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〃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 reached the doorway of a large apartment in which were a
number of guardsmen。 The walls of this room were hung with
transparent tapestries behind which I secreted myself without
being apprehended。
The conversation of the guardsmen was general； and
awakened no interest in me until an officer entered the room
and ordered four of the men to relieve the detail who were
guarding the Princess of Helium。 Now； I knew； my troubles
would commence in earnest and indeed they were upon
me all too soon； for it seemed that the squad had scarcely
left the guardroom before one of their number burst in
again breathlessly； crying that they had found their four
comrades butchered in the antechamber。
In a moment the entire palace was alive with people。
Guardsmen； officers； courtiers； servants； and slaves ran
helter…skelter through the corridors and apartments carrying
messages and orders； and searching for signs of the assassin。
This was my opportunity and slim as it appeared I grasped it；
for as a number of soldiers came hurrying past my hiding place
I fell in behind them and followed through the mazes of the
palace until； in passing through a great hall； I saw the blessed
light of day coming in through a series of larger windows。
Here I left my guides； and； slipping to the nearest window；
sought for an avenue of escape。 The windows opened
upon a great balcony which overlooked one of the broad
avenues of Zodanga。 The ground was about thirty feet below；
and at a like distance from the building was a wall fully
twenty feet high； constructed of polished glass about a foot
in thickness。 To a red Martian escape by this path would have
appeared impossible； but to me； with my earthly strength
and agility； it seemed already accomplished。 My only fear
was in being detected before darkness fell； for I could not
make the leap in broad daylight while the court below and
the avenue beyond were crowded with Zoda