A PRINCESS OF MARS
THE LOOTING OF ZODANGA
As the great gate where I open my fifty Tharks, by Tars Tarkas himself, in upon their thoats. I them to the walls, which I easily without assistance. Once inside, however, the gate gave me trouble, but I was by it upon its hinges, and soon my was across the gardens of the of Zodanga.
As we approached the I see through the great of the into the audience of Than Kosis. The was with and their women, as though some was in progress. There was not a in without the palace, due, I presume, to the that the city and were impregnable, and so I came close and within.
At one end of the chamber, upon with diamonds, sat Than Kosis and his consort, by officers and of state. Before them a on either with soldiery, and as I looked there entered this at the end of the hall, the of a which to the of the throne.
First there four officers of the jeddak's Guard a on which reposed, upon a of silk, a great with a and at each end. Directly these officers came four others a which supported the of a and of the house of Zodanga.
At the of the these two parties and halted, each other at opposite of the aisle. Then came more dignitaries, and the officers of the and of the army, and two in silk, so that not a of either was discernible. These two stopped at the of the throne, Than Kosis. When the of the had entered and their Than Kosis the him. I not his words, but presently two officers and the from one of the figures, and I saw that Kantos Kan had failed in his mission, for it was Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga, who me.
Than Kosis now took a set of the from one of the and one of the of gold about his son's neck, the fast. After a more to Sab Than he to the other figure, from which the officers now the silks, to my now view Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium.
The object of the was clear to me; in another moment Dejah Thoris would be joined to the Prince of Zodanga. It was an and ceremony, I presume, but to me it the most I had witnessed, and as the were upon her and her of gold open in the hands of Than Kosis I my long-sword above my head, and, with the hilt, I the of the great window and into the of the assemblage. With a I was on the steps of the Than Kosis, and as he with I my long-sword upon the that would have Dejah Thoris to another.
In an all was confusion; a thousand me from every quarter, and Sab Than upon me with a he had from his ornaments. I have killed him as easily as I might a fly, but the age-old of Barsoom my hand, and his as the toward my I him as though in a and with my long-sword pointed to the end of the hall.
"Zodanga has fallen," I cried. "Look!"
All in the direction I had indicated, and there, through the of the Tars Tarkas and his fifty on their great thoats.
A of and from the assemblage, but no word of fear, and in a moment the soldiers and of Zodanga were themselves upon the Tharks.
Thrusting Sab Than from the platform, I Dejah Thoris to my side. Behind the was a narrow and in this Than Kosis now me, with long-sword. In an we were engaged, and I no antagonist.
As we upon the I saw Sab Than up the steps to his father, but, as he his hand to strike, Dejah Thoris him and then my the spot that Sab Than of Zodanga. As his father rolled upon the the new himself free from Dejah Thoris' grasp, and again we each other. He was soon joined by a of officers, and, with my against a throne, I once again for Dejah Thoris. I was hard pressed to myself and yet not Sab Than and, with him, my last to win the woman I loved. My was with the of as I to the and of my opponents. Two I had disarmed, and one was down, when more to the of their new ruler, and to the death of the old.
As they there were of "The woman! The woman! Strike her down; it is her plot. Kill her! Kill her!"
Calling to Dejah Thoris to me I my way toward the little of the throne, but the officers my intentions, and three of them in me and my for a position where I have Dejah Thoris against an army of swordsmen.
The Tharks were having their hands full in the center of the room, and I to that nothing of a save Dejah Thoris and myself, when I saw Tars Tarkas through the of that about him. With one of his he a dozen at his feet, and so he a him until in another moment he upon the me, death and right and left.
The of the Zodangans was awe-inspiring, not one to escape, and when the it was only Tharks alive in the great hall, other than Dejah Thoris and myself.
Sab Than his father, and the of the flower of Zodangan and the of the shambles.
My when the was over was for Kantos Kan, and Dejah Thoris in of Tars Tarkas I took a dozen and to the the palace. The had all left to join the in the room, so we the prison without opposition.
I called Kantos Kan's name in each new and compartment, and I was by a response. Guided by the sound, we soon him in a dark recess.
He was at me, and to know the meaning of the fight, of which had his prison cell. He told me that the air had him he the high tower of the palace, so that he had not Sab Than.
We that it would be to attempt to cut away the and which him prisoner, so, at his I returned to search the on the above for keys to open the of his and of his chains.
Fortunately among the I I his jailer, and soon we had Kantos Kan with us in the room.
The of firing, with and cries, came to us from the city's streets, and Tars Tarkas away to direct the without. Kantos Kan him to act as guide, the green a search of the for other Zodangans and for loot, and Dejah Thoris and I were left alone.
She had into one of the thrones, and as I to her she me with a smile.
"Was there such a man!" she exclaimed. "I know that Barsoom has your like. Can it be that all Earth men are as you? Alone, a stranger, hunted, threatened, persecuted, you have done in a months what in all the past of Barsoom no man has done: joined together the wild of the sea and them to as of a red Martian people."
"The answer is easy, Dejah Thoris," I smiling. "It was not I who did it, it was love, love for Dejah Thoris, a power that would work than this you have seen."
A her and she answered,
"You may say that now, John Carter, and I may listen, for I am free."
"And more still I have to say, it is again too late," I returned. "I have done many in my life, many that men would not have dared, but in my have I of a Dejah Thoris for myself—for had I that in all the such a woman as the Princess of Helium. That you are a not me, but that you are you is to make me my as I ask you, my princess, to be mine."
"He not need to be who so well the answer to his the were made," she replied, and her dear hands upon my shoulders, and so I took her in my arms and her.
And thus in the of a city of wild conflict, with the of war; with death and reaping their terrible around her, did Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, true of Mars, the God of War, promise herself in marriage to John Carter, Gentleman of Virginia.
