Master Wace, the writer of this book, cannot add more to this matter of his end than was spoken by Merlin the prophet.

Robert Wace wrote the Brut d'Angleterre

The earlier parts are similar to the Anglo-Norman chronicle of Wace.

By Alan J. B. Wace.

Helen Wace (W); 27Sep76; R642238.

It is from Mr. Wace, indeed, that the particulars upon which this narrative is based were derived.

Mr. Wace had encountered Mrs. Cave, too, on occasions when Mr. Cave was not at home to attend to him.

He called on Mr. Wace the same evening.

The requirements of his business pressed heavily upon him, and Mr. Wace does not think that he was altogether free from occasional intemperance.

So far, at least, Mr. Wace was able to verify the remarkable story of Mr. Cave.

And Mr. Wace's own capacity for its appreciation was out of comparison inferior to that of Mr. Cave's.

Mr. Cave's statements, Mr. Wace assures me, were extremely circumstantial, and entirely free from any of that emotional quality that taints hallucinatory impressions.

But it must be remembered that all the efforts of Mr. Wace to see any similar clarity in the faint opalescence of the crystal were wholly unsuccessful, try as he would.

To the east and to the west the plain was bounded at a remote distance by vast reddish cliffs, which reminded him of those he had seen in some picture; but what the picture was Mr. Wace was unable to ascertain.

The import of these small objects did not occur to Mr. Cave until some time after, as he was describing the scene to Mr. Wace.

The things were in all cases seen by Mr. Cave, and the method of working was invariably for him to watch the crystal and report what he saw, while Mr. Wace (who as a science student had learnt the trick of writing in the dark) wrote a brief note of his report.

Mr. Wace asked questions, and suggested observations to clear up difficult points.

They had broad, silvery wings, not feathered, but glistening almost as brilliantly as new-killed fish and with the same subtle play of colour, and these wings were not built on the plan of bird-wing or bat, Mr. Wace learned, but supported by curved ribs radiating from the body.

Incredible as it appeared to Mr. Wace, the persuasion at last became irresistible that it was these creatures which owned the great quasi-human buildings and the magnificent garden that made the broad valley so splendid.

This view of the crystals as en rapport was the supposition that occurred to Mr. Wace, and to me at least it seems extremely plausible...

Following up this clue, Mr. Wace learned that the midnight sky was a darker blue even than our midwinter sky, and that the sun seemed a little smaller.

After a time Mr. Wace aspired to attract the attention of the Martians, and the next time that the strange eyes of one of them appeared close to the crystal Mr. Cave cried out and sprang away, and they immediately turned on the light and began to gesticulate in a manner suggestive of signalling.

He at once called Mrs. Cave, who was, Mr. Wace could not but observe, in cheap but ample widow's weeds of the most imposing pattern.

Without any very great surprise Mr. Wace learnt that Cave was dead and already buried.

Mr. Wace, after a few suitable condolences, a little off-handedly proffered perhaps, hurried at once to Great Portland Street.