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A right royal tribunal indeed； and such a one； I warrant； as never
before sat together during all the history of ancient Mars。
As I entered； silence fell upon the great concourse of people that
packed the auditorium。 Then Tardos Mors arose。
〃John Carter；〃 he said in his deep； martial voice； 〃take your place
upon the Pedestal of Truth； for you are to be tried by a fair and
impartial tribunal of your fellow…men。〃
With level eye and high…held head I did as he bade； and as I glanced
about that circle of faces that a moment before I could have sworn
contained the best friends I had upon Barsoom； I saw no single
friendly glanceonly stern； uncompromising judges； there to
do their duty。
A clerk rose and from a great book read a long list of the more
notable deeds that I had thought to my credit； covering a long
period of twenty…two years since first I had stepped the ocher sea
bottom beside the incubator of the Tharks。 With the others he read
of all that I had done within the circle of the Otz Mountains where
the Holy Therns and the First Born had held sway。
It is the way upon Barsoom to recite a man's virtues with his sins
when he is come to trial； and so I was not surprised that all that
was to my credit should be read there to my judgeswho knew it
all by hearteven down to the present moment。 When the reading
had ceased Tardos Mors arose。
〃Most righteous judges；〃 he exclaimed； 〃you have heard recited
all that is known of John Carter； Prince of Heliumthe good
with the bad。 What is your judgment？〃
Then Tars Tarkas came slowly to his feet； unfolding all his mighty；
towering height until he loomed； a green…bronze statue； far above us all。
He turned a baleful eye upon mehe； Tars Tarkas； with whom I had fought
through countless battles； whom I loved as a brother。
I could have wept had I not been so mad with rage that I
almost whipped my sword out and had at them all upon the spot。
〃Judges；〃 he said； 〃there can be but one verdict。 No longer may
John Carter be Prince of Helium〃he paused〃but instead let
him be Jeddak of Jeddaks； Warlord of Barsoom！〃
As the thirty…one judges sprang to their feet with drawn and
upraised swords in unanimous concurrence in the verdict； the storm
broke throughout the length and breadth and height of that mighty
building until I thought the roof would fall from the thunder of
the mad shouting。
Now； at last； I saw the grim humor of the method they had adopted
to do me this great honor； but that there was any hoax in the
reality of the title they had conferred upon me was readily
disproved by the sincerity of the congratulations that were
heaped upon me by the judges first and then the nobles。
Presently fifty of the mightiest nobles of the greatest courts
of Mars marched down the broad Aisle of Hope bearing a splendid
car upon their shoulders； and as the people saw who sat within；
the cheers that had rung out for me paled into insignificance beside
those which thundered through the vast edifice now； for she whom
the nobles carried was Dejah Thoris； beloved Princess of Helium。
Straight to the Throne of Righteousness they bore her； and there
Tardos Mors assisted her from the car； leading her forward to my side。
〃Let a world's most beautiful woman share the honor of her husband；〃
he said。
Before them all I drew my wife close to me and kissed her upon the lips。
End