Princess of Mars / Принцесса Марса. Уровень 2

All looked about forty.

Only about one Martian in a thousand dies of sickness or disease. Possibly about twenty take the voluntary pilgrimage down the river Iss[18 - the river Iss – река Р?СЃСЃ]. No living Martian knows where leads the river and no Martian ever returned from there. The other nine hundred and seventy-nine die violent deaths in duels, in hunting, in aviation and in war. But perhaps by far the greatest death loss comes during the age of childhood. Vast numbers of the little Martians fall victims to the great white apes of Mars.

The average life expectancy[19 - average life expectancy – средняя продолжительность жизни] of a Martian after the age of maturity, about forty, is about three hundred years. It would be nearer the one-thousand mark if it were not for the waning resources of the planet[20 - waning resources of the planet – истощающиеся ресурсы планеты] and the almost continual warfare between the various communities.

As we neared the plaza, hundreds of the creatures immediately surrounded us. They seemed anxious to pluck me from my seat behind my guard. A word from the leader of the party stilled their clamor. We proceeded across the plaza to the entrance of a magnificent building.

The building was low, but covered an enormous area. It was made of gleaming white marble with gold and brilliant stones. The stones sparkled and scintillated in the sunlight.

The main entrance was some hundred feet in width and projected from the building forming a huge canopy above the entrance hall. There was no stairway, but a gentle incline to the first floor of the building opened into an enormous chamber encircled by galleries.

About forty or fifty male Martians assembled around the steps of a rostrum on the floor of this chamber. On the platform, there was an enormous warrior. He was loaded with metal ornaments, gay-colored feathers and leather trappings set with precious stones.

From his shoulders depended a short cape of white fur lined with brilliant scarlet silk.

What struck me most[21 - what struck me most – что меня поразило больше всего] is that the creatures were entirely out of proportion to the desks, chairs and other furnishings. Those were of a size adapted to human beings such as I. Evidently, there were other denizens on Mars.