we decided to go on foot.
We saw around us in every direction large numbers of flying machines of all descriptions, also electric and other motors, which had conveyed the people to our landing-place. Most of the motors were very light and elegant in appearance, and those intended for conveying only a single person were but little larger than our motor tricycles. There was not the slightest noise from the machinery, nor any fumes emitted like those we had found so great a nuisance on the earth. The Martians had evidently overcome all such difficulties, if they had ever experienced them; and their methods were doubtless far in advance of the use of evil-smelling petrol.
We noticed that very many of the people were walking in a manner which suggested that they had a long journey before them; and, on mentioning this to the official in attendance, he told us that walking was so easy on Mars, both on account of the small gravitation and the generally level surface of the country, that most Martians preferred walking unless much pressed for time, or the distance to be traversed was very great.
Though the sun was shining brilliantly the heat was not at all oppressive. As we passed along we noticed that the buildings all stood separate from each other, open spaces or trees, flowers or shrubs being around each of them.
We saw no evidence of overcrowding of buildings on small areas of land like there was in the world we had left. Plenty of air and open space seemed to be the general rule, at least upon this part of Mars.
After a very short walk we arrived at our dwelling, an elegant little building of white stone, and only two storeys in height. There was such a general appearance of comfort and homeliness about it, both inside and out, that M’Allister exclaimed: “Professor, I never thought coming to Mars meant a reception like this. I rather expected to have had a fight when we landed!”
John, too, expressed his delight at the kind manner in which we had been received, then asked me, “Who was that splendid young fellow who came out of the pavilion with me, and stood by my side on the dais?”
“I’ll tell you presently, John,” I replied, “after we have had some solid refreshment, and are quite alone.”
“One would think there was some mystery about him, Professor, by the way you speak,” he answered.
“Perhaps there is a little more mystery in the whole affair than you dream of,” I remarked.
“Anyhow,” said John, “you seem very pleased over it, whatever it may be, Professor; for I never saw you so delighted in your life as you have appeared during the last hour.”
“Yes, John, I am indeed pleased,” I replied, “and so will you be when you know what I know.”
“You quite arouse my curiosity,” he said; “still, I suppose I must wait a little longer to be enlightened; but we came to Mars to find out secrets.”
Just then we had to cease our conversation, for we were conducted into a room where we found a most tempting looking repast ready for our delectation, and the attendants showed us to our respective seats.
All the comestibles were fruits, nuts, or vegetables of various kinds, and I saw nothing there in the nature of flesh meat. Some of the fruits and nuts resembled the products of our own world, especially some of our eastern products; but most of them were entirely unknown to us, though they all looked tempting and good.
We certainly did full justice to them, and were particularly attracted by some large bunches of what were evidently Martian grapes, each grape being as large as one of our egg-plums. We tried some of these, and found them most delicious, as indeed were all the other eatables we consumed.
Though used to a meat diet, we found this meal most satisfying; the fruits being so refreshing that we had neither desire nor need for drink, though it stood there ready for us if we wished to take it. The attendants waited upon us assiduously, bringing us the various dishes in what was apparently their regular order of courses.
Both John and M’Allister appeared to enjoy their first Martian meal as much as I did, and when we adjourned to another room at its conclusion, were loud in their expressions of appreciation.
When this topic had died down, I thought the time had arrived to make the important disclosure of the first results of our visit to the red planet.
They listened to my story in amazement, and with many exclamations of surprise; whilst, as for John, he was almost beside himself with delight on learning that he would once more meet his long-lost friend, and he rose and shook hands with me, at the same time warmly congratulating me on my wonderful reunion with my son.
“Professor,” said M’Allister, also rising and shaking my hand, “I’m as glad for your sake as if I had found a son of my own!”
I thanked them both very heartily for their kind congratulations. Then John said to me—
“Professor, it is, without exception, the most extraordinary thing I ever heard of in my life; but what strikes me as most singular about it is the strange coincidence connected with your son’s name!”
I did not understand this allusion to Mark, so asked what was the strange coincidence to which he referred.
“Well, Professor,” he said, “excuse me if I answer your question by asking another one. How was it you gave your son the name of Mark, and what was the particular reason for your doing so?”
“No particular reason, John, so far as I am aware,” I replied, “except that it always seemed to me a good, plain, and honest sort of a name.”
“Do you know the meaning of the name?” he then asked.
“Well, yes, I think so; for one thing, I believe it means ‘polite,’” I said; “and another meaning I have read is a ‘hammer.’ But really, John, I had no thought of meanings at all when I chose that name for him.”
“That only makes it all the more strange,” John answered. “I have seen those meanings you mention as attached to the name; but you seem to have quite missed the most important one of all, for I can tell you, Professor, that the name ‘Mark’ means ‘Son of Mars!’ Now don’t you see the coincidence, when you find that he really has become a son of Mars!”
“Really, John,” I answered, “I assure you that I never heard of that before; the coincidence is, as you say, most singular and extraordinary; but, taking all things into consideration, I am inclined to think there must be something more than coincidence when they work out like this. You know your Shakespeare, John, and he says most truly: ‘There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will.’ I will not repeat the hackneyed phrase about ‘more things in heaven and earth—’”
Just then Merna (as I suppose I must now call him, though he will always be “Mark” to me) arrived amongst us, and I at once introduced him to John and M’Allister.
The meeting between the two old friends was delightful to witness, for both seemed over-joyed; and they had so much to say to each other—so many questions to ask.
When the excitement had passed I asked Mark—you see I cannot help calling him by his old name—if he could now furnish me with the further information he had promised, for I was longing to hear all he had to tell.
“Yes,” he replied, “I am quite ready, sir;” and then he proceeded to give us details of his life upon Mars. It is too long a story to tell exactly as he told it—and sometimes he was at a loss to express himself appropriately in English—but, shortly, it was as follows:—
His birth upon Mars, as we found from a comparison of dates, must have followed almost immediately after his passing from the earth; and he said he thought that his two previous seizures were probably abortive attempts of his spirit to depart earlier.
His Martian father was the brother of Soranho, the present Chief of the Council; both his father and mother, however, had died when Merna was quite a child, and the Chief had since brought him up like his own son, and was very much attached to him.
When Merna was still very young he was extremely fond of looking at the stars in the clear Martian skies, being especially attracted by the earth, which was a very brilliant star in those skies when the planet was in the most favourable position for viewing it. He used to watch the earth pass through its various phases, the same as we see Venus; and as time went on he had a strong feeling or intuition that, at some unknown period, he had been upon, or in some way connected with, the earth!
This feeling became more and more intense, so that his thoughts were constantly directed towards our world, and ultimately he became firmly convinced that he had once lived upon the earth.
He told us, amongst other things, that the Martians possess senses and powers which we do not possess, and know nothing of. For instance, he said that any Martian of ordinary intelligence always knew what was in the mind of any one with whom he was speaking; therefore any attempt to prevaricate or mislead was folly and useless. In some cases this power extended over a long distance, and the thoughts of others could be read as easily as when they were close at hand. So for this reason, and not only because it is considered wrong,
