a princess of mars-第6部分

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not　voluntarily　accord。　　I　therefore　ignored　the　repeated

commands　to　〃sak；〃　and　each　time　they　were　made　I　motioned

to　my　mouth　and　rubbed　my　stomach。



Tars　Tarkas　and　the　chief　exchanged　a　few　words；　and　the

former；　calling　to　a　young　female　among　the　throng；　gave

her　some　instructions　and　motioned　me　to　accompany　her。　　I

grasped　her　proffered　arm　and　together　we　crossed　the　plaza

toward　a　large　building　on　the　far　side。



My　fair　companion　was　about　eight　feet　tall；　having　just

arrived　at　maturity；　but　not　yet　to　her　full　height。　　She　was　of

a　light　olive…green　color；　with　a　smooth；　glossy　hide。　　Her

name；　as　I　afterward　learned；　was　Sola；　and　she　belonged　to

the　retinue　of　Tars　Tarkas。　　She　conducted　me　to　a　spacious

chamber　in　one　of　the　buildings　fronting　on　the　plaza；　and

which；　from　the　litter　of　silks　and　furs　upon　the　floor；　I　took

to　be　the　sleeping　quarters　of　several　of　the　natives。



The　room　was　well　lighted　by　a　number　of　large　windows

and　was　beautifully　decorated　with　mural　paintings　and　mosaics；

but　upon　all　there　seemed　to　rest　that　indefinable　touch

of　the　finger　of　antiquity　which　convinced　me　that　the

architects　and　builders　of　these　wondrous　creations　had　nothing

in　common　with　the　crude　half…brutes　which　now　occupied　them。



Sola　motioned　me　to　be　seated　upon　a　pile　of　silks　near

the　center　of　the　room；　and；　turning；　made　a　peculiar　hissing

sound；　as　though　signaling　to　someone　in　an　adjoining　room。

In　response　to　her　call　I　obtained　my　first　sight　of　a　new

Martian　wonder。　　It　waddled　in　on　its　ten　short　legs；　and

squatted　down　before　the　girl　like　an　obedient　puppy。　　The

thing　was　about　the　size　of　a　Shetland　pony；　but　its　head　bore

a　slight　resemblance　to　that　of　a　frog；　except　that　the　jaws

were　equipped　with　three　rows　of　long；　sharp　tusks。









CHAPTER　V





I　ELUDE　MY　WATCH　DOG





Sola　stared　into　the　brute's　wicked…looking　eyes；　muttered　a

word　or　two　of　command；　pointed　to　me；　and　left　the　chamber。

I　could　not　but　wonder　what　this　ferocious…looking　monstrosity

might　do　when　left　alone　in　such　close　proximity　to　such　a

relatively　tender　morsel　of　meat；　but　my　fears　were　groundless；

as　the　beast；　after　surveying　me　intently　for　a　moment；　crossed

the　room　to　the　only　exit　which　led　to　the　street；　and　lay　down

full　length　across　the　threshold。



This　was　my　first　experience　with　a　Martian　watch　dog；　but

it　was　destined　not　to　be　my　last；　for　this　fellow　guarded　me

carefully　during　the　time　I　remained　a　captive　among　these

green　men；　twice　saving　my　life；　and　never　voluntarily　being

away　from　me　a　moment。



While　Sola　was　away　I　took　occasion　to　examine　more

minutely　the　room　in　which　I　found　myself　captive。　　The

mural　painting　depicted　scenes　of　rare　and　wonderful　beauty；

mountains；　rivers；　lake；　ocean；　meadow；　trees　and　flowers；

winding　roadways；　sun…kissed　gardensscenes　which　might

have　portrayed　earthly　views　but　for　the　different　colorings　of

the　vegetation。　　The　work　had　evidently　been　wrought　by　a

master　hand；　so　subtle　the　atmosphere；　so　perfect　the　technique；

yet　nowhere　was　there　a　representation　of　a　living　animal；

either　human　or　brute；　by　which　I　could　guess　at　the　likeness

of　these　other　and　perhaps　extinct　denizens　of　Mars。



While　I　was　allowing　my　fancy　to　run　riot　in　wild　conjecture

on　the　possible　explanation　of　the　strange　anomalies　which

I　had　so　far　met　with　on　Mars；　Sola　returned　bearing　both

food　and　drink。　　These　she　placed　on　the　floor　beside　me；

and　seating　herself　a　short　ways　off　regarded　me　intently。

The　food　consisted　of　about　a　pound　of　some　solid　substance　of

the　consistency　of　cheese　and　almost　tasteless；　while　the　liquid

was　apparently　milk　from　some　animal。　　It　was　not　unpleasant

to　the　taste；　though　slightly　acid；　and　I　learned　in　a　short　time

to　prize　it　very　highly。　　It　came；　as　I　later　discovered；　not　from

an　animal；　as　there　is　only　one　mammal　on　Mars　and　that　one

very　rare　indeed；　but　from　a　large　plant　which　grows　practically

without　water；　but　seems　to　distill　its　plentiful　supply　of

milk　from　the　products　of　the　soil；　the　moisture　of　the　air；

and　the　rays　of　the　sun。　　A　single　plant　of　this　species　will　give

eight　or　ten　quarts　of　milk　per　day。



After　I　had　eaten　I　was　greatly　invigorated；　but　feeling　the

need　of　rest　I　stretched　out　upon　the　silks　and　was　soon

asleep。　　I　must　have　slept　several　hours；　as　it　was　dark　when

I　awoke；　and　I　was　very　cold。　　I　noticed　that　someone　had

thrown　a　fur　over　me；　but　it　had　become　partially　dislodged

and　in　the　darkness　I　could　not　see　to　replace　it。　　Suddenly　a

hand　reached　out　and　pulled　the　fur　over　me；　shortly　afterwards

adding　another　to　my　covering。



I　presumed　that　my　watchful　guardian　was　Sola；　nor　was

I　wrong。　　This　girl　alone；　among　all　the　green　Martians　with

whom　I　came　in　contact；　disclosed　characteristics　of　sympathy；

kindliness；　and　affection；　her　ministrations　to　my　bodily　wants

were　unfailing；　and　her　solicitous　care　saved　me　from　much

suffering　and　many　hardships。



As　I　was　to　learn；　the　Martian　nights　are　extremely　cold；

and　as　there　is　practically　no　twilight　or　dawn；　the　changes

in　temperature　are　sudden　and　most　uncomfortable；　as　are　the

transitions　from　brilliant　daylight　to　darkness。　　The　nights　are

either　brilliantly　illumined　or　very　dark；　for　if　neither　of　the

two　moons　of　Mars　happen　to　be　in　the　sky　almost　total

darkness　results；　since　the　lack　of　atmosphere；　or；　rather；　the

very　thin　atmosphere；　fails　to　diffuse　the　starlight　to　any

great　extent；　on　the　other　hand；　if　both　of　the　moons　are　in

the　heavens　at　night　the　surface　of　the　ground　is　brightly

illuminated。



Both　of　Mars'　moons　are　vastly　nearer　her　than　is　our

moon　to　Earth；　the　nearer　moon　being　but　about　five　thousand

miles　distant；　while　the　further　is　but　little　more　than

fourteen　thousand　miles　away；　against　the　nearly　one…quarter

million　miles　which　separate　us　from　our　moon。　　The　nearer

moon　of　Mars　makes　a　complete　revolution　around　the　planet

in　a　little　over　seven　and　one…half　hours；　so　that　she　may　be

seen　hurtling　through　the　sky　like　some　huge　meteor　two　or

three　times　each　night；　revealing　all　her　phases　during　each

transit　of　the　heavens。



The　further　moon　revolves　about　Mars　in　something　over

thirty　and　one…quarter　hours；　and　with　her　sister　satellite

makes　a　nocturnal　Martian　scene　one　of　splendid　and　weird

grandeur。　　And　it　is　well　that　nature　has　so　graciously　and

abundantly　lighted　the　Martian　night；　for　the　green　men　of

Mars；　being　a　nomadic　race　without　high　intellectual　development；

have　but　crude　means　for　artificial　lighting；　depending

principally　upon　torches；　a　kind　of　candle；　and　a　peculiar　oil

lamp　which　generates　a　gas　and　burns　without　a　wick。



This　last　device　produces　an　intensely　brilliant　far…reaching

white　light；　but　as　the　natural　oil　which　it　requires　can　only

be　obtained　by　mining　in　one　of　several　widely　separated　and

remote　localities　it　is　seldom　used　by　these　creatures　whose

only　thought　is　for　today；　and　whose　hatred　for　manual　labor

has　kept　them　in　a　semi…barbaric　state　for　countless　ages。



After　Sola　had　replenished　my　coverings　I　again　slept；　nor

did　I　awaken　until　daylight。　　The　other　occupants　of　the　room；

five　in　number；　were　all　females；　and　they　were　still　sleeping；

piled　high　with　a　motley　array　of　silks　and　furs。　　Across　the

threshold　lay　stretched　the　sleepless　guardian　brute；　just　as　I

had　last　seen　him　on　the　preceding　day；　apparently　he　had　not

moved　a　muscle；　his　eyes　were　fairly　glued　upon　me；　and　I

fell　to　wondering　just　what　might　befall　me　should　I　endeavor

to　escape。

I　have　ever　been　prone　to　seek　adventure　and　to　investigate

and　experiment　where　wiser　men　would　have　left　well　enough

alone。　　It　therefore　now　occurred　to　me　that　the　surest　way　of

learning　the　exact　attitude　of　this　beast　toward　me　would　be

to　attempt　to　leave　the　room。　　I　felt　fairly　secure　in　my　belief

that　I　could　escape　him　should　he　pursue　me　once　I　was

outside　the　building；　for　I　had　begun　to　take　great　pride　in

my　ability　as　a　jumper。　　Furthermore；　I　could　see　from　the

shortness　of　his　legs　that　the　brute　himself　was　no　jumper　and

probably　no　runner。



Slowly　and　carefully；　therefore；　I　gained　my　feet；　only　to

see　that　my　watcher　did　the　same；　cautiously　I　advanced

toward　him；　finding　that　by　moving　with　a　shuffling　gait　I

could　retain　my　balance　as　well　as　make　reasonably　rapid

progress。　　As　I　neared　the　brute　he　backed　cautiously　away

from　me；　and　when　I　had　reached　the　open　he　moved　to　one

side　to　let　me　pass。　　He　then　fell　in　behind　me　and　followed

about　ten　paces　in　my　rear　as　I　made　my　way　along　the

deserted　street。



Evidently　his　mission　was　to　protect　me　only；　I　thought；

but　when　we　reached　the　edge　of　the　city　he　suddenly　sprang

before　me；　uttering　strange　sounds　and　baring　his　ugly　and

ferocious　tusks。　　Thinking　to　have　some　amusement　at　his

expense；　I　rushed　toward　him；　and　when　almost　upon　him

sprang　into　the　air；　alighting　far　beyond　him　and　away　from

the　city。　　He　wheeled　instantly　and　charged　me　with　the　most

appalling　speed　I　had　ever　beheld。　　I　had　thought　his　short

legs　a　bar　to　swiftness；　but　had　he　been　coursing　with

greyhounds　the　latter　would　have　appeared　as　though　asleep

on　a　door　mat。　　As　I　was　to　learn；　this　is　the　fleetest　animal

on　Mars；　and　owing　to　its　intelligence；　loyalty；　and　ferocity　is

used　in　hunting；　in　war；　and　as　the　protector　of　the　Martian　man。



I　quickly　saw　that　I　would　have　difficulty　in　escaping　the

fangs　of　the　beast　on　a　straightaway　course；　and　so　I　met　his

charge　by　doubling　in　my　tracks　and　leaping　over　him　as　he

was　almost　upon　me。　　This　maneuver　gave　me　a　considerable

advantage；　and　I　was　able　to　reach　the　city　quite　a　bit　ahead

of　him；　and　as　he　came　tearing　after　me　I　jumped　for　a　window

about