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all！〃
〃Yes； you do。 But you're wrong。 He doesn't exactly admire my character；
but he likes me because I'm tall； and have pleasant coloured eyes； and
thick hair； and walk well； and know that he's really an unusually
sensible old man。〃
〃Oh； is that it？〃
〃Yes。 But now； if he could be made to think that I really am what I
look likea thoroughly sensible young woman； he would more than admire
me； he would adore me。〃
〃But if you wish him to？〃 asked the Prophet in blank amazement。
〃I do。〃
〃Why？〃
〃The Miss Minerva part of me desires it。〃
〃Indeed。〃
〃Yes。 He's got to do one or two things for Miss Minerva without knowing
that I'm Miss Minerva。 That is why I bolted into the parlour yesterday。
Just as I was stepping into Jellybrand's I happened to see Sir Tiglath
and he happened to think he saw me。〃
〃Only to think？〃
〃Yes。 He is not certain。 I saw that by the expression of his face。 He
was wondering whether I was meor is it I？or not。 I didn't give him
time to be certain。 I rushed into the parlour。〃
〃You did。〃
〃So it's all right。 Frederick Smith would never betray a client。〃
〃Really？〃
〃Never； so I'm saved。 For Sir Tiglath isn't certain even now。 I found
that out on the way home with him last night。 And an old man who's
uncertain of the truth can soon be made certain of the lie； by a young
woman he admires； however sensible he is。 And now I'll tell you part of
what I want Sir Tiglath to do for Miss Minerva〃
But at this moment the clock struck five； and the Prophet bounded up
with hysterical activity； and hastily took his leave； promising to call
again and hear more on the following day。
〃And tell more；〃 thought Lady Enid to herself as the door of the
sensible…looking boudoir shut behind him。
CHAPTER VIII
THE PROPHET RECEIVES HIS DIRECTIONS FROM MADAME
When the Prophet reached his door he rang the bell with a rather
faltering hand。 Mr。 Ferdinand appeared。
〃Any one called； Mr。 Ferdinand？〃 asked the Prophet with an attempt at
airy gaiety。
〃Yes； sir；〃 replied Mr。 Ferdinand； looking rather like an elderly
maiden lady when she unexpectedly encounters her cook taking an airing
with a corporal in the Life Guards； 〃the pair of persons you expected；
sir； has come。〃
The Prophet blushed。
〃Oh！ Youyou haven't disturbed Mrs。 Merillia with them； I hope；〃 he
rejoined。
〃No； sir； indeed。 Gustavus said your orders was that they was to be
shown quietly to the library。〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃I begged them to walk a…tiptoe； sir。〃
〃What？〃 ejaculated the Prophet。
〃I informed them there was illness in the house； sir。〃
〃And did theyer？〃
〃The male person got on his toes at once； sir； but the female person
shrieks out； 'Is it catching？ Ho！ Think ofof Capericornopus；' sir； or
something to that effect。〃
〃Tch！ Tch！〃
〃I took the liberty to say； sir； that ankles was not catching； and that
I would certainly think of Capericornopus if she would but walk a…
tiptoe。〃
〃Well； and〃
〃By hook and cook I got them to the library； sir。 But the male person's
boots creaked awful。 The getting on his toes； sir seemed to induce it；
as you might say。〃
〃Yes； yes。 So they're in the library？〃
〃They are； sir； and have been talking incessant； sir； ever since they
was put there。 We can hear their voices in our hall； sir。〃
Mr。 Ferdinand again pursed his lips and looked like an elderly lady。
The Prophet could no longer meet his eye。
〃Bring some tea； Mr。 Ferdinand； quietly to the library。 Andand if
Mrs。 Merillia should ask for me say I'msay I'm busyerwriting。〃
Mr。 Ferdinand moved a step backward。
〃Master Hennessey！〃 he cried in a choked voice。 I； a London butler； and
you ask me to！〃
〃No； no。 I beg your pardon； Mr。 Ferdinand。 Simply say I'm busy。 That
will be quite true。 I shall bevery busy。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Mr。 Ferdinand with a stern and at length successful
effort to conquer his outraged feelings。
He wavered heavily away to fetch the tea； while the Prophet； like a
guilty thing； stole towards the library。 When he drew near to the door
he heard a somewhat resounding hubbub of conversation proceeding within
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
gave an almost professional clicksuggesting mechanismas the speaker
passed from the lower to the upper register of her voice。 As the
Prophet reached the mat outside the door he heard the contralto voice
say；
〃How are we to know it really is only ankles？〃
The voice of Malkiel the Second replied plaintively；
〃But the gentleman who opened the door and〃
The contralto voice clicked； and passed to its upper register。
〃You are over fifty years of age；〃 it said with devastating compassion；
〃and you can still trust a gentleman who opens doors！ /O sanctum
simplicitatus！/〃
On hearing this sudden gush of classical erudition the Prophet must
have been seized by a paralysing awe； for he remained as if glued to
the mat； and made no effort to open the door and step into the room。
〃If I am sanctified； Sophronia；〃 said the voice of Malkiel； 〃I cannot
help it； indeed I can't。 We are as we are。〃
〃Did Bottom say so in his epics？〃 cried the contralto； contemptuously。
〃Did Shakespeare imply that when he invented his immortal Bacon； or
Carlyle； the great Cumberland sage； when he penned his world…famed
'Sartus'？〃
〃P'r'aps not； my dear。 You know best。 Still； ordinary mennot that I；
of course； can claim to be onemust remain； to a certain extent； what
they are。〃
〃Then why was Samuel Smiles born？〃
〃What； my love？〃
〃Why； I say？ Where is the use of effort？ Of what benefit was Plato's
existence to the republic？ Of what assistance has the great Tracy
Tupper been if men must still； despite all his proverbs； remain what
they are？ /O curum hominibus！ O imitatori！ Servus pecum！/〃
At this point the voice of Mr。 Ferdinand remarked in the small of the
Prophet's back；
〃Shall I set down the tea on the mat； sir； or〃
The Prophet bounded into the library； tingling in every vein。 His
panther…like entrance evidently took the two conversationalists aback；
for Malkiel the Second； who had been plaintively promenading 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 sitting on a saddle…back chair by the
hearth； simultaneously bounced up； both these proceedings being carried
out with the frantic promptitude characteristic of complete and
unhesitating terror。
〃I beg your pardon！〃 said the Prophet。 〃I hope I haven't disturbed
you。〃
Malkiel the Second leaned back； the contralto voice leaned forward； and
both breathed convulsively。
〃I really must apologise；〃 continued the Prophet。 〃I fear I have
startled you。〃
His guests swallowed nothing simultaneously and mechanically drew out
their handkerchiefs。 Then Malkiel feebly got up and the contralto voice
feebly sank down again。
〃II thought I said sharp； sir；〃 remarked Malkiel； at length； with a
great effort recovering himself。
〃Wasn't I sharp？〃 returned the Prophet。 〃Will you present me？〃
〃Are you equal to it； my love？〃 inquired Malkiel； tenderly； to the
contralto voice。
The contralto voice nodded hysterically。
〃Madame Sagittarius； sir；〃 said Malkiel； turning proudly to the
Prophet； 〃my wife； the mother of Corona and Capricornus。〃
The Prophet bowed and the lady inclined herself； slightly protruding
her elbows as she did so； as if just to draw attention to the fact that
she was possessed of those appendages and could use them if necessary。
Madame Malkiel； or rather Madame Sagittarius； as she must for the
present be called； was a smallish woman of some forty winters。 Her
hair； which was drawn away intellectually from an ample and decidedly
convex brow； was as black as a patent leather boot； and had a gloss
upon it as of carefully…adjusted varnish。 Her eyes were very large；
very dark and very prominent。 Her features 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
bugles had been applied with no uncertain hand； and an opal necklace。
Her gloves were of white； her boots of black kid； the latter being
furnished with elastic sides； and over her left wrist she carried a
plush reticule； whose mouth was kept shut by a tightly…drawn scarlet
rib