My laboratory is

filled with wonderful bodies, young and complete with potential strength and

health. I have but to select one of these and have my skilled assistant transfer

my brain from this old carcass to the new one." He paused.

"I understand now, why you have trained me," I said. "It has puzzled me

greatly."

"Thus and thus only may I continue my labors," he went on, "and thus may Barsoom

be assured a continuance practically indefinitely, of the benefits that my brain

may bestow upon her children. I may live for ever, provided I always have a

skilled assistant, and I may assure myself of such by seeing to it that he never

dies; when he wears out one organ, or his whole body, I can replace either from

my great storehouse of perfect parts, and for me he can perform the same

service. Thus may we continue to live indefinitely; for the brain, I believe, is

almost deathless, unless injured or attacked by disease.

"You are not ready as yet to be entrusted with this important task. You must

transfer many more brains and meet with and overcome the various irregularities

and idiosyncrasies that constitute the never failing differences that render no

two operations identical. When you gain sufficient proficiency I shall be the

first to know it and then we shall lose no time in making Barsoom safe for

posterity."

The old man was far from achieving hatred of himself. However, his plan was an

excellent one, both for himself and for me. It assured us immortality – we might

live for ever and always with strong, healthy, young bodies. The outlook was

alluring – and what a wonderful position it placed me in. If the old man could

be assured of my loyalty because of self-interest, similarly might I depend upon

his loyalty; for he could not afford to antagonize the one creature in the world

who could assure him immortality, or withhold it from him. For the first time

since I had entered his establishment I felt safe.

As soon as I had left him I went directly to Valla Dia's apartment, for I wanted

to tell her his wonderful news. In the weeks that had passed since her

resurrection I had seen much of her and in our daily intercourse there had been

revealed to me little by little the wondrous beauties of her soul, until at last

I no longer saw the hideous, disfigured face of Xaxa when I looked upon her, but

the eyes of my heart penetrated deeper to the loveliness that lay within that

sweet mind. She had become my confidante, as I was hers, and this association

constituted the one great pleasure of my existence upon Barsoom.

Her congratulations, when I told her of what had come to me, were very sincere

and lovely. She said that she hoped I would use this great power of mine to do

good in the world. I assured her that I would and that among the first things

that I should demand of Ras Thavas was that he should give Valla Dia a beautiful

body; but she shook her head.

"No, my friend," she said, "if I may not have my own body this old one of Xaxa's

is quite as good for me as another. Without my own body I should not care to

return to my native country; while were Ras Thavas to give me the beautiful body

of another, I should always be in danger of the covetousness of his clients, any

one of whom might see and desire to purchase it, leaving to me her old husk,

conceivably one quite terribly diseased or maimed. No, my friend, I am satisfied

with the body of Xaxa, unless I may again possess my own, for Xaxa at least

bequeathed me a tough and healthy envelope, however ugly it may be; and for what

do looks count here? You, alone, are my friend – that I have your friendship is

enough. You admire me for what I am, not for what I look like, so let us leave

well enough alone."

"If you could regain your own body and return to your native country, you would

like that?" I demanded.

"Oh, do not say it!" she cried. "The simple thought of it drives me mad with

longing. I must not harbour so hopeless a dream that at best may only tantalize

me into greater abhorrence of my lot."

"Do not say that it is hopeless," I urged. "Death, only, renders hope futile."

"You mean to be kind," she said, "but you are only hurting me. There can be no

hope."

"May I hope for you, then?" I asked. "For I surely see a way; however slight a

possibility for success it may have, still, it is a way."

She shook her head. "There is no way," she said, with finality. "No more will

Duhor know me."

"Duhor?" I repeated. "Your – someone you care for very much?"

"I care for Duhor very much," she answered with a smile, "but Duhor is not

someone – Duhor is my home, the country of my ancestors."

"How came you to leave Duhor?" I asked. "You have never told me, Valla Dia."

"It was because of the ruthlessness of Jal Had, Prince of Amhor," she replied.

"Hereditary enemies were Duhor and Amhor; but Jal Had came disguised into the

city of Duhor, having heard, they say, of the great beauty attributed to the

only daughter of Kor San, Jeddak of Duhor, and when he had seen her he

determined to possess her. Returning to Amhor he sent ambassadors to the court

of Kor San to sue for the hand of the Princess of Duhor; but Kor San, who had no

son, had determined to wed his daughter to one of his own Jeds, that the son of

this union, with the blood of Kor San in his veins, might rule over the people

of Duhor; and so the offer of Jal Had was declined.

"This so incensed the Amhorian that he equipped a great fleet and set forth to

conquer Duhor and take by force that which he could not win by honorable

methods.