a princess of mars-第5节

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three　hundred　miles；　but　the　best　they　can　do　in　actual

service　when　equipped　with　their　wireless　finders　and

sighters　is　but　a　trifle　over　two　hundred　miles。



This　is　quite　far　enough　to　imbue　me　with　great　respect　for

the　Martian　firearm；　and　some　telepathic　force　must　have

warned　me　against　an　attempt　to　escape　in　broad　daylight

from　under　the　muzzles　of　twenty　of　these　death…dealing

machines。



The　Martians；　after　conversing　for　a　short　time；　turned　and

rode　away　in　the　direction　from　which　they　had　come；　leaving

one　of　their　number　alone　by　the　enclosure。　　When　they　had

covered　perhaps　two　hundred　yards　they　halted；　and　turning

their　mounts　toward　us　sat　watching　the　warrior　by　the

enclosure。



He　was　the　one　whose　spear　had　so　nearly　transfixed　me；

and　was　evidently　the　leader　of　the　band；　as　I　had　noted　that

they　seemed　to　have　moved　to　their　present　position　at　his

direction。　　When　his　force　had　come　to　a　halt　he　dismounted；

threw　down　his　spear　and　small　arms；　and　came　around　the

end　of　the　incubator　toward　me；　entirely　unarmed　and　as

naked　as　I；　except　for　the　ornaments　strapped　upon　his　head；

limbs；　and　breast。



When　he　was　within　about　fifty　feet　of　me　he　unclasped　an

enormous　metal　armlet；　and　holding　it　toward　me　in　the

open　palm　of　his　hand；　addressed　me　in　a　clear；　resonant

voice；　but　in　a　language；　it　is　needless　to　say；　I　could　not

understand。　　He　then　stopped　as　though　waiting　for　my　reply；

pricking　up　his　antennae…like　ears　and　cocking　his　strange…looking

eyes　still　further　toward　me。



As　the　silence　became　painful　I　concluded　to　hazard　a　little

conversation　on　my　own　part；　as　I　had　guessed　that　he　was

making　overtures　of　peace。　　The　throwing　down　of　his　weapons

and　the　withdrawing　of　his　troop　before　his　advance　toward

me　would　have　signified　a　peaceful　mission　anywhere　on

Earth；　so　why　not；　then；　on　Mars！



Placing　my　hand　over　my　heart　I　bowed　low　to　the　Martian

and　explained　to　him　that　while　I　did　not　understand　his

language；　his　actions　spoke　for　the　peace　and　friendship　that

at　the　present　moment　were　most　dear　to　my　heart。　　Of　course

I　might　have　been　a　babbling　brook　for　all　the　intelligence

my　speech　carried　to　him；　but　he　understood　the　action　with

which　I　immediately　followed　my　words。



Stretching　my　hand　toward　him；　I　advanced　and　took　the

armlet　from　his　open　palm；　clasping　it　about　my　arm　above　the

elbow；　smiled　at　him　and　stood　waiting。　　His　wide　mouth

spread　into　an　answering　smile；　and　locking　one　of　his

intermediary　arms　in　mine　we　turned　and　walked　back　toward

his　mount。　　At　the　same　time　he　motioned　his　followers　to

advance。　　They　started　toward　us　on　a　wild　run；　but　were　checked

by　a　signal　from　him。　　Evidently　he　feared　that　were　I　to　be

really　frightened　again　I　might　jump　entirely　out　of　the　landscape。



He　exchanged　a　few　words　with　his　men；　motioned　to　me

that　I　would　ride　behind　one　of　them；　and　then　mounted　his

own　animal。　　The　fellow　designated　reached　down　two　or

three　hands　and　lifted　me　up　behind　him　on　the　glossy

back　of　his　mount；　where　I　hung　on　as　best　I　could　by　the

belts　and　straps　which　held　the　Martian's　weapons　and　ornaments。





The　entire　cavalcade　then　turned　and　galloped　away　toward

the　range　of　hills　in　the　distance。









CHAPTER　IV





A　PRISONER





We　had　gone　perhaps　ten　miles　when　the　ground　began　to

rise　very　rapidly。　　We　were；　as　I　was　later　to　learn；　nearing　the

edge　of　one　of　Mars'　long…dead　seas；　in　the　bottom　of　which

my　encounter　with　the　Martians　had　taken　place。



In　a　short　time　we　gained　the　foot　of　the　mountains；　and

after　traversing　a　narrow　gorge　came　to　an　open　valley；　at　the

far　extremity　of　which　was　a　low　table　land　upon　which　I

beheld　an　enormous　city。　　Toward　this　we　galloped；　entering　it

by　what　appeared　to　be　a　ruined　roadway　leading　out　from　the

city；　but　only　to　the　edge　of　the　table　land；　where　it　ended

abruptly　in　a　flight　of　broad　steps。



Upon　closer　observation　I　saw　as　we　passed　them　that　the

buildings　were　deserted；　and　while　not　greatly　decayed　had

the　appearance　of　not　having　been　tenanted　for　years；　possibly

for　ages。　　Toward　the　center　of　the　city　was　a　large　plaza；　and

upon　this　and　in　the　buildings　immediately　surrounding　it

were　camped　some　nine　or　ten　hundred　creatures　of　the　same

breed　as　my　captors；　for　such　I　now　considered　them　despite

the　suave　manner　in　which　I　had　been　trapped。



With　the　exception　of　their　ornaments　all　were　naked。　　The

women　varied　in　appearance　but　little　from　the　men；　except

that　their　tusks　were　much　larger　in　proportion　to　their　height；

in　some　instances　curving　nearly　to　their　high…set　ears。　　Their

bodies　were　smaller　and　lighter　in　color；　and　their　fingers

and　toes　bore　the　rudiments　of　nails；　which　were　entirely

lacking　among　the　males。　　The　adult　females　ranged　in　height

from　ten　to　twelve　feet。



The　children　were　light　in　color；　even　lighter　than　the

women；　and　all　looked　precisely　alike　to　me；　except　that　some

were　taller　than　others；　older；　I　presumed。



I　saw　no　signs　of　extreme　age　among　them；　nor　is　there　any

appreciable　difference　in　their　appearance　from　the　age　of

maturity；　about　forty；　until；　at　about　the　age　of　one　thousand

years；　they　go　voluntarily　upon　their　last　strange　pilgrimage

down　the　river　Iss；　which　leads　no　living　Martian　knows

whither　and　from　whose　bosom　no　Martian　has　ever　returned；

or　would　be　allowed　to　live　did　he　return　after　once　embarking

upon　its　cold；　dark　waters。



Only　about　one　Martian　in　a　thousand　dies　of　sickness　or

disease；　and　possibly　about　twenty　take　the　voluntary　pilgrimage。

The　other　nine　hundred　and　seventy…nine　die　violent　deaths

in　duels；　in　hunting；　in　aviation　and　in　war；　but　perhaps　by　far

the　greatest　death　loss　comes　during　the　age　of　childhood；

when　vast　numbers　of　the　little　Martians　fall　victims

to　the　great　white　apes　of　Mars。



The　average　life　expectancy　of　a　Martian　after　the　age　of

maturity　is　about　three　hundred　years；　but　would　be　nearer

the　one…thousand　mark　were　it　not　for　the　various　means

leading　to　violent　death。　　Owing　to　the　waning　resources

of　the　planet　it　evidently　became　necessary　to　counteract

the　increasing　longevity　which　their　remarkable　skill　in

therapeutics　and　surgery　produced；　and　so　human　life　has　come

to　be　considered　but　lightly　on　Mars；　as　is　evidenced　by　their

dangerous　sports　and　the　almost　continual　warfare　between

the　various　communities。



There　are　other　and　natural　causes　tending　toward　a

diminution　of　population；　but　nothing　contributes　so　greatly

to　this　end　as　the　fact　that　no　male　or　female　Martian　is　ever

voluntarily　without　a　weapon　of　destruction。



As　we　neared　the　plaza　and　my　presence　was　discovered　we

were　immediately　surrounded　by　hundreds　of　the　creatures

who　seemed　anxious　to　pluck　me　from　my　seat　behind　my

guard。　　A　word　from　the　leader　of　the　party　stilled　their

clamor；　and　we　proceeded　at　a　trot　across　the　plaza　to　the

entrance　of　as　magnificent　an　edifice　as　mortal　eye　has　rested

upon。



The　building　was　low；　but　covered　an　enormous　area。　　It

was　constructed　of　gleaming　white　marble　inlaid　with　gold

and　brilliant　stones　which　sparkled　and　scintillated　in　the

sunlight。　　The　main　entrance　was　some　hundred　feet　in　width

and　projected　from　the　building　proper　to　form　a　huge　canopy

above　the　entrance　hall。　　There　was　no　stairway；　but　a　gentle

incline　to　the　first　floor　of　the　building　opened　into　an

enormous　chamber　encircled　by　galleries。



On　the　floor　of　this　chamber；　which　was　dotted　with　highly

carved　wooden　desks　and　chairs；　were　assembled　about　forty

or　fifty　male　Martians　around　the　steps　of　a　rostrum。　　On　the

platform　proper　squatted　an　enormous　warrior　heavily　loaded

with　metal　ornaments；　gay…colored　feathers　and　beautifully

wrought　leather　trappings　ingeniously　set　with　precious　stones。

From　his　shoulders　depended　a　short　cape　of　white　fur　lined

with　brilliant　scarlet　silk。



What　struck　me　as　most　remarkable　about　this　assemblage

and　the　hall　in　which　they　were　congregated　was　the　fact

that　the　creatures　were　entirely　out　of　proportion　to　the　desks；

chairs；　and　other　furnishings；　these　being　of　a　size　adapted　to

human　beings　such　as　I；　whereas　the　great　bulks　of　the

Martians　could　scarcely　have　squeezed　into　the　chairs；　nor　was

there　room　beneath　the　desks　for　their　long　legs。　　Evidently；

then；　there　were　other　denizens　on　Mars　than　the　wild　and

grotesque　creatures　into　whose　hands　I　had　fallen；　but　the

evidences　of　extreme　antiquity　which　showed　all　around　me

indicated　that　these　buildings　might　have　belonged　to　some

long…extinct　and　forgotten　race　in　the　dim　antiquity　of　Mars。



Our　party　had　halted　at　the　entrance　to　the　building；　and　at

a　sign　from　the　leader　I　had　been　lowered　to　the　ground。

Again　locking　his　arm　in　mine；　we　had　proceeded　in