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THE STAR
It was on the first day of the New Year that the announcement
was made； almost simultaneously from three observatories； that the
motion of the planet Neptune； the outermost of all the planets
that wheel about the sun； had become very erratic。 Ogilvy had
already called attention to a suspected retardation in its velocity
in December。 Such a piece of news was scarcely calculated to
interest a world the greater portion of whose inhabitants were
unaware of the existence of the planet Neptune； nor outside the
astronomical profession did the subsequent discovery of a faint
remote speck of light in the region of the perturbed planet cause
any very great excitement。 Scientific people； however； found the
intelligence remarkable enough； even before it became known that
the new body was rapidly growing larger and brighter； that its
motion was quite different from the orderly progress of the
planets； and that the deflection of Neptune and its satellite was
becoming now of an unprecedented kind。
Few people without a training in science can realise the huge
isolation of the solar system。 The sun with its specks of planets；
its dust of planetoids； and its impalpable comets； swims in a
vacant immensity that almost defeats the imagination。 Beyond the
orbit of Neptune there is space； vacant so far as human observation
has penetrated； without warmth or light or sound； blank emptiness；
for twenty million times a million miles。 That is the smallest
estimate of the distance to be traversed before the very nearest of
the stars is attained。 And； saving a few comets more unsubstantial
than the thinnest flame； no matter had ever to human knowledge
crossed this gulf of space； until early in the twentieth century
this strange wanderer appeared。 A vast mass of matter it was；
bulky； heavy； rushing without warning out of the black mystery of
the sky into the radiance of the sun。 By the second day it was
clearly visible to any decent instrument； as a speck with a barely
sensible diameter； in the constellation Leo near Regulus。 In a
little while an opera glass could attain it。
On the third day of the new year the newspaper readers of two
hemispheres were made aware for the first time of the real
importance of this unusual apparition in the heavens。 〃A Planetary
Collision；〃 one London paper headed the news； and proclaimed
Duchaine's opinion that this strange new planet would probably
collide with Neptune。 The leader writers enlarged upon the topic；
so that in most of the capitals of the world； on January 3rd； there
was an expectation； however vague of some imminent phenomenon in
the sky； and as the night followed the sunset round the globe；
thousands of men turned their eyes skyward to seethe old familiar
stars just as they had always been。
Until it was dawn in London and Pollux setting and the stars
overhead grown pale。 The Winter's dawn it was； a sickly filtering
accumulation of daylight； and the light of gas and candles shone
yellow in the windows to show where people were astir。 But the
yawning policeman saw the thing； the busy crowds in the markets
stopped agape； workmen going to their work betimes； milkmen； the
drivers of news…carts； dissipation going home jaded and pale；
homeless wanderers； sentinels on their beats； and in the country；
labourers trudging afield； poachers slinking home； all over the
dusky quickening country it could be seenand out at sea by seamen
watching for the daya great white star； come suddenly into the
westward sky！
Brighter it was than any star in our skies； brighter than the
evening star at its brightest。 It still glowed out white and
large； no mere twinkling spot of light； but a small round clear
shining disc； an hour after the day had come。 And where science
has not reached； men stared and feared； telling one another of the
wars and pestilences that are foreshadowed by these fiery signs in
the Heavens。 Sturdy Boers； dusky Hottentots； Gold Coast Negroes；
Frenchmen； Spaniards； Portuguese； stood in the warmth of the
sunrise watching the setting of this strange new star。
And in a hundred observatories there had been suppressed
excitement； rising almost to shouting pitch； as the two remote
bodies had rushed together； and a hurrying to and fro； to gather
photographic apparatus and spectroscope； and this appliance and
that； to record this novel astonishing sight； the destruction of a
world。 For it was a world； a sister planet of our earth； far
greater than our earth indeed； that had so suddenly flashed into
flaming death。 Neptune it was； had been struck； fairly and
squarely； by the strange planet from outer space and the heat of
the concussion had incontinently turned two solid globes into one
vast mass of incandescence。 Round the world that day； two hours
before the dawn； went the pallid great white star； fading only as
it sank westward and the sun mounted above it。 Everywhere men
marvelled at it； but of all those who saw it none could have
marvelled more than those sailors； habitual watchers of the stars；
who far away at sea had heard nothing of its advent and saw it now
rise like a pigmy moon and climb zenithward and hang overhead and
sink westward with the passing of the night。
And when next it rose over Europe everywhere were crowds of
watchers on hilly slopes； on house…roofs； in open spaces； staring
eastward for the rising of the great new star。 It rose with a
white glow in front of it； like the glare of a white fire； and
those who had seen it come into existence the night before cried
out at the sight of it。 〃It is larger；〃 they cried。 〃It is
brighter！〃 And； indeed the moon a quarter full and sinking in the
west was in its apparent size beyond comparison； but scarcely in
all its breadth had it as much brightness now as the little circle
of the strange new star。
〃It is brighter！〃 cried the people clustering in the streets。
But in the dim observatories the watchers held their breath and
peered at one another IT IS NEARER；〃 they said。 〃NEARER！〃
And voice after voice repeated； 〃It is nearer；〃 and the
clicking telegraph took that up； and it trembled along telephone
wires； and in a thousand cities grimy compositors fingered the
type。 〃It is nearer。〃 Men writing in offices； struck with a
strange realisation； flung down their pens； men talking in a
thousand places suddenly came upon a grotesque possibility in
those words； 〃It is nearer。〃 It hurried along wakening streets； it
was shouted down the frost…stilled ways of quiet villages； men who
had read these things from the throbbing tape stood in yellow…lit
doorways shouting the news to the passersby。 〃It is nearer。〃
Pretty women； flushed and glittering； heard the news told jestingly
between the dances； and feigned an intelligent interest they did
not feel。 〃Nearer！ Indeed。 How curious！ How very； very clever
people must be to find out things like that！〃
Lonely tramps faring through the wintry night murmured those
words to comfort themselveslooking skyward。 〃It has need to be
nearer； for the night's as cold as charity。 Don't seem much warmth
from it if it IS nearer； all the same。〃
〃What is a new star to me？〃 cried the weeping woman kneeling
beside her dead。
The schoolboy； rising early for his examination work； puzzled
it out for himselfwith the great white star shining broad and
bright through the frost…flowers of his window。 〃Centrifugal；
centripetal；〃 he said； with his chin on his fist。 〃Stop a planet
in its flight； rob it of its centrifugal force； what then？
Centripetal has it； and down it falls into the sun！ And this！
〃Do WE come in the way？ I wonder〃
The light of that day went the way of its brethren； and with
the later watches of the frosty darkness rose the strange star
again。 And it was now so bright that the waxing moon seemed but a
pale yellow ghost of itself； hanging huge in the sunset。 In a
South African City a great man had married； and the streets were
alight to welcome his return with his bride。 〃Even the skies have
illuminated；〃 said the flatterer。 Under Capricorn； two negro
lovers； daring the wild beasts and evil spirits； for love of one
another； crouched together in a cane brake where the fire…flies
hovered。 〃That is our star；〃 they whispered； and felt strangely
comforted by the sweet brilliance of its light。
The master mathematician sat in his private room and pushed
the papers from him。 His calculations were already finished。 In
a small white phial there still remained a little of the drug that
had kept him awake and active for four long nights。 Each day；
serene； explicit； patient as ever； he had given his lecture to his
students； and then had come back at once to this momentous
calculation。 His face was grave； a little drawn and hectic from
his drugged activity。 For some time he seemed lost in thought。
Then he went to the win