a princess of mars-第14章

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the　square　made　by　the　buildings　which　faced　the　four

contiguous　streets；　and　which　was　now　given　over　to　the

quartering　of　the　various　animals　belonging　to　the　warriors

occupying　the　adjoining　buildings。



While　the　court　was　entirely　overgrown　with　the　yellow；

moss…like　vegetation　which　blankets　practically　the　entire

surface　of　Mars；　yet　numerous　fountains；　statuary；　benches；

and　pergola…like　contraptions　bore　witness　to　the　beauty

which　the　court　must　have　presented　in　bygone　times；　when

graced　by　the　fair…haired；　laughing　people　whom　stern　and

unalterable　cosmic　laws　had　driven　not　only　from　their　homes；

but　from　all　except　the　vague　legends　of　their　descendants。



One　could　easily　picture　the　gorgeous　foliage　of　the　luxuriant

Martian　vegetation　which　once　filled　this　scene　with　life

and　color；　the　graceful　figures　of　the　beautiful　women；　the

straight　and　handsome　men；　the　happy　frolicking　children

all　sunlight；　happiness　and　peace。　　It　was　difficult　to　realize

that　they　had　gone；　down　through　ages　of　darkness；　cruelty；

and　ignorance；　until　their　hereditary　instincts　of　culture　and

humanitarianism　had　risen　ascendant　once　more　in　the　final

composite　race　which　now　is　dominant　upon　Mars。



My　thoughts　were　cut　short　by　the　advent　of　several

young　females　bearing　loads　of　weapons；　silks；　furs；　jewels；

cooking　utensils；　and　casks　of　food　and　drink；　including

considerable　loot　from　the　air　craft。　　All　this；　it　seemed；　had

been　the　property　of　the　two　chieftains　I　had　slain；　and　now；

by　the　customs　of　the　Tharks；　it　had　become　mine。　　At　my

direction　they　placed　the　stuff　in　one　of　the　back　rooms；　and

then　departed；　only　to　return　with　a　second　load；　which

they　advised　me　constituted　the　balance　of　my　goods。　　On　the

second　trip　they　were　accompanied　by　ten　or　fifteen　other

women　and　youths；　who；　it　seemed；　formed　the　retinues　of

the　two　chieftains。



They　were　not　their　families；　nor　their　wives；　nor　their

servants；　the　relationship　was　peculiar；　and　so　unlike

anything　known　to　us　that　it　is　most　difficult　to　describe。

All　property　among　the　green　Martians　is　owned　in　common　by

the　community；　except　the　personal　weapons；　ornaments　and

sleeping　silks　and　furs　of　the　individuals。　　These　alone　can

one　claim　undisputed　right　to；　nor　may　he　accumulate　more

of　these　than　are　required　for　his　actual　needs。　　The　surplus

he　holds　merely　as　custodian；　and　it　is　passed　on　to　the

younger　members　of　the　community　as　necessity　demands。



The　women　and　children　of　a　man's　retinue　may　be　likened

to　a　military　unit　for　which　he　is　responsible　in　various

ways；　as　in　matters　of　instruction；　discipline；　sustenance；　and

the　exigencies　of　their　continual　roamings　and　their　unending

strife　with　other　communities　and　with　the　red　Martians。

His　women　are　in　no　sense　wives。　　The　green　Martians　use　no

word　corresponding　in　meaning　with　this　earthly　word。　　Their

mating　is　a　matter　of　community　interest　solely；　and　is

directed　without　reference　to　natural　selection。　　The　council

of　chieftains　of　each　community　control　the　matter　as　surely　as

the　owner　of　a　Kentucky　racing　stud　directs　the　scientific

breeding　of　his　stock　for　the　improvement　of　the　whole。



In　theory　it　may　sound　well；　as　is　often　the　case　with

theories；　but　the　results　of　ages　of　this　unnatural　practice；

coupled　with　the　community　interest　in　the　offspring　being

held　paramount　to　that　of　the　mother；　is　shown　in　the　cold；

cruel　creatures；　and　their　gloomy；　loveless；　mirthless　existence。



It　is　true　that　the　green　Martians　are　absolutely　virtuous；

both　men　and　women；　with　the　exception　of　such　degenerates

as　Tal　Hajus；　but　better　far　a　finer　balance　of　human

characteristics　even　at　the　expense　of　a　slight　and

occasional　loss　of　chastity。



Finding　that　I　must　assume　responsibility　for　these　creatures；

whether　I　would　or　not；　I　made　the　best　of　it　and　directed

them　to　find　quarters　on　the　upper　floors；　leaving　the

third　floor　to　me。　　One　of　the　girls　I　charged　with　the　duties

of　my　simple　cuisine；　and　directed　the　others　to　take　up

the　various　activities　which　had　formerly　constituted　their

vocations。　　Thereafter　I　saw　little　of　them；　nor　did　I　care　to。









CHAPTER　XIII





LOVE…MAKING　ON　MARS





Following　the　battle　with　the　air　ships；　the　community

remained　within　the　city　for　several　days；　abandoning　the

homeward　march　until　they　could　feel　reasonably　assured

that　the　ships　would　not　return；　for　to　be　caught　on　the

open　plains　with　a　cavalcade　of　chariots　and　children　was

far　from　the　desire　of　even　so　warlike　a　people　as　the　green

Martians。



During　our　period　of　inactivity；　Tars　Tarkas　had　instructed

me　in　many　of　the　customs　and　arts　of　war　familiar　to　the

Tharks；　including　lessons　in　riding　and　guiding　the　great

beasts　which　bore　the　warriors。　　These　creatures；　which　are

known　as　thoats；　are　as　dangerous　and　vicious　as　their　masters；

but　when　once　subdued　are　sufficiently　tractable　for　the

purposes　of　the　green　Martians。



Two　of　these　animals　had　fallen　to　me　from　the　warriors

whose　metal　I　wore；　and　in　a　short　time　I　could　handle　them

quite　as　well　as　the　native　warriors。　　The　method　was　not　at

all　complicated。　　If　the　thoats　did　not　respond　with　sufficient

celerity　to　the　telepathic　instructions　of　their　riders　they

were　dealt　a　terrific　blow　between　the　ears　with　the　butt　of　a

pistol；　and　if　they　showed　fight　this　treatment　was　continued

until　the　brutes　either　were　subdued；　or　had　unseated　their

riders。



In　the　latter　case　it　became　a　life　and　death　struggle

between　the　man　and　the　beast。　　If　the　former　were　quick

enough　with　his　pistol　he　might　live　to　ride　again；　though

upon　some　other　beast；　if　not；　his　torn　and　mangled　body

was　gathered　up　by　his　women　and　burned　in　accordance

with　Tharkian　custom。



My　experience　with　Woola　determined　me　to　attempt　the

experiment　of　kindness　in　my　treatment　of　my　thoats。　　First　I

taught　them　that　they　could　not　unseat　me；　and　even　rapped

them　sharply　between　the　ears　to　impress　upon　them　my

authority　and　mastery。　　Then；　by　degrees；　I　won　their

confidence　in　much　the　same　manner　as　I　had　adopted　countless

times　with　my　many　mundane　mounts。　　I　was　ever　a　good　hand

with　animals；　and　by　inclination；　as　well　as　because

it　brought　more　lasting　and　satisfactory　results；　I　was

always　kind　and　humane　in　my　dealings　with　the　lower　orders。

I　could　take　a　human　life；　if　necessary；　with　far　less　compunction

than　that　of　a　poor；　unreasoning；　irresponsible　brute。



In　the　course　of　a　few　days　my　thoats　were　the　wonder

of　the　entire　community。　　They　would　follow　me　like　dogs；

rubbing　their　great　snouts　against　my　body　in　awkward　evidence

of　affection；　and　respond　to　my　every　command　with　an　alacrity

and　docility　which　caused　the　Martian　warriors　to　ascribe　to　me

the　possession　of　some　earthly　power　unknown　on　Mars。



〃How　have　you　bewitched　them？〃　asked　Tars　Tarkas　one

afternoon；　when　he　had　seen　me　run　my　arm　far　between

the　great　jaws　of　one　of　my　thoats　which　had　wedged　a

piece　of　stone　between　two　of　his　teeth　while　feeding　upon

the　moss…like　vegetation　within　our　court　yard。



〃By　kindness；〃　I　replied。　　〃You　see；　Tars　Tarkas；　the　softer

sentiments　have　their　value；　even　to　a　warrior。　　In　the　height

of　battle　as　well　as　upon　the　march　I　know　that　my　thoats

will　obey　my　every　command；　and　therefore　my　fighting

efficiency　is　enhanced；　and　I　am　a　better　warrior　for　the

reason　that　I　am　a　kind　master。　　Your　other　warriors　would　find

it　to　the　advantage　of　themselves　as　well　as　of　the　community

to　adopt　my　methods　in　this　respect。　　Only　a　few　days　since　you；

yourself；　told　me　that　these　great　brutes；　by　the　uncertainty

of　their　tempers；　often　were　the　means　of　turning　victory

into　defeat；　since；　at　a　crucial　moment；　they　might　elect

to　unseat　and　rend　their　riders。〃



〃Show　me　how　you　accomplish　these　results；〃　was　Tars　Tarkas'

only　rejoinder。



And　so　I　explained　as　carefully　as　I　could　the　entire

method　of　training　I　had　adopted　with　my　beasts；　and　later

he　had　me　repeat　it　before　Lorquas　Ptomel　and　the　assembled

warriors。　　That　moment　marked　the　beginning　of　a　new　existence

for　the　poor　thoats；　and　before　I　left　the　community　of

Lorquas　Ptomel　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　observing　a　regiment

of　as　tractable　and　docile　mounts　as　one　might　care　to

see。　　The　effect　on　the　precision　and　celerity　of　the　military

movements　was　so　remarkable　that　Lorquas　Ptomel　presented

me　with　a　massive　anklet　of　gold　from　his　own　leg；　as　a　sign

of　his　appreciation　of　my　service　to　the　horde。



On　the　seventh　day　following　the　battle　with　the　air　craft

we　again　took　up　the　march　toward　Thark；　all　probability　of

another　attack　being　deemed　remote　by　Lorquas　Ptomel。



During　the　days　just　preceding　our　departure　I　had　seen

but　little　of　Dejah　Thoris；　as　I　had　been　kept　very　busy　by

Tars　Tarkas　with　my　lessons　in　the　art　of　Martian　warfare；

as　well　as　in　the　training　of　my　thoats。　　The　few　times　I　had

visited　her　quarters　she　had　been　absent；　walking　upon　the

streets　with　Sola；　or　investigating　the　buildings　in　the　near

vicinity　of　the　plaza。　　I　had　warned　them　against　venturing

far　from　the　plaza　for　fear　of　the　great　white　apes；　whose

ferocity　I　was　only　too　well　acquainted　with。　　However；　since

Woola　accompanied　them　on　all　their　excursions；　and　as

Sola　was　well　armed；　there　was　comparatively　little　cause　for

fear。



On　the　evening　before　our　departure　I　saw　them　approaching

along　one　of　the　great　avenues　which　lead　into　the

plaza　from　the　east。　　I　advanced　to　meet　them；　and　telling

Sola　that　I　would　take　the　responsibility　for　Dejah　Thoris'

safekeeping；　I　directed　her　to　return　to　her　quarters　on　some

trivial　errand。　　I　liked　and　trusted　Sola；　but　for　some　reason　I

desired　to　be　alone　with　Dejah　Thoris；　who　represented　to

me　all　that　I　had　left　behind　upon　Earth　in　agreeable　and

congenial　companionship。　　There　seemed　bonds　of　mutual

interest　between　us　as　powerful　as　though　we　had　been　born

under　the　same　roof　rather　than　upon　different　planets；

hurtling　through　space　some　forty…eight　million　miles　apart。



That　she　shared　my　sentiments　in　this　respect　I　was　positive；

for　on　my　approach　the　look　of　pitiful　hopelessness　left

her　sweet　countenance　to　be　replaced　by　a　smile　of　joyful

welcome；　as　she　placed　her　little　right　hand　upon　my　left

shoulder　in　true　red　Martian　salute。



〃Sarkoja　told　Sola　that　you　had　become　a　true　Thark；〃　she

said；　〃and　that　I　would　now　see　no　more　of　you　than　of　any

of　the　other　warriors。〃



〃Sarkoja　is　a　liar　of　the　first　magnitude；〃　I　replied；

〃notwithstanding　the　proud　claim　of　the　Tharks　to

absolute　verity。〃



Dejah　Thoris　laughed。



〃I　knew　that　even　though　you　became　a　member　of　the

community　you　would　not　cease　to　be　my　friend；　'A