The creatures were about ten or fifteen feet tall, standing5 erect6, 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 laterally7 located than those of the Martians, while their snouts and teeth were strikingly like those of our African gorilla8. 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 hurled9 itself through the doorway10 full upon the breast of my executioner. With a shriek11 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 hideous12 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 vouchsafed13 few beings to see. The strength, agility14, 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 fangs15 far into the breast of his adversary16; but the great arms and paws of the ape, backed by muscles far transcending17 those of the Martian men I had seen, had locked the throat of my guardian18 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 jaws19. Back and forth20 upon the floor they rolled, neither one emitting a sound of fear or pain. Presently I saw the great eyes of my beast bulging21 completely from their sockets22 and blood flowing from its nostrils23. 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 skull24 as though it had been an eggshell.
Scarcely had the blow descended25 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 extremity26 of his rage, filled me, I must confess, with dire27 forebodings.
I am ever willing to stand and fight when the odds28 are not too overwhelmingly against me, but in this instance I perceived neither glory nor profit in pitting my relatively29 puny30 strength against the iron muscles and brutal31 ferocity of this enraged32 denizen33 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 plaza34 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 desperately35.
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 ward3 off the cudgel, he could reach out and annihilate36 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 gasping37 upon the floor of the chamber38, 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 deserted39 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, eliciting40 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 tactics, and swinging my right fist full upon the point of his chin I followed it with a smashing left to the pit of his stomach. The effect was marvelous, for, as I lightly sidestepped, after delivering the second blow, he reeled and fell upon the floor doubled up with pain and gasping for wind. Leaping over his prostrate41 body, I seized the cudgel and finished the monster before he could regain42 his feet.
As I delivered the blow a low laugh rang out behind me, and, turning, I beheld43 Tars44 Tarkas, Sola, and three or four warriors45 standing in the doorway of the chamber. As my eyes met theirs I was, for the second time, the recipient47 of their zealously48 guarded applause.
My absence had been noted49 by Sola on her awakening50, and she had quickly informed Tars Tarkas, who had set out immediately with a handful of warriors to search for me. As they had approached the limits of the city they had witnessed the actions of the bull ape as he bolted into the building, frothing with rage.
They had followed immediately behind him, thinking it barely possible that his actions might prove a clew to my whereabouts and had witnessed my short but decisive battle with him. This encounter, together with my set-to with the Martian warrior46 on the previous day and my feats51 of jumping placed me upon a high pinnacle52 in their regard. Evidently devoid53 of all the finer sentiments of friendship, love, or affection, these people fairly worship physical prowess and bravery, and nothing is too good for the object of their adoration54 as long as he maintains his position by repeated examples of his skill, strength, and courage.
Sola, who had accompanied the searching party of her own volition55, was the only one of the Martians whose face had not been twisted in laughter as I battled for my life. She, on the contrary, was sober with apparent solicitude56 and, as soon as I had finished the monster, rushed to me and carefully examined my body for possible wounds or injuries. Satisfying herself that I had come off unscathed she smiled quietly, and, taking my hand, started toward the door of the chamber.
Tars Tarkas and the other warriors had entered and were standing over the now rapidly reviving brute57 which had saved my life, and whose life I, in turn, had rescued. They seemed to be deep in argument, and finally one of them addressed me, but remembering my ignorance of his language turned back to Tars Tarkas, who, with a word and gesture, gave some command to the fellow and turned to follow us from the room.
There seemed something menacing in their attitude toward my beast, and I hesitated to leave until I had learned the outcome. It was well I did so, for the warrior drew an evil looking pistol from its holster and was on the point of putting an end to the creature when I sprang forward and struck up his arm. The bullet striking the wooden casing of the window exploded, blowing a hole completely through the wood and masonry58.
I then knelt down beside the fearsome-looking thing, and raising it to its feet motioned for it to follow me. The looks of surprise which my actions elicited59 from the Martians were ludicrous; they could not understand, except in a feeble and childish way, such attributes as gratitude60 and compassion61. The warrior whose gun I had struck up looked enquiringly at Tars Tarkas, but the latter signed that I be left to my own devices, and so we returned to the plaza with my great beast following close at heel, and Sola grasping me tightly by the arm.
I had at least two friends on Mars; a young woman who watched over me with motherly solicitude, and a dumb brute which, as I later came to know, held in its poor ugly carcass more love, more loyalty62, more gratitude than could have been found in the entire five million green Martians who rove the deserted cities and dead sea bottoms of Mars.
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1
pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
jabbered
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| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的过去式和过去分词 )；急促兴奋地说话 | |
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3
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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4
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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6
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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laterally
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| ad.横向地；侧面地；旁边地 | |
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gorilla
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| n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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10
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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12
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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13
vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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14
agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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15
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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16
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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17
transcending
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| 超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的现在分词 )； 优于或胜过… | |
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18
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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20
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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21
bulging
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| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
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22
sockets
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| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
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23
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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24
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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25
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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26
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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27
dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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28
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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29
relatively
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| adv.比较...地，相对地 | |
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30
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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31
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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32
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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33
denizen
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| n.居民，外籍居民 | |
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34
plaza
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| n.广场，市场 | |
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35
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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36
annihilate
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| v.使无效；毁灭；取消 | |
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37
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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38
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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39
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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40
eliciting
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| n. 诱发, 引出 动词elicit的现在分词形式 | |
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41
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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42
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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43
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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44
tars
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| 焦油，沥青，柏油( tar的名词复数 ) | |
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45
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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46
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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47
recipient
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| a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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48
zealously
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| adv.热心地；热情地；积极地；狂热地 | |
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49
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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50
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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51
feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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52
pinnacle
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| n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰 | |
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53
devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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54
adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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55
volition
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| n.意志；决意 | |
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56
solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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57
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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58
masonry
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| n.砖土建筑；砖石 | |
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59
elicited
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| 引出，探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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61
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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62
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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