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lvulus bud to pieces。 None drew； though all were thinking of her； as I could tell in my fingertips。 Keener and keener grew the suspense as name after name was told and each slim white damsel skipped to the place allotted her。 And all the time I kept muttering to myself about that 〃golden pool；〃 wondering and wondering until the urn had passed half round the tables and was only some three men up from meand then an idea flashed across my mind。 I dipped my fingers in the scented water…basin on the table； drying them carefully on a napkin； and waiting； outwardly as calm as any； yet inwardly wrung by those tremors which beset all male creation in such circumstances。
And now at last it was my turn。 The great urn； blazing golden； through its rosy covering； was in front； and all eyes on me。 I clapped a sunburnt hand upon its top as though I would take all remaining in it to myself and stared round at that companyonly her herself I durst not look at！ Then； with a beating heart； I lifted a corner of the web and slipped my hand into the dark inside； muttering to myself as I did so； 〃A golden pool； and a silver fish； and a line no thicker than a hair。〃 I touched in turn twenty perplexing tablets and was no whit the wiser； and felt about the sides yet came to nothing； groping here and there with a rising despair； until as my fingers； still damp and fine of touch； went round the sides a second time； yes！ there was some… thing； something in the hollow of the fluting； a thought； a thread； and yet enough。 I took it unseen； lifting it with in… finite forbearance； and the end was weighted； the other tablets slipped and rattled as from their midst； hanging to that one fine virgin hair； up came a pearly billet。 I doubted no longer； but snapped the thread； and showed the tablet； heard Heru's name； read from it amongst the soft applause of that luxurious company with all the unconcern I could muster。
There she was in a moment； lip to lip with me； before them all； her eyes more than ever like planets from her native skies； and only the quick heave of her bosom； slowly subsiding like a ground swell after a storm； remaining to tell that even Martian blood could sometimes beat quicker than usual！ She sat down in her place by me in the simplest way； and soon everything was as merry as could be。 The main meal came on now； and as far as I could see those Martian gallants had extremely good appetites； though they drank at first but little； wisely remembering the strength of their wines。 As for me； I ate of fishes that never swam in earthly seas； and of strange fowl that never flapped a way through thick terrestrial air； ate and drank as happy as a king； and falling each moment more and more in love with the wonderfully beautiful girl at my side who was a real woman of flesh and blood I knew； yet somehow so dainty； so pink and white； so unlike other girls in the smoothness of her outlines； in the subtle grace of each unthinking attitude； that again and again I looked at her over the rim of my tankard half fearing she might dissolve into nothing； being the half…fairy which she was。
Presently she asked； 〃Did that deed of mine； the hair in the urn； offend you； stranger？〃
〃Offend me； lady！〃 I laughed。 〃Why； had it been the blackest crime that ever came out of a perverse imagination it would have brought its own pardon with it； I； least of all in this room； have least cause to be offended。〃
〃I risked much for you and broke our rules。〃
〃Why； no doubt that was so； but 'tis the privilege of your kind to have some say in this little matter of giving and taking in marriage。 I only marvel that your countrywomen submit so tamely to the quaintest game of chance I ever played at。
〃Ay； and it is women's nature no doubt to keep the laws which others make； as you have said yourself。 Yet this rule； lady； is one broken with more credit than kept； and if you have offended no one more than me； your penance is easily done。〃
〃But I have offended some one；〃 she said； laying her hand on mine with gentle nervousness in its touch； 〃one who has the power to hurt； and enough energy to resent。 Hath； up there at the cross…table； have I offended deeply tonight； for he hoped to have me； and would have compelled any other man to barter me for the maid chance assigned to him； but of you； somehow； he is afraidI have seen him staring at you； and changing colour as though he knew something no one else knows〃
〃Briefly； charming girl；〃 I said； for the wine was be… ginning to sing in my head； and my eyes were blinking stupidly〃briefly； Hath hath thee not； and there's an end of it。 I would spit a score of Haths； as these figs are spit on this golden skewer； before I would relinquish a hair of your head to him； or to any man；〃 and as everything about the great hall began to look gauzy and unreal through the gathering fumes of my confusion； I smiled on that gracious lady； and began to whisper I know not what to her； and whisper and doze； and doze
I know not how long afterwards it was； whether a minute or an hour； but when I lifted my head suddenly from the lady's shoulder all the place was in confusion； every one upon their feet； the talk and the drinking ceased； and all eyes turned to the far doorway where the curtains were just dropping again as I looked； while in front of them were standing three men。
These newcomers were utterly unlike any othersa fright… ful vision of ugly strength amidst the lolling loveliness all about。 Low of stature； broad of shoulder； hairy； deep…chest… ed； with sharp； twinkling eyes； set far back under bushy eyebrows； retreating foreheads； and flat noses in faces tan… ned to a dusky copper hue by exposure to every kind of weather that racks the extreme Martian climate they were so opposite to all about me； so quaint and grim amongst those mild； fair…skinned folk； that at first I thought they were but a disordered creation of my fancy。
I rubbed my eyes and stared and blinked； but no！ they were real men； of flesh and blood； and now they had come down with as much stateliness as their bandy legs would admit of； into the full glare of the lights to the centre table where Hath sat。 I saw their splendid apparel； the great strings of rudely polished gems hung round their hairy necks and wrists； the cunningly dyed skins of soft…furred animals； green and red and black； wherewith their limbs were swathed； and then I heard some one by me whisper in a frightened tone； 〃The envoys from over seas。〃
〃Oh；〃 I thought sleepily to myself； 〃so these are the ape…men of the western woods； are they？ Those who long ago vanquished my white…skinned friends and yearly come to claim their tribute。 Jove； what hay they must have made of them！ How those peach…skinned girls must have screamed and the downy striplings by them felt their dimpled knees knock together； as the mad flood of barbarians came pour… ing over from the forest； and long ago stormed their cit… adels like a stream of red lava； as deadly； as irresistible； as remorseless！〃 And I lay asprawl upon my arms on the table watching them with the stupid indifference I thought I could so well afford。
Meanwhile Hath was on foot； pale and obsequious like others in the presence of those dr