ul, with
Mrs. Challoner and her other daughter Effie, brought up the rear. There
was a universal murmur of surprise and delight as the dinner-table came
in view; and its arrangement was indeed a triumph of art. In the centre
was placed a large round of crystal in imitation of a lake, and on this
apparently floated a beautiful gondola steered by the figure of a
gondolier, both exquisitely wrought in fine Venetian glass. The
gondolier was piled high with a cargo of roses; but the wonder of it
all was, that the whole design was lit up by electricity. Electric
sparkles, like drops of dew, shone on the leaves of the flowers; the
gondola was lit from end to end with electric stars, which were
reflected with prismatic brilliancy in the crystal below; the
gondolier's long pole glittered with what appeared to be drops of water
tinged by the moonlight, but which was really an electric wire, and in
his cap flashed an electric diamond. The whole ornament scintillated
and glowed like a marvellous piece of curiously contrived jewel-work.
And this was not all. Beside every guest at table a slender vase,
shaped like a long-stemmed Nile lily, held roses and ferns, in which
were hidden tiny electric stars, causing the blossoms to shine with a
transparent and almost fairy-like lustre.

Four graceful youths, clad in the Armenian costume, stood waiting
silently round the table till all present were seated, and then they
commenced the business of serving the viands, with swift and noiseless
dexterity. As soon as the soup was handed round, tongues were loosened,
and the Challoners, who had been gazing at everything in almost
open-mouthed astonishment, began to relieve their feelings by warm
expressions of unqualified admiration, in which Colonel and Mrs.
Everard were not slow to join.

"I do say, and I will say, this beats all I've ever seen," said good
Mrs. Challoner, as she bent to examine the glittering vase of flowers
near her plate.

"And this is real electric light? And is it perfectly harmless?"

Heliobas smilingly assured her of the safety of his table decorations.
"Electricity," he said, "though the most powerful of masters, is the
most docile of slaves. It is capable of the smallest as well as of the
greatest uses. It can give with equal certainty life or death; in fact,
it is the key-note of creation."

"Is that your theory, sir?" asked Colonel Everard.

"It is not only my theory," answered Heliobas, "it is a truth,
indispu