Medium—I fear that I also am unequal to a description of it. It appears to be better fitted for chemical experiments than for a kitchen. What a large, sunny, airy room it is and what a variety of utensils. I cannot even guess at the uses of many of them. Am I mistaken in supposing that these bowls and platters and some of these pretty vessels are of gold and silver? No? Then those metals must be very plentiful, or the owner of this residence very rich. As sure as I live here is a weighing apparatus, and in design not very unlike one I use in my own kitchen. What are you saying, George? That one touch of nature makes worlds akin. Well, while this is not a touch of nature, it has a wonderfully homelike appearance. And here is a cooking range, but it is not designed for the use of coal, wood or gas. I wonder what kind of fuel these people use? De L'Ester, can you enlighten me?
De L'Ester—Since a very remote time the people of this Planet have for heating, lighting and as a motive power used electricity. In this instance it is the heating agent.
Medium—And Earth's peoples, who regard themselves as highly evolved humans, are only beginning to learn of the many uses to which it may be applied. One cannot question the fact that the same metals used on Earth are used on Mars, for here are vessels and utensils of gold, silver, iron, copper, tin, and what looks like brass, and of alloys new to me. Then here are vessels which I shall call porcelain, and there are various other wares similar to some with which I am familiar. I cannot find words to express my amazement at all this, it seems so utterly incredible, and yet I cannot question the evidence of my own senses. A woman with a genius for cooking would be enchanted with this kitchen. Is the dining-room as well worth seeing?
De L'Ester—It may be, but the family being absent, to an extent it is dismantled, so we prefer that you should not see it. Then, too, we have in mind a certain dining-hall which we purpose showing to you.
Now we will look through the rooms at the front of the dwelling. We will enter this one on the right. What a superb apartment, so spacious, so sumptuously furnished. Art and luxurious appointments combined have produced charming effects. Here, and elsewhere, we anticipate the pleasure of showing you many evidences of the wealth and culture of the Marsians. Before proceeding further we desire to inform you of something which, for a reason, until now, we have withheld. This Planet, known to Earth's peoples as Mars, is, by its inhabitants, known as Ento, which, in their language, signifies CHOSEN, or SET APART. They believe that as an expression of His love, Andûmana, the Supreme One, created Ento, and that when their home was prepared for their occupation He created His children, who with other living things should manifest the power and greatness of His Divinity. In future we will speak of the Planet as Ento, and of its peoples as Entoans, and during our journeyings and investigations you will learn that on Ento there is a state of civilization and consequent culture quite in advance of that of our own immature Planet.
Observe now those paintings. What marvellous creations they are. And those sculptured forms, so beautiful, so true to nature. Only the mind of a genius and the hand of a master could have conceived and executed either of them.
Here is a masterpiece. I know not what title the artist may have given it. I shall name it "Love's Awakening." It represents the sculptured form of a young girl just budding into womanhood. How charming is the angelic expression of her upturned eyes and smiling lips. The face, no longer that of a child, yet scarcely that of a woman, is rarely beautiful. She seems to be listening to Love's first whisperings, and almost one can fancy her lovely mouth tremulous.
So eloquent is the silence of her slightly parted lips, that in expectant attention, one listens for the faint murmurings of a soul awakened to the infinite possibilities of the passion, which welds into a unit all things animate and inanimate. Observe that the drapery, half concealing, half revealing the exquisite form, is as transparent as a mist wreath. Truly it is a marvellous expression of art. These friends and I are not unused to the finest representations of art of many planets, yet seldom have we seen a piece of sculpture equal this; still less seldom have we seen one surpassing it in design, or excellence of execution.
No, madame, the extent of this collection is not unusual, for the Entoans are liberal patrons of the arts. But we will look further.
Here, on a grassy knoll, is a group of three quite young boys, their forms lightly clothed in loose garments, which but partly conceal their rounded, shapely limbs. The middle, and larger boy, holds on his knees a book, from which apparently he reads a stirring story, to which the other boys listen with rapt attention, their beautiful faces expressing liveliest emotion. Notwithstanding that this group does not strongly appeal to the imagination, there is that which obliges one to feel that in it the sculptor has embodied much love and a reverence for art.