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of a trombone：
〃Thy thoughts and acts are a pleasure to me。 Thou hast raised no
idols within thy heart； and thy faith is as incense before me。
Thy name is now in the Book of Life。 Continue as thou hast
begun； and thou shalt live and reign forever。〃
Hereupon the earth shook； and Ayrault was awakened。 Great
boulders were rolling and crashing down the slope about him；
while the dawn was already in the east。
〃My mortal eyes and senses are keener here while I sleep than
when I wake；〃 he thought； as he looked about him； 〃for spirits；
unable to affect me while waking； have made themselves felt in my
more sensitive state while I was asleep。 Nevertheless； this is
none other but the house of God； and this is the gate of heaven。
〃The boulders were still in motion when I opened my eyes；〃 he
mused； 〃can it be that there is hereabouts such a flower as in my
dreams I seemed to see？〃 and looking beyond where his head had
lain； he beheld the identical lily surrounded by the group that
his closed eyes had already seen。 Thereupon he uncovered his
head and departed quickly。 Crossing the divide； he descended to
camp； where he found Cortlandt in deep thought。
〃I cannot get over the dreams；〃 said the doctor； 〃I had in the
first part of the night。 Notwithstanding yesterday's excitement
and fatigue； my sleep was most disturbed； and I was visited by
visions of my wife； who died long ago。 She warned me against
skepticism； and seemed much distressed at my present spiritual
state。〃
〃I；〃 said Bearwarden； who had been out early； and had succeeded
in bringing in half a dozen birds； 〃was so disturbed I could not
sleep。 It seemed to me as though half the men I have ever known
came and warned me against agnosticism and my materialistic
tendencies。 They kept repeating； 'You are losing the reality for
the shadow。'〃
〃I am convinced；〃 said Ayrault； 〃that they were not altogether
dreams； or； if dreams indeed； that they were superinduced by a
higher will。 We know that angels have often appeared to men in
the past。 May it not be that； as our appreciativeness increases；
these communications will recur？〃 Thereupon he related his own
experiences。
〃The thing that surprised me；〃 said Cortlandt； as they finished
breakfast； 〃was the extraordinary realism of the scene。 We must
see if our visions return on anything but an empty stomach。〃
CHAPTER VI。
A GREAT VOID AND A GREAT LONGING。
Resuming their march； the travellers proceeded along the
circumference of a circle having a radius of about three miles；
with the Callisto in the centre。 In crossing soft places they
observed foot…prints forming in the earth all around them。 The
impressions were of all sizes； and ceased when they reached
rising or hard ground； only to reappear in the swamps； regulating
their speed by that of the travellers。 The three men were greatly
surprised at this。
〃You may observe；〃 said Cortlandt； 〃that the surface of the
impression is depressed as you watch it； as though by a weight；
and you can see； and even hear； the water being squeezed out；
though whatever is doing it is entirely invisible。 They must be
made by spirits sufficiently advanced to have weight； but not
advanced enough to make themselves visible。〃
Moved by a species of vandalism； Bearwarden raised his
twelve…bore； and fired an ordinary cartridge that he had not
prepared for the dragons； at the space directly over the nearest
forming prints。 There was a brilliant display of prismatic
colours； as in a rainbow； and though the impressions already made
remained； no new ones were formed。
〃Now you have done it！〃 said Cortlandt。 〃I hoped to be able to
investigate this further。〃
〃We shall doubtless see other and perhaps more wonderful things；〃
replied Bearwarden。 〃I must say this gives me an uncanny
feeling。〃
When they had completed a little over half their circle； they
came upon another of the groves with which Saturn seemed to
abound； at the edge of which； in a side…hill； was a cave； the
entrance of which was composed of rocky masses that had
apparently fallen together； the floor being but little higher
than the surface outside。 The arched roof of the vestibule was
rendered watertight by the soil that had formed upon it； which
again was overgrown by vines and bushes。
〃This；〃 said Bearwarden； 〃will be a good place to camp； for the
cave will protect us from dragons； unless they should take a
notion to breathe at us from the outside； and it will keep us dry
in case of rain。 To…morrow we can start with this as a centre；
and make another circuit。〃
〃We can explore Saturn on foot；〃 said Cortlandt； 〃and far more
thoroughly than Jupiter； on account of its comparative freedom
from monsters。 Not even the dragons can trouble us； unless we
meet them in large numbers。〃
Thereupon they set about getting fuel for their fire。 Besides
collecting some of the dead wood that was lying all about； they
split up a number of resinous pine and fir trees with explosive
bullets from their revolvers； so that soon they not only had a
roaring fire； but filled the back part of the cave with logs to
dry； in case they should camp there again at some later day。
Neither Cortlandt nor Bearwarden felt much like sleeping； and so；
after finishing the birds the president had brought down that
morning； they persuaded Ayrault to sit up and smoke with them。
Wrapping themselves in their blanketsfor there was a chill in
the airthey sat about the camp…fire they had built in the mouth
of the cave。 Two moons that were at the full rose rapidly in the
clear； cold sky。 On account of their distance from the sun； they
were less bright than the terrestrial moon； but they shone with a
marvellously pure pale light。 The larger contained the exact
features of a man。 There was the somewhat aquiline nose； a
clear…cut and expressive mouth； and large； handsome eyes； which
were shaded by well… marked eyebrows。 The whole face was very
striking； but was a personification of the most intense grief。
The expression was indeed sadder than that of any face they had
ever seen。 The other contained the profile of a surpassingly
beautiful young woman。 The handsome eyes； shaded by lashes；
looked straight ahead。 The nose was perfect； and the ear small；
while the hair was artistically arranged at the top and back of
the head。 This moon also reflected a pure white ray。 The former
appeared about once and a quarter； the latter but three quarters；
the size of the terrestrial moon； and the travellers immediately
recognized them by their sizes and relative positions as Tethys
and Dione； discovered by J。 D。 Cassini in March； 1684。 The sad
face was turned slightly towards that of its companion； and it
looked as if some tale of the human heart； some romance； had been
engraved and preserved for all time on the features of these dead
bodies； as they silently swung in their orbits forever and anon
were side by side。
〃In all the ages；〃 said Cortlandt； 〃that these moons have
wandered with Saturn about the sun； and with the solar system in
its journey through space； they can never have gazed upon the
scene they now behold； for we may be convinced that no mortal man
has been here before。〃
〃We may say；〃 said Ayrault； 〃that they see in our bodies a type
of the source from which come all the spiritual beings that are
here。〃
〃If； as the writers of mythology supposed；〃 replied Cortlandt；
〃inanimate objects were endowed with senses； these moons would
doubtless be unable to perceive the spiritual beings here； for
the satellites； being material； should； to be consistent； have
only those senses possessed by ourselves； so that to them this
planet would ordinarily appear deserted。〃
〃I shall be glad；〃 said Bearwarden； gloomily； 〃when those moons
wane and are succeeded by their fellows； for one would give me an
attack of the blues； while the other would subject me to the
inconvenience of falling in love。〃
As he spoke； the upper branches of the trees in the grove began
to sway as a cold gust from the north sighed among them。 〃Lose
no more opportunities；〃 it seemed to cry； 〃for life is short and
uncertain。 Soon you will all be colder than I； and your future；
still as easily moulded as clay； will be set as Marpesian marble；
more fixed than the hardest rock。〃
〃Paradise；〃 said Cortlandt； 〃contains sights and sounds that
might； I should think； arouse sad reminiscences without the aid
of the waters of Lethe； unless the joy of its souls in their new
resources and the sense of forgiveness outweigh all else。〃
With a parting look at the refined； silvery moon； and its
sorrow…laden companion； they retired to the sheltering cave；
piled up the fire； and talked on for an hour。
〃I do not see how it is；〃 said Bearwarden； 〃that these moons；
considering their distance from the sun； and the consequently
small amount of light they receive； are so bright。〃
〃A body's brightness in reflecting light；〃 replied Cortlandt；
〃depends as much on the colour and composition of its own surface
as on the amount it receives。 It is conceiv