A Princess of Mars

As the great gate where I stood swung open my fifty Tharks, headed by

Tars Tarkas himself, rode in upon their mighty thoats. I led them to

the palace walls, which I negotiated easily without assistance. Once

inside, however, the gate gave me considerable trouble, but I finally

was rewarded by seeing it swing upon its huge hinges, and soon my

fierce escort was riding across the gardens of the jeddak of Zodanga.

As we approached the palace I could see through the great windows of

the first floor into the brilliantly illuminated audience chamber of

Than Kosis. The immense hall was crowded with nobles and their women,

as though some important function was in progress. There was not a

guard in sight without the palace, due, I presume, to the fact that the

city and palace walls were considered impregnable, and so I came close

and peered within.

At one end of the chamber, upon massive golden thrones encrusted with

diamonds, sat Than Kosis and his consort, surrounded by officers and

dignitaries of state. Before them stretched a broad aisle lined on

either side with soldiery, and as I looked there entered this aisle at

the far end of the hall, the head of a procession which advanced to the

foot of the throne.

First there marched four officers of the jeddak's Guard bearing a huge

salver on which reposed, upon a cushion of scarlet silk, a great golden

chain with a collar and padlock at each end. Directly behind these

officers came four others carrying a similar salver which supported the

magnificent ornaments of a prince and princess of the reigning house of

Zodanga.

At the foot of the throne these two parties separated and halted,

facing each other at opposite sides of the aisle. Then came more

dignitaries, and the officers of the palace and of the army, and

finally two figures entirely muffled in scarlet silk, so that not a

feature of either was discernible. These two stopped at the foot of

the throne, facing Than Kosis. When the balance of the procession had

entered and assumed their stations Than Kosis addressed the couple

standing before him. I could not hear his words, but presently two

officers advanced and removed the scarlet robe from one of the figures,

and I saw that Kantos Kan had failed in his mission, for it was Sab

Than, Prince of Zodanga, who stood revealed before me.

Than Kosis now took a set of the ornaments from one of the salvers and

placed one of the collars of gold about his son's neck, springing the

padlock fast. After a few more words addressed to Sab Than he turned

to the other figure, from which the officers now removed the

enshrouding silks, disclosing to my now comprehending view Dejah

Thoris, Princess of Helium.

The object of the ceremony was clear to me; in another moment Dejah

Thoris would be joined forever to the Prince of Zodanga. It was an

impressive and beautiful ceremony, I presume, but to me it seemed the

most fiendish sight I had ever witnessed, and as the ornaments were

adjusted upon her beautiful figure and her collar of gold swung open in

the hands of Than Kosis I raised my long-sword above my head, and, with

the heavy hilt, I shattered the glass of the great window and sprang

into the midst of the astonished assemblage. With a bound I was on the

steps of the platform beside Than Kosis, and as he stood riveted with

surprise I brought my long-sword down upon the golden chain that would

have bound Dejah Thoris to another.