ce, be still,' were spoken? Such was
the effect of the voice to which but a few weeks ago we were listening.
It is hard to believe that it has died out of human consciousness. Can
such a voice be spared from that world of happiness to which we fondly
look forward, where we love to dream, if we do not believe with assured
conviction, that whatever is loveliest in this our mortal condition
shall be with us again as an undying possession? Your English friend has
a very agreeable voice, round, mellow, cheery, and her articulation
is charming. Other things being equal, I think you, who are, perhaps,
oversensitive, would live from two to three years longer with her than
with the other. I suppose a man who lived within hearing of a murmuring
brook would find his life shortened if a sawmill were set up within
earshot of his dwelling."

"And so you advise me to make love to the English girl, do you?" asked
the Tutor.

Number Five laughed. It was not a loud laugh, she never laughed noisily;
it was not a very hearty laugh; the idea did not seem to amuse her much.

"No," she said, "I won't take the responsibility. Perhaps this is a case
in which the true reading of Gay's line would be--

"How happy could I be with neither.

"There are several young women in the world besides our two Annexes."

I question whether the Tutor had asked those questions very seriously,
and I doubt if Number Five thought he was very much in earnest.

One of The Teacups reminded me that I had promised to say something of
my answers to certain questions. So I began at once:

I have given the name of brain-tappers to the literary operatives who
address persons whose names are well known to the public, asking their
opinions or their experiences on subjects which are at the time of
general interest. They expect a literary man or a scientific expert to
furnish them materials for symposia and similar articles, to be used by
them for their own special purposes. Sometimes they expect to pay for
the information furnished them; at other times, the honor of being
included in a list of noted personages who have received similar
requests is thought sufficient compensation. The object with which the
brain-tapper puts his questions may be a purely benevolent and entirely
disinterested one. Such was the object of some of those questions
which I have received and answered. There are other cases, in which the
brain-tapper is acting much as those persons do who