We Plan Escape

: A Princess Of Mars

The remainder of our journey to Thark was uneventful. We were twenty

days upon the road, crossing two sea bottoms and passing through or

around a number of ruined cities, mostly smaller than Korad. Twice we

crossed the famous Martian waterways, or canals, so-called by our

earthly astronomers. When we approached these points a warrior would

be sent far ahead with a powerful field glass, and if no great body of

red Ma
tian troops was in sight we would advance as close as possible

without chance of being seen and then camp until dark, when we would

slowly approach the cultivated tract, and, locating one of the

numerous, broad highways which cross these areas at regular intervals,

creep silently and stealthily across to the arid lands upon the other

side. It required five hours to make one of these crossings without a

single halt, and the other consumed the entire night, so that we were

just leaving the confines of the high-walled fields when the sun broke

out upon us.



Crossing in the darkness, as we did, I was unable to see but little,

except as the nearer moon, in her wild and ceaseless hurtling through

the Barsoomian heavens, lit up little patches of the landscape from

time to time, disclosing walled fields and low, rambling buildings,

presenting much the appearance of earthly farms. There were many

trees, methodically arranged, and some of them were of enormous height;

there were animals in some of the enclosures, and they announced their

presence by terrified squealings and snortings as they scented our

queer, wild beasts and wilder human beings.



Only once did I perceive a human being, and that was at the

intersection of our crossroad with the wide, white turnpike which cuts

each cultivated district longitudinally at its exact center. The

fellow must have been sleeping beside the road, for, as I came abreast

of him, he raised upon one elbow and after a single glance at the

approaching caravan leaped shrieking to his feet and fled madly down

the road, scaling a nearby wall with the agility of a scared cat. The

Tharks paid him not the slightest attention; they were not out upon the

warpath, and the only sign that I had that they had seen him was a

quickening of the pace of the caravan as we hastened toward the

bordering desert which marked our entrance into the realm of Tal Hajus.



Not once did I have speech with Dejah Thoris, as she sent no word to me

that I would be welcome at her chariot, and my foolish pride kept me

from making any advances. I verily believe that a man's way with women

is in inverse ratio to his prowess among men. The weakling and the

saphead have often great ability to charm the fair sex, while the

fighting man who can face a thousand real dangers unafraid, sits hiding

in the shadows like some frightened child.



Just thirty days after my advent upon Barsoom we entered the ancient

city of Thark, from whose long-forgotten people this horde of green men

have stolen even their name. The hordes of Thark number some thirty

thousand souls, and are divided into twenty-five communities. Each

community has its own jed and lesser chieftains, but all are under the

rule of Tal Hajus, Jeddak of Thark. Five communities make their

headquarters at the city of Thark, and the balance are scattered among

other deserted cities of ancient Mars throughout the district claimed

by Tal Hajus.



We made our entry into the great central plaza early in the afternoon.

There were no enthusiastic friendly greetings for the returned

expedition. Those who chanced to be in sight spoke the names of

warriors or women with whom they came in direct contact, in the formal

greeting of their kind, but when it was discovered that they brought

two captives a greater interest was aroused, and Dejah Thoris and I

were the centers of inquiring groups.



We were soon assigned to new quarters, and the balance of the day was

devoted to settling ourselves to the changed conditions. My home now

was upon an avenue leading into the plaza from the south, the main

artery down which we had marched from the gates of the city. I was at

the far end of the square and had an entire building to myself. The

same grandeur of architecture which was so noticeable a characteristic

of Korad was in evidence here, only, if that were possible, on a larger

and richer scale. My quarters would have been suitable for housing the

greatest of earthly emperors, but to these queer creatures nothing

about a building appealed to them but its size and the enormity of its

chambers; the larger the building, the more desirable; and so Tal Hajus

occupied what must have been an enormous public building, the largest

in the city, but entirely unfitted for residence purposes; the next

largest was reserved for Lorquas Ptomel, the next for the jed of a

lesser rank, and so on to the bottom of the list of five jeds. The

warriors occupied the buildings with the chieftains to whose retinues

they belonged; or, if they preferred, sought shelter among any of the

thousands of untenanted buildings in their own quarter of town; each

community being assigned a certain section of the city. The selection

of building had to be made in accordance with these divisions, except

in so far as the jeds were concerned, they all occupying edifices which

fronted upon the plaza.



When I had finally put my house in order, or rather seen that it had

been done, it was nearing sunset, and I hastened out with the intention

of locating Sola and her charges, as I had determined upon having

speech with Dejah Thoris and trying to impress on her the necessity of

our at least patching up a truce until I could find some way of aiding

her to escape. I searched in vain until the upper rim of the great red

sun was just disappearing behind the horizon and then I spied the ugly

head of Woola peering from a second-story window on the opposite side

of the very street where I was quartered, but nearer the plaza.



Without waiting for a further invitation I bolted up the winding runway

which led to the second floor, and entering a great chamber at the

front of the building was greeted by the frenzied Woola, who threw his

great carcass upon me, nearly hurling me to the floor; the poor old

fellow was so glad to see me that I thought he would devour me, his

head split from ear to ear, showing his three rows of tusks in his

hobgoblin smile.



Quieting him with a word of command and a caress, I looked hurriedly

through the approaching gloom for a sign of Dejah Thoris, and then, not

seeing her, I called her name. There was an answering murmur from the

far corner of the apartment, and with a couple of quick strides I was

standing beside her where she crouched among the furs and silks upon an

ancient carved wooden seat. As I waited she rose to her full height

and looking me straight in the eye said:



"What would Dotar Sojat, Thark, of Dejah Thoris his captive?"



"Dejah Thoris, I do not know how I have angered you. It was furtherest

from my desire to hurt or offend you, whom I had hoped to protect and

comfort. Have none of me if it is your will, but that you must aid me

in effecting your escape, if such a thing be possible, is not my

request, but my command. When you are safe once more at your father's

court you may do with me as you please, but from now on until that day

I am your master, and you must obey and aid me."



She looked at me long and earnestly and I thought that she was

softening toward me.



"I understand your words, Dotar Sojat," she replied, "but you I do not

understand. You are a queer mixture of child and man, of brute and

noble. I only wish that I might read your heart."



"Look down at your feet, Dejah Thoris; it lies there now where it has

lain since that other night at Korad, and where it will ever lie

beating alone for you until death stills it forever."



She took a little step toward me, her beautiful hands outstretched in a

strange, groping gesture.



"What do you mean, John Carter?" she whispered. "What are you saying

to me?"



"I am saying what I had promised myself that I would not say to you, at

least until you were no longer a captive among the green men; what from

your attitude toward me for the past twenty days I had thought never to

say to you; I am saying, Dejah Thoris, that I am yours, body and soul,

to serve you, to fight for you, and to die for you. Only one thing I

ask of you in return, and that is that you make no sign, either of

condemnation or of approbation of my words until you are safe among

your own people, and that whatever sentiments you harbor toward me they

be not influenced or colored by gratitude; whatever I may do to serve

you will be prompted solely from selfish motives, since it gives me

more pleasure to serve you than not."



"I will respect your wishes, John Carter, because I understand the

motives which prompt them, and I accept your service no more willingly

than I bow to your authority; your word shall be my law. I have twice

wronged you in my thoughts and again I ask your forgiveness."



Further conversation of a personal nature was prevented by the entrance

of Sola, who was much agitated and wholly unlike her usual calm and

possessed self.



"That horrible Sarkoja has been before Tal Hajus," she cried, "and from

what I heard upon the plaza there is little hope for either of you."



"What do they say?" inquired Dejah Thoris.



"That you will be thrown to the wild calots [dogs] in the great arena

as soon as the hordes have assembled for the yearly games."



"Sola," I said, "you are a Thark, but you hate and loathe the customs

of your people as much as we do. Will you not accompany us in one

supreme effort to escape? I am sure that Dejah Thoris can offer you a

home and protection among her people, and your fate can be no worse

among them than it must ever be here."



"Yes," cried Dejah Thoris, "come with us, Sola, you will be better off

among the red men of Helium than you are here, and I can promise you

not only a home with us, but the love and affection your nature craves

and which must always be denied you by the customs of your own race.

Come with us, Sola; we might go without you, but your fate would be

terrible if they thought you had connived to aid us. I know that even

that fear would not tempt you to interfere in our escape, but we want

you with us, we want you to come to a land of sunshine and happiness,

amongst a people who know the meaning of love, of sympathy, and of

gratitude. Say that you will, Sola; tell me that you will."



"The great waterway which leads to Helium is but fifty miles to the

south," murmured Sola, half to herself; "a swift thoat might make it in

three hours; and then to Helium it is five hundred miles, most of the

way through thinly settled districts. They would know and they would

follow us. We might hide among the great trees for a time, but the

chances are small indeed for escape. They would follow us to the very

gates of Helium, and they would take toll of life at every step; you do

not know them."



"Is there no other way we might reach Helium?" I asked. "Can you not

draw me a rough map of the country we must traverse, Dejah Thoris?"



"Yes," she replied, and taking a great diamond from her hair she drew

upon the marble floor the first map of Barsoomian territory I had ever

seen. It was crisscrossed in every direction with long straight lines,

sometimes running parallel and sometimes converging toward some great

circle. The lines, she said, were waterways; the circles, cities; and

one far to the northwest of us she pointed out as Helium. There were

other cities closer, but she said she feared to enter many of them, as

they were not all friendly toward Helium.




Barsoomian territory I had ever seen.]



Finally, after studying the map carefully in the moonlight which now

flooded the room, I pointed out a waterway far to the north of us which

also seemed to lead to Helium.



"Does not this pierce your grandfather's territory?" I asked.



"Yes," she answered, "but it is two hundred miles north of us; it is

one of the waterways we crossed on the trip to Thark."



"They would never suspect that we would try for that distant waterway,"

I answered, "and that is why I think that it is the best route for our

escape."



Sola agreed with me, and it was decided that we should leave Thark this

same night; just as quickly, in fact, as I could find and saddle my

thoats. Sola was to ride one and Dejah Thoris and I the other; each of

us carrying sufficient food and drink to last us for two days, since

the animals could not be urged too rapidly for so long a distance.



I directed Sola to proceed with Dejah Thoris along one of the less

frequented avenues to the southern boundary of the city, where I would

overtake them with the thoats as quickly as possible; then, leaving

them to gather what food, silks, and furs we were to need, I slipped

quietly to the rear of the first floor, and entered the courtyard,

where our animals were moving restlessly about, as was their habit,

before settling down for the night.



In the shadows of the buildings and out beneath the radiance of the

Martian moons moved the great herd of thoats and zitidars, the latter

grunting their low gutturals and the former occasionally emitting the

sharp squeal which denotes the almost habitual state of rage in which

these creatures passed their existence. They were quieter now, owing

to the absence of man, but as they scented me they became more restless

and their hideous noise increased. It was risky business, this

entering a paddock of thoats alone and at night; first, because their

increasing noisiness might warn the nearby warriors that something was

amiss, and also because for the slightest cause, or for no cause at all

some great bull thoat might take it upon himself to lead a charge upon

me.



Having no desire to awaken their nasty tempers upon such a night as

this, where so much depended upon secrecy and dispatch, I hugged the

shadows of the buildings, ready at an instant's warning to leap into

the safety of a nearby door or window. Thus I moved silently to the

great gates which opened upon the street at the back of the court, and

as I neared the exit I called softly to my two animals. How I thanked

the kind providence which had given me the foresight to win the love

and confidence of these wild dumb brutes, for presently from the far

side of the court I saw two huge bulks forcing their way toward me

through the surging mountains of flesh.



They came quite close to me, rubbing their muzzles against my body and

nosing for the bits of food it was always my practice to reward them

with. Opening the gates I ordered the two great beasts to pass out,

and then slipping quietly after them I closed the portals behind me.



I did not saddle or mount the animals there, but instead walked quietly

in the shadows of the buildings toward an unfrequented avenue which led

toward the point I had arranged to meet Dejah Thoris and Sola. With

the noiselessness of disembodied spirits we moved stealthily along the

deserted streets, but not until we were within sight of the plain

beyond the city did I commence to breathe freely. I was sure that Sola

and Dejah Thoris would find no difficulty in reaching our rendezvous

undetected, but with my great thoats I was not so sure for myself, as

it was quite unusual for warriors to leave the city after dark; in fact

there was no place for them to go within any but a long ride.



I reached the appointed meeting place safely, but as Dejah Thoris and

Sola were not there I led my animals into the entrance hall of one of

the large buildings. Presuming that one of the other women of the same

household may have come in to speak to Sola, and so delayed their

departure, I did not feel any undue apprehension until nearly an hour

had passed without a sign of them, and by the time another half hour

had crawled away I was becoming filled with grave anxiety. Then there

broke upon the stillness of the night the sound of an approaching

party, which, from the noise, I knew could be no fugitives creeping

stealthily toward liberty. Soon the party was near me, and from the

black shadows of my entranceway I perceived a score of mounted

warriors, who, in passing, dropped a dozen words that fetched my heart

clean into the top of my head.



"He would likely have arranged to meet them just without the city, and

so--" I heard no more, they had passed on; but it was enough. Our

plan had been discovered, and the chances for escape from now on to the

fearful end would be small indeed. My one hope now was to return

undetected to the quarters of Dejah Thoris and learn what fate had

overtaken her, but how to do it with these great monstrous thoats upon

my hands, now that the city probably was aroused by the knowledge of my

escape was a problem of no mean proportions.



Suddenly an idea occurred to me, and acting on my knowledge of the

construction of the buildings of these ancient Martian cities with a

hollow court within the center of each square, I groped my way blindly

through the dark chambers, calling the great thoats after me. They had

difficulty in negotiating some of the doorways, but as the buildings

fronting the city's principal exposures were all designed upon a

magnificent scale, they were able to wriggle through without sticking

fast; and thus we finally made the inner court where I found, as I had

expected, the usual carpet of moss-like vegetation which would prove

their food and drink until I could return them to their own enclosure.

That they would be as quiet and contented here as elsewhere I was

confident, nor was there but the remotest possibility that they would

be discovered, as the green men had no great desire to enter these

outlying buildings, which were frequented by the only thing, I believe,

which caused them the sensation of fear--the great white apes of

Barsoom.



Removing the saddle trappings, I hid them just within the rear doorway

of the building through which we had entered the court, and, turning

the beasts loose, quickly made my way across the court to the rear of

the buildings upon the further side, and thence to the avenue beyond.

Waiting in the doorway of the building until I was assured that no one

was approaching, I hurried across to the opposite side and through the

first doorway to the court beyond; thus, crossing through court after

court with only the slight chance of detection which the necessary

crossing of the avenues entailed, I made my way in safety to the

courtyard in the rear of Dejah Thoris' quarters.



Here, of course, I found the beasts of the warriors who quartered in

the adjacent buildings, and the warriors themselves I might expect to

meet within if I entered; but, fortunately for me, I had another and

safer method of reaching the upper story where Dejah Thoris should be

found, and, after first determining as nearly as possible which of the

buildings she occupied, for I had never observed them before from the

court side, I took advantage of my relatively great strength and

agility and sprang upward until I grasped the sill of a second-story

window which I thought to be in the rear of her apartment. Drawing

myself inside the room I moved stealthily toward the front of the

building, and not until I had quite reached the doorway of her room was

I made aware by voices that it was occupied.



I did not rush headlong in, but listened without to assure myself that

it was Dejah Thoris and that it was safe to venture within. It was

well indeed that I took this precaution, for the conversation I heard

was in the low gutturals of men, and the words which finally came to me

proved a most timely warning. The speaker was a chieftain and he was

giving orders to four of his warriors.



"And when he returns to this chamber," he was saying, "as he surely

will when he finds she does not meet him at the city's edge, you four

are to spring upon him and disarm him. It will require the combined

strength of all of you to do it if the reports they bring back from

Korad are correct. When you have him fast bound bear him to the vaults

beneath the jeddak's quarters and chain him securely where he may be

found when Tal Hajus wishes him. Allow him to speak with none, nor

permit any other to enter this apartment before he comes. There will

be no danger of the girl returning, for by this time she is safe in the

arms of Tal Hajus, and may all her ancestors have pity upon her, for

Tal Hajus will have none; the great Sarkoja has done a noble night's

work. I go, and if you fail to capture him when he comes, I commend

your carcasses to the cold bosom of Iss."



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