“But what are we to do?” said the Professor. “You see he’s quite wrapped up in the book!”
“Suppose oo shuts the book?” Bruno suggested.
“That’s it!” cried the delighted Professor. “Of course that’ll do it!” And he shut up the book so quickly that he caught the Other Professor’s nose between the leaves, and gave it a severe pinch.
The Other Professor instantly rose to his feet, and carried the book away to the end of the room, where he put it back in its place in the book-case. “I’ve been reading for eighteen hours and three-quarters,” he said, “and now I shall rest for fourteen minutes and a half. Is the Lecture all ready?”
“Very nearly,” the Professor humbly replied. “I shall ask you to give me a hint or two—there will be a few little difficulties——”
“And a Banquet, I think you said?”
“Oh, yes! The Banquet comes first, of course. People never enjoy Abstract Science, you know, when they’re ravenous with hunger. And then there’s the Fancy-Dress-Ball. Oh, there’ll be lots of entertainment!”
“Where will the Ball come in?” said the Other Professor.
“I think it had better come at the beginning of the Banquet—it brings people together so nicely, you know.”
“Yes, that’s the right order. First the Meeting: then the Eating: then the Treating—for I’m sure any Lecture you give us will be a treat!” said the Other Professor, who had been standing with his back to us all this time, occupying himself in taking the books out, one by one, and turning them upside-down. An easel, with a black board on it, stood near him: and, every time that he turned a book upside-down, he made a mark on the board with a piece of chalk.