re no thought of her own likes or dislikes was
allowed to enter into the matter. Presently a voice was heard calling
her name:

"Caroline--quick!"

The pen was laid down at once, and Miss Herschel ran upstairs to the
upper story to her brother.

"Help me to carry the telescope into the street. The moon is just in
front of the houses. Carry the stand and the instrument. Be careful! I
will follow with the rest."

"In the street?" Caroline asked. "Will you not be disturbed by
passers-by?"

"Nothing disturbs me," was the reply. "I answer no questions, so folks
tire of putting them. It is such a glorious night--there may not be
another like it for months; and the moon is clearer than I have seen her
since I had the seven-foot reflector."

As William Herschel spoke, he was preparing to carry the precious
reflector downstairs--that outcome of many a night-watch, and many a
weary hour of purely manual labour. Turning the lathe and polishing
mirrors was, however, but a small part of his unflagging perseverance.
This perseverance had evolved the larger instrument from a small
telescope, bought for a trifle from an optician at Bath. That telescope
had first kindled the desire in William Herschel's mind to produce one
which should surpass all its predecessors, and help him to scan more
perfectly those "star-strewn skies," and discover in them treasures to
make known to future ages, and be linked for ever with his name.
Caroline Herschel was his right hand. She was his apprentice in the
workshop--his reader when the polishing went on; and often, when William
had not even a moment to spare for food, she would stand over him, and
feed him as he worked with morsels of some dish prepared by her own
hand.

"You have copied the score for Ronzini, Caroline?"

"I have nearly finished it."

"And you have practised that quick passage in the song in 'Judas
Maccabaeus'?"

"Yes; but I will do so again before to-morrow. It is our reception-day,
you remember."

"Yes; where is Alexander?"

"He is at the Ball at Wiltshire's. He was at work all the morning, you
know," Caroline said, in an apologetic tone.

"Work is not Alex's meat and drink; he likes play."

In a few minutes the telescope was adjusted on the pavement before the
house; and the faithful sister, having thrown a thick shawl over her
head, stood patiently by her brother's side, handing him all he wanted,
writing down measurements, though her fingers were blue with cold