all along the line of the centuries.
No one can estimate my interest as I continued the conversation. But
finally I decided to stroll through certain parts of the city and,
thinking it advisable to give no notice of my departure, I suddenly
vanished from his sight. However, before leaving the room, I observed
that my bewildered auditor conjectured for a long time and reached his
former conclusion that he had been in touch with an apparition.
Again I resumed my visible form and walked along one of the principal
streets of the city. What novel sights greeted my eyes on every side!
One cannot well imagine what excitement I aroused. Citizens who first
saw me lifted their flabby arms in terror and ran to the city Bizen, a
place where every inhabitant, under oath, is obliged to carry special
news before communicating it elsewhere.
[Illustration: Visiting a City on the Moon.]
In a very short time the city Plins, or in our language, city
authorities, were coming toward me in their costly vehicles. They were
preceded, however, by what we would call a body guard. Imagine their
surprise to hear me shout at the top of my voice, which sounded to them
as thunder would to us: "You need not fear, I will do you no harm!"
My voice had a magical effect on the assembling host of pigmies. They
looked at me with as much curiosity as I looked at them. I stepped over
their heads but was careful not to trample on the children who scampered
at my approach. If one could ship a car load of these children to the
Earth, they would make excellent dolls, for they range in size from only
six to ten inches. Finally, I sat on the roof of one of their lower
buildings to watch the gathering of the multitudes and study their
curious countenances.
Some of the more educated, seeing that I was peacefully inclined,
ventured close to my knees and then looked the more intently into my
face, all of which was agreeable, as it enabled me to get a still closer
view of their faces.
I saw that the whole city was turning out, and I wondered how the alarm
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