a princess of mars-第9章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



dead　sailors；　evidently　for　signs　of　life；　and　presently　a　party

of　them　appeared　from　below　dragging　a　little　figure　among

them。　　The　creature　was　considerably　less　than　half　as　tall　as

the　green　Martian　warriors；　and　from　my　balcony　I　could　see

that　it　walked　erect　upon　two　legs　and　surmised　that　it　was

some　new　and　strange　Martian　monstrosity　with　which　I　had

not　as　yet　become　acquainted。



They　removed　their　prisoner　to　the　ground　and　then　commenced

a　systematic　rifling　of　the　vessel。　　This　operation　required

several　hours；　during　which　time　a　number　of　the　chariots

were　requisitioned　to　transport　the　loot；　which　consisted

in　arms；　ammunition；　silks；　furs；　jewels；　strangely　carved

stone　vessels；　and　a　quantity　of　solid　foods　and　liquids；

including　many　casks　of　water；　the　first　I　had　seen　since　my

advent　upon　Mars。



After　the　last　load　had　been　removed　the　warriors　made

lines　fast　to　the　craft　and　towed　her　far　out　into　the　valley　in

a　southwesterly　direction。　　A　few　of　them　then　boarded　her　and

were　busily　engaged　in　what　appeared；　from　my　distant　position；

as　the　emptying　of　the　contents　of　various　carboys　upon　the

dead　bodies　of　the　sailors　and　over　the　decks　and　works

of　the　vessel。



This　operation　concluded；　they　hastily　clambered　over　her

sides；　sliding　down　the　guy　ropes　to　the　ground。　　The　last

warrior　to　leave　the　deck　turned　and　threw　something　back

upon　the　vessel；　waiting　an　instant　to　note　the　outcome　of

his　act。　　As　a　faint　spurt　of　flame　rose　from　the　point　where

the　missile　struck　he　swung　over　the　side　and　was　quickly

upon　the　ground。　　Scarcely　had　he　alighted　than　the　guy　ropes

were　simultaneous　released；　and　the　great　warship；　lightened

by　the　removal　of　the　loot；　soared　majestically　into　the　air；

her　decks　and　upper　works　a　mass　of　roaring　flames。



Slowly　she　drifted　to　the　southeast；　rising　higher　and　higher

as　the　flames　ate　away　her　wooden　parts　and　diminished　the

weight　upon　her。　　Ascending　to　the　roof　of　the　building　I

watched　her　for　hours；　until　finally　she　was　lost　in　the　dim

vistas　of　the　distance。　　The　sight　was　awe…inspiring　in　the

extreme　as　one　contemplated　this　mighty　floating　funeral　pyre；

drifting　unguided　and　unmanned　through　the　lonely　wastes　of

the　Martian　heavens；　a　derelict　of　death　and　destruction；

typifying　the　life　story　of　these　strange　and　ferocious

creatures　into　whose　unfriendly　hands　fate　had　carried　it。



Much　depressed；　and；　to　me；　unaccountably　so；　I　slowly

descended　to　the　street。　　The　scene　I　had　witnessed　seemed

to　mark　the　defeat　and　annihilation　of　the　forces　of　a　kindred

people；　rather　than　the　routing　by　our　green　warriors　of

a　horde　of　similar；　though　unfriendly；　creatures。　　I　could　not

fathom　the　seeming　hallucination；　nor　could　I　free　myself

from　it；　but　somewhere　in　the　innermost　recesses　of　my

soul　I　felt　a　strange　yearning　toward　these　unknown　foemen；

and　a　mighty　hope　surged　through　me　that　the　fleet　would

return　and　demand　a　reckoning　from　the　green　warriors

who　had　so　ruthlessly　and　wantonly　attacked　it。



Close　at　my　heel；　in　his　now　accustomed　place；　followed

Woola；　the　hound；　and　as　I　emerged　upon　the　street　Sola

rushed　up　to　me　as　though　I　had　been　the　object　of　some

search　on　her　part。　　The　cavalcade　was　returning　to　the　plaza；

the　homeward　march　having　been　given　up　for　that　day；　nor；

in　fact；　was　it　recommenced　for　more　than　a　week；　owing

to　the　fear　of　a　return　attack　by　the　air　craft。



Lorquas　Ptomel　was　too　astute　an　old　warrior　to　be

caught　upon　the　open　plains　with　a　caravan　of　chariots　and

children；　and　so　we　remained　at　the　deserted　city　until　the

danger　seemed　passed。



As　Sola　and　I　entered　the　plaza　a　sight　met　my　eyes　which

filled　my　whole　being　with　a　great　surge　of　mingled　hope；

fear；　exultation；　and　depression；　and　yet　most　dominant

was　a　subtle　sense　of　relief　and　happiness；　for　just

as　we　neared　the　throng　of　Martians　I　caught　a　glimpse　of

the　prisoner　from　the　battle　craft　who　was　being　roughly

dragged　into　a　nearby　building　by　a　couple　of　green

Martian　females。



And　the　sight　which　met　my　eyes　was　that　of　a　slender；

girlish　figure；　similar　in　every　detail　to　the　earthly　women

of　my　past　life。　　She　did　not　see　me　at　first；　but　just　as　she

was　disappearing　through　the　portal　of　the　building　which

was　to　be　her　prison　she　turned；　and　her　eyes　met　mine。

Her　face　was　oval　and　beautiful　in　the　extreme；　her　every

feature　was　finely　chiseled　and　exquisite；　her　eyes　large　and

lustrous　and　her　head　surmounted　by　a　mass　of　coal　black；

waving　hair；　caught　loosely　into　a　strange　yet　becoming　coiffure。

Her　skin　was　of　a　light　reddish　copper　color；　against　which

the　crimson　glow　of　her　cheeks　and　the　ruby　of　her　beautifully

molded　lips　shone　with　a　strangely　enhancing　effect。



She　was　as　destitute　of　clothes　as　the　green　Martians　who

accompanied　her；　indeed；　save　for　her　highly　wrought　ornaments

she　was　entirely　naked；　nor　could　any　apparel　have　enhanced

the　beauty　of　her　perfect　and　symmetrical　figure。



As　her　gaze　rested　on　me　her　eyes　opened　wide　in

astonishment；　and　she　made　a　little　sign　with　her　free　hand；

a　sign　which　I　did　not；　of　course；　understand。　　Just　a　moment

we　gazed　upon　each　other；　and　then　the　look　of　hope　and

renewed　courage　which　had　glorified　her　face　as　she

discovered　me；　faded　into　one　of　utter　dejection；　mingled

with　loathing　and　contempt。　　I　realized　I　had　not　answered　her

signal；　and　ignorant　as　I　was　of　Martian　customs；　I　intuitively

felt　that　she　had　made　an　appeal　for　succor　and　protection

which　my　unfortunate　ignorance　had　prevented　me　from　answering。

And　then　she　was　dragged　out　of　my　sight　into　the　depths　of　the

deserted　edifice。









CHAPTER　IX





I　LEARN　THE　LANGUAGE





As　I　came　back　to　myself　I　glanced　at　Sola；　who　had

witnessed　this　encounter　and　I　was　surprised　to　note　a

strange　expression　upon　her　usually　expressionless

countenance。　　What　her　thoughts　were　I　did　not　know；

for　as　yet　I　had　learned　but　little　of　the　Martian　tongue；

enough　only　to　suffice　for　my　daily　needs。



As　I　reached　the　doorway　of　our　building　a　strange　surprise

awaited　me。　　A　warrior　approached　bearing　the　arms；

ornaments；　and　full　accouterments　of　his　kind。　　These　he

presented　to　me　with　a　few　unintelligible　words；　and　a

bearing　at　once　respectful　and　menacing。



Later；　Sola；　with　the　aid　of　several　of　the　other　women；

remodeled　the　trappings　to　fit　my　lesser　proportions；　and

after　they　completed　the　work　I　went　about　garbed　in　all　the

panoply　of　war。



From　then　on　Sola　instructed　me　in　the　mysteries　of　the

various　weapons；　and　with　the　Martian　young　I　spent　several

hours　each　day　practicing　upon　the　plaza。　　I　was　not　yet

proficient　with　all　the　weapons；　but　my　great　familiarity

with　similar　earthly　weapons　made　me　an　unusually　apt

pupil；　and　I　progressed　in　a　very　satisfactory　manner。



The　training　of　myself　and　the　young　Martians　was

conducted　solely　by　the　women；　who　not　only　attend　to　the

education　of　the　young　in　the　arts　of　individual　defense

and　offense；　but　are　also　the　artisans　who　produce　every

manufactured　article　wrought　by　the　green　Martians。　　They　make

the　powder；　the　cartridges；　the　firearms；　in　fact　everything

of　value　is　produced　by　the　females。　　In　time　of　actual　warfare

they　form　a　part　of　the　reserves；　and　when　the　necessity

arises　fight　with　even　greater　intelligence　and　ferocity

than　the　men。



The　men　are　trained　in　the　higher　branches　of　the　art　of　war；

in　strategy　and　the　maneuvering　of　large　bodies　of　troops。

They　make　the　laws　as　they　are　needed；　a　new　law　for

each　emergency。　　They　are　unfettered　by　precedent　in

the　administration　of　justice。　　Customs　have　been　handed

down　by　ages　of　repetition；　but　the　punishment　for　ignoring

a　custom　is　a　matter　for　individual　treatment　by　a　jury　of

the　culprit's　peers；　and　I　may　say　that　justice　seldom

misses　fire；　but　seems　rather　to　rule　in　inverse　ratio　to

the　ascendency　of　law。　　In　one　respect　at　least　the　Martians

are　a　happy　people；　they　have　no　lawyers。



I　did　not　see　the　prisoner　again　for　several　days　subsequent

to　our　first　encounter；　and　then　only　to　catch　a　fleeting

glimpse　of　her　as　she　was　being　conducted　to　the　great

audience　chamber　where　I　had　had　my　first　meeting　with

Lorquas　Ptomel。　　I　could　not　but　note　the　unnecessary

harshness　and　brutality　with　which　her　guards　treated　her；

so　different　from　the　almost　maternal　kindliness　which　Sola

manifested　toward　me；　and　the　respectful　attitude　of　the　few

green　Martians　who　took　the　trouble　to　notice　me　at　all。



I　had　observed　on　the　two　occasions　when　I　had　seen　her

that　the　prisoner　exchanged　words　with　her　guards；　and　this

convinced　me　that　they　spoke；　or　at　least　could　make

themselves　understood　by　a　common　language。　　With　this　added

incentive　I　nearly　drove　Sola　distracted　by　my　importunities

to　hasten　on　my　education　and　within　a　few　more　days

I　had　mastered　the　Martian　tongue　sufficiently　well　to　enable

me　to　carry　on　a　passable　conversation　and　to　fully　understand

practically　all　that　I　heard。



At　this　time　our　sleeping　quarters　were　occupied　by　three

or　four　females　and　a　couple　of　the　recently　hatched　young；

beside　Sola　and　her　youthful　ward；　myself；　and　Woola　the

hound。　　After　they　had　retired　for　the　night　it　was　customary

for　the　adults　to　carry　on　a　desultory　conversation　for　a

short　time　before　lapsing　into　sleep；　and　now　that　I　could

understand　their　language　I　was　always　a　keen　listener；

although　I　never　proffered　any　remarks　myself。



On　the　night　following　the　prisoner's　visit　to　the　audience

chamber　the　conversation　finally　fell　upon　this　subject；　and

I　was　all　ears　on　the　instant。　　I　had　feared　to　question　Sola

relative　to　the　beautiful　captive；　as　I　could　not　but　recall　the

strange　expression　I　had　noted　upon　her　face　after　my　first

encounter　with　the　prisoner。　　That　it　denoted　jealousy　I　could

not　say；　and　yet；　judging　all　things　by　mundane　standards

as　I　still　did；　I　felt　it　safer　to　affect　indifference　in　the　matter

until　I　learned　more　surely　Sola's　attitude　toward　the　object

of　my　solicitude。



Sarkoja；　one　of　the　older　women　who　shared　our　domicile；

had　been　present　at　the　audience　as　one　of　the　captive's

guards；　and　it　was　toward　her　the　question　turned。



〃When；〃　asked　one　of　the　women；　〃will　we　enjoy　the

death　throes　of　the　red　one？　or　does　Lorquas　Ptomel；　Jed；

intend　holding　her　for　ransom？〃



〃They　have　decided　to　carry　her　with　us　back　to　Thark；

and　exhibit　her　last　agonies　at　the　great　games　before　Tal

Hajus；〃　replied　Sarkoja。



〃What　will　be　the　manner　of　her　going　out？〃　inquired

Sola。　　〃She　is　very　small　and　very　beautiful；　I　had　hoped　that

they　would　hold　her　for　ransom。〃



Sarkoja　and　the　other　women　grunted　angrily　at　this　evidence

of　weaknes