"You have been with us a few days, yet during that time you have by your prowess won a high position among us. Be that as it may, you are not one of us; you owe us no allegiance.
"Your position is a peculiar3 one," he continued; "you are a prisoner and yet you give commands which must be obeyed; you are an alien and yet you are a Tharkian chieftain; you are a midget and yet you can kill a mighty4 warrior5 with one blow of your fist. And now you are reported to have been plotting to escape with another prisoner of another race; a prisoner who, from her own admission, half believes you are returned from the valley of Dor. Either one of these accusations6, if proved, would be sufficient grounds for your execution, but we are a just people and you shall have a trial on our return to Thark, if Tal Hajus so commands.
"But," he continued, in his fierce guttural tones, "if you run off with the red girl it is I who shall have to account to Tal Hajus; it is I who shall have to face Tars7 Tarkas, and either demonstrate my right to command, or the metal from my dead carcass will go to a better man, for such is the custom of the Tharks.
"I have no quarrel with Tars Tarkas; together we rule supreme8 the greatest of the lesser9 communities among the green men; we do not wish to fight between ourselves; and so if you were dead, John Carter, I should be glad. Under two conditions only, however, may you be killed by us without orders from Tal Hajus; in personal combat in self-defense, should you attack one of us, or were you apprehended10 in an attempt to escape.
"As a matter of justice I must warn you that we only await one of these two excuses for ridding ourselves of so great a responsibility. The safe delivery of the red girl to Tal Hajus is of the greatest importance. Not in a thousand years have the Tharks made such a capture; she is the granddaughter of the greatest of the red jeddaks, who is also our bitterest enemy. I have spoken. The red girl told us that we were without the softer sentiments of humanity, but we are a just and truthful11 race. You may go."
Turning, I left the audience chamber12. So this was the beginning of Sarkoja's persecution13! I knew that none other could be responsible for this report which had reached the ears of Lorquas Ptomel so quickly, and now I recalled those portions of our conversation which had touched upon escape and upon my origin.
Sarkoja was at this time Tars Tarkas' oldest and most trusted female. As such she was a mighty power behind the throne, for no warrior had the confidence of Lorquas Ptomel to such an extent as did his ablest lieutenant14, Tars Tarkas.
However, instead of putting thoughts of possible escape from my mind, my audience with Lorquas Ptomel only served to center my every faculty15 on this subject. Now, more than before, the absolute necessity for escape, in so far as Dejah Thoris was concerned, was impressed upon me, for I was convinced that some horrible fate awaited her at the headquarters of Tal Hajus.
As described by Sola, this monster was the exaggerated personification of all the ages of cruelty, ferocity, and brutality16 from which he had descended17. Cold, cunning, calculating; he was, also, in marked contrast to most of his fellows, a slave to that brute18 passion which the waning19 demands for procreation upon their dying planet has almost stilled in the Martian breast.
The thought that the divine Dejah Thoris might fall into the clutches of such an abysmal20 atavism started the cold 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 plaza21 lost in my gloomy forebodings Tars Tarkas approached me on his way from the audience chamber. His demeanor22 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 warriors23, 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 fully24 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 retinues26 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 ammunition27, 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 ascended28 the winding29 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 investigation30 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, dressing31 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 entirely32 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 foliage33 of the luxuriant Martian vegetation which once filled this scene with life and color; the graceful34 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 hereditary35 instincts of culture and humanitarianism36 had risen ascendant once more in the final composite race which now is dominant37 upon Mars.
My thoughts were cut short by the advent38 of several young females bearing loads of weapons, silks, furs, jewels, cooking utensils39, 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 slain40, 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, ornaments41 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 custodian42, and it is passed on to the younger members of the community as necessity demands.
The women and children of a man's retinue25 may be likened to a military unit for which he is responsible in various ways, as in matters of instruction, discipline, sustenance43, and the exigencies44 of their continual roamings and their unending strife45 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 solely46, 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 racing47 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 unnatural48 practice, coupled with the community interest in the offspring being held paramount49 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 virtuous50, both men and women, with the exception of such degenerates51 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 cuisine52, and directed the others to take up the various activities which had formerly53 constituted their vocations54. Thereafter I saw little of them, nor did I care to.
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1
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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accusations
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| n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名 | |
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7
tars
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| 焦油，沥青，柏油( tar的名词复数 ) | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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20
abysmal
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| adj.无底的，深不可测的，极深的；糟透的，极坏的；完全的 | |
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plaza
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| n.广场，市场 | |
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demeanor
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| n.行为；风度 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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retinue
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| n.侍从；随员 | |
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retinues
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| n.一批随员( retinue的名词复数 ) | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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humanitarianism
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| n.博爱主义；人道主义；基督凡人论 | |
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dominant
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| adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因 | |
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38
advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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39
utensils
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| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 | |
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40
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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41
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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42
custodian
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| n.保管人，监护人；公共建筑看守 | |
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43
sustenance
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| n.食物，粮食；生活资料；生计 | |
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exigencies
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| n.急切需要 | |
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45
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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47
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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48
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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49
paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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50
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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51
degenerates
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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52
cuisine
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| n.烹调，烹饪法 | |
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53
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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54
vocations
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| n.（认为特别适合自己的）职业( vocation的名词复数 )；使命；神召；（认为某种工作或生活方式特别适合自己的）信心 | |
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