a princess of mars-第6章

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kindliness；　and　affection；　her　ministrations　to　my　bodily　wants

were　unfailing；　and　her　solicitous　care　saved　me　from　much

suffering　and　many　hardships。



As　I　was　to　learn；　the　Martian　nights　are　extremely　cold；

and　as　there　is　practically　no　twilight　or　dawn；　the　changes

in　temperature　are　sudden　and　most　uncomfortable；　as　are　the

transitions　from　brilliant　daylight　to　darkness。　　The　nights　are

either　brilliantly　illumined　or　very　dark；　for　if　neither　of　the

two　moons　of　Mars　happen　to　be　in　the　sky　almost　total

darkness　results；　since　the　lack　of　atmosphere；　or；　rather；　the

very　thin　atmosphere；　fails　to　diffuse　the　starlight　to　any

great　extent；　on　the　other　hand；　if　both　of　the　moons　are　in

the　heavens　at　night　the　surface　of　the　ground　is　brightly

illuminated。



Both　of　Mars'　moons　are　vastly　nearer　her　than　is　our

moon　to　Earth；　the　nearer　moon　being　but　about　five　thousand

miles　distant；　while　the　further　is　but　little　more　than

fourteen　thousand　miles　away；　against　the　nearly　one…quarter

million　miles　which　separate　us　from　our　moon。　　The　nearer

moon　of　Mars　makes　a　complete　revolution　around　the　planet

in　a　little　over　seven　and　one…half　hours；　so　that　she　may　be

seen　hurtling　through　the　sky　like　some　huge　meteor　two　or

three　times　each　night；　revealing　all　her　phases　during　each

transit　of　the　heavens。



The　further　moon　revolves　about　Mars　in　something　over

thirty　and　one…quarter　hours；　and　with　her　sister　satellite

makes　a　nocturnal　Martian　scene　one　of　splendid　and　weird

grandeur。　　And　it　is　well　that　nature　has　so　graciously　and

abundantly　lighted　the　Martian　night；　for　the　green　men　of

Mars；　being　a　nomadic　race　without　high　intellectual　development；

have　but　crude　means　for　artificial　lighting；　depending

principally　upon　torches；　a　kind　of　candle；　and　a　peculiar　oil

lamp　which　generates　a　gas　and　burns　without　a　wick。



This　last　device　produces　an　intensely　brilliant　far…reaching

white　light；　but　as　the　natural　oil　which　it　requires　can　only

be　obtained　by　mining　in　one　of　several　widely　separated　and

remote　localities　it　is　seldom　used　by　these　creatures　whose

only　thought　is　for　today；　and　whose　hatred　for　manual　labor

has　kept　them　in　a　semi…barbaric　state　for　countless　ages。



After　Sola　had　replenished　my　coverings　I　again　slept；　nor

did　I　awaken　until　daylight。　　The　other　occupants　of　the　room；

five　in　number；　were　all　females；　and　they　were　still　sleeping；

piled　high　with　a　motley　array　of　silks　and　furs。　　Across　the

threshold　lay　stretched　the　sleepless　guardian　brute；　just　as　I

had　last　seen　him　on　the　preceding　day；　apparently　he　had　not

moved　a　muscle；　his　eyes　were　fairly　glued　upon　me；　and　I

fell　to　wondering　just　what　might　befall　me　should　I　endeavor

to　escape。

I　have　ever　been　prone　to　seek　adventure　and　to　investigate

and　experiment　where　wiser　men　would　have　left　well　enough

alone。　　It　therefore　now　occurred　to　me　that　the　surest　way　of

learning　the　exact　attitude　of　this　beast　toward　me　would　be

to　attempt　to　leave　the　room。　　I　felt　fairly　secure　in　my　belief

that　I　could　escape　him　should　he　pursue　me　once　I　was

outside　the　building；　for　I　had　begun　to　take　great　pride　in

my　ability　as　a　jumper。　　Furthermore；　I　could　see　from　the

shortness　of　his　legs　that　the　brute　himself　was　no　jumper　and

probably　no　runner。



Slowly　and　carefully；　therefore；　I　gained　my　feet；　only　to

see　that　my　watcher　did　the　same；　cautiously　I　advanced

toward　him；　finding　that　by　moving　with　a　shuffling　gait　I

could　retain　my　balance　as　well　as　make　reasonably　rapid

progress。　　As　I　neared　the　brute　he　backed　cautiously　away

from　me；　and　when　I　had　reached　the　open　he　moved　to　one

side　to　let　me　pass。　　He　then　fell　in　behind　me　and　followed

about　ten　paces　in　my　rear　as　I　made　my　way　along　the

deserted　street。



Evidently　his　mission　was　to　protect　me　only；　I　thought；

but　when　we　reached　the　edge　of　the　city　he　suddenly　sprang

before　me；　uttering　strange　sounds　and　baring　his　ugly　and

ferocious　tusks。　　Thinking　to　have　some　amusement　at　his

expense；　I　rushed　toward　him；　and　when　almost　upon　him

sprang　into　the　air；　alighting　far　beyond　him　and　away　from

the　city。　　He　wheeled　instantly　and　charged　me　with　the　most

appalling　speed　I　had　ever　beheld。　　I　had　thought　his　short

legs　a　bar　to　swiftness；　but　had　he　been　coursing　with

greyhounds　the　latter　would　have　appeared　as　though　asleep

on　a　door　mat。　　As　I　was　to　learn；　this　is　the　fleetest　animal

on　Mars；　and　owing　to　its　intelligence；　loyalty；　and　ferocity　is

used　in　hunting；　in　war；　and　as　the　protector　of　the　Martian　man。



I　quickly　saw　that　I　would　have　difficulty　in　escaping　the

fangs　of　the　beast　on　a　straightaway　course；　and　so　I　met　his

charge　by　doubling　in　my　tracks　and　leaping　over　him　as　he

was　almost　upon　me。　　This　maneuver　gave　me　a　considerable

advantage；　and　I　was　able　to　reach　the　city　quite　a　bit　ahead

of　him；　and　as　he　came　tearing　after　me　I　jumped　for　a　window

about　thirty　feet　from　the　ground　in　the　face　of　one　of　the

buildings　overlooking　the　valley。



Grasping　the　sill　I　pulled　myself　up　to　a　sitting　posture

without　looking　into　the　building；　and　gazed　down　at　the

baffled　animal　beneath　me。　　My　exultation　was　short…lived；

however；　for　scarcely　had　I　gained　a　secure　seat　upon　the　sill

than　a　huge　hand　grasped　me　by　the　neck　from　behind　and

dragged　me　violently　into　the　room。　　Here　I　was　thrown　upon

my　back；　and　beheld　standing　over　me　a　colossal　ape…like

creature；　white　and　hairless　except　for　an　enormous　shock　of

bristly　hair　upon　its　head。









CHAPTER　VI





A　FIGHT　THAT　WON　FRIENDS





The　thing；　which　more　nearly　resembled　our　earthly　men

than　it　did　the　Martians　I　had　seen；　held　me　pinioned　to　the

ground　with　one　huge　foot；　while　it　jabbered　and　gesticulated

at　some　answering　creature　behind　me。　　This　other；　which　was

evidently　its　mate；　soon　came　toward　us；　bearing　a　mighty

stone　cudgel　with　which　it　evidently　intended　to　brain　me。



The　creatures　were　about　ten　or　fifteen　feet　tall；　standing

erect；　and　had；　like　the　green　Martians；　an　intermediary　set

of　arms　or　legs；　midway　between　their　upper　and　lower　limbs。

Their　eyes　were　close　together　and　non…protruding；　their　ears

were　high　set；　but　more　laterally　located　than　those　of　the

Martians；　while　their　snouts　and　teeth　were　strikingly　like

those　of　our　African　gorilla。　　Altogether　they　were　not　unlovely

when　viewed　in　comparison　with　the　green　Martians。



The　cudgel　was　swinging　in　the　arc　which　ended　upon　my

upturned　face　when　a　bolt　of　myriad…legged　horror　hurled　itself

through　the　doorway　full　upon　the　breast　of　my　executioner。

With　a　shriek　of　fear　the　ape　which　held　me　leaped　through

the　open　window；　but　its　mate　closed　in　a　terrific　death

struggle　with　my　preserver；　which　was　nothing　less　than

my　faithful　watch…thing；　I　cannot　bring　myself　to　call　so

hideous　a　creature　a　dog。



As　quickly　as　possible　I　gained　my　feet　and　backing　against

the　wall　I　witnessed　such　a　battle　as　it　is　vouchsafed　few

beings　to　see。　　The　strength；　agility；　and　blind　ferocity　of　these

two　creatures　is　approached　by　nothing　known　to　earthly　man。

My　beast　had　an　advantage　in　his　first　hold；　having　sunk　his

mighty　fangs　far　into　the　breast　of　his　adversary；　but　the

great　arms　and　paws　of　the　ape；　backed　by　muscles　far

transcending　those　of　the　Martian　men　I　had　seen；　had　locked

the　throat　of　my　guardian　and　slowly　were　choking　out　his

life；　and　bending　back　his　head　and　neck　upon　his　body；　where

I　momentarily　expected　the　former　to　fall　limp　at　the　end　of　a

broken　neck。



In　accomplishing　this　the　ape　was　tearing　away　the　entire

front　of　its　breast；　which　was　held　in　the　vise…like　grip　of　the

powerful　jaws。　　Back　and　forth　upon　the　floor　they　rolled；

neither　one　emitting　a　sound　of　fear　or　pain。　　Presently　I　saw

the　great　eyes　of　my　beast　bulging　completely　from　their

sockets　and　blood　flowing　from　its　nostrils。　　That　he　was

weakening　perceptibly　was　evident；　but　so　also　was　the　ape；

whose　struggles　were　growing　momentarily　less。



Suddenly　I　came　to　myself　and；　with　that　strange　instinct

which　seems　ever　to　prompt　me　to　my　duty；　I　seized　the

cudgel；　which　had　fallen　to　the　floor　at　the　commencement　of

the　battle；　and　swinging　it　with　all　the　power　of　my　earthly

arms　I　crashed　it　full　upon　the　head　of　the　ape；　crushing　his

skull　as　though　it　had　been　an　eggshell。



Scarcely　had　the　blow　descended　when　I　was　confronted

with　a　new　danger。　　The　ape's　mate；　recovered　from　its　first

shock　of　terror；　had　returned　to　the　scene　of　the　encounter

by　way　of　the　interior　of　the　building。　　I　glimpsed　him　just

before　he　reached　the　doorway　and　the　sight　of　him；　now

roaring　as　he　perceived　his　lifeless　fellow　stretched　upon　the

floor；　and　frothing　at　the　mouth；　in　the　extremity　of　his　rage；

filled　me；　I　must　confess；　with　dire　forebodings。



I　am　ever　willing　to　stand　and　fight　when　the　odds　are　not

too　overwhelmingly　against　me；　but　in　this　instance　I　perceived

neither　glory　nor　profit　in　pitting　my　relatively　puny　strength

against　the　iron　muscles　and　brutal　ferocity　of　this　enraged

denizen　of　an　unknown　world；　in　fact；　the　only　outcome

of　such　an　encounter；　so　far　as　I　might　be　concerned；

seemed　sudden　death。



I　was　standing　near　the　window　and　I　knew　that　once　in

the　street　I　might　gain　the　plaza　and　safety　before　the　creature

could　overtake　me；　at　least　there　was　a　chance　for　safety　in

flight；　against　almost　certain　death　should　I　remain　and　fight

however　desperately。



It　is　true　I　held　the　cudgel；　but　what　could　I　do　with　it

against　his　four　great　arms？　　Even　should　I　break　one　of　them

with　my　first　blow；　for　I　figured　that　he　would　attempt　to　ward

off　the　cudgel；　he　could　reach　out　and　annihilate　me　with　the

others　before　I　could　recover　for　a　second　attack。



In　the　instant　that　these　thoughts　passed　through　my　mind

I　had　turned　to　make　for　the　window；　but　my　eyes　alighting　on

the　form　of　my　erstwhile　guardian　threw　all　thoughts　of　flight

to　the　four　winds。　　He　lay　gasping　upon　the　floor　of　the

chamber；　his　great　eyes　fastened　upon　me　in　what　seemed　a

pitiful　appeal　for　protection。　　I　could　not　withstand　that　look；

nor　could　I；　on　second　thought；　have　deserted　my　rescuer

without　giving　as　good　an　account　of　myself　in　his　behalf

as　he　had　in　mine。



Without　more　ado；　therefore；　I　turned　to　meet　the　charge

of　the　infuriated　bull　ape。　　He　was　now　too　close　upon　me　for

the　cudgel　to　prove　of　any　effective　assistance；　so　I　merely

threw　it　as　heavily　as　I　could　at　his　advancing　bulk。　　It　struck

him　just　below　the　knees；　eliciting　a　howl　of　pain　and　rage；

and　so　throwing　him　off　his　balance　that　he　lunged　full　upon

me　with　arms　wide　stretched　to　ease　his　fall。



Again；　as　on　the　preceding　day；　I　had　recourse　to　earthly

t