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The officer beside me guessed my perplexity； and as the brows of
Kulan Tith darkened in a menacing scowl as his eyes rested upon me；
the noble drew a small mirror from his pocket…pouch and held it
before my face。
One glance at the reflection it gave back to me was sufficient。
From my forehead the hand of the sneaking thern had reached out
through the concealing darkness of my bed…chamber and wiped away
a patch of the disguising red pigment as broad as my palm。
Beneath showed the tanned texture of my own white skin。
For a moment Thurid ceased speaking； to enhance； I suspect；
the dramatic effect of his disclosure。 Then he resumed。
〃Here； O Kulan Tith；〃 he cried； 〃is he who has desecrated the
temples of the Gods of Mars； who has violated the persons of the
Holy Therns themselves and turned a world against its age…old
religion。 Before you； in your power； Jeddak of Kaol； Defender of
the Holies； stands John Carter； Prince of Helium！〃
Kulan Tith looked toward Matai Shang as though for corroboration
of these charges。 The Holy Thern nodded his head。
〃It is indeed the arch…blasphemer；〃 he said。 〃Even now he has
followed me to the very heart of thy palace； Kulan Tith； for the
sole purpose of assassinating me。 He〃
〃He lies！〃 I cried。 〃Kulan Tith； listen that you may know the truth。
Listen while I tell you why John Carter has followed Matai Shang
to the heart of thy palace。 Listen to me as well as to them；
and then judge if my acts be not more in accord with true
Barsoomian chivalry and honor than those of these revengeful
devotees of the spurious creeds from whose cruel bonds I have
freed your planet。〃
〃Silence！〃 roared the jeddak； leaping to his feet and laying his hand
upon the hilt of his sword。 〃Silence； blasphemer！ Kulan Tith need not
permit the air of his audience chamber to be defiled by the heresies
that issue from your polluted throat to judge you。
〃You stand already self…condemned。 It but remains to determine the
manner of your death。 Even the service that you rendered the arms
of Kaol shall avail you naught； it was but a base subterfuge whereby
you might win your way into my favor and reach the side of this holy
man whose life you craved。 To the pits with him！〃 he concluded；
addressing the officer of my guard。
Here was a pretty pass； indeed！ What chance had I against a
whole nation？ What hope for me of mercy at the hands of the
fanatical Kulan Tith with such advisers as Matai Shang and Thurid。
The black grinned malevolently in my face。
〃You shall not escape this time； Earth man；〃 he taunted。
The guards closed toward me。 A red haze blurred my vision。
The fighting blood of my Virginian sires coursed hot through
my veins。 The lust of battle in all its mad fury was upon me。
With a leap I was beside Thurid； and ere the devilish smirk
had faded from his handsome face I had caught him full upon the
mouth with my clenched fist； and as the good； old American blow
landed； the black dator shot back a dozen feet； to crumple in a
heap at the foot of Kulan Tith's throne； spitting blood and teeth
from his hurt mouth。
Then I drew my sword and swung round； on guard； to face a nation。
In an instant the guardsmen were upon me； but before a blow
had been struck a mighty voice rose above the din of shouting
warriors； and a giant figure leaped from the dais beside Kulan Tith
and； with drawn long…sword； threw himself between me and my adversaries。
It was the visiting jeddak。
〃Hold！〃 he cried。 〃If you value my friendship； Kulan Tith；
and the age…old peace that has existed between our peoples；
call off your swordsmen； for wherever or against whomsoever
fights John Carter； Prince of Helium； there beside him and
to the death fights Thuvan Dihn； Jeddak of Ptarth。〃
The shouting ceased and the menacing points were lowered as a
thousand eyes turned first toward Thuvan Dihn in surprise and then
toward Kulan Tith in question。 At first the Jeddak of Kaol went white
in rage； but before he spoke he had mastered himself； so that his tone
was calm and even as befitted intercourse between two great jeddaks。
〃Thuvan Dihn；〃 he said slowly； 〃must have great provocation
thus to desecrate the ancient customs which inspire the deportment
of a guest within the palace of his host。 Lest I； too； should
forget myself as has my royal friend； I should prefer to remain
silent until the Jeddak of Ptarth has won from me applause for his
action by relating the causes which provoked it。〃
I could see that the Jeddak of Ptarth was of half a mind to
throw his metal in Kulan Tith's face； but he controlled himself
even as well as had his host。
〃None knows better than Thuvan Dihn；〃 he said； 〃the laws which
govern the acts of men in the domains of their neighbors； but
Thuvan Dihn owes allegiance to a higher law than thesethe
law of gratitude。 Nor to any man upon Barsoom does he owe a
greater debt of gratitude than to John Carter； Prince of Helium。
〃Years ago； Kulan Tith；〃 he continued； 〃upon the occasion of
your last visit to me； you were greatly taken with the charms and
graces of my only daughter； Thuvia。 You saw how I adored her； and
later you learned that； inspired by some unfathomable whim； she had
taken the last； long； voluntary pilgrimage upon the cold bosom of
the mysterious Iss； leaving me desolate。
〃Some months ago I first heard of the expedition which John Carter had
led against Issus and the Holy Therns。 Faint rumors of the atrocities
reported to have been committed by the therns upon those who for
countless ages have floated down the mighty Iss came to my ears。
〃I heard that thousands of prisoners had been released； few of
whom dared to return to their own countries owing to the mandate of
terrible death which rests against all who return from the Valley Dor。
〃For a time I could not believe the heresies which I heard；
and I prayed that my daughter Thuvia might have died before she
ever committed the sacrilege of returning to the outer world。
But then my father's love asserted itself； and I vowed that I
would prefer eternal damnation to further separation from her
if she could be found。
〃So I sent emissaries to Helium； and to the court of Xodar；
Jeddak of the First Born； and to him who now rules those of the
thern nation that have renounced their religion； and from each
and all I heard the same story of unspeakable cruelties and
atrocities perpetrated upon the poor defenseless victims of
their religion by the Holy Therns。
〃Many there were who had seen or known my daughter； and from
therns who had been close to Matai Shang I learned of the
indignities that he personally heaped upon her； and I was glad
when I came here to find that Matai Shang was also your guest；
for I should have sought him out had it taken a lifetime。
〃More； too； I heard； and that of the chivalrous kindness that
John