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diff --git a/40992-0.txt b/40992-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6d4f67f --- /dev/null +++ b/40992-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1381 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40992 *** + + The Martian + +based upon the Third Prize ($15.00) Winning Plot of the Interplanetary +Plot Contest won by Allen Glasser, 1610 University Ave., New York + + By A. R. Hilliard and Allen Glasser + +[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Wonder Stories +Quarterly Winter 1932. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence +that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + +[Illustration: The water was evaporated by the ever-shining sun until +there was none left for the thirsty plants. Every year more workers died +in misery.] + + * * * * * + + [Illustration: ALLEN GLASSER who furnished the plot] + + [Illustration:A. ROWLEY HILLIARD who wrote the story] + + Many writers of science fiction, who have not given the matter much + thought, assume that a man of intelligence from one planet would + meet a cordial and sympathetic welcome on another world. It is + assumed that people are everywhere educated, curious about other + worlds and other cultures, and eager to help a visitor from an + alien race. + + Unfortunately there is no assurance that such is the case. Even + were the members of another race, on another world possessed of + education, there would be bound to be among them low and brutish + elements. And if a stranger from another world, dazed by new + conditions and unable to make his wants known, were to fall into + their hands his fate might not be happy. + + We have read no story that pictures with such clarity and insight + the experiences of a man on another world than his own, than does + this present story. With the basis of a splendid plot Mr. Hilliard + has worked up a simply marvelous story. + + * * * * * + +The rolling, yellow sand reflected the heat of the sun in little, +shimmering waves. It reflected the sun's light blindingly throughout all +its visible expanse, with the exception of one spot where lay a circular +shadow. In the great steely-blue dome of the sky there were no clouds. + +The shadow, although not large, was very dark and distinct. The curved, +even line of its circumference was precisely drawn. + +In the air was a persistent rattle of sound--a series of closely spaced +explosions, ever rising in intensity. + +Suddenly a small, uneven shadow detached itself from the circular one; +and floated swiftly across the sand. The rattling sound increased to a +tremendous booming roar, and the large shadow began to fade. At the same +time, the smaller one grew steadily darker. + +High above the sand, a man was falling--much too swiftly. + +The surface of the sand had been shaped into hills by the prevailing +winds. These long, ridge-like hills, or dunes, were convex and gradual +in slope on their windward sides, but on their lee sides they were +concave, and very steep. + +It was near the top of one of these steep slopes that the man landed. +His frail legs and body crumpled under the weight of his head; he +pitched forward, and half rolled, half slid to the bottom where he came +to rest more gently, the target of a small avalanche of sand. + +Immediately, he began to struggle; and, failing in his attempts to +rise, stretched his slim arms skyward and uttered a sharp, squealing +cry, painfully prolonged. Far above him a spherical object rapidly +diminished in size. Fixedly he watched the sunlight glinting on its +polished grey sides; watched it shrink to a tiny ball, a point, and +then--nothing. He was alone. + +The pressure was horrible. He buried his head in the hot sand, and +clapped his ears in a vain attempt to ease the throbbing pain. They must +have underestimated the weight of the Toonian atmosphere if they had +expected him to live long here! It did not hurt his body, but his head +was being crushed. He knew that he would soon die--and was glad. This +wild, senseless punishment would be at an end. + +He opened his eyes again, and stared in growing fascination and wonder +at the great arched blue dome above him. Gradually the spectacle of this +weirdly beautiful canopy occupied his whole attention. It was like a +soft curtain of light blue material hiding the blackness of the sky and +the gleaming stars;--yet the sun shone through. For a moment he forgot +his loneliness, his pain, in rapt contemplation of the immense +perfection above him--but only for a moment. Then the explanation came +to him. That beautiful blue was the heavy atmosphere of Toon, which was +slowly crushing him to death! He closed his eyes. + +The heat was terrific, but not as intense as he had expected. Toon was +nearer the Sun than was his own world--millions of miles nearer; yet he +was not badly burnt, and this puzzled him. The explanation must again +lie in the heavy atmosphere--serving as insulation, he finally +decided.... He didn't care. + +He felt strangely detached. What signifies life--or death--to a tiny +being separated by fifty million miles from any of its kind? Deposited +on this strange planet, he had no hopes of survival; his only emotion +was astonishment that he had lived a moment. + +He struggled to remove the parachute that had been so inadequate in +easing his fall. Movement--even the raising of an arm was serious +effort. He was glued to the ground by the tremendous gravitational pull +of a planet so much greater in size than his own. He relaxed. + +Why struggle? With the passing of hope, all incentive to effort passes +also. He felt no distress at the thought of death. Life, not death, +would be freakish in this great wasteland. + +And he was past anger now. What they had done to him they had done +through hate and fear. Only hate and fear could conceive of so fantastic +a torture for a fellow being. There was no satisfaction now in the +knowledge that they had feared him; nor did he care about their hate.... +They had won. They would have their way, and all the people of the Loten +would suffer in consequence.... + +Loten! A wave of sick loneliness swept over him.... A point in the sky, +obscured by a weird curtain of blue--his home! + + * * * * * + +Certainly, no man had ever suffered thus! A surge of self-pity welled up +within him. Certainly no being had ever been forced to long for the +world--the globe which gave it birth! This horror was reserved for him +alone.... + +He clenched his fists. Reason returned to rescue him from emotion. Loten +did not exist for him. He was outside of the world--a tiny flame of +consciousness in space. And what did that amount to, after all, he asked +himself.... What, but Death?... + +For a long time he lay there in the sand, quite motionless. + +The sun was sinking. Its blazing heat was abating somewhat; its face was +large, and red. For miles, across the surface of the sand, the shadows +of the dunes were stretching out.... And out of the sunset a tiny speck +of black appeared. + +Where he lay the man heard the sound of it--a steady drone, or buzz. At +first it did not catch his attention, its inception was so gradual; but +soon it became a roar, and he opened his eyes with a start. He had heard +no sound since the departure of the space ship--had expected none. An +uneasy excitement gripped him. He strained his eyes upward.... + +Suddenly, over the dune against which he lay, there shot a something, +roaring thunderously. He cowered down, stunned by the terrific sound of +it; but he watched it with wide eyes, as it moved across the sky. + +It was T-shaped; with the cross-piece going before. Beneath it hung two +wheels. It gleamed metallically. + +Without attempting to rise, he howled shrilly, time after time, catching +his breath in gasps--while the thing moved steadily away. + +Following an undeviating line, it left him far behind, diminished to a +speck, and disappeared. The sound of it lingered when he could see it no +longer. + +His breath came quickly, spasmodically, through parted lips; his throat +was tight, and his heart pounded. The staggering surprise of what he had +seen and heard left him incapable of thought. His mind was a racing +turmoil of questions. His contentment, his resignation were +gone--destroyed in a moment; and in their place rose a great uneasiness. + +The return of Hope, to a man who has definitely put it away from him, is +a joy closely akin to pain in its intensity. His whole body shook as he +struggled with the sand, attempting to rise. + +He had seen a machine, he knew. It could not have been an animal. It was +not alive, and it was made of metal.... A machine meant reasoning +beings. There must be reasoning beings on Toon--where Loten's scientists +had argued that they could not be! And machines that travelled through +space! Perhaps.... + +As the new possibilities of his situation burst upon him, his +homesickness returned a thousandfold; and he knew that he could rest no +longer--could not wait in the sand for death. He must struggle--he must +strive, until the end came--because there was a chance! + +Immediately, his mind became purposeful, and he took stock of his +position. He knew that the whole of Toon was not like this great stretch +of sand. Thousands of years of observation of the bright planet had +convinced the scientists of the Loten that it bore vegetation--and +probably animal life of some sort.... + +But rational beings! His astonishment re-asserted itself. Five thousand +years of systematic signalling had brought no response, and the project +had lately been abandoned. Yet.... + +He shook his head, and returned to his problem. He must not waste time +now. + +He had food enough in his stomach to last three days at least, and he +would not need water for even longer. He suddenly realized, with +enormous satisfaction, that the pain in his head was considerably less +than at first. Perhaps his system would be able to adjust itself to the +atmospheric pressure.... + +The great question was where--and how--to go. He must go somewhere. Only +motion would satisfy his craving for accomplishment of some sort. He +would get no help on this great, sterile plain. He had no guarantee that +another of the flying machines would come near him, and even if it did +there was not much hope of attracting its attention. No, he must +move.... + +He decided to follow in the direction the machine had taken. Its +destination might be near-by--or it might be thousands of miles away. +The probability seemed to be in favor of the former hypothesis, because +the machine had been moving so very slowly.... Anyway, it was a chance! + +Pulling his legs up under him, he made another determined attempt to +rise; and finally succeeded in standing erect. But it made his legs ache +terribly; and when he tried a step he slipped, falling back with a +jarring thud. + +He would have to crawl. + + * * * * * + +Ridding himself of the parachute, and with no further hesitation, he set +out, crawling slowly and laboriously, keeping the sun at his back. + +The heat was less oppressive now. The sun had sunk to a point where its +rays were no hotter than at midday on his Loten; and he marvelled at the +similarity of the two climates. He had seen none of the water vapors +that astronomers described as almost constantly enveloping Toon. +Toon--what he had seen of it--seemed to be as dry as the Loten, if not +more so. + +He climbed the long, gradual slope of a dune; and, after surveying the +endless stretch of sand which met his view at the top, slid down the +steep side, and crawled doggedly on. + +Night was falling. The blue dome above him steadily darkened until it +began to take on the appearance of his own native sky. + +He was dead tired within an hour. He lay still for a time, breathing +deeply--marshalling his strength. He was in excellent physical +condition, but here his body was so heavy that the slightest motion was +a strain. Soon, however, his eager spirit drove him onward. + +At the end of another hour, happening to raise his head, he uttered an +involuntary cry. Points of light glimmered in the sky.... So he was to +see the stars after all!--though only at night, it seemed. He was +relieved. In the back of his mind had been the ever-growing certainty +that he would not be able to keep a direct course. He rested again, and +picked out certain designs that would be helpful as guides. + +He wondered if one of them were Loten. They were very dim and they +blinked strangely; and their arrangement was meaningless to him. He +fixed upon one of them--the brightest--and imagined that it might be +_his_ world--where his friends were, and his enemies; where his wives +grieved for him perhaps; where his children laughed and played; where he +might one day return.... + +He crawled along through the sand. + +It was not really dark--only twilight. He wondered if this were night on +Toon. It must be. Almost directly ahead of him--just a little to the +right--was a radiance close to the horizon. It puzzled him. Soon it was +spreading over the sky--a pale, ghostly light. Then a bright point +appeared--a line; it grew. He stared in abject wonder while a great, +white disk mounted into the sky, illuminating the scene around. + +He rested a while, and watched it. It was Toon's satellite. It could be +nothing else. But beside it the two luminaries of his own world were as +pygmies. He was still watching it, fascinated, when he resumed his +journey. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Signs of Life + + +All through the night he travelled; and into the rising sun. The noonday +heat forced him to take a prolonged rest, but he fought on as soon as +possible; and sunset found him crawling weakly onward. The cool of night +revived him somewhat. He knew that the strain under which he labored +would hasten his time of sleep, and that worried him. Even now, he was +often in a semi-conscious state. Still, he could not stop. + +When the sun rose again, it shone through trees; and far across the +yellow sand his tired eyes saw green hills. The sight invigorated +him--spurred him on to stronger efforts. Soon after midday he lay +panting in the shade of trees. + +The trees astonished him. They towered above him, fully five times as +high as any he had ever seen. Their stems were of enormous girth--rough +and hard to the touch. There seemed to be something moving in their +heavy foliage, far above him, and he heard faint, sharp whistling +sounds. He looked around uneasily. + +The size of the trees worried him. If there were animal life, it might +be proportionately large. He shuddered. The desert, although +uncomfortable, had had one advantage: he had been alone there. + +Still, it was not loneliness that he was seeking, he thought grimly. +Obviously, he.... + +He stiffened. He had been staring abstractedly at the coarse grass which +grew thickly around him. Now his eyes became focussed upon a movement +there--not three feet away. The grass was waving strangely, in a +peculiar, uneven line; and he caught sight of something slim and green, +that was not the grass. His throat contracted painfully. The thing did +not seem to move, yet it was coming nearer. Whenever he caught sight of +a part of its body, it appeared stationary; yet the waving of the grass +was closer, and ever closer. It was very close now.... + +Suddenly his power of locomotion returned. He rolled over backward, and +scrambled along the ground to a tree. Grasping the rough trunk, he +pulled himself erect; and held himself in that position, panting. + +He could see the thing more plainly now. It was like a long, green whip +in the grass. Its forepart was raised in the air, and terminated in a +triangular head, with two bright eyes whose steady, unwinking stare made +him tremble weakly. With an effort he took his eyes from the creature; +and, pushing himself away from the tree, ran desperately, as far as his +legs would carry him. When he fell, he continued to crawl--farther, and +ever farther into the green woods. + +He wondered if all creatures crawled in this world of Toon. Perhaps the +great gravitational pull made erect postures impossible. + +For a long time he climbed steadily, threading his way through the +underbrush, skirting fallen trees. He felt increasingly drowsy. His +sleep period would come soon, he knew. He could not stave it off much +longer. And when he had slept, he must eat.... + +He came to level ground. Ahead was an opening in the trees, where a wide +ledge of stone was revealed. Out upon this he crawled, and gazed at the +scene that opened out below. Miles of waving tree tops met his view; but +what held his attention was a strip of silver cutting the green. + +He felt a warm glow of satisfaction. Water, in his mind, was closely +associated with organization, transportation facilities, reasoning +beings.... + +Yet he must be wary. He had no idea what sort of beings they might be. +This might be a canal, but it was strangely irregular in its course. At +least he was making progress.... + +A peculiar, ringing sound came from the trees below. It was utterly +unfamiliar to him. Nerving himself, he determined to discover what it +was. He climbed down from the stone, and began the journey down the +hill. + +As he progressed the sound became louder, and others were added. He was +puzzled by a low, intermittent muttering. It made him vaguely uneasy, +and with every moment his agitation increased. The muttering was now +very definitely spaced into irregular but continuous tones. + +And he knew that he was listening to a conversation. + +He was frightened. Now that he was so near to what he had been seeking, +his courage left him; and he lay trembling, flat on the ground, awed by +the booming voices of the creatures. + +They must be very large, he thought, to utter such deep tones. + +He had lain there for perhaps five minutes, when, suddenly, there came a +rending crash; and, peering ahead, he saw the green top of a tree sway +violently, sink, and disappear from sight. At the same time there came a +louder cry, followed by the blending of two thunderous voices, speaking +simultaneously.... Then a heavy thud, and another cry.... + + * * * * * + +He crawled cautiously forward. He reached the fallen tree. Its trunk was +suspended above the ground by the projection of a number of its large +branches. He peered beneath it. + +Directly before him, in a small clearing, two creatures were struggling +together. They stood erect upon their huge legs, using their crudely +bulky arms and hands to strike and tug at each other. They were +tremendous in size--fully three times human stature; yet their heads +were smaller than men's. Their erect posture gave them a weirdly +half-human look, which was belied by the brutal savagery of their +aspects. Their brows were low; their heads were covered with long hair; +and in their gaping mouths he saw rows of sharp, white fangs. Their +skin, instead of being golden, was a dirty grey in color, and was +covered with short curling hair or fur. + +But he could see very little of their bodies, because--and this sight +seemed to him the strangest of all--they were almost entirely covered +with cloth. This woven material was brown in color, and shaped to hang +close to their bodies, even over the arms and legs. He lay very still, +watching the titanic struggle with ever growing wonder. + +They appeared to be evenly matched. Once, one of them was hurled heavily +to the ground, but he leaped effortlessly to his feet. Both of them +grunted and uttered sharp exclamations at intervals. They tramped back +and forth, tearing up the grass, crushing down the small bushes. + +They must greatly hate each other, he thought--or perhaps it was natural +for them to fight like this. Now one of them was tiring--the smaller. +Its movements were slower, and it stepped almost constantly backward. +Suddenly from its bulbous nose spurted a red stream. He shuddered. The +sight of these two strangely man-like creatures beating and tearing at +one another sickened him. + +The larger creature was pressing its advantage, advancing upon the other +with cruel, flailing blows. Suddenly the smaller one crumpled to the +ground, and lay still. The other turned away. It seemed satisfied. It +grasped an object which was leaning against a tree--a cutting tool +apparently, consisting of an edged block of metal attached to a long +handle of wood; and without a backward glance at its fallen foe, made +off through the trees. + +The creature on the ground was alive. He could see the rise and fall of +its breathing under the cloth covering of its breast. But the bright, +red blood was still running out of the nose. It had lost an astonishing +amount; and he feared that, unassisted, it would soon die. He must try +to help. + +With wildly beating heart, he crawled under the tree trunk and out into +the clearing. + +As he moved through the grass, he made a slight rustling sound, which +the creature heard. It turned its head, and stared directly at him. He +stopped fearfully.... + +The creature uttered a loud cry, and scrambled to its feet. He raised +one hand, attempting a friendly gesture; but the creature, after +watching him for a moment with wide eyes, bounded swiftly away into the +woods. He heard the thumping and crashing of its passage through the +underbrush long after it had disappeared from sight. + +His first sensation was one of immense relief. He had been desperately +afraid. + +Evidently the thing had been afraid of him, too. And that was +surprising.... Clearly, these could not be the reasoning things that had +built the flying machine he had seen. His relief was quickly followed by +disappointment. For a moment he had imagined that his first objective +had been reached. Now he realized that he might be as far from it as +ever. Toon was immense. Probably, now, he was in a country inhabited by +inferior beings--beings that would be constantly hostile and dangerous +to him. If that were so, his quest would end here, he knew. Sleep could +not be warded off any longer. He could not protect himself. Soon he +must eat--and there was no food. + +He crawled into the bushes; and lay down, lonely and sick. He would stay +here. This was failure--and the end. But he was not sorry for having +tried.... + +Above him the sky was not blue, now; but a strange, dead grey. Nowhere +could he see the sun. The wind sighed mournfully in the trees. + +He slept. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +In Confinement + + +He awakened in shivering terror. His entire body was wet. Water was +falling on him. It was falling on the ground all around and on the +trees--thousands, millions of drops. He choked, as he tried to breathe +the damp, saturated air. Desperately he looked around for some +protection, but there was none. He covered his face as best he could +with his folded arms, and cried out in fear. + +There came a shout; and he heard something moving toward him, but he did +not care. Horror of the falling water crowded all other emotions from +his mind. + +One of the creatures was standing over him. He heard others approaching. +They were shouting loudly back and forth to one another. In a moment, +there was a circle of them, all around him. + +He was too distressed to pay them any attention. After a time one of +them bent down and grasped him under the armpits. He felt himself lifted +into the air. He did not struggle, even when their faces were all around +him--very close. + +Now they were walking through the trees, one of them carrying him in its +huge arms, quite gently. He was scarcely conscious of his surroundings. +It was becoming more and more difficult to breathe. + +Then he felt himself laid down on something soft and dry. The water was +not falling on him now. He opened his eyes. + +They had placed him under a shelter. He could hear the water on the +black covering above him. There was one of them on each side of him, +where he lay on what seemed to be a cushioned seat.... + +Suddenly there came a rumble, and the seat beneath him quivered and +shook. He struggled to sit up. One of the creatures aided him, and +wrapped a dry cloth about his body. He was grateful. + +The seat was bumping up and down violently. On each side, he could see +the trees moving slowly backward. He realized that he was in a vehicle. +It jolted constantly, and he imagined that it must run directly on the +rough ground. It made a continuous and tremendous noise. But it was a +machine of transportation, however crude; and he quickly forgot his +bodily discomfort, as the implications of this fact crowded through his +mind. + +He looked with a new interest at his captors. They were talking +together excitedly--evidently about him, for they never removed their +eyes from him. In spite of their strangeness and savagery, they must +have reasoning minds. He could be pretty sure of that, now.... + +The vehicle came to rest, and to either side he saw structures, made, +evidently, of cut trees. Then his heart leaped again, as he saw that +they had glass. So they knew how to make that! There were only a few +pieces of it let into the walls--but it was certainly glass, and his +hopes rose a bit higher. + +They carried him into one of the houses. It was quite dark. They set him +down upon a large table. They were increasing rapidly in numbers, +jostling in through the door and crowding around the table. + +In the wall near him there was one of the pieces of glass. Abashed by +the dozens of staring eyes, he looked through this, and saw a broad +field, its soil turned up in long, straight rows--evidently for +planting. Near the center of the field were two creatures, which +immediately commanded his attention. + +They were not alike. One was similar to those he had already seen, but +the other was even larger and of a different shape. Four legs carried +the great, bulky body, which rested in a horizontal position, as did the +thick neck and long, tapering head. It was dragging the tool which +turned up the furrows of soil, while the other followed behind, +governing its directions. + +Clearly, he thought, there were many types of creatures on Toon. He +would have to try to understand their relations to one another.... + +Inside the room there was much noise, and the air was hot, damp, and +very unpleasant to breathe. He was not afraid of the creatures now; and +instinctively he realized that it was curiosity that brought them here, +and that they meant him no harm. A few were trying to speak to him, +looking directly into his eyes and making monosyllabic sounds. This +amused him at first. They would not be quite so hopeful if they +understood from where he had come. + +But in another moment his amusement had vanished. One of the creatures, +standing near, placed a finger close to where he sat, at the same time +uttering a short disyllabic sound: + +"Table!" + +A thrill shot through him. He had expected no such intelligence on the +part of his captors. A new wave of hope surged up within him.... +Carefully, he repeated the gesture and the word. + + * * * * * + +His action was followed by a burst of excited conversation in the room. +Several made sharp, guttural noises which he guessed meant gratification +or amusement. + +Immediately a number of them took up the game; and he eagerly did his +part, repeating the sounds they made and identifying them with objects. +With every possible gesture he tried to indicate to them his pleasure +and gratification. + +He was sorry when they began to go away. + +It had been getting steadily darker for some time, when, suddenly, the +room was brilliantly illuminated; and, looking quickly around, he saw a +number of bright globes. This event brought him to a high pitch of +elation. The character of the vehicle in which he had ridden had made +him fear that they knew nothing of electricity, but here was tangible +evidence that they did. His dream of a return to Loten seemed less like +a wild imagining at every moment. + +He was beginning to think of these creatures as people, almost human +beings. + +Now, only two of them remained. From their glances he knew that they +were talking about him. Finally, one of them lifted him from the table; +and, walking swiftly, carried him through the door, across a short +stretch of open ground, and into a smaller and darker structure, there +laying him down upon a bed of cloths and cushions in one corner of the +single room. The other followed them in, carrying a china dish and cup. +Setting these beside him, they both pointed with their fingers to their +open mouths. He understood immediately, and was glad. He needed +nourishment badly. + +But when he looked into the dish his pleasure abated. It contained an +assortment of what appeared to be parts of plants and--he tried to +conceal his horror--animal flesh. + +Looking up, he nodded--a gesture that he had quickly learned; and to his +great relief they turned and left the room, closing the door. He heard a +sharp click. + +The flesh he immediately put aside. He did not like to think what its +origin might be. He studied the plants. They had evidently been +subjected to a heat process, but had not been chemically refined in any +way. The percentage of nourishment in them must be very low, and it +would be necessary for him to eat great quantities to sustain his +strength. He wondered how long his stomach could stand it. + +These people must eat almost daily to sustain themselves on such fare, +he reasoned, marvelling. + +With a pronged implement that they had given him, he set to work to mash +the food into as soft a mass as possible. This process they accomplished +easily with their fangs, he knew. + +The taste was anything but pleasing, and he had great difficulty in +swallowing; but he finally managed to assuage his hunger, and felt +better. He drank a little water from the cup, which contained enough to +supply him for at least five days. + +This done, he stretched himself out upon the bed, and gave himself over +to pleasant reflection. A far cry, he thought, from the man lying +helpless in the desert, devoid of all hope, to the one who had +established contact with a race of intelligent beings who would +doubtless be willing to help him return to his own native world. He +reflected that if the flying ship had hot happened to come near him, he +would most certainly have perished by now--perished in a foreign world, +far away from those he loved, never knowing there was a chance for his +salvation. But now he had taken the first step.... Anything was possible +now. + +His attention returned to his surroundings. The bare room was lighted by +a bulb hanging from wires in the center. From it dangled a cord, the +purpose of which he quickly guessed. The walls and floor were bare wood, +and rough. Along the whole length of one wall extended a low, narrow +table, or bench, strewn with a miscellaneous collection of objects which +aroused his curiosity. + +He crawled to the bench, and pulled himself erect by grasping its edge. +He was just tall enough to see along its surface. Near him rested a +large roll of what he first thought was cord; but on closer examination +he decided that it was metal wire covered with a fibre insulation. +Obviously it was for the conduction of electricity. Scattered around it +were a number of cylinders of varying sizes, which he saw were wound +closely with very fine wires. Clearly, these people did more with +electricity than make light, he thought, encouraged. + + * * * * * + +There was nothing else in the room except a pile of rusty metal in one +corner. The whole place was depressingly dirty and dreary. He thought +that he would feel better without the light. He made his way to the +center of the room, and stretched upwards. Finding that he could just +reach the cord, he jerked it; and returned in the darkness to his cot. + +He lay there quietly, trying to calm his nerves. He wondered what they +would do with him.... + +He was still wondering the same thing at the end of four days. They did +not move him. They did nothing except come and look at him--a great many +of them at first, but less and less as time went on. They came in the +daytime--never at night. They fed him; and a few still tried to talk to +him. This pleased him, and he strove eagerly to understand and imitate; +but they soon got tired and stopped. + +He learned to distinguish the males and females among the people that +came, by differences in stature, length of hair, and clothing. He +observed, with complete bewilderment, that the males often carried in +their hands burning cylinders which they raised regularly to their +mouths, blowing out smoke into the air. He guessed, finally, that this +must be some sort of sanitary precaution. + +Now, however, he was left alone most of the time. They brought him food, +and then went away. He was uneasy. Physically, he felt far from well. +The damp air made his throat and chest ache; and he feared that the long +deprivation of sunlight was hurting him. He could not understand. + +Gathering his courage one day, he attempted to open the door. He reached +up and turned the knob the way he had seen the people do. But it would +not move when he pushed. He remembered the clicking sound he had heard +every time after they went out. + +He became frightened. He did not understand this confinement. Why would +they not let him out? + +There passed another day, of mental torture. Would they let him die in +this dark, dreary place? Had all his efforts merely led to a lonely, +purposeless death? + +He wondered what they would do if he went out of his own accord; and +finally decided that he must do it, even at the risk of offending them. +Further inactivity he could not bear. + +Within five minutes he had formed a plan of action. It was night--the +best time to work; for he must work undisturbed for a time. + +He made his way to the bench, and collected three of the wound wire +coils, which he dropped to the floor. With a cutting tool that he found +he managed to get a length of wire from the large roll. The tool was +very heavy. + +Next, he crawled to the corner, and selected a number of small pieces of +metal. He rested for a while, studying the light bulb which hung in the +center of the room. From the light it gave and the size of the filament, +he roughly estimated the power of the current. + +Then, with a graphite writing instrument that he had found, he drew a +diagram on the floor. He took a very long time doing this, and labeled +it carefully. When he had finished, the little window at the end of the +room showed that dawn was breaking outside. + +Hurriedly then, he set to work with the metal, the coils, and the +wire,--twisting, winding, connecting and cross-connecting--constantly +glancing at his diagram and at the window. Finally, when it was broad +daylight outside, he gave a sigh of satisfaction. + +He had achieved an ugly, jumbled apparatus, vaguely cylindrical in shape +with a point of metal at one end. He laid it on the floor; and making +his way to the bench, secured two more lengths of wire. He crawled under +the bench to where the power line for the light ran down the wall, and +there connected them. Then, securing his cup of water, he dipped into it +the ends of his two wires, and observed them for a moment. Satisfied, he +carried them to his cylindrical apparatus, and connected one of them at +the end opposite the metal point. The other he did not immediately +connect. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +The Circus + + +He was breathing hard now, and his face was flushed. For a long time he +sat very still and listened, but he heard no sound. At last, moving very +slowly, he carried his cylinder to the door. He raised it, and placed +the point against the metal lock, under the knob. He pressed his lips +tightly together, and set his jaw.... With the end of the wire which he +had not connected he touched a point on the cylinder. + +There was no sound. There was no movement of the cylinder. Yet the metal +lock dissolved, and daylight shot through the place where it had been. A +cloud of light grey dust drifted lazily to the floor. + +He disconnected the wires. Carefully he hid the thing under the cushions +of his bed. Then he pushed open the door, and crawled out into the +sunlight. The sun felt warm and pleasant on his back. + +He heard a cry, and looked up fearfully. One of the men of Toon was +running towards him carrying a dish. It was the man that brought his +food. + +His throat was tight, and he was trembling. He knew that this was the +supreme moment. He nodded his head and smiled. He raised one hand, palm +upward. + +The man stopped directly in front of him, and growled--then raised an +arm, pointing at the door of his prison. + +He made a little murmuring sound to the man; and raising his face to the +sun, smiled and nodded once more. The man pushed him backwards with one +foot, always pointing at the door. + +He turned, and crawled back into the shed. Dully he watched the man; who +stood for a long time staring at the door where the lock had been--then +strode to the pile of metal and picked up a chain. + +He did not move when he felt the chain around his body. He closed his +eyes, and did not open them until he heard the door shut. He did not +move all that day. He only watched the little window. When, finally, the +little window grew black, he drew his machine from under the cushions, +and connected it again at the wall. The chain was fastened to a leg of +the bench, and allowed him to do this. He destroyed a portion of the +chain, and loosened it from his body. He crawled to the wall farthest +from the house where the people lived. Moving the machine in a slow arc, +he cut a hole in the wall. Disconnecting the wires, he used them to +fasten the machine around his waist. Then he went out into the night. + +He did not know where he was going--except that he was going away from +these beings that held him prisoner without a reason. At first they had +seemed kind--but they were kind no longer. Something had changed them, +he thought; but he could not guess what.... + +He had progressed less than a hundred yards when a sudden tumult of +sound froze him with terror. It was coming at him through the dark, a +hoarse, senseless, animal cry. And bounding toward him he saw the dark +shadow of a beast. He knew instinctively that here was an unreasoning +creature--and all the strength went out of him. He lay flat and limp on +his face. Now he heard its panting breath, and felt the heat of it on +his body.... + +At the same time, but only semi-consciously, he heard the loud shouts of +men. As in a dream, he felt himself grasped roughly and lifted from the +ground. Soon he knew that he was back in the shed again. He saw a man +standing above him holding his machine. + +He felt strangely detached--as if he were not there at all. He saw the +man look at the machine; look at the door; look at the chain; look at +the hole in the wall; look at the light cord. He saw the man connecting +his machine to the light cord; he felt powerless to warn the man that he +might be connecting it wrong--that there were two ways: one right, one +wrong.... + +An explosion threw the man heavily against the wall. He could see the +man struggling slowly up--coming towards him--kicking him. But he could +hardly feel the kick at all--and everything got dark.... + +When light came back it was just a small square above him. That puzzled +him, until he reached out and found wooden walls all around him--very +close. He was in a box. He became suddenly fully conscious of the fact. +Looking down at him from above he saw the faces of two of the men of +Toon. + +He cried out involuntarily, struggling to escape. One of the creatures +shook a heavy piece of metal threateningly over his head. He cowered +down, shuddering, at sight of the merciless gleam in its eyes. The light +was blotted out, as they placed a cover over him; and he was deafened by +a long and thunderous pounding. + +Then began a time of horror in the darkness. His active mind had nothing +to feed upon but fear. Only too clearly was it brought to him that he +did not know the ways of these creatures of Toon. What was deadly fear +to him might be commonplace to them. He had hoped to find them friendly, +merciful--yet friendship and mercy were qualities of his own experience +in a world different from theirs. Why had he thought to find them here? + + * * * * * + +He had no measure of time. For endless hours he lay there in the dark, +bracing himself against the sides to protect his head and body as much +as possible; for the box seemed almost constantly in motion--jolting, +tilting, and bumping until he was weak and breathless from the strain. + +His mind, worn out by its relentless self-torture, sank at last to +semi-consciousness. + +Suddenly light returned, and he was dragged roughly from his prison. He +was in a large room where the combination of odor, heat, and noise was +overpowering. Great numbers of the men of Toon were there, hurrying in +all directions, seemingly very busy. He noted immediately that their +clothing was different from that which he had seen, and wondered what +the significance of that might be.... He felt strangely calm, now. + +Before him was an immense, bulky man, who stood with legs apart and arms +folded, staring at him with wide, unwinking eyes. This man had a face +that was light red in color and rounded, almost swollen-looking in +shape. He nodded, and his cheeks shook loosely. He nodded several times, +and seemed very pleased. He spoke sharply; and others, standing around, +sprang into action. + +They brought a red cloth, and tied it around the captive's loins. They +forced him to crawl back and forth on the floor, while the big man +looked on, nodding and chuckling. Then the big man ran hot, cushion-like +hands over his head and body; pried open his mouth; grasped his hand and +shook it vigorously up and down; and, with a final nod, turned and +walked away. + +He understood none of this, and was very unhappy. + +They placed him upon a high, draped platform, where there was a small +chair and nothing else. There were a number of similar platforms in the +room. + +It was impossible for him to maintain his previous indifference to his +surroundings. Around the walls of the room were long rows of barred +enclosures, containing creatures of every conceivable size, shape, and +color. Some were hideous; some were strangely beautiful; all were +absorbingly interesting. For a time, he forgot everything else while he +watched them and listened to the sounds that they made. Certainly, he +thought, a scientist of the Loten would give twenty years of his life +for the opportunity to see these creatures! Some of them were amazingly +like reconstructions that had been made from fossilized bones found on +the Loten. + +They brought him food, which he judged must be the cooked seeds of +grain. It was soft, and he forced himself to eat a little, although he +was not hungry. He feared that he would have to learn to eat daily, for +food concentrates seemed to be unknown here. + +His mind was occupied trying to understand the meaning of this place. +Great numbers of people were crowding into the room, now. Rows of them +stood around his platform. + +The other platforms were now occupied also. On them were beings +resembling the people around them, but each one differing in some +strange way from the normal. Some were enormously large, some small. And +he saw one which was shaped like the men of Toon, yet was no taller than +himself. + +An endless stream of people surged through the room, circulating around +the platforms and cages--gazing fixedly at their occupants. + +He began to understand. These were exhibits--creatures strange to the +crowds who came to look at them. Toon was very large; and transportation +methods were poorly developed. Perhaps, therefore, these people had +never seen many of the parts of their own globe. + +Their staring eyes made him uncomfortable. Wherever he looked they +were--staring eyes and gaping mouths. He felt suddenly ashamed. He +wanted to hide himself--but they would not let him do that, he knew. How +long would they keep him here, he wondered? There seemed to be no limit +to the crowds. This must be a great center of population.... + +And in a flash he had forgotten the people, with their staring eyes, +forgotten his shame, forgotten his bodily discomfort.... A center of +population! Those words blazed in his mind. Once more, he knew the joy +of hope. + +With a sudden clear perception he realized that they could not have +helped him more if they had done it consciously. He had arrived at a +goal, which, a few days ago, had seemed impossible of attainment. Here, +if anywhere, he would find help.... + +He must learn the language. That was imperative.... And again his good +fortune amazed him. These people were constantly talking. His position +was ideal for studying their speech. From what he already knew, it was +quite simple; and it should not take long to learn enough to serve his +purpose. + + * * * * * + +It took longer than he had expected, mainly because the people were not +there all of the time. They came only at certain periods of the day; and +he soon made a surprising discovery--that they slept during a great part +of every night. In fact, almost one third of their time seemed to be +spent in an unconscious state. The creatures in the cages slept even +more. He could see no signs of intelligence in these caged creatures. +They were dumb, and were completely dominated by the men. + +He missed the sun badly. These people, in their dark houses and their +draped bodies, did not seem to need it. Often he felt quite ill, but +tried not to worry about his health. + +At night, when alone, he practiced the sounds he had learned; and +rehearsed the things he was going to say when his chance came. + +He passed through a sleep period; and then, on the ninth day, decided +that he was ready. To the attendant who brought his food he said: + +"I talk." + +The man started violently, and gaped at him. + +"Talk?" he repeated blankly. + +"Yes!" + +The attendant looked at him uncertainly for a long time, and then walked +slowly away. + +He was disappointed. But he was not kept waiting long. Soon the man +returned, accompanied by another. + +"Blumberg wants to see you," they said. He did not understand that, and +shook his head. However, they lifted him from his platform, and carried +him out of the room. They took him up a long series of steps and through +dark corridors, into a small room. + +Here it was cool and light. In the center was a desk, and behind it sat +the large man he had seen once before. + +"Set him on the desk here," ordered the large man. "Now, little +feller--they tell me you're talking!" + +"I talk." + +"Well, well, well!" said the large man jovially. "What'll we talk +about?... I'm Blumberg, and I run this circus.... Who are you?" + +He understood only the last words, but they were what he was waiting +for. + +"I am man of Loten," he said carefully. "Loten is world more far from +heat star." + +"What? Say that again!" + +"I not live in your world--in this world...." + +"The hell you don't." + +Again he did not understand what the large man meant, and looked around +helplessly. Then he saw a writing instrument on the desk, and picked it +up. Blumberg pushed forward a piece of white paper. Quickly he drew, in +its center, a large circle with lines extending from its circumference +to indicate radiation. Outside it he drew four small circles at varying +distances from the central one. + +"Hey, Edgar--come here!" called Blumberg. + +A pale young man who had been sitting in a corner approached the desk, +saying, "Yes?" + +He looked pleadingly at the pale young man. He placed his fingertip on +the large circle, and said, "Heat star!" + +"Sun," said the young man quickly. + +"Sun!" he repeated gratefully. Next he indicated the third little circle +from the center. + +"This world?" he said. + +"Earth," said the young man. + +"Earth? This world is Earth?" + +"Yes." + +Blumberg grumbled: "What is this--a joke?" + +He could not understand Blumberg. Eagerly he looked into the face of the +pale young man, and indicated the fourth little circle. + +"Mars," said Edgar. + +"Mars!" he cried jubilantly. He pointed his finger at himself. "I am man +of Mars," he said. + +There was silence in the room, while they both stared at him. Then the +big man began to laugh. His body shook, and his red cheeks jumped up and +down. + +"So you are a Martian--eh?" + +"Yes--a Martian." + +Blumberg was still laughing. "That oughta go big in the show--huh, +Edgar?" he said. + +"Yes, sir," said the young man. + +"If you live on Mars, what're you doing here?" + +The Martian had been expecting this question. + +"They send me away to Earth." + +"Why did they send you away to Earth?" + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Blumberg Promises + + +The Martian began to speak slowly, carefully. Through long days and +nights he had rehearsed his story, knowing he would have to tell it. The +pale young man helped him often, at points where he lacked words.... + +He told of the scarcity of water on Mars--of how there was only a +little, that had to be preserved carefully. + +Here Blumberg interrupted. "How much water has this chap been drinking?" + +"Less than a cup, sir--in almost ten days," said Edgar. "The attendant +was telling me ..." + +Blumberg grunted. "Go on!" he said. + +He told of the social order of Mars--of the three great classes: the +Aristocrats, the Scientists, and the Workers. The Aristocrats, he +explained, were the rulers, who utilized the knowledge of the Scientists +and the energy of the Workers to build up a State for themselves. + +He told how, once a year, the water rushed down the canals from the +melting polar ice caps, spreading vegetation over the face of the +planet, and of how quickly this precious water disappeared, evaporated +by the ever-shining sun, until there was none left for the thirsty +plants, and they died. Thus, every year the famine was worse on Mars, +and more Workers died. + +He told how he, and other Scientists, had wanted to spread oil on the +canals to stop evaporation, and of how the Aristocrats had forbidden +them to do it. + +He told of the plan he had conceived to control the waters at the head +of the canals when the ice melted in the spring, so as to force the +Aristocrats to come to terms. + +And finally, he told of their premature discovery of his plan; of their +great anger and fear; of their determination to punish him as no man had +ever been punished before; of his banishment from the very world in +which he lived. + +There was a long silence when he had finished. At last Blumberg coughed, +and shook himself. + +"That's a fine story," he grumbled, "but you left somethin' out.... What +I wanta know is: how did you get _here_?" + +"In a space traveller," said the Martian. + +"What's that?" + +Carefully, laboriously, he described the space ship. With the pencil he +sketched diagram after diagram, while the pale young man helped him and +labeled them as he directed. The young man was becoming visibly excited. +When the Martian had finished, he burst out: + +"By god, it would--it _would_ do it!... Look--" + +"Shut up!" said Blumberg. The perspiration was standing out in large +beads on his forehead. + +"Fellow," he said heavily, "if you're lying, you've got one hell of an +imagination!" + +"You not have space travellers?" asked the Martian tensely. + +"No.... Just ships that travel in air," answered the pale young man. He +heard the other's painful catch of breath, and continued quickly: "But +with these diagrams it would be easy to--" + +"Shut up, Edgar.... Shut up--an' get outta here!" barked the big man. +The other turned, and left the room without a word. + +"Now, look here, fellow," said Blumberg, "I'm goin' to take your word +for it. I'm probably crazy to believe you; but I've seen most of the +funny critters of this world in my time, an' I ain't ever seen one like +you. So you may come from Mars, for all I know." + +The other looked at him eagerly, trying to understand his words. "You +think I am man of Lo--of Mars?" + +"Yes--that's right." + +The Martian quivered with excitement. He held out his arms in a gesture +of appeal. + +"You help me?..." + +"Yes." + +"You help me go to Mars?" + +Blumberg looked down at the desktop, and was silent. + +"Yes. I'll help you," said Blumberg suddenly. He stood up, and patted +the other softly on the head.... "Sure ... you bet!" + + * * * * * + +The Martian lay upon his back on a leather couch in a small room where +they had taken him. His eyes were wide and shining. His hands clenched +and opened convulsively. It seemed to him that he had been waiting for +days. + +The door opened, and Blumberg entered, followed by a smaller man. As the +Martian struggled to his knees to greet him, he spoke heartily. + +"Hello there! Think I wasn't comin'? No use being in too much of a +hurry, y'know.... Meet Dr. Smith. He's a scientist like you...." + +The Martian nodded and smiled at them happily. Dr. Smith looked at him +long and curiously, meanwhile automatically seating himself in a chair +close to the couch. Blumberg, who was pacing the room, cleared his +throat. + +"Now, look here," he said, "I'm willing to help you, but you've got to +help me do it ...--" + +The Martian understood him immediately. + +"Yes!" he replied quickly. "Yes." + +"Good!... Now, Dr. Smith is going to ask you questions about things we +need to know. You tell him all you can." + +"Yes ... I tell him!" + +Dr. Smith had many questions to ask, on many and diverse subjects. At +first, communication between the two was very difficult; but both were +highly intelligent and understanding men, and before long they became +fairly successful in exchanging ideas. Blumberg paced constantly about +the room. Occasionally he went out, but always returned quickly. + +The catechism went on for hours; and ended only to be resumed early the +next day. + +And so it continued on the following day, and on the day after. The +Martian was puzzled. They seemed to want to know so many things! Dr. +Smith had questioned him on every subject--mechanics, electricity, +magnetism, chemistry, colloids, catalysts, transmutation of +metals--everything. He feared that they were wasting time, but did not +think it proper to object when they were going to so much trouble on his +account. Nevertheless, he could not help worrying; and that night, when +the pale young man brought him his food, he asked timidly: + +"Do they make the ship?..." + +The pale young man looked at the floor, biting his lips. Then he went to +the door, opened it, and looked out into the hall. He closed the door +softly, and came near the couch. He looked straight into the Martian's +eyes. + +"There is no ship!" + +"No ship?" + +"No." The young man was flushed and angry. He spoke very fast: "That fat +crook is not helping you.... But you are helping him--you bet!..." + +"Does--does he not think--think I am the Martian?..." + +"Oh, he thinks you're a Martian, all right! He knows you are. He's +taking out patents already." + +The other shook his head uncomprehendingly. + +"Don't you see it? Where you come from they know things that they never +even imagined here. You got knowledge in your head worth millions of +dollars; I mean, you have facts which are of great value to Blumberg. +Why, already you've told him to make gold out of lead--something very +precious from something worthless. And a hundred other things besides. + +"He does not care about you; he cares about your knowledge.... Do you +see?" + +"Yes." + +The young man's anger suddenly abated, and he glanced fearfully at the +door. + +"I'm sorry," he said gruffly, "but somebody had to tell you. You won't +get any help here!" + +He turned, and almost ran from the room. + + * * * * * + +The Martian sat perfectly still for a long time. Then he climbed down +from the couch, and crawled to the door. He reached up and grasped the +knob. The young man had left it unlocked, and in a moment he was in the +dim hallway. He crawled along, keeping close to the wall, until he came +to the top of a stairway. He felt the cool night air on his face. Very +slowly he lowered himself down the steps. He came to a wide door leading +out into the open. + +Seated in a chair by this doorway was a man, whistling. The Martian +waited patiently in the shadows until the man stood up, yawned, and +strolled away. + +Outside, there were high, dark buildings all around him. He found +himself in a narrow canyon running between them. He crawled down this +canyon to the right, close against the buildings. The paving beneath him +was hard, and hurt his knees. But he did not stop. + +Someone was walking towards him. He could not escape being seen. He was +near a large light on a pole. He raised his hand in a gesture of +greeting.... + +It was a woman. Suddenly she saw him, and gasped. Then she +screamed--piercingly. The sound echoed and re-echoed between the high +walls of the buildings. + +Windows and doors banged. Footsteps pounded on the pavement. Soon there +were many people around him. Some of them were holding the woman. She +hung limply in their arms. + +A man strode into the group, swinging a club, and speaking +authoritatively: + +"Here! What's the trouble? Move on there!" He glanced at the woman. +"Fainted? Take her to a drug store, somebody. She'll be all right.... +What's this?" He grasped the Martian by the arm, and raised him to the +light.... "Well, I'm damned!" + +Followed by the curious crowd, he half carried, half dragged his captive +along the street, around a corner, and through a lighted doorway. He +slammed the door shut. + +"Found a freak, Yer Honor.... Scared a woman half to death! It musta +got outa the 'Garden'; I found it on Forty-ninth Street...." + +The man seated behind the high desk nodded, and picked up a telephone. +Into this he spoke in a low voice, waited, and then spoke again. Finally +he laid it down, and said, "He is coming over. Hold on to it." He +resumed his writing. + +The Martian watched the man writing on the high desk. He thought that +this man must be some person of authority--some ruler of the people, +perhaps. After long and painful uncertainty, he nerved himself to speak: + +"Please help me...." + +The man behind the desk looked up and smiled. "Yes. That is what we are +here for.... Only be patient," he said, and returned to his writing. + +The Martian remained quiet. He would not dare disturb the man again, but +he kept watching him.... + +"Good morning, Your Honor!" + +At the sound of the voice, he gave a start of surprise and fear. +Blumberg walked towards him, smiling. He struggled, and averted his +eyes. But his captor held him tightly. Blumberg patted him on the head +with his large, soft hand. He trembled. + +"One of yours?" said the man behind the high desk. "What is the trouble +with him? He seems distressed." + +Blumberg smiled at the other, and tapped his own head three times with +his fingertip. The other raised his eyebrows. + +"Tell the Judge about yourself," said Blumberg softly. "He is a great +man, and he can help you." + +The Martian was surprised that Blumberg would allow him to speak. He +made a desperate effort: + +"I am a native of Mars. Please, I must return home. Please help me.... +I--" + +"See!" said Blumberg. He was laughing. + +The Judge nodded. "Can you handle him?" he asked. + +"Sure! They get along better with me than in--other places. I know how +to treat 'em; and they make a good living." + +"All right," said the Judge. "Take him along. But don't let me catch him +running around the streets again, or you might rate a fine." + +"Don't worry! We're going on the road in a couple of days now. You won't +see him again.... Well, good morning to you!" + +"Good morning!" said the Judge. + +The Martian lay, face down, on the leather couch. Over him stood +Blumberg, breathing hard. With a light cane that he carried he struck +the Martian sharply on his frail back. + +"Don't try it again, or you'll get more of that!" he said softly. + +The Martian did not move or utter a sound until he heard the door slam. +Then he made his way to the table; and, grasping the edge, pulled +himself erect. There was something on the table that he wanted.... + +The door opened softly, and the pale young man came in. + +"You should not have tried it," he whispered. + +The Martian pointed to the window. Over the top of a building lower than +its neighbors a small, square patch of sky was visible, and in this +patch a few stars twinkled faintly. + +"Is Mars there?" he asked. + +The young man was silent for a moment, looking at the floor and biting +his lips. Then: + +"Yes," he said. "As it happens, it is. Mars is the brightest of those +stars, and the topmost." + +"Thank you," said the Martian. "You have been very kind to me!" + +The pale young man looked at him, and at the table. Then he turned, +without a word, and left the room. + +The Martian did not take his eyes from the little point of light. But +one of his hands reached over the table, and grasped a knife which lay +there. His eyes still on Loten--his home, he plunged the knife into his +heart. And the little point of light, while he fixedly watched it, +flickered--and died. + + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Martian, by +Allen Glasser and A. Rowley Hilliard + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40992 *** |