a princess of mars- 第15部分

sweat　upon　me。　　Far　better　that　we　save　friendly　bullets　for

ourselves　at　the　last　moment；　as　did　those　brave　frontier

women　of　my　lost　land；　who　took　their　own　lives　rather　than

fall　into　the　hands　of　the　Indian　braves。



As　I　wandered　about　the　plaza　lost　in　my　gloomy　forebodings

Tars　Tarkas　approached　me　on　his　way　from　the　audience

chamber。　　His　demeanor　toward　me　was　unchanged；　and　he

greeted　me　as　though　we　had　not　just　parted　a　few

moments　before。



〃Where　are　your　quarters；　John　Carter？〃　he　asked。



〃I　have　selected　none；〃　I　replied。　　〃It　seemed　best　that　I

quartered　either　by　myself　or　among　the　other　warriors；　and

I　was　awaiting　an　opportunity　to　ask　your　advice。　　As　you

know；〃　and　I　smiled；　〃I　am　not　yet　familiar　with　all　the

customs　of　the　Tharks。〃



〃Come　with　me；〃　he　directed；　and　together　we　moved　off

across　the　plaza　to　a　building　which　I　was　glad　to　see

adjoined　that　occupied　by　Sola　and　her　charges。



〃My　quarters　are　on　the　first　floor　of　this　building；〃　he

said；　〃and　the　second　floor　also　is　fully　occupied　by　warriors；

but　the　third　floor　and　the　floors　above　are　vacant；　you　may

take　your　choice　of　these。



〃I　understand；〃　he　continued；　〃that　you　have　given　up

your　woman　to　the　red　prisoner。　　Well；　as　you　have　said；

your　ways　are　not　our　ways；　but　you　can　fight　well　enough

to　do　about　as　you　please；　and　so；　if　you　wish　to　give　your

woman　to　a　captive；　it　is　your　own　affair；　but　as　a　chieftain

you　should　have　those　to　serve　you；　and　in　accordance　with

our　customs　you　may　select　any　or　all　the　females　from　the

retinues　of　the　chieftains　whose　metal　you　now　wear。〃



I　thanked　him；　but　assured　him　that　I　could　get　along

very　nicely　without　assistance　except　in　the　matter　of

preparing　food；　and　so　he　promised　to　send　women　to　me　for

this　purpose　and　also　for　the　care　of　my　arms　and　the

manufacture　of　my　ammunition；　which　he　said　would　be

necessary。　　I　suggested　that　they　might　also　bring　some　of

the　sleeping　silks　and　furs　which　belonged　to　me　as　spoils　of

combat；　for　the　nights　were　cold　and　I　had　none　of　my　own。



He　promised　to　do　so；　and　departed。　　Left　alone；　I　ascended

the　winding　corridor　to　the　upper　floors　in　search　of

suitable　quarters。　　The　beauties　of　the　other　buildings　were

repeated　in　this；　and；　as　usual；　I　was　soon　lost　in　a　tour　of

investigation　and　discovery。



I　finally　chose　a　front　room　on　the　third　floor；　because

this　brought　me　nearer　to　Dejah　Thoris；　whose　apartment

was　on　the　second　floor　of　the　adjoining　building；　and　it

flashed　upon　me　that　I　could　rig　up　some　means　of　communication

whereby　she　might　signal　me　in　case　she　needed　either　my

services　or　my　protection。



Adjoining　my　sleeping　apartment　were　baths；　dressing

rooms；　and　other　sleeping　and　living　apartments；　in　all　some

ten　rooms　on　this　floor。　　The　windows　of　the　back　rooms

overlooked　an　enormous　court；　which　formed　the　center　of

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　Tarka