A Princess of Mars

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 ammunition, 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 ascended the winding

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 investigation 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, dressing 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 entirely 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 foliage of the luxuriant Martian

vegetation which once filled this scene with life and color; the

graceful 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 hereditary instincts of

culture and humanitarianism had risen ascendant once more in the final

composite race which now is dominant upon Mars.

My thoughts were cut short by the advent of several young females

bearing loads of weapons, silks, furs, jewels, cooking utensils, 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 slain, 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.