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〃How do you do； Professor？〃 said the lady； with some little pomposity
of manner。 〃You were very wise to stay out here on so lovely a day。 Is
it not heavenly？〃
〃It is certainly very fine weather；〃 the Professor answered。
〃Listen to the wind sighing in the trees！〃 cried Mrs。 Esdaile； holding
up one finger。 〃it is Nature's lullaby。 Could you not imagine it；
Professor Grey； to be the whisperings of angels？〃
〃The idea had not occurred to me； madam。〃
〃Ah； Professor； I have always the same complaint against you。 A
want of rapport with the deeper meanings of nature。 Shall I say a want of
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imagination。 You do not feel an emotional thrill at the singing of that
thrush？〃
〃I confess that I am not conscious of one； Mrs。 Esdaile。〃
〃Or at the delicate tint of that background of leaves？ See the rich
greens！〃
〃Chlorophyll；〃 murmured the Professor。
〃Science is so hopelessly prosaic。 It dissects and labels； and loses
sight of the great things in its attention to the little ones。 You have a poor
opinion of woman's intellect； Professor Grey。 I think that I have heard
you say so。〃
〃It is a question of avoirdupois；〃 said the Professor； closing his eyes
and shrugging his shoulders。 〃The female cerebrum averages two ounces
less in weight than the male。 No doubt there are exceptions。 Nature is
always elastic。〃
〃But the heaviest thing is not always the strongest；〃 said Mrs。 O'James；
laughing。 〃Isn't there a law of compensation in science？ May we not
hope to make up in quality for what we lack in quantity？〃
〃I think not；〃 remarked the Professor； gravely。 〃But there is your
luncheon…gong。 No； thank you； Mrs。 Esdaile； I cannot stay。 My
carriage is waiting。 Good…bye。 Good…bye； Mrs。 O'James。〃
He raised his hat and stalked slowly away among the laurel bushes。
〃He has no taste；〃 said Mrs。 Esdaile〃 no eye for beauty。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 Mrs。 O'James answered； with a saucy little jerk of
the chin。 〃He has just asked me to be his wife。〃
As Professor Ainslie Grey ascended the steps of his house； the hall…
door opened and a dapper gentleman stepped briskly out。 He was
somewhat sallow in the face； with dark； beady eyes； and a short； black
beard with an aggressive bristle。 Thought and work had left their traces
upon his face； but he moved with the brisk activity of a man who had not
yet bade good…bye to his youth。
〃I'm in luck's way；〃 he cried。 〃I wanted to see you。〃
〃Then come back into the library；〃 said the Professor； 〃you must stay
and have lunch with us。〃
The two men entered the hall； and the Professor led the way into his
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private sanctum。 He motioned his companion into an arm…chair。
〃I trust that you have been successful； O'Brien；〃 said he。 〃I should be
loath to exercise any undue pressure upon my sister Ada； but I have given
her to understand that there is no one whom I should prefer for a brother…
in…law to my most brilliant scholar； the author of Some Remarks upon the
Bile…Pigments； with special reference to Urobilin。〃
〃You are very kind； Professor Greyyou have always been very kind；〃
said the other。 〃I approached Miss Grey upon the subject； she did not say
No。〃
〃She said Yes； then？〃
〃No； she proposed to leave the matter open until my return from
Edinburgh。 I go to…day； as you know； and I hope to commence my
research to…morrow。〃
〃On the comparative anatomy of the vermiform appendix； by James
M‘Murdo O'Brien；〃 said the Professor； sonorously。 〃It is a glorious
subjecta subject which lies at the very root of evolutionary philosophy。〃
〃Ah！ she is the dearest girl；〃 cried O'Brien； with a sudden little spurt of
Celtic enthusiasm〃she is the soul of truth and of honour。〃
〃The vermiform appendix〃 began the Professor。
〃She is an angel from heaven；〃 interrupted the other。 〃I fear that it is
my advocacy of scientific freedom in religious thought which stands in my
way with her。〃
〃You must not truckle upon that point。 You must be true to your
convictions； let there be no compromise there。〃
〃My reason is true to agnosticism； and yet I am conscious of a voida
vacuum。 I had feelings at the old church at home between the scent of
the incense and the roll of the organ； such as I have never experienced in
the laboratory or the lecture…room。〃
〃Sensuous…purely sensuous；〃 said the Professor； rubbing his chin。
〃Vague hereditary tendencies stirred into life by the stimulation of the
nasal and auditory nerves。〃
〃Maybe so； maybe so；〃 the younger man answered thoughtfully。
〃But this was not what I wished to speak to you about。 Before I enter
your family； your sister and you have a claim to know all that I can tell
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you about my career。 Of my worldly prospects I have already spoken to
you。 There is only one point which I have omitted to mention。 I am a
widower。〃
The Professor raised his eyebrows。
〃This is news indeed；〃 said he。
〃I married shortly after my arrival in Australia。 Miss Thurston was
her name。 I met her in society。 It was a most unhappy match。〃
Some painful emotion possessed him。 His quick； expressive features
quivered； and his white hands tightened upon the arms of the chair。 The
Professor turned away towards the window。
〃You are the best judge；〃 he remarked 〃but I should not think that it
was necessary to go into details。〃
〃You have a right to know everythingyou and Miss Grey。 It is not a
matter on which I can well speak to her direct。 Poor Jinny was the best
of women； but she was open to flattery； and liable to be misled by
designing persons。 She was untrue to me； Grey。 It is a hard thing to say
of the dead； but she was untrue to me。 She fled to Auckland wit