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a chance and death must take a back seat。 They soon had
me patched up so that； except for weakness from loss of
blood and a little soreness around the wound； I suffered no
great distress from this thrust which； under earthly treatment；
undoubtedly would have put me flat on my back for days。
As soon as they were through with me I hastened to the
chariot of Dejah Thoris； where I found my poor Sola with
her chest swathed in bandages； but apparently little the
worse for her encounter with Sarkoja； whose dagger it seemed
had struck the edge of one of Sola's metal breast ornaments
and； thus deflected； had inflicted but a slight flesh wound。
As I approached I found Dejah Thoris lying prone upon
her silks and furs； her lithe form wracked with sobs。 She did
not notice my presence； nor did she hear me speaking with
Sola； who was standing a short distance from the vehicle。
〃Is she injured？〃 I asked of Sola； indicating Dejah Thoris
by an inclination of my head。
〃No；〃 she answered； 〃she thinks that you are dead。〃
〃And that her grandmother's cat may now have no one to
polish its teeth？〃 I queried； smiling。
〃I think you wrong her； John Carter；〃 said Sola。 〃I do not
understand either her ways or yours； but I am sure the
granddaughter of ten thousand jeddaks would never grieve
like this over any who held but the highest claim upon her
affections。 They are a proud race； but they are just； as are
all Barsoomians； and you must have hurt or wronged her
grievously that she will not admit your existence living；
though she mourns you dead。
〃Tears are a strange sight upon Barsoom；〃 she continued；
〃and so it is difficult for me to interpret them。 I have seen
but two people weep in all my life； other than Dejah Thoris；
one wept from sorrow； the other from baffled rage。 The first
was my mother； years ago before they killed her； the other
was Sarkoja； when they dragged her from me today。〃
〃Your mother！〃 I exclaimed； 〃but； Sola； you could not
have known your mother； child。〃
〃But I did。 And my father also；〃 she added。 〃If you
would like to hear the strange and un…Barsoomian story
come to the chariot tonight； John Carter； and I will tell you
that of which I have never spoken in all my life before。 And
now the signal has been given to resume the march； you
must go。〃
〃I will come tonight； Sola；〃 I promised。 〃Be sure to tell
Dejah Thoris I am alive and well。 I shall not force myself
upon her； and be sure that you do not let her know I saw her tears。
If she would speak with me I but await her command。
Sola mounted the chariot； which was swinging into its place
in line； and I hastened to my waiting thoat and galloped
to my station beside Tars Tarkas at the rear of the column。
We made a most imposing and awe…inspiring spectacle as
we strung out across the yellow landscape； the two hundred
and fifty ornate and brightly colored chariots； preceded by
an advance guard of some two hundred mounted warriors
and chieftains riding five abreast and one hundred yards
apart； and followed by a like number in the same formation；
with a score or more of flankers on either side； the fifty extra
mastodons； or heavy draught animals； known as zitidars；
and the five or six hundred extra thoats of the warriors
running loose within the hollow square formed by the
surrounding warriors。 The gleaming metal and jewels of
the gorgeous ornaments of the men and women； duplicated in
the trappings of the zitidars and thoats； and interspersed
with the flashing colors of magnificent silks and furs and
feathers； lent a barbaric splendor to the caravan which would
have turned an East Indian potentate green with envy。
The enormous broad tires of the chariots and the padded
feet of the animals brought forth no sound from the moss…
covered sea bottom； and so we moved in utter silence； like
some huge phantasmagoria； except when the stillness was
broken by the guttural growling of a goaded zitidar； or the
squealing of fighting thoats。 The green Martians converse
but little； and then usually in monosyllables； low and like
the faint rumbling of distant thunder。
We traversed a trackless waste of moss which； bending to
the pressure of broad tire or padded foot； rose up again
behind us； leaving no sign that we had passed。 We might
indeed have been the wraiths of the departed dead upon the
dead sea of that dying planet for all the sound or sign we
made in passing。 It was the first march of a large body of
men and animals I had ever witnessed which raised no dust
and left no spoor； for there is no dust upon Mars except in
the cultivated districts during the winter months； and even
then the absence of high winds renders it almost unnoticeable。
We camped that night at the foot of the hills we had been
approaching for two days and which marked the southern
boundary of this particular sea。 Our animals had been two
days without drink； nor had they had water for nearly two
months； not since shortly after leaving Thark； but； as Tars
Tarkas explained to me； they require but little and can live
almost indefinitely upon the moss which covers Barsoom； and
which； he told me； holds in its tiny stems sufficient moisture
to meet the limited demands of the animals。
After partaking of my evening meal of cheese…like food
and vegetable milk I sought out Sola； whom I found working
by the light of a torch upon some of Tars Tarkas' trappings。
She looked up at my approach； her face lighting with pleasure
and with welcome。
〃I am glad you came；〃 she said； 〃Dejah Thoris sleeps and
I am lonely。 Mine own people do not care for me； John Carter；
I am too unlike them。 It is a sad fate； since I must live
my life amongst them； and I often wish that I were a true
green Martian woman； without love and without hope； but I
have known love and so I am lost。
〃I promised to tell you my story； or rather the story of
my parents。 From what I have learned of you and the ways
of your people I am sure that the tale will not seem strange
to you； but among green Martians it has no parallel within
the memory of the oldest living Thark； nor do our legends
hold many similar tales。
〃My mother was rather small； in fact too small to be allowed
the responsibilities of maternity； as our chieftains breed
principally for size。 She was also less cold and cruel
than most green Martian women； and caring little for their
society； she often roamed the deserted avenues of Thark
alone； or went and sat among the wild flowers that deck
the nearby hills； thinking thoughts and wishing wishes
which I believe I alone among Tharkian women today may
understand； for am I not the child of my mother？
〃And there among the hills she met a young warrior； whose
duty it was to guard the feeding zitidars and thoats and see
that they roamed not beyond the hills。 They spoke at first
only of such things as interest a community of Tharks； but
gradually； as they came to meet more often； and； as was
now quite evident to both； no longer by chance； they talked
about themselves； their likes； their ambitions and their hopes。
She trusted him and told him of the awful repugnance she
felt for the cruelties of their kind； for the hideous； loveless
lives they must ever lead； and then she waited for the storm
of denunciation to break from his cold； hard lips； but instead
he took her in his arms and kissed her。
〃They kept their love a secret for six long years。 She； my
mother； was of the retinue of the great Tal Hajus； while her
lover was a simple warrior； wearing only his own metal。
Had their defection from the traditions of the Tharks been
discovered both would have paid the penalty in the great
arena before Tal Hajus and the assembled hordes。
〃The egg from which I came was hidden beneath a great
glass vessel upon the highest and most inaccessible of the
partially ruined towers of ancient Thark。 Once each year my
mother visited it for the five long years it lay there in the
process of incubation。 She dared not come oftener； for in the
mighty guilt of her conscience she feared that her every
move was watched。 During this period my father gained great
distinction as a warrior and had taken the metal from several
chieftains。 His love for my mother had never diminished；
and his own ambition in life was to reach a point where
he might wrest the metal from Tal Hajus himself； and thus；
as ruler of the Tharks； be free to claim her as his own；
as well as； by the might of his power； protect the child
which otherwise would be quickly dispatched should the
truth become known。
〃It was a wild dream； that of wresting the metal from Tal
Hajus in five short years； but his advance was rapid； and he
soon stood high in the councils of Thark。 But one day the
chance was lost forever； in so far as it could come in time
to save his loved ones； for he was ordered away up