renowned scientist by her aid was a thought which gave her secret
pleasure. The course of rendering him instant material help began
to have a great fascination for her; it was a new and unexpected
channel for her cribbed and confined emotions. With experiences so
much wider than his, Lady Constantine saw that the chances were
perhaps a million to one against Swithin St. Cleeve ever being
Astronomer Royal, or Astronomer Extraordinary of any sort; yet the
remaining chance in his favour was one of those possibilities which,
to a woman of bounding intellect and venturesome fancy, are
pleasanter to dwell on than likely issues that have no savour of
high speculation in them. The equatorial question was a great one;
and she had caught such a large spark from his enthusiasm that she
could think of nothing so piquant as how to obtain the important
instrument.

When Tabitha Lark arrived at the Great House next day, instead of
finding Lady Constantine in bed, as formerly, she discovered her in
the library, poring over what astronomical works she had been able
to unearth from the worm-eaten shelves. As these publications were,
for a science of such rapid development, somewhat venerable, there
was not much help of a practical kind to be gained from them.
Nevertheless, the equatorial retained a hold upon her fancy, till
she became as eager to see one on the Rings-Hill column as Swithin
himself.

The upshot of it was that Lady Constantine sent a messenger that
evening to Welland Bottom, where the homestead of Swithin's
grandmother was situated, requesting the young man's presence at the
house at twelve o'clock next day.