thuvia maid of mars by edgar rice burroughs

He heard her calling to the banths in a low, singsong voice that was half purr. Look!' and as she spoke she stepped quickly toward the nearest animal.Ĭarthoris would have leaped after her to protect her, but with a gesture she motioned him back. 'I told you that the banths would not harm us. She saw the smile upon his lips, and it was as wine to sick nerves for even upon warlike Barsoom where all men are brave, woman reacts quickly to quiet indifference to danger-to dare-deviltry that is without bombast. The girl stole a quick glance at his face. With an angry roar the beast walked quickly in their direction, and at the sound of its voice a score of others followed its example.Ĭarthoris drew his long-sword. They had advanced but a short distance when a banth, looking up from its gory feast, descried them.

'The banths will not harm us.'Īs she spoke she descended from the platform, and with Carthoris at her side stepped fearlessly out upon the bloody field in the direction of the walled city of mystery. 'Do not fear on that score,' replied the girl, smiling. A single sword would scarce prevail were even a couple of them to charge simultaneously.' 'All that causes me to hesitate,' he added, 'is the danger of taking you past so many banths. There, at least, we shall find beings moulded after our own images. Here we may fall prey to the banths or the no less fierce Torquasians. 'We can be no worse off within their walls than without.

I had been about to suggest that we seek entrance to the city, but now I scarce know if I care to venture among people whose dead vanish into thin air.' Notwithstanding their valour upon the field of battle, they did not strike me as a ferocious or warlike people. 'I had hoped,' said Thuvia, 'that we might find an asylum with these fair-skinned people. It would have required many hours to have removed them. 'Thousands of dead lay there upon the field but a moment since. 'They must have sent forth and carried the dead bowmen away while we were talking,' said the girl. 'And now,' continued Carthoris, 'there remain but the banths and the carcasses of the green men.' 'There were thousands of them but a minute ago.' Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter VI: The Jeddak of Lothar

Thuvia maid of mars by edgar rice burroughs