\"IheardyourchallengetothecreatureyoucallTarsTarkas，andIthinkIunderstandyourpositionamongthesepeople，butwhatIcannotfathomisyourstatementthatyouarenotofBarsoom。”
\"Inthenameofmyfirstancestor，then，\"shecontinued，\"wheremayyoubefrom？Youarelikeuntomypeople，andyetsounlike。Youspeakmylanguage，andyetIheardyoutellTarsTarkasthatyouhadbutlearneditrecently。
AllBarsoomiansspeakthesametonguefromtheice-cladsouthtotheice-cladnorth，thoughtheirwrittenlanguagesdiffer。OnlyinthevalleyDor，wheretheriverIssemptiesintothelostseaofKorus，istheresupposedtobeadifferentlanguagespoken，and，exceptinthelegendsofourancestors，thereisnorecordofaBarsoomianreturninguptheriverIss，fromtheshoresofKorusinthevalleyofDor。Donottellmethatyouhavethusreturned!TheywouldkillyouhorriblyanywhereuponthesurfaceofBarsoomifthatweretrue；tellmeitisnot!\"
Hereyeswerefilledwithastrange，weirdlight；hervoicewaspleading，andherlittlehands，reachedupuponmybreast，werepressedagainstmeasthoughtowringadenialfrommyveryheart。
\"Idonotknowyourcustoms，DejahThoris，butinmyownVirginiaagentlemandoesnotlietosavehimself；IamnotofDor；IhaveneverseenthemysteriousIss；thelostseaofKorusisstilllost，sofarasIamconcerned。Doyoubelieveme？\"