the thousand lights of an unreal city
rising like a jewelled bank before us, and there An said she would
leave me for a time, meeting me again in the palace square later on,
"To see Princess Heru read the destinies of the year."

"What!" I exclaimed, "more magic? I have been brought up on more
substantial mental stuff than this."

"Nevertheless, I would advise you to come to the square," persisted my
companion. "It affects us all, and--who knows?--may affect you more
than any."

Therein poor An was unconsciously wearing the cloak of prophesy
herself, and, shrugging my shoulders good-humouredly, I kissed her
chin, little realising, as I let her fingers slip from mine, that I
should see her no more.

Turning back alone, through the city, through ways twinkling with
myriad lights as little lamps began to blink out amongst garlands and
flower-decked booths on every hand, I walked on, lost in varying
thoughts, until, fairly tired and hungry, I found myself outside a
stall where many Martians stood eating and drinking to their hearts'
content. I was known to none of them, and, forgetting past experience,
was looking on rather enviously, when there came a touch upon my arm,
and--

"Are you hungry, sir?" asked a bystander.

"Ay," I said, "hungry, good friend, and with all the zest which an
empty purse lends to that condition."

"Then here is what you need, sir, even from here the wine smells good,
and the fried fruit would make a mouse's eye twinkle. Why do you wait?"

"Why wait? Why, because though the rich man's dinner goes in at his
mouth, the poor man must often be content to dine through his nose. I
tell you I have nothing to get me a meal with."

The stranger seemed to speculate on this for a time, and then he said,
"I cannot fathom your meaning, sir. Buying and selling, gold and
money, all these have no meaning to me. Surely the twin blessings of
an appetite and food abundant ready and free before you are enough."

"What! free is it--free like the breakfast served out this morning?"

"Why, of course," said the youth, with mild depreciation; "everything
here is free. Everything is his who will take it, without exception.
What else is the good of a coherent society and a Government if it
cannot provide you with so rudimentary a thing as a meal?"

Whereat joyfully I undid my belt, and, without nicely examining the
argument, marched into the booth, and there put Martian hospitality to
the test, eating