Page:Amazing Stories Volume 01 Number 06.djvu/19

"Now, for the Supreme Court, or the King's Bench!" said Jack.

It was even as he had surmised. We were led through a maze of passages and elegant chambers, until we emerged into a vast and splendid apartment. It was nearly square—at least a hundred feet the longest way—and, like the place where we had dined, lighted from the walls and ceiling. The floor seemed to be of rose-colored marble, and the walls and ceiling were composed of equally rich materials, most beautifully decorated. But what absolutely fascinated the eye in this great apartment was the play of living colors, projected from a huge circle, high on the wall, at the farther end.

"Chromatic music again," said Edmund.

Just as at a great reception on the earth an orchestra pours forth soft melodies to entrance the senses of the guests, while not inhibiting their conversation, so here this harmonic play of delightful colors filled the air, to the evident delectation of the brilliant throng that was assembled. Even we felt the effect stealing deliciously through our nerves.

As a way was cleared for us, everybody standing aside to make room when we advanced, we caught sight—at the head of the vista thus formed through the center- of the apartment—of a magnificent throne, and seated upon it was Ala.

Then she must, indeed, be the queen! But immediately I noticed, with some disappointment, that she was not alone.

By her side, and occupying another throne hardly less brilliant than hers, was a tall man, with features like those of a Greek statue of Zeus, and long curling hair as white as snow. The severity of his aspect formed a discouraging contrast with the smiling beauty of the queen.

Now, you will understand, of course, that everything that followed in the way of communication between these people and us was conducted by those peculiar methods of interchanging thoughts and ideas which I have before described. There was no talking, except in very low tones, among the chief actors on the other side. It was a repetition of what had occurred during the parley between the airplanes.

Yet, so expressive were the countenances before us, and so transparent the meaning of the gestures, that even Jack, Henry, and I could catch considerable of the drift, while Edmund seemed to understand it astonishingly well. What was visible recorded itself in my memory, but the details of what occurred in the way of communication were related to me afterward by Edmund. For the sake of clearness I am going to treat it practically as if it had been a regular conversation. While I may thus be compelled to use words which were not actually spoken, yet the meaning was there.

As soon as our examination begun the colors ceased to play from the circle above the throne.

"Orchestra stopped," whispered the irrepressible Jack in my ear.

The first person to speak, if I may so put it, was Ala. She fixed her eyes upon Edmund in the peculiar manner which we had already learned to recognize as preliminary to a wordless conversation, and her face became more expressive than that of the most perfect actress I have ever seen. One could read upon it the question:

"Who are you, and whence came you?"

I was thrilled with pride as I glanced at Edmund. He stood alone, close before the throne, in an open space, while we were placed a little at one side. He carried himself erect, without a sign of trepidation, with an air of complete confidence and self-control, and almost, I thought, of superiority. The painting of "Columbus Before Isabella" flashed upon my recollection, though the circumstances were so different.

As the question beamed to him, he lifted his hand and pointed significantly overhead. Evidently, he was going at once to proclaim our origin from another world. I remembered what he had lately said about the difficulty of making these people comprehend such a thing, and I thought I could detect the perplexity in Ala's mind.

Edmund's gesture spoke plainly enough, but in reading his thought she met an insuperable obstacle. She could not comprehend the idea of another world in the sky.

It was then that Juba unexpectedly came to our aid. He had been watching the proceedings with intense interest, and I was delighted by the comprehension which he showed. Although possessing a much lower order of intelligence than the brilliant beings who surrounded us, and nothing of their culture, yet he was an inhabitant of their planet, and who can tell what ancient ancestral lines may have connected them?

His people, too, shared in the singular power of communicating ideas without words which was characteristic of intellectual life on Venus. To him, on the other hand, there was little mystery in what Edmund was trying to make known. He was familiar with the starry sky and a worshipper of the earth.

With a boldness that surprised me, he stepped to Edmund's side, and, lifting the shades from his eyes, joined—if I may so say—in the conversation. Ala and her white-haired companion stared at him, a little startled at first by his interference. But it was clear in a minute that they understood him.

He made them, at least, partially comprehend that above the dome of clouds there was another world known to him, and that we came from thence. No doubt that thought had been in his mind before. He also, it was plain, made them realize the fact that he himself belonged to their own planet—to the dark, mysterious side of it—which they had vainly sought to penetrate. Wonder overspread their faces as the truth dawned upon them.

I could feel all eyes now turned upon us with redoubled interest and curiosity. I believed that I could detect a deepening of color in Ala's cheeks as she again confronted Edmund's glance.

Thus the ice was broken, and, the fundamental idea being communicated, it rested upon Edmund alone to conduct the affair again. I saw that the examination was taking another direction.

Whether they were satisfied or not about our claims to be inhabitants of another world, they were evidently not disposed to let us off on that ac-