"I have nearly finished it." "And you have practised that quick passage in the song in 'Judas Maccabaeus'?" "Yes; but I will do so again before to-morrow. It is our reception-day, you remember." "Yes; where is Alexander?" "He is at the Ball at Wiltshire's. He was at work all the morning, you know," Caroline said, in an apologetic tone. "Work is not Alex's meat and drink; he likes play." In a few minutes the telescope was adjusted on the pavement before the house; and the faithful sister, having thrown a thick shawl over her head, stood patiently by her brother's side, handing him all he wanted, writing down measurements, though her fingers were blue with cold, and the light of the little hand-lanthorn she had placed on the doorstep scarcely sufficed for her purpose. At last all was ready, and then silence followed--profound silence--while the brother's eyes swept the heavens, and scanned the surface of that pale, mysterious satellite of our earth, whose familiar face looks down on us month by month, and by whose wax and wane we measure our passing time by a sure and unfailing guide. Caroline Herschel took no notice of the few bystanders who paused to wonder what the gentleman was doing. She stood waiting for his word to note down in her book the calculation of the height of the particular mountain in the moon to which the telescope was directed. Presently he exclaimed, "I have it!--write." And as Caroline turned to enter the figures dictated to her, a gentleman who was passing paused. "May I be allowed to look into that telescope, madam?" he asked. Caroline only replied in a low voice: "Wait, sir; he has not finished. He is in the midst of an abstruse problem." "I have it--I have it!" was the next exclamation. "Write. It is the highest of the range. There is snow on it--and--yes, I am pretty sure. Now, Caroline, we will mount again, and I will make some observations on the nebulae--the night is so glorious." "William, this gentleman asks if he may be allowed to look into the telescope." "Certainly--certainly, sir. Have you never seen her by the help of a reflector before?" "No, never; that is to say, by the help of any instrument so gigantic as this." William Herschel tossed back his then abundant hair, and said: "Gigantic!--nay, sir; the giant is to come. This is the pigmy, but now stand here, and I will adjust the lens to your sight--so! Do you see?" "Wonderful!" was the exclamation after a minute's silence. "Wonderful! May I, sir, introduce myself as Dr. Watson, and may I follow up this acquaintance by a call to-morrow?" "You will do me great honour, sir; and if you care for music, be with us to-morrow at three o'clock, when my sister there will discourse some real melody, if so it should please you. Is it not so, Caroline?" "There will be more attractive music than mine, brother," Miss Herschel said.