At this point they were interrupted by the entrance of the prætor with his wife and daughter, who came to inquire if M. Hollydorf wished to suggest any change for the better accommodation of his instrument with regard to light? In the expression of his satisfaction, M. Hollydorf alluded not only to the wonderful preservation of the buildings, but furniture, which appeared, in style, to have been coeval in manufacture with the remnants seen in old Heraclea. In explanation the prætor said that it was much easier to preserve from decay than to restore ruins. But the means of preservation had been bestowed by Giganteo XVI., Dosch of the Manatitlans, as a legacy to the sons of Indegatus, associate prætors of Heraclea, who were the first of our race that became personally acquainted with animalculan humanity. “You will find all of the unoccupied houses of the city in like good condition with this, and equally free for your inspection and occupation.” As the occasion was opportune, M. Hollydorf consulted with those present how he might prepare a statement of the day’s developments sufficiently credible for the acceptable belief of the Home Society? The prætor advised him to defer his cause of perplexity to the Dosch, who would resolve it readily, from a personal knowledge of the characteristic peculiarities of the members of the R. H. B. Society. Then Mr. Dow preferred his petition for their united aid in the advancement of his historical compendium of the Heracleans. This all were pleased to accord, as it was through his indomitable perseverance that the discovery was accomplished, before the City of the Falls had been reduced to the tenantless condition of its senior counterpart. As he was referred to me for special aid in compilation, from his lack of knowledge in the constructive use of the Heraclean idiom,—which was to us personally a source of mutual regret,—it will be well to state in anticipation of a similarity in diction of our separate labors, that I have been in no way beholden to him for the style I have adopted in recording the historiographical account of the corps investigations. I trust that this egoistic explanation will prove sufficient in efficacy to redeem me from plagiaristic odium? CHAPTER XII.