Sheldon spruced up, Saxe.’s approval was exhilarating.
“And Saunders succeeded also,” continued Saxe., “he discovered the famous pink star that all astronomers know of but failed to locate. He has some remarkable photographs and has written up a treatise on why the star is not visible from our point of view, and constructed a new map of the heavens. He’ll return to his continent magnificently equipped with all the modern astronomical contrivances the Centaurians can supply him with, and can lecture at length of how he went the Centaurians better concerning powerful lens—whatever they are.
“During his homeward journey he will occupy the time writing a book of his trip to the moon. Really, I think we’ve all done first rate; couldn’t have done better. We accomplished what we set out to do. But, there’s Virgillius,” he looked over at me and shook his head reprovingly, “he’s simply our millionaire Salucci, the same as formerly. He’s gained knowledge, of course, but he won’t air it to the world. Yet, come to think of it, he’s been about as successful as any of us. He came in search of a woman—and found her.”
He smiled encouragingly at me and opined that mine was a mission more difficult than any.
“His was a fancy, mythical, intangible,” said Saxe. “A tantalizing dream, a hallucination, and the realization more marvelous than the imagination. Virgillius should be happy; he is the first man in creation that ever realized the ideal and made it his own. He has succeeded where all men fail.”
I sprang joyously to my feet, his words invigorated faint hope; but he hurried to me and anxiously grasped my shoulder.
“You return with us, Virgillius,” he said: “we cannot; nay, we dare not leave you with these strange people.”
“You make me mad with joy!” I cried. “I love! ah, how I love! but hopelessly, hopelessly.”
All smiled.
“Poor actor,” laughed Saxe.; “pretense too thin—sounds sweet and you want more. Hopeless? Fiddlesticks! you’ve won. Men always know when they’re ahead. You’re picked for the mate of the superb Alpha. (Sheldon and Saunders have bet ten to one on it.) She’s been declared false to her vows, and is no longer Priestess of the Sun. Gossips whisper of your strange influence upon the fair Centaurian; your absence creates restlessness, distraction, and she seeks every opportunity to study you intently, absorbingly. Bah! just an ordinary case. You discover a handsome woman, innocent, with blank mind, which you proceed to fill with foolish fancies, and, true to her sex, wearying of myths and shadows, she welcomes stalwart, vigorous flesh and blood. It is nonsense that will prove a pleasant remembrance; it must not detain you among these people. Why, Virgillius, we cannot leave you! Heavens, boy! think, we dare not return without you! She will forget, they all do—by George! the women over here are more unreliable than those of our world, and——”