CHAPTER XXX.
"There are persons so peculiarly constituted as to suppose that all the inhabitants of the terrestrial globe have their minds occupied with thoughts of them," said Toney to the Professor.
"And that all the people of the planets are peeping through telescopes and making critical observations on their actions," said the Professor.
"The unfortunate M. T. Pate must have been in some such mental condition after his lamentable break down in court."
"What has become of him? I have not seen him for a whole month."
"During several weeks he remained in seclusion, and manufactured an immense amount of melancholy for home consumption. His stock being finally exhausted he came forth into the world again."
"To discover that the world was occupied with its own affairs and thinking very little about him?"
"Yes; some were engaged in making money; some in making mischief——"