telescope. I
longed for a perpetual night and found the day almost intolerably
irksome."

Sir Tiglath's brick-red countenance was irradiated with a smile that did
not lack geniality.

"The old astronomer lendeth attentive ear to the young man's epic," he
roared, through the crumpet. "He approveth the young man's admiration
for the heavenly bodies. Go on."

But at the last command the Prophet seemed suddenly to jib. The reserved
expression returned to his face.

"That's all, Sir Tiglath," he said.

The astronomer and Mrs. Merillia again exchanged a glance which was not
unobserved by Lady Enid. Then Sir Tiglath, with an abrupt and portentous
gravity, exclaimed in thunderous tones,--

"Sir, are you a man of science or have you the brain of a charlatan
enclosed in the fleshy envelope of a conjurer and a sinner? Do you study
the noble and beautiful stars for their own sakes to find out what they
are, and what they are doing, what is their nature and what their place
in the great scheme, or do you peek and pry at them through the keyhole
of a contemptible curiosity in order to discover what you think they
can do for you, to set you on high, to puff you out into a personage
and cause you to be noticed of the foolish ones of this world? Which are
you, sir, a young man of parts whose hand I can grasp fraternally, or
an insulter of planets, sir, a Peeping Tom upon the glorious nudity of
Venus, a Paul Pry squinting at the mysteries of Mercury for an unholy
and, what is more, an idiotic purpose? What do you ask of the stars,
sir? Tell the old astronomer that!"

The Prophet was considerably taken aback by this tirade, which caused
the many ornaments in the pretty room to tremble. He gazed at his
grandmother, and found her nodding approval of Sir Tiglath. He glanced
at Lady Enid. She was leaning back in her chair and looking amused, like
a person at an entertainment.

"What do I ask, Sir Tiglath?" he murmured in some confusion.

"Do you ask about your reverent granddam's hallowed ankles, sir? Do
you afflict the stars with inquiries about the state of the ridiculous
weather? Is that it?"

The Prophet understood that Mrs. Merillia had been frank with the
astronomer. He cast upon her a glance of respectful reproach.

"Yes, Hennessey," she answered, "I have. My dear child, I thought it for
the best. This prophetic business would soon have been turning the
house upside down, and at my age I'm really not equal to living at
c