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"Had Tario dared it would have been here that our fates had been sealed; but he feared too much thy keen blade, red man, and so he hurled us all downward to the pit. I did not know how closely connected were the two chambers. Now we may easily reach the avenues and the city gates. Only the bowmen may dispute the right of way, and, knowing their secret, I doubt that they have power to harm us."
For ages the enemies of Tario have been hurled to this pit to fill his maw, for Komal must be fed." "Is there any way out of this chamber to the avenues of the city?" asked Carthoris. Jav shrugged. "I do not know," he replied. "Never have I been here before, nor ever have I cared to do so." "Come," suggested Thuvia, "let us explore. There must be a way out."
"Here," said their guide, "is the palace of Tario." As he spoke Carthoris again let his gaze rest upon the wondrous palace. With a startled exclamation he rubbed his eyes and looked again. No! He could not be mistaken. Before the massive gate stood a score of sentries. Within, the avenue leading to the main building was lined on either side by ranks of bowmen.
Tario frothed in rage and mortification. "And should you again affront the Princess of Ptarth," warned the Heliumite, "I shall forget that you wear no sword not for ever may I control my itching sword hand." Tario shrank back toward the little doorways behind the dais. He was trying to speak, but so hideously were the muscles of his face working that he could utter no word for several minutes.
Let us return and find some means of furnishing her with nourishment." The Lotharian shook his head. "Tario would not permit it," he said. "He will, doubtless, make an etherealist of her." "But I must go to her," insisted Carthoris. "You say that there are no women in Lothar. Then she must be among men, and if this be so I intend to be near where I may defend her if the need arises."
It is generally supposed that the etherealists have quite a few among their number who are permanent materializations. It is even said that such is Tario, but that cannot be, for he existed before we had discovered the full possibilities of suggestion. "There are others among us who insist that none of us is real.
"It is most uncanny." "I cannot account for it," replied Carthoris, "unless we have gone mad." Carthoris turned quickly toward the Lotharian. The fellow was smiling broadly. "I thought that you just said that there were no soldiers in Lothar," said the Heliumite, with a gesture toward the guardsmen. "What are these?" "Ask Tario," replied the other. "We shall soon be before him."
In the courts of our fathers men do not prostrate themselves before royalty. Not since the First Born tore their immortal goddess limb from limb have men crawled upon their bellies to any throne upon Barsoom. Now think you that the daughter of one mighty jeddak and the son of another would so humiliate themselves?" Tario looked at Carthoris for a long time. At last he spoke.
I see women and children laughing on the balconies these we are forbidden to materialize; but yet I see them they are here. . . . But why not?" he mused. "No longer need I fear Tario he has done his worst, and failed. Why not indeed? "Stay, friends," he continued. "Would you see Lothar in all her glory?"
There was always the chance that he was but the essence of some hypnotic treachery which Tario or Jav was attempting to exert upon the Heliumite; and yet, so sincere had been the manner and the words of the bowman, so much the fighting man did he seem, but Carthoris could not find it in his heart to doubt him.
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