impossible.

At first we should take food," said Denton. "We could carry food for

ten or twelve days." It was an age of compact artificial nourishment,

and such a provision had none of the unwieldy suggestion it would have

had in the nineteenth century.

"But--until our house," she asked--"until it was ready, where should we

sleep?"

It is summer."

But ... What do you mean?"

There was a time when there were no houses in the world; when all

mankind slept always in the open air."

"But for us! The emptiness! No walls--no ceiling!"

"Dear," he said, "in London you have many beautiful ceilings. Artists

paint them and stud them with lights. But I have seen a ceiling more

beautiful than any in London...."

"But where?"

"It is the ceiling under which we two would be alone...."

168

Tales of Space and Time