MD3PAD 142-144

[Toby G Levy]

        Mason remembers some of the correspondence he read through in
response to Royal Astronomer's offer of a prize for a method of finding
true longitude while at sea. Some of the letter writers appeared to be
insane. Bradley asks Mason to read aloud twice a letter from a retired
naval officer who mentions a yet unnamed planet that guides his
measurements.  Bradley asserts that he too has observed this  celestial
object.

        Susannah, the wife of royal astronomer Bradley, enters Mason's
memories and he remembers being obsessed with trying to figure out just
why the couple only had one child, a daughter.  It is revealed that
Susannah is the daughter of Sam Peach, Mason's benefactor.  Mason sings
a song of his obsession with Susannah.

        Mason does the horoscope for Maskelyne, and finds almost all
positive symbols within, suggesting good fortune throughout his life.
Maskelyne seizes upon the one slightly negative aspect of the chart
(Mercury in retrograde) to explain why all his writing has been
ignored.

Toby