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not believe。 I am quite certain that during all his prolonged
existence Oro never crawled。
At any rate； he came； or seemed to come； and pumped meI can
use no other wordmost energetically as to existing conditions
in the world； especially those of the civilised countries； their
methods of government； their social state； the physical
characteristics of the various races； their religions； the exact
degrees of civilisation that they had developed； their
attainments in art； science and literature； their martial
capacities； their laws； and I know not what besides。
I told him all I could； but did not in the least seem to
satisfy his perennial thirst for information。
〃I should prefer to judge for myself；〃 he said at last。 〃Why
are you so anxious to learn about all these nations； Oro？〃 I
asked； exhausted。
〃Because the knowledge I gather may affect my plans for the
future；〃 he replied darkly。
〃I am told； Oro； that your people acquired the power of
transporting themselves from place to place。〃
〃It is true that the lords of the Sons of Wisdom had such
power； and that I have it still； O Humphrey。〃
〃Then why do you not go to look with your own eyes？〃 I
suggested。
〃Because I should need a guide； one who could explain much in a
short time；〃 he said； contemplating me with his burning glance
until I began to feel uncomfortable。
To change the subject I asked him whether he had any further
information about the war； which he had told me was raging in
Europe。
He answered： 〃Not much； only that it was going on with varying
success； and would continue to do so until the nations involved
therein were exhausted；〃 or so he believed。 The war did not seem
greatly to interest Oro。 It was； he remarked； but a small affair
compared to those which he had known in the old days。 Then he
departed； and I went to sleep。
Next night he appeared again； and； after talking a little on
different subjects； remarked quietly that he had been thinking
over what I had said as to his visiting the modern world； and
intended to act upon the suggestion。
〃When？〃 I asked。
〃Now；〃 he said。 〃I am going to visit this England of yours and
the town you call London； and you will accompany me。〃
〃It is not possible！〃 I exclaimed。 〃We have no ship。〃
〃We can travel without a ship；〃 said Oro。
I grew alarmed； and suggested that Bastin or Bickley would be a
much better companion than I should in my resent weak state。
〃An empty…headed man； or one who always doubts and argues；
would be useless；〃 he replied sharply。 〃You shall come and you
only。〃
I expostulated； I tried to get up and flywhich； indeed； I did
do； in another sense。
But Oro fixed his eyes upon me and slowly waved his thin hand
to and fro above my head。
My senses reeled。 Then came a great darkness。
They returned again。 Now I was standing in an icy； reeking fog；
which I knew could belong to one place onlyLondon； in December；
and at my side was Oro。
〃Is this the climate of your wonderful city？〃 he asked； or
seemed to ask； in an aggrieved tone。
I replied that it was； for about three months in the year； and
began to look about me。
Soon I found my bearings。 In front of me were great piles of
buildings； looking dim and mysterious in the fog； in which I
recognised the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey； for
both could be seen from where we stood in front of the
Westminster Bridge Station。 I explained their identity to Oro。
〃Good；〃 he said。 〃Let us enter your Place of Talk。〃
〃But I am not a member； and we have no passes for the
Strangers' Gallery；〃 I expostulated。
〃We shall not need any；〃 he replied contemptuously。 〃Lead on。〃
Thus adjured； I crossed the road； Oro following me。 Looking
round； to my horror I saw him right in the path of a motor…bus
which seemed to go over him。
〃There's an end to Oro；〃 thought I to myself。 〃Well； at any
rate； I have got home。〃
Next instant he was at my side quite undisturbed by the
incident of the bus。 We came to a policeman at the door and I
hesitated； expecting to be challenged。 But the policeman seemed
absolutely indifferent to our presence； even when Oro marched
past him in his flowing robes。 So I followed with a like success。
Then I understood that we must be invisible。
We passed to the lobby； where members were hurrying to and fro；
and constituents and pressmen were gathered； and so on into the
House。 Oro walked up its floor and took his stand by the table；
in front of the Speaker。 I followed him； none saying us No。
As it chanced there was what is called a scene in progressI
think it was over Irish matters； the details are of no account。
Members shouted； Ministers prevaricated and grew angry； the
Speaker intervened。 On the whole； it was rather a degrading
spectacle。 I stood； or seemed to stand； and watched it all。 Oro；
in his sweeping robes； which looked so incongruous in that place；
stepped； or seemed to step； up to the principal personages of the
Government and Opposition； whom I indicated to him； and inspected
them one by one； as a naturalist might examine strange insects。
Then； returning to me； he said：
〃Come away； I have seen and heard enough。 Who would have
thought that this nation of yours was struggling for its life in
war？〃
We passed out of the House and somehow came to Trafalgar
Square。 A meeting was in progress there； convened； apparently； to
advocate the rights of Labour； also those of women； also to
protest against things in general； especially the threat of
Conscription in the service of the country。
Here the noise was tremendous； and； the fog having lifted
somewhat； we could see everything。 Speakers bawled from the base
of Nelson's column。 Their supporters cheered； their adversaries
rushed at them； and in one or two instances succeeded in pulling
them down。 A woman climbed up and began to scream out something
which could only be heard by a few reporters gathered round her。
I thought her an unpleasant…looking person； and evidently her
remarks were not palatable to the majority of her auditors。 There
was a rush； and she was dragged from the base of one of
Landseer's lions on which she stood。 Her skirt was half rent off
her and her bodice split down the back。 Finally； she was conveyed
away； kicking； biting； and scratching； by a number of police。 It
was a disgusting sight； and tumult ensued。
〃Let us go；〃 said Oro。 〃Your officers of order are good； the
rest is not good。〃
Later we found ourselves opposite to the doors of a famous
restaurant where a magnificent and gigantic commissionaire helped
ladies from motor…cars； receiving in return money from the men
who attended on them。 We entered； it was the hour of dinner。 The
place sparkled with gems； and the naked backs of the women
gleamed in the electric light。 Course followed upon course；
champagne flowed； a fine band played； everything was costly；
everything was； in a sense； repellent。
〃These are the wealthy citizens of a nation engaged in fighting
for its life；〃 remarked Oro to me； stroking his long beard。 〃It
is interesting； very interesting。 Let us go。〃
We went out and on； passing a public…house crowded with women
who had left their babies in charge of children in the icy
street。 It was a day of Intercession for the success of England
in the war。 This was placarded everywhere。 We entered； or；
rather； Oro did； I following him； one of the churches in the
Strand where an evening service was in progress。 The preacher in
the pulpit； a very able man； was holding forth upon the necessity
for national repentance and self…denial； also of prayer。 In the
body of the church exactly thirty…two people； most of them
elderly women； were listening to him with an air of placid
acceptance。
〃The priest talks well； but his hearers are not many； said Oro。
〃Let us go。〃
We came to the flaunting doors of a great music…hall and passed
through them； though to others this would have been impossible；
for the place was filled from floor to roof。 In its promenades
men were drinking and smoking； while gaudy women； painted and
low…robed； leered at them。 On the stage girls danced； throwing
their legs above their heads。 Then they vanished amidst applause；
and a woman in a yellow robe； who pretended to be tipsy； sang a
horrible and vulgar song full of topical allusions； which was
received with screams of delight by the enormous audience。
〃Here the hearers are very many； but those to whom they listen
do not talk well。 Let us go；〃 said Oro； and we went。
At a recruiting station we paused a moment to consider posters
supposed to be attractive； the very sight of which sent a thrill
of shame through me。 I remember that the inscription under one of
them was： 〃What will your best girl say？〃
〃Is that how you gather your soldiers？ Later it will be
other