she　would；　in　all　likelihood；　have　done　it　with　a　sword
  thrust　or　a　movement　of　her　trigger　finger；　but　as　their
  sentiments　are　mostly　atrophied　it　would　have　required　a
  serious　injury　to　have　aroused　such　passions　in　them。　　Sola；
  let　me　add；　was　an　exception；　I　never　saw　her　perform　a　cruel
  or　uncouth　act；　or　fail　in　uniform　kindliness　and　good
  nature。　　She　was　indeed；　as　her　fellow　Martian　had　said　of　her；
  an　atavism；　a　dear　and　precious　reversion　to　a　former　type
  of　loved　and　loving　ancestor。
  Seeing　that　the　prisoner　seemed　the　center　of　attraction　I
  halted　to　view　the　proceedings。　　I　had　not　long　to　wait
  for　presently　Lorquas　Ptomel　and　his　retinue　of　chieftains
  approached　the　building　and；　signing　the　guards　to　follow　with
  the　prisoner　entered　the　audience　chamber。　　Realizing　that　I
  was　a　somewhat　favored　character；　and　also　convinced　that
  the　warriors　did　not　know　of　my　proficiency　in　their　language；
  as　I　had　pleaded　with　Sola　to　keep　this　a　secret　on　the
  grounds　that　I　did　not　wish　to　be　forced　to　talk　with　the
  men　until　I　had　perfectly　mastered　the　Martian　tongue；　I
  chanced　an　attempt　to　enter　the　audience　chamber　and　listen
  to　the　proceedings。
  The　council　squatted　upon　the　steps　of　the　rostrum；　while
  below　them　stood　the　prisoner　and　her　two　guards。　　I　saw
  that　one　of　the　women　was　Sarkoja；　and　thus　understood
  how　she　had　been　present　at　the　hearing　of　the　preceding
  day；　the　results　of　which　she　had　reported　to　the　occupants
  of　our　dormitory　last　night。　　Her　attitude　toward　the　captive
  was　most　harsh　and　brutal。　　When　she　held　her；　she　sunk　her
  rudimentary　nails　into　the　poor　girl's　flesh；　or　twisted　her
  arm　in　a　most　painful　manner。　　When　it　was　necessary　to
  move　from　one　spot　to　another　she　either　jerked　her　roughly；
  or　pushed　her　headlong　before　her。　　She　seemed　to　be　venting
  upon　this　poor　defenseless　creature　all　the　hatred；　cruelty；
  ferocity；　and　spite　of　her　nine　hundred　years；　backed　by
  unguessable　ages　of　fierce　and　brutal　ancestors。
  The　other　woman　was　less　cruel　because　she　was　entirely
  indifferent；　if　the　prisoner　had　been　left　to　her　alone；　and
  fortunately　she　was　at　night；　she　would　have　received　no
  harsh　treatment；　nor；　by　the　same　token　would　she　have
  received　any　attention　at　all。
  As　Lorquas　Ptomel　raised　his　eyes　to　address　the　prisoner
  they　fell　on　me　and　he　turned　to　Tars　Tarkas　with　a　word；
  and　gesture　of　impatience。　　Tars　Tarkas　made　some　reply
  which　I　could　not　catch；　but　which　caused　Lorquas　Ptomel　to
  smile；　after　which　they　paid　no　further　attention　to　me。
  〃What　is　your　name？〃　asked　Lorquas　Ptomel；　addressing
  the　prisoner。
  〃Dejah　Thoris；　daughter　of　Mors　Kajak　of　Helium。〃
  〃And　the　nature　of　your　expedition？〃　he　continued。
  〃It　was　a　purely　scientific　research　party　sent　out　by　my
  father's　father；　the　Jeddak　of　Helium；　to　rechart　the　air
  currents；　and　to　take　atmospheric　density　tests；〃　replied
  the　fair　prisoner；　in　a　low；　well…modulated　voice。
  〃We　were　unprepared　for　battle；〃　she　continued；　〃as　we
  were　on　a　peaceful　mission；　as　our　banners　and　the　colors　of
  our　craft　denoted。　　The　work　we　were　doing　was　as　much　in
  your　interests　as　in　ours；　for　you　know　full　well　that　were　it
  not　for　our　labors　and　the　fruits　of　our　scientific　operations
  there　would　not　be　enough　air　or　water　on　Mars　to　support
  a　single　human　life。　　For　ages　we　have　maintained　the　air　and
  water　supply　at　practically　the　same　point　without　an
  appreciable　loss；　and　we　have　done　this　in　the　face　of
  the　brutal　and　ignorant　interference　of　your　green　men。
  〃Why；　oh；　why　will　you　not　learn　to　live　in　amity　with
  your　fellows；　must　you　ever　go　on　down　the　ages　to　your
  final　extinction　but　little　above　the　plane　of　the　dumb　brutes
  that　serve　you！　　A　people　without　written　language；　without
  art；　without　homes；　without　love；　the　victim　of　eons　of　the
  horrible　community　idea。　　Owning　everything　in　common；
  even　to　your　women　and　children；　has　resulted　in　your
  owning　nothing　in　common。　　You　hate　each　other　as　you　hate
  all　else　except　yourselves。　　Come　back　to　the　ways　of　our
  common　ancestors；　come　back　to　the　light　of　kindliness
  and　fellowship。　　The　way　is　open　to　you；　you　will　find　the
  hands　of　the　red　men　stretched　out　to　aid　you。　　Together　we
  may　do　still　more　to　regenerate　our　dying　planet。　　The　grand…
  daughter　of　the　greatest　and　mightiest　of　the　red　jeddaks　has
  asked　you。　　Will　you　come？〃
  Lorquas　Ptomel　and　the　warriors　sat　looking　silently　and
  intently　at　the　young　woman　for　several　moments　after　she
  had　ceased　speaking。　　What　was　passing　in　their　minds　no
  man　may　know；　but　that　they　were　moved　I　truly　believe；
  and　if　one　man　high　among　them　had　been　strong　enough
  to　rise　above　custom；　that　moment　would　have　marked　a
  new　and　mighty　era　for　Mars。
  I　saw　Tars　Tarkas　rise　to　speak；　and　on　his　face　was　such
  an　expression　as　I　had　never　seen　upon　the　countenance　of　a
  green　Martian　warrior。　　It　bespoke　an　inward　and　mighty
  battle　with　self；　with　heredity；　with　age…old　custom；　and
  as　he　opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　a　look　almost　of　benignity；
  of　kindliness；　momentarily　lighted　up　his　fierce　and　terrible
  countenance。
  What　words　of　moment　were　to　have　fallen　from　his　lips
  were　never　spoken；　as　just　then　a　young　warrior；　evidently
  sensing　the　trend　of　thought　among　the　older　men；　leaped
  down　from　the　steps　of　the　rostrum；　and　striking　the　frail
  captive　a　powerful　blow　across　the　face；　which　felled　her　to
  the　floor；　placed　his　foot　upon　her　prostrate　form　and　turning
  toward　the　assembled　council　broke　into　peals　of　horrid；
  mirthless　laughter。
  For　an　instant　I　thought　Tars　Tarkas　would　strike　him
  dead；　nor　did　the　aspect　of　Lorquas　Ptomel　augur　any　too
  favorably　for　the　brute；　but　the　mood　passed；　their　old　selves
  reasserted　their　ascendency；　and　they　smiled。　　It　was　portentous
  however　that　they　did　not　laugh　aloud；　for　the　brute's　act
  constituted　a　side…splitting　witticism　according　to　the
  ethics　which　rule　green　Martian　humor。
  That　I　have　taken　moments　to　write　down　a　part　of　what
  occurred　as　that　blow　fell　does　not　signify　that　I　remained
  inactive　for　any　such　length　of　time。　　I　think　I　must　have
  sensed　something　of　what　was　coming；　for　I　realize　now　that
  I　was　crouched　as　for　a　spring　as　I　saw　the　blow　aimed　at
  her　beautiful；　upturned；　pleading　face；　and　ere　the　hand
  descended　I　was　halfway　across　the　hall。
  Scarcely　had　his　hideous　laugh　rang　out　but　once；　when
  I　was　upon　him。　　The　brute　was　twelve　feet　in　height　and
  armed　to　the　teeth；　but　I　believe　that　I　could　have　accounted
  for　the　whole　roomful　in　the　terrific　intensity　of　my　rage。
  Springing　upward；　I　struck　him　full　in　the　face　as　he　turned
  at　my　warning　cry　and　then　as　he　drew　his　short…sword　I
  drew　mine　and　sprang　up　again　upon　his　breast；　hooking　one
  leg　over　the　butt　of　his　pistol　and　grasping　one　of　his　huge
  tusks　with　my　left　hand　while　I　delivered　blow　after　blow
  upon　his　enormous　chest。
  He　could　not　use　his　short…sword　to　advantage　because　I
  was　too　close　to　him；　nor　could　he　draw　his　pistol；　which
  he　attempted　to　do　in　direct　opposition　to　Martian　custom
  which　says　that　you　may　not　fight　a　fellow　warrior　in
  private　combat　with　any　other　than　the　weapon　with　which　you
  are　attacked。　　In　fact　he　could　do　nothing　but　make　a　wild
  and　futile　attempt　to　dislodge　me。　　With　all　his　immense　bulk
  he　was　little　if　any　stronger　than　I；　and　it　was　but　the　matter
  of　a　moment　or　two　before　he　sank；　bleeding　and　lifeless；
  to　the　floor。
  Dejah　Thoris　had　raised　herself　upon　one　elbow　and　was
  watching　the　battle　with　wide；　staring　eyes。　　When　I　had
  regained　my　feet　I　raised　her　in　my　arms　and　bore　her　to
  one　of　the　benches　at　the　side　of　the　room。
  Again　no　Martian　interfered　with　me；　and　tearing　a　piece
  of　silk　from　my　cape　I　endeavored　to　staunch　the　flow　of
  blood　from　her　nostrils。　　I　was　soon　successful　as　her
  injuries　amounted　to　little　more　than　an　ordinary　nosebleed；
  and　when　she　could　speak　she　placed　her　hand　upon　my
  arm　and　looking　up　into　my　eyes；　said：
  〃Why　did　you　do　it？　　You　who　refused　me　even　friendly　recognition
  in　the　first　hour　of　my　peril！　　And　now　you　risk　your　life　and
  kill　one　of　your　companions　for　my　sake。　　I　cannot　understand。
  What　strange　manner　of　man　are　you；　that　you　consort　with　the
  green　men；　though　your　form　is　that　of　my　race；　while　your　color
  is　little　darker　than　that　of　the　white　ape？　　Tell　me；　are　you
  human；　or　are　you　more　than　human？〃
  〃It　is　a　strange　tale；〃　I　replied；　〃too　long　to　attempt　to　tell
  you　now；　and　one　which　I　so　much　doubt　the　credibility　of　myself
  that　I　fear　to　hope　that　others　will　believe　it。　　Suffice　it；
  for　the　present；　that　I　am　your　friend；　and；　so　far　as　our
  captors　will　permit；　your　protector　and　your　servant。〃
  〃Then　you　too　are　a　prisoner？　　But　why；　then；　those　arms
  and　the　regalia　of　a　Tharkian　chief