Princess of Mars / Принцесса Марса. Уровень 2

I turned my gaze from the landscape to the heavens where the myriad stars formed a gorgeous and fitting canopy for the wonders of the earthly scene[12 - the myriad stars formed a gorgeous and fitting canopy for the wonders of the earthly scene – мириады светил образовали гигантский плотный шатер над земными красотами]. A large red star close to the distant horizon quickly riveted my attention. It was Mars, the god of war. As a fighting man, I was fascinated by it.

I closed my eyes, stretched out my arms toward the god of my vocation and felt myself drawn with the suddenness of thought through the trackless immensity of space. There was an instant of extreme cold and utter darkness.

III.В My Advent on Mars

I opened my eyes upon a strange and weird landscape. I knew that I was on Mars. I was not asleep, no need for pinching here. My inner consciousness told me as plainly that I was upon Mars as your conscious mind tells you that you are upon Earth.

You do not question the fact; neither did I.

I found myself lying prone upon a bed of yellowish, mosslike vegetation, which stretched around me in all directions for miles. I seemed to be lying in a deep, circular basin, along the outer verge of which I could distinguish the irregularities of low hills.

It was midday, the sun was shining full upon me and the heat of it was intense. Here and there were slight outcroppings of quartz-bearing rock, which glistened in the sunlight.

No water and no other vegetation than the moss was in evidence. I decided to do a little exploring as I was thirsty.

I sprang to my feet and, surprisingly, jumped up in the Martian air to the height of about three yards. I alighted softly upon the ground, however, without appreciable shock or jar. I found that I must learn to walk all over again, as the muscular exertion which carried me easily and safely upon Earth played strange tricks with me upon Mars.

I decided to explore the low structure, which was the only evidence of habitation in sight.

I reached the low, encircling wall of the enclosure. There appeared to be no doors or windows upon the side nearest me. But the wall was only about four feet high so I cautiously gained my feet and peered over the top. The things that I saw surprised me.

The roof of the enclosure was of solid glass about four or five inches in thickness. Beneath this, there were several hundred large eggs.