the usual greetings and a few casual remarks, Merna announced that
he and Eleeta were to be united in the coming autumn.

I was a little surprised at the suddenness of the announcement, but at
the same time exceedingly pleased; so, embracing them, I congratulated
them heartily and wished them every happiness; then they left to tell
some one else the news.

But, as I have said, these things "gave me to think."

CHAPTER XXVI

WE WITNESS SOME WONDERFUL AERIAL EVOLUTIONS AND LISTEN TO MARVELLOUS
MUSIC

Wherever we went we found new subjects for wonder and admiration, and
fresh proofs of the high state of civilisation and development attained
by the Martians. We had seen many evidences of their genius in
engineering and mechanical undertakings, but we found that they excelled
in every art and science, and their achievements made terrestrial
accomplishments appear poor and even paltry by comparison. Whether we
examined their sculpture, paintings, pictures, or photographs--which
latter they take direct and at one operation, with all the natural
tints--or whether we listened to music, our verdict was perforce the
same--"We had not previously known anything to equal it."

We have all become fairly accustomed to seeing numerous air-ships moving
in all directions across the sky in the daytime, but it still seems
strange to us to see the lights of the air-ships flitting about the
nocturnal sky.

I mentioned this to Merna, and he remarked that no doubt it did seem
rather strange to us, adding that my mention of air-ships was singularly
apropos of what was then in his mind, for he was just about to inform us
that an interesting aerial display had been arranged and was to take
place that evening, with the view of affording us some idea of Martian
out-door entertainments.

We all expressed our thanks, and our appreciation of the kindness we
were receiving from the Martian nation; and I ventured to suggest that
probably we were indebted to him for a considerable proportion of it.

He answered that it was true he had taken some share in this affair and
in a few of the arrangements for the functions we had already attended,
but that many others had done the same, for it was natural to the
Martians to do all in their power when any help was needed. As we were
strangers from another world they all vied with each other in making
suggestions and arrangements which would afford us pleasure, or help to
enable us to see all t