of the existence of that incredible power of communicating thought without the intervention of spoken language to which I have before referred.
It might, perhaps, be described as a kind of telepathy. I have already told you that at the first glance into the eyes of the Aphrodite who commanded the air-craft, I felt that in some strange manner those eyes could speak. And so they could.
They all had a language of the eyes—or, at least, a language that seemed to radiate from them. I thought of the speculations of a German enthusiast that I had read, concerning "odic force."
And yet they spoke with their lips, also, in low, soft tones, exceedingly agreeable to the ear. But this language of sounds was only a subsidiary method of communication. The other was the tongue of nature, and we felt that our minds could comprehend it, although at first only in a dim, uncertain way. We did not know exactly how to reply, but they understood us.
A Language and No Language
They seemed to read our souls. We had only to think what we would say, and with amazing readiness they interpreted many of our thoughts. It was mind-reading carried to perfection.
So no long time had elapsed before an astonishing degree of mutual comprehension was established. Juba comprehended even quicker than we did, which was but natural, and yet these blond, clean-skinned people were as much astonished at his appearance as at ours.
It was evident that the inhabitants of the two sides of this strange world had never before encountered one another. Still, they seemed to understand instinctively that Juba, for all his extraordinary features and his baboon-like form, was more closely allied to them than to us.
Edmund, who so greatly excelled the rest of us in intellectual force, made rapid progress in the unparalleled intercourse which now began. To our surprise, it was not long before he told us the name of the beautiful commanded, or one of them, for he said she seemed to have several names—one or more of which, he thought, might be titles.
"They call her Ala," he said; "at least, that is as near as I can pronounce it, and we may as well accept that for her name."
As soon as it became evident that we had nothing to fear from these people—at least, for the present—Jack's enthusiasm knew no bounds.
"Jove! Edmund," he said, "but I thank you for bringing me here. This is Venus, without a doubt."
Later, I shall tell you more about that wonderful language, which was at the same time no language and all language—for it developed into things infinitely more incredible than any that I have yet related. But enough for the present.
You can now comprehend how it was that, landing in another world, we were able so soon to establish an understanding, and even an intimacy, with its inhabitants. Believe me, on the earth nobody has yet begun to dream what mind means.
Edmund soon made Ala understand that we wished to journey into the lands lying beyond the shores of the sea. He told us afterward that his conjecture had been right, and that the air-ships were really on an exploring expedition along the borders of the world of light, because the inhabitants on that side of Venus had a great curiosity to know what lay beyond the storms and clouds in the mysterious empire of night.
Evidently, it was the violent tempests which prevailed near the crystal mountains that prevented the passage of their aerial craft. The mountains themselves they had never seen. But they felt that they had made a discovery of the first magnitude in finding us, for they took us to be inhabitants of the other side of the planet, although they were puzzled by the manifest difference between Juba and the rest.
A Magnificent Reception
I may say here that, although the light was more diffused and softer under the cloudlike dome than in the sunshine that prevails on the earth, Juba's huge eyes suffered so much that we contrived for him a mask to protect them. Later on he became better able to bear the light.
Feeling that their expedition had been crowned with unlooked-for success, our new friends were ready to gratify Edmund's desire by hurrying back to their home. Only one difficulty was encountered at the start. Edmund refused absolutely to abandon the car.
It was, of course, indispensable to us, and he was sure that he could repair the apparatus, once in possession of the materials that he required. Finally it was arranged that the car should be attached to one of the airships and towed after it as we had towed the sleds.
But Ala insisted that we should become her guests on her "yacht," as Jack called it, and we gladly consented.
We saw no danger, and apprehended none immediately. Nevertheless, we kept our automatic pistols in our pockets, and each also armed himself with an automatic repeating-rifle. Our hosts showed no special curiosity about these things, the nature of which they did not understand.
The airships were extremely ingenious. Edmund examined the one we were on from stem to stern, and I have no doubt that when he was through he understood it quite as well as its builders did. It was lucky that he did.
"If they had my secret," he said to us, "they would be incomparable. They are a great people."
"All the more pity that you brought nothing better than automatic arms," said Jack.
"I don't believe that they have anything as good in that line," Edmund replied. "From what I can make out, they are not much given to fighting."
We made rapid progress, and after twenty-four hours came in sight of land.
The coast was not high, but far beyond it we could see ranges of mountains; and apparently rising from the foot-hills of these mountains there were visible curious objects, the nature of which we could not make out from so great a distance.
They resembled immense floating cobwebs as much as anything that I can liken them to. Edmund tried to find out from Ala what it was that
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