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sunny silk that might have curtained Venus or have shaken about Aurora
as she rose in the first morning of the world。 From her he had acquired
the alphabet and many a ginger…nut and decorative bonbon。 And from her；
too； he had set forth； with tears； in his new Eton jacket and broad
white collar； to go to Mr。 Chapman's preparatory school for little boys
at Slough。 Here he remained for several years； acquiring a respect for
the poet Gray and a love of Slough peppermint that could only cease
with life。 Here too he made friends with Robert Green； son of Lord
Churchmore； who was afterwards to be a certain influence in his life。
His existence at Slough was happy。 Indeed； so great was his affection
for the place that his removal to Eton cost him suffering scarcely less
acute than that which presently attended his departure from Eton to
Christchurch。 Over his sensations on leaving Oxford we prefer to draw a
veil； only saying that his last outlookas an undergraduateover her
immemorial towers was as hazy as the average Cabinet Minister's outlook
over the events of the day and the desires of the community。
But if the moisture of the Prophet did him credit at that painful
period of his life； it must be allowed that his behaviour on being
formally introduced into London Society showed no puling regret； no
backward longings after echoing colleges； lost dons and the scouts that
are no more。 He was quite at his ease； and displayed none of the high…
pitched contempt of Piccadilly that is often so amusingly
characteristic of the young gentlemen accustomed to 〃the High。〃
Mrs。 Merillia； who had been a widow ever since she could remember；
possessed the lease of the house in Berkeley Square in which the
Prophet was now sitting。 It was an excellent mansion； with everything
comfortable about it； a duke on one side； a Chancellor of the Exchequer
on the other； electric light； several bathrooms and the gramophone。
There was never any question of the Prophet setting up house by
himself。 On leaving Oxford he joined his ample fortune to Mrs。
Merillia's as a matter of course； and they settled down together with
the greatest alacrity and hopefulness。 Nor were their pleasant
relations once disturbed during the fifteen years that elapsed before
the Prophet applied his eye to the telescope in the bow window and gave
Mr。 Ferdinand the instructions which have just been recorded。
These fifteen years had not gone by without leaving their mark upon our
hero。 He had done several things during their passage。 For instance； he
had written a play； very nearly proposed to the third daughter of a
London clergyman and twice been to the Derby。 Such events had； not
unnaturally； had their effect upon the formation of his character and
even upon the expression of his intelligent face。 The writing of the
playand； perhaps； its refusal by all the actor…managers of the town
had traced a tiny line at each corner of his mobile mouth。 The third
daughter of the London clergymanhis sentiment for herhad taught his
hand the slightly episcopal gesture which was so admired at the Lambeth
Palace Garden Party in the summer of 1892。 And the great race meeting
was responsible for the rather tight trousers and the gentleman…jockey
smile which he was wont to assume when he set out for a canter in the
Row。 From all this it will be guessed that our Prophet was exceedingly
amenable to the influences that throng at the heels of the human
destiny。 Indeed； he was。 And some few months before this story opens it
came about that he encountered a gentleman who was； in fact； the
primary cause of this story being true。 Who was this gentleman？ you
will say。 Sir Tiglath Butt； the great astronomer； Correspondent of the
Institute of France； Member of the Royal College of Science；
Demonstrator of Astronomical Physics； author of the pamphlet； 〃Star…
Gazers；〃 and the brochure； 〃An investigation into the psychical
condition of those who see stars；〃 C。B。F。R。S。 and popular member of the
Colley Cibber Club in Long Acre。
The Prophet was introduced to Sir Tiglath at the Colley Cibber Club；
and though Sir Tiglath； who was of a freakish disposition and much
addicted to his joke declined to speak to him； on the ground that he
（Sir Tiglath） had lost his voice and was unlikely to find it in
conversation； the Prophet was greatly impressed by the astronomer's
enormous brick…red face； round body； turned legs； eyes like marbles；
and capacity for drinking port…wineso much so； in fact that； on
leaving the club； he hastened to buy a science primer on astronomy； and
devoted himself for several days to a minute investigation of the Milky
Way。
As there is a fascination of the earth； so is there a fascination of
the heavens。 Along the dim； empurpled highways that lead from star to
star； from meteorite to comet； the imagination travels wakefully by
night； and the heart leaps as it draws near to the silver bosses of the
moon。 Mrs。 Merillia was soon obliged to permit the intrusion of a
gigantic telescope into her pretty drawing…room； and found herself
expected to converse at the dinner…table on the eight moons of Saturn；
the belts of Jupiter； the asteroids of Mars and the phases of Venus。
These last she at first declined to discuss with a man； even though he
were her grandson。 But she was won over by the Prophet's innocent
persuasiveness； and drawn on until she spoke almost as readily of the
movements of the stars as formerly she had spoken of the movements of
the Court from Windsor to London； and from London to Balmoral。 In
truth； she expected that Hennessey's passion for the comets would cease
as had ceased his passion for the clergyman's daughter； that his ardour
for astronomy would die as had died his ardour for play…writing； that
he would give up going to /Corona Borealis/ and to the Southern Fish as
he had given up going to the Derby。 Time proved her wrong。 As the days
flew Hennessey became increasingly impassioned。 He was more often at
the telescope than at the Bachelors'； and seemed on the way to become
almost as gibbous as the planet Mars。 Even he slightly neglected his
social duties； and on one terrible occasion forgot that he was engaged
to dine at Cambridge House because he was assisting at a transit of
Mercury。
Now all this began to weigh upon the mind of Mrs。 Merillia； despite the
amazing cheerfulness of disposition which she had inherited from two
long lines of confirmed optimistsher ancestors on the paternal and
maternal sides。 She did not know how to brood； but； if she had； she
might well have been led to do so。 And even as it was she had been
reduced to so unusual a condition of dejection that； a week before the
evening we are describing； she had been obliged to order a box at the
Gaiety Theatre； she； who； like all optimists； habitually frequented
those playhouses where she could behold gloomy tragedies； awful
melodramas； or those ironic pieces called farces； in which the ultimate
misery of which human nature is capable is drawn to its farthest point。
In the beginning of this new dejection of hers； Mrs。 Merillia was now
seated in a stage box at the 〃Gaiety；〃 with an elderly General of Life
Guards； a Mistress of the Robes； and the grandfather of the Central
American Ambassador at the Court of St。 James； and all four of them
were smiling at a neat little low comedian； who was singing； without
any voice and with the utmost precision； a pathetic romance entitled；
〃De Coon Wot Got de Chuck。〃
Meanwhile the Prophet was engaged for the twentieth time in considering
whether Mrs。 Merillia； on her return from this festival； would have to
be carried to bed by hired menials。
Why？
This brings us to the great turning point in our hero's life； to the
point when first he began to respect the strange powers stirring within
him。
Until he encountered Sir Tiglath Butt in the dining…room of the Colley
Cibber Club Hennessey had been but a dilettante fellow。 He had written
a play； but airily； and without the twenty years of arduous and
persistent study declared by the dramatic critics to be absolutely
necessary before any intelligent man can learn how to get a bishop on；
or a chambermaid off； the stage。 He had nearly proposed to a
clergyman's daughter； but thoughtlessly； and without any previous
examination into the clericalism of rectory females； any first…hand
knowledge of mothers' meetings； devoid of which he must be a stout…
hearted gentleman who would rush in where even curates often fear to
tread。 He had been to the Derby； but without wearing a bottle…green
veil or carrying a betting…book。 In fact； he had not taken life very
seriously； or fully appreciated the solemn duties it brings to all who
bear its yoke。 Only when the plump red hand of Sir Tiglathholding a
bumper of thirty…four portpointed the way to the heavens； did
Hennessey beginthrough his telescopeto see the great possibilities
that foot it about the