‘Here’s a pretty surprise for thee, Mistress Mercia,’ exclaimed Geometrus excitedly; ‘none other than the Emperor! It is not I he seeks, but thou, Mistress Mercia, I will then away.’ ‘Stay, Geometrus!’ exclaimed Mercia quickly, ‘I would prefer thy company when I receive the Emperor. I will now retire and change my dress for a more suitable habit in which to receive so honourable a visitor.’ But before she could leave the room a messenger was at the door desiring an audience for his royal master. Mercia silently bowed her assent; and a moment later the monarch entered her studio. As he did so she rose from her seat at the large table, which was covered with charts and maps of the celestial regions, all of her own making, but the Emperor quickly stepping forward observed gallantly, ‘Stay, lady, keep thy seat, for it is meet that monarchs should serve thee, who art so full of knowledge and wisdom.’ ‘Thou art my master,’ she answered in a grave tone. ‘Thy Sovereign, yet thy servant,’ he replied with a deep bow. ‘What is thy wish, Sire, wherefore am I honoured by this visit?’ ‘I would know, fair Mercia, the cause of this change of temperature, not only in my dominions, but from all accounts I hear it is general throughout the world. For three successive years an extreme cold has prevailed each season. I fain would learn the reason.’ ‘Some serious internal changes are taking place within the body of our sun. Great caverns, about one-fourth of the sun’s diameter have discovered themselves in his centre. We are not the only planet-dwellers suffering from cold at this time, for a difference will be experienced throughout the whole of the solar system. But it is only a temporary inconvenience; from close observation I find that our sun is absorbing numerous meteoric bodies, of which there are billions wandering in interstellar space, that have been projected from the innumerable suns still called stars by the people, and for the sake of convenience the title is retained by physicists. I conclude therefore that there is no cause for alarm. Our sun has indeed sent out of himself great projectiles into space, but he is ever capturing wandering bodies that happen to come within his influence. In this way the hydrogen of the fixed stars is pressed into our sun’s service and a constant heat sustained, which may last for thousands of years to come.’ ‘Of all the stars thou studiest nightly to such excellent purpose, thou art the brightest, Mercia. Thou art truly the wisest of women; and as fair as thou art far-seeing. Thy words give comfort to the world, and thy beauty brings thy Sovereign much delight.’ While Felicitas was uttering these pleasant gallantries, he was gradually edging his chair nearer and nearer to that of Mercia.