Adventures in the Far Future & Tales of Outer Space — page 132: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

his big body. Down the length of the room were other litter- like beds, occupied by representatives of the future race in various stages of disrepair. Some were lying still; others were chattering cheerfully. “Hey!” Striker querulously called out. Abruptly the noise of the room shut off like water from a faucet; all turnable heads were turned his way. From a great deal of furtive whispering Striker guessed that he was as great an enigma to them as they were to him. One of them loped up to his bed with a supervisory air and shot sounds at the man. “Sorry,” said Striker. “I can’t understand a word you're saying.” By way of explanation, he pointed -at his mouth, tapped Iris temple and violently shook his head. The attendant grinned amicably and held up two fingers as he bustled away. Striker had barely time to wonder what was up when the creature was back, and with another of his kind. This one must be older, Striker thought, for his face was covered by a network of dark wrinkles, and his jaw protruded very far to the front of his brow. It came to Striker like a blow that it was almost a muzzle. Had man, let alone not progressed, but actually fallen back along the evolutionary scale in the million years since his time? The older man turned on a light above Striker’s bed and held out his hand. Striker soberly shook it as the oldster grinned delightedly and turned to the attendant, uncoiling several yards of incomprehensible chatter. With a brisk smile the attendant rambled off. The old man held up a finger, as if to demand silence and cooperation. Striker watched very carefully as his mentor indicated the bedclothes, fingered them carefully, and in a voice heavy with significance uttered the word: “bamafa.” This, thought Striker, would be the inevitable language- lesson. Obediently he fingered the fabric and approximated the word. CORniclooo SS CO