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you leave her； unless it was to follow you and crave your
protection； and ask your pardon for the cruel thoughts she
has harbored against you these past few days？〃
〃You are right；〃 I answered； 〃there is no escape for either
of us unless we go together。〃
〃I heard your challenge to the creature you call Tars Tarkas；
and I think I understand your position among these people；
but what I cannot fathom is your statement that you are
not of Barsoom。〃
〃In the name of my first ancestor； then；〃 she continued；
〃where may you be from？ You are like unto my people；
and yet so unlike。 You speak my language； and yet I heard
you tell Tars Tarkas that you had but learned it recently。
All Barsoomians speak the same tongue from the ice…clad
south to the ice…clad north； though their written languages
differ。 Only in the valley Dor； where the river Iss empties
into the lost sea of Korus； is there supposed to
be a different language spoken； and； except in the legends of
our ancestors； there is no record of a Barsoomian returning
up the river Iss； from the shores of Korus in the valley of
Dor。 Do not tell me that you have thus returned！ They
would kill you horribly anywhere upon the surface of Barsoom
if that were true； tell me it is not！〃
Her eyes were filled with a strange； weird light； her voice
was pleading； and her little hands； reached up upon my
breast； were pressed against me as though to wring a denial
from my very heart。
〃I do not know your customs； Dejah Thoris； but in my
own Virginia a gentleman does not lie to save himself； I am
not of Dor； I have never seen the mysterious Iss； the lost
sea of Korus is still lost； so far as I am concerned。 Do you
believe me？〃
And then it struck me suddenly that I was very anxious that
she should believe me。 It was not that I feared the results
which would follow a general belief that I had returned
from the Barsoomian heaven or hell； or whatever it was。
Why was it； then！ Why should I care what she thought？
I looked down at her； her beautiful face upturned； and her
wonderful eyes opening up the very depth of her soul； and
as my eyes met hers I knew why； andI shuddered。
A similar wave of feeling seemed to stir her； she drew
away from me with a sigh； and with her earnest； beautiful
face turned up to mine； she whispered： 〃I believe you； John
Carter； I do not know what a 'gentleman' is； nor have I ever
he does not wish to speak the truth he is silent。 Where is
this Virginia； your country； John Carter？〃 she asked； and it
seemed that this fair name of my fair land had never sounded
more beautiful than as it fell from those perfect lips on that
far…gone day。
〃I am of another world；〃 I answered； 〃the great planet
Earth； which revolves about our common sun and next within
the orbit of your Barsoom； which we know as Mars。 How I
came here I cannot tell you； for I do not know； but here I
am； and since my presence has permitted me to serve Dejah
Thoris I am glad that I am here。〃
She gazed at me with troubled eyes； long and questioningly。
That it was difficult to believe my statement I well knew；
nor could I hope that she would do so however much I craved
her confidence and respect。 I would much rather not have
told her anything of my antecedents； but no man could look
into the depth of those eyes and refuse her slightest behest。
Finally she smiled； and； rising； said： 〃I shall have to
believe even though I cannot understand。 I can readily
perceive that you are not of the Barsoom of today； you are
like us； yet differentbut why should I trouble my poor head
with such a problem； when my heart tells me that I believe
because I wish to believe！〃
It was good logic； good； earthly； feminine logic； and if it
satisfied her I certainly could pick no flaws in it。 As a
matter of fact it was about the only kind of logic that could
be brought to bear upon my problem。 We fell into a general
conversation then； asking and answering many questions on each
side。 She was curious to learn of the customs of my people
and displayed a remarkable knowledge of events on Earth。
When I questioned her closely on this seeming familiarity
with earthly things she laughed； and cried out：
〃Why； every school boy on Barsoom knows the geography；
and much concerning the fauna and flora； as well as the
history of your planet fully as well as of his own。 Can we
not see everything which takes place upon Earth； as you call
it； is it not hanging there in the heavens in plain sight？〃
This baffled me； I must confess； fully as much as my statements
had confounded her； and I told her so。 She then explained
in general the instruments her people had used and been
perfecting for ages； which permit them to throw upon
a screen a perfect image of what is transpiring upon any
planet and upon many of the stars。 These pictures are so
perfect in detail that； when photographed and enlarged；
objects no greater than a blade of grass may be distinctly
recognized。 I afterward； in Helium； saw many of these
pictures； as well as the instruments which produced them。
〃If； then； you are so familiar with earthly things；〃 I asked；
〃why is it that you do not recognize me as identical with the
inhabitants of that planet？〃
She smiled again as one might in bored indulgence of a
questioning child。
〃Because； John Carter；〃 she replied； 〃nearly every planet
and star having atmospheric conditions at all approaching
those of Barsoom； shows forms of animal life almost
identical with you and me； and； further； Earth men； almost
without exception； cover their bodies with strange； unsightly
pieces of cloth； and their heads with hideous contraptions
the purpose of which we have been unable to conceive； while
you； when found by the Tharkian warriors； were entirely
undisfigured and unadorned。
〃The fact that you wore no ornaments is a strong proof of
your un…Barsoomian origin； while the absence of grotesque
coverings might cause a doubt as to your earthliness。〃
I then narrated the details of my departure from the Earth；
explaining that my body there lay fully clothed in all the； to
her； strange garments of mundane dwellers。 At this point
Sola returned with our meager belongings and her young
Martian protege； who； of course； would have to share the
quarters with them。
Sola asked us if we had had a visitor during her absence；
and seemed much surprised when we answered in the negative。
It seemed that as she had mounted the approach to the
upper floors where our quarters were located； she had met
Sarkoja descending。 We decided that she must have been
eavesdropping； but as we could recall nothing of importance
that had passed between us we dismissed the matter as of
little consequence； merely promising ourselves to be warned
to the utmost caution in the future。
Dejah Thoris and I then fell to examining the architecture and
decorations of the beautiful chambers of the building we were
occupying。 She told me that these people had presumably
flourished over a hundred thousand years before。
They were the early progenitors of her race； but had mixed
with the other great race of early Martians； who were very
dark； almost black； and also with the reddish yellow race
which had flourished at the same time。
These three great divisions of the higher Martians had
been forced into a mighty alliance as the drying up of the
Martian seas had compelled them to seek the comparatively few
and always diminishing fertile areas； and to defend themselves；
under new conditions of life； against the wild hordes of green men。
Ages of close relationship and intermarrying had resulted
in the race of red men； of which Dejah Thoris was a fair
and beautiful daughter。 During the ages of hardships and
incessant warring between their own various races； as well
as with the green men； and before they had fitted themselves
to the changed conditions； much of the high civilization
and many of the arts of the fair…haired Martians had
become lost； but the red race of today has reached a point
where it feels that it has made up in new discoveries and in
a more practical civilization for all that lies irretrievably
buried with the ancient Barsoomians； beneath the countless
intervening ages。
These ancient Martians had been a highly cultivated and
literary race； but during the vicissitudes of those trying
centuries of readjustment to new conditions； not only did their
advancement and production cease entirely； but practically
all their archives； records； and literature were lost。
Dejah Thoris related many interesting facts and legends
concerning this lost race of noble and kindly people。 She
said that the city in which we were camping was supposed
to have been a center of commerce and culture known as
Korad。 It had been built upon a beautiful； natural harbor；
landlocked by magnificen