'You are a wicked child Lulluma,' Nahou smiled, throwing his arm carelessly round her shoulders, 'You mock at everything for your amusement.' His voice was gentle, caressing, yet it was not the tone of a lover, only that of one who had an infinite capacity for understanding and companionship.
'Dear fool,' she laughed, 'how can they care for the beauty of our blossoms now. They are wet and tired and hungry. When they have rested and are more themselves we will show them everything and also satisfy our burning curiosity about them.'
A vista opened showing a fairy-like scene. A little temple, no more than eighteen feet high, but built of pure gold, stood out against the background of the palm grove. Before it lay an open swimming pool, some thirty feet in length, its sides faced with deep blue lapis lazuli, a flight of white marble steps led down into it at the nearest end. At its far extremity, a dozen yards in front of the temple, a big satyr's head faced them and, from its mouth a cascade of sparkling water constantly refreshed the pool.
As they advanced the newcomers saw that on either side of the pool, but some way back from it, there stood two rows of low one-storied buildings.
'We have not beds enough,' said Nahou suddenly, 'and we dare not wake those who are away.'
'No matter,' Lulluma replied quickly, 'we have pillows in plenty. They can sleep naked on the grass while I dry their clothes in the earthshine.'
'They do not understand nakedness, as we do who are so old in time that we have come to appreciate the wisdom of reverting to the customs of simple savages in some things,' Nahou said seriously. 'You have not travelled as much as I and therefore know less of the habits of our guests.'
Lulluma threw a lightning glance at the bedraggled party. 'How strange,' she said, 'but never mind. You will soon learn the joy of being free from such stuffy clothes and your skins will be better for it. In the meantime you can keep your bodies covered with linen if you wish?'
'What do they mean?' Camilla whispered to Sally. 'I've sunbathed since I was a kid.'
They had reached the swimming pool and as she spoke Nahou turned: 'Is it your desire first to eat or sleep,' he asked.
'For myself I am hungry please,' replied Doctor Tisch without hesitation.
The others agreed. Utterly weary as they were they all felt an overwhelming craving to learn more of this secret island before they gave themselves to sleep.
'Very well then. Please be seated here while Lulluma and I prepare food for you.' Nahou waved his hand towards the even grass which bordered the marble surround of the pool and added, 'I ask only that you refrain from examining the buildings where we live. Our companions are away and it would be dangerous to wake them before they arise of their own free will.'
'We would not dream of abusing your hospitality,' Count Axel assured him, and the two beautiful beings walked leisurely away from them.
'This party's got me beat entirely,' admitted the McKay when their hosts were out of earshot. 'Are we dead or drunk or dreaming? That's what I'd like to know.'
Sally leaned against his shoulders; 'Does it matter my dear? This place is infinitely more lovely than any dream could be. I feel just as though I'd come home again after a long, long journey. You heard what that wonderful girl said about our taking off our clothes? Well, I don't mind a little bit. I wish that God had been a bit kinder about my ankles, but I'm not ashamed of my body.'
'What's the matter with your ankles?' asked the McKay loyally. 'To hear you talk anyone would imagine that your legs had no shape to them at all. They may not be as slim as Camilla's but they're sensible and the bits where they crease behind your knees are devilish attractive. I was looking at them just now.'
'Nelson—Andy—McKay! I don't keep my ankles behind my knees but I think you're a darling,' sighed Sally as she spread herself out luxuriously on the warm grass.
They all removed their drenched outer garments and sat there silently, almost stupefied with fatigue; gratefully drinking in the warmth of what Lulluma had termed the earthshire, which streamed upon them in sun-like radiance from the broad band of golden light running right round the roof of the high cavern above the island's protective water channel.
Presently Nahou returned, carrying a big bowl of red metal which Doctor Tisch recognised as orichalcum. Having set it down he took from it first a smaller bowl containing a variety of fresh fruit, then another which held flat round wheaten wafers and, lastly a stack of thin gold plates. As he handed round the latter he tapped the big bowl with his fingers. 'This is for your pips and rinds and scraps. It is our habit here to consume all waste matter with fire immediately.'
Luiluma then appeared with a large oval dish which had a number of compartments. In its centre there was some sort of meat, already cut into joints and round this were heaped half a dozen kinds of vegetables, some cooked and others raw like the ingredients of a salad.
'I hope you will like this,' she said anxiously. 'It is the loin of a small animal which you would call a buck, I think. We breed them in captivity and it is the only kind of meat we have in our island.'
The Doctor beamed. 'It smells most tempting Fraulein— but if you have only one kind of meat do you not get very tired of it?'
She shook her head. 'We eat it only occasionally—when we feel like a change from fish and fruit. I give it to you today because your bodies have need of such nourishment. Fortunately some was killed about a week ago.'
'You have fish here then?' asked the McKay.
'Yes, a dozen kinds which we breed in the lake behind the temple. Eat now, or your food will grow cold.'
Camilla and Nicky exchanged an awkward glance. No knives or spoons or forks had been provided, but Count Axel put out his hand at once and took a small joint of the roast meat in his fingers, just as if he had never seen table implements in his life.
As the others followed his example Nahou smiled: 'I know what you are thinking. "How strange that a people who eat their meals from gold should pick up cooked food in their bare hands." But our life here has been reduced to the essence of simplicity. Gold is unbreakable, does not tarnish and conveys no metallic taint to food; also plates and dishes are essential—but not so knives and forks. The use of them would only mean unnecessary labour and we have no slaves to do our work for us.'
Luiluma squatted down on her heels before them as they ate. Only her admirable manners restrained her curiosity about the visitors. She was longing desperately to question them about themselves but all she said was: 'Do you like the flavour of the meat?'
Count Axel threw a bone into the metal bowl and turned 255
to her with a bow as he took another piece. 'It is excellent,
and your cooking does you honour. You are right too about it being like buck—we should call this venison—and it is regarded as something of a luxury in the countries from which we come.'
'It has a pleasant flavour,' agreed Nahou, 'but we have no opportunity to compare it with other meats. That is as well perhaps otherwise we might have become—as you—a people whose staple diet is meat, and that is not healthy. Animal flesh has certain properties which are of the greatest value when taken with discretion, but eaten frequently and in too large quantities meat coarsens the body and leads to many of the internal complaints which are so prevalent among the white races of the upper world.' He too was eagerly awaiting the time when he could hear the story of his guests' journey, but for the moment confined himself to polite conversation.
Lulluma looked at Count Axel again: 'When you have slept,' she said, 'you must tell me all about the upper world. I know it only slightly and there is so much that I want to hear.'