he rang the bell with a rather fal

and?" asked the Prophet wit

ady when she unexpectedly encounters her cook taking an airing with a corp

ophet

urbed Mrs. Merillia with

your orders was that they was to

act

em to walk a

aculated t

here was illness i

id the

female person shrieks out, 'Is it catching? Ho! Think o

h!

not catching, and that I would certainly think

l, a

the male person's boots creaked awful. The getting o

o they're in

ssant, sir, ever since they was put there.

and looked like an elderly lady. The

he library. And-and if Mrs. Merillia should

d moved a st

in a choked voice. "I, a Lond

nand. Simply say I'm busy. That will

a stern and at length successful eff

thin the chamber. He distinguished two voices. One was the hollow and sepulchral organ of Malkiel the Second, the other was a heavy and authoritative contralto, of the buzzing variety, which occasionally ga

know it really

iel the Second re

eman who opene

clicked, and passed

vastating compassion, "and you can still trust a g

have been seized by a paralysing awe, for he remained as if glued to

the voice of Malkiel, "I cannot help

Did Shakespeare imply that when he invented his immortal Bacon, or Carly

ary men-not that I, of course, can claim to be one

as Samuel S

, my

republic? Of what assistance has the great Tracy Tupper been if men must still, despit

r. Ferdinand remarked in the

wn the tea on t

enading about the room, still on his toes according to the behest of Mr. Ferdinand, sat down violently on a small table as if he had been shot, while the contralto voice, which had been sitt

d the Prophet. "I hope I

he contralto voice leaned forward

continued the Prophet. "I

cally drew out their handkerchiefs. Then Malkiel feebly

remarked Malkiel, at length, with

turned the Prophet.

ve?" inquired Malkiel, tend

voice nodded

turning proudly to the Prophet, "my wif

er elbows as she did so, as if just to draw attention to the fact that

es were obstreperous and rippling, running from right to left, and her teeth, which were shaded by a tiny black moustache, gleamed in a manner that could scarcely be called natural. She was attired in a black velvet gown trimmed with a very large quantity of beadwork, a bonnet adorned with purple cherries, green tulips and orange-coloured ostrich tips, a pelisse, to which bugl

othing manner, while Mr. Ferdinand, with pursed lips, softly arranged that bev

cceptable. The long journey from the banks of the Mouse to these c

u s

a very fin

ougham?" said the Pro

buzzed Madam

you were

ea equ

sure. Queen An

ostrich tips in her bonnet carefully over her velvet lap. "All who have read Mrs. Markham's work

t pity

hat Mors omnis communibus

, n

is the will of Pro

ite

rdinand had finished his task and quitted the apartmen

Capricornus I feel it my duty

via

r house is really only ankles as the ge

only

catch

dear,

. Sagittarius. "I told you

d a formidable man

ir, that we

e interru

everely. "I am greatly upset by the journey. When I am restored we

Having also attended to the wants of her precipitate underling, he thought it a good opportunity to proceed to a

rther anxiety on your part. I have put down my telescope and have-well, in

f policy would exercise a soothing influence upon his guests, more

you know, and that I have never really possessed any special talent in that

o his great surprise his well-meaning remarks were received with every symptom of grave dissatisfaction by his illustrious companions. Madame Sagittarius threw herself suddenly for

exclaimed. "You should have thought of that ye

!" exclaimed that lady, tra

tinued Mr. Sagittarius.

rophet, beginning to feel that he

ning. She assists him in his Latin. Ma

e so.

, sir," continued Mr. Sagit

exemplified by the great Charles Darwin in his Vegetable Mould and Silkworms. No human

egan to feel

" he

as 'but' in my dictiona

ion, no doubt," said

rumbs of toast from her pelisse with the orange handkerchief. "Ju

and applied it majestically to her nose. The Prophet grew really perturbed. He remembered his

ness, "no tests will be necessary. My telescope

and this very night. Madame has hit upon a plan, sir, of s

agittarius," said the Prophet, ver

you can bring off a prophecy of any importance or not. The future of myself, Madame and family d

re shut up alone with a couple of det

d Mr. Sagittarius, addressing

other one," replied

ophet

ssibly conse

sten to me," interpos

o Madame!" said Mr.

must

h of grave importance to grandmoth

ng in the sign of Sagittarius. The crab will

st

my love, assumes the roll of

was the old lady born, M

mmered the Prophet,

got ankles, your h

tieth of thi

hat t

the morn

what

urn.

n an increasingly business-like manner. "That bri

dear, and also with the bull. He g

permit-" began the Pro

aking the smallest no

on be round her

love-with the serpent

w what effect they'll have

" replied Mr. Sagittarius, with an air

om him did the worthy couple appear to be, so completely wrapped up in their own evidently well-considered and carefully-laid plans, that he had a sense of bei

follow. Have you a good memory-no, a pencil and notebook will be best. Li

t nodded m

kindly g

to his writing table an

I will direct you," contin

a lead pencil upside down in one hand and

o-day?" inquired Ma

d Mr. Sagittarius, looking at his

, to-day being the seventeenth, and the old lady's birthday the twenti

?" murmured

ontinued Madame. "At what time of nigh

at the Russian Ambassador's, and a reception at the Lord Chancellor's just opposite. However, he made no remark.

," said Mr. Sagittarius. "Eleven

ivian, that you have to be at the telescope to take observat

ve had th

dot it

the wrong end of the pencil on t

tly, Jupiter?" continued Madame. "

phet sh

, has pretty well done his London work by that time. And the old l

visions of his beloved grandmother companioned by scorpions and serpents, in close touch with camelopards and bovine monsters, and, in the last stress of

You will be able to get to bed at

aking a minute pencil scratch in the

but you can tell him

ball of violets that decorated her left side, and, extending her kid boots towards the cheerful blaze that came from the fire, fell with a sigh into a comfortable meditation. Mr. Sagittar

" said th

voice. In reality he had merely uttered a

r!" said Mr. Sagitt

shrieked

he elderly spinster lady when confronted wi

y Enid Thistle is with Mrs. Merillia taking tea

tic name. Mr. Sagittarius assumed a look of reverence, and the Prophet realise

e succeeded in making his voice sound a

s,

orror upon the Prophet's guests and retired, while the Prop

bey my grandmother's summons," he said courteously. "Suppose w

te impossible. You must get to work to-night,

said the Prophet, desperatel

cried Madame. "The road from Berkeley square

ed, my l

rius at once lest the curiosity of Lady Enid should increase beyond all measure, and lead to an encounter

other tap up

the Prophet, distr

re-entered v

llia hopes you can leave your business-I said as you

ome. Say I'll com

s,

d the Prophet exc

I real

ions, sir," broke in M

desperately, seizing his pencil and

to follow

anything-

ou a st

s-n

ust ge

y we

ter do so at

us sigh which caused her husband

know," he said. "I

she murmured, shaking her bonnet w

rius was gr

side to the Prophet, as if impa

ly. Plea

d, as if suddenly reca

" he said. "In the ast

y we

lady perpetually in your mind, you wi

ha

ir, mentally

O

ffect of the scorpion and serpen

Heav

they will be-but you will

eyes as one who refus

cloidal curve of the p

ophet

day, the twentieth. Shou

the Prophet. "

hat result its presence is likely to produce to her, and work the whole thing out clearly for myself an

post, J

-what day is t

replied the Prop

ame. "Capricornus's da

" said Mr. Sagitta

way

post Thursday morning.

uite,

lady's horoscope to us at the s

s?" said the Pro

tooth, short coating, going into skirts, putting of

ashes, Jupiter,"

Mr. Sagittarius as

ha

a rash-the epidemic form, as I may say-and so forth. We are

that down, Mr. Vivi

a large variety of scratc

ontinued Mr.

third tap

ctedly, and feeling as if homicidal

ed once more, with a

must go in a moment, sir, an

erdinand. I swear it. Go up

s,

been inveigled into pledging himself, on his archiepiscopal oath, to commit

ay forgive me. You see how I am circumsta

rry out all our direct

ot down-if you will only-thi

with majestic pathos. "A wife, a mother t

is is the-no, no, not t

e hall door, and as the Prophet, following them up with almost unimaginable activity, drew near enough to drum th

Miss Minerv

ling them round and driving them, but always

said Mr. Sagittarius, solemnly, fixin

said Madam

ot seen L

ed her husband, as the Prophet succeede

ye," he

ague echoes seemed to faint on his ear. One was male, a dreamlike-"Firs