“I ascended the staircase by jerks.  It seemed to me that this darkly glowing brain case above us spread over me, and took more and more of the whole effect into itself as I drew nearer.  The tiers of attendants and helpers grouped about their master seemed to dwindle and fade into the night.  I saw that shadowy attendants were busy spraying that great brain with a cooling spray, and patting and sustaining it.  For my own part, I sat gripping my swaying litter and staring at the Grand Lunar, unable to turn my gaze aside.  And at last, as I reached a little landing that was separated only by ten steps or so from the supreme seat, the woven splendour of the music reached a climax and ceased, and I was left naked, as it were, in that vastness, beneath the still scrutiny of the Grand Lunar’s eyes.

“He was scrutinising the first man he had ever seen....

“My eyes dropped at last from his greatness to the ant figures in the blue mist about him, and then down the steps to the massed Selenites, still and expectant in their thousands, packed on the floor below.  Once again an unreasonable horror reached out towards me....  And passed.

“After the pause came the salutation.  I was assisted from my litter, and stood awkwardly while a number of curious and no doubt deeply symbolical gestures were vicariously performed for me by two slender officials.  The encyclopaedic galaxy of the learned that had accompanied me to the entrance of the last hall appeared two steps above me and left and right of me, in readiness for the Grand Lunar’s need, and Phi-oo’s pale brain placed itself about half-way up to the throne in such a position as to communicate easily between us without turning his back on either the Grand Lunar or myself.  Tsi-puff took up position behind him.  Dexterous ushers sidled sideways towards me, keeping a full face to the Presence.  I seated myself Turkish fashion, and Phi-oo and Tsi-puff also knelt down above me.  There came a pause.  The eyes of the nearer court went from me to the Grand Lunar and came back to me, and a hissing and piping of expectation passed across the hidden multitudes below and ceased.

“That humming ceased.

“For the first and last time in my experience the moon was silent.

“I became aware of a faint wheezy noise.  The Grand Lunar was addressing me.  It was like the rubbing of a finger upon a pane of glass.

“I watched him attentively for a time, and then glanced at the alert Phi-oo.  I felt amidst these slender beings ridiculously thick and fleshy and solid; my head all jaw and black hair.  My eyes went back to the Grand Lunar.  He had ceased; his attendants were busy, and his shining superfices was glistening and running with cooling spray.

“Phi-oo meditated through an interval.  He consulted Tsi-puff.  Then he began piping his recognisable English—­at first a little nervously, so that he was not very clear.

“’M’m—­the Grand Lunar—­wished to say—­wishes to say—­he gathers you are—­m’m—­men—­that you are a man from the planet earth.  He wishes to say that he welcomes you—­welcomes you—­and wishes to learn—­learn, if I may use the word—­the state of your world, and the reason why you came to this.’