* I never had observed it; and, if I had, am not physiologist enough to have distinguished the difference.

“It is, indeed, maintained by Zee and other philosophers, that as, in remote ages, the Ana did prey upon living beings of the brute species, their teeth must have been fitted for that purpose.  But, even if so, they have been modified by hereditary transmission, and suited to the food on which we now exist; nor are even the barbarians, who adopt the turbulent and ferocious institutions of Glek-Nas, devourers of flesh like beasts of prey.

“In the course of this dispute it was proposed to dissect you; but Taee begged you off, and the Tur being, by office, averse to all novel experiments at variance with our custom of sparing life, except where it is clearly proved to be for the good of the community to take it, sent to me, whose business it is, as the richest man of the state, to afford hospitality to strangers from a distance.  It was at my option to decide whether or not you were a stranger whom I could safely admit.  Had I declined to receive you, you would have been handed over to the College of Sages, and what might there have befallen you I do not like to conjecture.  Apart from this danger, you might chance to encounter some child of four years old, just put in possession of his vril staff; and who, in alarm at your strange appearance, and in the impulse of the moment, might reduce you to a cinder.  Taee himself was about to do so when he first saw you, had his father not checked his hand.  Therefore I say you cannot travel alone, but with Zee you would be safe; and I have no doubt that she would accompany you on a tour round the neighbouring communities of Vril-ya (to the savage states, No!):  I will ask her.”

Now, as my main object in proposing to travel was to escape from Zee, I hastily exclaimed, “Nay, pray do not!  I relinquish my design.  You have said enough as to its dangers to deter me from it; and I can scarcely think it right that a young Gy of the personal attractions of your lovely daughter should travel into other regions without a better protector than a Tish of my insignificant strength and stature.”

Aph-Lin emitted the soft sibilant sound which is the nearest approach to laughter that a full-grown An permits to himself, ere he replied:  “Pardon my discourteous but momentary indulgence of mirth at any observation seriously made by my guest.  I could not but be amused at the idea of Zee, who is so fond of protecting others that children call her ‘the Guardian,’ needing a protector herself against any dangers arising from the audacious admiration of males.  Know that our Gy-ei, while unmarried, are accustomed to travel alone among other tribes, to see if they find there some An who may please them more than the Ana they find at home.  Zee has already made three such journeys, but hitherto her heart has been untouched.”

Here the opportunity which I sought was afforded to me, and I said, looking down, and with faltering voice, “Will you, my kind host, promise to pardon me, if what I am about to say gives offence?”