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           Thislitterwasmadeofsomeveryductilemetalthatlookeddarktome,meshedandwoven,andwithbarsofpalermetal,andaboutmeasIadvancedtheregroupeditselfalongandcomplicatedprocession.

           “Infront,afterthemannerofheralds,marchedfourtrumpet-facedcreaturesmakingadevastatingbray;andthencamesquat,resolute-movingushersbeforeandbehind,andoneitherhandagalaxyoflearnedheads,asortofanimatedencyclopedia,whowere,Phi-ooexplained,tostandabouttheGrandLunarforpurposesofreference.(Notathinginlunarscience,notapointofviewormethodofthinking,thatthesewonderfulbeingsdidnotcarryintheirheads!)Followedguardsandporters,andthenPhi-oo’sshiveringbrainbornealsoonalitter.ThencameTsi-puffinaslightlylessimportantlitter;thenmyselfonalitterofgreaterelegancethananyother,andsurroundedbymyfoodanddrinkattendants.Moretrumpeterscamenext,splittingtheearwithvehementoutcries,andthenseveralbigbrains,specialcorrespondentsonemightwellcallthem,orhistoriographers,chargedwiththetaskofobservingandrememberingeverydetailofthisepoch-makinginterview.Acompanyofattendants,bearinganddraggingbannersandmassesofscentedfungusandcurioussymbols,vanishedinthedarknessbehind.Thewaywaslinedbyushersandofficersincaparisonsthatgleamedlikesteel,andbeyondtheirline,sofarasmyeyescouldpiercethegloom,theheadsofthatenormouscrowdextended.