Chapter 18 Summary

That night, Ransom sleeps in a guesthouse filled with creatures of all three types of Malacandrian. They spend their time telling stories and making jokes. While Ransom understands the words of the jokes, he does not inderstand their humor.

He awakens very early the next morning to the voice of an eldil summoning him to Oyarsa. Dressing rapidly, Ransom is anxious about the meeting, although not afraid. He makes his way to the top of the island, where he finds a great number of Malacandrians lining either side of the broad avenue. The sky is filled with eldil. He stops in the center and says nothing. Everyone is silent.

After waiting a long while in silence, Ransom becomes aware of a sound of motion and sees all the creatures standing and bowing their heads. He is aware that Oyarsa is coming, although he...