a princess of mars-第6章

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abruptly　in　a　flight　of　broad　steps。



Upon　closer　observation　I　saw　as　we　passed　them　that　the

buildings　were　deserted；　and　while　not　greatly　decayed　had

the　appearance　of　not　having　been　tenanted　for　years；　possibly

for　ages。　　Toward　the　center　of　the　city　was　a　large　plaza；　and

upon　this　and　in　the　buildings　immediately　surrounding　it

were　camped　some　nine　or　ten　hundred　creatures　of　the　same

breed　as　my　captors；　for　such　I　now　considered　them　despite

the　suave　manner　in　which　I　had　been　trapped。



With　the　exception　of　their　ornaments　all　were　naked。　　The

women　varied　in　appearance　but　little　from　the　men；　except

that　their　tusks　were　much　larger　in　proportion　to　their　height；

in　some　instances　curving　nearly　to　their　high…set　ears。　　Their

bodies　were　smaller　and　lighter　in　color；　and　their　fingers

and　toes　bore　the　rudiments　of　nails；　which　were　entirely

lacking　among　the　males。　　The　adult　females　ranged　in　height

from　ten　to　twelve　feet。



The　children　were　light　in　color；　even　lighter　than　the

women；　and　all　looked　precisely　alike　to　me；　except　that　some

were　taller　than　others；　older；　I　presumed。



I　saw　no　signs　of　extreme　age　among　them；　nor　is　there　any

appreciable　difference　in　their　appearance　from　the　age　of

maturity；　about　forty；　until；　at　about　the　age　of　one　thousand

years；　they　go　voluntarily　upon　their　last　strange　pilgrimage

down　the　river　Iss；　which　leads　no　living　Martian　knows

whither　and　from　whose　bosom　no　Martian　has　ever　returned；

or　would　be　allowed　to　live　did　he　return　after　once　embarking

upon　its　cold；　dark　waters。



Only　about　one　Martian　in　a　thousand　dies　of　sickness　or

disease；　and　possibly　about　twenty　take　the　voluntary　pilgrimage。

The　other　nine　hundred　and　seventy…nine　die　violent　deaths

in　duels；　in　hunting；　in　aviation　and　in　war；　but　perhaps　by　far

the　greatest　death　loss　comes　during　the　age　of　childhood；

when　vast　numbers　of　the　little　Martians　fall　victims

to　the　great　white　apes　of　Mars。



The　average　life　expectancy　of　a　Martian　after　the　age　of

maturity　is　about　three　hundred　years；　but　would　be　nearer

the　one…thousand　mark　were　it　not　for　the　various　means

leading　to　violent　death。　　Owing　to　the　waning　resources

of　the　planet　it　evidently　became　necessary　to　counteract

the　increasing　longevity　which　their　remarkable　skill　in

therapeutics　and　surgery　produced；　and　so　human　life　has　come

to　be　considered　but　lightly　on　Mars；　as　is　evidenced　by　their

dangerous　sports　and　the　almost　continual　warfare　between

the　various　communities。



There　are　other　and　natural　causes　tending　toward　a

diminution　of　population；　but　nothing　contributes　so　greatly

to　this　end　as　the　fact　that　no　male　or　female　Martian　is　ever

voluntarily　without　a　weapon　of　destruction。



As　we　neared　the　plaza　and　my　presence　was　discovered　we

were　immediately　surrounded　by　hundreds　of　the　creatures

who　seemed　anxious　to　pluck　me　from　my　seat　behind　my

guard。　　A　word　from　the　leader　of　the　party　stilled　their

clamor；　and　we　proceeded　at　a　trot　across　the　plaza　to　the

entrance　of　as　magnificent　an　edifice　as　mortal　eye　has　rested

upon。



The　building　was　low；　but　covered　an　enormous　area。　　It

was　constructed　of　gleaming　white　marble　inlaid　with　gold

and　brilliant　stones　which　sparkled　and　scintillated　in　the

sunlight。　　The　main　entrance　was　some　hundred　feet　in　width

and　projected　from　the　building　proper　to　form　a　huge　canopy

above　the　entrance　hall。　　There　was　no　stairway；　but　a　gentle

incline　to　the　first　floor　of　the　building　opened　into　an

enormous　chamber　encircled　by　galleries。



On　the　floor　of　this　chamber；　which　was　dotted　with　highly

carved　wooden　desks　and　chairs；　were　assembled　about　forty

or　fifty　male　Martians　around　the　steps　of　a　rostrum。　　On　the

platform　proper　squatted　an　enormous　warrior　heavily　loaded

with　metal　ornaments；　gay…colored　feathers　and　beautifully

wrought　leather　trappings　ingeniously　set　with　precious　stones。

From　his　shoulders　depended　a　short　cape　of　white　fur　lined

with　brilliant　scarlet　silk。



What　struck　me　as　most　remarkable　about　this　assemblage

and　the　hall　in　which　they　were　congregated　was　the　fact

that　the　creatures　were　entirely　out　of　proportion　to　the　desks；

chairs；　and　other　furnishings；　these　being　of　a　size　adapted　to

human　beings　such　as　I；　whereas　the　great　bulks　of　the

Martians　could　scarcely　have　squeezed　into　the　chairs；　nor　was

there　room　beneath　the　desks　for　their　long　legs。　　Evidently；

then；　there　were　other　denizens　on　Mars　than　the　wild　and

grotesque　creatures　into　whose　hands　I　had　fallen；　but　the

evidences　of　extreme　antiquity　which　showed　all　around　me

indicated　that　these　buildings　might　have　belonged　to　some

long…extinct　and　forgotten　race　in　the　dim　antiquity　of　Mars。



Our　party　had　halted　at　the　entrance　to　the　building；　and　at

a　sign　from　the　leader　I　had　been　lowered　to　the　ground。

Again　locking　his　arm　in　mine；　we　had　proceeded　into　the

audience　chamber。　　There　were　few　formalities　observed　in

approaching　the　Martian　chieftain。　　My　captor　merely　strode

up　to　the　rostrum；　the　others　making　way　for　him　as　he

advanced。　　The　chieftain　rose　to　his　feet　and　uttered　the　name

of　my　escort　who；　in　turn；　halted　and　repeated　the　name　of

the　ruler　followed　by　his　title。



At　the　time；　this　ceremony　and　the　words　they　uttered

meant　nothing　to　me；　but　later　I　came　to　know　that　this　was

the　customary　greeting　between　green　Martians。　　Had　the　men

been　strangers；　and　therefore　unable　to　exchange　names；　they

would　have　silently　exchanged　ornaments；　had　their　missions

been　peacefulotherwise　they　would　have　exchanged　shots；

or　have　fought　out　their　introduction　with　some　other　of　their

various　weapons。



My　captor；　whose　name　was　Tars　Tarkas；　was　virtually　the

vice…chieftain　of　the　community；　and　a　man　of　great　ability　as

a　statesman　and　warrior。　　He　evidently　explained　briefly　the

incidents　connected　with　his　expedition；　including　my　capture；

and　when　he　had　concluded　the　chieftain　addressed　me　at

some　length。



I　replied　in　our　good　old　English　tongue　merely　to

convince　him　that　neither　of　us　could　understand　the　other；

but　I　noticed　that　when　I　smiled　slightly　on　concluding；　he　did

likewise。　　This　fact；　and　the　similar　occurrence　during　my　first

talk　with　Tars　Tarkas；　convinced　me　that　we　had　at　least

something　in　common；　the　ability　to　smile；　therefore　to　laugh；

denoting　a　sense　of　humor。　　But　I　was　to　learn　that　the

Martian　smile　is　merely　perfunctory；　and　that　the　Martian

laugh　is　a　thing　to　cause　strong　men　to　blanch　in　horror。



The　ideas　of　humor　among　the　green　men　of　Mars　are

widely　at　variance　with　our　conceptions　of　incitants　to

merriment。　　The　death　agonies　of　a　fellow　being　are；　to　these

strange　creatures　provocative　of　the　wildest　hilarity；　while

their　chief　form　of　commonest　amusement　is　to　inflict　death

on　their　prisoners　of　war　in　various　ingenious　and　horrible

ways。



The　assembled　warriors　and　chieftains　examined　me　closely；

feeling　my　muscles　and　the　texture　of　my　skin。　　The　principal

chieftain　then　evidently　signified　a　desire　to　see　me　perform；

and；　motioning　me　to　follow；　he　started　with　Tars　Tarkas　for

the　open　plaza。



Now；　I　had　made　no　attempt　to　walk；　since　my　first　signal

failure；　except　while　tightly　grasping　Tars　Tarkas'　arm；　and

so　now　I　went　skipping　and　flitting　about　among　the　desks

and　chairs　like　some　monstrous　grasshopper。　　After　bruising

myself　severely；　much　to　the　amusement　of　the　Martians；　I

again　had　recourse　to　creeping；　but　this　did　not　suit　them　and

I　was　roughly　jerked　to　my　feet　by　a　towering　fellow　who　had

laughed　most　heartily　at　my　misfortunes。



As　he　banged　me　down　upon　my　feet　his　face　was　bent

close　to　mine　and　I　did　the　only　thing　a　gentleman　might　do

under　the　circumstances　of　brutality；　boorishness；　and　lack　of

consideration　for　a　stranger's　rights；　I　swung　my　fist