Pierre Boulle
PLANETOF THE APES
Translated by Xan
Fielding
SIGNET Science Fiction Books You Will Enjoy
A SIGNET BOOK PLANET OF THE APES part one
This is an authorized reprint of a hardcover edition publbisyheVd anguard Press, Inc.
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CHAPTERONE
Jinn and Phyllis were spending a wonderful holidaspya, cien, as far away as possible from the inhabited stars.
In those days interplanetary voyages were an everyday occurrence, and interstellar travel not uncommon. Rockets took tourists to the wondrous sites of Sirius, or financiers to the famous stock exchanges of Arcturus and Aldebaran. But Jinn and Phyllis, a wealthy leisured couple, were distinguished
in their cosmos for their originality and a few pleasure—by sail.
ograipnosetry. They wandered over uthneiversefor their
Their ship was a sort of sphere with an envelopesa—il—thewhich was miraculously fine and light and
moved through space propelled by the pressure of light-radiation. Such a machine, left to its own devices
in the vicinity of a star (though far enough away for the field of gravity not to be too powerful), will always move in a straight line in the opposite direction to the star; but since Jinn and Phyllis' stellar system
contained three suns that were relatively close to one another, their vessel received rays of light along three different axes. Jinn had therefore conceived an extremineglyenious method of steering. His sail was
lined inside with a series of black blinds that he could roll up or unroll at will, thus changing the effect of the light-pressure by modifying the reflecting power of certain sections.
Furthermore, this elastic envelope could be stretched or contracted as the navigator pleased. Thus, when Jinn wanted to increasheis speed, he gave it the biggest diameter possiblwe.ouItld then take the blasts of radiation on an enormous surface and the vessel would hurtle through space at a furious velocity, which made his mate Phyllis quite dizzy. He would also be overcome by vertigo, and they would then cling passionately to each other, their gaze fixed on the mysterious and distant depths to which their flight propelled them. When, on the other hand, they wanted to slow down, Jinn pressed a button. The sail would shrink until it became a sphere just big enough to contain them both, packed tightly together. The effect of the light became negligible, and this minute bubble, reduced to nothinthganmiotrse own inertia,
seemed motionless, as though suspendeidn the void by an invisible thread. The young couple would
spend rapturous idle hours in this reduced universe, erected on their own scale and for them alone, which
Jinn compared to a becalmed sailing ship and Phyllis to the airobf utbhbelesea spider.
Jinn knew a number of other tricks, considertehde ahseight of art by sailing cosmonauts: for example, making use of the shadows of the planets and certain satellites in order to change course. He imparted
this skill to Phyllis, who was now almost as accomplished as he himself and often more daring. When she held the tiller, she would sometimes fire a broadside that swept them righbtortdoertsheof the stellar
system, heedless of the resulting magnetsitcorm, which would start to upset the light-rays asnhdaketo
their skiff like a cockleshell. On two or three occasiwoanks,ed up with a start by the tempest, Jinn had
had quite a struggle snatching the tiller from her and, in order to run for shelter as quickly as possible, starting the auxiliary rocket, which they made it a point of honor nueseveer xtcoept in case of danger.

One day Jinn and Phyllis were lying side by side in the middle of their spacecraft without a care in the world, making the most of their holiday by exposing themtsoelvthese rays of their three suns. Eyes
closed, Jinn was thinkingonly of his love for Phyllis. Phyllis lay stretched out on her side, gazing at the immensity of the universe and letting herself be hypnotized, as she often did, by the costmioinc osfensa
the void.
All of a sudden she came out of her trance, wrinkled her brow, and sat up. An unusual flash of light had streaked across this void. She waited a few seconds and saw a second flash, like a ray being reflected
off a shiny object. The cosmic sense she had acquired in the course of these cruises could not deceive her. Moreover, Jinn, when it was pointed out to him, agreed with her, and it was inconceivable that he should make a mistake in this matter: a body sparkling in the light was floating through space, at a distance they could not yet assess. Jinn picked up a pair of binoculars and focused them on the mysterious object, while Phyllliesaned on his shoulder.
"It's not a very big object," he said. "It seems to be made of glass. . . . No, let me look. It's drawing closer.It's going faster than we are. It looks like . . ."
A puzzled expression came into his eyes. He lowtheerebdinoculars, which she at once snatched up. "It's a bottle, darling"."A bottle!"She looked at it, in turn.
"Yes, it's a bottle. I can see it quite clearly. It's made of light-colored glass. It's corked; I can see the seal. There's something white inside that looks like paper"—a mesosbavgieo,usly. Jinn, we've got to get
hold of it!"
Jinn was of the same opinion and had already embarked on some skillful maneuvers to place the sphere on the trajectory of the unusual body. He soon succeeded and then reduced his own speed to enable it to catch up with him. Meanwhile Phyllis donned her diving suit and made her way out of the sail by the double trapdoor. Thereh,olding onto a rope with one hand and brandishlionngg-ahandled scoop in the
other, she stood in readinetoss retrieve the bottle.
It was not the first time they" had come across strange bodies, and the scoop had already been in use. Sailing altow speed, sometimes completely motionless, they had enjosuyrepdrises and made discoveries
that were precluded totravelers by rocket. In her net Phyllis had already gathered up remnants of pulverized planets, fragments of meteorites that had come from the depths of the universe, anofd pieces satellites launched at the outset of the conquesspt aocef . She was very proud of her collection; but this
was the first time they had come across a bottle, and a bottle containing a message—of that she was certain. She trembled from head to foot with impatience, gesticulating like a spider on the end of its

thread as-she shouted dowthne telephone to her companion:
"Slower, Jinn. . . . No, a bit faster than that, it's going to...pSastasrbuos.ard. . . . Now hard to port. . .
. Hold it. . . . I've got it!"
She gave a triumphant cry and came back insidehewr ittrhophy
It was a largish bottle and its neck had been casreeaflueldly. A roll of paper could be seen inside.
"Jinn, break it open, hurry up!" Phyllis begged, stamheprinfgoot.
Less impatient, Jinn methodically chipped off the sealing wax. But when the bottle was thus opened, he saw that the paper was stuck fast and could not be shaken out. He therefore yielded to his mate's entreaties and smashed the glass with a hammer. The paper unrolled of its own accord. It consisted of a large number of very thin sheceotsv, ered with tiny handwriting. The message was wriinttetnhe language
of the Earth, which Jinn knew perfechtalyv,ing been partly educated on that planet.

An uncomfortable feeling, however, restrainheimd
from starting to read a document that had fallen into
their bands in such an incongruous manner; but Phyllis' state of excitement decided him. She was not so well acquainted witthhe language of the Earth and needed his help.
"Jinn, please!"
He reduced the volume of the sphere so that it floated idly in space, made sure that there was no obstacle in front of them, then lay down beside his companiobnegandto read the manuscript.
CHAPTERTWO
I am confiding this manuscript to space, not with the inotefnstiaovning myself, but to help, perhaps, to avert the appallinsgcourge that is menacing the human race. Lord haveonpuisty! . . .

"Thehuman race?" Phyllis exclaimed, stressing the seconwdord in her astonishment.
"That's what it says here," Jinn assured her. "sDtaortn'toff by interrupting me." And he went on with his reading.
As for me, Ulysse Merou, I have set off again with my family in the spaceship. We can keep going for several years. We grow vegetables and fruit on board and have a poultry run. We lack nothing. One day perhaps we shall come across a friendly planet. This is a hope I hardly dare express. But here, faithfully reported, is the account mofy adventure.
It was in the year 2500 that I embarked with two companions in the cosmic ship, with the intention of reaching the region of space where the super gigantic star Beterlegiegunsse supreme.
It was an ambitious project, the most ambitious that had ever been conceived on Earth. Betelgeuse—or
Alpha Orionis, as our astronomers called it—is about three hundred light-years distant from our planet. It
is remarkable for a number of things. First, its size: its diameter is three or four hundred times greater than that of our sun; hi other words, if its center were placed where the sun's center lies, this monster would extend to within the orbit of Mars. Second, its brilliance: it is a star of first magnitude, the brightest in the constellation of Orion, visible on Eatroththe naked eye hi spite of its distance. Third, the nature of its
rays: it emits red and orange lights, creating a most magnificent effect. Finally, it is a heavenly body with a variable glow: its luminosity varies with the seasons, this being caused by the alterations in its diameter. Betelgeuseis a palpitating star.
Why, after the exploration of the solar systemth,e aplllanets of which are inhabited, why was such a
distant star chosen as the target for the first interstellar flight? It was the learned Professor Antelle who made this decisionT.he principal organizer of the enterprise, to whichdehveoted the whole of his
enormous fortune, the leader of our expedition, he himself had conceived the spaceship and directed its construction. He told me the reasonhfisorchoice during the voyage.
"My dear Ulysse," he said, "it is not much harder, and it would scarcely take any longer, for us to reach
Betelgeusethan a much closer star: Proxima Centauris, for example."
At this I saw fit to protest and draw his attenstoimone troecently ascertained astronomical data:
"Scarcely take any longer! But Proxima Centauorinslyis four light-years away, whereas Betelgeuse . . ."

"Is three hundred, I'm well aware of that. But we shall take scarcely more than two years to reach it, while weshould have needed almost as much time to arrive in the region of Proxima Centauris. You don't believe ibt ecause you are accustomed to mere flea hops on our plafnoer tsw, hich a powerful
acceleration is permissible at tshteart because it lasts no more than a few minutes, the cruspiseinedg to
be reached being ridiculously low and not to be compared with... oIutrsis. as to how our ship works.
time I gave you adefteawils
"Thanks to its perfected rockets, which I had the ohfodn
eosrigning, this craft can move at the highest
speed imagin able in the universe for a material body—that is tthoe ssapye,ed of light minuespsilon."
"Minusepsilon?"
"I mean it can approach it to within an infinitdeesigmreael: to within a thousand-millionth, if you care to put it that way."
"Good," I said. "I can understand that"
"What you must also realize is that while we are moving at this speed, our time diverges perceptibly from time on Earth, the divergence being greater the faster we move. At this very moment, since we started
this conversationw, e have lived several minutes, which correspondptaossage of several months on our
planet. At top speed, time will almost stand still for us, but of course we shall not be aware of this. A few
seconds for you and mef,ewa
heartbeats, will coincide with a passage of several oyneaErsarth."
"I can understand that, too. In fact, that is the reason why we can hope to reach our destination before dying.But in that case, why a voyage of two years? Why naotfeownlydays or a few hours?"
"I was just coming to that. Quite simply because, to reach the speed at which time almost stands still, withan acceleration acceptable to our organisms, we need aaboyuetar. A further year will be necessary
to reduce our speedN. ow do you understand our flight plan? Twelve moofntahcsceleration; twelve
months of reducing speed; betweetnhe two, only a few hours, during which we shall cover the main part of the journey. And at the same time you will understand why it scarcely takes any longteor to travel Betelgeuse than to Proxima Centauri. In the lcaattseer we should have to go through the same
indispensable year of acceleration, the same year of deceleration, and perhaps a few minutes instead of a few hours betweetnhe two. The overall difference is insignificant. As gIe'mtting on in years and will
probably never be able mtoake another crossing, I preferred to aim at a distant point straight away, in the
hope of finding a world very diffefrreonmt
our own."

This sort of conversation occupied our leisure hoonurbsoard and at the same time made me appreciate ProfessorAntelle's prodigious skill all the more. There was no field he had not explored, and I was pleased to have a leadliekre him on such a hazardous enterprise. As he had fortehseeevno,yage lasted
about two years of our time, during whtihcrhee and a half centuries must have elapsed on TEhaartthw. as
the only snag about aiming so far into the distainf cwe:e came back one day we should find our planet
older by seven or eight hundred years. But we did not care. I even felt that the prospect of escaping from his contemporaries was an added attraction to the professoro. ftHene admitted he was tired of his fellow
men. . . .
"Men!" Phyllis again exclaimed.
"Yes, men," Jinn asserted. "Thafs what it says."
There was no serious incident on the flight. Wsetarhtead from the Moon. Earth and its planets quickly
disap peared. We had seen the sun shrink till it was nothing but an orange in the sky, then a plum, and
finally a point
loifght without dimensions, a simple star that only the professor's skill could distinguish from
the millions of othsetrars in the galaxy.
We thus lived without sun, but were none the worse for this, the craft being equipped with equivalent
sources oflight Nor were we bored. The professor's conversation
fwasacsinating; I learned more during
those two years than I had learned in all my previous existence. I alsoallleathrnatedone needed to know in order to guide the spacecrafIt was fairly easy: one merely gave instructions toelseocmtroenic
devices, which made all the calculations dainredctly initiated the maneuvers.
Our garden provided an agreeable distraction. It occuapnieidmportant place on board. Professor Antelle, who waisnterested, among other subjects, in botany and agriculhtuarde, planned to take advantage of the voyage to check certaoifn his theories on the growth of plants in space. A cubic
compartment with sides about thirty feet long served as a plot. Thanks to some trays, the whole of its volume wasput to use. The earth was regenerated by means of chemfeirctialilzers and, scarcely more
than two months after our departure, we had the pleasure of seeing it produce all sorts of vegetables, which provided us with an abundance of healthy food. Food for the eye, too, had not been forgotten: one section was reserved for flowers, which the professor tended lovingly. This eccentric had also brought
some birds, butterflies, and even a monkey, a little chimpawnzheoem we had christened Hector and who amused us withis tricks.
It is certain that the learned Antelle, without being a misanthrope, was not interested at all in human beings. He would often declare that he did not expect muchthefmromany more, and this probably
explains . . .

"Misanthrope?" Phyllis again broke in, dumfounded. m"Hanu beings?"
"If you keep interrupting me every other second," said Jinn, "we shall never get to the end. Do as I do:
try tounderstand."
Phylus promised to keep quiet till the end of the raenad nsgh,e kept her promise.
This probably explains why he had collected icnratfht—e which was big enough to accommodate several familiescountless vegetable species and some animals, while limtihtiengnumber of the passengers to three: himself; his discipAlerthur Levain, a young physician with a great future; and myself, Ulysse
Merou, a little-known journalist who hmaedt the professor as a result of an interview. He had suggested taking me with him after learning that I had no family and played chess reasonably well. This was an outstanding opportunity for a young journalist. Even if my story was not to be published for eight hundred years, perhaps for that very reason it would have unusual value. I had awcicthepetendthusiasm.
The voyage thus occurred without a setback. Thephoynsliycal inconvenience was a sensation of
heaviness during the year of acceleration and the one of reducing speed. We had to get used to feeling our bodies weigh one and a half times their weight on Earth, a somewhat tiring phenomenon to begin with, but to which we soon paid no attention. Between those two periods there was aabcsoemnpcelete
of gravity, with all the oddities accruing frtohmis phenomenon; but that lasted only a few hours and we were none the worse for it.
And one day, after this long crossing, we had the deaxzpzleirnigence of seeing the star Betelgeuse
appear in the skiny
a new guise.
CHAPTERTHREE
The feeling of awe produced by such a sight candneostcrbibeed: a star, which only yesterday was a brilliant speckamong the multitude of anonymous specks in the firmamsehnot,wed up more and more clearly against the black bagcrkound, assumed a dimension in space, appearing offirsatll as a sparkling
nut, then swelled in size, at the same time becoming more definite in color, so that it resembled an orange, and finally fell into place in the cosmos with the same apparent diameter as our own familiar daytime star. A new sun was born for us, a reddish sun, like ours when it sets, the attraction and warmth of which we couldalready feel.
Our speed was then very much reduced. We drewcloseirll to Betelguese, until its apparent diameter far exceeded that of all the heavenly bodies hitherto seen, whichamtraedme endous impression on us.
Antelle gave some instructiontos
the robots and we started gravitating around the super gTjhaennt. the
scientist took out his astronomical instrumeanntsd began his observations.

It was not long before he discovered the existenfocuer opflanets whose dimensions he rapidly
determined, together with their distances from the central star. One of these, two away from Betelguese, was moving on a trajectoprayrallel to ours. It was about the same size as Earth; it possessed an atmosphere containing oxygen and nitrogen; it revolved around Betelguese at a distance equivalent to thirty times the space between the Sun and Earth, receiving a radiation comparable to that received by our planet, thanks to the size of the super gjant combined wreiltahtivietsly low temperature.
We decided to make it our first objective. After fresh instructions were given to the robots, our craft was quickly put into orbit around it. Then, with engines switched off, we observed this new world at our
leisure. The telescopreevealed its oceans and continents.
The craft was not equipped for a landing, but this eventuality had been provided for. We had at our disposal three much smaller rocket machines, which we called launches. It was in one of these that we embarked, taking with us some measuring instruments and Hector, the chimpanzee, who was equipped
as we were with a diving suit and had been trained in its use. As for our ship, we simply let it revolve around the planet. It was safer there than a liner lying at ianncahohrarbor, and we knew it wnooutld
drift an inch from its orbit.
Landing on a planet of this kind was an easy operation with our launch. As soon as we had penetrated the thicklayers of the atmosphere, Professor Antelle took sosmame ples of the outside air and analyzed
them. He found they had the same composition as the air on Earth at a similar altitude. I hardly had time to ponder on thmisiraculous coincidence, for the ground was approachirnagpidly; we were no more than
fifty miles or so above it. Since the robots carried out every maneuver, I had nothing to do but press my face to the porthole and watch this unknown world rising toward me, my brain reetlhinegexwciitthement
of discovery.
The planet bore a strange resemblance to Earth.imTphriesssion became clearer every second. I could
now discern the outline of the continents with my naked eye. The atmosphere was bright, slightly tinged
with a pale green color verging from time to time on yellow, rather like our sky in Provence at sunset. The ocean was light blue, also with green tinges. The form of the coastline was very different from anything I
had seen at home, though
fmevyerish eye, conditioned by so many analogies, insiswteidldly on discerning
similarities even there. But there the resemblance ended. Nothing in the planet's topogrcaapllheyd re either our Old or New Worlds.
Nothing? Come now! On the contrary, the essefanctitaolr! The planet was inhabited. We flew over a town:a fairly big town, from which roads radiated, bordewreitdh trees and with vehicles moving along them. I had time to make out the general architecture: broad asntdreewtshite houses with long straight lines.

But we were to land a long way farther off. Our flight swept us first over cultivated fields, then over a thick russet-colored forest that called to mind our equatorial jungle. We were now at a very low altitude. We caught sight of a fairly large clearing occupying the top of a plateau, the ground all around it being rather broken. Our leader decided to attempt a landing there and gave his last tohrederrosbotots. A
system of retrorockets came into actioWn. e hovered motionless for a moment or two abovcleeatrhineg, like a gull spotting a fish.
Then, two years after leaving our Earth, we came down gently and landed without a jolt in the middle of the plateauo, n green grass reminiscent of our meadows in Normandy.
CHAPTERFOUR
We were silent and motionless for quite a time after making contact with the ground. Perhaps this behavior will seem surprising, but we felt the need to recover our wits and concentrate our energy. We were launched on an adventure a thousand times more extraordinary than that oftetrhreesftririastl
navigators and were preparing ourselves to confrthoent wonders of interstellar travel that have fired the imaginations of several generations of poets.
For the moment, talking of wonders, we had landed waithitucth on the grass of a planet that contained, as ourdsid, oceans, mountains, forests, cultivated fields, townans,d certainly inhabitants. Yet we must have been fairly far from the civilized regions, considering the stjruentcghle oofver which we had flown before touching down.
We eventually came out of our daydream. Having dounr ediving suits, we carefully opened one
porthole of the launch. There was no hiss of ^air. The pressures inside and outside were the same. The forest surrounded the clearing like the walls of a fortress. Not a sounmd,ovneomt eant disturbed it. The temperature was high bbuet arable: about seventy-seven degrees Fahrenheit.
We climbed out of the launch, accompanied by HPercotofers. sor Antelle insisted first of all on analyzing the atmos phere by a more precise method. The result was encouraging: the air had the same composition as the Earth's, in spite of some differences in the proportion of the rare gases. It was
undoubtedly breathable. Yet, to make doubly sure, we tried it out first on our chimpanzee. Rid of his suit, the monkey appeared perfectly happy and in no way inconvenienced. He seemed overjoyed to find
himself free and on land. After a few skips and jumps, he scaomffpetroedthe forest, sprang into a tree,
and continued his caperining gestures and shouts.
the branches. He drew farther away and finally disappeiganreodri,ng our
Then, shedding our own space suits, we were able to talk easily. We were startled by the sound of our
voices, and ventured only timidly to take a step or two wmiothvoinugt
too far from our launch.

There was no doubt that we were on a twin planet of our Earth. Life existed. The vegetable realm was, in fact, particularly lush: some of these trees must have been over a hundred and fifty feet tall. The animal kingdom soon appeared in the form of some big black birds, hovering in the sky like vultures, and other smaller ones, rather like parakeets, that chased one another chirping shrilly. From what we had seen
before landing, we knew that a civilization existed, too. Rational beings—we dared not call them men yet—had molded the face of the planet. Yet the forest all around us appeared to be uninhabited. This was scarcely surprising; landing at random in some corner of the jAunsigaltei,c we should have had the
same impression of solitude.
Before taking a further step, we felt it was urgent to give the planet a name. We christened it Soror, becauseof its resemblance to our Earth.
Deciding to make an initial reconnaissance without delay, we entered the forest, following a sort of natural path. Arthur Levain and I were armed with carbines. As for the professor, he scorned material weapons. We felt light-footed and walked briskly: not that our weight was less than on Earth—there again the similarity was complete—but the contrast with the ship's force of gravity promtopted us
scamper along like young goats.
We were marching hi single file, calling out every now and then to Hector, but with no success, when young Levain, who was leading, stopped and motioned us to listen. A murmur, like running water, could
be heard in the distance. We made our way in that direction and the soundclebaercearm. e
It was a waterfall. On coming to it, all three of us were moved by the beauty of the site. A stream of water, clearas our mountain torrents, twisted above our heads, sporuetadinto a sheet on a ledge of level ground, and feE oaut r feet from a height of several yards into a sort oaf nlaatkuera, l swimming pool
fringed with rocks mingled wsitahnd, the surface of which reflected the light of Betelgwuheisceh, at its zenith.
was then
The sight of this water was so tempting that theurgsaemseeized both Levain and me. The heat was now intense. We took off our clothes and got ready to dive ilnatkoe.thBeut Professor Antelle cautioned us to behave witha little more prudence when coming up against the soyfsteBmetelguese for the first time.
Perhaps this liquid wasnot water at all and might be extremely dangerous. He went up to the edge of it, bent down, examined it, thceanutiously touched it with his finger. Finally he scooapeldittle up in the palm
of his hand, smelled it, and wetthteed end of his tongue with it.
"It can't be anything but water," he muttered.

He bent down again to plunge his hand into thwe hleanke,we sawhim suddenly stiffen. He gave an exclamationof surprise and pointed toward something he had djuisscterned in the sand. I experienced, I believe, the most violent emotion of my life. There, beneath the scorarcyhsinogf Betelgeuse that filled the sky above our heads liakne enormous red balloon, visible to all of us and admioraubtlliyned on a little patch of damp sand, was the prinat houfman foot.
CHAPTERFIVE
"It's a woman's foot," Arthur Levain declared.
This peremptory remark, made in a strangled vdoiidcen, ot surprise me at all. It confirmed my own opinion.The slimness, the elegance, the singular beauty of the foohtapdrindtisturbed me profoundly. There could be no doubats to the humanness of the foot. Perhaps it belonagnedadtolescent or to a small man, but with much more lliihkoeod—and this I hoped with all my heart—to a woman.
"So Soror is inhabited by humans," Professor Anmteulrlme ured.
There was a hint of disappointment in his voice, mwahdicehme at that moment less well disposed toward himH. e shrugged his shoulders with a gesture that was habwituitahl him and joined us in inspecting the sand around tlhaeke. We discovered other footprints, obviously leftthebysame creature. Levain, who had moved away frtohme water's edge, drew our attention to one on the drysand. The print itself was still damp.
"She was here less than five minutes ago," the younegxcmlaaimn ed.4, "She was swimming, heard us coming, and fled."
It had become an implicit fact for us that the subject under discussion was a woman. We fell silent, scanning the forest, but without hearing so much as the naoisberaonfch breaking.
"We've got all the time in the world," said the professor, shrugging his shoulders again. "But if a human being swamhere, we could no doubt do the same without any danger."
Without further ado the learned scientist shed his clothes and plunged his skinny body into the pool.
After our long voyage the pleasure of this swim in cool, delicious water made us almost forget our recent

discovery. Levain alone seemed harassed and lost in thought. I was about to make a taunting remark about his melancholy expression when I saw the woman just above us, perched on the rofcrkoym ledge which the cascade fell.
I shall never forget the impression her appearance made on me. I held my breath at the marvelous beauty of this creature from Soror, who revealed herself to us dwripitphinsgpray, illuminated by the
blood-red beams of BetelgeuseI.t was a woman—a young girl, rather, unless it gwodadseass. She boldly asserted her femininity in the ligohft this monstrous sun, completely naked and without any ornament other than her hair, which hung down to her shoulders. True, we had been deprived of any point of comparison for over two years, but none of us was itnoclfianlel da victim to mirages. It was plain to see that the woman, who stood motionless on the ledge like a statue on a ppoesdseesstsael,d the
most perfect body that could be conceived on Earth. Levain and I were breathless, lost hi aadnmdiration, I think even Professor Antelle was moved.
Standing upright, leaning forward, her breasts thoruutsttoward us, her arms raised slightly backward in the attitude of a diver taking off, she was watching uhse,r asnudrprise clearly equaled our own. After
gazing at her for a long time, I was so dazzled that I could not discern any particular feature: her body as a whole hypnotized me. It was only after several minutes that I saw she belonged to the white race, that her skin was golden rather thbarnonzed, that she was tall, but not excessively so, and sleTnhdenr. I
noticed, as though in a dream, a face of sinpguuriltayr. Finally I looked at her eyes.
Then I became more alert, my attention sharpened, and I stiffened, for in her expression there was an element that was new to me. In it I discerned the outlandish, mysterious quality all of us had been expecting in a world so distant from our own. But I was unable to analyze or etvheen ndaetufirnee of this
oddity. I only sensed an essential differenfcroem individuals of our own species. It did not come from the color of her eyes: these were of a grayish hue noftouonftdenamong us, but nevertheless not unknown.
The anomaly lay hi their emanation, a sort of void, an absence of expression, reminding me of a wretched mad girl I had onkcneown. But no! it was not that, it could not be madness.
When she saw that she herself was an object of curiosity— or, to be more accurate, when my eyes met hers—she seemedto receive a shock and abruptly looked away with an automatic gesture as swift as that
of -a frightened animal. It was not out of shame at being this scrutinized. I had a feeling that it would have been an exaggeration to suppose her capable of such an emIottiwona.s simply that her gaze would not,
or could not, withstand mine. With her head turned to one side, she now watched us osutteaoltfhitlhye, corner of her eye.
"As I told you, it's a woman," young Levain muttered.
He had spoken in a voice stifled with emotion, almost a whisper: but the young girl heard him and the

sound of his voice produced a strange effect on her. She recoiled, but so swiftly that once again I compared her movement to the reflex of a frightened animal pausing beforeflitgahkti.ngShe stopped, however, after taking two steps backwartdh,e rocks then concealing most of her body. I could discern no more than the top of her head and an eye thsatitll wtraasined on us.
We dared not move a muscle, tortured by thoef fseeaering her rush away. Our attitude reassured her.
After a moment she stepped out again onto the ledge. But young Levain was decidedly too excited to! be able to hold htiosngue.
"Never in my life . . ." he began.
He stopped, realizing his imprudence. She had recoiled in the same manner as before, as though the human voiceterrified her.
Professor Antelle motioned us to keep quiet and started splashing about in the water without appearing to pay thselightest attention to her. We adopted the same tactwichsi,ch met with complete success. Not
only did she step forward once more, but she soon showed a visibleininoteurresmt ovements, an interest
that was manifested
ain rather unusual manner, rousing our curiosity even more. Have you ever watched
a timid puppy on the beach while his master is swimming? He longs to join him in the water, but dares not. He takes three steps in one direction, three in another, draws away, scampers back, shakes his head, paws the ground. Such, exactly, was the behavior ogfirlt.his
And all of a sudden we heard her: but the sounds she uttered only added to the impression of animality created by her attitude. She was then standing on the very edge of her perch, as though about to fling herself into the lake. She had broken off her sort of dance for a moment. She opened her mouth. I was standing a little to one side and was able to study her without being noticed. I thought she was going to speak, to give a shout. I was expecting a cry. I was prepared for the most barbarous language, but not for the strange sounds that came out of her throat; specifically out of her throat, for neither mouth nor tongue played any part in this sort of shrill mewing or whining, which seemed yet again to express the joyful frenzy oafn animal. In our zoos, sometimes, young chimpanpzleaeys and wrestle together giving just
such little cries.
Since, despite our astonishment, we forced oursetlovegso on swimming without paying attention to her,
she appeared to come to a decision. She lowered herself onto the rock, took a grip on it with her hands, and started climbing down toward us. Her agility was extraordinary. Her golden body, appearing to us through a cloud of spray and light, like a fairy-tale vision, moved quickly down the rock fac ethianlong the transparent blade of the waterfaIlnl. a few moments, clinging to some imperceptible projectioshnes, was
down at the level of the lake, kneeling on a flat stone. She watched us a few seconds longetro, then took the water and swam toward us.

We realized she wanted to play and therefore continued with our frolics, which had given her such confidence,modifying our movements whenever she looked startleSdo.on we were all involved in a game
in which she had unconsciously laid down the rules: a strange game indeed, with a certain resemblance to the movements of seals ainpool, which consisted of alternately fleeing fromanuds approaching us,
suddenly veering away when we were almost within reach, then drawing so close as to graze us but without ever actually coming into contact. It was childish; but what would we not have done in order to tame the beautiful stranger! I noticed that Professor Antoteolkle part in this play with unconcealed
pleasure.
This had been going on for some time, and we were getting out of breath, when I was struck by the paradoxical nature of the girl's expression: her solemnity. There she was, taking evident pleasure in the games she was inspiring, yet not a smile had appeared on her face. For some time this had given me a vague feeling of uneasiness, without my knowing exactly why. I was now relieved to thdeiscroevaseorn:
she neither laughed nor smiled; from timtoe time she only uttered one of those little throattyhactries evidently expressed her satisfaction.
I decided to make an experiment. As she approached me, cleaving the water with a peculiar swimming action resembling a dog's and with her hair streaming out behind her like the tail of a comet, I looked her straight in the eye and, before she could turn her head aside, gaavsemihleerfilled with all the friendliness
and affection cIould muster.
The result was surprising. She stopped swimming, stood up in the water, which reached to her waist,
and raised her hands in front of her in a gesture of defense. Then she quickly turned her back on me and raced for the shore. Out of the water, she paused and half turned around, looking at me askance, as she had on the ledge, with the startled air of an animal that has just seen something alarming. Perhaps she might have regained her confidence, for the smile had frozen on my lips and I had started swimming again in an innocent manner, but a fresh incident renewed her emotion. We heard a noise hi the forest and, tumbling from branch to branch, our friend Hector came into view, landed on his feet, and scampered
over toward us, overjoyeadt finding us again. I was amazed to see the bestial exprecsosimonp,ounded
of fright and menace that came over the young girl's face when she caught sight of the monkey. She drew back, hugging the rocks so closely as to melt into them, every muscle tensed, her back arched, her hands contracted like claws. All this because of a nicechliitmtlepanzee who was about to greet us!
As he passed close by, without noticing her, she sprang out. Her body twanged like a bow. She seized him by the throat and closed her hands around his neck, holding the poor creature firmly between her thighs. Her attack was so swift that we did not even have time to iTntheervmenoen. key hardly struggled.
He stiffened after a few seconds and fell dead when she let go of him. This gorgeouins acreature
romantic flight of fancy I had christened her "Nova," able to compare her appearance only to that of a' brilliantstar—Nova had strangled a harmless pet animal hweirthown hands.

When, having recovered from our shock, we rushed tohwera,rdit was far too late to save Hector. She
turned to face us as though to defend herself, her arms again raised in front of her, her lips curled back, in a menacing attitude that brought us to a standstill. Then she uttered a last shrill cry, which could be interpreted as a shout of triumoprha bellow of rage, and fled into the forest. In a few ssehceonhdasd
disappeared into the undergrowth that closed baarcokund her golden body, leaving us standing aghast in the middle of the jungle, now completely silent once again.

CHAPTERSIX

"A female savage," I said, "belonging to some backward race like those found in New Guinea or hi our
Africanforests?"
I had spoken without the slightest conviction. Arthur Levain asked me, almost violently, if I had ever noted suchgrace and fineness of feature among primitive tribes. He was a hundred times right and I could think of nothing else to say. Professor Antelle, who appeared to inbethloustght, had nevertheless
listened to our conversation.
"The most primitive people on our planet have a langhueagfein,"ally said. "This girl cannot talk."
We searched for the stranger around the region of the stream, but unable to find the slightest trace of
her, made our way back to our launch hi the clearing. The professor thought of taking off again to attempt a landing at some more civilized spot, but Levain suggested stopping where we were for at least
twenty-four hours to try to establish another contact with this jungle's inhabitants. I suhpimporintedthis suggestion, which eventually prevailed. Wdeared not admit to one another that the hope of thseeignirgl again held us to the area.
The afternoon went by without incident; but toward eveanftienrg,admiring the fantastic setting of
Betelgeuse, whichflooded the horizon beyond all human imagination,hawdethe impression of some
change in our surroundingTs.he jungle gradually became alive with furtive rustlianngds
snappings, and we
felt that invisible eyes were spying on us through the foliage. We spent an uneventhfuolwenvigehr,t, barricaded in our launch, keeping watch in turns.
At dawn we experienced the same sensation, and I fancied I heard some shrill little cries like those Nova had uttered the day before. But none of the creatures with whfiecvheroisuhr imagination peopled the
forest revealed itself.

So we decided to return to the waterfall. The entire way, we were obsessed by the unnerving impression of being followed and watched by creatures that dared not show themselves. Yet Nova, the day before, had been willintgo approach us.
"Perhaps it's our clothes that frighten them," Arthur Lseavidainsuddenly.
This seemed a most likely explanation. I distinctly rebmereemd that when Nova had fled after strangling
our monkey, she had found herself in front of our pile of clothes. She had then sprung aside quickly to avoid them, like a shoyrse
.
"We'll soon see."
And, diving into the lake after undressing, we started playing again as on the day before, ostensibly oblivious ofall that surrounded us.
The same trick worked again. After a few minutes we noticed the girl on the rocky ledge, without having heard her approach. She was not alone. There was a man standing beside her, a man built like us, resembling men on Earth, a middle-aged man also completely naked, whose features were so similar to those of our goddess that I assumed he was her father. He was watching us, as sheatwtiatusd, ehiofan bewilderment and concern.
And there were many others. We noticed them little by little, while we forced ourselves to maintain our feigned indifference. They crept furtively out of the forest and gradually formed an unbroken circle around the lake. Thewy ere all sturdy, handsome specimens of humanity, amnednwomen with golden skin, now
looking restless, evidentlyprey to a great excitement and uttering an occasionalcrsyh.arp
We were hemmed in and felt somewhat anxious, remembering the incident with the chimpanzee. But their attitude was not menacing; they simply appeared to be inteinresoteudr actions.
That was it. Presently Nova—Nova whom I already reedgaards an old acquaintance—slipped into the
water and thoethers followed one by one with varying degrees of hesitaTtihoeny.
all drew closer and we
began to chase one another in the manner of seals as we had done the previous day; only now we were surrounded by a score or more of tshterasnege creatures, splashing about and playing, all swoiltehmn
expressions contrasting oddly with these childfirsohlics.

After a quarter of an hour of this I was beginning to feel tired. Was it just to behave like school children that we had come all the way to the universe of Betelgeuse? I felt almost ashamed of myself and was vexed to see that the learned Antelle appeared to be taking great pleasure in this game. But what else
could we do? It is hard to imagine the difficulty of establishing contact with creatures who are ignorant of the spoken word or of laughter. Yet I did my best. I went through a few motions that I hoped might convey some meaning. I clasped my hands in as friendly a manner as possible, bowing at the same time, rather like the Chinese. I waved kisses at them. None of these gestures evoked the least response. Not a glimmerof comprehension appeared in their eyes.
Whenever we had discussed, during the voyage, our eventcuoaulnter with living beings, we saw in our mind's eye monstrous, misshapen creatures of a physical aspectdivffeerryent from ours, but we always implicitly imagined the presence in them omf iand. On the planet Soror reaaliptypeared to be quite the reverse: we had to do with inhabitanretsembling us hi every way from the physical point of view but who appeared to be completely devoid of the power of reason. This indeed was the meaning of the
expression I had found so disturbing in Nova and that I now saw in all the others: a lack of conscious thought; the absence oinftelligence.
They were interested only in playing. And eventhtehegname had to be pretty simple! With the idea of introducing into it a semblance of coherence that they could grasp, the three of us linked hands and, with the water up to our waists, shuffled around in a circle, raising and lowering our arms together as small children might have done. This seemed not to move them in the slightest. Most of them drew away from us; others gazed as us with such an obvious absence of comprehension that we were ourselves dum founded.
It was the intensity of our dismay that gave rise to the tragedy. We were so amazed to find ourselves, three grown men, one of whom was a world celebrity, holding hands while executing a childish dance under the mocking eye of Betelgeuse, that we were unable to keep straight faces. We had undergone such restraint for the last quarter of an hour that we needed some relief. We were boyvebrucorsmtse of
wild and uncontrollable laughter.
This explosion of hilarity at last awakened a response in the onlookers, but certainly not the one we had been hoping for. A sort of tempest ruffled the lake. They started rushing off in all directions in a state of fright that ionther circumstances would have struck us as laughabAleft.er a few moments we found
ourselves alone in the water. They ended up by collecting together on the bank at the edge of the pool, in a trembling mob, uttering their furioliuttsle cries and stretching their arms out toward ursagien. Their
gestures were so menacing that we took fright. Levain and I made for our weapons, but the wise Antelle whispered to us not to use them and even' not to brthanemdishso long as they did not approach us.
We hastily dressed without taking our eyes off Bthuetms.carcely had we put on our trousers and shirts
than their agitation grew into a frenzy. It appeared that the sight of men wearing clothes was unbearable

to them. Some of them took to their heels; others advanced towtahredir uasr,ms outstretched, their
hands clawing the air. pIicked up my carbine. Paradoxically for such obtuse people, they seemed to grasp the meaning of this gesture, turtnaeild, and disappeared into the trees.
We made haste to regain the launch. On our wayI hbaadckthe impression that they were still there, albeit invisiblea, nd were following our withdrawal in silence.
CHAPTERSEVEN
The attack was launched as we came within sight colefartihneg, with an abruptness that precluded all defense. Leaping out of the thickets like stags, the men ofwSeroerourpon us before we could lift our weapons to our shoduel rs.
The curious thing about this aggression was twhas int ot exactly directed against our persons. I sensed thisat once, and my intuition was soon confirmed. At no modmidenIt feel myself in danger of death, as Hector had been. They were not after our lives, but after our clothes and all the accessories we were carrying. In a moment we woevreerwhelmed. A mass of probing hands stripped us of our weapons and ammunition pouches and threw thesaeside, while others struggled to peel off our clothes and tear them to shreds. Once I had understood what phraodvoked their fury, I passively gave in, and thoruegcheivIed a
few scratches I was not seriously injured. Antelle and Levain did the same, and presently we found ourselves stark naked in the midst of a group of men and women who, visibly reassured to see us in this state, started dancing around us, encircling us too tightly for us to beesacbalpee.to
There were now at least a hundred of them on the edge of the clearing. Those who were farther away then fell upon our launch with a fury comparable to that which had induced them to pull our clothes to pieces. In spite of the despair I felt at seeing them pillage our precious vehicle, I pondered on their behavior and fancied I could discern an essential principle in it: these beings were roused to fury by

objects. Things that werme anufactured provoked their anger as well as their fear. When they seized an instrument, they held it in their hands only long enough to break it, tear it apart, or twist it. Then they promptly hurled it as far away as possible, as though it were a live coal, only to pick it up again and complete its destruction. They made me think of a cat fighting with a big rat that was half dead but still dangerous, or of a mongoose that had caught a snake. I had already noted the curious fact that they had attacked us without a single weapon, without euvsienng sticks.

Powerless, we witnessed the sacking of our launch. The door had soon yielded to their blows. They rushed insideand destroyed everything that could be destroyed, in partictuhlearprecious navigating instruments, and scattered the bits and pieces. This pillage lasted quite a time. Then, since the metal
envelope alone remained intact, they came back to our group. We were jostled, pulled this way and that, and finally dragged off into the depths of the jungle.
Our situation was becoming more and more alarming. Disarmed, stripped, obliged to march barefoot at

too fast a pace, we could neither exchange our impressions nocromevpelnain. The slightest attempt at conversation provoked sucmh enacing reactions that we had to resign ourselves to pasinilfeunlce. And
yet these creatures were men like us. Cladshaondd, they would scarcely have drawn attention in our world. Their women were all beautiful, though none couldNroival's splendor.
The latter followed close behind us. On several occasions, when I was jostled by my guards, I turned around toward her, imploring a sign of compassion, which I fancied I discerned once on her face. But this, I think, was onwlyishful thinking. As soon as my gaze met hers, she tried to avoid it, without her eyes expressing any sentiment othtehran bewilderment.
This calvary lasted several hours. I was overwhelmedfawtigituhe, my feet bleeding, my body covered
with scratches caused by the reeds through which these men of Soror made their way with impunity, like snakes. My companions were in no better shape than I was, and Antelle was stumbling at every step by the time we finally reached what appeared to be the end of the march. The forest was less thick at this spot and the undergrowth had given place to short grass. Here our guards released us and, without bothering about us, started playing once more, chasing one anthortohuergh the trees, which seemed to be
their main occupation.We sank to the ground, numb with fatigue, taking advoafntathgies respite to hold a consultation.
It needed all the philosophy of our leader to prevent us from being engulfed in dark despair. Night was falling. We could no doubt attempt an escape by taking advoanf tathgee general inattention; but then
what? Even if we managetdo retrace our steps, there was no chance of our being able to use the launch. It seemed wiser to remain where wweere and to try to win over these disconcerting beings.oMveor,re
we were famished.
We rose to our feet and took a few timid stepsw. eTntheoyn with their senseless games without paying
any atten tion. Nova alone seemed not to have forgotten ustarStehde
following us at a distance, always
turning her head away when we looked at her. After wandering at random, we discovered we were in a sort of encampment where the shelters were not even huts, but nestiike constructions like those built by
the big apes in our African forests: a few interwoven branches, without any binding, placed on the ground or wedged into the forks of low trees. Some of these nests were occupied. Men and women—I cannot see how else I can describe them—lay stretched out inside them, often in couples, fast asleep and snuggling up together as dogs do in the cold. Other, larger shelters servefdameinliteirse, and we noticed
several children who looked extremehlayndsome and healthy.
This provided no solution to our feeding problem. At last we saw at the foot of a tree a family getting ready to eat, but their meal was hardly designed to tempt us. They. were puffing to pieces, without the
aid of any utensil, a fairly large animal resembling a deer. With their nails and their teeth they tore off bits of the raw meat, which thdeeyvoured after merely removing a few shreds of skin. There was no sign of a fireplace in the neighborhood. This fetausrtned our stomachs, and in any case, after drawinligttlea closer,
we realized we were by no means welcome to share it. Quite the contrary! Angry growls made us draw

back quickly.
It was Nova who came to our rescue. Did she do so because she had finally understood that we were hungry? Could she realluynderstand anything? Or was it because she was famished herself? In any
case, she went up to a big tree, encircled the trunk with her thighs, climbed up into the branches, and disappeared in the foliage. A few moments later we saw a shower of fruit resembling bananas fall to the ground. Then she climbed down again, picked up one or two of these and began eating them without taking her eyes off us. After a moment's hesitation we grew bold enough to imitate her. The fruit was quite good and wweere able to eat our fill while she watched us without pirnogt.esAt fter drinking some
water from a stream, we decidtoedspend the night there.
Each of us chose a corner in the grass in which,to build a nest similar to the others in the colony. Nova
showed some interest in our work, even to the point of approachaind recalcitrant branch.
mheelping me to break a
I was moved by this gesture; young Levain found it so vexing that he lay down at once, buried himself in
the grass, and turned his back on us. As for Professor Ahnetehllaed,
already fallen asleep, dead tired.
I took some time to finish my bed, still closely watched by Nova, who had drawn some distance, away. When I lay down, she stood motionless for a moment or two, as though unable to make up her mind; then she took a few hesitant steps toward me. I did not move a muscle for fear of frightening her away. She lay down beside me. I still did not move. She eventually snuggled up against me, and there was nothing to distinguish us from the other couples occupying the nests of this strange tribe. But although this giri was marvelously beautiful, I still did not regard her as a woman. Her manner was that of a pet animal seeking the warmth of its master. I appreciated the warmth of her body, without its ever crossing my
mind to desire her. I ended up by falling asleep in this outlandish hpaolsfitidoena,d from fatigue, pressed against this strangely beautifaunl d unbelievably mindless creature, after bestowing mnoore than a glance
on the satellite of Soror, which, smathllaenr
our Moon, cast a yellowish light over the jungle.
CHAPTEREIGHT
The sky was turning pale through the trees when I awoke. Nova was still asleep. I watched her in silence and sighed as I remembered her cruelty to our poor monkey. She had probably also been the cause of
our misadventure bpyointing us out to her companions. But how could onethihsoaldgainst her when faced with the perfection of her body?
Suddenly she stirred and raised her head. A gleam of fear came into her eyes and I felt her muscles contractSince I did not move, however, her face gradually relSahxeedr.emembered; she managed for
the first time to withstamndy gaze for a moment. I regarded this as a personal vaicntdorywent so far as

to smile at her again, forgetting phrevr ious reaction to this earthly manifestation.
This time it was less intense. She shivered, stiffenedasagtahionugh about to take flight, but stayed where she wasE. ncouraged, I smiled more broadly. She trembled abguatineventually calmed down, her face
soon expressing nothinbgut profound astonishment. Had I succeeded in taming hIerb?ecame bold
enough to put my hand on her shoulder. A shiver ran down her spine, but she still did not move. I was intoxicated by this success, and was even morweheson I thought she was trying to imitate met.
It was true. She wtarsying to smile. I could sense her painful efforts to contract the muscles of her delicate face. She made several attempts, managing only to prodsuocrte oaf painful grimace. There was something tremendously moving about this excessive labor on the part of a human being to achieve an everyday expression, and with suachpitiful result. I suddenly felt extremely touched, wfililthed
compassion as though for a crippled child. I increathseed pressure of my hand on her shoulder. I brought
my face closer to hers. She replied to this gesture by rubbing her nose against mine, then by passing her tongue overmy cheek.
I was bewildered and hesitant. To be on the safe side, I imitated her in my clumsy fashion. After all, I
was a foreign visitor and it was up to me to adopt the cutshtoemgsreoaft Betelgeuse. system. She
appeared satisfied. Whead gone thus far in our attempts at communication, mynsoenlef
too sure how to
continue, frightened of committing some blunder with my Earthly manners, when a tehrurilflyabinagloo made us start up in alarm.
I found myself with my two companions, whom Ihad selfishly forgotten, standing bolt upright in the gathering dawn. Nova had sprung to her feet even more quickly and showed signs of the deepest terror.
I understood immediately that this din was a nasty surprise not only for us but for all the inhabitants of the forest, for all of them, abandoning their lairs, had started running hither and thither in panic. This was not a game, as on the previous day; their cerxipesressed sheer terror.
This din, suddenly breaking the silence of the forest, was enough to make one's blood run cold, but I felt besides that the men of the jungle knew what was in the offing and that their fear was caused by the approach of a specific danger. It was a strange cacophony, a mixture of rattling sounds like a roll of
drums, other more discordant noises resembling a clashing of pots and pans, and also shouts. It was the shouts that made the most impression on us, for although they were in no language familiar to us, they were incontestablyhuman.
The early morning light revealed a strange scetnhe
ifnorest: men, women, and children running in all
directions,passing and bumping into one another, some of them even climbing into the trees as though to seek refuge there. Soon, however, some of the older ones stopped to prick up their ears and listen. The noise was approaching rather slowly. It came from the region where the forest was thickest and seemed

to emanate from a fairly long unbroken line. I compared it to the noise made by beaters in one of our big shoots.
The elders of the tribe appeared to make a decision. They uttered a series of yelps, which were no doubt signals or orders, then rushed off in the opposite direction from the noise. The rest of them followed, and we saw them galloping all around us like a driven herd of deer. Nova, too, was about to take to her heels, but she paused suddenly and turned around toward us—above all toward me, I felt. She uttered a plaintive whimper, which I assumed to be an invitation to follow her, then took one leap and disappeared.
The din grew louder and I fancied I heard the undergrowth snapping as though beneath some heavy footsteps. I admit that I lost my composure. Caution prompted me, however, to stay where I was and to face the newcomers who,beitcame clearer every second, were uttering these human crBieust. after my
ordeal of the day before, this horrible racket'! unnerved me. I was infected by the terror of Nova and the others. I did not pause to think; I did not even want to consult my companions; I plunged into the undergrowthand took to my heels in the young girl's footsteps.
I ran as fast as I could for several hundred yards without being able to catch up with her, and then noticed thatLevain alone had followed me, Professor Antelle's age precinlugdsuch rapid flight. Levain
was panting beside me. We looked at each other, ashamed of our behavior, and I was about to suggest going back or at least waitingofuorr leader, when some other noises made us jump in alarm.
As to these, I could not be mistaken. They were guenchshoointsg through the jungleo:ne, two, three, then several morea, t irregular intervalss, ometimes one at a time,atother times two consecutive shots,
strangely reminiscent of a double-barreled gun. They were firing in front of us, on the path taken by the fugitives. While we paused, the line from which the first din had come, the line odfrebweactelorss,er,
very close to us, sowing panic in us once aI gdaoin.not know why the shooting seemed to me less frightening, more familiar than this hellish din. Instinctively I resumed my headlong flight, taking care nevertheless to keep under cover of the undergrowth and to make as little pnoosissieblea.s My
companion followed after me.
We thus reached the region in which the shots hahdeabrede.nI slowed down and crept forward, almost on all fours. Still followed by Levain, I clambered up a hsiolrlot cokf and came to a halt on the summit, panting for breath.There was nothing in front of me but a few trees and a curtain of scrub. I advanced
cautiously, my head on a level with the ground. There I lay for a moment or two as though floored by a blow, overpowered by a spectaccloempletely beyond my poor human comprehension.

CHAPTERNINE
There were several incongruous features in the sceneuntfhoaldt ed before my eyes, some of them
horrifying, bumt
y attention was at first drawn exclusively to a figure stamnodtiinognless thirty paces away
and peering in my direction.
I almost shouted aloud in amazement. Yes, in spite of my terror, in spite of the tragedy -of my own position—I was caught between the beaters and the guns—stupefaction overrode all other emotion when
I saw this creature on the lookout, lying in wait for the game. For it was an ape, a large-sized gorilla. It was in vain that I told myself I was losing my reason: I could entertain not the slightest doubt as to his species. But an encounter with a gorillaon the planet Soror was not the essential outlandishness of the situation. This for me lay in the fact that the ape was correctly dressed, like a man of our world, and above all that he wore his clothes in such an easy mannenr.atTuhraisl aspect was what struck me first
of all. No sooner had I seen the animal than I realized that he waansy nwoat yidnisguised. The state in
which I saw him was normaals,
normal to him as nakedness was to Nova and hpearncioonms.
He was dressed as you and I are, I mean as yowuoualndd bIe if we were taking part in one of those drives organized for ambassadors or other distinguished personsofafticial shooting parties. His
dark-brown jacket seemed to be made by the best Paris tailor and revealed undaercnheeactkhed shirt
of the kind our sportsmen wear. His breechfelasr,ing out slightly above his calves, terminated in a pair of leggings. There the resemblance ended: instead of bhoeotws ore big black gloves.
It was a gorilla, I tell you! From his shirt collar emerged a hideous head, its top shaped like a sugar loaf and covered with black hair, with a flattened nose and jutting jaws. There he stood, leaning slightly
forward, in the posture of a hunter on the lookout, grasping a rifle in his long hands. He was facing me, on the other side of a large gap cut othuet ojufngle at right angles to the direction of the drive
.
All of a sudden he stiffened. He had noticed, as I had, a faint sound in the bushes a little to my right. H
turned around and at the same time raised his weapon, re•apduyt itto to his shoulder. From my position I could see the furrow left in the undergrowth by one of the fugitives who was running blindly straight ahead. I almost shouted out to warn him, so obvious was the ape's intention. But I had neither the time nor the strength; the man was already racing like a mountain goat across the open ground. The shot rang out while he was still halfway across the field of fire. He gave a leap in the air, collapsed tihne a heap on ground, and after a few convulsions lay motionless.
But it was only a little later that I noticed the victim's death agony, my attention being still focused on the gorilla.I had followed the changes in his expression from the mohmeenwtas alerted by the noise, and
had noted a number of surprising facts: first, the cruelty of the hunter stalking his prey and the feverish pleasure he derived from this pastime; but above allh, utmhean character of his expression in this
animal's eyes there was a spark of understantdhiantg I had sought in vain among the men of Soror.

The realization of my own position soon roused me from my stupor. The shot made me turn my gaze
again towardthe victim, and I was the horrified witness of his final twiItcthheesn.
noticed with terror that
the cleared space in the forest was littered with human bodies. It was no longer possible to delude myself as to the meaning of this scene. I caught sight of another gorilla like the first one, a hundred paces off. I was witnessing a drive—alas, I was taking part in it!—a fantastic drive in which the guns, posted at
regular intervals, were apes and the game consisted of men, men like me, men and women whose naked, punctured bodiest,wisted in ridiculous postures, lay bleeding on the ground.
I turned aside from this unbearable horror. I preferred the sight of the merely grotesque, and I gazed back at the gorilla barring my path. He had taken a stepsidtoe, orneevealing another ape standing
behind him, like aservant beside his master. It was a chimpanzee, a rather small chimpanzee, a young chimpanzee, it seemed to me, but a chimpanzee, I swear, dressed with less elegance than the gorilla, in a pair of trousers and a shirt, and eapslailyying his part in the meticulous organization thwatasI beginning
to discern. The hunter had just handed him his gun. The chimpanzee exchanged it for another he was holding in his hand. Then, with precise gestures, using the cartridges in the belt he was wearing around his waist and that sparkled in the rays of Betelgeuse, the little chimrpealonazdeed the weapon. Then each
resumed his position
.
All these impressions had taken only a few secosnhdosu.ldI
have liked to think about these discoveries,
to analyzethem; I had no time to do so. Lying beside me, Arthur Lneuvmaibn, with terror, was incapable of giving me the slighthesetlp. The danger was increasing at every second. The bewaterse approaching from behind. The din they made was now deafening. We were at bay like wild beasts, like those wretched creatures whom I could still see flittingaraolul nd us. The size of the colony must have been bigger than I had suspected, for many men were still rushingthaelotnragck, to meet there a ghastly death
.
Not all, however. Forcing myself to recover acolimttlpeosure, from the top of my hillock I studied the behaviorof the fugitives. Some of them, completely panic-stricken, rushed along snapping the
undergrowth in their flight, thus alerting the apes, who easily shot them down. But others gave evidence of more cunning, like old boars who have been hunted several times and have learned a ntruimckbse. r of
These crept forward on all fours, paused for a moomn etnhte edge of the clearing, studied the nearest
hunter throughthe leaves, and waited for the moment when his attention was drawn in another direction. Then, in one bound and at full speed, they crossed the deadly alley. Several of them thus succeeded in reaching the opposite side unhurt, adnisdappeared into the forest
.
Therein perhaps lay a chance of safety. I motioned to Levain to follow me and slipped soundlessly forward as far as the last thicket in front of the path. There I was overwhelmed by a ridiculous scruple. Should I, a man, really resort to such tricks merely to get the better ofSuarnelyapteh?e only behavior
worthy of my condition was to rise to my feet, advance on the animal, and give it a good beating? The ever-increasing hullabaloo behind me reductehdis mad inclination to nought.

The hunt was ending in an infernal din. The bweeartersat our heels. I saw one of them emerge from the foliage. It was an enormous gorilla, laying about him at random with a club and screeching fit to burst his lungs. He made an even more terrifying impression on me than thewhituhnttehre gun. Levain started
chattering with fear and tremblinfgrom head to foot, while I kept my eye on the newincofrmonetr of me and waited for an opportune moment.
My wretched companion unconsciously saved mybylifehis imprudence. He had gone completely out of
his mind. He got up without taking any precaution, started running off at random, and came out into the alley in full view of the hunter's field of fire. He went noThfaerthshero.t seemed to snap him hi two and
he collapsed, addinghis body to all those that already lay there. I watsitmede inno mourning him—what could I do for him?—but waitefedverishly for the moment when the gorilla would hand his gun to his
servant. As soon as he did so, I sprang out and raced across the alley. I saw the hunter, as though in a dream, hasten to seize his weapon, but I was already under cover by the time he could lift it to his shoulder. I heard an exclamation that sounded like an oath, but had fnoor thimoueght about this latest
oddity.
I had got the best of him. I felt a strange joy, which was balm to my humiliation. I went on running at fu speed, leaving the carnage behind me, until I coullodngneor hear the noise of the beaters. I was saved.
Saved! I was underestimating the maliciousness of the apes on the planet Soror. Hardly had I gone a hundred yardswhen I stumbled headfirst into an obstacle concealedthein foliage. It was a wide-meshed
net stretched above thgeround and equipped with large pockets, in one of which I was now entangled. I was not the only captive. The net ran across a large section of the forest, and a crowd of fugitives who had escaped being shot had let themselves be caught as I had. To my right and left frenzied jerks accompanied by furious whines bore witness to their etfoforbtsreak free.
A wild rage overcame me when I felt myself thus imprisoned, a rage stronger than terror, leaving me utterly incapable of thought. I did exactly what my reason advised me not to do—I struggled in an utterly insane manner, with the result that the net became even more tightly wound around me. I was eventually so closely bound that I could not move at all and was at the mercy of the aappepsroIachheianrgd.
CHAPTERTEN
I was seized by a deadly terror when I saw their troop advancing. After witnessing their cruelty, I
thought they wergeoing to engage in wholesale massacre.
The hunters, all of them gorillas, led the advannocteic. eId that they had abandoned their weapons,
which gave me a little hope. Behind them came the loaders and beaters, among whom there was a more

or less equal number of gorillas and chimpanzees. The hunters seemed to be the masters and their manner was that of aristocrats. They did not appear to be ill-disposed, and chatted amosneglvethsemas
cheerfully as one could wish. . . .
In fact, I am now so accustomed to the paradotxheiss polfanet that I wrote the preceding sentence without thinking of lie absurdity it represents. And yet it's the truth! The gorillas had the manner of aristocrats. They chatted together happily in an articulate language, and each moment their faces expressed human sentiments, not a trace of which I had found in Nova. Alas! What had become of
Nova? I shuddered as I recalled the bloodstained alley. I now understood her emotion at the sight of our chimpanzee. There existed a fierce hatred between the two races. To realize this one only had to see the attitude of the captivmeen at the apes' approach. They struggled frenziedly, thrinasgh out with hands and
feet, ground their teeth, foamedthaet mouth, and gnawed furiously at the strings of the net.
Without paying attention to this hubbub, the hunter gorillas —I caught myself calling them the nobility—gave someorders to their servants. Some big carts, rather low-alynidngcompletely caged in,
were lined up on a track on the other side of the net. Into these we were bundled, ten or so to a vehicle:
a fairly lengthy operation, for the prisonsterrusggled desperately. Two servant gorillas, their hands
encased in leather gloves to protect them from bites, took hold of the prisoners one by one, freed them from the trap, and flung them into the cages, the doors of whitchhenwsehreut fast, white the nobles
directed the operation leaninngegligently on their walking sticks.
When it came to my turn, I tried to draw attention to myself by talking. But no sooner had I opened my mouth than one of the apes, no doubt mistaking my action for a menace, brutally stuffed his enormous
glove into my face. I was forcibly silenced and thrown like a bundle into a cage together with a dozen men and women who wesrteill too agitated to pay any attention to me.
When we were all loaded inside, one of the servants cthheeckleodck on each cage and went to report to his masterT.he latter gave a signal, and a roar of engines echoed thtrhoeugfhorest. The carts started
to move forward, each one towed by a sort of tractor driven by an ape. I could distinctly see the driver of the vehicle behind mine. He was a chimpanzee. From time to time he made sarcastic remarks at us, and when the engines slowed down I could hear him humming a rather melancholy little tune not altogetherlacking hi harmony.
This first stage was so short that I scarcely had time to recover my senses. After driving for a quarter of an hour along a rough track, the convoy came to a halt on a stretch of open ground in front of a house built of stone. It was the edge of the forest; beyond it I could seceovaerpedlaiwn ith crops that looked
like cereals.
The house, with its red tiled roof, green shutters, and an inscription on a panel at the entrance, looked

like an inn. I realized at once it was a meeting place for
Tthhee hsuhnet-.apes had come here to wait for
then- lords and mastersw, ho presently arrived in private cars along the same track we had taken. The lady gorillas sat around in armchairs chatting together in the shade of some big trees that looked like palms. One of them was sipping a drink throustgrhawa.
As soon as the vehicles were parked, the females drew nearer, curious to see the results of the hunt and especially the game that had been shot, which some gorillas, protected by aprons, were extracting from
two big vans to displiany the shade of the trees.
It was a classical hunting scene. Here again the apes worked methodically. They placed the bleeding bodies on their backs, side by side, in a long row as though along a chalk line. Then, while the she-apes uttered little cries of admiration, they applied themselves to making the game attractive. They stretched
the arms down along the sides of the bodies and opened the hands with the palumpswafardci.ngThey straightened the legs, arranging the joisnotsas to give each body a less corpselike appearance, corrected
a clumsily twisted limb, and reduced the contraction of a neck. Then they carefully smoothed down the hair, particularly the women's, as some hunters smooth down thoer cfoeaatthers of an animal they have
just shot.
I am afraid I am unable to convey the grotesque and diabolical quality this scene had for me. Have I
adequatelystressed the absolutely and totalslyimian appearance ofthese monkeys, apart from the expression in their eyesH?ave I described how these she-gorillas, also dressedspionrts clothes but with
great elegance, jostled one another to view the best specimens and point them out while congratulating
their lords and masters? Have I said that one of them, taking a little pair of scissors out of her bag, leaned over a body, cut off a lock of brown hair, curled it around her finger, and then, with the others soon followingher example, pinned it onto her hat?
The exhibition of the game was soon completed:rothwreseof bodies carefully laid out, men and women alternately, the latter displaying a line of golden breasts to the monstrous sphere blazing in the sky. Looking away in horror, I noticed a new figure, carrying an oblong box fastened to a tripod. It was a chimpanzee. I quickly recognized hiinm the photographer making a pictorial record of these trophies for simian posterity. The session lasted more than a quarter of an hour, me gorillas having themselves photographed first individually, in good poses, some of them placing one foot on one of their victims with a triumphant air; then as a compact group, each of them putting an arm around his neighbor's shoulder. The she-gorillas in turn were then photographed and assumed graceful postures in tfhreonstlaoufghter,
with their decorated hats well to the fore.
This scene was imbued with a horror incomprehensible to the normal mind. My blood boiled, but I succeeded for some time in restraining myself. However, when I noticed the body on which one of these females had sat down tatoke a more sensational picture, when I recognizedthoen face of the corpse
stretched out among the others bthoeyish, almost childish features of my luckless companion, Arthur
Levain, it was no longer possible to contain myself.

• My emotion exploded in an outlandish manner, in keeping with the grotesque aspect of this macabre scene. I gavwe ay to a fit of wild hilarity, bursting out in hysterical laughter.
• I had not thought of my companions in the cage. I was utterly incapable of thinking! The tumult unleashed by my laughter reminded me of their proximity, which was no doubt as dangerous for me as that of the apes. Menacing hands were stretched in my direction. I realized the peril and stifled my laughter by burying my head in my arms. I am not sure, however, that I should have avoided being
strangled and torn to bits if some of the apes, alarmed by the din, had not re-established order with a few thrusts of their pikes. Moreover, another incident soon diverted the general attention. The gorillas made
their way in small groups toward the house, chatting merrily together, while the photographer gathered up his equipment after takinag few shots of our cages.
We menh, owever, had not been forgottenI. had no idea of the fate the monkeys had hi store for us, but
it was clearly their policy to look after us. Before disappearing into the inn, one of the nobles gave some instructions to a gorilla who appeared to be a team leTahdeerl.atter came over to us, assembled his subordinates, and presently the servants brought us something to eat in basins and some buckets of water
to drink. The food consisted of a sort of porridge. I was not hungry but was determined to eat in order to keep up my strengthI.approached one otfhe receptacles around which several prisoners were squatting.
I did as they did and stretched out a timid hand. They gave me a surly look but, the food being ample, did not try to stop me. It was a thick mash with a cereal basenotthatatstdeidbad. I swallowed several
handfuls without displeasure.Our menuwas, moreover, enriched by the good will of our guards. Now
that the hunt was over, these beaters, who had so frightened me, proved to be less unpleasant so long as we behaved ourselves. They walked up and down in front of the cages and threw us some fruit from time to time, deriving great amusement from the stampede these offerings never failed to provoke.
I even witnessed a scene that gave me food for thought. A little girl had caught a piece of fruit in the air, when her neighbor rushed at her to snatch it away. One of the gorillas then brandished his pike, poked jt through the bars, and pushed the man back as hard as he could; then he put another bit of fruit inthe same child's hand. I thus realized that these creatwureerse capable of pity.
When the meal was over, the team leader and his asseisttaanbtsout rearranging the convoy by
transferring some of the captives from one cage to another. They seemed to be making some sort of selection, but on what basis I could not tell. Finding myself placed in a group of extremely handsome men and women, I tried to persuade myself that this was because we were the most remarkable subjects, deriving a bitter consolation from the thought that the apes, at first glance, had judged me worthy of being included inan elite.
I was surprised and overjoyed to see Nova amonngewmycompanions. She had escaped the massacre

and I gave thanks to the heaven of Betelgeuse. It was with her, above all, in mind that I had scrutinized the victims at great length, fearful of seeing at any moment her lovely body among the pile of corpses. I
felt as though I had recovered a being that was dear to me and, losing my head once more, I rushed over to her, opening my arms wide. It was utter madness; my gesture terrified her. Had she forgotten, then,
our intimacy of the night before? Was such a marvelous physique not animated by anmyinsdo?rtI offelt downcast to see her shrink away at my approahcehr , hands extended like claws as though to throttle me,which she probably would have done had I persisted.
Yet when I checked myself she calmed down fairly quSihceklyla.y down in a corner of the cage and I followed herexample with a sigh^ All the other captives had done likeTwhiseey. now looked listless, prostrate, and resigned to thfeairte.
Outside, the apes were getting ready for the convmooyveto off. A tarpaulin was stretched over our cage and fastenedhalfway down the sides, letting in some light. Ordersisswueerde; the engines started. I found myself traveling at high speed toward an unknown destination, terrifiethde btyhought of the fresh horrors that awaited me on pthlaenet Soror.
CHAPTERELEVEN
I was utterly exhausted. The events of the last two days had broken me physically and plunged my mind into such confusion that I had been incapable until now of bewailing the loss of my comrades or even of picturing concretely all that was involved for me in the pillaging of our launch.
It was with relief that I welcomed the half-light, then isionlatthioenalmost total darkness that followed, for the dusk was very swift and we drove all through the night. mI yrabckraeidns to discover some sense
in the events I had witnesseId.needed this intellectual exercise to escape from the despair that haunted
me, to prove to myself that I was a man, I mean a man from Earth, a reasoning creature who made it a habit to discover a logical explanation for the apparently miraculous whims of nature, and not a beast hunted downby highly developed apes.
I reviewed all that I had observed, often without being aware of it. A general overall impression prevailed: these apes, male and female, gorillas and chimpanzees, were not in arniydicwualyous. I have already mentioned that they had never struck me as being animals in disguise, like the tame monkeys exhibited in our circuses. On Earth a hat on the head of a she-monkey was a hilarious sight to some
people, to me a painful one. Not so here. Both head and hat were in keeping, and there was nothing at al unnatural about any of their gestures. The she-ape sipping a drink through a straw looked like a lady. I
also remember having seen one of the hunters take a pipe out of his pocket, fill it methodically, and light it. Well, nothing about this act had shocked my sensibilities, so natural were his movements. I had had to think about it before recognizing it as a paradox. I pondered over this at great length and, for the first time since my capture, I deplored the disappearance of Professor Antelle. In his wisdom and knowledge he
would doubtless have been able to find an explanation for these paradoxes. What had become of him? I

was certain he was not among the victims that had been shot. Was he among the captives? It was not impossible; I had not seen them all. I dared not hope that he had succpereseerdvining his liberty.
With my feeble resources I tried to piece together an hypothesis, but it was not very satisfactory. Could the inhabitants of this planet, the civilized beings whose towns we had seen, could they have succeeded hi training apes so as to instill more or less rational behavior in themaf—terthpisa,tient selection and efforts
lasting several generations?After all, on Earth there are chimpanzees who manage to perform astonishing tricks. The very fact that they had a language was perhaps not so outlandish as I had thought. I now remembered a discussion I had had on this suwbjiethct a specialist. He had told me there were learned scientists who spent a large part of their time trying to teach primates to talk.
They claimed that there was nothing in the conformation of these animals to prevent it. Until then all their efforts had been in vain, but they were persevering, taminaiinng that the only obstacle was the fact that
monkeys were unwilling ttoalk. Perhaps one day they had proved willing on the planet Soror? This enabled these hypothetical inhabitants to use them for certain rough work, like tdhuerinhgunwt hich I had been captured*
I clung desperately to this explanation, recoiling in horror at the thought of another, simpler one, so essential for my safety did it seem that there should exist on this planet properly rational creatures, that is, men, men like myself, wtohom I could reveal myself.
Men! Of what race, then, were the beings whom the apes had killed and captured? Some sort of backward tribe? If that were the case, how cruel the masters of this platnoettowleerraete and perhaps decree such massacres!
I was distracted from these thoughts by a figure creeping toward me. It was Nova. Around me, all the prisoners werelying in groups on the floor boards. After a moment's htieosnitashe snuggled up against
me, as on the previous night. Once again I vainly tried to discern in her eyes the gleam by which this gesture of hers might have been construeadnaasct of friendliness. She turned her head away and
presently closed her eyes. In spite of this I felt reassured by her mere presence and eventually fell asleep beside her, trying not thtoink of the morrow.
CHAPTERTWELVE

I succeeded in sleeping till daybreak through a defenseanmisemch against the intrusion of thoughts that
were too unbeaarble. My sleep was interrupted, however, by feverish nightmares, in which Nova's body appeared in the guise omf oanstrous serpent wound around my own body. I openedeymesy to the light.
She was already awake. She had drawn a little away from me and was watching me with her eternally bewildered gaze.
Our vehicle slowed down and I saw we were entering a town. The captives had risen and were squatting beside the bars, glancing out beneath the tarpaulin at a spectascelemtheadt to revive their
emotions of the previous day. I followtehdeir example; I pressed my face against the bars and ffirosrt time viewed a civilized city on the planet Soror.
the
We were driving down a fairly broad street flanked with pavements. I anxiously examined the passers-by: they weraepes. I saw a tradesman, a sort of grocer, who had justhreaissheudtters of his
shop, turn around curiously to watchgousby; he was an ape. I tried to see the passengers and odfrivers the motor cars flashing past us: they were dressed sianmteheway as people at home and they were
apes.
My hope of discovering a civilized human race became chimerical, and I spent the last part of the drive in gloomy despair. Our vehicle slowed down even more. I then noticed that the convoy had been split up during the night, for it consisted of only two vehicles, the others evidently having taken another direction. After passing through an entrangcaete we came to a halt in a courtyard. Some apes immediately
surrounded us and tried to calm down the captives' mouangtiitnagtion with a few blows of their pikes.
The courtyard was enclosed by buildings several sthoirgihes with identical rows of windows. The general effect was that of a hospital, and this impression was confirmed by the arrival of some new figures who came forward to meet our guards. They were all dressed in white asnmdoclikttsle caps: they were apes.
They were apes, every one of them, gorillas and chimpanzees. They helped our guards unload the carts. We were taken out of the cages one by one, stuffed into big sacks, and carried inside the building. I put up no resistance and let myself be hauled off by two gorillas dressed in white. For several minutes I had the feeling that we wegroeing down some long corridors and climbing some staircaEsevse.ntually I was
dumped down on the ground; then, after the sack had been opened, I was thrown into another cage, this time a stationary one, its floor covered with straw. I was alone. One of the gorillas carefully locked the doorfrom the outside.
The room in which I found myself contained a large number of cages like mine, lined up in two rows and facing a long passage. Most of them were already occupied, some of them by my companions of the roundup who had just been brought here, others by men and women who must have been captured some time earlier. The latter could be recognized by their attitude of resignation. They looked at the newcomers

with a listless air, scarcely pricking up their ears when one of them gave a plaintive moan. I also noticed that the newcomers had been placed, haasd,I in individual cells, whereas the old hands were generally
locked up in pairs. Putting my nose through the bars, I saw a bigger cage at the end of the corridor containinga large number of children. Unlike the adults, these appeared
to be extremely excited by the arrival of our batchg. eTsthiceuylated, jostled one another, and pretended" to shaktehe bars, uttering little cries like young monkeys quarreling.
The two gorillas came back carrying another sackf.rieMndy
Nova emerged from it, and again I had the
consolation of seeing her put into the cage directly across from mine. She protested this operation in her
own way, trying
stocratch and bite. When the door was closed on sher,rushed to the bars, tried to
break them down, grindinhger teeth and whimpering enough to rend one's heAafrtte. r a few minutes of
this behavior she caught sight of me, stood stock-still, and extended her neck slightly, like a surprised animal. I gave her a cautious half-smile and a little wave, which to my intense delight shteriecdlutmosily imitate.
I was distracted by the return of the two gorwillhaisteinjackets. The unloading had been completed, for
they carried no further bundle, but they pushed in front of them a handcart laden with food and buckets of water that they dished out to the captives, thus restoringamoordnegr them.
It was soon my turn. While one of the gorillas mounted guard, the other entered my cage and placed in front ofme a bowl containing some mash, a little fruit, abnudckaet. I had decided to do all I could to
establish contact with these apes, who seemed to be the only rational and civilized beings on the planet. The one who brought my food did not look unpleasant. Observing my tranquillity, he even gave me a friendly tap on the shoulder. I loohkiemd straightin the eye, then, putting my hand on my gcahveest,a ceremonious bow. I saw intense surprise on fhaicse as I raised my head again. I then smiled at him,
putting all my heart into this gesture. He was just about to leave; dumbfounded, he stopped short and uttered anexclamation. At last I had succeeded in attracting attention to myself. Wishing to reinforce this success by showingall my abilities, I uttered rather stupidly the first tphhartasceame into my head:
"How do you do? I am a man from Earth. I'vleonhgadjouarney."
The meaning was unimportant. I only needed to speak in order to reveal my true nature to him. I had certainlyachieved my aim. Never before had such stupefaction bseeeenn on an ape's face. He stood
breathless and gapinga,nd so did his companion. They both started talking togeinthearn undertone, but
the result was not what I had hofopre.dAfter peering at me suspiciously, the gorilla brdisrekwly
back
and stepped out of the cage, which he closed behind him with even greater care than before. The two apes then looked at each other for a moment and rboeagrianng with laughter. I must have represented a

trulyunique phenomenon, for they could not stop making merry at my expense. Tears were streaming down their facesa,nd one of them had to put down the bowl he was thooltdaikneg out his handkerchief.
My disappointment was such that I immediately binrotokea towering rage. I, too, began shaking the bars, baringmy teeth and cursing them in every language I knew. WI hheand exhausted my repertoire of invectives I went ogniving incoherent yells, the only result being thatshthreuygged their shoulders.
Nevertheless I had succeeded in drawing their attention to me. As they went off, they turned around several timesto look back at me. When I had finally calmed downp,lecteolmy exhausted, I saw one of
them take a notebook frohmis pocket and scribble something in it after carerfeuclolyrding a sign inscribed
on a panel at the top of my
wcahgiec,h I assumed to be a number.
They disappeared. The other captives, at first agibtaytemd y demonstration, had resumed eating. There
was nothingelse I could do but eat and rest while waiting for a more favorable opportunity to reveal my noble nature. I gulped down another mash of cereals and some deliciouOsppfrousiti.te me, Nova
stopped munching every now and thtoendart a furtive glance in my direction.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
We were left to ourselves for the rest of the daye.vIenninthge, after giving us another meal, the gorillas withdrew, putting out the lights. I slept little that night, not because of the discomfort of the cage—the straw litter was thicaknd afforded an acceptable bed—but I could notwsotorkping out ways and means
to enter into communicationwith the apes. I resolved never to lose my temperbuatgatoin seek patiently and ceaselessly every opportunity to display my mental faculties. The two wardewrshowmithI had dealt were probably lowly underlings incapabolfe interpreting my movements, but there surely exoisttheedr
apes who were more civilized.
Onthe following morning I saw that this hope wasnot unfounded. I had been awake for an hour.
Most of my companions were restlessly pacing up and down their cages in the manner of captive animals. When I realizeIdwas doing likewise, arid had been doing so for somewtiitmhoeut noticing it, I was ashamed of myself and forcmeydself to sit down behind the bars, assuming as humaans apnednsive
an attitude as possible. It was then that the
odfootrhe corridor was pushed open and I saw a new figure
enter the room accompanied by the two warders. It was a female chimpanzee, and I realized from the
way the gorillas kept in the background that she held an imppoosrttainnt
the establishment.

The warders must have given her a report about me, for no sooner had she come in than she questioned one of them, who promptly pointed his finger in my dirTechteiorenu. pon she came straight over to my
cage.
I watched her carefully as she approached. Shew, atosod, ressed in a white smock, cut more elegantly thanthose worn by the gorillas, gathered in at the waaistbeblyt and with short sleeves that revealed two agile dangling arms. What struck me most about her was her exprewsshiiocnh, was remarkably alert and
intelligent. I felt thisaugured well for our future relationship. She seemed to be quite young in spite of the simian wrinkles that framed her white muzzle. In her hand she carried a leatchaesre.brief
She came to a halt in front of my cage and began to scrutinize me, at the same time taking a notebook out ofher brief case.
"Good day to you, madame," I said with a bow.
I had spoken in my gentlest voice. A look of intense
csuamrperisoever the she-ape's face, but she
maintained her composure and with a gesture of authority silenced the gowrihlloas,had started sniggering again.
"Madame or mademoiselle," I went on, feeling encour"aIgeadm,
sorry to present myself to you in these
conditions and in this state of undress. Believe me, I'm not in t"he habit
I was again spouting whatever nonsense came into my head, selecting only words in keeping with the polite toneI had made up my mind to maintain. When I finishedinsgp,epakunctuating my speech with the
gentlest of smilesh,er surprise changed to stupefaction. Her eyes blinked setvimereasl
and the wrinkles on
her forehead grew more pronouncedI.t was obvious that she was trying desperately to find the solution to a difficult problem. She in turn smiled aatnmd eI, had the impression that she was beginning to suspect a part of the truth.
During this scene the men in their cages watchtehdis utsim,
e without showing the hatred that the sound
ofmy voice usually provoked in them. They showed osifgncsuriosity. One after another, they stopped
their feverishpacing and came and glued their faces against the tboarssee us better. Nova looked furious and could not keesptill.

The she-ape took a fountain pen from her pockeint scarnidbed several lines in her notebook. Then, raising her head and again meeting my anxious gaze, she smilemd oornec. eThis encouraged me to make another friendly advance.I stretched an arm out through the bars, keeping myophenan. dThe gorillas
gave a start and made as thougchomtoe between us. But the she-ape, whose first reahcatidonbeen to
draw back, recovered herself, stopped thwemith one word, and, without taking her eyes off me, likewise stretched out her hairy arm, which trembled a little, towmairnde. I did not move. She drew nearer still
and placed her hand with its excessively long fingers on my wrist. I felt her tremble at this contact. I did my best not to make any movement that might startle her. She felt my hand, stroked my arm, then turned around to her assistants waitnh air of triumph.
I was breathless with hope, feeling more and more certain that she was beginning to recognize my noble quality. Whenshe spoke haughtily to one of the gorillas, I was einoaungeh to hope that my cage was
about to be thrown ope.nw, ith a million apologies. Alas, that was not what happeTnheed!warder
fumbled in his pocket and took out a small white object that he handed to his superior. She herself put it in my hand with a charming smile. It was aoflusmupgar.
A lump of sugar! I fell from such a height, I suddenly felt so discouraged by the humiliation of this reward, thatI almost flung it back in her face. Just in time I remembered my good resolutions and forced myself to remain calmI .took the sugar, bowed, and munched it with as inteallnigeanirt as possible.
Such was my first encounter with Zira. Zira wsahse-tahpee's name, as I presently learned. She was the headof the department to which I had been brougshpt.iteInof my disappointment, her manner gave me some hope and I had a feeling that I would manage to enter
into communication with her. She had a long conversation with the warders and I fancied she was giving them instructions about me. Then she continued on her rounds, inspethcetinogther occupants of the
cages.
She carefully scrutinized each of the newcomersmaandde a few notes, more succinct than in my case.
She never ventured to touch one of them. Had she done so, I believe I should have been jealous. I was beginning tofeel proud of being the exceptional subject who alone deserved privileged treatment. When I saw her stop in frontthoef children and throw some sugar to them as well, I felt definitely vexed, certainly no less vexed than Novaw, ho, after baring her teeth at the she-ape, had lain down in fury at the bottom
of her cage with her back turnedmeo.n
CHAPTERFOURTEEN

The second day went by like the first. The apes did not bother about us except to bring us food. I was more andmore puzzled about this strange establishment whent,heonfollowing day, we were given a
series of tests, the memoroyf which humiliates me even today but which prosvoimdeed distraction at the time.
The first one struck me at first as rather unusuaol.f Othnee warders came up to me while his colleague was working in another cage. My gorilla kept one hand hibdedheind his back; in the other he held a whistle. He looked at me to attract my attention, put the whistle to hiasnmd opurtohd, uced a series of
shrill blasts: this for a whole minuTteh.en he held out his other hand, ostentatiously showing me one of
those bananas that I had enjoyed and to which all the men appeared to be partial. He held itnhe fruit out front of me, without taking his eyes off me.
I stretched out my hand, but the banana was out of reach and the gorilla did not come any closer. He looked disappointed and seemed to be expecting another gesture. After a moment he gave up, hid the fruit away again, anrdesumed his whistling. I was nervous, intrigued by pthlaiys-acting, and I almost lost
patience when he once mowreaved the fruit out of reach. I managed to stay calm, howtreyvinegr, to guess what was being expected of me, folor ohkeed more and more surprised, as though confrowntiethd behavior that was abnormal. He went through stahme e motions five or six times, then moved along to
anothercaptive. i had a distinct feeling of frustration when I saw that this captive was given the banana at the very first trial, and so was the next one. I closely watched the other gorilla, who was going through the same ceremony with the row opposite. Since he was now dealing with Nova, mI isdsidonneotof her reactions. He whistled, then brandishetdhe fruit as his colleague had done. Immediately the gyiorlung
became excited, moving her jaws and…
All of a sudden I understood. Nova, the gorgeous Nova, had started watering at the mouth at the sight
of this titbit, like a dog when it is offered a lump of sugar. That was what the gorilla was waiting for, as f
as this day was concerned. He let her have the desired object anodn
wtoenatnother cage.
I had understood, I tell you, and I was not very proud of it! I had studied biology at one time, and
Pavlov's work held no secrets for me. Here they were, applying tthoe mverny experiments he had
carried out on dogs. AnId, who had been so stupid a few minutes before, now, with my rational brain and education, not only grasped the nature of this test but also foresaw those that were to follow. For several days, perhaps, the monkeys would operate in this manner: blasts on a whistle, then the offer of a favorite food, the latter causing the subject's mouth to water. After a certain period it would be the sound of the whistle alone that would produce the effect. The meri* would have acquired what are known in scientific jargonas conditioned reflexes.
I could not stop congratulating myself on my perspicacity and could hardly wait to put it to good use. As my gorilla walked past me again, having finished his rounds, I tried by every means to attract his attention.
I tapped on thbears; I made sweeping gestures, pointing at my mowutihth,
the result that he

condescended to resume the experiment. Then, at the first blast of the whistle, and well before he had waved the fruit, I started watering at the mouth, watering at the mouth in fury, in frenzy—I, Ulysse Merou,started watering at the mouth as though my verydelipfended on it, such pleasure did I derive
from showinghim my intelligence.
As a matter of fact he appeared extremely dismayed, called his colleague over, and had a long talk with him,as on the previous day. I could follow the elementary reasoonfinthgese clodhoppers: here was a
man who only a moment before had no reflexes at all and who suddenly hascoancdqiutioended reflexes, which required a long time and consider
able patience in the case of the others! I felt pitywfeoarkntheess of their intellect, which prevented them
from discerning the only possible cause for this sudden progress: the capacity for thought. I am sure Zira would have beebnrighter.
Yet my skill and excess of zeal had a very different result from what I had expected. They went away without giving me the fruit, which one of them started munching himself. There was no longer any point in rewarding mes, ince the desired end had been achieved without it.
They came back the following day with other equipment. One of them was carrying a bell; the other trundled before him a machine that bore a close resemblance to an electric generator. This time, prepared for the kind of experiment to which we were to be subjected, I understood what they planned to do with these instruments even before thweyere put into action.
They began with Nova's neighbor, a big strapping fellow with a particularly dull expression who had come up to the edge of his cage and was clutching the bars as we all did nowadays at our jailers' approach. One of the gorillas started swinging the bell, which gave out a solemn ring, while the other connected the generator to the bars of the cage. When the bell had sounded for some time, the second operator started turning the handle of the machTihne. man leaped backward, uttering a plaintive cry.
They went through this business several times on the same subject, who was coaxed by the offer of some fruit to come back and cling to the bars. The object, I knew, was to make him leap backward at the sound of the baenlld before the electric shock (yet another conditioned reflbeuxt), it was not
achieved that day, the man's faculties not being sufficiently developed to enable him to relaanted cause effect.
I waited for them, on the other hand, chuckling to myself, eager to show them the difference between

instinct and intelligence. At the first sound of the bell I let go of the bars and retreated to the middle of th cage. At the same time I looked at them and gave a mocking smile. The gorillas wrinkled their brows.
They no longer laughed at my behavior and for the first time appeared tothasut sIpewctas teasing them.
They had decided nevertheless to do the experiment over a second tune, when their attention was diverted by thaerrival of some new visitors.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Three figures were coming down the passage: Zirfae,mthaele chimpanzee, and two other apes, one of whom wasplainly in a high position.
He was an orangutan, the first I had seen on theSoprloarn.etHe was shorter than the gorillas and
slightly round-shouldered. His arms were relatively longer so that he often touched the ground with his hands as he walkedw, hich the other apes did only rarely. He thus gave me the odd impression of using a couple of walking sticks. His head adorned with long coarse hair and sunk between his shoulders, his
face frozen in an expression of pedamnteicditation, he looked like a venerable and solemnpoonltdiff. He was also dressed quite differently from the otheinrs,a long black frock coat with a red star in the buttonholeand black-and-white-striped trousers, both somewhat dusty.
He was followed by a little female chimpanzee caarryhinegavy brief case. Her attitude suggested that
she washis secretary. By this time no one is surprised, I imbayginmey,
repeated reference to significant
attitudes and epxressions among these apes. I am convinced that any rabtieoingl confronted with this couple would have concludeda, s I did, that the one was a learned elder and t his ohtuhmerble secretary. Their arrival gave me an opportuonfitynoting again the sense of hierarchy that seemeedxitsot
among the apes. Zira showed every sign of respect for this superior of hers. The two gorillas went forwardto meet him as soon as they caught sight of him and bowed low before him. The orangutan gave a condescending littlwe ave of his hand.
They made straight for my cage. Was I not thientmeroesting subject of the lot? I welcomed the great authority with my most affable smile and addressed him in rtionngeins:g
"My dear orangutan, how happy I am to find myself at last in the presence of a creature who exhales wisdomand intelligence! I am sure we are going to understandotheaecr,h you and I."
The old dear had given a start at the sound of mHy evosiccrea.tched his ear for some time and peered suspiciously into my cage as though scenting some trickery. Ziradtdhressed him, notebook in hand,

reading out the particularsshe had jotted down about me. She did her bestw, absutpliat in to see that the orangutan refused to be convinced.
He uttered two or three sentences in a pompous manner, shrugged his shoulders several times, shook his head, then put his hands behind his back and started pacing duopwanndthe corridor, passing and
repassing my cage anddarting glances in my direction that were far from kTihnedlyo.ther apes waited for his decision in respectful silence.
In seemingly respectful silence, at least—for their respect appeared far from genuine when I intercepted a furtivesign from one gorilla to the other, the sense of which allnoowerodom for doubt: they were
making fun of the bobseshind his back. This, combined with the annoyancfeltI at his attitude toward me, inspired me with the idea of putting on a little act designed to convince hmimentoalf ambyility. I
started pacing to and fro hi the cage, imitahtiinsggait, my shoulders hunched, my hands behind my back, my brow wrinkled in an air of profound meditation.
The gorillas choked with laughter and Zira herself was unable to keep a straight face. As for the secretary, she was obliged to plunge her muzzle into her brief case to hide her amusement. I was congratulating myself on my demonstration when I suddenly realized it was dangerous. Noticing my mimicry, the orangutan looked very annoyed and in a dry voice uttered a few sharp words that restored order immediately. Then he stopped in front of msetaarntedd dictating his notes to his secretary.
He went on dictating for a long time, punctuating his phrases with pompous gestures. I was beginning to have enough of his blindness and resolved to give him fresh proof of my capacities. Stretching my arms out toward himI, spoke up to the best of my ability: "My Zaius."
I had noticed that all the underlings who addressed him began with these two words. Zaius, I
subsequentlylearned, was the pontiff's name, "mi" an honorific title.
The monkeys were flabbergasted. They no longer wanted to laugh, least of all Zira, who seemed extremely perturbed, especially when I pointed a finger at her and added "Zira," a name I had also remembered and that could only be hers. As for Zaius, he was completely flustered and started pacing up and down the corridor again, shaking his hweiathd an air of incredulity.
Having finally recovered his composure, he gave orders for me to be subjected in his presence to the tests I habdeen given the previous day. I acquitted myself wIewll.atered at the mouth at the first blast of the whistle. I leaped back at the sound of the bell. He made mtheisrelpaesat toperation a dozen times, dictating countless commenttso his secretary.

In the end I had an inspiration. At the moment the gorilla began to ring the bell, I unfastened the clip that connected the electric wire to my cage and threw the cable outside. Then I held on to the bars and
stayed where I was, while the other warder, who had not noticed my trick, stotrutgugrnledthe handle of the now harmless generator.
I was very proud of this move, which was bound to be irrefutable proof of wisdom to any rational creature. In fact, Zira's attitude showed me that she, at leasetx, trwemasely impressed. She looked at me
with singular intensityand her white muzzle turned pink—which, as I learned later, is a sign of emotion in chimpanzees. But there was nothing I could do to convince the orangutan. This afpie daigsahin started
shrugging his shoulders nastily and shakinhgis head energetically when Zira spoke to him. He was a methodical scientist; he refused to listen to such nonsense. He gave further instructions to the gorillas and I was giveannother test, a combination of the first two.
I knew this one, too. I had seen it practiced on dogs in certain laboratories. The idea was to bewilder the subject, to provoke a mental confusion by combining two reactions. One of the gorillas emitted a series of blasts on his whistle as the promise of a reward, while the other rang the bell that announced a punishment. I recalled the conclusions of a noted biologist concerning a similar experiment: it was
possible, he said, by so abusing an animal, to produce in him emotional disorders strangely reminiscent of neurosis in men, and sometimes even to send him out of hbisy mreinpdeating these maneuvers fairly
often.
I took care not to fall into the trap: but, clearly pricking up my ears at the sound of the whistle, then at that of the bell, I sat down halfway between the two, my chin resting in my hand, in the traditional attitude of the thinker. Zira could not help clapping her hands. Zaius tookkearchhainefd out of his pocket and
mopped his brow.
He was sweating, but nothing could shake his
skueppitdicism. This I could see from his expression
after a vehement discussion he had with the she-ape. He discotmatedmore notes to his secretary, gave
some detailed instructions to Zira, who listened to them with a far from satisfied air, and finally went off after darting another churlish glanacte me.
Zira spoke to the gorillas and I quickly realized she was giving them orders to leave me in peace, at least for
The rest of the day, for they went off with their equTiphmenenst.he came back to my cage by herself

and observed me again, in silence, for a long time. After whicho, wonf haecrcord, she stretched out her hand in a friendly gestuIres. eized it with emotion, meanwhile gently whisperingnhaemre. The blush that
mantled her muzzle showed me
wshaes deeply touched.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Zaius cambeack a few days later, and bis visit wassignthael for a complete reorganization of the room. But I must first describe how I had meanwhile distingumisyhseedlf still further in the eyes of the apes.
The day after the orangutan's first inspection an avaloanf cnhew tests descended upon us, the first at mealtimes. Insteadof putting our food in the cages as they usually did, aZnodraZmanam, the two gorillas whose names I had finalelyarned, hoisted them to the ceiling in baskets by mofeaanssystem of pulleys with which the cages were equippAedt. the same time they placed four fairly big wooden incuebaecsh
cell. Then, stepping back, they observed us.
It was heartrending to see my companions' discomTfhoeryt.
tried to jump, but none of them could reach
the basketS. ome climbed up the bars but, having reached the thtoepy, stretched out their arms in vain
since they could not get hold of the food, which was some distance away from the sides of the cages. I was ashamed at the stupidity of these men. I, needless to say, had found the solution to the problem immediately. One merely had to pile the cfuobuers one on top of another, then climb onto this scaffolding
and unhook the basket. This is what I did, withoafndeatiar chment that concealed my pride. It was not a
strokeof genius, but I was the only one to show myself so sZkiollrfauml. went straight tmo y heart.
and Zanam's obvious admiration
I started to eat, without concealing my contempt for the other captives, who were incapable of following my example even after having watched the maneuver. Nova herself could not imitate me that day,
although I repeatetdhe action several times for her benefit. She di<l try, ho—wesvhe was certainly one of the most intelligent of the lot—trsiheed to pile one cube on another, but she placed it crosooketdhlayt
it overbalanced; then, terrified by the crash it m!andefalling, she took refuge in a corner. This girl, endowedwith remarkable suppleness and agility, whose every geswtuarse graceful, proved to be as hopelessly clumsy as theothers when it came to handling an object. She succheoedweedv,er, in mastering the trick within two days.
That morning I took pity on her and threw her two of the best bits of fruit through the bars. This gesture earned me a caress from Zira, who had just come in. I allowed myself to be stroked by her hairy hand, much to the displeasure of Nova, whom these demonstrations enragewdhaondforthwith started jumping
up and down and whimpering.
I distinguished myself in many other tests; but above all, by listening carefully, I managed to retain a few

simplewords of the simian language and to understand their meanIinpgra. cticed pronouncing them
whenever Zira went past my cage, and she looked more and more astounded. I had reached this stage when Zaius' new inspection topolkace.
Once again he was escorted by his secretary, but apcacnoiemd also by another orangutan as solemn as
he and wearintghe same decoration, and who chatted with him on an equal footing. I assumed he was a colleague who had been called into consultation over the disturbing case that I represented. They started a long discussion in front of my cage with Zira, who had meanwhile joined them. The she-ape spoke at great length and with fervor. I knew she was trying to plead my cause, pointing out the exceptional keenness of my intelligence, which no longer could be contested. But the only result of her intervention was toprovoke an incredulous smile from the two scientists.
I was once again required to undergo the tests at which I had proved so adroit. The last one consisted in opening a box that was closed by nine different systems (bolt, pin, key, hook, etc.). Someone on Earth, Kinnaman, I thinikt was, had invented a similar device to assess the discernomf emntonkeys, and this
problem was the most complicated any of them had succeeded in solving. The same no doubt applied here in the case of men. I had acquitted mwyisthelfhonor after the first few attempts.
Zira herself handed me the box, and I saw from her air of entreaty that she was fervently hoping to see meperform brilliantly, as though her own reputation was involivnedthe test. I did my best to satisfy her
and operated the nine mechanisms in a flash, without a moment's hesitation. Nor did I confine myself to that. I took out the fruit that the box contained and gallantly offered it toachceerp.teSdhewith a blush.
Then I revealed my major achievemeannt d pronounced the few words I had mastered, pooinuttintghe objects to which they corresponded.
This time I felt it was impossible that they could entertain further doubt as to my true condition. Alas, I did not yet know the blindness of orangutans! They again gave that skeptical smile that enraged me so much, paid no attention to Zira, and went on with their discussion. They had listened to me as though I were a parrot. I felt they were only prepared to attribute my talents to a sort of iansktienecnt asnednse
of mimicry. They had probably adoptethde scientific rule that one of our learned men at home
summarized as follows: "In no case may we interpret an action as the outcome of the exercise of a higher psychical faculty if it can be interpreted as the outcome of osntaendthsatlower in the psychological
scale."
Such was the obvious meaning of their jargon, and I began fuming with rage. No doubt I should have yielded to some angry outburst had I not intercepted a glance from Zira. It was plain to see that she did not agree with them and felt ashamed to hear them talking like thisofinmfero. nt
His colleague having eventually gone off, doubtless parfotnerouncing a categorical opinion on my case,

Zaius embarked on some other exercises. He did the rounds of the hall, examining each of the captives in turn and giving fresh instructions to Zira, who noted them down. His movseemenedts to indicate
numerous changes in the occupancoyf the cages. It did not take me long to discover his plan and to understand the purpose of the evident comparisons he was making between certain characteristics of such-and-such man and those of such-and-such woman.
I was not mistaken. The gorillas were now carrying out the boss's orders, which Zira had passed on to them. Wewere redistributed in couples. What fiendish tests winedriecated by this pairing off? What
peculiarities of thehuman race did these apes, with their mania for experiments, wish to study? My acquaintance with biological laboratories had suggested the answer to me: to a scientist who has chosen instinct and reflexes as his field of study, the sinexstuinalct has an exceptional interest.
That was it! These demons wanted to use us—mtoe,usweho found myself attached to this herd by an extravagant whim of fate—to study in captivity the amorous practices of men, the methods of approach of the male and the female, the manner in which they copulate, in comdeprarteo them perhaps with
earlier observations of thesame men in the wild state. Doubtless they also intoendexedperiment with sexual selectivity?
As soon as I understood then- plan, I felt more humiliated than I had ever been in my life and swore to die rather than lend myself to these degrading schemes. Yet my wsahsamsuebstantially reduced, I must
admit, although my resolution was still firm, when I saw the woman whom science had assigned as my mate. It was Nova. I felt almost incltionefdorgive the old pedant his stupidity and blindnaensds, I made
no protest when Zoram and Zanam seized me around the waist and flung me at the feet ofofthe nymph the torrent.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
I shall not give a detailed account of the scenes thpaltacteooikn the cages during the weeks that followed. As I had guessed, the apes had taken it into their heads to study the amorous behavior of humans, and they tacklethdis task in their usual methodical manner, noting the slidgehvteesltopments,
struggling to provoke relationships, makinugse of their pikes now and then to correct a recalcitrant subject's conduct.
I had begun to make a few observations myself, hoping to include them in the account I intended publishing on my eventual return to Earth, but I soon grew tired of this, finding nothing very intriguing to note—nothing, that is, apart from the strange manner in which each man hciosuwrteodman before
approaching her. He indulged in daisplay similar in every way to that executed by certain birds: a sort of slow, hesitant dance consisting of steps forward, backward, and sideways. He moved thus in an
ever-decreasing circle, a circle whose center was occupied by the woman, who merely pivoted around without shifting from her position. I witnessed with interest several of these displays, the essential ritual of which was always thseame, the details varying only occasionally. As forctohpeulation that concluded

these preliminaries, even though I was slightly astonished when I first witnessed it, I soon ended up by paying no more attention to it than the rest of the captives. The only surprising element in these displays was the scientific ardor with which the apes followed ntheevmer, omitting to make copious notes on the procedure.
It was a different matter when, noticing I did not indulge in these frolics—I had sworn that nothing would induceme to make such an exhibition of myself—the gortiolloask it into their heads to compel me by
force and to
belabor me with their pikes—me, Ulysse Merou, a cmreated in the image of God! I resisted them energetically. These brutes persisted and I don't know what would have become of me had it n for the arrival of Zira,wthoom they reported my lack of cooperation.
She pondered for a long time; then, looking at me with her fine intelligent eyes, came up and started stroking the back of my neck, meanwhile addressing me in termI sastshuamt ed to signify something like
this:
"Poor little man," she seemed to be saying. "How odd you are! No one of your species has ever behaved like this before. Look at the others all around you. Dyoouwhatve been asked to do and you will be rewarded."
She took a lump of sugar out of her pocket and offered it to me. I was in despair. So she too regarded me as an animal, perhaps a slightly more intelligent one than the others. I shook my head furiously and
went and lay down ha a corner of the cage, far from Nova, who mgeaziend inact omprehension.
That would doubtless have been the end of the business had not Zaius reappeared at that moment, looking more overbearing than ever. He had come to see the outcome of his experiments and as usual he inquired first about me. Zira was obliged to tell him of my recalcitrance. Heexsteremeldy displeased,
paced up and down for a minuotre two with his hands behind his back, then gave some decisive orders. Zoram and Zanam opened my cage, took Nova away from me, and brought back instead an elderly matron. That idiot Zaius, steeped in scientific method,dewtearsmined to try the same experiment with a differentsubject.
Worse was to come, however, and I did not even think of my own sad fate. In anguish I watched my friend Nova being bundled off and was horrified to see her put into the cage directly opposite, delivered to a man with hefsthyoulders, a sort of hairy-chested colossus, who started dancing around her,
embarking with frenzied ardor tohne curious love display I have already described.

As soon as I saw what this brute was up to, I forgot my good resolutions. I lost my head and once agai behaved like a madman. As a matter of fact, I was literally mad with rage. I screamed and yelled like the men of Soror, showing my fury as they did by hurling myself against the bars, biting them, foaming at the mouth, grinding mtyeeth, behaving in short in a thoroughly bestial fashion.
And the most surprising thing abtohuist
outburst waits unexpected outcome. Seeing me behave like this,
Zaiussmiled. It was the first mark of benevolence he had beston emd e. He had finally detected in me human behaviorand found himself on familiar ground. His theory was vciantdedi . This put him in such a good mood that he even consented, at a remark from Zira, to cancel his orgdiveers manedone last
chance. The dreadful old matron walesd away and Nova was restored to me before the hefty brute had touched her. The group of monkeys then sbtoaocdk and all three watched me closely from a distance.
What more can I say? These emotions had broken down my resistance. I felt I would never be able to bear the sight of my nymph at the mercy of another man. I resigned myself like a coward to the victory of the orangutan, who wansow smiling with pleasure at his astuteness. HesitaInatltytempted a step of the
dance.
Yes, I, one of the kings of creation, started circling maryoubnedauty—I, the ultimate achievement of millennial evolu tion, in front of this collection of apes eagerly watching me, in front of an old orangutan dictating notes to his secretary, in front of a female chimpanzee smiling with self-satisfaction, in front of a couple of chuckling gorillas —I, a man, excusing myself on the grounds of excceopstmioincal
circumstances, and persuading myself for the momethnat t there are more things on the planets and in the heavens than have ever been dreamed of in human philosIo,pUhyly, sse Merou, embarked like a
peacock around thgeorgeous Nova on the love display. part two
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
I must now admit that I adapted myself with remaeraksaeblteo-the conditions of life in my cage. From
the material point of view, I was living in perfect felicity: during the day the apes attended to my every need; at night I shared my Utter with one of the loveliest girls in the cosmos. I even grew so accustomed to this situation that for mtohraen a month, without feeling how outlandish or degraitdiwngas, I made no
attempt to put an end to it. I learned haarndylynew words of the simian language. I did not comnytinue
spiritual nature, had no doubt since yielded to Zaius' opinion and regarded me as a man of her planet, that is, an animal: an intelligent animal, perhaps, but bmyeannos an intellectual one.
My superiority over the other prisoners, which I no longer exercised to the point of startling the warders, made me the most brilliant subject in the establishment. This distinction, I am ashamed to admit, sufficed
my present ambitions and even filled me with pride. Zoram and Zanam were friendly toward me, taking pleasure in seeing me smile, laugh, and pronounce a few words. Having exhausted all the classic tests with me, they racked then* brains to invent other, more subtle ones, and all three of us made merry

whenever I discovered the solution to a problem* They never forgot to bring me some tidbit, which I
always sharedwith Nova. We were a privileged couple. I was fatuous entoougbhelieve that my mate was aware of all she owed to my talents, and I spent part of my time showfrionngt off hienr.
One day, however, after several weeks, I felt a sort of nausea. Was it the gleam in Nova's eyes, which had seemed to me that night particularly lacking in expression? Was it the lump of sugar that Zira came to give me that suddenly acquired a bitter taste? The fact is that I was shamed by my cowardly resignation. What would Professor Antelle think of me, if he chanced to be still alive and found me in this state? This thought soon became unbearable, and I forthwith made up my mind to behave like amcainv.ilized
While' stroking Zira's arm by way of expressing my thanks, I snatched away her notebook and fountain pen. I braved her gentle remonstrances, sat down on the straw, and started a drawing of Nova. I am a fairly good draftsman and, being inspired by the model, managed to taurnreaosuotnable likeness, which
I then handed to the she-ape.
This promptly reawakened her emotion and uncertainty about me. Her muzzle became red and she peered at me closely, trembling slightly. Since she made no fmuortvhee,r I again calmly seized her notebook, which thistime she yielded to me without protest. Why hadthoIungoht of this simple solution before? Mustering my school-day memories, I drew the geometrical figure illustrating the theorem of Pythagoras. It was not at random that I chose this proposition: I remembered reading hi amy youth prophetic book in which such a procedure had ubseeedn by an old scientist to enter into communication withthe spirits of another world. I had even discussedutrhinisg the voyage with Professor Antelle, who approved of the method. He had added, I distinctly remembered, that the Euclidean rules, being completely false, were ndooubt for that very reason universal.
In any case, the effect it had on Zira was extraordinary. Her muzzle went purple and she gave a sharp exclamation. She did not recover her composure until Zoram and Zanam came up, intrigued by her attitude. Then she reacted in a way that I found extremely odd—after darting a furtive glance at me, she carefully hid the drawing I had just completed. She spoke to the gorillas, who then left the hall, and I
realized she had sent them off on some pretext or other. Then she turned back to me and took my hand,
the pressure of her fingers having quite a different significfarnocme
when she flattered me like a young
animal after a successful trick. Finally she handed me the noteboofokunatnadin pen with an air of entreaty.
Now it was she who appeared eager to establish contact. I gave thanks to Pythagoras and embarked
once more on my geometry. On one page of the notebook I drew to the best of my ability the three conic sections withtheir axes and centers: an ellipse, a parabola, and an hyperTbhoelan., on the opposite page,
I drew a right circular cone. Let me remind the reader that the intersection of such a body by a plane produces one of the three conic sections, depending on the angle of the cut. In this case I drew the figure to illustrate an ellipse, then, reverting to mydifairgsrtam, pointed out the corresponding curve to my
astonishedshe-ape.

She snatched the notebook out of my hands and in turn drew another cone, intersected at a different
angle, andpointed out the hyperbola with her long finger. Isufcehlt
intense emotion that tears came to my
eyes and I clasped her hands convulsively. Nova whimpered with rage at the far end of the cage. Her instinct did not deceive her as to the meaning of these demonstrations. It was a spiritual communion that had just been established betw%en Zira and me through the medium of geometry. I derived an almost sensual satisfaction from this and felt thatshteh-eape was also deeply moved.
She broke free with a sudden jerk and rushed from the hall. She was absent only a few minutes, but during this time I remained lost in thought without daring to look
at Nova, about whom I felt almost guilty and whhoertubrnack on me with a growl.
When Zira came back she handed me a large sheet of paper fixed to a drawing board. I thought for a second or two and made up my mind to deliver a decisiveInbolonwe . corner of the sheet I sketched the system of Betelgeusea,s we had discovered it on our arrival, with the giant cbeondtrya,l and its four
planets. I marked Soror down inexitasct position together with its own little satellite; I indiciat tetod Zira, then pointed my forefinger at her repeateSdhlye. signaled to me that she had understood completely.
Then in another corner of the sheet I drew our dear old solar system with its principal planets. I indicated theEarth and pointed my finger at my own chest.
This time Zira was slower to understand. She, too, indicated the Earth, then pointed her finger upward. I gave an affirmative nod. She was flabbergasted and her mental turmoil was plain to see. I did my best to helpher by drawing another dotted line between Earth Saonrdor and marking in our vessel, on a different
scale, onthe trajectory. This made her see the light. I was now ctehratat inmy true nature and origin were known to her. She was about to draw closer to me but at that momaenptpeZaareiuds at the end of the corridor for his periodical inspteiocn.
A look of terror came into the she-ape's eyes. She quickly crumpled up the paper, put her notebook back in her pocket, and, before the orangutan had reached us, placed her forefinger on her mouth with an air of entreaty. She was counseling me not to show myself in my true colors to Zaius. I obeyed her without understanding the reason for these mysteries and, convinced that I ahllayd inanher, promptly
resumed my intelligent animal attitude.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

From then on, thanks to Zira, my knowledge of the wsiomrlidanand language increased rapidly. She contrived to see me alone almost every day on the pretext of some test and undertook my education, instructing me in thlaenguage and at the same time learning mine with a rapthidaittyamazed me. In less
than two months we were capable of holding a conversation on a variety of subjects. Little by little I
came to understand the planet Soror, anisd tihte characteristics of this strange civilization tahmat nIow going to try to describe.
As soon as we could converse together, Zira and I, I directed the conversation toward the principal objectof my curiosity: Were the apes the only rational btehiengks,ings of creation on the planet?
"What do you think?" she said. "Ape is of couorsnelythreational creature, the only one possessing a mind as well as a body. The most materialistic of our scriecnotigsntsize the supernatural essence of the simian mind."
Phrases like this always gave me a start in spite of myself.
"Well then, Zira, what are men?"
We were then speaking French, for, as I haveshseaiwd,as quicker to learn my language than I hers. At the outset there were some difficulties of interpretatitohne, words "man" and "ape" not evoking the same creatures for us; but this snag was quickly smoothed out. Each time she said "ape," I mentally translated "superior being, the height of evolution." When she spoke about men, I knew she meant bestial creatures endowed with a certain sense of imitation and presenting a few anatomical similarities to apes but of an embryonic psyche and devoid of pthoewer of thought.
"It was only a century ago," she said dogmati"cthalalty,we made some remarkable progreinss the scienceof origins. It used to be thought that species were immutcarbelaet,ed with their present characteristics by an all-powerful God. But a line of great thinkers, all of them chimpanzees, have
modified our ideas on this subject completely. Today we know that all species are mutable and probably havea common source."
"So that apes probably descend from men?"
"Some of us thought so; but it is not exactly that. Apes and men are two separate branches that have

evolved from a point in common but in different directions, the former gradually developing to the stage of rational thought, the others stagnating in their animal state. Many oranhgouwtaenvse, r, still insist on
denying this obvious fact."
"You were saying, Z.i.r.a a line of great thinkearlls, of them chimpanzees?"
I am reporting these conversations as they occuinrrendo, nconsecutive snatches, my eagerness to learn leadingZira into countless lengthy digressions.
"Almost all the great discoveries," she stated vehemen"thlayv, e. been made by chimpanzees."
"Are there different classes among the apes?"
"There are three distinct families, as you have noticed, each of which has its own characteristics:
chimpanzees,
gorillas, and orangutans. The racial barriers that touseedxist have been abolished and the disputes arising from them have been settled, thanks mainly to the camlpaauingcnhsed by the chimpanzees. Today, in principle, theries no difference at all between us."
"But most of the great discoveries," I persisted,
m"waedree by the chimpanzees."
"That is true."
"What about the gorillas?"
"They are meat eaters," she said scornfully. "They were overlords and many of them have preserved a lust forpower. They enjoy organizing and directing. They lohvuenting and life in the open air. The poorest
of them arengaged on work that requires physical strength."
"And the orangutans?"

Zira looked at me for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"They are Official Science," she said. "You must have noticed this already and you'll have plenty of opportunities to confirm it. They learn an enormous amount from books. They are all decorated. Some of them are looked upon as leading lights in a narrow specialized field that requires a good memory. Apart from that . . ."
She made a gesture of contempt. I did not pursue this subject, but made a mental note to come back to it later. I led the conversation to more general ideas. At my request she drew the genealogical tree of the ape, insofar as the best specialists had determined it. This bore a closbelarnecsemto the diagrams that
with us represent the evolutionaprryocess. From a single trunk, whose roots faded awtahye abtase into the unknown, various limbs branched ionutsuccession: vegetables, unicellular organisms, then coelen- terata and echinoderms; higher up one arrived at friespht,iles, and finally mammals. The tree was
extended to include a class analogous to our anthropoids, and at this point a new limb branched out: that of men. This brancshtopped short, whereas the central stem went on rigsiivnign,g birth to different species
of prehistoric apes withbarbaric names, to culminate eventuallySiimn ius sapiens, forming the three extreme points of evolution: the chimpzaene, the gorilla, and the orangutan. It was absolutely clear.
"Ape's brain," Zira concluded, "has developed, is complex and organized, whereas man's has hardly undergone anytransformation."
"And why, Zira, has the simian brain developtehdis iwn ay?"
Language had undoubtedly been an essential factor.wBhyut did apes talk and not men? Scientific opinion differed on this point. There were some who saw in it a mydsivteirnieouisntervention. Others maintained that ape's mindwas primarily the result of the fact that he had fouhranadgsi.le
"With only two hands, each with short, clumsy fingers," said Zira, "man is probably handicapped at birth, incapable of progressing and acquiring a precise knowledge of the universe. Because of this he has never been able to use a tool with any success. Oh, it's possible that he once tried, clumsily. . . . Some curious vestiges have been found. There are a number of research projects going on at this moment into that particular subject. If you're interested in thqeuseestions, I will introduce you someday to Corneliusi.s He
much more qualified than I am to discuss them."
"Cornelius?"

"My fiance' said Zira, blushing. "A very great, sacierneatilst."
"A chimpanzee?"
"Of course. . . . Anyway," she concluded, "that's what I think, too: our being equipped with four hands is one of the most important factors in our spiritual evolution. It helped us in the first place to climb trees,
and therebyconceive the three dimensions of space, whereas mpeagng, ed to the ground by a physical malformation, slumbered On the flat. A taste for tools came to us next becahuasde thwee potentiality of using them with dexterity. Achievemenftollowed, and it is thus we have raised ourselvesletvoelthoef wisdom."
On Earth I had frequently heard precisely the opposite argument used to explain the superiority of man. After thinking it over, however, Zira's reasoning struck mbeeinags neither more nor less convincing than
ours.
I should have liked to pursue this conversation, satinlld hIad a thousand questions to ask, when we were interruptedby Zoram and Zanam bringing the evening meal.baZdirea me a hasty good night and went off.
I remained in my cage with Nova as my only companion. We had finished eating. The gorillas had left, after putting out the lights, except the one over the entrance which gave a feeble gleam. I looked at Nova and thought about what I had learned during the day. It was obvious that she did not care for Zira and was vexed by these conversations. At first she had even protested in her usual manner and tried to come between Zira and me, leaping about the cage, tearing up handfuls of straw, and flinging them in the in-
truder's face. I had had to resort to force to keep her quie After receiving a few thundering slaps across her beautifuflace, she had eventually calmed down. I had allowed mytoseilnf dulge in this brutal behavior
almost without thinking; afterward I felt sorry, but she appeared not toaghaoinldst itme.
The intellectual effort I had made to assimilate the
tshimeoiraines of evolution left me worn out. I was
happy when I saw Nova creep over to me in the dark and in fhaesrhiuosnuableg for the half-human, half-animal caresses forwhich we had gradually worked out the code: a sicnogduela, rthe details of
which are of little importance, composeodf compromise and reciprocal concessions to the manners of the civilized world and to the customs of this outlahnudmisahn race that populated the planet Soror.

CHAPTERTWENTY

It was a red-letter day for me. Yielding to my entZreiaratiehs,ad agreed to take me out of the Institute
for AdvancedBiological Study—that was the name of the establishment—and show me around the town.
She had consented to this only after much hesitation. It had taken me some time to convince her finally of myorigin. Until then, though admitting the evidence winhilme y company, she would later begin doubting
again.I tried to put myself in her place. She could only be prosfhooucnkdelyd by my description of the men and above alol f the apes on our Earth. She subsequently told me that for a long time she had preferred to regard me as a sorcoer ra charlatan rather than accept my statements. Ycoent,fronted
with the facts and the evidence I accumulashteed,eventually had complete confidence in me and even began to work out a plan to enable me to recover my wlihbiecrhty,was not easy, as she explained to me that day. Meawn hile she came to fetch me at the beginning of the aftteorngooonon our outing.
I felt my heart thumping at the thought of bethinegoipnen air again. My enthusiasm was slightly curbed
when I saw she was going to keep me on a lead. The gorillas took me out of the cage, banged the door shut in Nova's face, and put around my neck a leather collar to which a strong chain was fixed. Zira took the other end and lmede off, while a heart-rending whine from Nova stimrreyd compassion. But when I
showed her a little pity and gave her a friendly wave, Zira looked angry and tugged me forward by the neck. Since she was now convinced I had an ape's mind, my intimacy with the young agnidrl vexed
shocked her.
Her bad temper evaporated when we were alone togineththere dark, deserted corridor.
"I don't suppose," she laughed, "that men on Earuthsedareto being held on a lead like this by apes?"
I assured her they were not at all used to it. She apoelxopgliaziendin, g that even though there were a few tame men who could be taken out like this without causing ait swceanse,more normal if I was tied up. Subsequently, if I proved harmless, she might possibly be able to rmeleievoef my fetters.
And partly forgetting my true condition, as she still often did, she began advising me about my behavior, whichhumiliated me deeply.
"Above all, do be careful not to turn on passers-by or bare your teeth or scratch a trustful child who might comeup and pet you. I didn't want to muzzle you, but . . ."

She stopped short and burst out laughing.
"Forgive me, forgive me!" she cried. "I keep forgyeottuinghave a mind like an ape."
She gave me a friendly tap on the shoulder by awpaoylogoyf. Her high spirits dissolved my mounting resentment. I liked to hear her laugh. Nova's inability to manifjeosyt hinerthis way sometimes made me
sigh. I shared the she-ape'gsaiety. In the half-light of the corridor I could no longer see her face except
for the tip of her white muzzle. She had put on a smart coat and skirt to go out and a scarf that conceale her ears. For a moment I forgot her simian condition and took her arm. She found my gesture quite
natural and did not object. We walked along for a bit like this, side by side. At the end of the corridor, li by a window in the side wall, she quickly withdrew her arm and pushed me away. Reverting to a more serious moods, he tugged on my chain.
"You mustn't behave like this," she said, looking sldigishttrleyssed. "In the first place, I'm engaged and—"
"You're engaged!"
The incongruity of her remark about my gesture of familiarity struck her at the same time as it did me. She corrected herself, blushing at the muzzle. "I mean, no one must suspect your nature for the moment. It's in youorwn interests, I assure you."
I took her advice and allowed myself to be led along quietly. We left the building. The porter of the institute,a big gorilla clad in a uniform, let us out, observing me with curiosity after having saluted Zira. On the sidewalk I staggered slightly, giddy from the exercise and dazzled by the glare of Betelgeuse after
more than three months' captivity. I inhaled the warm air deeply; at the same time, I felt embarrassed to be walking around naked. I had grouwsend to this in my cage, but here I felt grotesque and indecent
under the eyes of the apes passing by, who kept staring at me. Zira had categorically refused to let me wear clothes, maintaining that I would have looked even more ridiculous dressed up, like one of those tame men who are exhibited at fairs. She was no doubt right. In fact, if the passers-by turned around to
stare at me, it was not because I was naked but simply because I was a man, a species that in the streets roused the same sort of curiosity as would a chimpanzee in a French city. The adults merely grinned and continued on their way, but some young apes began to gather around me in great glee. Zira quickly led
me off toward her car, motioned me into the back seat, sat down herself behind the steering wheel, and drove meslowly along the streets.

The town—the capital of an important simian region—I had barely glimpsed on my arrival, and I now had to resign myself to seeing it peopled by ape pedestrianms,otaopriests, ape shopkeepers, ape
businessmen, and apesin uniform whose job was to maintain law and order. Apart from this, it did not make a great impression on me. The houses were similar to ours; the roads, which were fairly dirty,
looked like our roads. The traffic was less heavy than at home. What struck me most of all was the way the pedestrians crossed the street. There were no marked crossings, only overhead passages consisting
of a metal frame to which they clung with all four hands. They all interfere with their prehension.
lweaotrheerfingeloves that did not
When she had driven around sufficiently to give me a general picture of the town, Zira stopped her car in front of a tall gate through which I could see .bafnlokws eorsf.
"The park," she said. "We can go for a little stroll. I should have liked to show you some other things—our museums, for instance, which are outstanding—but tnhoat'spossible yet."
I assured her that I should be delighted to stretlcehgs.my
"And besides," she went on, "we'll be left in peace here.
There are not many people about and it's time toforhauvse a serious conversation."

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

"I don't think you realize, do you, the danger youhearree oinSoror?"
"I've already had some experience of it; but I feel that if I showed myself in my true colors—and I can do sonow by providing proof—the apes ought to admit me as their spiritual brother."
"That's where you're wrong. Now listen . . ."
We were strolling through the park. The pathsawlmeorest deserted and we had passed no more than one ortwo courting couples who were roused to a momenctaurryiosity by my presence. I, on the other hand, stared atthem shamelessly, being firmly resolved not to msiisnsglae opportunity to learn about

simian customs.
They walked along together holding each other artohuendwaist, the length of their arms making this embrace a tight and complex encirclement. They would oftenatstaopcorner of a path to exchange a kiss or two. From time to time also, after darting a furtive glance all arouwnodu, ltdhetyake hold of the low branches of a tree and swtihnegmselves off the ground. This they accomplished witsheopuatrating, each
of them using one hand and one wfoitoht an ease that I envied, and they would then disainptpoeathr e foliage.
"Now listen," said Zira. "Your launch"—I hadhetor ldin detail how we had arrived on the planet—"your launch has been discovered; at least what's leftafotferitbeing pillaged. It has aroused the curiosity of' our researchers.
They realize it was not manufactured here."
"Do you build similar machines?"
"Yes, but not so perfected. From what you've told me, we're a long way behind you. We have, however, already launched artificial satellites around our planet, thoenelasetven being occupied by a living being: a man. Whaed to destroy it in flight because we were unable to rite."cover
"I see," I said, lost in thought. "So men also serfvoer tyhoisu sort of experiment."
"It can't be helped. . . . Anyway, your rocket hadsiscboeveenred."
"What about our spaceship, which has been inaroorubnitd Soror for the last few months?"
"I haven't heard anything about it. It must have escaped the notice of our astronomers . . . but do stop interrupting me. Some of our scientists have put forward the tthhaetortyhe machine comes from another
planet and thatit was inhabited. They are unable to go a step afnudrthimeragine intelligent beings in human form."

"But you must tell them, Zira!" I cried. "I've had enough of living like a prisoner, even in the most comfortable of cages, even looked after by you. Why are you hidainwgaym? eWhy not reveal the truth
to everyone?"
Zira stopped short, glanced all about her, and phuatnhderon my arm. "Why? It's purely in your own interests that I'm thdiosi.nYg ou know Zaius?" "Of course. I wanted to talk to you about him. Well?"
"Did you notice the effect your first attempts at rationality produced on him? Do you know I've tried a hundred timesto tell him about you and to suggest—ever so carefully!—petrhhaatps you were not a beast
in spite of appearances?"
"I've seen you having long conversations togethernoatnicded you didn't agree."
"He's as stubborn as a mule and as stupid as a man!" Zira burst out. "Alas! it's the same with almost all the orangutans. He has decreed once and for all that your talents are due to a highly developed animal instinct, and nothing will make him change his opinion. The unfortunate thing is, he has already prepared a long theses on you in which he asserts that youtaamree aman, in other words, a man who has been
trained to perform certain tricks without understanding them, probably during a former period of captivity."
"The stupid beast!"
"Certainly. The only snag is, he represents official science and he's powerful. He is one of the highest authorities in the institute, and all my reports have to go through him. I'm almost certain he would accuse me of scientific heresy if I tried to reveal the truth in your case, as you suggest. I should be dismissed. That's unimportant, but do you realwizheat might then happen to you?"
"What fate could be worse than living in a cage?"

"Be thankful for small mercies! Do you know how I've had to scheme and plot to prevent him from having you transferred to the encephalic section? Nothing could rehsitmrainif you insisted on claiming to
be a rational creature."
"What's the encephalic section?" I asked in alarm.
"That's where we perform certain extremely tricky otipoenrsa on the brain: grafting; observation and alterationof the nervous centers; partial and even total ablation."
"And you carry out these experiments on men!"
"Of course. Man's brain, like the rest of his anatomy, is the one that bears the closest resemblance to ours. It's a lucky chance that nature has put at our disposal an animal on whom we can study our own bodies. Man serves us in many other fields of research, as you'll come to...reAatlizteh.is very moment
we are undertaking an extremeimlyportant series of experiments."
"For which you need a considerable amount of hmumataernial."
"A very considerable amount—which explains those drwiveescarry out in the jungle to renew our supplies. Unfortunately, it's the gorillas who organize them, and we can't stop them indulging in their favorite pastime, which is shooting. A large number of subjects have thus bteoensclioesntce."
"What a terrible shame," I muttered, biting my lip. "But to get back to me . . ."
"Do you know why I've insisted on keeping our secret?"
"Am I then condemned to spend the rest of miny alifceage?"
"Not if the plan I have in mind succeeds. But you must not drop your mask until the time is ripe and you hold all the cards. This is what I suggest: in a month frowme'renohwolding our annual biological
conference. It's animportant event. A large public is admitted to it and the representatives of all the

leading papers attend. Now, for us public opinion is a more powerful element than Zaius, more powerful than all the orangutans combined, more powerful even than the gorillas. This will be your chance. It's
when this congress is in full session that you must lift the veil; for you're going to be introduced by Zaius, who, as I've told you, is preparing a long report on you and your famous instinct. The best thing then would be for you to speak up yourself to explain your case. This would cause such a sensation that Zaius wouldn't be able to stop you. It will be up to you to explain yourself clearly to the assembly and convince the crowd and the journalisats you have already convinced me."
"And if Zaius and the orangutans put their foot down?"
"Once the gorillas are forced to bow before public opinion,
they'll soon make those idiot orangutans see reason. Many of them, after all, are not so stupid as Zaius;
and there are also, among the scientists, a few chimpanzees whom the Academy has been obliged to
admit because of thesiernsational discoveries. One of these is Cornelius, my fianHcee's.
the only one to
whom I have spoken about you. He has promised to do all he can for you. Naturally, he wants to see you beforehand so as to check the incredible account I have given him. That's partly why I've brought you here today. I've arranged to meet him and he shobueldlonn'tg."
Cornelius was waiting for us near a bank of giant ferns. He was a fine-looking chimpanzee, older than Zira certainly, but extremely young for a learned academician. As soon as I saw him I was struck by his exceptionally keen anidntense expression.
"What do you think of him?" Zira whispered htoi Fmrench.
I realized from her question that I had definitelythewocnonfidence of this she-ape. I muttered some complimentaryremark and we went up to him.
The engaged couple embraced in the manner olof vtehres in the park. He had opened his arms wide without glancing hi my direction. In spite of what she had told him about me, it was clear that my
presence counted no more for him than that of a pet animal. Zira herself forgot me for a moment and they exchanged long kisses on the muzzle. Then she stiffened, broke free from hbimas,hfaunlldy lowered her
eyes.

"Darling, we are not alone."
"Yes, I am here," I said with dignity in my bestlasnigmuiaagne.
"What's that?" Cornelius exclaimed with a start.
"I said, I am heIre.am sorry to have to remind you of the fact. Your demonstrations do not embarrass mein the least, but you might hold it against me later."
"Well, I never!" exclaimed the learned chimpanzee.bZurisrat out laughing and introduced us.
"Dr. Cornelius of the Academy," she said. "UMlyessreou, an inhabitant of the solar system or, to be moreprecise, the Earth."
"I am delighted to make your acquaintance," I said. "Zira has told me about you. I congratulate you on havingsuch a charming fiancee.
"
And I held out my hand. He shied away as thsonuagkhe
ahad just raised its head in front of him.
"So it's true?h"e muttered, looking at Zira in ubtetewrilderment.
"Darling, am I in the habit of telling you lies?"
He pulled himself together. He was a man of scAiefntecre.a moment's hesitation he shook my hand.
"How do you do?"

"How do you do?" I replied. "Once more I must apofolor gaizpepearing hi this state of undress."
"That's all he can think of,"

Zsaiirda with a laugh. "It's a complex with him. He does not realize the effect

hewould have if he were dressed."
"And you really come from . . . from?"
"From Earth, a planet of the Sun."
He had evidently given little credit till now to Zira's confidences, preferring to believe in some hoax. He started firing questions at me. We were strolling along, the two of them a few paces ahead and arm in
arm, I following on the end of my chain so as not to attract the attention of the passers-by we chanced to meet. But my replies roused his scientific curiosity to such a pitch that he would often stop short, let go of his fiancee, and we would embark on a discussion face to face with sweeping gestures, tracing diagrams
in the sand on the path. Zira did not mind. She appeared, on the contrary, delighted with the Iimpression had made.
Cornelius was particularly interested, of course, in the emergenHceomoof

sapiens on Earth and made

me tell him again and again everything I knew about this subject. Then he pondered over it for some time. He told me thmaty revelations undoubtedly constituted a document of capiimtapl ortance to science and
particularly to him, as he wthaesn engaged on some extremely arduous research thinetosimian
phenomenon. From what I understood, thwisas still an unsolved problem to him and he did not agree
with the generally, accepted theories. But he became reticent on this subject and did not let me know his views completelyduring this first encounter.
However it might be, I was an object of great interest to him and he would have given a fortune to have me in his laboratory. We then spoke about my present situation and about Zaius, whose stupidity and blindness he fully appreciated. He approved of Zira's plan. He would himself prepare the ground by
alluding to the mystery of my cinasedie presence of some of his colleagues.
When he left us he held out his hand without a moment's hesitation, after first making sure the path was deserted.
Then he kissed his fiance'e and went off, not without taurronuind. several times to convince himself

that I was naont hallucination.
"A charming young ape," I said as we made oubracwkayto the car.
"And a very great scientist. With his support I'myousurweill persuade the congress."
"Zira," I murmured in her ear when I was in thseatb,a"cIk shall owe you my liberty and my life."
I was thinking of all she had done for me sicnacpetumrey. Without her I should never have been able to come into contact with the simian world. Zaius wouldbeheanvequite capable of having my brain
removed to demonstratethat I was not a rational being. Thanks to her, I now had some allies and could face the future with a little mooprteimism.
"I did it out of love for science," she said, bl"uYshoiunga. re a unique case that must be preserved at all costs."
My heart overflowed with gratitude. I yielded to the soulfulness of her expression, managing to overlook herphysical appearance. I put my hand on her long hairyApashwiv. er went down her spine and I
discerned in her eyes a gleam of affection. We were both deeply movedmaainedresilent all the way back. When she returned mtoe my cage, I roughly rebuffed Nova, who was induinlgisnogme sort of childish demonstration to welcome mbaeck.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Zira has secretly lent me a flashlight and has slippseodmme ebooks that I keep hidden under the straw. I
now read and speak the apes' language fluently. I spend sheovuerrsalevery night studying their
civilization. Nova protestedat first. She came over and sniffed at one of the books, baring her teeth as though it were a dangerous adversary. I only had to focus the beam of my flash on her to see her dash
back into her corner, trembling and whimperIinagm.
the absolute master at home, now that I potshsiesss
instrument, and no longer need any arguments more striking to keep her quiet. I feel she looks upon me asa redoubtable being, and I notice from many signtshethaotther captives also regard me as such. My prestigehas increased considerably, and I take unfair advantaogfethis. Sometimes I have an unreasoning
desire to terrified,-Jova by brandishing the flashlight, after which she bcarecekpsto pardon me for my cruelty.

I flatter myself that I now have a fairly clear tihdeeasimofian world.
The apes are not divided into nations. The whole plaadnmetiniisstered by a council of ministers, at the head of which is a triumvirate consisting of one gorilla, one oranagnudtano,ne chimpanzee. In conjunction with this governmentht,ere is also a parliament composed of three chamtbhe sC: hamber of
Gorillas, of Orangutans, and of Chimpanzeeesa,ch of which attends to the interests of its respective mem bers.
In fact, this division into three races is the only oenxeisttsh.atIn principle they all have equal rights and are allowed to occupy any position. Yet, with certain exceptions,speeaccihes confines itself to its own specialty.
From far back in the past, when they used to refoigrnce,bythe gorillas have preserved a taste for authority and still form the most powerful class. They do not wmiitnhgltehe herd, they are never seen at popular demonstrations, but it is they who administer at very high level most of the great enterprises.
Rather ignorant as a rule, they know by instinct how to make use of their skills. They excel in the art of drawing up general directives and handltihneg other apes. When a technician makes an interesting
discovery—a luminous tube, for instance, or some cnoemwbustible fuel—it is almost always a gorilla who undertakes to exploit it and derive every possible benefit fWromithoitu.t being really intelligent, they
are much more cunningthan the orangutans. They get whatever they want out of the latter by playing on their pride. Thus, at the headouorf institute, above Zaius who is the scientific director, there is a gorilla administrator who is rarely seen. Hheas come into our room only once. He looked me up and down with his particular air of authority, and I almost automatically rose to my feet and stood to attention. I noticed Zaius' servile attitude, and Zira herself seemed imprebsysedhis grand manner.
The gorillas who do not occupy positions of autahroerituysually engaged on lesser jobs requiring
physical strength. Zoram and Zanam, for instance, are there only for the rough work and especially for maintaining law and ordwerhen necessary.
Or else the gorillas are hunters. This is a function more or less reserved for them. They capture wild animals and, in particular, men. I have already pointed out the enormous numbers of men required for the apes' experiments. These experiments play a part in their lives that I find more disconcerting as I discover their importance. A large section of the simian population seems to be engaged on biological study, but I shall come back to this oddity later. However it may be, the supplying of human material necessitates an organized enterprise. A whole tribe of hunters, beaters, porters, and tradesmen is devoted to this
industry, at thheead of which there are always gorillas. I believies tahisprosperous business, for man fetches a high price.
By the side of the gorillas—I was going to say below them, although any form of hierarchy is

contested—are the orangutans and the chimpanzees. The former, who are by far the least numerous, were described to me by Ziniraa single phrase: they are official science.
This is partly true, but some of them occasionally indulge in politics, the arts, and literature. They bring the same characteristics to all these activities. Pompous, solemn, pedantic, devoid of originality and
critical sense, intent on preserving tradition, blind and deaf to all innovation, they form the substratum of every academy. Endowed with a good memory, they learn an enormous amount by heart and from books. Then they themselves write other books, in which they repeat what they have read, thereby
earning the respect of their fellow orangutans. Perhaps I am slightly biased in my attitude toward them by the opinion of Zira and her fianc6, who detest them, as do all the chimpanzees. Moreover, they are
equally despised by the gorillas, who laugh at their lack of initiative but who exploit them for the benefit of their own schemes. Almost every orangutan has behind him a gorilla or a council of gorillas who support
him and maintain him in an honorable post, seeing to it that he is granted the titles and decorations that are dear to his heart—until the day he ceases to give satisfaction. Then he is dismissed without mercy and replaced by anothearpe of the same species.
There remain the chimpanzees. These seem to represent the intellectual element of the planet. It is not an idleboast that all the great discoveries have been madethebmy, as Zira first told me. This is a slightly exaggerated generalization, for there are a few exceptions. In any case, they write most of the interesting books and on a great variety of subjects. They seem animated by a psopwirietrfoufl research.
I have mentioned the sort of works the orangutans proTdhueceu.nfortunate thing is, as Zira frequently deplores,
they thus write all the educational books, propagatintgesgqruoe errors among simian youth. Not long
ago, she assurems e, these school textbooks still stated that the planet Soror was the center of the world, although this heresy had been rejected long before by every ape of even mediocre intelligence; and the only reason for this was that there oexnicseted on Soror, thousands of years ago, an ape of conasbidleer authority called Haristas who held such beliefs and whose dogmas have been repeated by the orangutans ever since. It is easier to understand Zira's attitude toward me now that I have learned that this Haristas believed that apes alone can have a soul. The chimpanzees, fortunately, have a far more critical mind. In the last few years, it seems, they have embarked on a regular campdaisipganratgoe the old idol's axioms.
As for the gorillas, they write very few books, andarethensoeteworthy more because of their
appearance than their subject matter. I have glanced through some of them, and remember their titles:

The Need for Sound Organization as the Basis of Research, The Benefits of Social PoorTlihtiecs, Organization of the Large Man Hunts on the Green ContinTehnets. e works are always well documented, eachchapter being written by a specialized technician, and codnitaaginrams, tables, and sometimes attractive photographs.

The unification of the planet, the absence of wamrilaitnadry expenditures—there is no army, only a

police force—strike me as being factors that would foster rapid progress in every realm of the simian world. This is not the case. Although Soror is probably slightly oldtehre tEharth, it is clear that the
apes lag behind us in any numobferways.
They have electricity, industries, motor cars, and airplbaunte,s,as far as the conquest of space is
concerned, they have reached only the stage of artificial satellites. In pure science I think their knowledge of the infinitely great and the infinitely small is inferior to ours. This backwardness is perhaps due to mere chance, and I have no doubt they will catch up with us one day, when I consider their capacity for application and the spirit of research shown by the chimpanzees. In fact, it seems to me they have been through a dark period of stagnation that has lasted a very long time, far longer than with us, and have only recently enteredan age of considerable achievement.
This spirit of research, I must once again poinist
doiurte,cted principally in one direction: the biological
sciences and in particular the study of ape, man being the insttrhuemyenutse to this end. The latter thus plays an essentiaal,lbeit rather humiliating, part in their existence. It is tlhuactkythere is a considerable supply of men on their planIethave read a paper proving there are more metnhahneraepes. But the number of the latter is on the increase, whereas the human population is falling off, ansdomaelready scientists are anxious about future supplies for ltahbeoirratories.
All this does not explain the secret of simian evoOluntiotnh.e other hand, perhaps there is no mystery
about it. Their emergence is no doubt as natural as our own. Yet I cannot entirely accept this idea, and I
now know thastome of their scientists also consider that the phenomoefnosnimian ascendency is by no means clear. Corneliusbelongs to this school, and I believe he is secondtheed kbeyenest brains. Unaware of where they come frowmh,o they are, or where they are going, they no doubt fsruofmferthis lack of knowledge. Might it not be this fetehlaint ginspires them with a sort of frenzy for biological researchand that gives such a special slant to their scientific puMrsuyitsn?ighttime meditation concludes with these questions.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

Zira took me for outings in the park fairly often. Somweetimweosuld meet Cornelius there, and together we wouldprepare the speech I was to give before the conTgrheessd. ate was fast approaching, which made me quite nervouZs.ira assured me that all would be well. Cornelius wasfoeragmery state to be recognized and my liberty restored so that he could study me closely—collaborate withcomrrectheed himself, at the gesture of annoyance that escampeedwhen he spoke like this.
One day her fiance was absent. Zira suggested tgooitnhge zoo adjoining the park. I should have liked to go to a theater or a museum, but these entertainments were still forbidden me. Only from books had I been able taocquire a few ideas about simian art. I had admiredrespormodeuctions of classical paintings, portraits of celebrateadpes, country scenes with lascivious she-apes around wfhloumttered a little winged monkey representing Cupid, militarpyaintings dating from the time when there were stillanwdars

depicting terrifying gorillas wearing flamboyant uniforms. The apes had also had their impressionists, and a few contemporaries indulged in abstract art. All this I had discovered in my cage, by the light of my flashlight. I could decentalyttend only open-air entertainments. Zira had takentomseee a game
resembling our football, a boxing matwchh,ich had made me shudder, between two gorillas, aannd athletic meet in which air-borne chimps launched tsheelmves to prodigious heights by means of a springboard.
I welcomed a visit to the zoo. At first I felt no Tsuhrepraisnei.mals bore many similarities to those on Earth.There were felines, pachyderms, ruminants, reptiles, abnidrds. If I noticed a sort of camel with three humps and a wild boar with horns like a stag, theyinconuoldway astonish me after what I had already seen on the planSeotror.
My amazement began with the section devoted toZmira t.ried to dissuade me from going there, regretting having brought me, I believe, but my curiosity wsatsrotnogo and I tugged on my lead until she yielded.
The first cage at which we stopped contained at least fifty individuals, men, women, and children,
exhibited thereto the great glee of the ape spectators. They displa
efedverish and immoderate activity,
leaping about, jostling one another, making an exhibition of themselves, indiunlgainllgsorts of frolics.
It was certainly a sight. They were all intent on winning favor with the little apes surrounding their cage, who now and then threw them some fruit or pieces of cake sold by an old she-ape at the entrance. It was the man, either adult or child, who did the best trick—climbing up the bars, walking on all fours or on his hands—who obtained the reward, and when this infeltlhe middle of a group, there was a scuffle
involving scratched faces and torn-out hair, the whole punctuated by the shrill cries ofinanaimteamlsper.
There were some men who were more composed and did not take part in this fracas. They sat apart, near the bars, and when they saw an ape brat plunge his fingers into a bag they would stretch out an
imploring hand. The apeif,
he was very young, would often draw back in fright, but his parents or his
friends would tease him until he decided, still trembling, to pass the reward frotomhhanandd.
The appearance of a man outside the cage provoked some surprise, no less among the captives than in. the simian audience. The former interrupted their play for a moment to examine me with suspicion, but since I stood quite srtielflusing with dignity the offerings that the youngstrtieerd to hand me, apes and men
alike lost interest in man«d I was able to observe everything in peace. The silliness of these creatures sickened me, and I felt myself hot with shame when I once again noted how closely theymre embled physically.
The other cages provided the same degrading spectacle. I was about to let myself be led off by Zira,

with -a heavy heart, when suddenly, and with a great effort, I stifled a cry of surprise. There in front of me, among the herd, I saw none other than my traveling companion, the leader and mastermind of our expedition, the famous Professor Antelle. Like me, he had been captured and, nloessdofuobrtunate,
had then been sold to the zoo.
My joy at knowing he was alive and seeing him again was such that tears came into my eyes; then I
shuddered at the condition to which this learned man had bdeuecnedr.e My emotion gradually changed

to a painful numbnewsshen I noticed that his behavior was identical to the other men's. I could not doubt the evidence of my own eyes, hi spite of the improbability of this behavior. He was among the group of quiet ones who did not take part in the scuffles but stretched their hands through the bars with a begging grimace. I watched him while he was doing this, and there was nothing in his attitude to reveal his true nature. A little ape gave him some fruit. The scientist took it, sat down, crossed his legs, and began to devour it greedily, looking at his benefactor with an eager eye, as though he hoped for another gesture of generosity. I wept anew at this sight. In a low voice I told Zira the reason for my tears. I should have liked to go up and speak to him, but she dissuaded me vigorously. I could do nhoimthinagt tfhoer
moment, and, in the emotion of meeting again, we risked causing a scene that would prejudice our commoninterests and might well ruin my own plans.
"After the congress," she told me, "when you have been recognized and accepted as a rational being, we willsee about him."
She was right and I regretfully let myself be dragged away. On the way back to the Car I told her all about the professor and his reputation on Earth in the scientific world. She pondered over this for some time and promised to do her best to get him out of the zoo. I was therefore a little more cheerful on my return to the institute, but tehvaetning I refused the food the gorillas brought me.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
During the week preceding the congress Zaius paisdevmereal visits, multiplying the ridiculous tests, while hissecretary filled several notebooks with observations caonndclusions concerning me. I hypocritically did my bensot t to appear more intelligent than he wished.
The long-awaited date finally arrived, but it wasonontlhye third day of the congress that they came to
fetchme, the first two having been devoted to theoretical deIbawteass.
kept informed of the proceedings
by Zira. Zaiushad already read a long report about me, presentinags ameman with particularly sharp instincts but totally devoidof the capacity for thought. Cornelius asked him laeadfeinwg questions to discover how, in that case, he explainceedrtain aspects of my behavior. This revived old dispauntdes,
the last discussion had been a stormy one. The sciewnetirsetsdivided into two groups: those who refused to acknowledge that an animal had a soul of any sort, andwhthoosseaw only a difference of degree

between the mentalityof beasts and that of apes. No one of course suspected the real truth, except
Cornelius and Zira. Yet Zaius' repdoerstcribed such surprising characteristics that, even thoutghhis
imbecile was not aware of the fact, it made aimdpereepssion on certain impartial observers, if not on the decorated scientists, and a rumor began to spread around the town that an absolutely extraordinary man had beendiscovered.
Zira whispered in my ear as she took me outcaogfe,th"eThere'll be a vast crowd and the whole of the press. They're all on tenterhooks and know there's someuthniunsgual afoot. It's excellent for you. Take courage!"
I badly needed her moral support. I felt terribly nervous. I had rehearsed my speech all night. I knew it by heart and it was bound to convince the most limited minds; but I was haunted by the fear that I might
not be allowed
stopeak.
The gorillas led me off to a caged-in truck and I found myself among several other human subjects, likewise considered worthy of being introduced to the learned assembly because of some peculiarity or other. We arrived outside an enormous building surmounted by a cupola. Ourlegduaursdsinto a room furnished with cages, adjoining thaessembly hall. There we waited at the scientists' pleasure. Every now and then a majestic gorilla, clothed hi aofsobrltack uniform, pushed open the door and shouted out a
number. Then the guards would put one of the maenleoadn
and drag him off. My heart thundered at
each appear ance of the usher. Through the half-open door I could hear the hubbub in the hall, an occasional exclamationa, nd also bursts of applause.
Since the subjects were driven away immediately after their introduction, I eventually found myself alone inthe room with the guards, feverishly going over the main passages of my speech. They had kept me till the end, like a star performer. The black gorilla appeared for the last time and called out my number. I rose to my feet quickly, took from the hands of a flabbergasted ape the^ lead he was about to fasten to my collar, and adjusted it myself. Then, flanked by two bodyguards, I entered the assembly hall with a firm tread. As soon as I had crotshseedthreshold I halted, dazzled and abashed.
I had seen many a strange sight since my arrival on Soror. I thought I was so accustomed to the apes and their actions that I could no longer be astonished by thecmon. frYoentted with the singularity and
proportions of thescene before my eyes, I was seized with giddiness anadgaoinnceaskedmyself if I
was not dreaming.
I was in a gigantic amphitheater (which put me strangely in mind of Dante's conical inferno) of which every row of seats both around and above me was swarming with apes. There were several thousands of them. Never before had I seen so many apes gathered together; their mturaltnitsucdeended the wildest
dreams of my poor terrestriimalagination; their numbers overwhelmed me.

I stumbled and tried to pull myself together by looking for some guiding light in this crowd. The guards pushed me toward the center of a circle, resembling a circus arena, where a platform had been erected. I slowly glanced all around me. The tiers of apes rose as high as the ceiling, to a height that seemed to me incredible. The seats nearemste were occupied by the members of the congresso, fatlhl em learned
scientists dressed in striped trousers and dark frock coats, all of them wearing decorations, almost all of a venerable age, and almost all orangutans. I made out, however, among their group a small number of gorillas and chimpanzees. I looked for Cornelius among the blautttecr,ould not see him.
Beyond the authorities and behind a balustrade were several rows reserved for the junior colleagues of
the scientistsA.
gallery at this level was for the journalists and photoegrsr.apFhinally, still higher up and
behind another barriers,urged the crowd, a simian public which, from themluorumdurs that greeted my
appearance, was evidently
ain state of great excitement.
I also tried to see Zira, who was bound to beamsiottningg the assistants. I felt I needed the support of a glance from her. There again I was disappointed and could not discern a single familiar face among the hellish throngof apes surrounding me.
I switched my gaze to the pontiffs. Each of thesmeatwedas in an armchair draped in red, whereas the rest were entitled only to stools or benches. Their appearance reminded me forcefully of Zaius. Their heads sunk almost to the level of their shoulders, one immensely long arm half folded and placed in front
of them on a blotter, they scribbled down an occasional note or perhaps a childish drawing. In contrast to the excitement prevailing on the higher benches, they looked utterly listless. I had the feeling that my entrance and the announcement about me that had been made over a loud-speaker were only just sufficientto revive their flagging attention. In fact, I distinctly rememsebeeinr g three of these orangutans
give a start and suddenslhyake their heads, as though roused from a deep sleep.
Yet they were now all wide awake. My introduwcatisonno doubt the high spot of the meeting, and I felt
I was the cynosure of thousands of pairs of simianwiethyeas indifferenceto enthusiasm.
variety of expressions ranging from
My guards made me mount the platform wheirme parenssive-looking gorilla was sitting. Zira had told me that the congress was presided over not by a scientist, as had once been the case—in those days the apes -of science, left to then- own devices, used to lose theminseelvnedsless discussions without ever
coming to a conclusion—but by an organizer. To the left of this importantwfaigsuhreis secretary, a chimpanzee, who was making a verbatirmeport of the meeting. To her right was a seat occupied in turn
by each of the scientists who was to read a paper or introduce a subject. Zaius had just taken this seat amidstsome lukewarm applause. Thanks to a system of loudspeiankecrosnjunction with some powerful projectors, nothing happening on the platform was lost even at the uppermostofletvheelshall.
The president gorilla rang his -bell, obtained silaendce,announced he was giving the illustrious Zaius

leaveto speak for the purpose of introducing the man wabhooumt
he had already addressed the
assembly. The orangutatnhen rose to his feet and began on his discourse. During this time I was doing my best to assume as intelligent an attitude as possible. When he spoke about me I bowed, putting my hand to my breast, which at first gave rise to some laughter that was promptly stifled bIy qtuhieckblyell.
realized I was not advancing my cause by indulginingthese tricks, which might be interpreted as the mere result of good training. I stood still, waiting for thoef ehnisd speech.
He summarized the conclusions of his report and descthriebetdricks he was going to make me perform,
the equipment for his damnable tests having been set up on the platform. He ended by declaring that, like certain birds, I was also capable of repeating a few words, and he hoped to be able to make me do this in front of the assembly. Then he turned around to me, picked up the box with its multiple fastenings, and handed it to me. But instead of manipulathtienglocks, I embarked on another sort of exercise.
My hour had come. I raised my hand, then, tugging gently on the lead held by a guard, I approached the microphone and addressed the president.
"Illustrious President," I said in my best simian language, "it is with the greatest pleasure that I shall open this box; it is with the utmost willingness, too, that I shall perform all the tricks in the program. Before beginning this task, however, which is rather an easy one for me, I beg permission to make an announcement that, I sweawr,ill astonish this learned assembly."
I had articulated very clearly and each of my words drove home. The result was what I had anticipated. All the apes remained glued to their seats, dumbfounded, holding their breath. The journalists even forgot
to take notes, and none of the photographers had the presence of mind ttohisrehciosrtdoric moment.
The president gaped at me. As for Zaius, he seembeedintoa towering rage.
"Mr. President," he yelled, "I protest . . ."
But he stopped short, overwhelmed by the ridiculousness of a discussion with a man. I took advantage of this to goon with my speech.
"Mr. President, I insist with the greatest respecat,lsobuwt ith the utmost firmness, that this favor be granted me. Once I have explained myself, I swear on mythhaot nIorshall bow to the demands of the very illustrious Zaius."

After a moment's silence, a hurricane shook the assembly.
A raging storm swept the rows of seats, transforming all the apes into a hysterical mass hi which were mingled exclamations, bursts of laughter, sobs, and cheers, all this in me midst of a continuous flash of magnesium, the photorgaphers having at last recovered the use of then- limbs. The tumult lasted a good five minutes, during which the president, who had recovered some of his composure, never took his eyes off me. He eventually came to a deciasniodnrang his bell.
"I . . ." he stammered, "I really don't know ahdodwrestso you."
"Just call mme onsieur," I said.
"Yes, well, er . m. o.nsieur, I think that, in view of the exceptional nature of the case, the scientific congress over which I have the honor to preside is entitled ttoo lyisoteunr announcement."
A fresh wave of applause greeted this decision. I did not ask for more. I stood bolt upright hi the middle of the platform, adjusted the microphone to my heights,taarntedd the following speech.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

"Illustrious President, "Noble Gorillas, "Learned Orangutans, "Wise Chimpanzees, "O Apes!
"I, a man, beg leave to address you.
"I know my appearance is grotesque, my figure repulsive, my features bestial, my smell sickening, the
color of my skin disgusting. I know the sight of this ridiculous body of mine offends you, but I also know I am addressing the wisest and most learned apes of all, those whose minds are capable of rising above mere sensory impressions and of perceiving the essential substance of a being apart from his wretched

material exterior. . . ."
The pompous humility of this opening had been suggested by Zira and Cornelius, who knew it was liable to touchthe orangutans. I went on in a silence that was complete:
"Listen to me, O Apes! For I can talk, and not, I assure you, like a mechanical toy or a parrot. I can think, I can talk, I can understand what you say just as well as what I myself say. Presently, if Your
Lordships deign to question me, I shall deem it an honor to replyqutoestyionusr ability.
to the best of my
"But first I should like to reveal this astounding truth to you: not only am I a rational creature, not only doesa mind paradoxically inhabit this human body, bcuot mI e from a distant planet, from Earth, that
Earth on which, by a whim of nature that has still to be explained, it is men who are the repositories of wisdom and reason. I beg permission to point out the place of my Origin, not of course for the benefit of
the illustrious doctors whoImsee all around me, but for those of my audience who acquainted with the various stellar systems."
apreerhnaopts so well
I went up to a blackboard and by means of a few ddieasgcrraimbesd the solar system to the best of my ability and indicated its position in the galaxy. My lecture was ltiostehniedprofound silence. But when,
having finished my sketchesI,
clapped my hands together to get rid of the chaolnk
tdhuesmt , this simple
gesture provoked an enthusiasticmurmur among the crowd in the upper rows. I wefanctinpgn,my public:
"Thus on Earth the intellect is embodied in the human race. This is a fact and I can do nothing about it. Whereas the apes—and since discovering your world I am duepespelty about this—whereas the apes
have remained ina state of savagery, it is the men who have evolved. It is in man's cranium that the brain has developed and flourished. It is man who hi vented language, discovered fire, 3 made use of tools. It is man who settled my planet and 5 changed its face, man, in fact, who established a civilization so refined that in many respects, O Apes, it resembles oywonu.r"
At this point I quoted several examples of ouracfihnievtements. I described our cities, our industries,
our means of communication, our governments, our laws, our entertainments. Then I addressed myself more specifically to the learned authorities and tried to give them an idea of our conquests in the noble fields of the sciences and arts. My voice became firmer the longer I spoke. I began to feel a sort of intoxication, like an owner taking stoocfkhis possessions.
I then embarked on the account of my own adventures, j I described the means by which I had reached the worldof Betelgeuse and landed on the planet Soror, hohwadI been captured and locked up in a
cage, how I tried to enter into contact with Zaius, and how, doubtless as a result of my lack of ingenuity,

all my efforts had been in vain. Lastly I mentioned Zira's perspicacity, her avsasliusatabnlece and that of
Dr. Cornelius. I concluded withthe following words:
"This is what I wanted to tell you, O Apes! It is up to you now to decide whether I should be treated like an animal and end my days in a cage after such astonishing adventures. It remains for me to say that I voyaged here without any hostile intent, inspired solely by the spirit of discovery. Since I have come to
know you I find you extraordinarily congenial and I admire you with all my heart. This, then, is the plan I suggest to the great minds of this planet. I can certainly be useful to you by virtue of my earthly knowledge; for my part, I have learned more things during a few months' captivity among you than in all my previous existence. Let us unite our efforts! Let us establish contacts with the Earth! Let us march forward hand in hand, apes and men together, and no powsec,rentoof the cosmos will be able to
resist us!"
I stopped speaking; exhausted, in • total silence. I turned automatically to the president's table, picked
up the glass of water standing there, and drained it in a gulp. Like the act of clapping my hands together, this simple gesturperoduced an amazing effect and was the signal foarbsaonlute uproar. The whole hall spontaneously gave vent to an enthusiastic outburst that no pen could ever describe. I knew I had won over my audience, but I would never have thought it possible for any assembly in ttohebrweaokrldinto
such commotion. I was deafened by it, retainjiunsgt enough composure to observe one of the reasons
for this fantastic din: apes, who are exuberant by nature, clap with all four hands when they are pleased. I
was thussurrounded by a seething mass of frantic1creatures balancoinng their rumps and waving their four limbs in a frenzy of applause punctuated by wild yells in which the gorillas' deep voices predominated. This was one of my last glimpses of this memorable session. I felt unsteady on my feet. I
looked anxiously around me. Zaius had just risen from his seat in fury and was striding up and down the platform with his hands behind his back, as he did in front of my cage. As though hi a dream, I saw the
vacant chair ancdollapsed into it. A fresh burst of applause, whbiacrhelyI
away, greeted this gesture.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
heard before fainting dead
It was some time before I recovered consciousnesins,tensose had been the strain of this session. I found myselflying on a bed in a room. Zira and Cornelius were attmened, inwghile some gorillas in uniform held back a crowd ojofurnalists and curious onlookers who were trying to apprmoaec. h
"Magnificent!" Zira whispered in my ear. "You've won."
"Ulysse," said Cornelius, "together we're going tgoredaot things."
He told me that the Grand Council of Soror hhadeldjuast special meeting and had decided on my

immediaterelease.
"There were some who opposed it," he added,pu"bluict
opinion demanded it and they had to yield."
Having himself requested and obtained permissiotnakteo me on as his collaborator, he was rubbing bis handsat the thought of the assistance I would provide riensehairsch.
"This is where you'll be living. I hope this apartment will suit you. It is quite close to mine, in a wing of t institute reserved for the senior personnel."
I looked around in bewilderment, thinking I was dreaTmhiengr.oom was provided with every comfort; it was the beginning of a new epoch. After hoping so long mfoormthenist, I was suddenly overwhelmed by
an odd feelinogf nostalgia. My eyes met Zira's and I saw that the clever she-ape had read my thoughts. A
rather ambiguous smilceame over her face.
"Here, of course," she said, "you won't have Novayowu.i"th
I blushed, shrugged my shoulders, and sat up. I had recovered my strength and was eager to embark on my newlife.
"Do you feel well enough to attend a little pZairrtay?a"sked. "We've invited a few friends, all of them chimpanzees, to celebrate this great day."
I replied that nothing would give me greater plebausut reI, was no longer willing to appear stark naked. I
then noticed I was wearing some pajamas, Cornelius havleint me his. But though I was able, hi a pinch, to weaar chimpanzee's pajamas, I should have looked grotesqinuoene of his suits
.
"We'll fit you out completely tomorrow and you'llahdaevceent suit for this evening. Here's the tailor."
A little chimpanzee came in and greeted me withcogurretaetsy. I discovered that while I was still lying unconscious,the best tailorshad competed for thehonor of dressinmg e. This one, the most famous of all,

had the most note•dgorillas in the capital as clients.
I admired his speed and dexterity. In less than twohehohuards
succeeded hi making me an acceptable
suit. Iftelt quite strange to be wearing clothes again, and Zira looked at me as though she had never seen me before. Whiltehe artist was making the final adjustments Cornelius admitthte journalists who were hammering at the door. I was put through a catechism for over an hour, riddqlueedstiwonitsh, under fire
from the photographers, and requiretdo furnish the most intriguing details about the Earth and the life
men led on that planet. I lent myself willingly to this ceremony. A journalist myself, I realizedI the scoop represented to these colleagues and knew what a powseurpfuplort the press could be.
It was late by the tune they left. We were just on our way to join Cornelius' friends when we were detained by the arrival of Zanam. He was obviously acquaintedthewiltahtest developments, for he gave
me an obsequious bowH. e had come to tell Zira that things were not gowinegll toino her department. Furious at my long absence, Novwaas making a great racket. Her mood had infected all the other
captives, and no amount of pike blows wcoaullmd
them down.
"I'll go and see," said Zira. "Wait for me here."
I looked at her with a pleading expression. She hestihtaetneds,hrugged her shoulders.
"Come along if you like," she said. "After all, you're free and perhaps you'll be able to calm them down betterthan I can."
Together we entered the room with the cagesc. aTpthieves calmed down as soon as they saw me, and theuproar was followed by a strange silence. They recognimzeed in spite of my clothes and seemed to understand thathey were in the presence of something miraculous.
Trembling with emotion, I walked over to Nova's cage, my own cage. I went right up to her, I smiled at her, I spoke to her. For a moment I had the impression that she was following my train of thought and was about to answer me. This was impossible, but my mere prheasdencaelmed her down like the
others. She accepted a lumopf sugar that I handed to her and ate it while I made my
way out of the room with a heavy heart.

Of that party, which took place in a smart night club— Cornelius had decided to launch me forthwith into simian society, since in any case I was now destined toit—livIe hianve only a confused and rather disturbing memory.
The confusion was caused by the alcohol that I started swilling as soon as I arrived, and to which my system wasno longer accustomed. The disturbing effect was an soedndsation that was to come over me
later on many other occasions. I can only describe it by saying that the nature of the figures around me became progressively less simian, whereas then- function or the position they held in society became dominant. The head waiter, for instance, who came up obsequiously to show us our table, I saw only as the head waiter, and the fact that he was a gorilla tendbe otboscured. The figure of an elderly
she-ape with an outrageously painted face was replaced by that oofldancoquette, and when I danced with Zira I forgot her condition completely, and my arm merely encircled the waist ofTahedancer. chimpanzee orchestra was nothing more than an orcthreas, and the elegant apes exchanging witticisms all aroundme were simply men about town.
I shall not dwell on the sensation caused by my presence among them. I was the focus of all eyes. I had to give my autograph to a number of fans, and the two gorillas whom Cornelius had had the prudence to bring along were hard-pressed to protect me from the swarm of she-apes of every age who competed
for the honor of havingdriank or dancing with me.
It was getting late and I was already fairly tipsythwe hthenought of Professor Antelle crossed my mind. I felt steeped in black remorse. I was not far from shedding a tear or two over my own infamy as I reflected that here I was making merry and drinking with a lot wohfilaepemsy companion was shivering
on some straw
ain cage.

Zira asked me why I was looking so sad. I told her. Cornelius then informed me that he had made inquiries about the professor and that he was hi good health. There would be no opposition now to his being released. I insisted that I could not wait a minute longer before hbirminthgisnggood news.
"After all," Cornelius agreed, after thinking it "oovneer, can't refuse you anything on a day like this. Let's go. I know the director of the zoo."
The three of us left the nightclub and drovegtaordtehne. On being waked up, the director bestirred
himself. He knew all about me. Cornelius told him the true identity of one of the men he held locked up in a cage. He could hardly believe his ears, but he, too, was eager to do all he could for me. We should have to wait, of course, utnhteil next day and go through various formalities behfoerecould release the
professor, but meanwhile there was nothing against our having a talk with him at oofnfecree.dHteo

accompany us.
Day was breaking when we reached the

Icnagwe hich the luckless scientist lived like an animal in the

midst ofifty men and women. These were still asleep, huddtolegdether in couples or in groups of four or five. They openetdheir eyes as soon as the director switched on the lights.
It did not take me long to find my companion. He was stretched out on the ground like the others, huddledagainst the" body of a girl who looked quite yousnhgu.dIdered to see him like this, and at the same time was moved by the debasement to which I, too, had been froerdufocuerd months.
I was so upset that I could not speak. The men, who were now awake, showed no sign of surprise. They were tame and well trained; they began performing their usual tricks in the hope of some reward. The director threw themsome pieces of cake. Immediately scuffles and disputes brooukte, as they did
during the day, while the quietest of tahsesmumed their favorite position, squatting by the abnadrs stretching out an imploring hand.
Professor Antelle followed their example. He came up as close as possible to the director and begged for a titbiTt.his humiliating behavior gave me a sickening feethliantg soon became an unbearable anguish.
He was threepaces away; he was looking at me and appeared not to recognize me. In fact, his eyes, which had once been kseoen, had lost all their gleam and suggested the same spvioriitduaals those of the
other captives. I was horrified
stoee in them no more emotion than that aroused amoontghetrhecaptives
by the presence of a man in clothes.
I made a great effort and managed at last to spoerdaekr itno put an end to this nightmare.
"Professor," I said, "Master, it is I, Ulysse Merou. We are saved. I came here to tell you . . ."
I stopped hi sheer amazement. At the sound of my voice he had reacted in the same way as the men of the planeSt oror. He had suddenly lowered his head and shrunk away.
"Professor,Professor Antelle," I beseeched him, "it'sI, Ulysse Merou, your traveling companion. I am free,and in a few hours you will be too. These apes yhoeure saeree our friends. They know who we are and welcomeus like brothers."

There was no response. He showed not the sligsihgtnestof comprehension but, with another frightened gesturelike that of a startled beast, recoiled still further.
I was in despair, and the apes seemed extremely puCzozrlende.lius wrinkled his brow, as he did when he was tryintgo find the solution to a problem. It crossed my minthde thparot fessor, frightened by their presence, might wellbe pretending to be witless. I asked them to moveanadwlaeyave me alone with
him, to which they readily agreeWd. hen they had disappeared, I walked around the cage to reach the corner in which the scientist had taken reafungdeagain I spoke to him:
"Master," I implored him, "I understand your caution. I know the danger to which men from Earth are exposed on this planet. But we are alone, I give you my word of honor, and our ordeals are over. You must believe mey,our companion, your disciple, your friend, Ulysse Merou."
He shrank back still further, darting furtive glancmesy idnirection. Then, while I stood there trembling, notknowing what else to say, he half opened his mouth.
Had I succeeded at last in convincing him? I watched him, hoping against hope. But I remained speechless with horror at the manner in which he expressed his emotion. I said that he had half opened his mouth, but this was not the spontaneous gesture of a creature preparing tHoespeemaiktt.ed from it a gurgling sound similar to those utterebdy the strange men on this planet to express satisfaction or fear. There in front of me, without moving his lips, while my heart went numb with horror, Professor Antelle gave vent to a long-drawn-out howl.
part three
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
I woke early after a restless night. I turned over three or four times in my bed and rubbed my eyes before fullyrecovering consciousness, still unaccustomed to the civilizIeldife I had been leading for a
month, feeling anxious evermyorning at not hearing the straw creak and not feNeolivnag's warmth against me.
I eventually came to my senses. I was living inthoenemoofst comfortable apartments in the institute. The apes had proved extremely generous. I had a bedraoobmat,hroom, clothes, books, a television set. I read altlhe papers, I was free, I could go out, walk about the sattrteeentds, any entertainment. My presence in a public plascteill provoked considerable interest, but the emotiotnheoffirst few days had started to die down.

Cornelius was now the scientific head of the insZtiatuiutes. had been dismissed—he had been given anotherpost, however, and a new decoration—and Zira's fiainnsct6alled in his place. This had resulted in a reorganizationof the personnel, a general promotion of the chimpaenlezmeeent, and renewed activity in every department Zirhaad become the new director's assistant.
As for me, I took part in the scientist's research work, no longer as a guinea pig but as a collaborator. However, it was only with great difficulty and after much hesitation on the part of the Grand Council that Cornelius had been granted this favor. The authorities still appeared reltuoctaadnmt it my nature and
origin.
I dressed quickly, left my room, and walked otvheer wtoing of the institute where I had once been a prisoner:the department under Zira, who was still directiinng aidtdition to her new duties. With Cornelius' permission; I had embarked there on a systematic study of the men.
Here I am in the room with the cages, walking along the corridor in front of the bars like one of the masters of this planet. Shall I admit that I come here frequently, more frequently than my duties demand? There are timews hen I feel burdened by constantly simian surroundianngds, here I find a sort of refuge.
The captives are well acquainted with me now and recmogynizaeuthority. Do they see any difference between me, Ziraa,nd the warders who bring them their food? I should like to think so, but I doubt it. For the last month, despmitey patience and efforts, I, too, have been unsuccesisnfuml aking them achieve
any higher level of performantchean that of well-trained animals. A secret intuitionmte,lshowever, that their potentialities are enormous.
I should like to teach them to talk. This is my great ambition. I have not succeeded, I admit. It is only with the utmost difficulty that some of them manage to arempeoantosyllabic sound or two, which certain chimpanzees on Earth can do. It is not much, but I am perseWvehraitnge.ncourages me is the new
persistence with whichtheir eyes try to meet mine, eyes which for somheavtiemseeemed to be gradually changing in expression. Ifancy I can see in them a spark of curiosity, asswociithatead superior mentality, breaking through the animmalindlessness.
I move slowly around the room, stopping in front of each of the captives. I speak to them; I speak to themgently, patiently. They are now accustomed to this unbuesuhavior on my part. They seem to listen.
I go on for sevemralinutes, then stop speaking in whole sentences and pronouancfeew simple words,
repeating them over and over again, hoping for an echo. One of them clumsily articulates a syllable, but this is as far as he will go today. The subject soon gets tired, abandons the superhuman task, and lies down on the floor as though after some exhausting effort. I sigh and pass on to the next one. I finally come to thceage in which Nova is at present vegetating in solitanryess. dSadness—this at least is what
I, with my Earthmanc'sonceit, wish to believe, and I struggle to detect this emoontiohner beautiful but inexpressive features. Zira has ngoivt en her another mate, and I am grateful for that

I often think of Nova. I cannot forget the hours I spent in her company. But I have never again entered hercage; human self-respect forbids me. Is she not an animI anlo?w live in the highest scientific circles;
how could I let myself indulge hi such a relationship? I blusthhoautghthteof our former intimacy. Since I
have changed campsI have even forbidden myself to show her more afftehcatnionI show to her fellows.
Nevertheless I cannot help noting that she is an excepsutibojneaclt and I am glad of that. With her I
obtain better results than with the others. She presses up against the bars as soon as she sees me, and her mouth twists into a grimace that could almost pass as a smile. Even before I have opened my mouth she
tries to pronounce the throere four syllables she has learned. Her diligence is evIisdesnhte.
naturally more
gifted than the others? Or has contawcitth me polished her and given her a capacity to mbeonrefiftrom my lessons? I like to think, with a certainplcaocmency, that this is the case.
I say her name, then my own, pointing my finger alteartnahterlyand myself. She imitates the gesture. But I see her expression change suddenly and she bares hears teIethhear a gentle chuckle behind me.
It is Zira, who laughs not unkindly at my efforptrse; sehnerce always rouses the girl to anger. Zira is accompanied by Cornelius, who is interested in my efforts and often comes to see the results for himself.
Today he has comtoe
see me for another reason. He looks rather excited.
"Would you like to go on a little trip with me, Ulysse?"
"A trip?"
"Quite a long one; almost to the antipodes. Some arcghiesotsloh- ave discovered some extremely curious ruins outht ere, if the reports reaching us are to be believeodr.anAgnutan is directing the excavations and he can scarcebley relied upon to interpret the vestiges correctly. Thseorme'esthing strange about them that fascinates me and mthaayt afford decisive material for my research. The
Academyis sending me out there on an official mission and yIotuhrinpkresence would be most useful."
I do not see how I can help him, but I welcome this opportunity to see further aspects of Soror. He takes meto his office to give me more details.
I am delighted by this diversion, which is an excuse for not completing my rounds; for there is one more

prisonerfor me to see—Professor Antelle. He is still in thestsaatem, ewhich makes his release impossible. Thanks to mheo, wever, he is now on his own, isolated in a fairly comfocretallb.leIt is a painful duty for me to visit him. He retoplinesone of my earnest requests and still behaveas lpikerefect animal.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
We set off a week later. Zira came with us, but she was to return after a few days to look after the institute inCornelius' absence. The latter intended staying much lonogner the site of the excavations, if
these proved to be iansteresting as he expected.
A special plane had been put at our disposal, a jet mraatchheirnelike our first models of this type of aircraft, butvery comfortable and equipped with a small soundprcoomf partment in which we could talk easily. It was here we were sitting, Zira and I, shortly after our deIpwaratusrelo. oking forward to the journey. By now I was cpolmetely accustomed to the simian world. I had been nesituhreprrised nor frightened at seeing this big aircraft bepiinlogted by an ape. My only thought was to enjoy thaendview
the spectacular sight of Betelgeuse rising. We had climtobeadheight of about thirty thousand feet. The

air was remarakbly pure, and the giant star could be seen on the horizon like our own sun observed through a telescope. Zira weanschanted by it.

"Are there such beautiful dawns as this on Earth?a"skeshde. "Is your sun as lovely as ours?"
I told her it was neither as big nor as red, but it sufficed us. On the other hand, our nocturnal heavenly body was bigger and shed a more intense pale light than Soror's. We felt as happy as school children on
a holiday, and I laughed and joked with her as with a very close friend. When Cornelius came and joined us after a moment I almost resented his intrusion otneteo-uar-tete. He was pensive. For some time,
moreover, he had seemed rather nervous. He worked prodigiously on his own research, which absorbed him to the point of occasionally causing him to be totally absent-minded. He still kept the subject of this research a secret, and I believe Zira knew as little about it as I diS. I only knew it concerned the origin o ape and that the learned chimpanzee tended more and more to reject the classical theories. This morning,
for the first time, he revealed certain aspects of it to me, and it did not take me long to understand why my existence as a civilized man was so important to him. He began by reverting to a subject we had discussed together a thousantidmes.
"You did say, didn't you, Ulysse, that on your Earth the apes are utter animals? That man has risen to a degreeof civilization equal to our own and which, in certain respeevcetns, . . . ? Don't be frightened of
making me angryth; e scientific spirit ignores all self-esteem."
"Which, in many respects, even surpasses it—yes, that's undeniable. One of the best proofs is that I am here. Itseems to me you have only reached the stage . . ."

"I know, I know," he broke in wearily. "We've discussed all that. We are now penetrating the secrets you discovered centuries ago. . . . And it's not only your statements that disturb me," he went on, nervously pacing up and down the little cabin. "For some time I've been harasfseeedlinbgy—a feeling
supported by certain concrete indications—that the key to these secrets, even here on our planet, has been held by other brains in the distant past."
I might have replied that this impression of rediscovery had also affected certain minds on Earth. Perhaps it even prevailed universally and possibly served as the basis for our belief in God. But I was careful not to interrupt him.
He was following a train of thought that was still cownfhuiscehd,he expressed in an extremely reticent manner.
"Other brains," he repeated pensively, "that maybe wer.e.."not
He broke off abruptly. He looked miserable, as though tortured by the perception of a truth his mind was unwillingto admit.
"You did say, didn't you, that your apes possess a dheivgehlolyped sense of mimicry?"
"They mimic us in everything we do, I mean in every act that does not demand a rational process of thought. So much so that with us the avpeerb is synonymous witihmitate."
"Zira," Cornelius murmured, as though depressedi,t "nisot this sense well?"

aofping that characterizes us as

Without giving Zira time to protest, he went on excitedly, "It begins in childhood. All our education is based onimitation."
"It's the orangutans . . ."
"That's it. They are of tremendous importance, since it is they who mold our youth through their" books. They force every young monkey to repeat all the errorsaonfcehstiosrs. That explains the slowness of our progress. For the last two thousand years we have remained stoimoiluarselves."

This slow development among the apes deserves a few comments. I had been struck by it while reading theirhistory, noticing in it some important differences frtohme soaring flight of the human mind. True, we
also have known a period of semi-stagnation. We, too, have had our orangutans, our falsified education and ridiculous curriculaa,nd this period lasted a long time.
Not so long, however, as in the apes' case, and above all not at the same stage of evolution. The dark ages thathe chimpanzee deplored had lasted about ten thousand yeDarusr.ing this period no notable
progress had been achieved except, perhaps, during the last half century. But what I found extremely curious was that their earliest legentdhse,ir earliest chronicles, then- earliemstemories bore witnessto a
civilization that was already well advanced and in fact was more or less similar to that of the present day. These documents, ten thousand years old, afforded proof of general skills and achievements comparable
to the skills and achievements of today; and, before them, there was a total blank: no tradition either oral or written, not saingle clue. In essence, it seemed as though the simian civili
zation had made a miraculous appearance out of thetenbhtuh,ousand years before and had since been preservedmore or less without modification. The ordinary apegrhoawdn accustomed to finding this quite natural, never imagiinng a different state of mental development, but a pteivrceepbrain like Cornelius' sensed an enigma there and wtoarsmented by it.
"There are apes capable of original creation," Zirtaespterdo.
"Certainly," Cornelius agreed. "That's true, especiianllyrecent years. In the long run, mind is able to embody itselfhi gesture. It has to, in fact; that's the natural couervsoeluotifon. . . . But what I'm passionately seeking, Zira,what I'm trying to find out, is how it all ..b.egAatpnr.esent it strikes me as not impossible that it was throusgihmple imitation at the beginning of our era."
"Imitation of what, of whom?"
He had reverted to his reticent manner and lowereydeshisas though regretting he had said too much. "I can't answer that question yet," he finally snaiede.d"Icertain evidence. Perhaps we shall find it in the
ruinsof the buried city. According to the reports, it existed emarulicehr than ten thousand years ago, in a period about whicwh e know nothing."

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

Cornelius has not told me anything more and I
theoriesgives me a strange elation.
ifseerlelhuectant to do so, but what I already de theicst in
The archeologists have laid bare a whole city, buried in the sands of a desert, a city of which nothing remains, alas, but ruins. But these ruins, I am convinced, heoxltdraaonrdinary secret that I have vowed
to solve. This shoublde possible for anyone who can observe and deduce, wthheicohrangutan who is
directing the excavations s'eems hardclaypable of doing. He welcomed Cornelius with the respect due his senior position but with barely concealed contefmorpthis youth and the original ideas he sometimes expressed.
Digging among stones that crumble at every movien asnadnd that sinks under every step is no easy job. Itis now a month since we have been at it. Zira left utusnesoamgeo, but Cornelius insists on prolonging
his stayH. e is as enthusiastic as I am and convinced that only here, among these relics of the past, is to be found thesolution to the great problems tormenting him.
The extent of his knowledge is really remarkable. First of all, he insisted on verifying personally the antiquity of the city. For this the apes have a process similaor wton, oiunrvolving deep-rooted principles
of chemistry, physics,and geology. On this point the chimpanzee is in agreement with the official scientists: the city is very, very old indeed. It is much more than ten thousand years old, and therefore constitutes a unique record, tending to show that sicmiviialnization did not burst forth miraculously out of thevoid.
Something existed before this present era. But wAhfatet?r this month of feverish investigation we are disappointed,for it seems that this prehistoric city was not very difrfoermentthose of the present day.
We have discovered remnantsof houses, traces of factories, vestiges showing that these forebears had
motor cars and airplanes, just as apes of today do. These remains indicate that the origins of mind can be traced far back into the past. This is less than Cornelius was expecting, I feel; it is less than I was hoping for.
This morning Cornelius has gone ahead of me to the spot where the workmen have laid bare a house with thick walls made of a sort of reinforced concrete, whichbseetteemr spreserved than the rest. The
inside is filled withsand and debris that they have undertaken to sift. Until yesterday they had found nothing more than in the otsheecrtions: fragments of piping, household appliances, kitcheeqnuipment. I
am still idling outside the tent that I share with the scientist. From here I can see the orangutan giving his orders to the foreman, a chimpanzee with a crafty look in his eye. I cannot see Cornelius. He is hi the trench with the workmen. He often takes a hand in the digging, for fear they might do something stupid and thereby lose ainteresting item.

Here he is emerging from the hole, and it does not take me long to realize he has made an exceptional discovery. He is holding in his hand a small object that I cannot make out. He thrusts aside the old orangutan who tries to take it from him and puts it down on the ground with infinite care. He looks in my direction and beckons me over. IAaspproach I am struck by the change in his expre"sUsliyosns.e.
Ulysse!"
Never have I seen him in such a state. He can barely talk. The workmen, who have also climbed out of the trench, gather around the find and prevent me from seeing it. They point it out to one another but they seem merelyamused. Some of them laugohut loud.They arealmostall hefty gorillas. Cornelius tells them
to keep their distance.
"Ulysse!"
"Whatever is it?"
I see the object lying in the sand at the same mthoamt henet mutters in a strangled voice:
"A doll, Ulysse, a doll!"
It is a doll, an ordinary china doll. By a mihrasclebeietn preserved almost intact, with vestiges of hair and eyes that still reveal a few chips of color. It is such a familiar sight to me that at first I cannot understand Cornelius' emotion. It takes me several seconds to realize . . . then I've got it! Its strangeness dawns on me and immediately I am overwhelmed. Iht uims aan doll representing a little girl, a little girl
like one on Earth. But I refuse to let myself be taken in. Before proclaiming a miracle, every possibility of a more commonplace cause must be examined. A scientist like Cornelius must have done so already. Let us seer The- dolls of child apes do include a few—a very few, but nevertheless a few—that have an animal or even human form. So it cannot be the mere presence of this one that moves my chimpanzee so deeply. . . . Let us go a step further: The toys of child apes representing animals are not made of china; and above all they are not usuacllloythed; in any case, not clothed like rational creatures. And this doll, I
tell you, is clothed like a doll at home—the remnants of a frock, a blouse, a skirt and knickers can still be clearly seen—dressed with the taste that a little girl on Earth might show in adorning her favorite doll, with the care that a little she-ape on Soror would take to clothe her ape doll, a care that she would never,

never show to dress up an animal figure like the human figure. I realize, I realize more and more clearly, the reason fomr y clever chimpanzee's emotion.

And this is not all. The toy presents another anomaly, another oddity that makes all the workmen laugh and even provokes a smile from the solemn orangutan directing the excavations. Tthaelksd.olIlt talks

like a doll at home. In putting it down, Cornelius happened to press the mechanism, which has been preserved intact, and it talked. Oh, it was not much of a speech! It uttered one word, one simple word of two syllables:pa-pa. "Papa," the doll repeats as Cornelius picks it up again and turns it round and round
hi his nimble hands. The word is the same in French and in the simian language, and no doubt in many other languages of this mysterious cosmos, and it has the same meaning.
"Papa," the little human doll repeats, and this, above all, is what makes my learned companion's muzzle
turn red; this is what affects me s'o deeply that I have to make an effort not to cry aloud as he leads me aside, bringing hipsrecious discovery with him.
"The monstrous imbecile!" he mutters after a long silence.
I know whom he means and I share his indignation. The old orangutan with all his decorations has seen nothing more in it than a simple child ape's toy that an eccentric manufacturer living in the distant past has endowed with speech. It is useless to suggest another explanation to him. Cornelius does not even try to
do so. The one that comes naturally 'to his mind, however, seems so disturbing that he keeps it to himself. He does not breathe a wofdit even to me, but he knows that I have guessed it.
He remains wrapped in thought and silent for the rest of the day. I have the impression he is now frightened of pursuing his research and is regretting his semi-revelations. Now that his excitement has subsided, he is sorry I hawvietnessed his discovery.
On the very next day I am given proof that he regrets having brought me here with him. After a night's reflection he informs me, avoiding my eyes, that he has decided to send me back to the institute, where I shall be able to continue with more important work than in these ruins. My seat on the aircraft is booked. I shall be leaving twinenty-four hours.
CHAPTERTHIRTY
Suppose, I argue, that men once reigned as mastethrsis opnlanet. Suppose that a human civilization similar toours flourished on Soror more than ten thousand years ago.
This is no longer a senseless hypothesis—quite the contrary. No sooner do I formulate it than I feel the excitement produced by picking up the right scent among so many false ones. It is on this track, I know, that the solution to the irritating simian mystery is to be found, I realize my subconscious has always been dreaming of some explanation tohfis sort.
I am in the aircraft taking me back to the capital, accompanied by Cornelius' secretary, a rather talkative chimpanzee. I don't feel like chatting with him. I always tend to meditate when I'm hi an airplane. I shall

find no better opportunithyan this voyage to put my thoughts in order.
Suppose, then, the existence in the distant pasctivoiflizaation on the planet Soror similar to our own. Is
it possible that creatures devoid of intelligence could have perpetuated it by a simple process of imitation? The answer to this question seems risky, but after thinking it over, a host of arguments occur to me that gradually lessen its aspect of unreasonableness. That perfected machinesonmeayday succeed us is, I
remember, an extremely commonplacenotion on Earth. It prevails not only among poets and romantics but in all classes of society. Perhaps it is beictaiusseso widespread, born spontaneously in popular
imagination, that it irritates scientific minds. Perhaps it is also for this very reason that it contains a germ of truth. Only a germM: achines will always be machines; the most perfected raolbwoat,ys a robot. But what
of living creatures possessinga certain degree of intelligence, like apes? And parpeecsi,sely,are endowed with a keen sense of imitation. . . .
I close my eyes. I let myself be lulled by the drone of the engines. I feel the need to commune with myself inorder to justify my position.
What is it that characterizes a civilization? Is it the exceptional genius? No, it is everyday life. . . . Hmm! Let us give intelligence its due. Let us concede that itcips apllryinthe arts, and first and foremost,
literature. Isthe latter really beyond the reach of our higher apitesis, iafdmitted-that they are capable of stringing words together?Of what is our literature made? Masterpieces? Again, no. But once an original book has been written—and no more than one or two appear in a century—men oimf ilteatttersit, in
other words, they copy it so that hundredthsouosfands of books are published on exactly the same
theme, with slightly different titles and modified phraseology. This should be able to be achieved by apes, who are essentially imitators, provided, of course, that they are able tousemaokf elanguage.
In fact, language represents the only valid objecBtiuotn.wait a moment! It is not essential that apes
should understand what they are copying hi order to produce a hundred thousand volumes from a single original. It is clearly no more necessary for them than it is for us. Like us, they merely need to be able to repeat sentences after having heard them. All the rest of the literary process is purely mechanical. It is at this point that the opinion of certain learned biologists assumes its full value: There is nothing in the
anatomy of the ape, they maintain, that precludes the use of speech—nothing, that is, except the necessaryurge. It isnot difficult to conceive that this urge cameto him one day as a result of some sudden mutation.
The perpetuation of a literature like ours by talkingdoaepsesnot, therefore, conflict with common sense in anyway. Subsequently, perhaps, somaepes of lettersraised themselves a step or two higher on the intellectual ladder. As my learned friend Cornelius said, mind embodies itself in gesture—in this case, in the mechanism of speech—and a few original ideas were able to appear in the neworslidmiaatn the
rate of one every century—as in our own case.
Cheerfully pursuing this train of thought, I soon succienedceodnvincing myself that well-trained animals

might well have been able to produce the paintings and sculptures I had admired in the museums of the capital and, in general, become expert in all the human arts, includingofthceinaermt atography.
Having first considered the highest manifestationisnteolfligence, it was only too easy to extend my thesis to other areas. That of industry quickly succumbed to my analysis. It seemed absolutely clear that industry did not require the presence of a rational being to miatsienltfa.inBasically, industry consisted of
manual laborers, always performing the selfsame tasks, who could easily be replaced by apes; and, at a higher level, of executives whose function was to draft certain reports and pronounce certain words under given circumstances. All this was a question of conditioned reflexes. At the still higher level of administration, it seemed even easier to concedequthaelity of aping. To continue our system, the gorillas
would merely have to imitate certain attitudes and dealivfewr
harangues, all based on the same model.
I thus came to view the most diverse activities of our Earth with a new eye and to imagine them performed by apes. I indulged with a certain satisfaction in this game, which demanded no intellectual effort. I called to mind a number of political meetings I had attended as a journalist. I remembered the stock remarks made by the personalities I had had to interview. I recalled with particulara intensity celebrated trial I had followed several years before.
The defense counsel was one of the masters of hfeisssiporno. Why did he appear to me now in the guise of a prougdorilla, as did also the advocate general, another celebWrithyy? did I compare then- gestures and actions to conditionreedflexes resulting from intensive training? Why did pthresident of the tribunal remind me of a solemn orangutan reciting sentences learned by heart, the utterance wofaswhich
automatic and likewise inspired by some statemfreonmt
a witness or some murmur in the crowd?
I thus spent the last part of the journey obsessed by comparisons that seemed to me significant. When I
came to the world of finance and business, my final mental picture was a thoroughly simian vision, a recent recollection of the planet Soror. It was during a visit to the stock exchange, where my friend Cornelius had insisted on bringing me, for it was one of the curiosities of the capital. This is what I saw—a picture I recalled with extraordinary vividndeusrsing the last minutes of my flight.
The stock exchange was a large building, outwardly imbued with a strange atmosphere created by a vague buzz of voices that grew progressively louder as one approached, until it was a deafening roar. We went inside and were forthwith caught up in the turmoil. I wedged myself against a pillar. I was accustomed to individual apes but was always somewhat stupefied when surrounded by a compact mob,
as now. I found the sight even more incongruous than that of the learned assembly during the famous congress. Imagine a hall of vast proportions crammed full of apes, screaming, gesticulating, and running hither and thither in a completely disorganized manner, apes in hysteria, apes who not only rushed about and bumped into one another on the floor but who formed a swarming mass right up to the ceiling, which was at a giddy height from the ground. The place was equipped with ladders, trapezes, and ropes that
they used constantly hi order to move from one spot to another. They thus filled the entire volume of the building, which assumed the aspect of a cage specially designaedgrfotresque exhibition of four-handed

creatures.
The apes literally flew to and fro across this space, always catching hold of some piece of equipment just when I thought they were about to fall; all this in a hubbub of infernal exclamations, shouts, cries, and
even sounds that recalled no civilized language. There were monkeys there whboawrkeirneg— yes, barking for no apparent reason— swinging themselves from one end of the room to otnheloontgher ropes.
"Have you ever seen anything like it?" my friend Coarnsekleiuds me proudly.
I readily admitted I had not. It needed all my previous acquaintance with the apes to convince me that these were rational creatures. No one in his right mind who watched this circus could escape the conclusion that he was witnessing the frolics of madmen or animals gone wild. Not aofglimmer
intelligence could be seen in their eyes, and they ali looked alike. I could not tell one from another. All of them were dressed in the same way and wore themsaasmk,e which was the mask of madness.
The most disturbing part of my present image was that contrary to the phenomenon that shortly before had mademe assign the form of gorillas or orangutans to the fiingutrhee? earthly scene, I now saw the members of this insancer-owd in the guise of human beings. It was mensaIwthushsrieking, barking, and swinging about on ropes troeach their destination as fast as possible. In excitement I recalled other
aspects of this scene. I remembered tha* after looking on for some time, I had beguncetrotain tice details suggesting vaguely that this hubbub ndeivdertheless form part of a civilized system. An articulate word could occasionally be heard above the bestial shriPekesrc. hed on a scaffolding at a giddy height above us, gaorilla, without interrupting the hysterical gestures ofhahnidss, would pick up a piece of chalk in his foot and wrsitoeme probably significant figure on a blackboard. Togothriilsla, too, I assigned
human features.
I managed to rid myself of this hallucination only by coming back to my rough outline of a theory on the origins of the simian civilization, and in this rememborafncthee world of finance I found fresh arguments
to supportit.
The aircraft touched down. I was back in the capital. Zira had come to meet me at the airport. From far
off I saw her scarf pulled down over her ears, and thoef
sitigfhiltled me with joy. When I eventually
joined her aftetrhe customs formalities I had to restrain myself from flimngyinagrms around her.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE

I spent the month following my return in bed, suffering from an infection I had probably picked up on the siteand which assumed the form of violent bouts of fseivmeirlar to malaria. I was not in pain, but my
brain was on fire and I could not stop mulling over the elements of the fearful truth I had glimpsed. There was no longearny doubt in my mind that a human era had precedesdimtihaen age on the planet Soror,
and this conviction gavmee a sort of intoxication.
On second thought, however, I am not sure if I ought to feel proud of this discovery or profoundly humiliatedby it. My self-respect notes with satisfaction that haapvees invented nothing, that they are mere imitators. My humiliation derives from the fact that a human civilcizoautilodnhave been so easily
assimilated by apes.
How could this have happened? In my delirciuomuldI not keep my mind off the problem. True, we have long known that our civilizations are mortal, but such a complete disappearance makes the senses reel. A sudden disaster? A cataclysm? Or else the slow decline of the one and the progressive ascent of the other? I am inclined thtoe latter hypothesis, and I find extremely significant intdiiocnas of this evolution in
the apes' present-day conditioannd preoccupations.
The importance they attach to biological research, for instance—well, I am fully aware of its origin. In the old days many apes must have served as experimental subjects for men, as is the case in our own laboratories. These were the ones who first hoisted the flag, who were the pioneers of the revolution. They would naturally have begun imbyitating the gestures and attitudes observed in their mastaenrds,
these masters were researchers, learned biologists, doctors, nurses, and warders. Hence this unusual imprint onmost of their enterprises, which still persists today.
And what about the men all this tiEmneo?ugh speculationabout apes!
It is now two months since I visited my former compinancioanpstivity, my fellow humans. Today I feel
better. I have no more fever. Yesterday I told Zira--»-Zira has looked after me like a sister during my illness—I told her that I was planning to resume my work in her department. She did not seem very pleased but she raised no objectioni.s Ittime for me to pay my visit.
Here I am again in the room with the cages. A strange emotion makes me pause on the threshold. I now see these creatures in a new fight. It is with anguish that I wonder, before making up my mind to enter, if they will recognize me after my long absence. Well, they do recognize me. All their eyes are fixed on me,
as they always used to be, and even with a sort of deference. Am I dreaming or do I really discern a new look in them, a look reserved for me and different from the glances they bestow on their ape warders? A gleam impossible to describe, but in which I fancy I see an awakened curiosity, an unusual emotion,
shades of ancestral memories trying to emerge from bestiality, and p.e.r.hanpsuncertain glimmoerf hope.

This hope, I believe, I have myself unconsciously nourished for some time. Is it not the reason why I am overwhelmed by this feverish excitement? Is it not I, I, Ulysse Merou, the man whom destiny has brought to this planet to tbhee instrument of human regeneration?
Here, distinctly stated at last, is the hazy notion that has been haunting me for a month. The good Lord does not shoot dice, as a certain physicist once said. Nothing happens by mere chance in the cosmos.
My voyage to the world of Betelgeuse was decreed by a superior consciousness. It is up to me to show myself worthy of the choiacned to be the new savior of this human race in decline.
As before, I go slowly around the cages. I force myself not to rush over to Nova's cage at once. Is the envoy of destiny entitled to favorites? I speak to each of my subjects. The moment has not yet come for them to talk. I do not mind. I have my entire lifetime in which to acmcyommpilsision.
I now approach my former cage with studied negligence. I look out of the corner of my eye, but I do no see Nova's arms stretched through the bars, I do not hear the cries of joy with which she always used to
greet me. A strange misgiving assails me. I cannot restrain mI ydsaeslfh.
forward. The cage is empty.
I summon one of the warders in an authoritative voice that makes the captives shiver. Zanam is the one who appears. He does not like receiving orders from me, but Zinirsatruhcatsed him to put himself at my disposal.
"Where is Nova?"
He replies in a surly manner that he does not know. She was taken away one day without any reason being given. I repeat my question but in vain. At this moment, luckily, Zira turns up to carry out her tour
of inspection. She sees me in front of the empty cage and realizes why I am so upset. She looks flustered and at once starts talkianbgout something else.
"Cornelius has just come back. He wants to see you."
At the moment I don't give a damn about Cornelius or the chimpanzees or the gorillas or any other creaturehi heaven or in hell. I point at the cell with my ringer.

"Where's Nova?"
"She's ill," says'Zira. "She's been transferred to a swpeinciga."l
She beckons to me and leads me aside, out of earshot of the warder.
"The administrator made me promise to keep it sBecurtetI. feel you ought to know."
"She's ill?",
"Nothing serious; but it's important enough to puatutthhoerities on their toes. Nova is expecting."
"She's..."
"I mean she's pregnant," the she-ape announces, obsemrveingwith a curious expression.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO
I am stupefied without yet fully realizing what this news implies. At first I am assailed by a mass of trivial
detailsand above all tormented by the disquieting question:
give me timteo protest.
ways I not notified of this? Zira does not
"I noticed two months ago, on my return from the trip. The gorillas had not seen a thing. I phoned
Cornelius,who had a long conversation with the administrator. Tahgeryeed that it would be better to keep it secret. No one knows about it except them and me. She's in ancaigseolanedd I'm looking after her personally."
I regard this concealment as an act of treachery on Cornelius' part and I can see that Zira is

embarrassed. It looks to me as though some plot is being hattchheedbainckground.
, "Don't worry. She is being well treated and there's nsohtehinegeds. I'm doing everything I can for her. No pregnancyof a female human has ever been so carefully watched over."
Under her mocking gaze I lower my eyes like a schoolboy guilty of some misdemeanor. She makes an effort to assumaen ironical tone, but I can see she is perturbed. Trerauleiz,eImy physical intimacy with
Nova has vexed herever since she recognized my true nature, but there is more than vexation in her expression. It is her affectifoonr me that makes her anxious. These mysteries concernNinogva presage
nothing good. I imagine she has not told me the whole truth: that the Grand Council is well aware of the situation and there have been discussions at a hvigehrylevel. –
"When is her confinement due?"
"In three or four months."
The tragi-comic side of the situation overwhelmsumddeenly. I am about to become a father in the systemof Betelgeuse. I am going to have a child on the planetbSyoarorwoman for whom I feel a great physical attractionand sometimes even compassion but who has the mind of an animal. No other being in the cosmos has found himsienlfvolved in such an adventure. I feel like weepinglauagnhding at the same
time.
"Zira, I want to see her!"
She gives a little pout of annoyance.
"I knew you would ask me that. I've already discussed it with Cornelius and I think he will agree to it. He's waitingfor you in his office."
"Cornelius is a traitor!"
"You've no right to say that. He is divided between his passion for science and his duty as an ape. It is only natural that he should feel extremely apprehensive aitmtpheinsding birth."

My anguish increases as I follow her down the corridors of the institute. I can imagine the attitude of the learned apes and their fear of seeing a new race arise that— Good heavens! I now see exactly how the mission with whicIh have been entrusted can be accomplished.
Cornelius greets me in a friendly manner, but a permawankewntardness has been created between us.

At times helooks at me as though in terror. I make an effort not to broach the subject on my mind at once. I ashkim abouthe voyage and the end of his stay among the ruins.
"Fascinating. I have a mass of irrefutable proof."
His clever little eyes are sparkling. He cannot prevent himself from exulting over his success. Zira is right; he is torn between his love of science and his duty as an ape. At the moment it is the scientist speaking, the enthusiasticscientist for whom only the triumph of his theories counts.
"Skeletons," he says. "Not one, but a whole colledcitsioconv, ered in such order and circumstances as to make it incontestably clear that we had come upon a graveyard. Enough evidence to convince the most obtuse mind. Our orangutans, of course, insist on regarding it as caoimnceidreence."
"What about these skeletons?"
"They are not simian."
"I see."
We look each other straight in the eye. With his enthusiasm somewhat diminished, he slowly continues, "I can't hidiet from you; you've already guessed. They are the skeoleftomnsen."
Zira is certainly in the know, for she shows no surprise. Both of them again observe me closely. Cornelius finallymakes up his mind to discuss the matter frankly.

"I am now certain," he admits, "that there once existed on our planet a race of human beings endowed with amind comparable to yours and to that of the men who popyuoluarteEarth, a race that has
degenerated and reverted to an animal state. . . . Furthermore, since my retIurhnavheerbeeen given additional evidence to support thyspothesis."
"Additional evidence?"
"Yes. It was discovered by the director of the encephalic section, a young chimpanzee with a great future. He may even be a genius. . . . You would be wrong to think," he continued with heavy sarcasm, "that apes have always been imitators. We have made some remarkable innovations in certain branches
of science, especially hi connection with these experiments on the brain. I'll show you the results some day, if I can. I'm sure you'll be amazed by them."
He seems anxious to convince himself and expresses himself with unusual aggressiveness. I have never attacked him on this point. He was the one who first mentioned the lack of creative faculty in apes, two months ago. Ian boastful tone he continues:
"Believe me, the day will come when we shall surpass men in every field. It is not just by accident, as you might imagine, that we have managed to succeed them. This result was foreordained in the normal course of evolution. Rational man having had his day, a superior being was bound to succeed him, preserve the essential results of his conquests, and assimilate them during a period of satapgpnaarteinotn
before soaring up to even greater heights."
This is a new way of visualizing the outcome. I might well retort that many men on Earth have had the presentiment of a superior being who may one day succeed them but that no scientist, philosopher, or poet has ever imagined this superhuman in the guise of an ape. But I do not feel inclined to pursue the point. The essential, after all, is that the mind should embody itself in some organism. The form of the
latter is of little importance. I have many other more pressing subjects. I bring the conversation around to
Nova and her condition. He makes no comment andtotriceosnsole me.
"Don't worry. It will be all right, I hope. It will pbroebabclyhild like any other human child on Soror."
"I certainly hope not. I'm convinced it will taIlkc!"annot help protesting indignantly. Zira gives a frown to make me keep quiet
"Don't be too hopeful," Cornelius solemnly says,he"rfosrake and for your own."

He adds in a friendlier tone, "If he talked, I don't know if I should be able to go on protecting you as I
do. Don't you realize that the Grand Council is on tenterhooks and that I've been given the strictest orders to keep this birth a secret? If the authorities discovered you knew all about it, I should be dismissed, so would Zira, and you'd find yourself alone among . . ."
"Among enemies?"
He turns his head away. That is exactly what I thought: I am regarded as a danger to the simian race. Nevertheless, I am happy to feel I have an ally in Cornelius, if not a friend. Zira must have pleaded my cause more fervently than she gave me to understand, and he will do nothing that might displease her. He gives me permission to agnod see Nova—in secret, of course.
Zira leads me to an isolated little building to which she alone holds the key. The room into which she shows me is not very big. It "contains only three cages, two oafrewehmichpty. Nova occupies the third.
She has heard uscoming and her instinct has warned her of my presence, for she has risen to her feet and stretched out her arms even before seeing me. I clasp her hands and rubagmayinsftacheers. Zira gives a contemptuous shrug, but shheands me the key of the cage and goes to keep watch oinutstihdee
corridor. What a good soul this she-ape is! What woman would have been capable of such tact? She knowswe must have a lot of things to say to each other and tlheearveefsorues to ourselves.
A lot of things to saAyl?as! I have again forgotten Nova's miserable condition. I rush into the cage and fling my arms around her. I speak to her as though shetoisunabdleerstand—as I might speak to Zira,
for instance.
Does she not understand? Does she not have at least a vague intuition of the mission for which both of us areresponsible from now on, she as well as I?
I lie down on the straw by her side. I stroke the incipient fruit of our outlandish passion. It seems to me nonetheless that her present condition has given her a personality and dignity she did not have before.
She trembles as I pamssy fingers over her stomach. Her eyes have certainly acquairnedew intensity. Suddenly, with a great effort, she stammers out the syllables of my name, which I have taught her to articulate. She has-not forgotten her lessons. I am overwhelmed with joy. But her eye dulls again and she turnsaside to devour the fruit I have brought her.
Zira comes back; it is time to say good-by. I leavher.wSitehnsing my feeling of loss, she accompanies me backto my apartment where I burst into tears like a child.

"Oh Zira, Zira!"
While she cradles me in her arms like a mother, tIo bsepgeiank to her, to speak to her with affection, withoutstopping, relieving myself at last of the surfeit of emaontidontshoughts that Nova is unable to appreciate.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-THREE
Admirable she-ape! Thanks to her, I was able
Ntoovsaeefairly often during this period, without the
authoritiesknowing. I spent hours on the lookout for the intermittent gleam in her eye, and the weeks went by in impatient epxectancy of the birth.
One day Cornelius decided to take me to the encespehcatiloicn, the wonders of which he had described
to meH.
e introduced me to the head of the department, the cyhoiumnpganzee called Helius, whose genius
he had praisedto the skies, and apologized for not being able tomsehoarwound himself because of some urgent work.
"I'll come back in an hour's time to show you thoef ptheeasrel
experiments myself," he said, "the one
that affordsthe evidence I told you about. Meanwhile I'm sure byeoui'nllterested in the classic cases."
Helius showed me into a room similar to thoseininstituhtee, equipped with two rows of cages. On entering,I was struck by a pharmaceutical smell reminiscecnht lorfoform. It was indeed an anesthetic. All the surgicaol perations, my guide informed me, were now performoend subjects who had been put to
sleep. He stressed thpisoint, as though to show the high degree attained by
csiviliiaznation, which was
at pains to suppress all uselseusfsfering, even in men. I could thus be reassured.
I was only half reassured. I was still less so when he ended by mentioning an exception to this rule: the very experiments, in fact, whose aim is to make a stpuadiyn oafnd localize the nerve centers from which
it derivesB. ut I was not to see any of these today.
This was not calculated to appease my human sensiIbirlietmy.embered that Zira had tried to dissuade me fromvisiting this section, where she herself came only wshheenhad to. I felt like turning around and retracing my stepsb;ut Helius did not give me time to do so.

"If you would like to attend an operation, yosueewfiollr yourself -that the patient suffers no pain at all. No? Well, let's go and see the results then.
Passing by the closed cell from which the smell emahneatleedd,
me toward the cages. In the first I saw a
young manof fairly handsome appearance but extreme emaciatioHne.
was propped up on a litter. In
front of him, almost undheirs nose, stood a bowl containing a mash of sweetened cetoreawlshich all the men were partial. He was gazing iant bitewilderment without making the slightest gesture
"You see," said the director. "This boy is famished, he has not eaten for twenty-four hours. Yet he does not react when confronted with his favorite food. This is the result of partial ablation of the frontal brain, which was performeodn him some months ago. Since then he has been continuionustlhyis state and has
to be fed by force. You canhosewe thin he is.
He signaled to a nurse, who went into the cage and pthluenygoedung man's face into the basin. The latter then begalnapping up the mash.
"A fairly commonplace case. Here are some more interoesnteins.g On each of these subjects we've performed an operatioanffecting various areas of the cerebral tissue."
We walked past a series of cages occupied by men and women of all ages. At the door of each of thes was apanel specifying the operation performed, with a weoafltthechnical details.
"Some of these areas are related to the natural refoltehxeers to the acquired reflexes. This one, for instance—"
This one, according to the case history, had had a whole zone of the occipital area removed. He could no longerdistinguish the distance or shape of objects, a disabhileitymanifested by a series of
disorganized gestures whenever a nurse approached him. He was incapable of avoiding a stick placed in
his path. On the other hand, a piece of fruit held out to him inspired him with alarm and he tried to draw away from it in terror. He could not grasp the bars of his cage and made grotesque attesmo,pts to do
closing his fingers on empty air.
"This other one here," said the director with a"wansk,once a remarkable subject. We had succeeded in training him to an astonishing degree. He answerehdistoname and, to a certain extent, obeyed simple orders.He had solved fairly complicated problems and leahrnoewd to use rudimentary tools. Today he
has forgotten all his education. He does not know his name. He pcearnfonromt
the slightest trick. He has
become the stupidest of all our men—as a result of a particularly difficutlitono:pexatraction of the

temporal lobules."
With my stomach heaving at this succession of horrors accompanied by comments from a grinning chimpanzee, I saw men partially or totally paralyzed, others artificially deprived of sight. I saw a young mother whose maternal instinct—once highly developed, so Helius assured me—had completely disappeared after interference with the cervical cortex. She kept pushing away her young child whenever it attempted to approach her. This was too much for me. I thought of Nova, of her impending motherhood, and clenched my fists with rage. Luckily Helius showed me into another room, which gave me time to recover mcoymposure.
"Here," he said with a mysterious ah", "we indulge in more. delicate research. It's no longer the scalpel that is brought to bear, it's a far more subtle medium—electrical stimulation of certain spots of the brain. We have broughotff some remarkable experiments. Do you practice tshoirst of thing on Earth?"
"Yes, on apes!" I retorted in fury.
The chimpanzee kept his temper and smiled.
"Of course. However, I don't think you could ever have obtained such perfect results as ours, comparable to those that Dr. Cornelius wishes to show you himself. Meanwhile let's continue with our rounds of the commonplacases."
He again led me up to some cages where nurses were in the process of operating. The subjects here were stretched out on a sort of table. An incision in the skull laid bare a certain area of the brain. One ape was applying the elterocdes wfiile another was attending to the anesthetic.
"You will note that here, too, we put the subjects to sleep: a mild anesthetic, otherwise the results would befalsified, but the patient feels no pain."
Depending on the point at which the electrodesawppelried, the subject made various movements, usually affecting only one side of his body. One man jerked his leg up at each electric shock, then stretched it out again as soon as the current was switched off. Another performed the same movement with one arm. In the next case it was the whole shoulder that began twitching spasmodically under the effect of the current. Farther on, with a very young patient, it was the area commanding the jaw muscles that was brought into play. The poor wretch started chamepnidnlges,sly champing, with a ghastly grin on

his face, whiltehe rest of his adolescent body remained motionless.
"Now look what happens when the duration of the contact is increased," said Helius. "Here is an experiment carriedto its utmost limit."
The creature on which this treatment was imposed was a lovely young girl who in certain respects reminded me of Nova. Several nurses, male and female apes in white smocks, were buzzing about her naked body. The electrodes were fixed by a she-ape to the young girl's face. The girl at once started moving the fingers of her left hand. The she-ape kept the current on instead of switching it off after a few seconds, as in the other cases. Then the movemofentthse fingers became frenzied and gradually the wrist
started twitching. A moment later and it was the forearm, then the upper arm and shoulder. The twitching presently spread, on the one hand to the hip, the thigh, and the leg all the way down to the toes, on the other to the muscles of the face. After ten minutes the whole of the wretched girl's left side was shaken by convulsive spasms, a dreadful sight, growing more and more rapid and more anvdiolmenot.re
"That's the phenomenon

eoxf tension," Helius calmloybserved. "It's well known and culminates in a

state ofconvulsions presenting all the symptoms of epilepsy—exatnremely strange epilepsy, moreover, affecting only onseide of the body."
"Stop it!"
I had not been able to stifle the cry that rose to Amlly tlhieps.apes gave a start and turned toward me with reprovingglances. Cornelius, who had just come in, gave me a frtiaepndolyn the shoulder.
"I admit these experiments are rather bloodcurdling when you're not used to them. But you must bear in mind thathanks to them our medicine and surgery have made enormous progress in the last quarter of a century."
This argument did not convince me, any morethtehamn emory I had of the same treatment applied to chimpanzees in a laboratory on Earth. Cornelius shrugged his shouladnedrs dragged me off toward a
narrow passage leading
ato smaller room.
"Here," he told me in a solemn tone, "you're goseinegatomarvelous achievement, which is absolutely
new. Only three of us ever go into this room—Helius, who is personally in charge of this research and who has madseuch a success of it; myself; and a carefully selected assistant.

He's a gorilla. He's dumb. He's devoted to me body and soul and, what is more, he's an utter brute. So you see the importance I attach to this work. I'm willing to show it to you because I know you'll be discreet. It's hi youorwn interests."
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR
I entered the room and at first could see nothing tothjiusstaiifry of mystery. The equipment was the same as itnhe previous room: generators, transformers, electrodTehs.ere were only two subjects, a man and a woman, lyinsgtrapped down on two parallel divans. As soon as we atrhreivyedstarted observing
us with a strange intensity.
The gorilla assistant welcomed us with an inarticulate grunt. Helius and he exchanged a few words in deaf-mutelanguage. It was a far from commonplace experience to see a gorilla and a chimpanzee moving then" fingers like this. I do not know why, but it seemed to me tohfe ahbesiugrhdtity and I almost burst
out laughing.
"All is well. They are quite calm. We can beginrigahtteaswt ay."
"What sort of test?" I implored.
"I'd rather keep it as a surprise for you," Corgnreinlinuesd.
The gorilla anesthetized the two patients, who presfeenlltlyasleep, and started up various machines. Helius wenut p to the man, carefully unrolled the bandage that cohviesresdkull, and, aiming at a certain spot, applied the electrodeTs.he man remained absolutely still. I was questioningneCliours with my eyes when the miracle happened.
The man began to talk. His voice echoed around the room with an abruptness that made me start, rising above the buzz of the generator. It was not an hallucination on my part. He was expressing himself in simian language, with the voice of a man from Earth or that of atnhisappelaonnet.
The faces of the two scientists were a study in trTiuhmeyphl.ooked at me with a mischievous glint in their eyes and reveled in my stupefaction. I was about to uetxtcelramanation, but they motioned me to keep quiet and listen. The man's words were incoherent and devoid of origiHnaelitmy.ust have been

captive in the institute for a ltoimnge and kept repeating snatches of sentences he had shpeoakrden by the nurses or the scientists. Cornelius presenptulyt a stop to the experiment.
"We'll get nothing more out of this chap. But thpeominat inis, he talks."
"It's amazing," I stammered.
"You haven't seen anything yet," said Helius. "He talks like a parrot or a gramophone. But I've done much betterwith her."
He indicated the woman, who was sleeping peacefully.
"Much better?"
"A thousand times better," said Cornelius, who showed the same excitement as his colleague. "Just listen. This woman also talks, as you'll soon hear. But she doesn't merely repeat the words she has heard hi captivity. Hertalk has an exceptional significance. By a combinatoiofnphysico-chemical processes, of
which I shall spare you the details, this genius Helius has succeeded hi awakening hi her not only her own individual memory but the memory of the species. Under electrical impulse her recollections go back to
an extremely distant line of ancestors: atavistic memories reviving a past several thousands of years old. Do you realize what that means, Ulysse?"
I was so amazed by this extravagant claim that for a moment I really believed the learned Cornelius had gone mad; for madness exists among the apes, particularly among the intellectuals. But the other
chimpanzee was already handling his electrodes and applying them to the woman's brain. The latter remained inert for some time, just like the man, then she heaved a deep sigh and started talking. She likewise expressed herself in simian language in a rather low but extremely distinct voice that changed
from time to time, as though it belonged to a number of different persons. Every sentence she uttered has remained engravedon my memory.
"For some time," said the voice in a slightly anxious tone, "these apes, all these apes, have been ceaselessly multiplying, although it looked as though then" species was bound to die out at a certain
period. If this goes on, they will almost outnumber us . . : and that's not all. They are becoming arrogant. They look us straight in the eye. We have been wrong to tame them and to grant those whom we use as servants a certain amount of liberty. They are the most insolent of all. One day I was jostled hi the street

by a chimpanzee. As I raised my hand, he looked atsumche ahimenacing manner that I did not dare strike him.
"Anna, who works at the laboratory, tells me there have been a great many changes there as well. She dares not enter the cages alone any more. She says that aat snoirgthot f whispering and chuckling can be
heard. One of the gorillas makes fun of the boss behind his biamckitataensdhis nervous tics."
The woman paused, heaved several anguished sitghhens, went on:
"It's happened! One of them has succeeded in talking. It's certain; I read abWooutmaitn'isn Journal.
There'sa photograph of him, too. He's a chimpanzee."
"A chimpanzee, the first! Just as I thought," Corenxecliluasimed.
"There are several others. The papers report fresh cases every day. Certain biologists regard this as a great scientific success. Don't they realize where it may lead? It appears that one of these chimpanzees has uttered some ugly threats. The first use they make of speech is to protest warheengivtheeny an
order."
The woman fell silent again and resumed in a divffoeirceen,t a somewhat pedantic man's voice:
"What is happening could have been foreseen. A celraezbirnaelss has taken hold of us. No more books; even detective novels have now become too great an intellectual effort. No more games; at the most a hand or two of cards. Even the childish motion picture does not tempt us any more. Meanwhile the apes are meditating in silence. Their brain is developing in solitary reflection . . . and they are talking. Oh! not very much, and to us hardly at all, apart from a few words of scornful refusal to the more intrepid men who still dare to give them orders. But at night, whaerne nwoet there, they exchange impressions and mutuallyinstruct one another."
After a long silence a woman's voice continueadng, uiinsh:
"I was too frightened. I could not go on living like this. I preferred to hand the place over tIo my gorilla. left my own house.

"He1had been with me for years and was a loyal servant. He started going out in the evening to attend meetings. He learned to talk. He refused to do any work. A month ago he ordered me to do the cooking and washing up. He began to use my plates and knives and forks. Last week he chased me out of my bedroom. I had to sleep in an armchair in the sitting room. Not daring to scold him or punish him, I tried to win him over by kindness. He laughed in my face and his demands incwreaassetodo. Imiserable. I
abdicated.
"I have taken refuge in a camp with other women where they are in the same plight. There are some men here as well; most of them have no more courage than we have. It's a wretched life we lead outside the town. We feel ashamed and scarcely speak to one another. During the first few days I played a few
games of patience. I haven't the enearngyy more."
The woman broke off again and a male voiceovteoro: k
"I had found, I believe, a cure for cancer. I wanted to put it to the test, like all my previous discoveries. was careful, but not careful enough. For some time the apes have been reluctant to lend themselves to
these experiments. Before going into Georges', the chimpanzee's, cage I had him held down by my two
assistants. I got ready to ghivime
the injection—the cancer-producing one. I hadgitvoe it to him in order
to be able to cure him. Georges' eyes looked resigned. He did not move, but I saw his crafty eyes glance over my shoulder. I realized too late. The gorillas, the six gorillas I was holding in reserve for the
infection, had escaped. A plot. They seized us. Georges directed the operation. He copied my movements exactly. He ordered us to be tied down on the table, and the gorillas promptly obeyed him. Then he picked up the hypodermic and injected all three of us with the deadly liquid. So now I have cancer. It's certain, for though there may be doubt as to the efficacy of the cure, the fatalonsegrum has since been tested and proved effective.
"After emptying the hypodermic, Georges gave me a friendly pat on the cheek, as I often did to my apes. I had always treated them well. From me they received more caresses man blows. A few days
later, in the cage in which they had locked me up, I recognized the first symptoms of the disease. So had Georges, and I heard him tell the others that he was going to begin the cure. This gave me a new fright. What if it killed me off more quickly! I know I am condemned, but now I lack confidence in this new cure. During the night I succeeded hi forcing the bars of my cage and escaping. I have taken refuge in the camp outside the town. I have two months to live. I am spendinpglaytihnegmpatience and dozing."
Another feminine voice succeeded his:
"I was a lady animal tamer. I used to do an act with a dozen orangutans, magnificent beasts. Today I'm inside the cage instead of them, together with some other pceirfcoursmers.

'To give them their due, the apes treat us well anuds pglievnety to eat. They change the straw of our beddingwhen it becomes too dirty. They are not unkind; pthuenyish only those of us who show
reluctance and refuse to perform the tricks they have taken it into thetior hteeacdhs
us. These are
extremely advanced! I walk
aolnl fours; I turn somersaults. So they are very gomoed. tIo'm not
unhappy. I have no more worries or respboinlisties. Most of us are adapting ourselves to this regime."
This time the woman fell silent for a long time,wdhuircihngCornelius gazed at me with embarrassing
insistence.I could read his thoughts only too well. Had it not been high time for such a feeble race of men, who gave isno easily, to make way for a nobler breed? I grew flaunshdedlooked away. The woman
continued in a more amndore anguished tone:
"They now hold the whole town. There are onlyhaunfderwed of us left in this redoubt and our situation isprecarious. We form the last human nucleus in the viocfintihtye city, but the apes will not tolerate us at
liberty so close to them. In the other camps some of the men have fled far off, into the jungle; the others have surrendered in order to get something to relieve their hungerw. eHheraeve stayed put, mainly from
laziness. We sleep; waere incapable of organizing ourselves for resistance. . . .
"This is what I feared. I can hear a barbaric din, somlikeethiangparody of a military band. . . . Help! It's them,it's the apes! They are surrounding us. They are leendorbmyous gorillas. They have taken our
bugles, our drumsand uniforms, our weapons, too, of course. . . . Nhoa,vtehne'ty any weapons. Oh, what bitter humiliationt,hefinal insult! Their army is upon us and all they are caarreryiwnhgips!"
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE
Some of the results obtained by Helius have leaketod tohuet public. Probably it was the chimpanzee himself whocould not keep his mouth shut in the enthusiasm of suInccethsse. town they are saying that a scientist has succeededin making men talk. Furthermore, the discoveries obfurtiheed city are being discussed in the press, and althouthgehir significance is usually distorted, one or two journaalirsets close
to suspecting the truth. As a result there uinseasy atmosphere abroad, which is manifested by the increased wariness of the authorities about me, an atttihtuadt eis increasingly more disturbing.
Cornelius has many enemies. He dares not proclaim his discovery frankly. Even if he thought of doing so, his superiors would no doubt be against it. The orangutan clan led by Zaius is in league against him. They talk about a conspiracy against the simian race and point me out more or less openly as one of the factioniste. The gorillas have not yet adopted an official stand, but they are alwayasnyagthaiinngst that
tends to disturb law and order.
Today I experienced a deep emotion. The long-awaited event has taken place. First I was overwhelmed

with joy but, on second thoughts, trembled at the new darnegperresietnts. Nova has given birth to a boy.
I have a child, I have a son on the planet Soror. I have seen him, but only with the greatest difficulty. Th security measures have become increasingly strict and I was unable to visit Nova until the week after the birth. It was Zira who brought me the news. She at leraesmt awinilla true friend, whatever else may
happen. She found me so perturbed that she took the responsibility of arranging a meeting for me with my new family. It was a few days after the event that she took me to see them, late at night, for the newborn child is under cloosbeservation during the day.
I have seen him. He's a splendid baby. He was lying on the straw like a new Christ, mizzling against his mother's breast. He looks like me, but he also has Nova's beauty. The latter gave a menacing growl
when I pushed open the door. She, too, feels uneasy. She rose up, her nails extended like claws, but calmed down when she recognized me. I am sure this birth has raised her a few degrees higher on the human scale. The fleeting gleam in her eye isa npoewrmanent glow. I kiss my son with passion, without allowing myself to think of the clouds gathering over our heads.
He will be a man, a proper man, I'm sure. Intelligence sparkles in his features and in his eyes. I have. revived the sacred flame. Thanks to me, a new human race is rising and will bloom on this planet. When he grows up he wbiell the first of the branch and then….
When he grows up! I shudder at the thought of the conditions of his childhood and of all the obstacles that will stand in his path. No matter! Between the three of us, we shall triumph, of that I am sure. I say the three of us, for Nova is now one of us. One need only see the way in which she looks at her child. Though she stililcks him, in the manner of the mothers of this strange hpelraneeyt,es radiate love.
I put him. down again on the straw. I am reassured as to his nature. He does not talk yet, but—I am ou of my mind, he is only three days old!—he will one day. Now he has started crying, crying like a human child and not whining. Nova hears the difference and observes himawwe itahnd ecstasy.
It does not escape Zira's attention, either. She dclroaswesr, her furry ears prick up, and she watches the baby for a long time, in silence, with a solemn expression. Then she signals me that it is time to go. It would be dangerous for all of us if I were to be found here. She promises to look after my son and I know she will keep her word. But I am also aware that she is suspected of beintgo amttea,chaendd the possibility of her dismissal makes me tremIblme.ust not allow her to run this risk.
I embrace my family warmly and leave. Looking around, I see the she-ape likewise bend over this human body and gently put her muzzle to his brow before closing the cage. And Nova does not protest! She permits this caress, which must have become a daily occurrence. Remembering the antipathy she
used to show toward Zira, I cannot rheeglaprding this as a miracle.

We go out. I am trembling from head to foosteeantdhaIt Zira is as deeply moved as I am. "Ulysse," she exclaims, wiping away a tear, "I somefteieml etshis child is also mine!"
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
The periodic visits that I force myself to pay ProAfenstseollre are a more and more painful duty. He is stillin the institute, but he has had to be moved from thceomfafiorlrytable cell where I had arranged for him to be kepHt.e was pining away there and from time to timevegnatveto outbursts of temper that
made him dangerousH. e attempted to bite his warders. So Cornelius thenoutrtieadnother system. He

had him put in an ordinary straw-linecdage and gavheim a mate: the girl with whom he used to sleep in the zoo. The professor welcomed her noiwsiiltyh an animal demonstration of joy, and immediatheilsy manner changed. He has now taken a new lealsiefe.on
It is in her company that I now find him. He taoppbeearqsuite happy. He has put on weight and looks younger. I have done all I can to enter into communicatiohnimw. itIh try again today, but without
success. He is interesteodnly in the cakes I offer him. When the bag is empty he goes back and lies down beside his mate, who starts lickhinisg face..
"Now you can see how intelligence can melt awaays jiut sct an be acquired," someone behind me mutters.
It is Cornelius. He is looking for me, but not to talk about the professor. There is something serious he wantsto discuss. I follow him into his office, where Ziwraaitiisng. Her eyes are red, as though she has
been weeping. They seem to have bad news for me, but neither doafrethsemto speak.
"My son?"
"He's very well," Zira says abruptly. "Toowell," Cornelius mutters with a frown.
I know he is a splendid baby, but it is a month since I have seen him. The security measures have been tightened still more. Zira, who is suspect by the authorities, iscluonsedesrurveillance.
"Much too well," Cornelius repeats. "He smilesc.riHese like a baby ape . . . and he has begun to talk."

"At three months of age!"
"Baby words, but there's everything to indicatehethawtill talk properly later. In fact, he is miraculously precocious."
I am delighted. Zira is annoyed by my doting-mfaathnenrer.
"But don't you realize this is a disaster? The othenresvwerilleave him in liberty."
"I know from a reliable source that some extremely taimntpodrecisions are going to be taken about him by the Grand Council, which is to meet in two weeks' time," Croermnealriuks quietly.
"Important decisions?"
"Very important. There's no question of doing taken away from his mother."
"And I, wouldn't I be allowed to see him?"
wawitahy him . . . not for the moment, at least; bbuet he'll
"You least of .a..ll no, don't interrupt me," the cphaimnzee continues emphatically. "We didn't come here tofeel sorry for ourselves but to work out a plan of Wacetillo,nn. ow I have some definite information. Your sonis going to be placed in a sort of fortress under the surveoilflanthcee orangutans. Yes, Zaius
has been plotting for somtime e and he is going to get the better of us."
At this point Cornelius clenches his fists in ragmeuattnedrs some ugly oaths. Then he continues:
"Needless to say, the Council knows perfectly hwowell little that old fool's scientific views can be
trusted, but they are pretending to believe he is more qualified than I am to study this exceptional subject, because the latter is regarded as a danger to our race. They are coonunZtainiugs to make it impossible
for him to do any harm."

I am dumbfounded. It is not possible to leave my son in the hands of that dangerous imbecile. But
Corneliushas not yet finished.
"It's not only the child that is menaced."
I remain speechless and look at Zira, who hanghseahde. r
"The orangutans hate you because you are the living proof of their scientific aberrations, and the gorillas consider you too dangerous to be allowed at liberty much longer. They are frightened you might found a new race on this planet. But apart from this eventuality, they are frightened that your mere example might sow unrest among the men. Unusual nervousness has been reported among thweithonweshom you are
dealing."
This is true. In the course of my last visit to the room with the cages, I noticed a marked change among the men. It was as though some mysterious instinct had ntohteifmiedof the miraculous birth. They had
greeted my appearancwe ith a concert of howls.
"To tell the truth," Cornelius abruptly concludes, "I'm very much afraid that within the next two weeks the Council might decide to eliminate y..o.uor at least remove part of your brain on the pretext of some experiment. As for Nova, I believe it will be decided to put her out of the way as well, because she has been in such close contawcitth you."
It's not possible! I who believed' myself entrusted with a semi-divine mission! I feel I am once again the most wretched creature living and give way to the most drdeeasdpfauilr. Zira puts her hand on my
shoulder.
"Cornelius is quite right not to have concealed anything from you. But what he has not told you is that we will not abandon you. We have decided to save all three of you, and we'll be helped by a small group of brave chimpanzees."
"What can I do, the only member of my species?"

"You must get away. You must leave this planet, to which you should never have come. You must go back where you belong, to Earth. Your son's safety andowynoudremand it."
Her voice breaks as though she is on the verge of tears. She is even more attached to me than I thought I am also deeply upset, no less at her sorrow than at the prospect of leaving her forever. But how to escape from this planet?Cornelius has a plan.
"It's true," he says. "I've promised Zira to help you escape, and so I shall, even if it means losing my job. I shall thus feel I have not evaded my duty as an ape. For if a danger threatens us, it will be averted by your return to Earth. . . . You once said, I believe, that your swpaacsecsrtailflt intact and could take you
home?"
"Without the slightest doubt. It contains enough fuel, oxygen, and supplies to take us to the edge of the universe.But how am I to reach it?"
"It's still orbiting around our planet. An astronomer friend of mine has tracked it down and knows every detail of its trajectory. As to the means of reaching it? Now listen. In exactly ten days' time we are going to launch an artificial satellite, manned by humans, of course, on whom we want to test the effect of
certain rays. . . . No, don't interrupt! The number of passengers will be limited to mtharne,e:onoene woman, and one child."
I grasp his scheme in a flash and appreciate his ing—enbuuittywhat obstacles!
"Some of the scientists responsible for this launcahreingfriends of mine, and I have won them over to your cause. The satellite will be placed on the trajectoyroyurocfraft and will be navigable within certain limits. The human couple have been trained to carry out cmeorttaioinns through conditioned reflexes. I
think you'll beeven more skillful than they are. . . . For this is oyuoru ptlharne:e will take the place of the passengers. That shouldn'tbe too difficult. As I said, I've already got the necaecscsoamryplices:
chimpanzees regard assassination with repungance. The others won't even notice the trick that's played on them."
This indeed is more than likely. To most of the apes, a man is a man and nothing more. The differences betweenone individual and another do not strike them.

"I'll put you through an intensive course of training during these ten days. Do you think you'll be able to board yourcraft?"
It ought to be possible. But it's not the difficultideasnganerds I am thinking about at the moment. I
cannotshake off the melancholy that assailed me just nothwe
athtought of leaving the planet Soror, Zira,
and my fellowsy,es, my fellow humans. Toward them I feel I am something ! of a deserter. Yet above all I must save my son and Nova. i But I shall come back. Yes, later, I swear it on the heads ' of the captives in the cages, I shall come back with tcraurmdsp in my hand.
I am so bewildered that I voice my thoughts out loud.
Cornelius smiles.
"In four or five years of your time, your traveling time, but in more than a thousand years as far as we stay-at-homes are concerned. Don't forget that we, too, have discovered relativity. In the meantime I've discussed the risk wimthy chimpanzee friends and we have decided to take it."
We leave one another after making arrangemenmtseetot on the following day. Zira goes out first.
Remaining behind with Cornelius for a moment, I take the opportunity of thanking him with all my heart. Inwardly I'm wonderinwg hy he is doing all this for me. He reads my thoughts.
"Zira's the one you ought to thank," he says. "It's to her you will owe your life. On my own, I don't kno if I should have gone to so much trouble or taken so many risks. But she would never forgive me for being a party to murder . . . and anyway . . ."
He pauses. Zira is waiting for me in the corridor oHuetsimdea.kes sure she cannot hear and quickly whispers:
"Anyway, for her as well as me, it is better thshaot uyldouvanish from this planet."
He closes the door after me as I leave the raomoma.loIne with Zira and we take a few steps along the corridor.
"Zira!"

I stop and take her in my arms. She is as upset as I am. I see a tear coursing down her muzzle while w stand locked in a tight embrace. Ah, what matter this horrid material exterior! It is her soul that
communes with mine. I shut my eyes so as not to see her grotesque face, made uglier still by emotion. I
feel her shapeless body tremble against mine. I force myself to rub my cheek agaWinset ahreersa. bout to kiss like lovers when she gives an instinsctatirvteand thrusts me away violently.
While I stand there speechless, not knowing what attitude to adopt, she hides her head in her long hairy paws and this hideous she-ape bursts into tears and announdcespainir:
"Oh, darling,, it's impossible. It's a shame, but II ccaann't't,. You are really too unattractive!"
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN
We have brought it off. I am once again traveling tshpraocueghaboard the cosmic craft, rushing like a comet inthe direction of the solar system at an ever-increasing speed.
I am not alone. With me are Nova and SMus, tohfe ofruuritinterplanetary passion, who can say "papa," "mama" and many other words. Also on board are a coucphlieckoefns and rabbits, and various seeds
that the scientistsputin the satellite to study the effects of radiatioonrgaonnisms of very diverse kinds. All this will not be wasted.
Cornelius' plan was carried out to the letter. Our substfioturtiothne selected trio was made without difficulty. Thewoman took Nova's place in the institute; the childbewhilalnded over to Zaius. The latter will demonstrate thahte cannot talk and is nothing but an animal. Then pIerwhaiplls no longer be considered dangerous, and the man whhaos taken my place, who will also not talk, will be hsips alriefed.
It is unlikely that they will ever suspect the substitTuhtieono. rangutans, as I've said before, make no distinctionbetween one man and another. Zaius will triumph. Cornewliiulsl have a few worries perhaps, but all this will soboen forgotten. . . . What do I mean! It is forgotten alfroeradaye,ons have elapsed out there during the few montIhshave been shooting through space. As for me, my memaroerireaspidly
receding, like the material body of the super-gBiaentetlgeuse, as the space-time increases between us: the monster has changed in size to a small balloon, then an orange. It is now no more than a minute bright spot inthe galaxy. So is it with my Sororian thoughts.
It would be unreasonable of me to fret. I have sucicneesdaevding the beings who are dear to me.
Whom do I miss over there? Zira? Yes, Zira. But the emotions that came to life between us had no name on Earth or in aontyher region of the cosmos. The separation was essenStihael. must have recovered her

peace of mind, bringing huepr baby chimpanzees after marrying Cornelius. ProfeAssnotrelle? To hell with the professor! I could no longerandyothing for him, and he has apparently found a satisfascotlourtiyon to
the problem of existence. Only I shudder occaasliloyn when I think that had I been placed in the same environment as he was, and without Zira's presence, I, too, hmavigehftallen equally low.
The boarding of our craft took place without a hitch. I was able to draw closer and closer to it by guiding thesatellite, and to enter the compartment, which had been left wide open for the eventual return of our launch. Then the robots went into action and closed all the exits. We were on board. The
equipment was intact and the electronic brain started carrying out all the operations for our departure. On the planet Soror our accomplices pretended that the satellite had been destroyed in flight after failing to beplaced in orbit.
We have been traveling for more than a year and a half of our own time. We have reached almost the speed of light, crossed an immense space in a very short time, and have already embarked on the
deceleration period that is to last another year. In our little universe gIetnteivreedr family.
of admiring my new
Nova is bearing the voyage extremely well. She is becmomoriengand more rational. Her motherhood

has transformed her. She spends hours doting on her son, who is proving to be a better teacher for her than I was. She articulates almost correctly the words he utters. She does not yet talk to me, but we have drawn up a code of gestures enabling us to understand each other. I feel as though I had lived with her always. As for Sirius, he is truly the pearl of the cosmos. He is a year and a half old. He walks, despite the heavy gravity, and babbles without stopping. I cawnaniot t to showhim to the men on Earth.
What intense emotion I felt this morning when I noticed the sun beginning to assume perceptible dimension! It appears to us now like a billiard ball and is tinged with yellow. I point it out to Nova and Sirius. I explain the nature of this heavenly body, which is new to ththemey, uanderstand. Today Sirius
talks fluently and Novaalmost as well. She has been learning at the same time as he. Miracle of motherhood, miracle that I Ovulated! I was unable to raise all the men on Soror from thsetairtea, nimal but my success in Nova's case is complete.
The sun is growing bigger every moment. I try to disttihnegupislhanets through the telescope. I can find my bearings easily. I can see Jupiter, Saturn, Mars.,.. atnhde Earthy,es, here is the Earth!
Tears come into my eyes. Only someone who has lived more than a year on the planet of the apes could appreciate my emotion... I know that after seven hundred years I shall find neither parents nor friends,
but I can hardwlyait to see proper men again.
Glued to the portholes, we watch Earth approaching.

I no longer need the telescope to distinguish the contWineentasr.e in orbit. We are revolving around my
old planetI.
can see Australia, America, and then . . . yeiss,
Fherarence. We all three embrace, sobbing.
We embark in the vessel's second launch. All the calcuhlaatvioensbeen made with a view to landing in my native countryn:ot far from Paris, I hope.
We have entered the atmosphere. The retrorockets cinotmo eaction. Nova looks at me and smiles. She
has learned how to smile and also how to weep. My son stretches his arms out and opens his eyes in wonder. Below us is ParTish.e Eiffel Tower is still there.
I have taken over the controls and am navigatingaccvueraytely. A miracle of technique! After seven hundredyears' absence I manage to land at Orly—it has not chavnegreyd much—at the end of the airfield fairly far from tahierport buildings. They must have noticed me, soI anlel ed do is wait There seems to be no air traffic; could the airport be out of use? No, there goes a mresaecmhibnlee.s Iitn every respect the aircraft of my day and age!
A vehicle moves off from the buildings, heading dinireocutiron. I switch off my rockets, a prey to an increasinglyfeverish excitement What a story I shall have to tell my fellow humans! Perhaps they won't believe me aftirst, but I have proof. I have Nova, I have my son.
The vehicle approaches. It is a truck and a fairflyashoilodn-ed model: four wheels and a combustion engine.I automatically register these details. I should have thosucht vehicles had been relegated to museums long ago.
I also expected a somewhat more official reception.
aTrheerveery few people here to greet me. Only
two men, as far as I can see. But how stupid I am—of coucrasnenothtekynow. But when they do know
. . .!
Yes, there are two of them. I cannot see them dibsteincacutlsye of the setting sun reflected on the windshield,an extremely dirty windshield. Just the driver and poansesenger. The latter wears a uniform. He is an officer; I can see the glitter of his badges of rank. The coomf mthaendaeirrport, probably. The others will follow.

The truck stops fifty yards from us. I pick my son up in my arms and leave the launch. Nova follows us aftera moment's hesitation. She looks frightened but shesowoinll get over it.
The driver gets out of the vehicle. He has his backtotumrnee.dHe is half concealed by the long grass growing inthe space between us. He opens the door for the passenger
to alight I was not mistaken, he is an officer; a seniorasofIficneorw,
see from his badges of rank. He
jumps down. He takes a few steps toward us, emerges from theangdraasts,last appears in full view. Nova utters a scream, snatchems y son from me, and rushes back with him to the wlahuilnechI, remain rooted to the spot, unable to move a moursculetter a sounHd.e is a gorilla.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT

Phyllis and Jinn raised their heads from the manuscript over which they had been bending together and lookedat each other for some time without saying a word.
"A likely story," said Jinn at last, forcing a smhiisleliptos.
Phyllis remained wrapped in thought. Certain parts of the story had moved her and seemed to contain a germof truth. She said so to her companion.
"It just shows there are poets everywhere, in every ocfortnheer cosmos, and practical jokers, too." She pondered over this, but was not so easily convasincheed was. However, she reluctantly agreed. "You're right, Jinn. That's what I think. . . . Rmateionn?alMen endowed with a mind? Men inspired by
intelli gence? No, that's not possible; there the author hastogoonfaer. But it's a pity!"
"I quite agree," said Jinn. "Now it's time we
bstaacrkte.d"

He let out the sail, exposing it to the combineodf rtahyes three suns. Then he began to manipulate the driving levers, using his four agile hands, while Phyllis, aftemr idssising a last shred of doubt with an
energetic shake of her velvety ears, took out her compact and, in view of their return to port, touched up her dear little chimpanzemeuzzle.
THEEND

Table of Contents

CHAPTERSIX

CHAPTERNINETEEN

CHAPTERTWENTY

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT