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adhered in a disordered； but determined； manner。
〃Only a Persian could devour this muffin now；〃 he said； in his
rumbling； sing…song and strangely theatrical voice； which always
suggested that he was about to deliver a couple of hundred or so
lengths of blank verse。 〃Omar beneath his tree perchance； or Gurustu
who to Baghdad came with steed a…foam and eyes a…flame。 Wherefore do
you trample upon hapless animals that are not dumb； young man； and
cause the poor astronomer to cast his muffin upon the roses； where；
mayhap； the housemaid might find it after many days？ Oh…h…h…h！〃
He uttered a tremulous bass cry of mingled reproach and despair； that
sounded rather like the wail of some deplorable watchman upon a city
wall； shaking his enormous head at the Prophet the while； and flapping
his red hands slowly in the air。
〃How d'you do； Sir Tiglath？〃 said Lady Enid； coming up to him with
light carelessness。
Sir Tiglath bowed。
〃Very ill； very ill；〃 he rumbled； looking at her furtively with his
glassy eyes。 〃One has had an afternoon of tragedy； an afternoon of
brawling and of disturbance； in an avenue that shall henceforth be
called accursed。〃
He sat down upon his armchair； with his short legs stuck straight out
and resting upon his heels alone； his hands folded across his stomach；
and his purple triple chin sunk in his elaborate； but very dusty；
cravat。 Wagging his head to and fro； he added； with the heavy；
concluding tremolo that decorated most of his vocal efforts； 〃Thrice
accursed。 Oh…h…h…h！〃
Lady Enid； who seemed to have quite recovered her self…possession； sat
down by Mrs。 Merillia； while the Prophet； in some confusion； offered to
his grandmother the bunch of roses he had bought at Hollings's。〃
〃They're a little late； grannie； I'm afraid；〃 he said。 〃But I was
unavoidably detained。〃
Mrs。 Merillia glanced at him sharply。
〃Detained； Hennessey！ Then you found what you were seeking？〃
The Prophet remembered his oath and turned scarlet。
〃No； no； grannie；〃 he murmured hastily； and looking like a criminal。 〃I
met Lady Enid；〃 he added。
〃Where did you meet the lady； young man？〃 said Sir Tiglath。 〃Was it in
the accursed avenue？〃
Lady Enid shot a hasty glance of warning at the Prophet。 Mrs。 Merillia
intercepted it； and began to form fresh ideas of that young person；
whom she had formerly called sensible； but whom she now began to think
of as crafty。
〃Which avenue is that； Sir Tiglath？〃 asked the Prophet； with a rather
inadequate assumption of innocence。
〃The Avenue in which one beholds the perfidy darting into hidden
places； young man； in which the defenders of foolish virgins are
buffeted and browbeaten by counter…jumpers with craniums as big as the
great nebula of Orion。 The avenue named after a crumbled
philanthropist； who could walk； sheeted； through the atrocious night
could his sacred dust awake to the abominations that are perpetrated
under the protection of his shadow。 Let dragons lay it waste like the
highways of Babylon。〃
He gathered up a crumpet； and blinked at Lady Enid； who was airily
sipping her tea with a slightly detached air of calm and maidenly
dignity。
〃I think Sir Tiglath must be describing Shaftesbury Avenue；〃 remarked
Mrs。 Merillia； rather mischievously。
〃Oh； really；〃 stammered the Prophet； 〃I had no idea that it was such an
evil neighbourhood。〃
〃Where is Shaftesbury Avenue？〃 asked Lady Enid； gently folding a
fragment of thin bread and butter and nibbling it with her pretty
mouth。
Sir Tiglath elevated his hands and rolled his eyes。
〃Where partridges are to be found in January； oh…h…h…h！〃 was his very
unexpected reply。
The Prophet started violently； and even Lady Enid looked disconcerted
for a moment。
〃What do you mean； Sir Tiglath？〃 she said； recovering herself。
She turned to Mrs。 Merillia。
〃I wonder what he means；〃 she said。 〃He never talks sensibly unless he
is in his observatory； or lecturing to the Royal Society on the
'Regularity of Heavenly Bodies；' or〃
〃The irregularities of earthly ones；〃 interposed Sir Tiglath。 〃In the
accursed avenueoh…h…h！〃
〃I fear； Sir Tiglath； you must be a member of the Vigilance Society；〃
said Mrs。 Merillia。
〃Yes。 He looks at the morals of the stars through his telescope； said
Lady Enid。 〃By the waydo you； too？〃 she added to the Prophet； for the
first time observing the instrument in the bow window。
Mrs。 Merillia and Sir Tiglath exchanged a glance。 An earnest expression
came into the Prophet's face。
〃I confess；〃 he said； with becoming modesty in the presence of the
great master of modern astronomy； 〃that I do watch the heavens from
that window。〃
〃And for what purpose； young man？〃 rumbled Sir Tiglath； for the first
time dropping his theatrical manner of an old barn…stormer； and
speaking like any ordinary fogey； such as you may see at a meeting on
behalf of the North Pole； or at a dinner of the Odde Volumes。
〃Forfor purposes of research； Sir Tiglath；〃 answered the Prophet；
with some diplomacy。
〃The young man trieth to put off the old astronomer with fair words；〃
bellowed Sir Tiglath。 〃The thief inserteth his thumb into the tail
pocket of the unobservant archbishop for purposes of research。 The
young man playeth merrily forsooth with the old astronomer。〃
Mrs。 Merillia nodded her lace cap at him encouragingly。 It was evident
that there was an understanding between them。 Lady Enid began to wonder
what was its nature。 The Prophet seemed rather disconcerted at the
reception given to his not wholly artless ambiguity。
〃Grannie；〃 he said； turning to Mrs。 Merillia； 〃you know how deeply the
stars interest me。〃
〃For their own sake； young man？〃 said Sir Tiglath。 〃Or as the accursed
avenue interests the foolish virginsfor the sake of frivolity； idle
curiosity； or dark doings which could not support the light even of a
star of the sixth magnitude？ Can you tell your admirable and revered
granddam that？〃
This time； underneath his preposterous manner and fantastic speech；
both Lady Enid and the Prophet fancied that they could detect an
element of real gravity； even perhaps a hint of weighty censure which
made them both feel very youngrising two； or thereabouts。
〃I was originally led to study stars； Sir Tiglath； because I had the
honour to meet you and make your acquaintance；〃 said the Prophet；
valiantly。
The astronomer lapsed at once into his first manner。
〃In what fair company did the old astronomer converse with the young
man？〃 he cried。 〃His memory faileth him。 He doteth and cannot recall
the great occasion。〃
〃It was at the Colley Cibber Club； Sir Tiglath；〃 said the Prophet；
firmly。 〃But wewe did not converse。 You had aa slight
indisposition。〃
〃Would you venture to implyin the presence of your notable granddam
that one had looked upon the wine when it was red； young man？〃
〃You had a glass of port by you certainly； Sir Tiglath。 But you also
had a cold which； you gave me to understandby signshad affected
your throat and prevented you from carrying on conversation。
〃Then was it the vision of the old astronomer's personal and starry
beauty that led you； hot foot； to Venus through yonder telescope？
Oh…h…h…h！〃
〃I did not take observations of Venus first；〃 answered the Prophet；
with a certain proud reserve。 〃I began by an examination into 'The
Milky Way。' 〃
Sir Tiglath impounded another crumpet。
〃Go on； young man；〃 he cried。 〃The old astronomer lendeth ear。〃
The Prophet； who felt very much like a nervous undergraduate undergoing
a /viva…voce/ examination； continued；
〃I became deeply interested； strongly attracted by thethe heavenly
bodies。 They fascinated me。 I could think of nothing else。〃
Lady Enid's Scottish lips tightened almost imperceptibly。
〃I could talk of nothing else；〃 proceeded the Prophet。 〃Could I；
grannie？〃
〃No； indeed； Hennessey；〃 assented Mrs。 Merillia。 〃All other topics were
banished from discussion。〃
〃All；〃 cried the Prophet； with increasing fervour and lack of self…
consciousness。 〃I could not tear myself from the telescope。 I longed
for a perpetual night and found the day almost intolerably irksome。〃
Sir Tiglath's brick…red countenance was irradiated with a smile that
did not lack geniality。
〃The old astronomer lendeth attentive ear to the young man's epic；〃 he
roared； through the crumpet。 〃He approveth the young man's admiration
for the heavenly bodies。 Go on。〃
But at the last command the Prophet seemed suddenly to jib。 The
reserved expression returned to his face。
〃That's all； Sir Tiglath；〃 he said。
The astronomer and Mrs。 Merillia again exchanged a glance which was not
unobserved by Lady Enid。 Then Sir Tiglath； with an abrupt and
portentous gravity； exclaimed in thunderous tones；
〃Sir； are you a man of science or