"I think we have learned enough to form some general conclusions,"
said the doctor, after the four had told what each had heard and
seen. "Van Emmon's friend, Powart, seems to be anything but a
democrat. He probably represents the most aristocratic element on
the planet; while this man Fort, who rescued the girl, is also
probably a member of the leisure class.
"On the other hand, we have Smith's agent, whose name we do not
know; he seems to be one of the working class, which Powart
despises. The two are at opposite ends of the social scale. Young
Ernol, whose father is in trouble, appears to be a rising young
revolutionist.
"But Mona--to use the name Powart gave his fiancee--Billie's
surgeon--the girl whose life Fort saved--she is not so easy to
classify. On the earth we would call her occupation a middle-class
one; but that remark she made about people being cattle gives me the
impression that she is an aristocrat at heart. I call her a mystery,
for the time being.
"As for the planet itself--of course, the people simply refer to it
as the earth, or some term which translates that way to us. We need
a name for it. What shall we call her--this daughter of Capella's?"
"Capellette," from Billie promptly.
"Fine!" The other two looked their approval. "Now, we are ready to
analyze things. What shall we say of her people in general?"
"Speaking for my surgeon," observed Billie, "doesn't she argue a
rather high degree of development?"
The others were plainly willing for the doctor to take the lead. He
rubbed his knuckles harder than ever as he considered Billie's
suggestion.
"A higher degree of development? H-m! Not easy to say. Safer to
assume that the development is higher in spots, not in general.
Perhaps we'll do well to consider other things first.
"Take those two clocks, for instance. The one that I saw had a
pendulum of ordinary length, which vibrated twice as fast as
that"--indicating an astronomical clock at his side. "What about the
time-piece you saw, Van?"
"Twenty-five-hour dial, and a pendulum of the usual length, same as
yours. But--it vibrated no faster than any I ever saw before."
"You're sure?" At the emphatic nod the doctor frowned. "We are
forced to conclude that Capellette is not as round as our earth. No
other way to account for such a difference in gravitation as the two
clocks indicate. Roughly, I should say that the planet's diameter,
at the place where I saw the clock, is fifty per cent greater than
at the point where Van's agent is located; maybe ten thousand miles
in its greatest diameter, Capellette.
"Having greater gravitation would explain why that disabled aircraft
which Smith saw fell so very slowly; the planet has much more air
than the earth, which means far greater density near the surface. It
also explains those big sailing cruisers; nothing else can.
"At any rate, we can guess why we have seen no surface travel. The
people of Capellette never tried to work out such a thing as an
automobile; why should they, with the birds to imitate, and extra
dense air all about them?
"I think we have found the key." The doctor cogitated for a second
or two.
"However, let's consider that schoolroom a bit. It was in no way
different from what you will find on the earth right now. Why?"
Smith had a notion. "There is such a thing as perfection. Like some
electrical apparatus; you simply can't improve them."
"Sounds reasonable," from Van Emmon.
"Yes. And that is undoubtedly how the Capellettes look at the
matter.
"Why haven't they got talking-pictures? Because they've perfected
the silent variety, of course. Why don't they reform their ways of
living, instead of replacing a worn-out heart with a new one?
They've perfected surgery, that's why! And why haven't they tried
the screw-propeller? They've perfected the bird-wing principle!"
"But that doesn't explain," objected Billie, "why they've been
content with an autocratic system of government."
Van Emmon considered this a dig at Powart. "Why, of course their
government is autocratic, dear! How else can it be protective?"
"You seem to have a lot of admiration for your Mr. Powart," laying
her hand on his.
"I have. He and the others seem to be highly capable fellows, who
have undertaken to maintain happiness, and have made good."
"But without the direct consent of the people."
"What of that?" warmly. "Most folks don't care to burden their heads
with law-making, anyhow. They'd rather leave it up to specialists."
"Who are only too willing, my dear, to handle the matter--at their
own price!"
The doctor put in hastily: "From what you tell me, Van, this
commission determines the living conditions for the majority,
although it has no popular authority whatever. Moreover, conditions
are no better than they were a hundred years ago. There's been no
progress. Powart admits that.
"Now, placing that fact alongside the rest, I reach this conclusion:
that the people of Capallette, no matter what may have been their
experience in the past, do not now care for revolutionary ideas.
They want standardization, not change.
"It all roots back in that extra dense air of theirs. See why?"
Apparently the three did not. The doctor explained: "Life is much
easier for them than for us. It is no great struggle to gain a
livelihood where transportation is so easy and simple. In
consequence of this their advancement was much more rapid than ours
here on the earth, up to a certain point; and they've reached that
point already.
"Coming back to that commission again: instead of trying out a
democratic form of government, in which every citizen would be
equally responsible regardless of property--they've standardized the
protective, paternalistic principle."
"Which is precisely the correct method!" insisted the geologist.
"Radical changes of any kind are always dangerous. The only safe
method is to improve what we already have."
"Suppose," remarked Billie--"suppose government becomes so
thoroughly standardized that it can't be improved further?"
"Then it becomes permanent."
"If it isn't overthrown."
The doctor smilingly interposed. "Let me finish and get this out of
my system. By their own confession, the commission's chief function
is to keep the majority in ignorance, which is said to be the same
thing as bliss. This man Ernol and his pitiful rebellion only serve
to prove the rule.
"In a word, the Capellans have carried the principle of improvement,
as opposed to reform, to its logical conclusion. They can go no
further."
"And why not?" challenged Van Emmon. "Because the fittest have
survived, on Capellette as elsewhere. These commissioners are the
fittest."
The doctor nodded gravely. "True enough, Van. But the point I want
to make is, the commissioners have put an end to the processes of
evolution. They won't allow progress. They stopped all that a
century ago.
"Friend, Capellette is a world that has given up. It has quit!"