Page:Meda - a tale of the future.djvu/42

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38
MEDA:

inches square, and by means of a short pointed metal pin he scratched with wonderful rapidity what I felt was a full and true description of the curious stranger. He then placed it on a little square stool that stood on the ground near him, put his finger on a button, and it was immediately carried, or spirited away towards the building. He then deliberately came up to me, first looking at my face with a long intent rude stare, then he walked three times round me, surveying my back, front and sides, but never opening his lips. I began to wonder what would come next, when I heard a slight clank on the stool, and there lay a bright plate similar to the one that he had sent away a few seconds previously. The sage advanced and lifted the plate, which evidently contained the reply to his message. Having read it he came up to me, and addressed me in Latin, thus: "What are you?" I replied "A Man." At this answer he smiled and said, "You mean you are an antiquated specimen of an extinct race!" This put me on my mettle, and made me feel