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Read book online ยซThe Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (best reads of all time .TXT) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   Edgar Rice Burroughs



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examine Tara of Helium. One of them whistled, whereupon the girl learned something of the smaller openings in the walls, for almost immediately there crawled from them, like giant spiders, a score or more of the hideous heads. Each sought one of the recumbent bodies and fastened itself in place. Immediately the bodies reacted to the intelligent direction of the heads. They arose, the hands adjusted the leather collars and put the balance of the harness in order, then the creatures crossed the room to where Tara of Helium stood. She noted that their leather was more highly ornamented than that worn by any of the others she had previously seen, and so she guessed that these must be higher in authority than the others. Nor was she mistaken. The demeanor of her captor indicated it. He addressed them as one who holds intercourse with superiors.

Several of those who examined her felt her flesh, pinching it gently between thumb and forefinger, a familiarity that the girl resented. She struck down their hands. โ€œDo not touch me!โ€ she cried, imperiously, for was she not a princess of Helium? The expression on those terrible faces did not change. She could not tell whether they were angry or amused, whether her action had filled them with respect for her, or contempt. Only one of them spoke immediately.

โ€œShe will have to be fattened more,โ€ he said.

The girlโ€™s eyes went wide with horror. She turned upon her captor. โ€œDo these frightful creatures intend to devour me?โ€ she cried.

โ€œThat is for Luud to say,โ€ he replied, and then he leaned closer so that his mouth was near her ear. โ€œThat noise you made which you called song pleased me,โ€ he whispered, โ€œand I will repay you by warning you not to antagonize these kaldanes. They are very powerful. Luud listens to them. Do not call them frightful. They are very handsome. Look at their wonderful trappings, their gold, their jewels.โ€

โ€œThank you,โ€ she said. โ€œYou called them kaldanesโ โ€”what does that mean?โ€

โ€œWe are all kaldanes,โ€ he replied.

โ€œYou, too?โ€ and she pointed at him, her slim finger directed toward his chest.

โ€œNo, not this,โ€ he explained, touching his body; โ€œthis is a rykor; but this,โ€ and he touched his head, โ€œis a kaldane. It is the brain, the intellect, the power that directs all things. The rykor,โ€ he indicated his body, โ€œis nothing. It is not so much even as the jewels upon our harness; no, not so much as the harness itself. It carries us about. It is true that we would find difficulty getting along without it; but it has less value than harness or jewels because it is less difficult to reproduce.โ€ He turned again to the other kaldanes. โ€œWill you notify Luud that I am here?โ€ he asked.

โ€œSept has already gone to Luud. He will tell him,โ€ replied one. โ€œWhere did you find this rykor with the strange kaldane that cannot detach itself?โ€

The girlโ€™s captor narrated once more the story of her capture. He stated facts just as they had occurred, without embellishment, his voice as expressionless as his face, and his story was received in the same manner that it was delivered. The creatures seemed totally lacking in emotion, or, at least, the capacity to express it. It was impossible to judge what impression the story made upon them, or even if they heard it. Their protruding eyes simply stared and occasionally the muscles of their mouths opened and closed. Familiarity did not lessen the horror the girl felt for them. The more she saw of them the more repulsive they seemed. Often her body was shaken by convulsive shudders as she looked at the kaldanes, but when her eyes wandered to the beautiful bodies and she could for a moment expunge the heads from her consciousness the effect was soothing and refreshing, though when the bodies lay, headless, upon the floor they were quite as shocking as the heads mounted on bodies. But by far the most gruesome and uncanny sight of all was that of the heads crawling about upon their spider legs. If one of these should approach and touch her Tara of Helium was positive that she should scream, while should one attempt to crawl up her personโ โ€”ugh! the very idea induced a feeling of faintness.

Sept returned to the chamber. โ€œLuud will see you and the captive. Come!โ€ he said, and turned toward a door opposite that through which Tara of Helium had entered the chamber. โ€œWhat is your name?โ€ His question was directed to the girlโ€™s captor.

โ€œI am Ghek, third foreman of the fields of Luud,โ€ he answered.

โ€œAnd hers?โ€

โ€œI do not know.โ€

โ€œIt makes no difference. Come!โ€

The patrician brows of Tara of Helium went high. It made no difference, indeed! She, a princess of Helium; only daughter of The Warlord of Barsoom!

โ€œWait!โ€ she cried. โ€œIt makes much difference who I am. If you are conducting me into the presence of your jed you may announce The Princess Tara of Helium, daughter of John Carter, The Warlord of Barsoom.โ€

โ€œHold your peace!โ€ commanded Sept. โ€œSpeak when you are spoken to. Come with me!โ€

The anger of Tara of Helium all but choked her. โ€œCome,โ€ admonished Ghek, and took her by the arm, and Tara of Helium came. She was naught but a prisoner. Her rank and titles meant nothing to these inhuman monsters. They led her through a short, S-shaped passageway into a chamber entirely lined with the white, tile-like material with which the interior of the light wall was faced. Close to the base of the walls were numerous smaller apertures, circular in shape, but larger than those of similar aspect that she had noted elsewhere. The majority of these apertures were sealed. Directly opposite the entrance was one framed in gold, and above it a peculiar device was inlaid in the same precious metal.

Sept and Ghek halted just within the

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