cloudless expanse of purple-blue, seemed tremendously wide, by reason of the far horizons. He went to the railing which guarded the brink of the plateau and looked down over Tanjaree. It was a city of modest size, separated by a circular lake. To the west was the old town or native quarter, a random scatter of low white domes and slender spires, almost dwarfed beneath a dozen or so prodigious dendrons growing among the structures. They stood, so Glawen estimated, over two hundred feet tall, on massive black boles which separated into a sprawl of heavy branches, bending at the tips to the weight of blue fruiting globes, about ten feet in diameter.
The new town, to the east of the lake, showed a street layout only marginally more rational than the unabashed chaos of the old town. An avenue skirted the lake. Where it passed in front of the large tourist hotels and other tourist services, it broadened and was known as ‘The Mall'. Narrow streets and alleys slanted away in all directions through the rather shabby districts away from the waterfront. The structures, large and small alike, were fabrications of lumpy plaster, apparently wadded into place by hand, with all dimensions and measurements being estimated by eye. There were no sharp corners, neither right angles nor verticality save in those instances which occurred by accident. The effect was one of organic growth and — initially, at least — not unpleasant. Most of the structures were two stories high, though the tourist hotels fronting on the lake were often of three or even four stories.
Glawen turned away from the view. A small structure nearby displayed a sign: TOURIST INFORMATION. Glawen went to the structure and entered. The premises were furnished with a long table, chairs, a rack of brochures. Behind the table sat a pair of young women, dressed, in sleeveless white frocks and sandals. They were appealing creatures, thought Glawen, strikingly similar, with delicate features in pale faces, chestnut curls and slight small-breasted bodies. Both wore ribbons in their hair: pink on the girl sitting to the left, blue on the one to the right. They took note of Glawen with similar expressions of polite inquiry. The girl with the blue ribbon asked: “How best can we serve you, sir?”
“First of all,' said Glawen, “I need a hotel. Can you make me a recommendation and — if possible — book me a room?”
'Of course! That is our function!” The girls exchanged smiles, as if at a private joke. Pink Ribbon said: “There are twenty hotels in Tanjaree. Six are rated 'First Class'; five are 'Second Class’. The others are somewhat less convenient. There are also shelters where lodging is provided the penurious.'
Blue Ribbon said: 'Before we can accommodate you to your precise taste, we must learn your preferences. Which category do you prefer?”
“Naturally, I prefer the best,' said Glawen. “The question becomes, can I afford it?'
Blue Ribbon handed him a sheet of paper. 'Here are the hotels and their rates.'
Glawen glanced down the list. “I see nothing to alarm me. Which is the best?'
Pink and Blue exchanged smiles. 'That is a hard question to answer,' said Blue. “Departing tourists have much more definite opinions upon which is the worst.”
“Hm,' said Glawen. 'Perhaps I should ask which hotel provokes the fewest angry complaints?”
Pink and Blue considered a moment, then took counsel with each other. “The Cansaspara, perhaps?' suggested Pink. ''The Cansaspara would be my guess,'' said Blue. 'Unfortunately three ships have arrived during the last three days, and none have departed. The Cansaspara is booked solid.'
“A pity,” sighed Pink. “I like the Cansaspara Arcade.”
“It is nice,' agreed Blue.
Glawen looked from one girl to the other. Both were charming, he thought, though a bit languid and indirect in the conduct of their duties; He said: “I have some business I must transact as soon as possible, so book me anywhere you can.”
'The Superbo and the Haz Warrior are about equal in their amenities, “said Pink. “Do you have a preference?'
“Not really. The Superbo would seem a bit more relaxed than the Warrior.”
“You are a thoughtful man,” said Blue. “Evidently you know something of the Haz. Am I correct?”
“I'm afraid not. But for the moment — “
“The Haz are, almost extinct. A few remain, under the Croo Cleeks, but they no longer sail their desert-boats. In the old days they captured tourists and forced them to fight duels.'
Blue gave a shudder. “It is all in the past: the midnight camps, the music, the wild dances, the weird Haz honor!'
“Very picturesque,' said Glawen. “But it must have discouraged tourism.'
Pink and Blue both laughed. “Not at all, the tourist need not fight. The warrior would mock him, and pull his nose, and offer to fight blindfold, or with his hands tied. If the tourist still demurred, he would be called a dog, a thief and a tourist. The women would spit on his feet and cut the bottom out of his trousers, but he would be allowed to return to Tanjaree alive, with much material for reminiscence.'
'Interesting,' said Glawen. 'But now, between the Superbo and the Haz Warrlor — ”
“There is little difference,” said Blue. “At the Haz Warrior, they play Haz music and pretend to despise the tourist, but they offer no violence.'
Glawen said: 'I think I prefer the Superbo. Be so kind as to — “
“Both the Superbo and the Haz Warrior are fully booked, “said Pink. 'We will place you at the Novial.'
“Anywhere, since I am in a bit of a hurry.”
“An instant only!” said Blue. “We are famous for the quickness of our fast speed!'
“The Novial it is then, though their pold is far from classic.”
“It's good enough for me,” said Glawen. “I am not yet a connoisseur. You may book me into the Novial.'
'Just so,” said Blue. 'If you need good pold, go to one of the kiosks. The Gangril formulations are best.'
Pink thrust out her tongue. On the tip rested a small black pastille. She said: “At this very moment I am sucking on a wafer of tikki-tikki, which is a Gangril formulation. The flavor is sharp but subtle, and the formulation soothes me.'
Blue stated: “Tikki-tikki often eases the aggravations of my work.'
Glawen said decisively: 'I must leave, before I become an aggravation.'
'You are no aggravation!' declared Pink. “We like talking to you, and we have nothing better to do.'
Blue said: 'Here is a map of Tanjaree. “She made marks. “This is where we live. If you are bored, you may come to call, and taste our truest pold.'
Pink suggested: 'Or we could walk beside the lake and count the moons, and recite the proper poems.'
Blue said: 'Or we could visit the serai and watch the mad harlequins as they dance and play their concertinas.'
'I am bewildered by so many choices,' said Glawen. 'However I must first see to my business, which is most urgent.'
'If you like, I will give you a wafer of nging,' said Pink. ''The effect is to minimize the importance of serious business. It allows one to live without tension or care.”
Glawen smilingly shook his head. “Thank you again.” He looked at the map. “The Novial is where?'
Blue made a mark. “First, we must book you your lodging, or all might could to naught.'
“I will do so at once;” said Pink. “I had forgotten the gentleman's requirements.”
Glawen waited while Pink spoke into the telephone, then nodded to Glawen. 'Your lodging is secure, but you must report to the Novial at once or it might be let to someone else. As you see, things go briskly here at Tanjaree.'
“You have made that clear,” said Glawen. “Please mark Crippet Alley on the map, and also the Argonaut Art Supply Company.”
Blue made careful indications, which Pink verified and approved. Glawen again expressed his thanks and departed.
A long rickety escalator lowered him to the lakeside avenue. He looked up toward the sun Pharisee. To judge by the altitude, the time was perhaps an hour into the afternoon. The reckoning, however, might be misleading, since Nions sidereal day was something over thirty-seven hours long.
Glawen set off along the avenue and a few minutes later arrived at the Novial Hotel. He entered the lobby: a
