se alone
would identify him. My father, too, who is still master of the gaol, and
many another, could swear to him. Should the body prove, as no doubt it
would, to be that of the Sunchild, what is to become of Sunchildism?"

Hanky smiled. "It would not be proved. The measurements of a man of
twenty or thereabouts would not correspond with this man's. All we
Professors should attend the inquest, and half Bridgeford is now in
Sunch'ston. No matter though nine-tenths of the marks and measurements
corresponded, so long as there is a tenth that does not do so, we should
not be flesh and blood if we did not ignore the nine points and insist
only on the tenth. After twenty years we shall find enough to serve our
turn. Think of what all the learning of the country is committed to;
think of the change in all our ideas and institutions; think of the King
and of Court influence. I need not enlarge. We shall not permit the
body to be the Sunchild's. No matter what evidence you may produce, we
shall sneer it down, and say we must have more before you can expect us
to take you seriously; if you bring more, we shall pay no attention; and
the more you bring the more we shall laugh at you. No doubt those among
us who are by way of being candid will admit that your arguments ought to
be considered, but you must not expect that it will be any part of their
duty to consider them.

"And even though we admitted that the body had been proved up to the hilt
to be the Sunchild's, do you think that such a trifle as that could
affect Sunchildism? Hardly. Sunch'ston is no match for Bridgeford and
the King; our only difficulty would lie in settling which was the most
plausible way of the many plausible ways in which the death could be
explained. We should hatch up twenty theories in less than twenty hours,
and the last state of Sunchildism would be stronger than the first. For
the people want it, and so long as they want it they will have it. At
the same time the supposed identification of the body, even by some few
ignorant people here, might lead to a local heresy that is as well
avoided, and it will be better that your son should arrest the man before
the dedication, if he can be found, and throw him into the Blue Pool
without any one but ourselves knowing that he has been here at all."

I need not dwell on the deep disgust with which this speech was listened
to, but the Mayor, and Yram, and George said not a word.

"But, May