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furnished with elastic sides； and over her left wrist she carried a
plush reticule； whose mouth was kept shut by a tightly…drawn scarlet
riband。 On the left side of her pelisse reposed a round bouquet of
violets about the size of a Rugby football。
〃I thought you might like to have some tea；〃 began the Prophet； in his
most soothing manner； while Mr。 Ferdinand； with pursed lips； softly
arranged that beverage upon the seat which Mr。 Sagittariusso we must
call himhad just vacated。
〃Thank you；〃 said Madame Sagittarius； with dignity。 〃It would be
acceptable。 The long journey from the banks of the Mouse to these
central districts is not without its fatigue。 A beautiful equipage！〃
〃You said〃
〃You have a very fine equipage。〃
〃You have seen the brougham？〃 said the Prophet； in some surprise。
〃What broom？〃 buzzed Madame Sagittarius。
〃I thought you were admiring〃
〃The tea equipage。〃
〃Oh； yes； to be sure。 Queen Anne silver； yes。〃
〃A great woman！〃 said Madame Sagittarius； spreading a silk handkerchief
that exactly matched the ostrich tips in her bonnet carefully over her
velvet lap。 〃All who have read Mrs。 Markham's work of genius with
understanding must hold her name in reverence。 A noble creature！ A pity
she died！〃
〃A great pity indeed！〃
〃Still we must remember that /Mors omnis communibus/。 We must not
forget that。〃
〃No； no。〃
〃And after all it is the will of Providence。 /Mors Deo/。〃
〃Quite so。〃
During this classical and historical retrospect Mr。 Ferdinand had
finished his task and quitted the apartment。 As soon as he had gone
Madame Sagittarius continued；
〃As the mother of Corona and Capricornus I feel it my duty to ask you；
sirthat is； Mr。〃
〃Vivian。〃
〃Mr。 Vivian； whether the illness in your house is really only ankles as
the gentleman who opened the door assured me？〃
〃It is only that。〃
〃Not catching？〃
〃Oh； dear； no。〃
〃There； Sophronia！〃 said Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃I told you it was merely the
prophecy。〃
He suddenly assumed a formidable manner； and continued；
〃And now； sir； that we are alone〃
But Madame interrupted him。
〃Kindly permit our host to succour my fatigue； Jupiter；〃 she said
severely。 〃I am greatly upset by the journey。 When I am restored we can
proceed to business。 At present I am fit only for consolation。〃
Mr。 Sagittarius subsided； and the Prophet hastily assisted the victim
of prolonged travel to some buttered toast。 Having also attended to the
wants of her precipitate underling； he thought it a good opportunity to
proceed to a full explanation with the august couple； and he therefore
remarked； with an ingratiating and almost tender smile；
〃I think I ought to tell you at once that there will be no need for any
further anxiety on your part。 I have put down my telescope and have
well； in fact； I have decided once and for all to give up prophecy for
the future。〃
The Prophet； in his innocence； had expected that this declaration of
policy would exercise a soothing influence upon his guests； more
especially when he addedit is to be feared with some insincerity；
〃I have come to the conclusion that I overrated my powers； as amateurs
will； you know； and that I have never really possessed any special
talent in that direction。 I think I shall take up golf instead； or
perhaps the motor car。〃
He spoke deliberately in a light…minded； even frivolous； manner； toying
airily with a sugar biscuit； as he leaned back in his chair； which
stood opposite to Madame Sagittarius's。 To his great surprise his well…
meaning remarks were received with every symptom of grave
dissatisfaction by his illustrious companions。 Madame Sagittarius threw
herself suddenly forward with a most vivacious snort； and her husband's
face was immediately overcast by a threatening gloom that seemed to
portend some very disagreeable expression of adverse humour。
〃That won't do； sir； at this time of day！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You should
have thought of that yesterday。 That won't do at all； will it； Madame？〃
〃/O miseris hominorum mentas/！〃 exclaimed that lady； tragically。 〃/O
pectorae caecae/！〃
〃You hear her； sir？〃 continued Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃You grasp her
meaning？〃
〃I do hear certainly；〃 said the Prophet； beginning to feel that he
really must rub up his classics。
〃She helps Capricornus； sir； of an evening。 She assists him in his
Latin。 Madame is a lady of deep education； sir。〃
〃Quite so。 But〃
〃There can be no going back； sir；〃 continued Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃Can
there； Madame？〃
〃No human creature can go back；〃 said Madame Sagittarius。 〃Such is the
natural law as exemplified by the great Charles Darwin in his
/Vegetable Mould and Silkworms/。 No human creature can go back。 Least
of all this gentleman。 He must go forward and we with him。〃
The Prophet began to feel uncomfortable。
〃But〃 he said。
〃There is no such word as 'but' in my dictionary；〃 retorted the lady。
〃Ah； an abridged edition； no doubt；〃 said the Prophet。 〃Still〃
〃I am better now；〃 interposed Madame Sagittarius； brushing some crumbs
of toast from her pelisse with the orange handkerchief。 〃Jupiter； if
you are ready； we can explain the test to the gentleman。〃
So saying she drew a vinaigrette； set with fine imitation carbuncles；
from the plush reticule； and applied it majestically to her nose。 The
Prophet grew really perturbed。 He remembered his promise to his
grandmother and Sir Tiglath； and felt that he must assert himself more
strongly。
〃I assure you；〃 he began； with some show of firmness； 〃no tests will be
necessary。 My telescope has already been removed from its position；
and〃
〃Then it must be reinstated； sir；〃 said Mr。 Sagittarius； 〃and this very
night。 Madame has hit upon a plan； sir； of searching you to the quick。
Trust a woman； sir； to do that。〃
〃I should naturally trust Madame Sagittarius；〃 said the Prophet； very
politely。 〃But I really cannot〃
〃So you say； sir。 Our business is to find out whether； living in the
Berkeley Square as you do； you can bring off a prophecy of any
importance or not。 The future of myself； Madame and family depends upon
the results of the experiments which we shall make upon you during the
next few days。〃
The Prophet began to feel as if he were shut up alone with a couple of
determined practitioners of vivisection。
〃Let's see； my dear；〃 continued Mr。 Sagittarius； addressing his wife；
〃what was it to be？〃
〃The honored grandmother one；〃 replied the lady； tersely。
The Prophet started。
〃I cannot possibly consent〃 he began。
〃Pray； Mr。 Vivian； listen to me；〃 interposed Madame Sagittarius。
〃Pray； sir； attend to Madame！〃 said Mr。 Sagittarius； sternly。
〃But I must really〃
〃January；〃 said Madame； 〃is a month of grave importance to grandmothers
this year； is it not； Jupiter？〃
〃Yes； my dear。 In consequence of Scorpio being in the sign of
Sagittarius。 The crab will be very busy up till the third of February。〃
〃Just so。〃
〃At which date the little dog； my love； assumes the roll of maleficence
towards the aged。〃
〃I know。 /Cane cavem/。 When was the old lady born； Mr。 Vivian； if you
please？〃
〃What old lady？〃 stammered the Prophet； beginning to perspire。
〃The old lady who's got ankles； your honoured grandmother？〃
〃On the twentieth of this month。 But〃
〃At what time？〃
〃Six in the morning。 But〃
〃Under what star？〃
〃Saturn。 But〃
〃That's lucky； isn't it； Jupiter？〃 said Madame； in an increasingly
business…like manner。 〃That brings her into touch with the Camelopard
doesn't it？〃
〃Into very close touch indeed； my dear； and also with the bull。 He goes
right to her； as you may say。〃
〃I cannot conceivably permit〃 began the Prophet in much agitation。
But Madame； without taking the smallest notice of him； proceeded。
〃Will the scorpion be round her on her birthday？〃
〃Close round her； my lovewith the serpent。 They work together。〃
〃Together； do they？ You know what effect they'll have on her； don't
you； Jupiter？〃
〃I should rather think so； my darling；〃 replied Mr。 Sagittarius； with
an air of profound and sinister information。
The Prophet's blood ran cold in his veins。 Yet he felt for the moment
unable to utter a syllable； or even to make a gesture of protest。 So
entirely detached from him did the worthy couple appear to be； so
completely wrapped up in their own evidently well…considered and
carefully…laid plans； that he had a sense of being in another sphere；
not theirs； of hearing their remarks from some distance off。 Madame
Sagittarius now turned towards him in a formal manner； and continued。
〃And now； Mr。 Vivian； I shall have to lay down the procedure that you
will follow。 Have you a good memoryno； a pencil and notebook will be
best。 /Litterae scriptus mane