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been modified by 112hereditary transmission； and suited to the food on
which we now exist； nor are even the barbarians； who adopt the turbulent
and ferocious institutions of Glek…Nas； devourers of flesh like beasts of
prey。
〃In the course of this dispute it was proposed to dissect you； but Taee
begged you off； and the Tur being； by office； averse to all novel
experiments at variance with our custom of sparing life； except where it is
clearly proved to be for the good of the community to take it； sent to me；
whose business it is； as the richest man of the state； to afford hospitality to
strangers from a distance。 It was at my option to decide whether or not
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you were a stranger whom I could safely admit。 Had I declined to
receive you； you would have been handed over to the College of Sages；
and what might there have befallen you I do not like to conjecture。 Apart
from this danger； you might chance to encounter some child of four years
old； just put in possession of his vril staff； and who； in alarm at your
strange appearance； and in the impulse of the moment； might reduce you
to a cinder。 Taee himself was about to do so when he first saw you； had
his father not checked his hand。 Therefore I say you cannot travel alone；
but with Zee you would be safe； and I have no doubt that she would
accompany you on a tour round the neighbouring communities of Vril…ya
（to the savage states； No！）： I will ask her。〃
Now； as my main object in proposing to travel was to escape from Zee；
I hastily exclaimed； 〃Nay； pray do not！ I relinquish my design。 You have
said enough as to its dangers to deter me from it； and I can scarcely think
it right that a young Gy of the personal attractions of your lovely daughter
should travel into other regions without a better protector than a Tish of
my insignificant strength and stature。〃
Aph…Lin emitted the soft sibilant sound which is the nearest approach
to laughter that a full…grown An permits to himself； ere he replied： 〃Pardon
my discourteous but momentary indulgence of mirth at any observation
seriously made by my 113guest。 I could not but be amused at the idea of
Zee； who is so fond of protecting others that children call her 'THE
GUARDIAN；' needing a protector herself against any dangers arising
from the audacious admiration of males。 Know that our Gy…ei； while
unmarried； are accustomed to travel alone among other tribes； to see if
they find there some An who may please them more than the Ana they find
at home。 Zee has already made three such journeys； but hitherto her
heart has been untouched。〃
Here the opportunity which I sought was afforded to me； and I said；
looking down； and with faltering voice； 〃Will you； my kind host； promise
to pardon me； if what I am about to say gives offence？〃
〃Say only the truth； and I cannot be offended； or； could I be so； it
would not be for me； but for you to pardon。〃
〃Well； then； assist me to quit you； and； much as I should have like to
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witness more of the wonders； and enjoy more of the felicity； which belong
to your people； let me return to my own。〃
〃I fear there are reasons why I cannot do that； at all events； not without
permission of the Tur； and he； probably； would not grant it。 You are not
destitute of intelligence； you may （though I do not think so） have
concealed the degree of destructive powers possessed by your people； you
might； in short； bring upon us some danger； and if the Tur entertains that
idea； it would clearly be his duty； either to put an end to you； or enclose
you in a cage for the rest of your existence。 But why should you wish to
leave a state of society which you so politely allow to be more felicitous
than your own？〃
〃Oh； Aph…Lin！ My answer is plain。 Lest in naught； and unwittingly；
I should betray your hospitality； lest； in the caprice of will which in our
world is proverbial among the other sex； and from which even a Gy is not
free； your adorable daughter should deign to regard me； though a Tish； as
if I were a civilised An； and… and… and…〃 114 〃Court you as her spouse；〃
put in Aph…Lin； gravely； and without any visible sign of surprise or
displeasure。
〃You have said it。〃
〃That would be a misfortune；〃 resumed my host； after a pause； 〃and I
feel you have acted as you ought in warning me。 It is； as you imply； not
uncommon for an unwedded Gy to conceive tastes as to the object she
covets which appear whimsical to others； but there is no power to compel
a young Gy to any course opposed to that which she chooses to pursue。
All we can to is to reason with her； and experience tells us that the whole
College of Sages would find it vain to reason with a Gy in a matter that
concerns her choice in love。 I grieve for you； because such a marriage
would be against the A…glauran； or good of the community； for the
children of such a marriage would adulterate the race： they might even
come into the world with the teeth of carnivorous animals； this could not
be allowed： Zee； as a Gy； cannot be controlled； but you； as a Tish； can be
destroyed。 I advise you； then； to resist her addresses； to tell her plainly
that you can never return her love。 This happens constantly。 Many an
An； however； ardently wooed by one Gy； rejects her； and puts an end to
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her persecution by wedding another。 The same course is open to you。〃
〃No； for I cannot wed another Gy without equally injuring the
community； and exposing it to the chance of rearing carnivorous children。〃
〃That is true。 All I can say； and I say it with the tenderness due to a
Tish； and the respect due to a guest； is frankly this… if you yield； you will
become a cinder。 I must leave it to you to take the best way you can to
defend yourself。 Perhaps you had better tell Zee that she is ugly。 That
assurance on the lips of him she woos generally suffices to chill the most
ardent Gy。 Here we are at my country…house。〃 115
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CHAPTER XXIII。
I confess that my conversation with Aph…Lin； and the extreme
coolness with which he stated his inability to control the dangerous
caprice of his daughter； and treated the idea of the reduction into a cinder
to which her amorous flame might expose my too seductive person； took
away the pleasure I should otherwise have had in the contemplation of my
host's country…seat； and the astonishing perfection of the machinery by
which his farming operations were conducted。 The house differed in
appearance from the massive and sombre building which Aph…Lin
inhabited in the city； and which seemed akin to the rocks out of which the
city itself had been hewn into shape。 The walls of the country…seat were
composed by trees placed a few feet apart from each other； the interstices
being filled in with the transparent metallic substance which serves the
purpose of glass among the Ana。 These trees were all in flower； and the
effect was very pleasing； if not in the best taste。 We were received at the
porch by life…like automata； who conducted us into a chamber； the like to
which I never saw before； but have often on summer days dreamily
imagined。 It was a bower… half room； half garden。 The walls were one
mass of climbing flowers。 The open spaces； which we call windows； and
in which； here； the metallic surfaces were slided back； commanded various
views； some； of the wide landscape with its lakes and rocks； some； of
small limited expanses answering to our conservatories； filled with tiers of
flowers。 Al