"The doors of the single chamber, which embraced all the interior space,
swung open, and I stood on the threshold of a shallow, rectangular
depression, surrounded on all sides with benches, and holding in its
central area a long table, at which, beneath tall lamps, sat, perhaps, a
dozen men and one woman. Opposite to my point of view, in a niche upon
the further wall, was the colossal figure of the Deity I had seen in the
Patenta at the City of Light.
"The faces of the twelve men turned to us as we entered. The herald
announced my errand with the customary salutation of 'Hebori bimo.' I
was invited to descend to the central table. I advanced, and laying
Chapman's chest, with its sealed communications upon the table, spoke:
"'I am a stranger. I have come to your world from the Earth. I bring
news, celestial news, from the astronomers of the City of Light. I had a
companion to whom all this was entrusted.' He was killed in the quarries
of Tiniti. I came on, bidden so to do by Alca, the Superintendent. The
papers of the Wise Men of the Patenta are here.'
"I laid the chest upon the table. My speech was yet unformed, and
perhaps upon the delicate and intellectual faces before me, there dwelt,
with the transient influence of a passing thought, a smile of sympathy
or amusement. Then a young being at the head of the table exclaimed in
Martian:
"'Welcome, stranger. All who come to us are soon made one with
ourselves.
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