This recalled to my mind a private conversation I had with Bona Dea at
Orbitello, and I surmised that her communication might have reference
to that; but I was at a loss to form any opinion in regard to the
package. She had told me that one of the inmates of the Home at Lake
Byblis was paying especial attention to the formation of an ideal
mental picture of life and its conditions in the frozen regions. And to
that end her apartments had been fitted up to represent winter scenery,
and to make the impression more realistic she was provided with a
refrigerator room where she subjected herself to low temperatures and
was testing the heat conserving powers of various qualities of clothing.
When breakfast was over I called at the office and received a large
bundle, neatly wrapped and securely sealed. The address was "Jack
Adams, No. 1, care Nequa." This was a poser. The communication was in
the official envelope of the Home and I hastened to my room, so that
if need be I could have the aid of a lexicon in the translation. But
when I opened it, somewhat to my surprise, I found it was written in
English. Being appropriate as a part of this narrative, I insert it in
full.
MATRONS' HOME, LAKE BYBLIS,
March 1, 6894, A.M.
MY DEAR NEQUA:--On returning to the Home, I related to Meidra, the
"Arctic pupil" of whom I told you, the substance of our conversation,
and explained to her what you suggested in regard to electric garments
as a means of conserving the natural heat of the body when exposed to
severe cold.
She informed me that she had been experimenting on that line and had
succeeded in making a suit that proved to be an ample protection from
the greatest cold that her refrigerator is capable of producing. She
sends you this electric suit, with the request that you test it in your
proposed voyage to the southern verge.
She further requests me to tell you that she does not intend to
permit you to deprive this inner world of the honor of having a Jack
Adams among its great navigators and explorers by your simply taking
advantage of one of our customs to change your name to such a feminine
cognomen as Nequa. Both she and Tanqua are anxious to make your
acquaintance. Meidra says that your image is indelibly impressed on
her mind by your photograph. She has an enlarged reproduction of your
picture as a prominent feature in her room, and from this she reads a
most admirable character.
The people of the entire concave are aroused to the importance of your
efforts to open up a channel of communication with the outer world.
All the Grand Divisions want to participate in the honor and to that
end each one has appointed a member to act with a representative from
Altruria, and constitute an Inner-World Council to assist in every way
possible.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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