‘Then shall we two learn how good it is to love; how sweet it is to be together! How delightful the blending of two souls made satisfied with their own companionship!’ ‘It is Geometrus who speaks,’ came the soft dreamy tones of Mercia, ‘Geometrus has opened his heart to me at last!’ ‘Geometrus!’ shouted the machine in the angry tones of the Emperor, ‘it is _not_ Geometrus; it is I—Felicitas—Felicitas thine Emperor, who abjectly offers thee his love; his crown, and sues thee, Mercia, his servant—his astronomer.’ Then Mercia awakening, evidently, from her love-dream, and realising her true position exclaimed with great dignity, ‘Felicitas, the Emperor, hath no crown to offer his subject, Mercia, for it sits already on the brow of his Royal Spouse. Neither has he love to offer his astronomer, for it is sworn to his Empress for ever. It is an insult to me, Mercia, thine offer of illicit love and I refuse to longer remain in thy service.’ ‘That will do, Mr. Sadbag,’ interrupted the senior Judge, ‘we have heard quite sufficient to enable us to arrive at a decision. The prisoner—I mean the accused, is found NOT GUILTY of the charge against her. The lady and her friends may now leave the Court without a stain on their character. It is unnecessary to go into the charges brought against these gentlemen, as the clearing of the principal defender establishes the innocence of the whole three. This case ought never to have come before the Court at all.’ ‘Good!’ exclaimed Sadbag to his trusty phonograph, ‘thy testimony is worth more than a score of witnesses, or a Court full of lawyers; thou hast served us well, little one; thanks to Edison, or whoever it was invented thee!’ ‘Three cheers, three times over for Mercia, the Astronomer Royal!’ shouted a stentorian voice, and the tremendous volume of sound was caught up by the thousands who were awaiting the verdict in the streets, and all the city shouted—‘Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!’ nine times in succession, and women wept for joy, and wreaths were showered upon her, and all the homage due to a great hero was rendered her, just as Felicitas had seen pictured in the psycho-development the day before. Swami had prepared the carriage and horses for her use, which now stood in readiness. But the climax of the ovation was reached when the people, not knowing what to do to show her honour, removed the prancing steeds, which were startled by the clamour, and drew the chariot themselves. Publicly, in presence of the crowd, and of her intimate friends, Swami stepped up to the carriage, already piled with laurel wreaths intermixed with flowers of rare beauty, and presented her with his wonderful crown of precious jewels. It represented a wreath of glittering blossoms intertwined with bay leaves; which sparkled with a thousand rays in the bright sunshine; placing this brilliant trophy of that day’s triumph on her head he took his seat beside her.