As the calot entered the niche I experienced, I believe, all of the
reactions of the cornered rat, and I certainly know that I set myself
to fight in that proverbial manner. The beast was almost upon me and I
was metaphorically kicking myself for not having remained in the open
where there were many tall trees when the support at my back suddenly
gave way, a hand reached out of the darkness behind me and seized my
harness and I was drawn swiftly into inky blackness. A door slammed and
the silhouette of the calot against the moonlit entrance to the niche
was blotted out.
A gruff voice spoke in my ear. "Come with me!" it said. A hand found
mine and thus I was led along through the darkness of what I soon
discovered was a narrow corridor from the constantly recurring
collisions I had first with one side of it and then with the other.
Ascending gradually, the corridor turned abruptly at right angles and I
saw beyond my guide a dim luminosity that gradually increased until
another turn brought us to the threshold of a brilliantly lighted
chamber--a magnificent apartment, the gorgeous furnishings and
decorations of which beggar the meagre descriptive powers of my native
tongue. Cold, ivory, precious stones, marvelous woods, resplendent
fabrics, gorgeous furs and startling architecture combined to impress
upon my earthly vision such a picture as I had never even dreamed of
dreaming; and in the center of this room, surrounded by a little group
of Martians, were my three companions.
My guide conducted me towards the party, the members of which had
turned towards us as we entered the chamber, and stopped before a tall
Barsoomian, resplendent in jewel-encrusted harness.
"Prince," he said, "I was scarce a tal too soon. In fact, as I opened
the door to step out into the garden in search of him, as you directed, there he was upon the opposite side with one of the calots of the garden almost upon him."
"Good!" exclaimed he who had been addressed as prince, and then he
turned to Gor Hajus. "This is he, my friend, of whom you told me?"
"This is Vad Varo, who claims to be from the planet Jasoom," replied
Gor Hajus; "and this, Vad Varo, is Mu Tel, Prince of the House of Kan."
I bowed and the prince advanced and placed his right hand upon my left
shoulder in true Barsoomian acknowledgment of an introduction; when I
had done similarly, the ceremony was over. There was no silly
pleased-to-meet-you, how-do-you-do? or it's-a-pleasure-I-assure-you.
At Mu Tel's request I narrated briefly what had befallen me between the
time I had become separated from my companions and the moment that one
of his officers had snatched me from impending disaster. Mu Tel gave
instructions that all traces of the dead patrol be removed before dawn
lest their discovery bring upon him the further suspicion of his uncle, Vobis Kan, Jeddak of Toonol, who it seemed had long been jealous of his nephew's growing popularity and fearful that he harbored aspirations for the throne.
It was later in the evening, during one of those elaborate meals for
which the princes of Barsoom are justly famous, when mellowed slightly
by the rare vintages with which he delighted his guests, that Mu Tel
discoursed with less restraint upon his imperial uncle.
"The nobles have long been tired of Vobis Kan," he said, "and the
people are tiring of him--he is a conscienceless tyrant--but he is
our hereditary ruler, and so they hesitate to change. We are a
practical people, little influenced by sentiment; yet there is enough
to keep the masses loyal to their Jeddak even after he has ceased to
deserve their loyalty, while the fear of the wrath of the masses keeps
the nobles loyal. There is also the natural suspicion that I, the next
in line for succession, would make them no less tyrannical a Jeddak
than has Vobis Kan, while, having youth, I might be much more active in
cruel and nefarious practices.