Turning back alone, through the city, through ways twinkling with
myriad lights as little lamps began to blink out amongst garlands
and flower-decked booths on every hand, I walked on, lost in varying
thoughts, until, fairly tired and hungry, I found myself outside a stall
where many Martians stood eating and drinking to their hearts' content.
I was known to none of them, and, forgetting past experience, was looking
on rather enviously, when there came a touch upon my arm, and--

"Are you hungry, sir?" asked a bystander.

"Ay," I said, "hungry, good friend, and with all the zest which an empty
purse lends to that condition."

"Then here is what you need, sir, even from here the wine smells good,
and the fried fruit would make a mouse's eye twinkle. Why do you wait?"

"Why wait? Why, because though the rich man's dinner goes in at his
mouth, the poor man must often be content to dine through his nose.
I tell you I have nothing to get me a meal with."

The stranger seemed to speculate on this for a time, and then he said,
"I cannot fathom your meaning, sir. Buying and selling, gold and money,
all these have no meaning to me. Surely the twin blessings of an appetite
and food abundant ready and free before you are enough."

"What! free is it--free like the breakfast served out this morning?"

"Why, of course," said the youth, with mild depreciation; "everything
here is free. Everything is his who will take it, without exception.