work which keeps you from feeling life dull and monotonous."

"No life," she said, looking as wise as Newton, if Newton was ever
young and handsome--"no life can be dull when one is thinking about
mathematics all day. Do you study mathematics?"

"No; I was at Oxford, you know."

"Then perhaps you prefer metaphysics? Though Lala Roy says that the
true metaphysics, which he has tried to teach me, can only be reached
by the Hindoo intellect."

"No, indeed; I have never read any metaphysics whatever. I have only
got the English intellect." This he said with intent satirical, but
Iris failed to understand it so, and thought it was meant for a
commendable humility.

"Physical science, perhaps?"

"No, Iris. Philosophy, mathematics, physics, metaphysics, or science
of any kind have I never learned, except only the science of Heraldry,
which you have taught me, with a few other things."

"Oh!" She wondered how a man could exist at all without learning these
things. "Not any science at all? How can any one live without some
science?"

"I knew very well," he said, "that as soon as I was found out I should
be despised."