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First is not a man to be trifled with or dodged。 Moreover； much more
than the future of myself and family depends upon what you really are。
From this day forth you will be bound up with the /Almanac/。〃
〃Merciful Heavens！〃 ejaculated the Prophet； unable； intrepid as he was；
to avoid recoiling when he found himself thus suddenly confronted with
the fate of an appendix。
〃For why should it ever cease？〃 proceeded Malkiel； with growing
passion。 〃Whyif a prophet can live； as you declare； freely and openly
in the Berkeley Square？ If this is so； why should I not remove； along
with Madame and family； from the borders of the Mouse and reside
henceforth in a central situation such as I should wish to reside in？
Why should not Capricornus eventually succeed me in the /Almanac/ as I
succeeded Malkiel the First？ Already the boy shows the leanings of a
prophet。 Hitherto Madame and I have endeavoured to stifle them； to turn
them in an architectural direction。 You understand？〃
〃I am trying to；〃 stammered the Prophet。
〃Hitherto we have corrected the boy's table manners when they have
become too like those of the average prophetas they often havefor
hitherto we have had reason to believe that all prophetswith the
exception of myselfwere dirty； deceitful and essentially suburban
persons。 But if you are a prophet we have been deceived。 Trust me； sir；
I shall find speedy means to pierce you to the very marrow。〃
The Prophet began mechanically to feel for his hat。
〃Are you desirous of anything； sir？〃 said Malkiel； sharply。
〃No；〃 said the Prophet； wondering whether the moment had arrived to
throw off all further pretence of bravery and to shout boldly for the
assistance of the young librarian。
〃Then why are you feeling about； sir？ Why are you feeling about？〃
〃Was I？〃 faltered the Prophet。
〃You are looking for another glass of wine； perhaps？〃
〃No； indeed；〃 said the Prophet； desperately。 〃For anything but that。〃
But Malkiel； moved by some abruptly formed resolution； called suddenly
in a powerful voice；
〃Frederick Smith！〃
〃Here； Mr。 Sagittarius！〃 cried the young librarian； appearing with
suspicious celerity upon the parlour threshold。
〃Draw the cork of the second bottle； Frederick Smith；〃 said Malkiel；
impressively。 〃This gentleman is about to take the pledge〃on hearing
this ironic paradox the Prophet stood up； very much in the attitude
formerly assumed by Malkiel when about to dodge in the library〃that I
shall put to him；〃 concluded Malkiel； also standing up； and assuming
the library posture of the Prophet。
Indeed the situation of the library seemed about to be accurately
reversed in the parlour of Jellybrand's。
The young librarian assisted the cork to emerge phlegmatically from the
neck of the second bottle of champagne； mechanically smacking his lips
the while。
〃Now pour； and leave us； Frederick Smith。〃
The young librarian helped the fatigued…looking wine into the two
glasses； where it lay as if thoroughly exhausted by the effort of
getting there； and then languidly left the parlour； turning his bulging
head over his shoulder to indulge in a pathetic /oeillade/ ere he
vanished。
The Prophet watched him go。
〃Close the door； Frederick Smith；〃 cried Malkiel； in a meaning manner。
The Prophet blushed a guilty red； and the young librarian obeyed with a
bang。
〃And now； sir； I must request you to take a solemn pledge in this
vintage；〃 said Malkiel； placing one of the tumblers in the Prophet's
trembling hand。
〃Really；〃 said the Prophet； 〃I am not at all thirsty。〃
〃Why should you be； sir？ What has that got to do with it？〃 retorted
Malkiel。 〃Lift your glass； sir。〃
The Prophet obeyed。
〃And now take this pledgethat； till the last day〃
〃What day？〃
〃The last day； sir； you will reveal to no living person that there is
such an individual as Malkiel； that you have ever met him； who he is；
or who Madame and family are； unless I give the word。 You have
surprised my secret。 You have forced yourself upon me。 You owe me this。
Drink！〃
Mechanically the Prophet drank。
〃Swear！〃
Mechanicallyindeed almost like a British working manthe Prophet
swore。
Malkiel drained his tumbler； and drew on the dogskin glove which； in
the agitation of a previous moment； he had thrown aside。
〃I have your card； sir； here is mine。 I shall now take the train to the
River Mouse； on whose banks I shall confer at once with Madame。 Till I
have done this I cannot tell you what form the tests I shall have to
apply to you will take。 When I have done it you will hear from me。 Your
servant； sir。〃
He bowed majestically； and was turning towards the door when it was
hastily opened and a lady appeared frantically in the aperture。
CHAPTER V
MALKIEL THE SECOND POISONS MISS MINERVA
〃Miss Minerva！〃 exclaimed Malkiel the Second。
〃Lady Enid！〃 cried the Prophet； at the same moment。
〃You can't go in there； Miss Partridge！〃 ejaculated the young
librarian； simultaneously； from the further room。
The lady； a tall girl of twenty…two； with grey eyes； dark smooth hair；
and a very agreeable； though slightly Scottish； mouth； began to behave
rather like a stag at bay。 She panted； and looked wildly round as if
meditating how； and in what direction； she could best bolt。
〃What's the matter？〃 cried the Prophet； his voice becoming not a little
piercing from surprise and his previous stress of agitation。
〃You can't go in there； Miss Minerva；〃 requested the young librarian；
who had now gained the parlour threshold； and who seemed about to take
up a very determined stand thereon。
〃I must go inI must；〃 said the lady； in a mellow； but again slightly
Scottish； voice。 〃Don't tell anybody I'm here； or you'll be sorry。〃
And； with these words； she bounded into the parlour and banged the door
on the young librarian。 The Prophet opened his lips preparatory to a
third wild exclamation。
〃Hush！〃 the lady hissed aristocratically。
She shook her head vigourously at him； sank down on one of the cane
chairs； held up her right hand； and leant towards the door。 It was
obvious that she was listening for something with strained attention；
and so eloquent was her attitude that the two prophets were infected
with her desire。 They turned their eyes mechanically towards the deal
door and listened too。 For a moment there was silence。 Then a heavy
footstep resounded upon the library floor； accompanied by the sharp tap
of a walking stick。 The lady's attitude became more tense and the
pupils of her handsome grey eyes dilated。
〃Has a young female just entered this shop？〃 said a very heavy and
rumbling voice。
〃This ain't a shop； sir；〃 replied the high soprano of the young
librarian； indignantly。
〃Bandy no words with me； thou infamous malapert！〃 returned the first
voice。 〃But answer my question。 Have you a young female concealed
within these loathsome precincts？〃
Under ordinary circumstances it is very possible that the young
librarian might have betrayed the lady as he had already betrayed
Malkiel the Second。 But it happened that there existed upon the earth
one object； and one object only； towards which he felt a sense of
chivalry。 This object was Jellybrand's Library。 His reply to the voice
was therefore as follows； and was delivered in his highest key and with
extreme volubility and passion：
〃Loathsome precincts yourself！ You're a nice one； you are； chasing
respectable ladies about at your age。 There ain't no young females in
the library； and if there was I shouldn't trot 'em out for you to clap
your ugly old eyes on。 Now then； out yer go。 No more words about it。
Out yer go！〃
A prolonged sound of hard breathing and of feet scraping violently upon
bare boards followed upon this deliverance； complicated by the sharp
snap of a breaking walking stick； the thump of a falling chair； a bang
as of a heavy body encountering firm resistance from some inflexible
article of furnitureprobably a bookcaseand finally a tremendous
thundering； as of the hoofs of a squadron of cavalry charging over a
parquet floor； the crash of a door； the grinding of a key swiftly
turning in a lock； andsilence。
The lady； Malkiel the Second and the Prophet looked at one another； and
the lady opened her mouth。
〃D'you think he's killed him？〃 she whispered with considerable
curiosity。
There came a distant noise of a torrent of knocks upon a door。
〃No； he hasn't；〃 added the lady； arranging her dress。 〃That's a good
thing。〃
The two prophets nodded。 The torrent of knocks roared louder； slightly
failed upon the ear； made a crescendo； emulated Niagara； surpassed that
very American effort of nature； wavered； faltered to Lodore； died away
to a feeble tittup like water dropping from a tap to flagstones； rose
again in a final spurt that would