Adventures in the Far Future & Tales of Outer Space — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

next, the wide, immaculate thoroughfares. They were everywhere, clad in colorful toga-like garments, and each, it seemed, with a gentle manner. They would halt briefly as we walked among them behind Kell-lll and his aides, but there were the same gentle, courteous bows that we’d met out on the desert; not stares, not shouts, not the mobbing so often bred by unbridled curiosity. But even with the pleasant murmur of their low, soft voices there was the quietness, and | asked Kruger if he noticed it too. It was awkward, carrying our bulging helmets beneath our still-suited arms, but having them off at least gave us back the Individuality of our voices, and that helped a little. We had to work to breathe; it was evident that the people here had adapted down to a bare minimum of oxygen before resorting to the Enclosures, but their artificial atmosphere had an invigorating tang, and that helped, too. “They’re just a little surprised, | guess,” Kruger said in his best sotto voce. “Either that, or—well, hell, | guess we can allow for a few little differences from ourselves! They could as easily have been bug-eyed octopods with soul- tearing ‘ screams for normal voices, after all. | wouldn’t worry about it.” “| wish we’d get to it, though. These—these Teachers, whoever they are. I’ve got questions—” “You and the big rush! But I’ve got a few of my own. Better do it their way, though. It’ll be good for your ulcers, Wes.” “Believe that when | see it,” | answered him. Our panorama of the city widened as we started up the gently inclining ramp that circled the tower-like structure in which Kell-lIll and the others apparently intended to billet us. Here Kruger voiced a thought that had just started whipping around in my own head. “Not many vehicles,” he said. CORniclooo SS CO