When they had gone I remarked on this to her, and asked why, as such was the case with two beings, all the rest were not allowed to retain at least some of this lost and human beauty. At first she did not answer, but at last she gave some kind of an explanation. “Well, you see,” said she, “it costs a great deal to alter them from their natural state. These two were sent last night after your arrival to a friend of ours who is rather clever at transformations. It needs a thorough knowledge of human nature, and a thorough knowledge of their past history, before anything really effective can be produced. But those two are admirable specimens, and as long as they remain in good condition I have no objection to them.” “May I ask you how the transformation is brought about?” “Perhaps I ought not to tell you,” she replied. “But still I will, for it is so delightful to talk to a complete stranger. Let us say those two men were in their lifetime built up of selfishness. Naturally when they came here they had to be broken into harness, and before that could be done the selfishness had to be drawn out of them.” Here she smiled slightly. “Naturally nothing would be left but spiritual skin and bone, which when put under extreme pressure contracts and leaves those stunted creatures you have noticed. Now this friend of whom I spoke has a very delightful hobby. He collects small portions of the essence of all sins, since not even the wealthiest can afford to buy much, except what comes to them by actual possession, and stores them away. Then if any of us wish to have our slaves transformed at any time to their original likeness he will do it for us. He builds them up from what they were originally, selfish, hypocritical, deceitful, ambitious, whatever it may be. Naturally like clings to like, and so in a master hand the whole is soon built up. But for every atom of the original sin he introduces five of decay, so that they cannot last long in that condition, and have to be renewed unless allowed to return to their former state.” “And do you not prefer to have them in this state than in their naked ugliness?” She shook her head and smiled. “No. We like as far as possible to be fair, and it is impossible to transform the whole and keep them in good repair, therefore we leave them as they naturally are. The sight of these two, as it is, will only provoke the envy and spite of all the rest, so they won’t have a happy time of it after all.” “Then why have you transformed them?” I asked. “Plucritus said you liked outward show,” she answered. “And moreover, our friend was in a mood to be cruel, and sent round to know if anyone had slaves who wanted punishing.” “Then does the process entail suffering?”