low；　thoughtful　tone；　〃lovers。〃
  〃And　you；　Dejah　Thoris；　have　parents　and　brothers　and
  sisters？〃
  〃Yes。〃
  〃And　alover？〃
  She　was　silent；　nor　could　I　venture　to　repeat　the　question。
  〃The　man　of　Barsoom；〃　she　finally　ventured；　〃does　not
  ask　personal　questions　of　women；　except　his　mother；　and　the
  woman　he　has　fought　for　and　won。〃
  〃But　I　have　fought〃　I　started；　and　then　I　wished　my
  tongue　had　been　cut　from　my　mouth；　for　she　turned　even　as
  I　caught　myself　and　ceased；　and　drawing　my　silks　from　her
  shoulder　she　held　them　out　to　me；　and　without　a　word；　and
  with　head　held　high；　she　moved　with　the　carriage　of　the
  queen　she　was　toward　the　plaza　and　the　doorway　of　her
  quarters。
  I　did　not　attempt　to　follow　her；　other　than　to　see　that　she
  reached　the　building　in　safety；　but；　directing　Woola　to
  accompany　her；　I　turned　disconsolately　and　entered　my　own　house。
  I　sat　for　hours　cross…legged；　and　cross…tempered；　upon　my　silks
  meditating　upon　the　queer　freaks　chance　plays　upon　us　poor
  devils　of　mortals。
  So　this　was　love！　　I　had　escaped　it　for　all　the　years　I　had
  roamed　the　five　continents　and　their　encircling　seas；　in　spite
  of　beautiful　women　and　urging　opportunity；　in　spite　of　a　half…
  desire　for　love　and　a　constant　search　for　my　ideal；　it　had
  remained　for　me　to　fall　furiously　and　hopelessly　in　love　with　a
  creature　from　another　world；　of　a　species　similar　possibly；
  yet　not　identical　with　mine。　　A　woman　who　was　hatched　from
  an　egg；　and　whose　span　of　life　might　cover　a　thousand　years；
  whose　people　had　strange　customs　and　ideas；　a　woman　whose
  hopes；　whose　pleasures；　whose　standards　of　virtue　and　of
  right　and　wrong　might　vary　as　greatly　from　mine　as　did　those
  of　the　green　Martians。
  Yes；　I　was　a　fool；　but　I　was　in　love；　and　though　I　was
  suffering　the　greatest　misery　I　had　ever　known　I　would　not
  have　had　it　otherwise　for　all　the　riches　of　Barsoom。　　Such　is
  love；　and　such　are　lovers　wherever　love　is　known。
  To　me；　Dejah　Thoris　was　all　that　was　perfect；　all　that　was
  virtuous　and　beautiful　and　noble　and　good。　　I　believed　that
  from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　from　the　depth　of　my　soul　on
  that　night　in　Korad　as　I　sat　cross…legged　upon　my　silks　while
  the　nearer　moon　of　Barsoom　raced　through　the　western　sky
  toward　the　horizon；　and　lighted　up　the　gold　and　marble；　and
  jeweled　mosaics　of　my　world…old　chamber；　and　I　believe　it
  today　as　I　sit　at　my　desk　in　the　little　study　overlooking　the
  Hudson。　　Twenty　years　have　intervened；　for　ten　of　them　I
  lived　and　fought　for　Dejah　Thoris　and　her　people；　and　for
  ten　I　have　lived　upon　her　memory。
  The　morning　of　our　departure　for　Thark　dawned　clear
  and　hot；　as　do　all　Martian　mornings　except　for　the　six　weeks
  when　the　snow　melts　at　the　poles。
  I　sought　out　Dejah　Thoris　in　the　throng　of　departing　chariots；
  but　she　turned　her　shoulder　to　me；　and　I　could　see　the　red　blood
  mount　to　her　cheek。　　With　the　foolish　inconsistency
  of　love　I　held　my　peace　when　I　might　have　plead　ignorance
  of　the　nature　of　my　offense；　or　at　least　the　gravity　of　it；
  and　so　have　effected；　at　worst；　a　half　conciliation。
  My　duty　dictated　that　I　must　see　that　she　was　comfortable；
  and　so　I　glanced　into　her　chariot　and　rearranged　her　silks
  and　furs。　　In　doing　so　I　noted　with　horror　that　she　was
  heavily　chained　by　one　ankle　to　the　side　of　the　vehicle。
  〃What　does　this　mean？〃　I　cried；　turning　to　Sola。
  〃Sarkoja　thought　it　best；〃　she　answered；　her　face　betokening
  her　disapproval　of　the　procedure。
  Examining　the　manacles　I　saw　that　they　fastened　with　a
  massive　spring　lock。
  〃Where　is　the　key；　Sola？　　Let　me　have　it。〃
  〃Sarkoja　wears　it；　John　Carter；〃　she　answered。
  I　turned　without　further　word　and　sought　out　Tars　Tarkas；
  to　whom　I　vehemently　objected　to　the　unnecessary　humiliations
  and　cruelties；　as　they　seemed　to　my　lover's　eyes；　that　were
  being　heaped　upon　Dejah　Thoris。
  〃John　Carter；〃　he　answered；　〃if　ever　you　and　Dejah　Thoris
  escape　the　Tharks　it　will　be　upon　this　journey。　　We　know　that
  you　will　not　go　without　her。　　You　have　shown　yourself　a
  mighty　fighter；　and　we　do　not　wish　to　manacle　you；　so　we
  hold　you　both　in　the　easiest　way　that　will　yet　ensure　security。
  I　have　spoken。〃
  I　saw　the　strength　of　his　reasoning　at　a　flash；　and　knew
  that　it　were　futile　to　appeal　from　his　decision；　but　I　asked
  that　the　key　be　taken　from　Sarkoja　and　that　she　be　directed
  to　leave　the　prisoner　alone　in　future。
  〃This　much；　Tars　Tarkas；　you　may　do　for　me　in　return　for
  the　friendship　that；　I　must　confess；　I　feel　for　you。〃
  〃Friendship？〃　he　replied。　　〃There　is　no　such　thing；　John
  Carter；　but　have　your　will。　　I　shall　direct　that　Sarkoja　cease
  to　annoy　the　girl；　and　I　myself　will　take　the　custody　of　the
  key。〃
  〃Unless　you　wish　me　to　assume　the　responsibility；〃　I　said；
  smiling。
  He　looked　at　me　long　and　earnestly　before　he　spoke。
  〃Were　you　to　give　me　your　word　that　neither　you　nor
  Dejah　Thoris　would　attempt　to　escape　until　after　we　have
  safely　reached　the　court　of　Tal　Hajus　you　might　have　the
  key　and　throw　the　chains　into　the　river　Iss。〃
  〃It　were　better　that　you　held　the　key；　Tars　Tarkas；〃　I　replied
  He　smiled；　and　said　no　more；　but　that　night　as　we　were
  making　camp　I　saw　him　unfasten　Dejah　Thoris'　fetters　himself。
  With　all　his　cruel　ferocity　and　coldness　there　was　an
  undercurrent　of　something　in　Tars　Tarkas　which　he　seemed
  ever　battling　to　subdue。　　Could　it　be　a　vestige　of　some　human
  instinct　come　back　from　an　ancient　forbear　to　haunt　him
  with　the　horror　of　his　people's　ways！
  As　I　was　approaching　Dejah　Thoris'　chariot　I　passed　Sarkoja；
  and　the　black；　venomous　look　she　accorded　me　was　the　sweetest
  balm　I　had　felt　for　many　hours。　　Lord；　how　she　hated　me！
  It　bristled　from　her　so　palpably　that　one　might　almost
  have　cut　it　with　a　sword。
  A　few　moments　later　I　saw　her　deep　in　conversation　with
  a　warrior　named　Zad；　a　big；　hulking；　powerful　brute；　but
  one　who　had　never　made　a　kill　among　his　own　chieftains；　and
  a　second　name　only　with　the　metal　of　some　chieftain。　　It　was
  this　custom　which　entitled　me　to　the　names　of　either　of　the
  chieftains　I　had　killed；　in　fact；　some　of　the　warriors
  addressed　me　as　Dotar　Sojat；　a　combination　of　the　surnames
  of　the　two　warrior　chieftains　whose　metal　I　had　taken；　or；　in
  other　words；　whom　I　had　slain　in　fair　fight。
  As　Sarkoja　talked　with　Zad　he　cast　occasional　glances　in
  my　direction；　while　she　seemed　to　be　urging　him　very　strongly
  to　some　action。　　I　paid　little　attention　to　it　at　the　time；　but
  the　next　day　I　had　good　reason　to　recall　the　circumstances；
  and　at　the　same　time　gain　a　slight　insight　into　the　depths　of
  Sarkoja's　hatred　and　the　lengths　to　which　she　was　capable　of
  going　to　wreak　her　horrid　vengeance　on　me。
  Dejah　Thoris　would　have　none　of　me　again　on　this　evening；
  and　though　I　spoke　her　name　she　neither　replied；　nor　conceded
  by　so　much　as　the　flutter　of　an　eyelid　that　she　realized
  my　existence。　　In　my　extremity　I　did　what　most　other　lovers
  would　have　done；　I　sought　word　from　her　through　an　intimate。
  In　this　instance　it　was　Sola　whom　I　intercepted　in　another
  part　of　camp。
  〃What　is　the　matter　with　Dejah　Thoris？〃　I　blurted　out　at　her。
  〃Why　will　she　not　speak　to　me？〃
  Sola　seemed　puzzled　herself；　as　though　such　strange　actions
  on　the　part　of　two　humans　were　quite　beyond　her；　as　indeed
  they　were；　poor　child。
  〃She　says　you　have　angered　her；　and　that　is　all　she　will
  say；　except　that　she　is　the　daughter　of　a　jed　and　the　grand…
  daughter　of　a　jeddak　and　she　has　been　humiliated　by　a
  creature　who　could　not　polish　the　teeth　of　her　grandmother's
  sorak。〃
  I　pondered　over　this　report　for　some　time；　finally　asking；
  〃What　might　a　sorak　be；　Sola？〃
  〃A　little　animal　about　as　big　as　my　hand；　which　the　red
  Martian　women　keep　to　play　with；〃　explained　Sola。
  Not　fit　to　polish　the　teeth　of　her　grandmother's　cat！　　I　must
  rank　pretty　low　in　the　consideration　of　Dejah　Thoris；　I
  thought；　but　I　could　not　help　laughing　at　the　strange　figure
  of　speech；　so　homely　and　in　this　respect　so　earthly。　　It　made
  me　homesick；　for　it　sounded　very　much　like　〃not　fit　to　polish
  her　shoes。〃　　And　then　commenced　a　train　of　thought　quite
  new　to　me。　　I　began　to　wonder　what　my　people　at　home　were　doing。
  I　had　not　seen　them　for　years。　　There　was　a　family　of
  Carters　in　Virginia　who　claimed　close　relationship　with　me；
  I　was　supposed　to　be　a　great　uncle；　or　something　of　the
  kind　equally　foolish。　　I　could　pass　anywhere　for　twenty…five
  to　thirty　years　of　age；　and　to　be　a　great　uncle　always　seemed
  the　height　of　incongruity；　for　my　thoughts　and　feelings　were
  those　of　a　boy。　　There　was　two　little　kiddies　in　the　Carter
  family　whom　I　had　loved　and　who　had　thought　there　was
  no　one　on　Earth　like　Uncle　Jack；　I　could　see　them　just　as
  plainly；　as　I　stood　there　under　the　moonlit　skies　of　Barsoom；
  and　I　longed　for　them　as　I　had　never