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their knowledge on to you. But under the conditions existing on your planet today, it is no longer possible to do this, since none could be returned. They could not explain where they had been without being branded as lunatics and confined in a mental institution. Nor, in your present world of multiple identification papers, would the sudden return of someone who had mysteriously disappeared long before be unchallenged by the authorities. We cannot subject fellow beings to a persecution beyond their endurance. This may give you an even clearer understanding of how, in so many ways, we find ourselves blocked by those we so long to help.? All the natural gaiety of Kalna?s expression had been obliterated by one of sadness as she told me these things. Now, as she took her goblet from the low table and sipped from it, she smiled. As she set the glass back, she said, ?lt is a great pity that we must talk of such sorrowful things?and still sadder that such woe exists anywhere in the Universe. In ourselves, we of other planets are not sad people. We are very gay. We laugh a great deal.? | found myself deeply moved by this little apology. They were gay people on their planets. Yet they were willing to share the sadness of our Earth, and to strive ceaselessly through the centuries to bring us light. 2We still have one hope left,? Ilmuth said, as though trying to cheer me. ?We can still come amongst you, and now and again we can make the kind of contact as with you. While your airmen make our landings difficult at present, we are hoping that, when more and more of your people have seen our ships, become accustomed to them and accepted the truth of living beings on other planets, personal meetings with Earth people can be increased.? ?1 cannot see how it could be otherwise,? | agreed. We all drank from our glasses. As | looked at my friends, | saw that all signs of the concern they felt about conditions on planet Earth had been banished from their faces. | knew that this was wise and right and, trying to follow their example, | asked, ?7Do you dance and sing on other planets, and have parties as we do?? ?We dance a great deal?all of us,? Kalna answered. ?We consider training the body in a co-ordination of rhythmic movement an essential part of our education. Moreover, this expression is a part of what you would call our religious ritual. As the poem form in words can suggest deep feeling not possible to the prose form, so it is with the perfect rhythm expressed in the movement of a body dedicated in a dance of worship. 2We also dance sheerly for pleasure as do you, although not exactly in the manner of your present-day dancing,? she added with a laugh. ?We could derive no joy from the kick, wiggle and hop we have observed on your Earth, during which a man and a woman clutch each other ferociously one moment and fling each other off the next. Our social dancing is usually of a group pattern, although often one or more persons, inspired by the moment or the music, will dance for the rest of us. You have seen fine interpretive dancers on your Earth and therefore know the pleasure it is to watch beautiful movement of a body that is inspired by the spirit within.? 2?We also have parties, ? Ilmuth said, ?although we do not think of them in such terms. With us it is quite simply a matter of inviting our friends to our homes that