The ceremony of introduction was exceedingly simple. Though they could
not, of course, understand a word he said, it was evident from his
eloquent gestures that their host described the way in which they had
come from Space and landed on the surface of the World of the Crystal
Cities, as Zaidie subsequently re-christened Ganymede.
The President of the Senate or Council spoke a few sentences in a deep
musical tone. Then their host, taking their hands, led them up to his
seat, and the President rose and took them by both hands in turn. Then,
with a grave smile of greeting, he bent his head and resumed his seat.
They joined hands in turn with each of the six senators present, bowed
their farewells in silence, and then went back with their host to the
car.
They ran down the avenue, made a curving sweep round to the left--for
all the paths in the great square were laid in curves, apparently to
form a contrast to the straight streets--and presently stopped before
the porch of one of the hundred palaces which surrounded it. This was
their host's house, and their home during the rest of their sojourn on
Ganymede.
CHAPTER XVI
The period of Ganymede's revolution round its gigantic primary is seven
days, three hours, and forty-three minutes, practically a terrestrial
week, and on their return to their native world both the daring
navigators of Space described this as the most interesting and
delightful week in their lives, excepting always the period which they
spent in the Eden of the Morning Star.
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