“He paused.  I was about to reply when he resumed.  He proceeded to remarks of which the drift was not very clear, though I am inclined to think they were intended to be complimentary.  He told me that the earth was to the moon what the sun is to the earth, and that the Selenites desired very greatly to learn about the earth and men.  He then told me no doubt in compliment also, the relative magnitude and diameter of earth and moon, and the perpetual wonder and speculation with which the Selenites had regarded our planet.  I meditated with downcast eyes, and decided to reply that men too had wondered what might lie in the moon, and had judged it dead, little recking of such magnificence as I had seen that day.  The Grand Lunar, in token of recognition, caused his long blue rays to rotate in a very confusing manner, and all about the great hall ran the pipings and whisperings and rustlings of the report of what I had said.  He then proceeded to put to Phi-oo a number of inquiries which were easier to answer.

“He understood, he explained, that we lived on the surface of the earth, that our air and sea were outside the globe; the latter part, indeed, he already knew from his astronomical specialists.  He was very anxious to have more detailed information of what he called this extraordinary state of affairs, for from the solidity of the earth there had always been a disposition regard it as uninhabitable.  He endeavoured first to ascertain the extremes of temperature to which we earth beings were exposed, and he was deeply interested by my descriptive treatment of clouds and rain.  His imagination was assisted by the fact that the lunar atmosphere in the outer galleries of the night side is not infrequently very foggy.  He seemed inclined to marvel that we did not find the sunlight too intense for our eyes, and was interested in my attempt to explain that the sky was tempered to a bluish colour through the refraction of the air, though I doubt if he clearly understood that.  I explained how the iris of the human eyes can contract the pupil and save the delicate internal structure from the excess of sunlight, and was allowed to approach within a few feet of the Presence in order that this structure might be seen.  This led to a comparison of the lunar and terrestrial eyes.  The former is not only excessively sensitive to such light as men can see, but it can also see heat, and every difference in temperature within the moon renders objects visible to it.

“The iris was quite a new organ to the Grand Lunar.  For a time he amused himself by flashing his rays into my face and watching my pupils contract.  As a consequence, I was dazzled and blinded for some little time....

“But in spite of that discomfort I found something reassuring by insensible degrees in the rationality of this business of question and answer.  I could shut my eyes, think of my answer, and almost forget that the the Grand Lunar has no face....