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a minute； to break it； I exclaimed
〃Let's drop personalities； old chapI mean my dear Miss An。 Tell me
something about your people； and let us begin properly at the top： have
you got a king； for instance？〃
To this the girl； pulling herself out of the pleasant slough of her
listlessness； and falling into my vein； answered
〃Both yes and no； sir traveller from afarno chiefly； and yet perhaps
yes。 If it were no then it were so； and if yes then Hath were our king。〃
〃A mild king I should judge by your uncertainty。 In the place where I
came from kings press their individualities somewhat more clearly on their
subjects' minds。 Is Hath here in the city？ Does he come to your feasts
today？〃
An nodded。 Hath was on the river； he had been to see the sunrise；
even now she thought the laughter and singing down behind the bend
might be the king's barge coming up citywards。 〃He will not be late；〃
said my companion； 〃because the marriage…feast is set for tomorrow in the
palace。〃
I became interested。 Kings； palaces； marriage…feastswhy； here was
something substantial to go upon； after all these gauzy folk might turn out
good fellows； jolly com… rades to sojourn amongstand marriage…feasts
reminded me again I was hungry。
〃Who is it；〃 I asked； with more interest in my tone； 〃who gets
married？is it your ambiguous king himself？〃
Whereat An's purple eyes broadened with wonder： then as though she
would not be uncivil she checked herself； and answered with smothered
pity for my ignorance； 〃Not only Hath himself； but every one； stranger；
they are all married tomorrow； you would not have them married one at a
time； would you？〃this with inexpressible derision。
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I said； with humility； something like that happened in the place I came
from； asking her how it chanced the convenience of so many came to one
climax at the same mo… ment。 〃Surely； An； this is a marvel of
arrangement。 Where I dwelt wooings would sometimes be long 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
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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
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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 bette