Thisroomwasgrotesquelylatter—dayinitsappointments。
Inthecentrewasabrightovallitbyshadedelectriclightsfromabove。Therestwasinshadow，andthedoublefinelyfittingdoorsthroughwhichhecamefromtheswarmingHalloftheAtlasmadetheplaceverystill。Thedeadthudoftheseastheyclosedbehindhim，thesuddencessationofthetumultinwhichhehadbeenlivingforhours，thequiveringcircleoflight，thewhispersandquicknoiselessmovementsofvaguelyvisibleattendantsintheshadows，hadastrangeeffectuponGraham。Thehugeearsofaphonographicmechanismgapedinabatteryforhiswords，theblackeyesofgreatphotographiccamerasawaitedhisbeginning，beyondmetalrodsandcoilsglittereddimly，andsomethingwhirledaboutwithadroninghum。Hewalkedintothecentreofthelight，andhisshadowdrewtogetherblackandsharptoalittleblotathisfeet。
Thevagueshapeofthethinghemeanttosaywasalreadyinhismind。Butthissilence，thisisolation，thesuddenwithdrawalfromthatcontagiouscrowd，thissilentaudienceofgaping，glaringmachineshadnotbeeninhisanticipation。Allhissupportsseemedwithdrawntogether；heseemedtohavedroppedintothissuddenly，suddenlytohavediscoveredhimself。Inamomenthewaschanged。Hefoundthathenowfearedtobeinadequate，hefearedtobetheatrical，hefearedthequalityofhisvoice，thequalityofhiswit，astonished，heturnedtothemaninyellowwithapropitiatorygesture。\"Foramoment，\"hesaid，\"Imustwait。Ididnotthinkitwouldbelikethis。ImustthinkofthethingIhavetosay。
WhilehewasstillhesitatingtherecameanagitatedmessengerwithnewsthattheforemostaeroplaneswerepassingoverArawan。
\"Arawan？\"hesaid。\"Whereisthat？Butanyhow，theyarecoming。Theywillbehere。When？\"