on and streamlined restaurant. Beyond
this elevated terrace yawned a vaulted dome, excavated from the solid
rock and at least twice the size of St. Peter's giant cupola. Its walls
were covered with murals. Both huge and beautiful they depicted the
history of the human race, Man's evolution. From where he stood they
started out with scenes of primeval huntings of the mammoth, went on to
fire making, fire adoration, then to the primitive crafts and from there
through the stages of science evolution and technology until they ended
on Lee's right hand side with an awesome scene from the Bikini test. The
gorgeous mushroom cloud of the atomic explosion looked alive and
threatening like those Djinni once banned by Solomon.

But then, all these murals looked more alive than any work of art Lee
had ever seen and he discovered that this was due to a new technique
which had been added and commingled with one of the oldest.

The pictures were built up from myriad layers of Painted Desert sands
and these were made translucent or illuminated by what Lee thought must
be phosphoric salts turned radiant under the stimulants of hidden
lights. Whatever it was, the esoteric beauty of this jewel-like
luminosity surpassed even that of the stained glass windows in the great
cathedrals of France.

"Pretty isn't it? The chauffeur's words came as an anticlimax to what
Lee felt. "That fellow over there in the middle; he's supposed to have
it all thought out." He pointed to a collossal bronze statue which
towered in the center of the cupola to a height of better than a hundred
feet.

Raising his eyes to the head of this giant, Lee discovered that the
figure was that of "The Thinker" by Rodin though it was cast in
proportion its creator would not have deemed possible.

Completely overwhelmed and overawed by the grandeur of it all, Lee
barely managed to stammer, "What--what is this place; what is it
called?"

"It's kind of an assembly hall; the staff of The Brain have meetings
over here at times. Besides it's sort of a Grand Central; transportation
starts here at times throughout the Brain. But listen, they are already
paging you."

Out of nowhere as it seemed there came a brisk, pleasant female voice.

"Dr. Lee, calling Dr. Semper F. Lee from Canberra University, please
answer Dr. Lee."

* * * * *

The chauffeur nudged Lee in the ribs.

"Say something, she hears you all right."

"Yes, this is Lee speak