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.At the highest point in the ceiling a large globe of the motes hung, furnishing soft light below.Two lizard-men, clad in long robes, conferred with the leader of the flyer’s party before coming to stand over Garin.One of the robed ones shook his head at the sight of the flyer’s twisted body and waved the litter on into an inner chamber.Here the walls were dull blue and in the exact center was a long block of quartz.By this the litter was put down and the bearers disappeared.With sharp knives the robed men cut away furs and leather to expose Garin’s broken body.They lifted him to the quartz table and there made him fast with metal bonds.Then one of them went to the wall and pulled a gleaming rod.From the dome of the roof shot an eerie blue light to beat upon Garin’s helpless body.There followed a tingling through every muscle and joint, a prickling sensation in his skin, but soon his pain vanished as if it had never been.The light flashed off and the three lizard-men gathered around him.He was wrapped in a soft robe and carried to another room.This, too, was circular, shaped like the half of a giant bubble.The floor sloped toward the center where there was a depression filled with cushions.There they laid Garin.At the top of the bubble, a pinkish cloud formed.He watched it drowsily until he fell asleep.Something warm stirred against his bare shoulder.He opened his eyes, for a moment unable to remember where he was.Then there was a plucking at the robe twisted about him and he looked down.If the lizard-folk had been goblin in their grotesqueness this visitor was elfin.It was about three feet high, its monkey-like body completely covered with silky white hair.The tiny hands were human in shape and hairless, but its feet were much like a cat’s paws.From either side of the small round head branched large fan-shaped ears.The face was furred and boasted stiff cat whiskers on the upper lip.These Anas, as Garin learned later, were happy little creatures, each one choosing some mistress or master among the Folk, as this one had come to him.They were content to follow their big protector, speechless with delight at trifling gifts.Loyal and brave, they could do simple tasks or carry written messages for their chosen friend, and they remained with him until death.They were neither beast nor human, but rumored to be the result of some experiment carried out eons ago by the Ancient Ones.After patting Garin’s shoulder the Ana touched the flyer’s hair wonderingly, comparing the bronze lengths with its own white fur.Since the Folk were hairless, hair was a strange sight in the Caverns.With a contented purr, it rubbed its bead against his hand.With a sudden click a door in the wall opened.The Ana got to its feet and ran to greet the newcomers.The chieftain of the Folk, he who had first discovered Garin, entered, followed by several of his fellows.The flyer sat up.Not only was the pain gone but he felt stronger and younger than he had for weary months.Exultingly he stretched wide his arms and grinned at the lizard-being who murmured happily in return.Lizard-men busied themselves about Garin, girding on him the short kilt and jewel-set belt which were the only clothing of the Caverns.When they were finished, the chieftain took his hand and drew him to the door.They traversed a hallway whose walls were carved and inlaid with glittering stones and metal work, coming, at last, into a huge cavern, the outer walls of which were hidden by shadows.On a dais stood three tall thrones and Garin was conducted to the foot of these.The highest throne was of rose crystal.On its right was one of green jade, worn smooth by centuries of time.At the left was the third, carved of a single block of jet.The rose throne and that of jet were unoccupied, but in the seat of jade reposed one of the Folk.He was taller than his fellows, and in his eyes, as he stared at Garin, was wisdom—and a brooding sadness.“It is well!” The words resounded in the flyer’s head.“We have chosen wisely.This youth is fit to mate with the Daughter.But he will be tried, as fire tries metal.He must win the Daughter forth and strive with Kepta—”A hissing murmur echoed through the hall.Garin guessed that hundreds of the Folk must be gathered there,“Urg!” the being on the throne commanded.The chieftain moved a step toward the dais.“Do you take this youth and instruct him.And then will I speak with him again.For—” sadness colored the words now—“We would have the rose throne filled again and the black one blasted into dust.Time moves swiftly.”The Chieftain led a wondering Garin away.IIIURG BROUGHT the flyer into one of the bubble-shaped rooms which contained a low, cushioned bench facing a metal screen—and here they seated themselves.What followed was a language lesson.On the screen appeared objects which Urg would name, to have his sibilant uttering repeated by Garin.As the American later learned, the ray treatment he had undergone had quickened his mental powers, and in an incredibly short time he had a working vocabulary.Judging by the pictures the lizard folk were the rulers of the crater world, although there were other forms of life there.The elephant-like Tand was a beast of burden, the squirrel-like Eron lived underground and carried on a crude agriculture in small clearings, coming shyly twice a year to exchange grain for a liquid rubber produced by the Folk [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]