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astronomer； waving his hands frantically over the last remaining
crumpet； 〃instead of representing a syndicate of ruffianly underground
criminals； the old astronomer； well stricken in years though he be；
would hunt him out of his hiding…place and slay him with his own feeble
and scientific hands。〃
So saying； he grasped the crumpet as if it had been an assegai； and
assailed himself with it so violently that it entirely disappeared。
〃But Malkiel is an〃 began Mrs。 Merillia。
The Prophet stopped her with a glance； whose almost terror…stricken
authority surprised her into silence。
〃But I thought Malkiel was a man；〃 cried Lady Enid； looking towards the
Prophet。
〃Hefor I will not foul my lips with the accursed nameis not a man；〃
roared Sir Tiglath。 〃He is a syndicate。 He is a company。 He meets
together； doubtless； in some low den of the city。 He reads reports to
himself of the ill…gotten gains accruing from his repeated insults to
the heavens round some abominable table covered with green cloth。 He
quotes the prices of the shares in him； and declares dividends； and
carries balances forward； and some day will wind himself up or cast
himself anew upon the mercy of the market。 Part of him is probably Jew；
part South African and part America。 The whole of him is thrice
accursed。〃
He began to expand once more； but Mrs。 Merillia perceived the tendency
and checked it in time。
〃Pray； Sir Tiglath；〃 she said almost severely； 〃don't。 With my sprained
ankle I am really not equal to it。〃
Sir Tiglath had enough chivalry to stop； and Lady Enid once again
chipped in。
〃But； really； I'm almost sure Malkiel is a〃
She caught the Prophet's eye； as Mrs。 Merillia had； and paused。 He
turned to the astronomer。
〃But how can a company make itself into a prophet？〃 he asked。
〃Young man； you talk idly！ What are companies formed for if not to make
profits？〃 retorted Sir Tiglath。 〃Every one is a company nowadays。 Don't
you know that？ Murchison； the famous writer of novels； is a company。
Jeremy； the actor…manager； is a company。 So is Bynion the quack doctor；
and the Rev。 Mr。 Kinnimer who supplies tracts to the upper classes； and
Upton the artist； whose pictures make tours like Sarah Bernhardt； and
Watkins； whose philosophy sells more than Tupper's； and Caroline Jingo；
who writes war poems and patriotic odes。 If you were to invite these
supposed seven persons to dinner； and all of them came； you would have
to lay covers for at least fifty scoundrels。 Oh…h…h…h！〃
〃Well； but how are you sure thatahemthe /Almanac/ person is also
plural； Sir Tiglath？〃 inquired Mrs。 Merillia。
〃Because I sought him with the firm intention of assault and battery
for five…and…forty years；〃 returned the astronomer。 〃And only gave up
my Christian quest when I was assured； on excellent authority； that he
was a company； and had originally been formed in the United States for
the making of money and the defiance of the heavenly bodies。 May bulls
and bears destroy him！〃
〃Well； it's very odd；〃 said Lady Enid。 〃Very odd indeed。〃
As she spoke she glanced at the Prophet and met his eyes。 There are
moments when the mere expression in another person's eyes seems to
shout a request at one。 The expression in the Prophet's eyes performed
this feat at this moment； with such abrupt vehemence； that Lady Enid
felt almost deafened。 She leaned back in her chair； as if avoiding a
missile； and exclaimed；
〃Of course！ And I never guessed it！〃
〃Guessed what； my dear？〃 inquired Mrs。 Merillia。
〃Why； thatheitwas a company；〃 replied Lady Enid。
The Prophet blessed and thanked her with a piercing and saved look。
〃Nor I；〃 he assented； descending into the very mine of subterfuge for
his recent oath's sake； 〃nor I； or I should never have taken the
useless trouble that I have taken。
He managed to say this with such conviction that his grandmother； who；
in the past； had always found him to be transparently honest and
sincere； was carried away by the deception。 She wrinkled her long nose；
as was her habit when sincerely pleased； and cried gaily；
〃Then； Hennessey； now you've heard Sir Tiglath's opinion of the
practice of trying to turn the stars into money…makers； and the planets
into old gipsy women who tell fortunes to silly servant girls； I'm sure
you'll never study them again。 Come； promise me！〃
The Prophet made no answer。
〃Hennessey；〃 cried his grandmother； with tender pertinacity； 〃promise
me！ Sir Tiglath； join your voice to mine！〃
Sir Tiglath had become really grave； not theatrically serious。
〃Young man；〃 he said； 〃your revered granddam asks of you a righteous
thing。 Who are you to trifle with those shining worlds that make a
beauty of the night and that stir eternity in the soul of man？ Who are
you to glue your pinpoint of a human eye to yonder machine and play
with the stupendous Jupiter and Saturn as a child plays with marbles or
with peg…tops？ Who are you that thinks those glittering monsters have
nothing to do but to inform your pigmy brain of snowfalls； street
accidents； and love…affairs prematurely； so that you may flaunt about
your pocket…handkerchief of a square pluming your dwarfship that you
are a prophet？ Fie； young man； and again fie！ Bow the knee； as I do； to
the mysteries of the great universal scheme； instead of bothering them
to turn informers and 'give away' the knowledge which is deliberately
hidden from us。 Show me a man that can understand the present and
you'll have shown me a god。 And yet you knock at the gates of the
heavens through that telescope and clamour to be told the future！ Fie
upon you； young man； fie！ Oh…h…h…h！〃
Now the Prophet； as has been before observed； possessed a very
sensitive nature。 He was also very devoted to his grandmother； and had
an extraordinary reverence for the world…famed attainments of Sir
Tiglath Butt。 Therefore； when he heard Mrs。 Merillia's pleading； and
the astronomer's weighty denunciation； he was deeply moved。
Nevertheless； so strongly had recent events appealed to his curiosity；
so ardently did he desire to search into the reality of his own
peculiar powers； that it is very doubtful whether he might not have
withstood both the behests of affection and of admiration had it not
been that they took to themselves an ally； whose force is one of the
moving spirits of the world。 This ally was fear。 Just as the Prophet
was beginning to feel obstinate and to steel himself to resistance； he
remembered the fierce and horrible threats of Malkiel the Second。 If he
should cease to concern himself with the stars； if he should cease to
prophesy； not alone should he restore peace to his beloved grandmother；
and pay the tribute of respect to Sir Tiglath； but he should do more。
He should preserve his quick from being searched and his core from
being probed。 His marrow； too； would be rescued from the piercing it
had been so devoutly promised。 The dread； by which he was now
companionedof Malkiel； of that portentous and unseen lady who dwelt
beside the secret waters of the Mouse； of those imagined offshoots of
the prophetic tree； Corona and Capricornusthis would drop away。 He
would be free once more； light…hearted； a happy and mildly intellectual
man of the town； emerged from the thrall of bogies； and from beneath
the yoke which he already felt laid upon his shoulders by those august
creatures who were the centre of the architectural circle。
All these things suddenly presented themselves to the Prophet's mind
with extraordinary vividness and force。 His resolve was taken in a
moment； and； turning to his eager grandmother and to the still slightly
inflated astronomer； he exclaimed without further hesitation；
〃Very well。 I'll give it up。 I promise you。〃
Mrs。 Merillia clapped her mittens together almost like a girl。
〃Thank you； Sir Tiglath；〃 she cried。 〃I knew you would persuade the
dear boy。〃
The astronomer beamed like the rising sun。
〃Let the morning starsfreed from insultsing together！〃 he roared。
The Prophet glanced towards Lady Enid。 She was looking almost narrow
and not at all pleased。 She； and all her family； had a habit of
suddenly appearing thinner than usual when they were put out。 This
habit had descended to them from a remote Highland ancestor； who had
perished of starvation and been very vexed about it。 The Prophet felt
sure that she did not applaud his resolution； but he could not discuss
the matter with her in public； and she now got uplooking almost like
a skeletonand said that she must go。 Sir Tiglath immediately rolled
up out of his chair and roared that he would accompany her。
〃The old astronomer will protect the injudicious young female；〃 he
exclaimed； 〃lest she wander forth into accursed places。〃
〃I'm only going to Hill Street；〃 said Lady Enid； rather snappishly。
〃Come to see me to…morrow at three；〃 she whispered to the Pro