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〃That is a question we often discuss；〃 he replied。 〃It is the strongest
evidence we have of the non…existence of the etherealists； but who may
know other than Komal？〃
〃Who is Komal？〃 asked Carthoris。 〃I heard your jeddak speak of
him。〃
Jav bent low toward the ear of the Heliumite； looking fearfully about
before he spoke。
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〃Komal is the essence；〃 he whispered。 〃Even the etherealists admit
that mind itself must have substance in order to transmit to imaginings the
appearance of substance。 For if there really was no such thing as
substance it could not be suggestedwhat never has been cannot be
imagined。 Do you follow me？〃
〃I am groping；〃 replied Carthoris dryly。
〃So the essence must be substance；〃 continued Jav。 〃Komal is the
essence of the All； as it were。 He is maintained by substance。 He eats。
He eats the real。 To be explicit； he eats the realists。 That is Tario's
work。
〃He says that inasmuch as we maintain that we alone are real we
should； to be consistent； admit that we alone are proper food for Komal。
Sometimes； as to…day； we find other food for him。 He is very fond of
Torquasians。〃
〃And Komal is a man？〃 asked Carthoris。
〃He is All； I told you；〃 replied Jav。 〃I know not how to explain him
in words that you will understand。 He is the beginning and the end。 All
life emanates from Komal； since the substance which feeds the brain with
imaginings radiates from the body of Komal。
〃Should Komal cease to eat； all life upon Barsoom would cease to be。
He cannot die； but he might cease to eat； and； thus； to radiate。〃
〃And he feeds upon the men and women of your belief？〃 cried
Carthoris。
〃Women！〃 exclaimed Jav。 〃There are no women in Lothar。 The last
of the Lotharian females perished ages since； upon that cruel and terrible
journey across the muddy plains that fringed the half…dried seas； when the
green hordes scourged us across the world to this our last hiding…place
our impregnable fortress of Lothar。
〃Scarce twenty thousand men of all the countless millions of our race
lived to reach Lothar。 Among us were no women and no children。 All
these had perished by the way。
〃As time went on； we； too； were dying and the race fast approaching
extinction； when the Great Truth was revealed to us； that mind is all。
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Many more died before we perfected our powers； but at last we were able
to defy death when we fully understood that death was merely a state of
mind。
〃Then came the creation of mind…people； or rather the materialization
of imaginings。 We first put these to practical use when the Torquasians
discovered our retreat； and fortunate for us it was that it required ages of
search upon their part before they found the single tiny entrance to the
valley of Lothar。
〃That day we threw our first bowmen against them。 The intention was
purely to frighten them away by the vast numbers of bowmen which we
could muster upon our walls。 All Lothar bristled with the bows and
arrows of our ethereal host。
〃But the Torquasians did not frighten。 They are lower than the
beaststhey know no fear。 They rushed upon our walls； and standing
upon the shoulders of others they built human approaches to the wall tops；
and were on the very point of surging in upon us and overwhelming us。
〃Not an arrow had been discharged by our bowmenwe did but cause
them to run to and fro along the wall top； screaming taunts and threats at
the enemy。
〃Presently I thought to attempt the thingTHE GREAT THING。 I
centred all my mighty intellect upon the bowmen of my own creation
each of us produces and directs as many bowmen as his mentality and
imagination is capable of。
〃I caused them to fit arrows to their bows for the first time。 I made
them take aim at the hearts of the green men。 I made the green men see all
this； and then I made them see the arrows fly； and I made them think that
the points pierced their hearts。
〃It was all that was necessary。 By hundreds they toppled from our
walls； and when my fellows saw what I had done they were quick to
follow my example； so that presently the hordes of Torquas had retreated
beyond the range of our arrows。
〃We might have killed them at any distance； but one rule of war we
have maintained from the firstthe rule of realism。 We do nothing； or
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rather we cause our bowmen to do nothing within sight of the enemy that
is beyond the understanding of the foe。 Otherwise they might guess the
truth； and that would be the end of us。
〃But after the Torquasians had retreated beyond bowshot； they turned
upon us with their terrible rifles； and by constant popping at us made life
miserable within our walls。
〃So then I bethought the scheme to hurl our bowmen through the gates
upon them。 You have seen this day how well it works。 For ages they
have come down upon us at intervals； but always with the same results。〃
〃And all this is due to your intellect； Jav？〃 asked Carthoris。 〃I should
think that you would be high in the councils of your people。〃
〃I am；〃 replied Jav； proudly。 〃I am next to Tario。〃
〃But why； then； your cringing manner of approaching the throne？〃
〃Tario demands it。 He is jealous of me。 He only awaits the slightest
excuse to feed me to Komal。 He fears that I may some day usurp his
power。〃
Carthoris suddenly sprang from the table。
〃Jav！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I am a beast！ Here I have been eating my fill；
while the Princess of Ptarth may perchance be still without food。 Let us
return and find some means of furnishing her with nourishment。〃
The Lotharian shook his head。
〃Tario would not permit it；〃 he said。 〃He will； doubtless； make an
etherealist of her。〃
〃But I must go to her；〃 i