A Princess Bride of Mars Read online

  “If he had had any compassion for me,” cried her sire impatiently, “he would not have danced half so much! For God’s sake, say no more of his partners. Oh that he had sprained his ankle in the first dance!”

  “Oh! My dear, I am quite delighted with him. He is so excessively handsome! And his sisters are charming women. I never in my life saw anything more elegant than their dresses. I dare say the lace upon Mrs. Sorav’s gown—”

  Here she was interrupted again. Mr. Kajak protested against any description of finery. She was therefore obliged to seek another branch of the subject, and related, with much bitterness of spirit and some exaggeration, the shocking rudeness of Mr. Darcy Carter.

  “But I can assure you,” she added, “that Eliza does not lose much by not suiting his fancy; for he is a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing. So high and so conceited that there was no enduring him! He walked here, and he walked there, fancying himself so very great! Not handsome enough to dance with! I wish you had been there, my dear, to have given him one of your set-downs. I quite detest the man.”

  Chapter 4

  When Tavia and Elizadejah were alone, the former, who had been cautious in her praise of Mr. Tars Tarkas before, expressed to her sister just how very much she admired him.

  “He is just what a young man ought to be,” said she, “sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! So much ease, with such perfect good breeding!”

  “He is also handsome,” replied Elizadejah, “which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete.”

  “I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment.”

  “Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference between us. Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never. What could be more natural than his asking you again? He could not help seeing that you were about five times as pretty as every other woman in the room. No thanks to his gallantry for that. Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person.”

  “Dear Eliza!”

  “Oh! You are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in your life.”

  “I would not wish to be hasty in censuring anyone; but I always speak what I think.”

  “I know you do; and it is that which makes the wonder. With your good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough—one meets with it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design—to take the good of everybody’s character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad—belongs to you alone. And so you like this man’s sisters, too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his.”

  “Certainly not—at first. But they are very pleasing women when you converse with them. Miss Tars Tarkas is to live with her brother, and keep his house; and I am much mistaken if we shall not find a very charming neighbour in her.”

  Elizadejah listened in silence, but was not convinced; their behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in general; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister, and with a judgement too unassailed by any attention to herself, she was very little disposed to approve them.

  They were in fact very fine ladies; not deficient in good humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of making themselves agreeable when they chose it, but proud and conceited. They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand tanpi, were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank, and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others. They were of a respectable family in the north of Barsoom; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their brother’s fortune and their own had been acquired by trade.

  Mr. Tars Tarkas inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundred thousand tanpi from his father, who had intended to purchase an estate, but did not live to do it. Mr. Tars Tarkas intended it likewise, and sometimes made choice of his province; but as he was now provided with a good house and the liberty of a manor, it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper, whether he might not spend the remainder of his days at Artol, and leave the next generation to purchase.

  His sisters were anxious for his having an estate of his own; but, though he was now only established as a tenant, Miss Tars Tarkas was by no means unwilling to preside at his table—nor was Mrs. Sorav, who had conjoined a man of more fashion than fortune, less disposed to consider his house as her home when it suited her. Mr. Tars Tarkas had not been of age two years, when he was tempted by an accidental recommendation to look at Artol House. He did look at it, and into it for half-an-hour—was pleased with the situation and the principal rooms, satisfied with what the owner said in its praise, and took it immediately.

  Between him and Darcy Carter there was a very steady friendship, in spite of great opposition of character. Tars Tarkas was endeared to Darcy Carter by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied. On the strength of Darcy Carter’s regard, Tars Tarkas had the firmest reliance, and of his judgement the highest opinion.

  In understanding, Darcy Carter was the superior. Tars Tarkas was by no means deficient, but Darcy Carter was clever. He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners, though well-bred, were not inviting. In that respect his friend had greatly the advantage. Tars Tarkas was sure of being liked wherever he appeared, Darcy Carter was continually giving offense.

  The manner in which they spoke of the Lothar assembly was sufficiently characteristic. Tars Tarkas had never met with more pleasant people or prettier girls in his life; everybody had been most kind and attentive to him; there had been no formality, no stiffness; he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; and, as to Miss Kajak, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Darcy Carter, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure. Miss Kajak he acknowledged to be pretty, but she smiled too much.

  Mrs. Sorav and her sister allowed it to be so—but still they admired her and liked her, and pronounced her to be a sweet girl, and one whom they would not object to know more of. Miss Kajak was therefore established as a sweet girl, and their brother felt authorized by such commendation to think of her as he chose.

  Chapter 5

  Within a short walk of Sanomah ni Torkwasi lived a family with whom the Kajaks were particularly intimate. Kam Han Tor had been formerly in trade in Lothar, where he had made a tolerable fortune, and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the king during his mayoralty.

  The distinction had perhaps been felt too strongly. It had given him a disgust to his business, and to his residence in a small market town; and, in quitting them both, he had removed with his family to a house about a klik from Lothar, denominated from that period Marentina, where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world.

  For, though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to everybody. By nature inoffensive, friendly, and obliging, his presentation at Xanator had made him courteous.

  Mistress Rojas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs. Kajak. They had several children. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizadejah’s intimate friend.

  That the Miss Rojases and the Miss Kajaks should meet to talk ov
er a convocation was absolutely necessary; and the morning after the assembly brought the former to Sanomah ni Torkwasi to hear and to communicate.

  “You began the evening well, Thuvia,” said Mrs. Kajak with civil self-command to Miss Rojas. “You were Mr. Tars Tarkas’s first choice.”

  “Yes; but he seemed to like his second better.”

  “Oh! You mean Tavia, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. To be sure that did seem as if he admired her—indeed I rather believe he did—I heard something about it—but I hardly know what—something about Mr. Tan Hadron.”

  “Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr. Tan Hadron; did not I mention it to you? Mr. Tan Hadron’s asking him how he liked our Lothar assemblies, and whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest? And his answering immediately to the last question, ‘Oh! The eldest Miss Kajak, beyond a doubt; there cannot be two opinions on that point.’”

  “Upon my word! Well, that is very decided indeed—that does seem as if—but, however, it may all come to nothing, you know.”

  “My overhearings were more to the purpose than yours, Eliza,” said Thuvia. “Mr. Darcy Carter is not so well worth listening to as his friend, is he? Poor Eliza! To be only just tolerable.”

  “I beg you would not put it into Eliza’s head to be vexed by his ill-treatment, for he is such a disagreeable man, that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Xaxa told me last night that he sat close to her for half-an-hour without once opening his lips.”

  “Are you quite sure, ma’am? Is not there a little mistake?” said Tavia.

  “I certainly saw Mr. Darcy Carter speaking to her.”

  “Aye—because she asked him at last how he liked Artol, and he could not help answering her; but she said he seemed quite angry at being spoke to.”

  “Miss Tars Tarkas told me,” said Tavia, “that he never speaks much, unless among his intimate acquaintances. With them he is remarkably agreeable.”

  “I do not believe a word of it, my dear. If he had been so very agreeable, he would have talked to Mrs. Xaxa. But I can guess how it was; everybody says that he is eat up with pride, and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs. Xaxa does not keep a cloud flier, and had come to the convocation in a ground vehicle.”

  “I do not mind his not talking to Mrs. Xaxa,” said Miss Rojas, “but I wish he had danced with Eliza.”

  “Another time, Eliza,” said her mother, “I would not dance with him, if I were you.”

  “I believe, ma’am, I may safely promise you never to dance with him.”

  “His pride,” said Miss Rojas, “does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud.”

  “That is very true,” replied Elizadejah, “and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.”

  “Pride,” observed Vanuma, who piqued herself upon the solidity of her reflections, “is a very common failing, I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed; that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.”

  “If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy Carter,” cried a young Rojas, who came with his sisters, “I should not care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of woolas, and drink a bottle of wine a day.”

  “Then you would drink a great deal more than you ought,” said Mrs. Kajak, “and if I were to see you at it, I should take away your bottle directly.”

  The boy protested that she should not; she continued to declare that she would, and the argument ended only with the visit.

  Chapter 6

  The ladies of Sanomah ni Torkwasi soon waited on those of Artol. The visit was soon returned in due form. Miss Kajak’s pleasing manners grew on the goodwill of Mrs. Sorav and Miss Tars Tarkas; and though the mother was found to be intolerable, and the younger sisters not worth speaking to, a wish of being better acquainted with them was expressed towards the two eldest.

  By Tavia, this attention was received with the greatest pleasure, but Elizadejah still saw superciliousness in their treatment of everybody, hardly excepting even her sister, and could not like them; though their kindness to Tavia, such as it was, had a value as arising in all probability from the influence of their brother’s admiration.

  It was generally evident whenever they met, that he did admire her and to her it was equally evident that Tavia was yielding to the preference which she had begun to entertain for him from the first, and was in a way to be very much in love; but she considered with pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered by the world in general, since Tavia united, with great strength of feeling, a composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner which would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent. She mentioned this to her friend Miss Rojas.

  “It may perhaps be pleasant,” replied Thuvia, “to be able to impose on the public in such a case; but it is sometimes a disadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark. There is so much of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment, that it is not safe to leave any to itself. We can all begin freely—a slight preference is natural enough; but there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement. In nine cases out of ten a women had better show more affection than she feels. Tars Tarkas likes your sister undoubtedly; but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on.”

  “But she does help him on, as much as her nature will allow. If I can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton, indeed, not to discover it too.”

  “Remember, Eliza, that he does not know Tavia’s disposition as you do.”

  “But if a woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavour to conceal it, he must find it out.”

  “Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. But, though Tars Tarkas and Tavia meet tolerably often, it is never for many hours together; and, as they always see each other in large mixed parties, it is impossible that every moment should be employed in conversing together. Tavia should therefore make the most of every half-hour in which she can command his attention. When she is secure of him, there will be more leisure for falling in love as much as she chooses.”

  “Your plan is a good one,” replied Elizadejah, “where nothing is in question but the desire of being well conjoined, and if I were determined to get a rich sire, or any sire, I dare say I should adopt it. But these are not Tavia’s feelings; she is not acting by design. As yet, she cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard nor of its reasonableness. She has known him only a fortnight. She danced four dances with him at Lothar; she saw him one morning at his own house, and has since dined with him in company four times. This is not quite enough to make her understand his character.”

  “Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him, she might only have discovered whether he had a good appetite; but you must remember that four evenings have also been spent together—and four evenings may do a great deal.”

  “Yes; these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both like the card game Dast better than Satav; but with respect to any other leading characteristic, I do not imagine that much has been unfolded.”

  “Well,” said Thuvia, “I wish Tavia success with all my heart; and if she were conjoined to him tomorrow, I should think she had as good a chance of happiness as if she
were to be studying his character for a twelvemonth. Happiness in thrallship is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.”

  “You make me laugh, Thuvia; but it is not sound. You know it is not sound, and that you would never act in this way yourself.”

  Occupied in observing Mr. Tars Tarkas’s attentions to her sister, Elizadejah was far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of his friend. Mr. Darcy Carter had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty; he had looked at her without admiration at the ball; and when they next met, he looked at her only to criticise.

  But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she hardly had a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness. Of this she was perfectly unaware; to her he was only the man who made himself agreeable nowhere, and who had not thought her handsome enough to dance with.

  He began to wish to know more of her, and as a step towards conversing with her himself, attended to her conversation with others. His doing so drew her notice. It was at Kam Han Tor’s, where a large party were assembled.