They were, perhaps, above the ordinary level of Society intellect in London; but they only saw something wonderful in what had been done.

Nothing would have persuaded them that it was not the result of such skill as produced the marvels of the Egyptian Hall, simply because they were not capable of grasping its inner significance.

Could they have done that, the panic which Professor Marmion was beginning to fear would probably have broken the party up in somewhat unpleasant fashion.

As it was they contented themselves with saying: "How exceedingly clever!" "He must be quite a remarkable man!" "I wonder we've never heard of him before!" "He must make a great deal of money!" "I wonder if I could persuade the dear Prince--what a charming man he is!--to bring him to my next At Home day ?" and so on, perfectly ignorant, as it was well they should be, that they had witnessed a real conquest of Knowledge over Force.
Phadrig, who seemed to be the least interested person on the lawn, looked about him, and said as quietly as before: "I should be very much obliged if the best tennis player in the company will do me the honour to have a game with me." Now, it so happened that Brenda, in addition to her other athletic honours, had recently won the Ladies' Tennis Tournament at Washington, which carried with it the Championship of the State for the year, and so this challenge appealed both to her pride in the game and her spirit of adventure.

She looked round at Nitocris, and said: "I've half a mind to try, Niti.