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