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believe it。 I must search out her apartments and force her
to repeat the cruel truth to me alone before I would be
convinced； and so I deserted my post and hastened through
the passage behind the tapestries toward the door by which
she had left the chamber。 Slipping quietly through this
opening I discovered a maze of winding corridors； branching
and turning in every direction。
Running rapidly down first one and then another of them
I soon became hopelessly lost and was standing panting
against a side wall when I heard voices near me。 Apparently
they were coming from the opposite side of the partition
against which I leaned and presently I made out the tones
of Dejah Thoris。 I could not hear the words but I knew
that I could not possibly be mistaken in the voice。
Moving on a few steps I discovered another passageway
at the end of which lay a door。 Walking boldly forward I
pushed into the room only to find myself in a small ante…
chamber in which were the four guards who had accompanied
her。 One of them instantly arose and accosted me； asking
the nature of my business。
〃I am from Than Kosis；〃 I replied； 〃and wish to speak
privately with Dejah Thoris； Princess of Helium。〃
〃And your order？〃 asked the fellow。
I did not know what he meant； but replied that I was a
member of The Guard； and without waiting for a reply
from him I strode toward the opposite door of the ante…
chamber； behind which I could hear Dejah Thoris conversing。
But my entrance was not to be so easily accomplished。
The guardsman stepped before me； saying；
〃No one comes from Than Kosis without carrying an
order or the password。 You must give me one or the other
before you may pass。〃
〃The only order I require； my friend； to enter where I
will； hangs at my side；〃 I answered； tapping my long…sword；
〃will you let me pass in peace or no？〃
For reply he whipped out his own sword； calling to the
others to join him； and thus the four stood； with drawn
weapons； barring my further progress。
〃You are not here by the order of Than Kosis；〃 cried
the one who had first addressed me； 〃and not only shall
you not enter the apartments of the Princess of Helium but
you shall go back to Than Kosis under guard to explain
this unwarranted temerity。 Throw down your sword； you
cannot hope to overcome four of us；〃 he added with a grim
smile。
My reply was a quick thrust which left me but three
antagonists and I can assure you that they were worthy of
my metal。 They had me backed against the wall in no time；
fighting for my life。 Slowly I worked my way to a corner
of the room where I could force them to come at me only
one at a time； and thus we fought upward of twenty minutes；
the clanging of steel on steel producing a veritable bedlam
in the little room。
The noise had brought Dejah Thoris to the door of her
apartment； and there she stood throughout the conflict with
Sola at her back peering over her shoulder。 Her face was
set and emotionless and I knew that she did not recognize
me； nor did Sola。
Finally a lucky cut brought down a second guardsman
and then； with only two opposing me； I changed my tactics
and rushed them down after the fashion of my fighting
that had won me many a victory。 The third fell within ten
seconds after the second； and the last lay dead upon the
bloody floor a few moments later。 They were brave men
and noble fighters； and it grieved me that I had been forced
to kill them； but I would have willingly depopulated all
Barsoom could I have reached the side of my Dejah Thoris
in no other way。
Sheathing my bloody blade I advanced toward my Martian
Princess； who still stood mutely gazing at me without
sign of recognition。
〃Who are you； Zodangan？〃 she whispered。 〃Another enemy
to harass me in my misery？〃
〃I am a friend；〃 I answered； 〃a once cherished friend。〃
〃No friend of Helium's princess wears that metal；〃 she replied；
〃and yet the voice！ I have heard it before； it is notit
cannot beno； for he is dead。〃
〃It is； though； my Princess； none other than John Carter；〃
I said。 〃Do you not recognize； even through paint and
strange metal； the heart of your chieftain？〃
As I came close to her she swayed toward me with outstretched
hands； but as I reached to take her in my arms she drew back
with a shudder and a little moan of misery。
〃Too late； too late；〃 she grieved。 〃O my chieftain that was；
and whom I thought dead； had you but returned one little
hour beforebut now it is too late； too late。〃
〃What do you mean； Dejah Thoris？〃 I cried。 〃That you
would not have promised yourself to the Zodangan prince
had you known that I lived？〃
〃Think you； John Carter； that I would give my heart to you
yesterday and today to another？ I thought that it lay buried
with your ashes in the pits of Warhoon； and so today I have
promised my body to another to save my people from the
curse of a victorious Zodangan army。〃
〃But I am not dead； my princess。 I have come to claim
you； and all Zodanga cannot prevent it。〃
〃It is too late； John Carter； my promise is given； and on
Barsoom that is final。 The ceremonies which follow later are
but meaningless formalities。 They make the fact of marriage
no more certain than does the funeral cortege of a jeddak
again place the seal of death upon him。 I am as good as
married； John Carter。 No longer may you call me your
princess。 No longer are you my chieftain。〃
〃I know but little of your customs here upon Barsoom；
Dejah Thoris； but I do know that I love you； and if you
meant the last words you spoke to me that day as the hordes
of Warhoon were charging down upon us； no other man shall
ever claim you as his bride。 You meant them then； my
princess； and you mean them still！ Say that it is true。〃
〃I meant them； John Carter；〃 she whispered。 〃I cannot
repeat them now for I have given myself to another。 Ah；
if you had only known our ways； my friend；〃 she continued；
half to herself； 〃the promise would have been yours long
months ago； and you could have claimed me before all others。
It might have meant the fall of Helium； but I would have
given my empire for my Tharkian chief。〃
Then aloud she said： 〃Do you remember the night when
you offended me？ You called me your princess without having
asked my hand of me； and then you boasted that you had
fought for me。 You did not know； and I should not have
been offended； I see that now。 But there was no one to tell
you what I could not； that upon Barsoom there are two
kinds of women in the cities of the red men。 The one they
fight for that they may ask them in marriage； the other kind
they fight for also； but never ask their hands。 When a man
has won a woman he may address her as his princess； or in
any of the several terms which signify possession。 You had
fought for me； but had never asked me in marriage； and so
when you called me your princess； you see；〃 she faltered；
〃I was hurt； but even then； John Carter； I did not repulse you；
as I should have done； until you made it doubly worse by
taunting me with having won me through combat。〃
〃I do not need ask your forgiveness now； Dejah Thoris；〃
I cried。 〃You must know that my fault was of ignorance of
your Barsoomian customs。 What I failed to do； through
implicit belief that my petition would be presumptuous and
unwelcome； I do now； Dejah Thoris； I ask you to be my wife；
and by all the Virginian fighting blood that flows in my
veins you shall be。〃
〃No； John Carter； it is useless；〃 she cried； hopelessly；
〃I may never be yours while Sab Than lives。〃
〃You have sealed his death warrant； my princessSab Than dies。〃
〃Nor that either；〃 she hastened to explain。 〃I may not
wed the man who slays my husband； even in self…defense。
It is custom。 We are ruled by custom upon Barsoom。 It is
useless； my friend。 You must bear the sorrow with me。 That
at least we may share in common。 That； and the memory of
the brief days among the Tharks。 You must go now； nor ever
see me again。 Good…bye； my chieftain that was。〃
Disheartened and dejected； I withdrew from the room；
but I was not entirely discouraged； nor would I admit that
Dejah Thoris was lost to me until the ceremony had actually
been performed。
As I wandered along the corridors； I was as absolutely
lost in the mazes of winding passageways as I had been
before I discovered Dejah Thoris' apartments。
I knew that my only hope lay in escape from the city of
Zodanga； for the matter of the four dead guardsmen would
have to be explained； and as I could never reach my original
post without a guide； suspicion would surely rest on me so
soon as I was discovered wandering aimlessly through the
palace。
Presently I came upon a spiral runway leading to a lower
floor； and this I followed downward for several stories until
I r