Punch_. "But what is all this?" he added, pointing with
accustomed eye to a pile of MS. at TIME's elbow.
If so old a stager as Father TIME _can_ blush, he certainly did so on
this occasion.
"Fact is, _Mr. Punch_," he rejoined, "I, like younger and shall I
say lesser Celebrities, have been writing my 'Reminiscences.' Ha ha!
_The Chronicles of Chronos_ in 6,000 volumes or so--up to now. This
is a small portion of my _Magnum Opus_. Can you recommend me to a
publisher?"
"Ask my friend Archdeacon FARRAR," responded the Sage, drily. "What
a work! And what a sensation! TALLEYRAND's long-talked-of 'Memoirs'
not in it! Do you know, my dear TIME, I think you had better postpone
the publication--for an aeon or so at least. _Your Magnum Opus_ might
become a _Scandalum Magnatum_."
"Ah, perhaps so," replied TIME, with a sigh.
"Alone with the Stars," pursued _Mr. Punch_, meditatively. "Humph! The
Solar System alone ought to provide you with plenty of company."
"Yes." responded TIME, "but, after all, you know, telescopic
intercourse is not entirely satisfactory. Like EDGAR POE's _Hans
Pfaal_, I feel I should like to come to closer quarters with the
'heavenly bodies' as the pedagogues call them."
"And why not?" queried _Mr. Punch_, coolly.
"As how?" asked his companion.
"TIME, my boy" laughed the Sage, "you seem a bit behind yourself.
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