　know　full　well　that　were　it

not　for　our　labors　and　the　fruits　of　our　scientific　operations

there　would　not　be　enough　air　or　water　on　Mars　to　support

a　single　human　life。　　For　ages　we　have　maintained　the　air　and

water　supply　at　practically　the　same　point　without　an

appreciable　loss；　and　we　have　done　this　in　the　face　of

the　brutal　and　ignorant　interference　of　your　green　men。



〃Why；　oh；　why　will　you　not　learn　to　live　in　amity　with

your　fellows；　must　you　ever　go　on　down　the　ages　to　your

final　extinction　but　little　above　the　plane　of　the　dumb　brutes

that　serve　you！　　A　people　without　written　language；　without

art；　without　homes；　without　love；　the　victim　of　eons　of　the

horrible　community　idea。　　Owning　everything　in　common；

even　to　your　women　and　children；　has　resulted　in　your

owning　nothing　in　common。　　You　h