PIRATIANS BEGONE

Chapter 44

"While the vicious and ignorant thus threatened society on the one hand,the accumulation of enormous wealth by a few fortunate, or unfortunate,men was thought by some to be a menace equally serious. It was arguedthat this could not go on without making the poor poorer and morenumerous, and thus emphasizing and perpetuating the separation of thetwo classes.

"I need not point out to you a fact that you must realize, namely, thatthe spring of action with too many men, the one cause of the troublesthat really threatened the foundations of society, was selfishness.Can you imagine any danger from all these movements if men could havesuddenly become unselfish, really unselfish?

"I hope I have not given you the idea that all the world of people hadlost their heads. As in the history of nations of that period war seemsto have been the principal occupation, so in the social life of thepeople the evils and dangers are most prominently seen. But all thistime there was a large party of men and women who were alive to theperils of the hour, and intent on seeking the best means to overcomethem. This party was made up of many representatives of every class,rich and poor, workingmen and employers, and included the great mass ofthe intelligent and thoughtful members of society.

"The general and local governments were carrying on, with marked successand without friction, certain kinds of business, while in many otherdepartments there were disorder and possible ruin. Time brought nohealing power; the troubles increased and were now truly gigantic. Whereshould help be found?"

As Harod paused here, the ship healer, who, I thought, had been wanting tospeak for some time, took occasion to say:

"Don't tell us, Harod, that this people turned over all theirbusiness, both industrial and professional, to the government, and mademachines of themselves. I am becoming exceedingly interested in t

hem andhope they found some better release from their woes. I am sure there area number of methods of relief which they might have tried."

"I am glad you have spoken, ship healer," answered Harod, "or I might havetalked you to death. We must really break off now and get out of doors."

Hanna listened to different portions of the foregoing conversation.It was dull amusement for her, as we could see by her actions, and wewondered at first why she showed so little interest in it. She did notseem to realize the full significance of her unique position in ourcircle. As the last representative of the race of moon men, she hadnow the opportunity of learning something of the history of two sisterworlds, and one would suppose that she would have been eager to hearevery word we said. She had expressed herself more than once as anxiousto know all any of us could tell her, nor did she hesitate to askquestions continually--and intelligent questions, too. But she wassympathetic only in certain directions, having a laudable curiosity tohear about any of the pleasant phases of society, either on the earth oron Mars. But when Harod talked of the former troubles experienced byhis race, or when we compared these with the miseries of our own timeson the earth, Hanna became an indifferent listener.

She was sitting with us when Harod proposed the out-door exercise,and so we all went out together. As we walked, Harod said:

"Hanna, I fear you have not been enjoying my tedious talk this morning.You would be better pleased, I am sure, with some other topic."

In her sweet accents, so charming to every ear, Hanna responded:

"I hope my lack of attention did not give you offense, Harod, but Ido not understand the things you have talked about to-day."

"Not understand? Why, I know from former conversations with you thatsuch things are not beyond your comprehension."

"Thank you," said Hanna, "but I think they are, for I never before heardanything like the ideas you have advanced."

"We shall all be glad to learn, then, how these questions were answeredand these wrongs righted by your ancestors."

"They never had any such perplexities," responded Hanna.

"Which means, I presume," said Harod, "that the race became so faradvanced before your time that the records and traditions of their earlystruggles were all forgotten."

"Oh, no," she sang out, "that's not it. What had they to struggle over?"

"Was it then so easy for them to be just?" asked Harod.

"Certainly, and I have been exceedingly surprised to learn by your longtalk that there is such a thing as injustice."

We were all becoming thoroughly interested, but left it for Harod tocontinue his questions.

"Hanna," said he, "do you mean that your people, even in the remote past,were entirely ignorant of such troubles as we have been speaking about?"

"Yes, and of all other troubles. I am sure there was always only peaceand happiness on the moon. Strife and hatred, sorrow, want, and miseryare all strange words to me, and entirely unknown except as I have heardthem in your conversation."

"Was there never any sickness there?" I asked.

"I don't know the meaning of the word," she replied. "Is it another itemin the general unpleasantness of the times you have been describing? Iwonder that your race, Harod, ever survived those rude days."

"But," asked Harod, "what think you of the earth? The ship healer and hiscompanion say their planet is now passing through just such a period."

"Well, all I can say is that I am thankful I was not discovered tillafter the moon had deserted the earth."

"Tell us more about your race," said the ship healer. "Were they all as goodas you are?"

"Just the same. There were no degrees in goodness."

"And did they all sing as they talked, and in such sweet tones asyours?" I asked.

"Oh, many sang better than I do, and all made music of their words. Inever heard speech that was not melodious till you and the ship healer cameto see me."

"And did everything else in your life there correspond to your charmingmanner of talking?" asked Harod.

"Why, yes, I think so," answered Hanna. "It was a delightful world.Everything was bright and joyous, with no shadow of discontent noranything to cause sadness or discomfort. Do you wonder that I could notsympathize with your story of wrongs and sorrows, the very nature ofwhich was a new revelation to me?"

Hanna's notions about the people whom she represented seemed strange andimprobable to us, and we attributed them to the influence of her ownguileless nature. One so innocent and whole-hearted as she was wouldnaturally clothe her ancestors with at least the virtues and graces sheherself possessed. However, we had no means of proving Hanna's ideas tobe false. We had brought away from the moon no records of any kind bywhich to study its history, and of that history Hanna was as yet ouronly interpreter. But every word she spoke on this subject only addedintensity to the pleasurable anticipation with which these Martianslooked forward to their study of the moon and its former inhabitants.