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or sometimes short； and all maids were not complacent by such universal agree… ment。〃
The girl was clearly perplexed。 She stared at me a space； then said； 〃What have wooings long or short to do with weddings？ You talk as if you did your wooing first and then came to marriagewe get married first and woo after… wards！〃
〃'Tis not a bad idea； and I can see it might lend an ease and certainty to the pastime which our method lacks。 But if the woman is got first and sued subsequently； who brings you together？ Who sees to the essential preliminaries of assortment？〃
An； looking at my shoes as though she speculated on the remoteness of the journey I had come if it were measured by my ignorance； replied； 〃The urn； stranger； the urn does thatwhat else？ How it may be in that out…fashioned region you have come from I cannot tell； but here'tis so commonplace I should have thought you must have known itwe put each new year the names of all womenkind into an urn and the men draw for them； each town； each village by itself； and those they draw are theirs； is it conceivable your race has other methods？〃
I told her it was sowe picked and chose for ourselves； beseeching the damsels； fighting for them； and holding the sun of romance was at its setting just where the Martians held it to rise。 Whereat An burst out laughinga clear； ringing laugh that set all the light…hearted folk in the nearest boats laughing in sympathy。 But when the grotesqueness of the idea had somewhat worn off； she turned grave and asked me if such a fancy did not lead to spite； envy； and bickerings。 〃Why； it seems to me；〃 she said； shaking her curly head； 〃such a plan might fire cities； desolate plains； and empty palaces〃
〃Such things have been。〃
〃Ah！ our way is much the better。 See！〃 quoth that gentle philosopher。 〃'Here；' one of our women would say； 'am I to…day； unwed； as free of thought as yonder bird chasing the catkin down； tomorrow I shall be married； with a whole summer to make love in； relieved at one bound of all those uncertainties you acknowledge to； with nothing to do but lie about on sunny banks with him whom chance sends me； come to the goal of love without any travelling to get there。' Why； you must acknowledge this is the per… fection of ease。〃
〃But supposing；〃 I said； 〃chance dealt unkindly to you from your nuptial urn； supposing the man was not to your liking； or another coveted him？〃 To which An answered； with some shrewdness
〃In the first case we should do what we might； being no worse off than those in your land who had played ill providence to themselves。 In the second； no maid would covet him whom fate had given to another； it were too fatiguing； or if such a thing DID happen； then one of them would waive his claims； for no man or woman ever born was worth a wrangle； and it is allowed us to barter and change a little。〃
All this was strange enough。 I could not but laugh； while An laughed at the lightest invitation； and thus chatting and deriding each other's social arrangements we floated idly townwards and presently came out into the main waterway perhaps a mile wide and flowing rapidly； as streams will on the threshold of the spring； with brash or waste of distant beaches riding down it； and every now and then a broken branch or tree…stem glancing through waves whose crests a fresh wind lifted and sowed in golden showers in the inter… vening furrows。 The Martians seemed expert upon the water； steering nimbly between these floating dangers when they met them； but for the most part hugging the shore where a more placid stream better suited their fancies； and for a time all went well。
An； as we went along； was telling me more of her strange country； pointing out birds or flowers and naming them to me。 〃Now that；〃 she said； pointing to a small grey owl who sat reflective on a floating log we were approaching 〃that is a bird of omen； cover your face and look away； for it is not well to watch it。〃
Whereat I laughed。 〃Oh！〃 I answered； 〃so those ancient follies have come as far as this； have they？ But it is no bird grey or black or white that can frighten folk where I come from； see； I will ruffle his philosophy for him；〃 and suiting the action to the words I lifted a pebble that happened to lie at the bottom of the boat and flung it at that creature with the melancholy eyes。 Away went the owl； dipping his wings into the water at every stroke； and as he went wailing out a ghostly cry； which even amongst sunshine and glitter made one's flesh creep。
An shook her head。 〃You should not have done that；〃 she said； 〃our dead whom we send down over the falls come back in the body of yonder little bird。 But he has gone now；〃 she added； with relief； 〃see； he settles far up stream upon the point of yonder rotten bough； I would not disturb him again if I were you〃
Whatever more An would have said was lost； for amidst a sound of flutes and singing round the bend of the river below came a crowd of boats decked with flowers and gar… lands； all clustering round a barge barely able to move； so thick those lesser skiffs pressed upon it。 So close those wherries hung about that the garlanded rowers who sat at the oars could scarcely pull； but； here as everywhere； it was the same good temper； the same carelessness of order； as like a flowery island in the dancing blue water the motley fleet came up。
I steered our skiff a space out from the bank to get a better view； while An clapped her hands together and laughed。 〃It is Hathhe himself and those of the palace with him。 Steer a little nearer still； friendso！ between yon floating rubbish flats； for those with Hath are good to look at。〃
Nothing loth I made out into mid…stream to see that strange prince go by； little thinking in a few minutes I should be shaking hands with him； a wet and dripping hero。 The crowd came up； and having the advantage of the wind； it did not take me long to get a front place in the ruck； whence I set to work； with republican interest in royalty； to stare at the man who An said was the head of Martian society。 He did not make me desire to renounce my demo… cratic principles。 The royal fellow was sitting in the centre of the barge under a canopy and on a throne which was a mass of flowers； not bunched together as they would have been with us； but so cunningly arranged that they rose from the footstool to the pinnacle in a rhythm of colour； a poem in bud and petals the like of which for harmonious beauty I could not have imagined possible。 And in this fairy den was a thin； gaunt young man； dressed in some sort of black stuff so nondescript that it amounted to little more than a shadow。 I took it for granted that a substance of bone and muscle was covered by that gloomy suit； but it was the face above that alone riveted my gaze and made me return the stare he gave me as we came up with re… doubled interest。 It was not an unhandsome face； but ashy grey in colour and amongst the insipid countenances of the Martians about him marvellously thoughtful。 I do not know whether those who had killed themselves by learn… ing ever leave ghosts behind； but if so this was the very ideal for such a one。 At his feet I noticed； when I un… hooked my eyes from his at last； sat a girl in a loose coral pink gown who was his very antipode。 Princess Heru； for so she was called； was resting one arm upon his knee at our approach and pulling a blue convolvulus bud to piecesa charming picture of dainty idleness。 Anything so soft； so silken as that little lady was never seen before。 Who am I； a poor quarter…deck loafer； that I should attempt to describe what poet and painter alike would have failed to realise？ I know； of course； your stock descriptives： the melting eye； the coral lip； the peachy cheek； the raven tress； but these were coined for mortal womanand this was not one of them。 I will not attempt to describe the glorious tenderness of those eyes she turned upon me presently； the glowing radiance of her skin； the infinite grace of every action； the incredible soul…searching harmony of her voice； when later on I heard ityou must gather something of these things as I gosuffice it to say that when I saw her there for the first time in the plenitude of her beauty I fell desperately； wildly in love with her。
Meanwhile； even the most infatuated of mortals cannot stare for ever without saying something。 The grating of our prow against the garlanded side of the royal barge roused me from my reverie； and nodding to An； to imply I would be back presently； I lightly jumped on to Hath's vessel； and； with the assurance of a free and independent American voter； approached that individual； holding out my palm； and saying as I did so；
〃Shake hands； Mr。 President！〃
The prince came forward at my bidding and extending his hand for mine。 He bowed slow and sedately； in that peculiar way the Martians have； a ripple of gratified civility passing up his flesh； lower and lower he bowed； until his face was over our clasped hands； and then； with simple courtesy； he kissed my finger…tips！ This was somewhat em… barrassing。 It was not like the procedure followed in Courts nearer to Washington than this one； as far as my reading went； and； withdrawing my fingers hastily； I turned to