第21章

"Yes.He looks at the morals of the stars through his telescope, said Lady Enid."By the way--do you, too?" she added to the Prophet, for the first time observing the instrument in the bow window.

Mrs.Merillia and Sir Tiglath exchanged a glance.An earnest expression came into the Prophet's face.

"I confess," he said, with becoming modesty in the presence of the great master of modern astronomy, "that I do watch the heavens from that window.""And for what purpose, young man?" rumbled Sir Tiglath, for the first time dropping his theatrical manner of an old barn-stormer, and speaking like any ordinary fogey, such as you may see at a meeting on behalf of the North Pole, or at a dinner of the Odde Volumes.

"For--for purposes of research, Sir Tiglath," answered the Prophet, with some diplomacy.

"The young man trieth to put off the old astronomer with fair words,"bellowed Sir Tiglath."The thief inserteth his thumb into the tail pocket of the unobservant archbishop for purposes of research.The young man playeth merrily forsooth with the old astronomer."Mrs.Merillia nodded her lace cap at him encouragingly.It was evident that there was an understanding between them.Lady Enid began to wonder what was its nature.The Prophet seemed rather disconcerted at the reception given to his not wholly artless ambiguity.

"Grannie," he said, turning to Mrs.Merillia, "you know how deeply the stars interest me.""For their own sake, young man?" said Sir Tiglath."Or as the accursed avenue interests the foolish virgins--for the sake of frivolity, idle curiosity, or dark doings which could not support the light even of a star of the sixth magnitude? Can you tell your admirable and revered granddam that?"This time, underneath his preposterous manner and fantastic speech, both Lady Enid and the Prophet fancied that they could detect an element of real gravity, even perhaps a hint of weighty censure which made them both feel very young--rising two, or thereabouts.

"I was originally led to study stars, Sir Tiglath, because I had the honour to meet you and make your acquaintance," said the Prophet, valiantly.

The astronomer lapsed at once into his first manner.

"In what fair company did the old astronomer converse with the young man?" he cried."His memory faileth him.He doteth and cannot recall the great occasion.""It was at the Colley Cibber Club, Sir Tiglath," said the Prophet, firmly."But we--we did not converse.You had a--a slight indisposition.""Would you venture to imply--in the presence of your notable granddam--that one had looked upon the wine when it was red, young man?""You had a glass of port by you certainly, Sir Tiglath.But you also had a cold which, you gave me to understand--by signs--had affected your throat and prevented you from carrying on conversation.

"Then was it the vision of the old astronomer's personal and starry beauty that led you, hot foot, to Venus through yonder telescope?

Oh-h-h-h!"

"I did not take observations of Venus first," answered the Prophet, with a certain proud reserve."I began by an examination into 'The Milky Way.' "Sir Tiglath impounded another crumpet.

"Go on, young man," he cried."The old astronomer lendeth ear."The Prophet, who felt very much like a nervous undergraduate undergoing a /viva-voce/ examination, continued,--"I became deeply interested, strongly attracted by the--the heavenly bodies.They fascinated me.I could think of nothing else."Lady Enid's Scottish lips tightened almost imperceptibly.

"I could talk of nothing else," proceeded the Prophet."Could I, grannie?""No, indeed, Hennessey," assented Mrs.Merillia."All other topics were banished from discussion.""All," cried the Prophet, with increasing fervour and lack of self-consciousness."I could not tear myself from the 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.