In the Street

The three men gathered in the street outside the house. The night was slightly frosty, but particularly clear, with an east wind blowing. The multitude of blazing stars caused the sky to appear like a vast scroll of hieroglyphic symbols. Maskull felt oddly excited; he had a sense that something extraordinary was about to happen. “What brought you to this house tonight, Krag, and what made you do what you did? How are we understand that apparition?”

The three men gathered in the street outside the house. The night was slightly frosty but especially clear, with an east wind blowing. Countless blazing stars made the sky look like a vast scroll covered in hieroglyphic symbols. Maskull felt strangely excited. He sensed that something extraordinary was about to happen. “What brought you to this house tonight, Krag? And what made you do what you did? How are we to understand that apparition?”

“That must have been Crystalman’s expression on its face,” muttered Nightspore.

“That must have been Crystalman’s expression on its face,” muttered Nightspore.

“We have discussed that, haven’t we, Maskull? Maskull is anxious to behold that rare fruit in its native wilds.”

“We’ve discussed that, haven’t we, Maskull? Maskull is eager to see that rare fruit growing in the wild.”

Maskull looked at Krag carefully, trying to analyse his own feelings toward him. He was distinctly repelled by the man’s personality, yet side by side with this aversion a savage, living energy seemed to spring up in his heart that in some strange fashion was attributable to Krag.

Maskull looked carefully at Krag, trying to understand how he felt about him. He was clearly repelled by Krag’s personality. Yet at the same time, a savage, living energy seemed to rise in his heart. Somehow, it seemed to come from Krag.

“Why do you insist on this simile?” he asked.

“Why do you keep using that comparison?” he asked.

“Because it is apropos. Nightspore’s quite right. That was Crystalman’s face, and we are going to Crystalman’s country.”

“Because it’s relevant. Nightspore is quite right. That was Crystalman’s face, and we are going to Crystalman’s country.”

“And where is this mysterious country?”

“And where is this mysterious country?”

“Tormance.”

“Tormance.”

“That’s a quaint name. But where is it?”

“That’s an unusual name. But where is it?”

Krag grinned, showing his yellow teeth in the light of the street lamp.

Krag grinned, showing his yellow teeth in the streetlamp's light.

“It is the residential suburb of Arcturus.”

“It is Arcturus’s residential suburb.”

“What is he talking about, Nightspore?... Do you mean the star of that name?” he went on, to Krag.

“What is he talking about, Nightspore?... Do you mean the star with that name?” he asked Krag.

“Which you have in front of you at this very minute,” said Krag, pointing a thick finger toward the brightest star in the south-eastern sky. “There you see Arcturus, and Tormance is its one inhabited planet.”

“Which is right in front of you now,” said Krag, pointing a thick finger at the brightest star in the southeastern sky. “That’s Arcturus, and Tormance is its only inhabited planet.”

Maskull looked at the heavy, gleaming star, and again at Krag. Then he pulled out a pipe, and began to fill it.

Maskull looked at the heavy, gleaming star, then back at Krag. He pulled out a pipe and began to fill it.

“You must have cultivated a new form of humour, Krag.”

“You must have developed a new sense of humor, Krag.”

“I am glad if I can amuse you, Maskull, if only for a few days.”

“I’m glad if I can entertain you, Maskull, even if only for a few days.”

“I meant to ask you—how do you know my name?”

“I meant to ask you, how do you know my name?”

“It would be odd if I didn’t, seeing that I only came here on your account. As a matter of fact, Nightspore and I are old friends.”

“It would be odd if I didn’t, since I only came here because of you. In fact, Nightspore and I are old friends.”

Maskull paused with his suspended match. “You came here on my account?”

Maskull paused, holding the match in midair. “You came here because of me?”

“Surely. On your account and Nightspore’s. We three are to be fellow travellers.”

“Of course. For your sake and Nightspore’s. The three of us are going to travel together.”

Maskull now lit his pipe and puffed away coolly for a few moments.

Maskull lit his pipe and calmly puffed on it for a few moments.

“I’m sorry, Krag, but I must assume you are mad.”

“I’m sorry, Krag, but I have to assume you’re insane.”

Krag threw his head back, and gave a scraping laugh. “Am I mad, Nightspore?”

Krag threw his head back and let out a scraping laugh. “Am I mad, Nightspore?”

“Has Surtur gone to Tormance?” ejaculated Nightspore in a strangled voice, fixing his eyes on Krag’s face.

“Has Surtur gone to Tormance?” Nightspore asked in a strangled voice, staring at Krag’s face.

“Yes, and he requires that we follow him at once.”

“Yes, and he wants us to follow him right away.”

Maskull’s heart began to beat strangely. It all sounded to him like a dream conversation.

Maskull’s heart began to beat strangely. It all sounded like a conversation in a dream.

“And since how long, Krag, have I been required to do things by a total stranger.... Besides, who is this individual?”

“And since when, Krag, have I been required to do things by a total stranger.... Besides, who is this person?”

“Krag’s chief,” said Nightspore, turning his head away.

“Krag’s chief,” said Nightspore, turning his head away.

“The riddle is too elaborate for me. I give up.”

“The riddle is too complicated for me. I give up.”

“You are looking for mysteries,” said Krag, “so naturally you are finding them. Try and simplify your ideas, my friend. The affair is plain and serious.”

“You’re looking for mysteries,” said Krag, “so naturally you’re finding them. Try to think more simply, my friend. The matter is straightforward and serious.”

Maskull stared hard at him and smoked rapidly.

Maskull stared intently at him and smoked quickly.

“Where have you come from now?” demanded Nightspore suddenly.

“Where have you come from now?” Nightspore demanded suddenly.

“From the old observatory at Starkness.... Have you heard of the famous Starkness Observatory, Maskull?”

“From the old observatory at Starkness.... Have you heard of the famous Starkness Observatory, Maskull?”

“No. Where is it?”

“No. Where is it?”

“On the north-east coast of Scotland. Curious discoveries are made there from time to time.”

“On the northeast coast of Scotland. Strange discoveries are made there from time to time.”

“As, for example, how to make voyages to the stars. So this Surtur turns out to be an astronomer. And you too, presumably?”

“For example, how to travel to the stars. So Surtur turns out to be an astronomer. And you are too, I assume?”

Krag grinned again. “How long will it take you to wind up your affairs? When can you be ready to start?”

Krag grinned again. “How long will it take you to get your affairs in order? When can you be ready to leave?”

“You are too considerate,” said Maskull, laughing outright. “I was beginning to fear that I would be hauled away at once.... However, I have neither wife, land, nor profession, so there’s nothing to wait for.... What is the itinerary?”

“You’re too considerate,” said Maskull, laughing openly. “I was beginning to fear you’d take me away at once.... But I have no wife, land, or profession, so there’s nothing to wait for.... What’s the plan for the journey?”

“You are a fortunate man. A bold, daring heart, and no encumbrances.” Krag’s features became suddenly grave and rigid. “Don’t be a fool, and refuse a gift of luck. A gift declined is not offered a second time.”

“You’re a lucky man. You have a bold, daring heart and nothing holding you back.” Krag’s face suddenly became serious and rigid. “Don’t be a fool and turn down a stroke of luck. A gift you refuse won’t be offered again.”

“Krag,” replied Maskull simply, returning his pipe to his pocket. “I ask you to put yourself in my place. Even if I were a man sick for adventures, how could I listen seriously to such an insane proposition as this? What do I know about you, or your past record? You may be a practical joker, or you may have come out of a madhouse—I know nothing about it. If you claim to be an exceptional man, and want my cooperation, you must offer me exceptional proofs.”

“Krag,” Maskull replied simply, putting his pipe back in his pocket. “Put yourself in my place. Even if I were desperate for adventure, how could I take such a crazy proposal seriously? What do I know about you or your past? You may be a practical joker, or you may have come out of a madhouse. I know nothing about you. If you claim to be an exceptional man and want my cooperation, you must give me exceptional proof.”

“And what proofs would you consider adequate, Maskull?”

“And what proof would you consider enough, Maskull?”

As he spoke he gripped Maskull’s arm. A sharp, chilling pain immediately passed through the latter’s body and at the same moment his brain caught fire. A light burst in upon him like the rising of the sun. He asked himself for the first time if this fantastic conversation could by any chance refer to real things.

As he spoke, he gripped Maskull’s arm. A sharp, chilling pain immediately passed through Maskull’s body, and at the same moment his brain caught fire. Light burst in upon him like the rising sun. For the first time, he wondered if this fantastic conversation could possibly be about real things.

“Listen, Krag,” he said slowly, while peculiar images and conceptions started to travel in rich disorder through his mind. “You talk about a certain journey. Well, if that journey were a possible one, and I were given the chance of making it, I would be willing never to come back. For twenty-four hours on that Arcturian planet, I would give my life. That is my attitude toward that journey.... Now prove to me that you’re not talking nonsense. Produce your credentials.”

“Listen, Krag,” he said slowly, as strange images and ideas began to move through his mind in rich disorder. “You talk about a certain journey. Well, if that journey were possible and I had the chance to make it, I’d be willing never to return. I’d give my life for twenty-four hours on that Arcturian planet. That’s how I feel about the journey.... Now prove to me that you’re not talking nonsense. Show me your credentials.”

Krag stared at him all the time he was speaking, his face gradually resuming its jesting expression.

Krag stared at him the whole time he spoke. His face gradually returned to its playful expression.

“Oh, you will get your twenty-four hours, and perhaps longer, but not much longer. You’re an audacious fellow, Maskull, but this trip will prove a little strenuous, even for you.... And so, like the unbelievers of old, you want a sign from heaven?”

“Oh, you’ll get your twenty-four hours, and perhaps more, but not much more. You’re a daring fellow, Maskull, but this trip will be a little tough, even for you.... And so, like the unbelievers of old, you want a sign from heaven?”

Maskull frowned. “But the whole thing is ridiculous. Our brains are overexcited by what took place in there. Let us go home, and sleep it off.”

Maskull frowned. “But the whole thing is ridiculous. Our brains are overstimulated by what happened in there. Let's go home and sleep it off.”

Krag detained him with one hand, while groping in his breast pocket with the other. He presently fished out what resembled a small folding lens. The diameter of the glass did not exceed two inches.

Krag held him back with one hand while searching his breast pocket with the other. He soon pulled out something that looked like a small folding lens. The glass was no more than two inches across.

“First take a peep at Arcturus through this, Maskull. It may serve as a provisional sign. It’s the best I can do, unfortunately. I am not a travelling magician.... Be very careful not to drop it. It’s somewhat heavy.”

“First, take a look at Arcturus through this, Maskull. It may serve as a sign for now. Unfortunately, it’s the best I can do. I’m not a traveling magician.... Be very careful not to drop it. It’s rather heavy.”

Maskull took the lens in his hand, struggled with it for a minute, and then looked at Krag in amazement. The little object weighed at least twenty pounds, though it was not much bigger than a crown piece.

Maskull took the lens in his hand and struggled with it for a minute. Then he looked at Krag in amazement. The small object weighed at least twenty pounds, though it was barely bigger than a large coin.

“What stuff can this be, Krag?”

“What could this stuff be, Krag?”

“Look through it, my good friend. That’s what I gave it to you for.”

“Look through it, my friend. That’s why I gave it to you.”

Maskull held it up with difficulty, directed it toward the gleaming Arcturus, and snatched as long and as steady a glance at the star as the muscles of his arm would permit. What he saw was this. The star, which to the naked eye appeared as a single yellow point of light, now became clearly split into two bright but minute suns, the larger of which was still yellow, while its smaller companion was a beautiful blue. But this was not all. Apparently circulating around the yellow sun was a comparatively small and hardly distinguishable satellite, which seemed to shine, not by its own, but by reflected light.... Maskull lowered and raised his arm repeatedly. The same spectacle revealed itself again and again, but he was able to see nothing else. Then he passed back the lens to Krag, without a word, and stood chewing his underlip.

Maskull struggled to hold the lens up and pointed it toward the gleaming Arcturus. He looked at the star for as long and as steadily as his arm muscles allowed. To the naked eye, Arcturus appeared as a single yellow point of light. Through the lens, it clearly resolved into two bright but tiny suns. The larger sun was still yellow, while its smaller companion was a beautiful blue. But that was not all. A relatively small, barely visible satellite appeared to circle the yellow sun. It seemed to shine by reflected light, rather than its own.... Maskull lowered and raised his arm repeatedly. Each time he saw the same sight, but he could see nothing else. Then he passed the lens back to Krag without a word and stood chewing his lower lip.

“You take a glimpse too,” scraped Krag, proffering the glass to Nightspore.

“You take a look too,” Krag rasped, offering the glass to Nightspore.

Nightspore turned his back and began to pace up and down. Krag laughed sardonically, and returned the lens to his pocket. “Well, Maskull, are you satisfied?”

Nightspore turned away and began pacing back and forth. Krag laughed mockingly and put the lens back in his pocket. “Well, Maskull, are you satisfied?”

“Arcturus, then, is a double sun. And is that third point the planet Tormance?”

“So Arcturus is a double sun. And is that third point the planet Tormance?”

“Our future home, Maskull.”

“Our future home, Maskull.”

Maskull continued to ponder. “You inquire if I am satisfied. I don’t know, Krag. It’s miraculous, and that’s all I can say about it.... But I’m satisfied of one thing. There must be very wonderful astronomers at Starkness and if you invite me to your observatory I will surely come.”

Maskull continued to think. “You ask if I’m satisfied. I don’t know, Krag. It’s miraculous, and that’s all I can say about it.... But I’m sure of one thing. There must be some wonderful astronomers at Starkness. If you invite me to your observatory, I’ll certainly come.”

“I do invite you. We set off from there.”

“I am inviting you. We leave from there.”

“And you, Nightspore?” demanded Maskull.

“And you, Nightspore?” demanded Maskull.

“The journey has to be made,” answered his friend in indistinct tones, “though I don’t see what will come of it.”

“The journey has to be made,” his friend replied unclearly, “though I don’t see what will come of it.”

Krag shot a penetrating glance at him. “More remarkable adventures than this would need to be arranged before we could excite Nightspore.”

Krag gave him a penetrating look. “We'd have to arrange more remarkable adventures than this to excite Nightspore.”

“Yet he is coming.”

“But he is coming.”

“But not con amore. He is coming merely to bear you company.”

“But not out of enthusiasm. He is coming just to keep you company.”

Maskull again sought the heavy, sombre star, gleaming in solitary might, in the south-eastern heavens, and, as he gazed, his heart swelled with grand and painful longings, for which, however, he was unable to account to his own intellect. He felt that his destiny was in some way bound up with this gigantic, far-distant sun. But still he did not dare to admit to himself Krag’s seriousness.

Maskull looked again for the heavy, gloomy star, shining alone and powerful in the southeastern sky. As he gazed at it, his heart swelled with grand and painful longings. Yet he could not understand why he felt them. He felt that his destiny was somehow tied to this enormous, distant sun. But he still did not dare admit to himself that Krag was serious.

He heard his parting remarks in deep abstraction, and only after the lapse of several minutes, when, alone with Nightspore, did he realise that they referred to such mundane matters as travelling routes and times of trains.

He was lost in thought as he listened to the parting remarks. Several minutes later, alone with Nightspore, he realized they had been about ordinary matters like travel routes and train times.

“Does Krag travel north with us, Nightspore? I didn’t catch that.”

“Is Krag traveling north with us, Nightspore? I didn’t catch that.”

“No. We go on first, and he joins us at Starkness on the evening of the day after tomorrow.”

“No. We’ll go on ahead, and he’ll join us at Starkness the evening after tomorrow.”

Maskull remained thoughtful. “What am I to think of that man?”

Maskull remained lost in thought. “What am I to think of that man?”

“For your information,” replied Nightspore wearily, “I have never known him to lie.”

“For your information,” Nightspore replied wearily, “I have never known him to lie.”