That, thought Stormgren, was quite an engaging description. He wondered just how much truth it held.

“Can't you at least give us some reason for your concealment? Because we don't understand it, it annoys us and gives rise to endless rumours.”

Karellen gave that rich, deep laugh of his, just too resonant, to be altogether human.

“What am I supposed to be now? Does the robot theory still hold the field? I'd rather be a mass of electron tubes than a thing like a centipede—oh yes, I've seen that cartoon in yesterday's Chicago Tribune! I'm thinking of requesting the original.”

Stormgren pursed his lips primly. There were times, he thought, when Karellen took his duties too lightly.

“This is serious,” he said reprovingly.

“My dear Rikki,” Karellen retorted, “it's only by not taking the human race seriously that I retain what fragments of my once considerable mental powers I still possess!”

Despite himself Stormgren smiled.

“That doesn't help me a great deal, does it? I have to go down there and convince my fellow men that although you won't show yourself, you've got nothing to hide. It's not an easy job. Curiosity is one of the most dominant of human characteristics. You can't defy it forever.”

“Of all the problems that faced us when we came to Earth, this was the most difficult,” admitted Karellen. “You have trusted our wisdom in other matters—surely you can trust us in this!”

“I trust you,” said Stormgren, “but Wainwright doesn't, nor do his supporters. Can you really blame them if they put a bad interpretation on your unwillingness to show yourselves?”

There was silence for a moment. Then Stormgren heard that faint sound (was it a crackling?) that might have been caused by the Supervisor moving his body slightly.

“You know why Wainwright and his type fear me, don't you?” asked Karellen. His voice was sombre now, like a great organ rolling its notes from a high cathedral nave. “You will find men like him in all the world's religions. They know that we represent reason and science, and however confident they may be in their beliefs, they fear that we will overthrow their gods.