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thin these waters；〃 said Taee。 〃Observe what shoals of fish are crowded together at the margin。 Even the great fishes with the small ones； who are their habitual prey and who generally shun them； all forget their instincts in the presence of a common destroyer。 This reptile certainly must belong to the class of Krek…a； which are more devouring than any other； and are said to be among the few surviving species of the world's dreadest inhabitants before the Ana were created。 The appetite of a Krek is insatiable… it feeds alike upon vegetable and animal life； but for the swift…footed creatures of the elk species it is too slow in its movements。 Its favourite dainty is an An when it can catch him unawares； and hence the Ana destroy it relentlessly whenever it enters their dominion。 I have heard that when our forefathers first cleared this country； these monsters； and others like them； abounded； and； vril being then undiscovered； many of our race were devoured。 It was impossible to exterminate them wholly till that discovery which constitutes the power and sustains the civilisation of our race。 But after the uses of vril became familiar to us； all creatures inimical to us were soon annihilated。 Still； once a…year or so； one of these enormous creatures wanders from the unreclaimed and savage districts beyond； and within my memory one has seized upon a young Gy who was bathing in this very lake。 Had she been on land and armed with her staff； it would not have dared even to show itself； for； like all savage creatures； the reptile has a marvellous instinct； which warns it against the bearer of the vril wand。 How they teach their young to avoid him； though seen for the first time； is one of those mysteries which you may ask Zee to explain； for I cannot。*
* The reptile in this instinct does but resemble our wild birds and animals； which will not come in reach of a man armed with a gun。 When the electric wires were first put up； partridges struck against them in their flight； and fell down wounded。 No younger generations of partridges meet with a similar accident。
98So long as I stand here； the monster will not stir from its lurking…place； but we must now decoy it forth。〃
〃Will that not be difficult？〃
〃Not at all。 Seat yourself yonder on that crag （about one hundred yards from the bank）； while I retire to a distance。 In a short time the reptile will catch sight or scent of you； and perceiving that you are no vril…bearer； will come forth to devour you。 As soon as it is fairly out of the water； it becomes my prey。〃
〃Do you mean to tell me that I am to be the decoy to that horrible monster which could engulf me within its jaws in a second！ I beg to decline。〃
The child laughed。 〃Fear nothing；〃 said he； 〃only sit still。〃
Instead of obeying the command； I made a bound； and was about to take fairly to my heels； when Taee touched me slightly on the shoulder； and； fixing his eyes steadily on mine； I was rooted to the spot。 All power of volition left me。 Submissive to the infant's gesture； I followed him to the crag he had indicated； and seated myself there in silence。 Most readers have seen something of the effects of electro…biology； whether genuine or spurious。 No professor of that doubtful craft had ever been able to influence a thought or a movement of mine； but I was a mere machine at the will of this terrible child。 Meanwhile he expanded his wings； soared aloft； and alighted amidst a copse at the brow of a hill at some distance。
I was alone； and turning my eyes with an indescribable sensation of horror towards the lake； I kept them fixed on its water； spell…bound。 It might be ten or fifteen minutes； to me it seemed ages； before the still surface； gleaming under the lamplight； began to be agitated towards the centre。 At the same time the shoals of fish near the margin evinced their sense of the enemy's approach by splash and leap and bubbling circle。 I could detect their hurried flight hither and thither； some even casting themselves ashore。 A long； dark； 99undulous furrow came moving along the waters； nearer and nearer； till the vast head of the reptile emerged… its jaws bristling with fangs； and its dull eyes fixing themselves hungrily on the spot where I sat motionless。 And now its fore feet were on the strand… now its enormous breast； scaled on either side as in armour； in the centre showing its corrugated skin of a dull venomous yellow； and now its whole length was on the land； a hundred feet or more from the jaw to the tail。 Another stride of those ghastly feet would have brought it to the spot where I sat。 There was but a moment between me and this grim form of death； when what seemed a flash of lightning shot through the air； smote； and； for a space of time briefer than that in which a man can draw his breath； enveloped the monster； and then； as the flash vanished； there lay before me a blackened； charred； smouldering mass； a something gigantic； but of which even the outlines of form were burned away； and rapidly crumbling into dust and ashes。 I remained still seated； still speechless； ice…cold with a new sensation of dread； what had been horror was now awe。
I felt the child's hand on my head… fear left me… the spell was broken… I rose up。 〃You see with what ease the Vril…ya destroy their enemies；〃 said Taee； and then； moving towards the bank； he contemplated the smouldering relics of the monster； and said quietly； 〃I have destroyed larger creatures； but none with so much pleasure。 Yes； it IS a Krek； what suffering it must have inflicted while it lived！〃 Then he took up the poor fishes that had flung themselves ashore； and restored them mercifully to their native element。
Chapter XIX。
As we walked back to the town； Taee took a new and circuitous way； in order to show me what； to use a familiar term； I will 100call the 'Station；' from which emigrants or travellers to other communities commence their journeys。 I had； on a former occasion； expressed a wish to see their vehicles。 These I found to be of two kinds； one for land journeys； one for aerial voyages： the former were of all sizes and forms； some not larger than an ordinary carriage； some movable houses of one story and containing several rooms； furnished according to the ideas of comfort or luxury which are entertained by the Vril…ya。 The aerial vehicles were of light substances； not the least resembling our balloons； but rather our boats and pleasure…vessels； with helm and rudder； with large wings or paddles； and a central machine worked by vril。 All the vehicles both for land or air were indeed worked by that potent and mysterious agency。
I saw a convoy set out on its journey； but it had few passengers； containing chiefly articles of merchandise； and was bound to a neighbouring community； for among all the tribes of the Vril…ya there is considerable commercial interchange。 I may here observe； that their money currency does not consist of the precious metals； which are too common among them for that purpose。 The smaller coins in ordinary use are manufactured from a peculiar fossil shell； the comparatively scarce remnant of some very early deluge； or other convulsion of nature； by which a species has become extinct。 It is minute； and flat as an oyster； and takes a jewel…like polish。 This coinage circulates among all the tribes of the Vril…ya。 Their larger transactions are carried on much like ours； by bills of exchange； and thin metallic plates which answer the purpose of our bank…notes。
Let me take this occasion of adding that the taxation among the tribe I became acquainted with was very considerable； compared with the amount of population。 But I never heard that any one grumbled at it； for it was devoted to purposes of universal utility； and indeed necessary to the civilisation of the tribe。 The cost of lighting so large a range of country； of providing 101for emigration； of maintaining the public buildings at which the various operations of national intellect were carried on； from the first education of an infant to the departments in which the College of Sages were perpetually trying new experiments in mechanical science； all these involved the necessity for considerable state funds。 To these I must add an item that struck me as very singular。 I have said that all the human labour required by the state is carried on by children up to the marriageable age。 For this labour the state pays； and at a rate immeasurably higher than our own remuneration to labour even in the United States。 According to their theory； every child； male or female； on attaining the marriageable age； and there terminating the period of labour； should have acquired enough for an independent competence during life。 As； no matter what the disparity of fortune in the parents； all the children must equally serve； so all are equally paid according to their several ages or the nature of their work。 Where the parents or friends choose to retain a child in their own service； they must pay into the public fund in the same ratio as the state pays to the children it employs； and this sum is handed over to the child when the period of service expires。 This practice serves； no doubt； to render the notion of social equality familiar and a