silks and furs which belonged to me as spoils of combat, for the nights were cold and I
had none of my own.
He promised to do so, and departed. Left alone, I ascended the winding corridor to the
upper floors in search of suitable quarters. The beauties of the other buildings were
repeated in this, and, as usual, I was soon lost in a tour of investigation and discovery.
I finally chose a front room on the third floor, because this brought me nearer to Dejah
Thoris, whose apartment was on the second floor of the adjoining building, and it flashed
upon me that I could rig up some means of communication whereby she might signal me
in case she needed either my services or my protection.
Adjoining my sleeping apartment were baths, dressing rooms, and other sleeping and
living apartments, in all some ten rooms on this floor. The windows of the back rooms
overlooked an enormous court, which formed the center of the square made by the
buildings which faced the four contiguous streets, and which was now given over to the
quartering of the various animals belonging to the warriors occupying the adjoining
buildings.
While the court was entirely overgrown with the yellow, moss-like vegetation which
blankets practically the entire surface of Mars, yet numerous fountains, statuary, benches,
and pergola-like contraptions bore witness to the beauty which the court must have
presented in bygone times, when graced by the fair-haired, laughing people whom stern
and unalterable cosmic laws had driven not only from their homes, but from all except
the vague legends of their descendants.
One could easily picture the gorgeous foliage of the luxuriant Martian vegetation which
once filled this scene with life and color; the graceful figures of the beautiful women, the
straight and handsome men; the happy frolicking children--all sunlight, happiness and
peace. It was difficult to realize that they had gone; down through ages of darkness,
cruelty, and ignorance, until their hereditary instincts of culture and humanitarianism had
risen ascendant once more in the final composite race which now is dominant upon Mars.
My thoughts were cut short by the advent of several young females bearing loads of
weapons, silks, furs, jewels, cooking utensils, and casks of food and drink, including
considerable loot from the air craft. All this, it seemed, had been the property of the two
chieftains I had slain, and now, by the customs of the Tharks, it had become mine. At my
direction they placed the stuff in one of the back rooms, and then departed, only to return
with a second load, which they advised me constituted the balance of my goods. On the
second trip they were accompanied by ten or fifteen other women and youths, who, it
seemed, formed the retinues of the two chieftains.
They were not their families, nor their wives, nor their servants; the relationship was
peculiar, and so unlike anything known to us that it is most difficult to describe. All
property among the green Martians is owned in common by the community, except the
personal weapons, ornaments and sleeping silks and furs of the individuals. These alone
