a princess of mars- 第8部分

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

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　prostrate　body；　I　seized　the　cudgel

and　finished　the　monster　before　he　could　regain　his　feet。



As　I　delivered　the　blow　a　low　laugh　rang　out　behind　me；

and；　turning；　I　beheld　Tars　Tarkas；　Sola；　and　three　or　four

warriors　standing　in　the　doorway　of　the　chamber。　　As　my　eyes

met　theirs　I　was；　for　the　second　time；　the　recipient　of　their

zealously　guarded　applause。



My　absence　had　been　noted　by　Sola　on　her　awakening；　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　warrior　on　the　previous　day　and　my　feats　of　jumping

placed　me　upon　a　high　pinnacle　in　their　regard。　　Evidently

devoid　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

adoration　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

volition；　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　solicitude　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　brute　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　masonry。



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　elicited　from　the　Martians　were

ludicrous；　they　could　not　understand；　except　in　a　feeble　and

childish　way；　such　attributes　as　gratitude　and　compassion。

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　loyalty；　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。









CHAPTER　VII





CHILD…RAISING　ON　MARS





After　a　breakfast；　which　was　an　exact　replica　of　the　meal　of

the　preceding　day　and　an　index　of　practically　every　meal

which　followed　while　I　was　with　the　green　men　of　Mars；　Sola

escorted　me　to　the　plaza；　where　I　found　the　entire　community

engaged　in　watching　or　helping　at　the　harnessing　of　huge

mastodonian　animals　to　great　three…wheeled　chariots。　　There

were　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　of　these　vehicles；　each

drawn　by　a　single　animal；　any　one　of　which；　from　their

appearance；　might　easily　have　drawn　the　entire　wagon　train

when　fully　loaded。



The　chariots　themselves　were　large；　commodious；　and

gorgeously　decorated。　　In　each　was　seated　a　female　Martian

loaded　with　ornaments　of　metal；　with　jewels　and　silks　and　furs；

and　upon　the　back　of　each　of　the　beasts　which　drew　the　chariots

was　perched　a　young　Martian　driver。　　Like　the　animals　upon　which

the　warriors　were　mounted；　the　heavier　draft　animals　wore　neither

bit　nor　bridle；　but　were　guided　entirely　by　telepathic　means。



This　power　is　wonderfully　developed　in　all　Martians；　and

accounts　largely　for　the　simplicity　of　their　language　and　the

relatively　few　spoken　words　exchanged　even　in　long　conversations。

It　is　the　universal　language　of　Mars；　through　the　medium

of　which　the　higher　and　lower　animals　of　this　world　of

paradoxes　are　able　to　communicate　to　a　greater　or　less　extent；

depending　upon　the　intellectual　sphere　of　the　species　and　the

development　of　the　individual。



As　the　cavalcade　took　up　the　line　of　march　in　single　file；

Sola　dragged　me　into　an　empty　chariot　and　we　proceeded

with　the　procession　toward　the　point　by　which　I　had　entered

the　city　the　day　before。　　At　the　head　of　the　caravan　rode　some

two　hundred　warriors；　five　abreast；　and　a　like　number

brought　up　the　rear；　while　twenty…five　or　thirty　outriders

flanked　us　on　either　side。



Every　one　but　myselfmen；　women；　and　childrenwere

heavily　armed；　and　at　the　tail　of　each　chariot　trotted　a

Martian　hound；