Хребты безумия

           Inanycasetheycouldnothaveprolongedtheartificialstateindefinitelywithoutharm. 

           Beingnonpairingandsemivegetableinstructure,theOldOneshadnobiologicalbasisforthefamilyphaseofmammallife,butseemedtoorganizelargehouseholdsontheprinciplesofcomfortablespace-utilityand—aswededucedfromthepicturedoccupationsanddiversionsofco-dwellers—congenialmentalassociation. Infurnishingtheirhomestheykepteverythinginthecenterofthehugerooms,leavingallthewallspacesfreefordecorativetreatment. Lighting,inthecaseofthelandinhabitants,wasaccomplishedbyadeviceprobablyelectro-chemicalinnature. Bothonlandandunderwatertheyusedcurioustables,chairsandcoucheslikecylindricalframes—fortheyrestedandsleptuprightwithfolded-downtentacles—andracksforhingedsetsofdottedsurfacesformingtheirbooks. 

           Governmentwasevidentlycomplexandprobablysocialistic,thoughnocertaintiesinthisregardcouldbededucedfromthesculptureswesaw. Therewasextensivecommerce,bothlocalandbetweendifferentcities—certainsmall,flatcounters,five-pointedandinscribed,servingasmoney. Probablythesmallerofthevariousgreenishsoapstonesfoundbyourexpeditionwerepiecesofsuchcurrency. Thoughtheculturewasmainlyurban,someagricultureandmuchstockraisingexisted. Miningandalimitedamountofmanufacturingwerealsopracticed. Travelwasveryfrequent,butpermanentmigrationseemedrelativelyrareexceptforthevastcolonizingmovementsbywhichtheraceexpanded. Forpersonallocomotionnoexternalaidwasused,sinceinland,air,andwatermovementaliketheOldOnesseemedtopossessexcessivelyvastcapacitiesforspeed.