At the hour in the morning when human nurses slap patient's faces with cold, wet cloths under the pretense of washing them, Smith returned from his journey.  He speeded up his heart, increased his respiration, and again took note of his surroundings, viewing them with serenity.  He looked the room over, noting without discrimination and with praise all its details, both important and unimportant.  He was, in fact, seeing it for the first time, as he had been incapable of enfolding it when he had been brought there the day before.  This commonplace room was not commonplace to him; there was nothing remotely like it on all Mars, nor did it resemble the wedge-shaped metal-walled compartments of the Champion.  But, having relived the events linking his nest to this place, he was now prepared to accept it, commend it, and in some degree to cherish it.