a princess of mars-第15章

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

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

may　change　his　metal；　but　not　his　heart；'　as　the　saying

is　upon　Barsoom。〃



〃I　think　they　have　been　trying　to　keep　us　apart；〃　she

continued；　〃for　whenever　you　have　been　off　duty　one　of　the

older　women　of　Tars　Tarkas'　retinue　has　always　arranged　to

trump　up　some　excuse　to　get　Sola　and　me　out　of　sight。

They　have　had　me　down　in　the　pits　below　the　buildings

helping　them　mix　their　awful　radium　powder；　and　make　their

terrible　projectiles。　　You　know　that　these　have　to　be

manufactured　by　artificial　light；　as　exposure　to　sunlight　always

results　in　an　explosion。　　You　have　noticed　that　their　bullets

explode　when　they　strike　an　object？　　Well；　the　opaque；　outer

coating　is　broken　by　the　impact；　exposing　a　glass　cylinder；

almost　solid；　in　the　forward　end　of　which　is　a　minute　particle

of　radium　powder。　　The　moment　the　sunlight；　even　though

diffused；　strikes　this　powder　it　explodes　with　a　violence　which

nothing　can　withstand。　　If　you　ever　witness　a　night　battle

you　will　note　the　absence　of　these　explosions；　while　the

morning　following　the　battle　will　be　filled　at　sunrise　with　the

sharp　detonations　of　exploding　missiles　fired　the　preceding

night。　　As　a　rule；　however；　non…exploding　projectiles　are　used

at　night。〃1



While　I　was　much　interested　in　Dejah　Thoris'　explanation

of　this　wonderful　adjunct　to　Martian　warfare；　I　was　more

concerned　by　the　immediate　problem　of　their　treatment　of

her。　　That　they　were　keeping　her　away　from　me　was　not　a

matter　for　surprise；　but　that　they　should　subject　her　to

dangerous　and　arduous　labor　filled　me　with　rage。



〃Have　they　ever　subjected　you　to　cruelty　and　ignominy；

Dejah　Thoris？〃　I　asked；　feeling　the　hot　blood　of　my　fighting

ancestors　leap　in　my　veins　as　I　awaited　her　reply。



〃Only　in　little　ways；　John　Carter；〃　she　answered。　　〃Nothing

that　can　harm　me　outside　my　pride。　　They　know　that　I　am

the　daughter　of　ten　thousand　jeddaks；　that　I　trace　my

ancestry　straight　back　without　a　break　to　the　builder　of

the　first　great　waterway；　and　they；　who　do　not　even　know

their　own　mothers；　are　jealous　of　me。　　At　heart　they　hate

their　horrid　fates；　and　so　wreak　their　poor　spite　on　me　who

stand　for　everything　they　have　not；　and　for　all　they　most

crave　and　never　can　attain。　　Let　us　pity　them；　my　chieftain；

for　even　though　we　die　at　their　hands　we　can　afford　them

pity；　since　we　are　greater　than　they　and　they　know　it。〃



Had　I　known　the　significance　of　those　words　〃my　chieftain；〃

as　applied　by　a　red　Martian　woman　to　a　man；　I　should　have

had　the　surprise　of　my　life；　but　I　did　not　know　at　that　time；

nor　for　many　months　thereafter。　　Yes；　I　still　had　much　to

learn　upon　Barsoom。



〃I　presume　it　is　the　better　part　of　wisdom　that　we　bow　to

our　fate　with　as　good　grace　as　possible；　Dejah　Thoris；　but　I

hope；　nevertheless；　that　I　may　be　present　the　next　time　that

any　Martian；　green；　red；　pink；　or　violet；　has　the　temerity　to

even　so　much　as　frown　on　you；　my　princess。〃



Dejah　Thoris　caught　her　breath　at　my　last　words；　and





I　have　used　the　word　radium　in　describing　this　powder　because　in

the　light　of　recent　discoveries　on　Earth　I　believe　it　to　be　a　mixture　of

which　radium　is　the　base。　　In　Captain　Carter's　manuscript　it　is　mentioned

always　by　the　name　used　in　the　written　language　of　Helium　and　is

spelled　in　hieroglyphics　which　it　would　be　difficult　and　useless　to

reproduce。



gazed　upon　me　with　dilated　eyes　and　quickening　breath；　and

then；　with　an　odd　little　laugh；　which　brought　roguish　dimples

to　the　corners　of　her　mouth；　she　shook　her　head　and　cried：



〃What　a　child！　　A　great　warrior　and　yet　a　stumbling　little

child。〃



〃What　have　I　done　now？〃　I　asked；　in　sore　perplexity。



〃Some　day　you　shall　know；　John　Carter；　if　we　live；　but

I　may　not　tell　you。　　And　I；　the　daughter　of　Mors　Kajak；　son　of

Tardos　Mors；　have　listened　without　anger；〃　she　soliloquized

in　conclusion。



Then　she　broke　out　again　into　one　of　her　gay；　happy；　laughing　moods；

joking　with　me　on　my　prowess　as　a　Thark　warrior　as　contrasted　with

my　soft　heart　and　natural　kindliness。



〃I　presume　that　should　you　accidentally　wound　an　enemy

you　would　take　him　home　and　nurse　him　back　to　health；〃

she　laughed。



〃That　is　precisely　what　we　do　on　Earth；〃　I　answered。

〃At　least　among　civilized　men。〃



This　made　her　laugh　again。　　She　could　not　understand　it；

for；　with　all　her　tenderness　and　womanly　sweetness；　she　was

still　a　Martian；　and　to　a　Martian　the　only　good　enemy　is　a

dead　enemy；　for　every　dead　foeman　means　so　much　more　to

divide　between　those　who　live。



I　was　very　curious　to　know　what　I　had　said　or　done　to

cause　her　so　much　perturbation　a　moment　before　and　so　I

continued　to　importune　her　to　enlighten　me。



〃No；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃it　is　enough　that　you　have　said　it

and　that　I　have　listened。　　And　when　you　learn；　John　Carter；

and　if　I　be　dead；　as　likely　I　shall　be　ere　the　further

moon　has　circled　Barsoom　another　twelve　times；　remember

that　I　listened　and　that　Ismiled。〃



It　was　all　Greek　to　me；　but　the　more　I　begged　her　to

explain　the　more　positive　became　her　denials　of　my　request；

and；　so；　in　very　hopelessness；　I　desisted。



Day　had　now　given　away　to　night　and　as　we　wandered

along　the　great　avenue　lighted　by　the　two　moons　of

Barsoom；　and　with　Earth　looking　down　upon　us　out　of　her

luminous　green　eye；　it　seemed　that　we　were　alone　in　the

universe；　and　I；　at　least；　was　content　that　it　should　be　so。



The　chill　of　the　Martian　night　was　upon　us；　and　removing

my　silks　I　threw　them　across　the　shoulders　of　Dejah

Thoris。　　As　my　arm　rested　for　an　instant　upon　her　I　felt　a

thrill　pass　through　every　fiber　of　my　being　such　as　contact

with　no　other　mortal　had　even　produced；　and　it　seemed　to

me　that　she　had　leaned　slightly　toward　me；　but　of　that　I

was　not　sure。　　Only　I　knew　that　as　my　arm　rested　there

across　her　shoulders　longer　than　the　act　of　adjusting　the

silk　required　she　did　not　draw　away；　nor　did　she　speak。

And　so；　in　silence；　we　walked　the　surface　of　a　dying　world；

but　in　the　breast　of　one　of　us　at　least　had　been　born　that

which　is　ever　oldest；　yet　ever　new。



I　loved　Dejah　Thoris。　　The　touch　of　my　arm　upon　her　naked

shoulder　had　spoken　to　me　in　words　I　would　not　mistake；

and　I　knew　that　I　had　loved　her　since　the　first　moment

that　my　eyes　had　met　hers　that　first　time　in　the　plaza

of　the　dead　city　of　Korad。









CHAPTER　XIV





A　DUEL　TO　THE　DEATH





My　first　impulse　was　to　tell　her　of　my　love；　and　then　I

thought　of　the　helplessness　of　her　position　wherein　I　alone

could　lighten　the　burdens　of　her　captivity；　and　protect　her　in

my　poor　way　against　the　thousands　of　hereditary　enemies

she　must　face　upon　our　arrival　at　Thark。　　I　could　not　chance

causing　her　additional　pain　or　sorrow　by　declaring　a　love

which；　in　all　probability　she　did　not　return。　　Should　I　be　so

indiscreet；　her　position　would　be　even　more　unbearable　than

now；　and　the　thought　that　she　might　feel　that　I　was　taking

advantage　of　her　helplessness；　to　influence　her　decision　was

the　final　argument　which　sealed　my　lips。



〃Why　are　you　so　quiet；　Dejah　Thoris？〃　I　asked。　　〃Possibly

you　would　rather　return　to　Sola　and　your　quarters。〃



〃No；〃　she　murmured；　〃I　am　happy　here。　　I　do　not　know

why　it　is　that　I　should　always　be　happy　and　contented

when　you；　John　Carter；　a　stranger；　are　with　me；　yet　at　such

times　it　seems　that　I　am　safe　and　that；　with　you；　I　shall　soon

return　to　my　father's　court　and　feel　his　strong　arms　about　me

and　my　mother's　tears　and　kisses　on　my　cheek。〃



〃Do　people　kiss；　then；　upon　Barsoom？〃　I　asked；　when　she

had　explained　the　word　she　used；　in　answer　to　my　inquiry　as

to　its　meaning。



〃Parents；　brothers；　and　sisters；　yes；　and；〃　she　added　in　a

low；　thoughtful　tone；　〃lovers。〃



〃And　you；　Dejah　Thoris；　have　parents　and　brothers　and

sisters？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　alover？〃



She　was　silent；　nor　could　I　venture　to　repeat　the　question。



〃The　man　of　Barsoom；〃　she　finally　ventured；　〃does　not

ask　personal　questions　of　women；　except　his　mother；　and　the

woman　he　has　fought　for　and　won。〃



〃But　I　have　fought〃　I　started；　and　then　I　wished　my

tongue　had　been　cut　from　my　mouth；　for　she　turned　even　as

I　caught　myself　and　ceased；　and　drawing　my　silks　from　her

shoulder　she　held　them　out　to　me；　and　without　a　word；　and

with　head　held　high；　she　moved　with　the　carriage　of　the

queen　she　was　toward　the　plaza　and　the　doorway　of　her

quarters。



I　did　not　attempt　to　follow　her；　other　than　to　see　that　she

reached　the　building　in　safety；　but；　directing　Woola　to

accompany　her；　I　turned　disconsolately　and　entered　my　own　house。

I　sat　for　hours　cross…legged；　and　cross…tempered；　upon　my　silks

meditating　upon　the　queer　freaks　chance　plays　upon　us　poor

devils　of　mortals。



So　this　was　love！　　I　had　escaped　it　for　all　the　years　I　had

roamed　the　five　continents　and　their　encircling　seas；　in　spite

of　beautiful　women　and　urging　opportunity；　in　spite　of　a　half…

desire　for　love　and　a　constant　search　for　my　ideal；　it　had

remained　for　me　to　fall　furiously　and　hopelessly　in　love　with　a

creature　from　another　world；　of　a　species　similar　possibly；

yet　not　identical　with　mine。　　A　woman　who　was　hatched　from

an　egg；　and　whose　span　of　life　might　cover　a　thousand　years；

whose　people　had　strange　customs　and　ideas；　a　woman　whose

hopes；　whose　pleasures；　whose　standards　of　virtue　and　of

right　and　wrong　might　vary　as　greatly　from　mine　as　did　those

of　the　green　Martians。



Yes；　I　was　a　fool；　but　I　was　in　love；　and　though　I　was

suffering　the　greatest　misery　I　had　ever　known　I　would　not

have　had　it　otherwise　for　all　the　riches　of　Barsoom。　　Such　is

love；　and　such　are　lovers　wherever　love　is　known。



To　me；　Dejah　Thoris　was　all　that　was　perfect；　all　that　was

virtuous　and　beautiful　and　noble　and　good。　　I　believed　that

from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　from　the　depth　of　my　soul　on

that　night　in　Korad　as　I　sat　cross…legged　upon　my　silks　while

the　nearer　moon　of　Barsoom　raced　through　the　western　sky

toward　the　horizon；　and　lighted　up　the　gold　and　marble；　and

jeweled　mosaics　of　my　world…old　chamber；　and　I　believe　it

today　as　I　sit　at　my　desk　in　the　little　study　overlooking　the

Hudson。　　Twenty　years　have　intervened；　for　ten　of　them　I

lived　and　fought　for　Dejah　Thoris　and　her　people；　and　for

ten　I　have　lived　upon　her　memory。



The　morning　of　our　departure　for　Thark　dawned　clear

and　hot；　as　do　all　Martian　mornings　except　for　the　six　weeks

when　the　snow　melts　at　the　poles。



I　sought　out　Dejah　Thoris　in　the　throng　of　departing　chariots；

but　she　turned　her　shoulder　to　me；　and　I　could　see　the　red　blood

mount　to　her　cheek。　　With　the　foolish　inconsistency

of　love　I　held　my　peace　when　I　might　have　plead　ignorance

of　the　nature　of　my　offense；　or　at　l