"There's the possibility that the creature is still in the monosyllabic stage," he replied. "We won't know if he has the power of speech until he comes out of the terrific strain he's been under, and becomes acclimated. I dare say he'll be sluggish for some time, because of the earth's heavy gravitational pull, so different from that on Mars, where the people walk and leap with feathery lightness because of the planet's small size. While, on the sun, for instance, the gravitational pull is so powerful that you or I could only move about with the assistance of a steam-crane."
I smiled at the thought of being assisted in walking by a steam-crane, and wondered what would happen if I were in a hurry to catch a train. Then I laughed out loud. My laughter, however, was provoked at the sight of the creature opening his mouth, and holding it open, at the approach of Niki, as if to signify that he wanted another dose of sherry. Certainly he had brains even if he couldn't talk.
Calling the servants over to the stretcher, Henry said: "Now, men, this stranger from a far distant world needs our immediate assistance. Everybody give a hand, and we'll carry him to the car and then drive to the castle."
"Surely you're not going to take him inside the castle?" I said.
"Why not?" Henry retorted. "We're not used to this sort of guest, I know, but we'll just have to get used to him. I regard this helpless creature as an ambassador of good will from another world, and I intend to extend to him the same hospitality I would offer the Ambassador of Great Britain, if he were my guest."
"Have you consulted Jane about this?" I persisted.
"No!" he roared; adding, testily: "Am I not master in my own house?"
"You are being absurd, Henry. That's all I've got to say." This closed the conversation so far as I was concerned.
Henry went on, however, though in a more subdued tone. "In any case," he said, "since you've brought the matter up, I'll give you my word that as long as the creature is a guest in our home, he shall be kept under careful surveillance."
He walked off, and in a few moments, he was leading the way, as six men, with their uncanny burden, swung away toward the car. I followed them, at some distance, and to my stunned amazement, on arriving at the castle, I learned from Jane that Henry had put the thing to bed in our guest chamber de luxe, which we called the State Apartment. Jane was more disturbed than she cared to admit. She and Pat had both seen the creature, and she spoke of it as looking "rather dreadful." When I asked her how Pat had taken it, she said Pat had looked surprised but not at all startled.