" You were contemplating the mountain, Mr. Conway?" Came the inquiry." Yes, it's a fine sight. It has a name, I suppose?" " It is called Karakal" " I don't think I've ever heard of it. Is is very high?" " Over twenty-eight thousand feet." " Indeed? I didn't realize there would be anything on that scale outside the Himalayas. Has it been properly surveyed? Whose are the measurements?" " Whose would you expect, my dear sir? Is there anything incompatible between monasticism and trigonometry? "