human
What is that doing? asked Graham, pointing with the empty glass to the busy figures and trying to ignore the scrutiny of the new comer.
gpt
Is that--some sort of force--laid on?
human
Yes,
gpt
Who is _that_?
human
He is Howard, your chief guardian. You see, Sire--it's a little difficult to explain. The Council appoints a guardian and assistants. This hall has under certain restrictions been public. In order that people might satisfy themselves. We have barred the doorways for the first time. But I think--if you don't mind, I will leave him to explain.
gpt
Odd! said Graham.
human
Guardian? Council? Then turning his back on the new comer, he asked in an undertone,
gpt
Why is this man _glaring_ at me? Is he a mesmerist?
human
Mesmerist! He is a capillotomist.
gpt
Capillotomist!
human
Yes--one of the chief. His yearly fee is sixdoz lions.
gpt
Sixdoz lions?
human
Didn't you have lions? I suppose not. You had the old pounds? They are our monetary units.
gpt
But what was that you said--sixdoz?
human
Yes. Six dozen, Sire. Of course things, even these little things, have altered. You lived in the days of the decimal system, the Arab system--tens, and little hundreds and thousands. We have eleven numerals now. We have single figures for both ten and eleven, two figures for a dozen, and a dozen dozen makes a gross, a great hundred, you know, a dozen gross a dozand, and a dozand dozand a myriad. Very simple?
gpt
I suppose so, said Graham.
human
But about this cap--what was it?
gpt
Here are your clothes! he said. Graham turned round sharply and saw the tailor standing at his elbow smiling, and holding some palpably new garments over his arm. The crop-headed boy, by means of one ringer, was impelling the complicated machine towards the lift by which he had arrived. Graham stared at the completed suit.
human
You don't mean to say--!
gpt
Just made,