After time Mr Wace aspired to attract the attention Martians, strange eyes of appeared close crystal Mr Cave cried out and sprang away, immediately turned light and began to gesticulate in manner suggestive of signalling But when at last Mr Cave examined the crystal again the Martian had departed

Thus far these observations had progressed in early November, and then Mr Cave, feeling suspicions family crystal were allayed, began it to and fro , as occasion arose daytime or night, he might comfort himself with fast becoming the most real thing existence

In December Mr Wace's work in connection with forthcoming examination became heavy, the sittings were reluctantly suspended for week, and for ten or eleven days-- which-- nothing of Cave He then grew anxious to resume these investigations, and, the stress seasonal labours being abated, he went down to Seven Dials corner he noticed shutter before bird fancier's window, and then another at cobbler's Mr Cave's shop was closed

He rapped door was opened step-son in black He at once called Mrs Cave, who was, Mr Wace but observe, in cheap but ample widow's weeds most imposing pattern Without any very great surprise Mr Wace learnt that Cave was dead and already buried She was in tears, and her voice was little thick She had just returned from Highgate Her mind seemed occupied with her own prospects honourable details obsequies, but Mr Wace was at last able to learn the particulars of Cave's death He found dead shop early morning, the day after his last visit to Mr Wace, crystal clasped stone-cold hands His face was smiling, said Mrs Cave, velvet cloth minerals lay floor at his feet been dead five or six hours when found

This came as great shock to Wace, and he began to reproach himself bitterly for having neglected the plain symptoms old man's ill-health But his chief thought was crystal He approached that topic in gingerly manner, because Mrs Cave's peculiarities dumfounded to learn sold

Mrs Cave's first impulse, directly Cave's body taken upstairs, to write mad clergyman who had offered five pounds crystal, informing him recovery; but after violent hunt, her daughter joined her, they were convinced loss address were without the means required to mourn and bury Cave elaborate style the dignity of an old Seven Dials inhabitant demands, they had appealed to friendly fellow-tradesman in Great Portland Street He had very kindly taken over portion stock at valuation The valuation was his own, crystal egg was included in lots Mr Wace, after few suitable condolences, little off-handedly proffered perhaps, hurried at once to Great Portland Street But there he learned crystal egg had already been sold to tall, dark man in grey And there the material facts curious, and very suggestive, story come abruptly to an end The Great Portland Street dealer know who the tall dark man in grey was, nor had he observed him with sufficient attention to describe him minutely even know this person had gone after leaving the shop For time Mr Wace remained shop, trying the dealer's patience with hopeless questions, venting his own exasperation And at last, realising abruptly whole thing had passed out hands, had vanished like vision night, he returned own rooms, little astonished the notes he had made still tangible and visible upon, his untidy table

His annoyance and disappointment were naturally very great second call (equally ineffectual) Great Portland Street dealer, and he resorted to advertisements periodicals as were lively hands of bric-a-brac collector He also wrote letters Daily Chronicle and Nature_, but both those periodicals, suspecting hoax, asked him to reconsider his action printed, and advised that such strange story, unfortunately so bare of supporting evidence, might imperil his reputation as an investigator Moreover, the calls proper work were urgent after month or so, save for an occasional reminder to certain dealers, he had reluctantly to abandon the quest crystal egg, and day it remains undiscovered Occasionally, however, he tells me, and quite believe him, he has bursts of zeal, he abandons his more urgent occupation and resumes the search

Whether or not remain lost for ever, material and origin of it, are things equally speculative present time present purchaser is collector, one expected the enquiries of Mr Wace reached him dealers He to discover Mr Cave's clergyman and "Oriental"--no the Rev James Parker young Prince of Bosso-Kuni in Java obliged for certain particulars The object Prince was simply curiosity--and extravagance so eager because Cave was so oddly reluctant just as possible buyer second instance was simply casual purchaser and not collector at all, crystal egg, for all , may present moment be within mile of me, decorating drawing-room or serving as paper-weight--its remarkable functions all unknown Indeed, partly idea possibility that thrown this narrative into form give it chance of being read ordinary consumer of fiction

My own ideas matter are practically identical with those of Mr Wace I believe the crystal mast in Mars crystal egg of Mr Cave's in some physical, but at present quite inexplicable, way _en rapport_, and we both believe further terrestrial crystal must --possibly at some remote date--sent hither planet, the Martians near view affairs Possibly the fellows crystals other masts are also globe No theory of hallucination suffices facts