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to a feeble tittup like water dropping from a tap to flagstones； rose
again in a final spurt that would have made Southey open his dictionary
for adjectives； and drained away to death。
The lady leaned back。 For the first time her composure seemed about to
desert her entirely。 That fatal sign in woman； a working throat；
swallowing nothing with extreme rapidity and persistence； became
apparent。
〃A glass of wine； Miss Minerva？〃 cried Malkiel； gallantly。
He placed a tumbler to her lips。 She feebly sipped； than sprang to her
feet with a cry。
〃I'm poisoned！〃
〃You never spoke a truer word；〃 said the Prophet； solemnly。
〃What is it？〃 continued the lady； frantically。 〃What has he given me？〃
〃Champagne at four shillings a bottle brought fresh from next door to a
rabbit shop；〃 answered the Prophet； looking at Malkiel with almost
malignant satisfaction。
The lady； who had gone white as chalk； darted to the door and flung it
open。
〃A glass of water！〃 she cried。 〃Get me a glass of water。〃
The young librarian came forward with a black eye。
〃It's all right； ma'am。 The gentleman's gone；〃 he piped。
〃What gentleman？ Give me a glass of water or I shall die！〃
The young librarian； who had already an injured air； proceeded from a
positive to a comparative condition of appearance。
〃Well； I never！ What gentleman！〃 he exclaimed。 〃And me blue and black
all over； to say nothing of the bookcase and the new paint that'll be
wanted for the door！〃
〃Can you chatter about trifles at such a moment？〃 cried the Prophet。
〃Don't you see the lady's been poisoned？〃
〃Whatby the old gent？〃 returned the young librarian。 〃Then what does
she come to a library for？ Why don't she go to a chemist？〃
The lady turned her agonised eyes upon the Prophet。
〃Take me to one；〃 she whispered through pale lips。
She tottered towards him and leaned upon his arm。
〃Trust me； trust me； I will；〃 said the Prophet。 〃Direct me！〃 he added
to the young librarian。
〃There's one on the other side of the rabbit shop；〃 said that worthy；
who had suddenly become exceedingly glum in manner and morose in
appearance。
〃Thank you。 Kindly unlock the door。〃
The young librarian did so； lethargically； and the lady and the Prophet
began to move slowly into the street。 Just as they were gaining it
Malkiel the Second cried out；
〃One moment； sir！〃
〃Not one；〃 retorted the Prophet； firmly。 〃Not one till this lady has
had an antidote。〃
He walked on with determination。 Supporting the lady。 But ere he got
quite out of earshot he caught these fragments of a shattered speech；
hurtling through the symphony of London noises：
〃Banks of the MouseMadamesake of Capricorbe sure Iprobequick
searchthe very corehear from mearchitectsmarrowalmanacthe
last daythe Berkeley square〃
The final ejaculation melted away into the somewhat powerful discord
produced by the impact of a brewer's dray with a runaway omnibus at the
corner of Greek Street； which was eventually resolved by the bursting
of a motor carcontaining two bookmakers and an acting managerwhich
mingled with them at the rate of perhaps forty miles an hour。
〃Yes； please； a hansom；〃 said Lady Enid Thistle； some five minutes
later； as she and the Prophet stood together upon the kerb in front of
the rabbit shop。 〃I feel much better now。〃
The Prophet hailed a hansom and handed her into it。
〃Which way are you going？〃 he asked。
Lady Enid looked doubtful。
〃I ought to be going back to Jellybrand's；〃 she said。 〃I had an
appointment。 But reallyyou see Mr。 Sagittarius is there； and
altogetherI don't know。〃
She was obviously still upset by the 〃creaming foam；〃 and the other
incidents of the afternoon。
〃Come to tea with grannie；〃 said the Prophet。
〃She's at home？〃
〃Yes。 She's twisted her ankle。〃
〃Oh； I'm so sorry。〃
〃Let me escort you。〃
〃Thanks。 I think I will。〃
〃You won't mind stopping for a moment at Hollings's？〃 said the Prophet；
in Piccadilly Circus。 〃I promised to buy some roses。 Somebody is coming
in to tea。〃
〃On； no。 But who is it？〃
〃I don't know。 Only one person； I think。 An old friend； no doubt。
Probably the Central American Ambassador's grandfather。〃
〃Oh； if that's all！ I feel a little shaky still。〃
〃Naturally。〃
The Prophet bought the roses and they drove on。
〃It's very nice of you not to ask any questions；〃 observed Lady Enid；
presently。
The Prophet had been thinking it was； but he only said；
〃Oh； not at all。〃
〃I'm a woman；〃 promised Lady Enid； 〃and I don't know whether I can be
so nice。〃
The Prophet glanced at her and met her curious grey eyes。
〃Tryplease；〃 he replied very gently； thinking of the oath which he
had just taken。
Lady Enid was silent for two minutes； then she remarked；
〃I have tried； but I can't succeed。 Why on earth were you closeted in
the parlourat my time； toowith Mr。 Sagittarius this afternoon？〃
〃Then you really are Miss Minerva Partridge？ And it was really you who
hadhadwell； 'bespoke' the parlour at half…past three？〃
〃Certainly。 Now we are neither of us nice； but we're both of us human。〃
〃There were some letters for you；〃 said the Prophet。
Lady Enid wrinkled her smooth； young； healthy…looking forehead。
〃How stupid of me！ I'll fetch them to…morrow。 Well？〃
She looked at the Prophet with obvious expectation。
〃I'm so sorry I can't tell you；〃 he replied with gentle firmness。
〃Oh； all right；〃 she rejoined。 〃But now I'm at a disadvantage。 You know
I'm Miss Minerva。〃
〃Yes。 But I don't know why you are； or why you go to Jellybrand's； or
why you rushed into the parlour； or who the old gentleman was that〃
The cab stopped before Mrs。 Merillia's house。
In the hall； upon an oaken bench； they perceived a very broad…brimmed
top hat standing on its head。 Beside it lay two pieces of a stout and
knobbly walking stick which had been broken in half。 Lady Enid started
violently。
〃Good Heavens！〃 she cried。
She picked up the walking stick； examined it； and laid it down。
〃I don't think I want any tea；〃 she murmured。
〃I'm sure you do；〃 said the Prophet； with some pressure。
She stood still for a moment。 Then； catching the attentive round eye of
Gustavus； who was waiting by the hall door； she shrugged her shoulders
and walked towards the staircase。
〃It's very hard lines；〃 she murmured as she began to ascend： 〃all the
questions you wanted to ask are being answered。 You know I'm Miss
Minerva already。 In another minute you'll know who the old gentleman
was that〃
The Prophet could tell from the expression of her straight； slightly
Scottish； back that she was pouting as she entered the drawing…room
where Mrs。 Merillia was having tea withsomebody。
CHAPTER VI
THE OLD ASTRONOMER DISCOURSETH OF THE STARS
Never before had the Prophet felt so alive with curiosity as he did
when he followed Lady Enid into Mrs。 Merillia's presence； for he knew
that he was about to see the venerable victim of the young librarian's
indignant chivalry； the 〃old gent〃 who had come to intimate terms with
Jellybrand's bookcase； and who had kicked and knocked at least a pint
of paint off Jellybrand's door。 His eyes were large and staring as he
glanced swiftly from his grandmother's sofa to the huge telescope；
under whose very shadow was seated no less a personage than Sir Tiglath
Butt； holding a cup of tea on one hand and a large…sized muffin in the
other。
No wonder the Prophet jumped。 No wonder Mrs。 Merillia cried out； in her
pretty； clear voice；
〃Take care of Beau； Hennessey！ You're treading on him。〃
The dachshund's pathetic shriek of outrage made the rafters ring。 Mrs。
Merillia put her mittens to her ears； and Sir Tiglath dropped his
muffin into a jar of pot…pourri。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said the Prophet； earnestly。 〃Sir Tiglaththis is
indeed a sura pleasure。〃
Lady Enid was being embraced by Mrs。 Merillia。 The Prophet extended his
hand to the astronomer； who； however； turned his back to the company
and； diving one of his enormous hands into the pot…pourri jar； began to
rummage violently for his vanished meal。
〃What is it？〃 said the Prophet； who had not seen the muffin go。 〃Can I
help you？〃
Still presenting his huge back and the purple nape of his fat neck to
the assemblage； the astronomer； after trying in vain to extract the
lost dainty in a legitimate manner； turned the jar upside down； and
poured the rose…leaves and the muffin in a heterogeneous libation upon
the Chippendale table。 After a close examination of it he turned
around； holding up the food to whose buttered surface several leaves
adhered in a disordered； but determined； manner。
〃Only a Persian could devour this muffin now；〃 he said； in his
rumbling； sing…song and stran