Again spirits have ceased arriving at the Hill of the
Phosphori, the Chorus Halls are almost empty, and the singers have no
employment. Such a dearth of spirits has not been known before for
months. It is not uncommon for long intervals to occur when only a few
spirits arrive, but now there are none.
"'The Registeries report that many lately reincarnated spirits speak the
languages of Venus and Mercury, and tell of the terrific physical
convulsions in both planets, that wars are raging in Mercury, and a
singular plague devastating Venus. The country people have sent in word
by the canals that rockets in clusters covering hundreds of square miles
are arising from Scandor. The cause is unknown, cannot even be
surmised, and last night Herschell and Gauss, at the big telescopes,
detected a comet charging towards us with an incredible velocity. The
Council believe I should at once start for Scandor to bring the month's
report, and these new excitements, to the paper Dia, while they urge
that you should recount to the governors at Scandor your story, and the
marvellous fact of the answer sent back from the Earth to you by your
son. We will go, after an audience with the Council, together, and
because of some need of more stone from the quarries, we will stop on
our way out and leave orders at Mit and Sinsi, where the quarries are.
The trip is full of beauty and wonder, and Scandor, I am told, is Heaven
itself.'
"He paused.
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