At
greater length he repeated the gist of their conversation.
Not until then was there a stir among the Rhamdas. Chick glanced
over at the Aradna. She was listening eagerly, her chin cupped in
her hand, her blue eyes full of interest and wonder, and natural,
unfeigned, child-like delight.
Then the Bar caught Chick's glance; the newcomer felt the cold
chill of calculation, the cynical weight of the sceptic, and a
queer foreboding of the future; no light glance, but one like fire
and ice and iron. He wondered at the man's beauty and genius, and
at his emotional preponderance manifest even here before the
Rhamdas.
The Geos went on. His words, now, were simple and direct. Watson
felt himself almost deified by that reverent manner. The Rhamdas
listened with visibly growing interest; the Aradna leaned slightly
forward; even the Bar dropped his interest in Watson to pay closer
attention to the speaker. For Geos had come to the Jarados; he was
an orator as well as a mystic, and he was advancing Chick's words
with all the skill of a master of language, ascending effect--
climax--the Jarados had come among them, and--They had missed him!
For a moment there was silence, then a rustle of general comment.
Chick watched the Rhamdas, leaning over to whisper to each other.
Could he stand up against them?
But none of them spoke. After the first murmur of comment they
lapsed into silence again.
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