De L'Ester—As you will, madame, but I am of the opinion that my attempt will be quite as unsuccessful as your own. However, as no one is expected to describe the indescribable, our failures may be excusable.
Below us is the quiet lake, mirroring in its unruffled water the nearly cloudless azure sky and the slowly moving air Transports laden with people who evidently are enjoying the unusual scene. On either side of the entrance to the lake large numbers of people are massed, and as you perceive perfect order and decorum are observed. Indeed, among the Entoans, disorder is considered not only impolite, but indecent, as really it is.
The group occupying the foreground on this side of the entrance to the lake is composed of those who have conducted the stupendous undertaking, which has demanded infinite patience, endurance, versatility and engineering skill of the highest degree of excellence, yet not alone to engineering skill is due the credit of this achievement, for chemistry, too, has been a powerful factor in the destruction of the nearly impregnable vitrified wall of the lake. But the moment for the grand entry has arrived, so attention all.
As he advances toward the prow of the vessel what an imposing figure Omanos Fûnha̤ presents. His tall, fine form, clothed in crimson and gold, his long, curling, raven hued hair, bound back from his serene brow by a richly gemmed gold fillet, his large, dark, expressive eyes, like two veiled lamps, lighting up his bronze hued face, his handsome features expressing kindliest emotions, all contribute to render him a very striking and attractive man. Now, to stirring music, the rodel-decked flag ship moves toward the entrance to the lake, followed by the flower clad fleet of seventeen huge vessels. From a hundred or more air Transports showers of rodels and other blooms rain down upon them and the air is rent with the enthusiastic acclamation of the people in the Transports and of the multitudes below. It quickens one's pulsations, this wave of human emotion, but see now the flag ship pauses at the entrance of the passageway through the wall of the lake and the Most High Priest advances to Omanos Fûnha̤'s side, bearing in his hands a great tray of rodel blooms. We will descend a little so that you may more closely observe the Ceremony of the union of the Waterway with the lake.
Omanos Funha—Even as these fragrant rodel blooms open their golden hearts to the radiant beams of Diafon ēvoiha̤, so we, oh Andûmana̤, open our hearts to Thee that thus we may receive Thy love, which is the light and life of Thy children and of all living things. Through the knowledge which Thou hast imparted to Thy chosen ones they have brought to a successful conclusion this gigantic undertaking which through Thy beneficence, shall be a perpetual blessing to the peoples of Ento, to whom, oh Thou Supreme One, it hath pleased Thee to reveal that truly we are the children of Thy love, and that through endless time we shall continue to live and to praise Thee for all Thy goodness to us. Ra̤û, ra̤û, ra̤û.
De L'Ester—Through an atmospheric system of communication every word uttered by Omanos Fûnha̤ has been made known not only to the vast assemblage in the air and below us, who reverently have joined in the invocation and fervent amen, amen, amen, but to the peoples of the entire Planet.
Omanos Funha—These rodel blooms, which no longer shall serve as emblems of death but of life and its joyous occasions, I now cast upon the lips of this great Waterway as, for the first time, they kiss the sparkling water of Etzoina̤ Loisa̤.
De L'Ester—Amid profound silence the barrier separating the Waterway and the lake is quickly removed and Omanos Fûnha̤ casts the rodels in front of the slowly moving vessel. Now an immense banner of rodels is run up to the apex of the flagstaff and a grand volume of musical notes fills the air with sweetest melody. Now the great vessel, followed by the fleet, moves swiftly through the ample passage, while from overhead as well as from below cheers upon cheers rend the air and from the Transports, which keep pace with the fleet, showers of blooms in glowing beauty rain down upon the heads of the people crowding the upper decks, and now the flag ship has plunged onto the lake as though purposing to pass straight across to the further side, but no, it turns to the right, leading the fleet in a triumphal procession around the lake. May I ask for an expression of your impression of the spectacle?
Gentola—Truly, it is both magnificent and to me, very wonderful, and I shall not forget, dear friends, that to your kindness I owe my thanks for the pleasure of witnessing it. Yes, I feel assured that if I shall attempt to tell my friends of this strange experience they will conclude that my imagination has been running wild, or that I have been dreaming, and as I gaze upon the flower-decked fleet so noiselessly, so swiftly, passing around the lake, upon the air Transports hovering above them and mirroring themselves in the now gently undulating water, upon the multitude of people, in boats and motor vehicles, or swarming on the broad rim of the lake, really I am at a loss to realize the situation, and shall not find fault with any one who may question, either my sanity or my veracity.