It was a glorious daybreak, making my heart light within me, the air
like new milk, and the colours of the sunrise lay purple and yellow in
bars across my room. I yawned and stretched, then rising, wrapped a
silken quilt about me and went out into the flat terrace top, wherefrom
all the city could be seen stretched in an ivory and emerald patchwork,
with open, blue water on one side, and the Martian plain trending away
in illimitable distance upon the other.

Directly underneath in the great square at the bottom of Hath's palace
steps were gathered a concourse of people, brilliant in many-coloured
dresses. They were sitting or lying about just as they might for all
I knew have done through the warm night, without much order, save that
where the black streaks of inlaid stone marked a carriageway across the
square none were stationed. While I wondered what would bring so many
together thus early, there came a sound of flutes--for these people can
do nothing without piping like finches in a thicket in May--and from the
storehouses half-way over to the harbour there streamed a line of carts
piled high with provender. Down came the teams attended by their slaves,
circling and wheeling into the open place, and as they passed each group
those lazy, lolling beggars crowded round and took the dole they were
too thriftless to earn themselves. It was strange to see how listless
they were about the meal, even though Providence itself put it into
their hands; to note how the yellow-girted slaves scudded amongst them,
serving out the loaves, themselves had grown, harvested, and baked;
slipping from group to group, rousing, exhorting, administering to a
helpless throng that took their efforts without thought or thanks.

I stood there a long time, one foot upon the coping and my chin upon
my hand, noting the beauty of the ruined town and wondering how such a
feeble race as that which lay about, breakfasting in the limpid sunshine,