ttend. Of surety, are not _places_ on Mert also ruled by the stars?
Is it not true that towns and villages do also have horoscopes?"

Navel blinked.

"Why, see thee, it is in the nature of things, odd man, that all
matter is governed by the planets. How else come explanations, for
example, of natural catastrophes, fires, plagues, which affect whole
cities and not others? And consider war, does not one country win, and
the other lose? Of a surety different aspects obtain...."

"Joy then," Travis said. "But do further observe. Is it not so, in
your astrology, that a man's horoscope may often conflict with that of
the place wherein he dwells? Is it not so that, often, a man is
promised greater success in other regions, where the ruling stars more
closely and friendlily conjoin his own?"

"Your mind leaps obstacles and homes to the truth," Navel said
approvingly. "Many times has it been made clear that a man's fortune
lies best in places ruled by his Ascendant, as witness, for example,
those who are advised to take to the sea, or to southern lands...."

"Intoxication!" Travis cried out happily, "then is our goal made
known. Consider: from your poor natal horoscope, in this city, this
land, no fortune arises. You doom yourself, with Lappy, by remaining
here. But what business is this? Seek you not better times? Could you
not go forth to another place, and so become people of gravity, of
substance, of moment?"

The girl regarded for a moment, puzzled, then caught his point and
shook her head sadly.

"Odd man, without profit. You misconstrue. Such as we, my brother and
I, are not condemned by place, but by twistings of the character. My
natal Huck, retrograde in the tenth, gives an untrustworthy,
criminous person. It would be so here, there, anywhere. My pattern is
set. Such travels as you describe are for those who conflict only with
place. I, and my brother, it is our sad fortune to conflict with
_all_."

"But this is the core," Travis insisted. "The conflict is with _Mert_!
Consider, such travail as is yours stems from the radiations of Huck,
of Weepen, of Scharb. But should you remove yourself beyond their
reach, across great vastnesses of space to where other planets
subtend--and in their alien radiation extinguish and nullify those of
Huck--what fortune comes then? What rises, what leaps in joy?"

The girl sat speechless, staring at Travis with great soft eyes. The
boy Lappy, who until that moment had been gri