For they were all made of that semi-transparent stuff.  Of every conceivable tint and shade, the structure showed an utter lack of uniformity in size, shape or arrangement.  Moreover, the ground was absolutely packed with them; they spread as far as the eye could reach.

But if there was profusion, there also was confusion—­apparently.  Streets ran anywhere and everywhere; there was no visible system to anything.  And where there was no space for a building, invariably there was a shrub, a bush or a small tree of some kind, all in full flower.  The only sign of regularity to be seen was in the roofs—­practically all of them were flat.  Whether the building was some rambling, loosely gathered agglomeration of vari-colored wings, or a single, towering skyscraper of one tint, almost inevitably it was crowned with a perfectly level surface.

“I see,” said Van Emmon, thoughtfully.  “You have no rain.”

“Precisely”—­from Estra.  “We have the air completely under our control.  We give our vegetation artificial showers when we think it should have it, not when nature wills; and similarly we use electricity instead of sunlight that we may stimulate its growth.”

“In short”—­Van Emmon put it as the car slid slowly down the remaining distance—­“in short, you have abolished the weather.”

The Venusian nodded.  “And I’ll save you the trouble of suggesting,” he added, “that we are nothing more nor less than hothouse people!”

V

THE HUMAN CONSERVATORY

“But there is this difference,” he cautioned as they stepped out of the elevator into a sort of a plaza, “that, whereas you people on the earth have only begun to use the hothouse principle, we here have perfected it.

“I suggest that you waste no time looking for faults.”

Van Emmon stared at the doctor.  “How does this idea fit your theory, Kinney—­that Venus is simply the earth plus several thousand extra generations of civilization?”

“Fit?” echoed the doctor.  “Fits like a glove.  We humans are fast becoming a race of indoor-people despite all the various “back-to-nature” movements.  Look at the popularity of inclosed automobiles, for example.

“The only thing that surprises me”—­turning to their guide—­“is that you use your legs for their original purpose.”

Estra smiled, and pointed out something standing a few feet away.  It was a small, shuttle-shaped air-craft, with clear glass sides which had actually made them overlook it at first.  Peering closer they saw that the plaza and surrounding streets were nearly filled with these all but invisible cars.

The Venusian explained.  “You marvel that I use my legs and walk the same as you do.  I am glad you have brought up this point, because it is a fact that our people use mechanisms instead of bodily energy, almost altogether.  These cars you see are universally used for transportation.  I am one of the very few who appreciate the value of natural exercise.”