hich appeared
to transcend the material plane to which his mental vision was at
present entirely confined.

When the servant had left the room after bringing the coffee, he gave
Phadrig a cigar, lit one himself, and said through the first puffs of
smoke:

"Phadrig, you know, or pretend to know, more about these things than I
do, or want to do: but, still, just now I want you to tell me honestly
if you believe that Professor Marmion did really solve those problems
to-night. I ask you because I admit that the solutions went beyond the
range of my mathematics."

"Highness," replied the Egyptian, speaking slowly and almost reverently,
"he did. There is not, I think, another man on earth now who could have
done so; but for those who had eyes to see there could be no doubt, and
you will find that, though he has many rivals and will have countless
critics, not one will be able either to explain his solutions or find a
flaw in them."

"You did a few things that I should not have thought possible the other
day, which you claimed to be really miracles. Now, if they were, I
suppose you can explain Professor Marmion's?"

"There are no miracles, Highness: only the results of higher knowledge
than that which they who see them possess. That is why what I did seemed
like miracles to those who watched. But this Franklin Marmion, as he is
called in this life, has attained to a higher knowledge than mine,
wherefore I am able only to understand imperfectly, but not myself to
do, that which he does. Yet, as the High Gods live, he did this thing;
and to do it he must have passed to the higher life through the gate of
the Perfect Knowledge."

"In other words," said the Prince, after a big gulp of his
brandy-and-soda, "that he has solved that infernal problem of the fourth
dimension you have had so much to say about. Now, granted that he has
done so, what does it amount to as regards our world--the world of
practical thought and real action, I mean?"

"All thought is practical, Highness," replied Phadrig, "since there can
be no action which is intelligent without thought. Wherefore, the higher
the thought the more potent the action, and so he who has the Perfect
Knowledge has also the Perfect Power."

"Then, do you mean to tell me seriously--and I can hardly think that you
would trifle with me--that this man is now practically omnipotent, as
far as we lower beings, as you seem to call us, are concerned?"

"Only the High Gods are om