The three young people could say nothing in answer.  The doctor, however, spoke thoughtfully: 

“Perhaps it is superfluous; but—­tell me—­have you done away with injustice, Estra?”

“That is just the point,” agreed the Venusian.  “Justice took the place of pity and mercy; it was so long ago I am barely able to appreciate your own views on the subject.”

Billie, her ankle somewhat better, turned to examine other work; but at the moment another Venusian approached from the upper end of the lobby.  Walking slowly, he carried four small parcels with a great deal of effort, and the explorers had time to scrutinize him closely.

He was built much like Estra, but shorter, and with a little more flesh about the torso.  His forehead bulged directly over his eyes, instead of above his ears, as did Estra’s; also his eyes were smaller and not as far apart.  His whole expression was equally kind and affable, despite a curiously shriveled appearance of his lips; they made the front of his mouth quite flat, and served to take attention away from his pitifully thin legs.

Estra greeted him with a cheery phrase, in a language decidedly different from any the explorers were familiar with.  In a way, it was Spanish, or, rather, the pure Castilian tongue; but it seemed to be devoid of dental consonants.  It was very agreeable to listen to.

Estra, however, had taken the four parcels from his comrade, and now presented him to the four, saying that his name was Kalara, and that he was a machinist.  “He cannot use your tongue,” said the Venusian.  “Few of us have mastered it.  There are difficulties.

“As for these machines”—­unwrapping the parcels—­“I must apologize in advance for certain defects in their design.  I invented them under pressure, so to speak, having to perfect the whole idea in the rather short time that has elapsed since you, doctor, began the sky-car.”

“And what is the purpose of the machines?” from Billie, as she was about to accept the first of the devices from the Venusian.

For some reason he appeared to be especially interested in the girl, and addressed half of his remarks to her; and it was while his smiling gaze was fixed upon her eyes that he gave the answer: 

“They are to serve”—­very carefully—­“partly as lexicons and partly as grammars.  In short, they are mechanical interpreters.”

VI

THE TRANSLATING MACHINES

“First, let me remind you,” said the Venusian, “of our lack of certain elements that you are familiar with on the Earth.  We have never been able to improve on the common telephone.  That is why we must still assemble in person whenever we have any collective activity; while on the Earth the time will come when your wireless principle will be developed to the point of transmitting both light and sound; and after that there will be little need of gatherings of any sort.”