MD3PAD 211-213

[Toby G Levy]

        Mason recalls the first time he took Rebekah up to the
observatory.  She thought it very peculiar. Mason wonders how Rebekah
will get along with Susannah Bradley.  He thinks that perhaps Rebekah
has been sent to him to "Guarantee her husband's behavior..."

        Out of his revery, Mason has found that his sons have heard he
will be going to America. They are excited about him going to a savage
land. Every time he says goodbye to them he fears it will be the last
time.

        Mason thinks that he is less welcome in London because of the
time he spent with Maskelyne, who is not well liked in London.

        Maskelyne returns to London and Mason meets him in the summer of
1763 in Maskelyne's rooms near New Bond Street. Maskelyne is about to
leave for Barbados to test the Harrison solution to the longitude
problem. They discuss the visit to London of Joseph-Jérôme Lalande, the
head Astronomer of France. As they are talking about him, he arrives at
Maskelyne's place.  They have scarcely begun to talk when Maskelyne's
goofy brother Edmund shows up and monopolizes the conversation.

Toby