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can be expected。 If necessary we will certainly try the molasses。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
〃It is two o'clock now； Hennessey。 The Charing Cross office is open
till midnight； I believe； so at the present rate you should only have
about ninety more telegrams to…day。 But if you have reason to expect〃
Mr。 Ferdinand re…entered。
〃Mrs。 Hendrick Marshall has called； ma'am。 She desired me to say she
was passing the door and was much horrified to find that you are so
near the point； ma'am。〃
〃What point； Mr。 Ferdinand？〃
〃Of death； ma'am。 She had no idea at all； ma'am。〃
〃Oh； thank Mrs。 Hendrick Marshall； Mr。 Ferdinand； and say we shall try
to keep from the point for the present。
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
〃That the numbers will go up as the afternoon draws on； Hennessey〃
〃Grannie； haven't I sworn； and have you ever known me to tell you a〃
Suddenly the Prophet stopped short； thinking how that very night he
would be forced by his oath to 〃Madame and self〃 to break his promise
to his grandmother； how already it would have been broken had not Mr。
Ferdinand on the previous night been in possession of the telescope。
〃The Chancellor of the Exchequer； ma'am； desires his compliments； and
he begs you to last out； if possible； till he has fetched Sir William
Broadbent to see you。 He is going there on his bike； ma'am； and had no
conception you was dying till he knew it this moment； ma'am。〃
〃Thank the Chancellor； Mr。 Ferdinand； and say that though we must all
go out some day I have no desire for a dissolution at present； and
shall do my best to prove myself worthy of my constitution。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
Mr。 Ferdinand retired； brushing away a tear。
〃It would not be feasible； I suppose； Hennessey； to station Gustavus
permanently at the telegraph office with a small hamper； so that he
might collect the wires in it as they arrive and convey them here； once
an hour or so； entering by the area door。 I thought perhaps that might
obviate〃
Mr。 Ferdinand once more appeared； looking very puffy about the eyes。
〃If you please； ma'am； Laady Julia Posostlethwaite is below； and
asks wheether you are truly going ma'am？〃
〃Going？ Where to； Mr。 Ferdinand？〃
〃The other plaace； ma'am。 Her ladyship is crying something terrible；
ma'am； and says； till she nononoticed the fact she had nono
notion you was leaving us so soon； ma'am。〃
Here Mr。 Ferdinand uttered a very strange and heartrending sound that
was rather like the bark of a dog with a bad cold in its head。
〃It is really very odd so many people finding out so soon！〃 said Mrs。
Merillia in some surprise。 〃Tell her ladyship； Mr。 Ferdinand； that〃
But at this moment there was the sound of feet on the stairs； and Lady
Enid Thistle hurried into the room； closely followed by Mr。 Robert
Green。 Lady Enid went up at once to Mrs。 Merillia。
〃I am so shocked and distressed to see your news； dear Mrs。 Merillia；〃
she cried affectionately。 〃But；〃 she added； with much inquisitiveness；
〃is it really true that if anyone tapped on the door you would
certainly die？ How can you be so sure of yourself。〃
〃What do you mean？ Ah； Mr。 Green； how d'you do？ See my news！〃
〃Yes； written up on the front door。 Everyone's shocked。〃
〃Rather！〃 said Mr。 Green； gazing at Mrs。 Merillia with confused
mournfulness。 〃One doesn't see death on a front door every day； don't
you know； in big round hand too； and then one of those modern words。〃
〃Death on the front door in big round hand！〃 said Mrs。 Merillia in the
greatest perplexity。
〃I put it there； grannie；〃 said the Prophet； humbly。 〃I wrote that if
another boy knocked； death would certainly ensue。〃
〃Ensue。 That's it。 I knew it was one of those modern words；〃 said Mr。
Green。
〃Another boy？〃 said Lady Enid。 〃Why should another boy knock？〃
〃Hennessey receives about nine telegrams an hour；〃 answered Mrs。
Merillia。
〃Really！〃
Lady Enid looked at him with keen interest； while Mrs。 Merillia
continued；
〃You had better take death off the door now； Mr。 Ferdinand。 I feel more
myself。 Please thank her ladyship and tell her so。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
〃Nine telegrams an hour！〃 repeated Lady Enid。 〃Mr。 Vivian； would you
mind just seeing me as far as Hill Street？ Bob has to go to
Tattersall's。〃
〃Have I； Niddy？〃 asked Mr。 Green； with evident surprise。
〃Yes； to pick up a polo pony。 Don't you recollect？〃
〃A polo pony； was it？ By Jove！〃
〃I will come with pleasure；〃 said the poor Prophet； who felt fit only
to lie down quietly in his grave。 〃If you don't mind being left；
grannie？〃
Mrs。 Merillia was looking pleased。
〃No； no。 Go with Lady Enid； my dear boy。 If any telegrams come shall I
open〃
〃No；〃 cried the Prophet； with sudden fierce energy。 〃For mercy's sake
I mean； grannie； dear； that none will come。 If they should〃his
ordinary gentle eyes flamed almost furiously〃Mr。 Ferdinand is to burn
them unreadyes； to ashes。 I will tell him。〃 And he escorted Lady Enid
tumultuously downstairs； missing his footing at every second step。
In the square they parted from Mr。 Green； who said；
〃Good…bye； Niddy； old girl。 What do I want to pick up at Tattersall's？〃
〃A polo pony； Bob；〃 she answered firmly。
〃Oh； a polo pony。 Thanks； Chin； chin； Hen。 Polo pony is it？〃
He strode off； whistling 〃She wore a wreath of roses〃 in a puzzled
manner； but still preserving the accepted demeanour of a bulwark。
As soon as Mr。 Green was out of sight Lady Enid said；
〃We aren't going to Hill Street。〃
〃Aren't we？〃 replied the Prophet； feebly。
〃No。 I must see Sir Tiglath Butt to…day。 I want you to take me to his
door。〃
〃Where is his door？〃
〃In Kensington Square。 Do you mind hailing a four…wheeler。 We can talk
privately there。 No one will hear us。〃
The Prophet hailed a growler； wondering whether they would be able to
hear each other。 As they got in Lady Enid； after giving the direction；
said to the cabman； who was a short person； with curling ebon whiskers；
a broken…up expression and a broken…down manner：
〃Drive slowly； please and I'll give you an extra six…pence。〃
〃Lydy？〃
〃Drive slowly； and I'll give you another six…pence。〃
〃How did yer think I was gawing to drive； lydy？〃
〃I wonder why cabmen are always so interested in one's inmost
thoughts；〃 said Lady Enid； as the horse fell down preparatory to
starting。
〃I wonder。〃
〃I hope he will go slowly。〃
〃He seems to be doing so。〃
At this point the horse； after knocking on the front of the cab with
his hind feet ten or a dozen times； got up； hung his head； and drew a
large number of deep and dejected breaths。
〃Am I gawing slowly enough； lydy？〃 asked the cabman； anxiously。
〃Yes； but you can let him trot along now。〃
〃Right； lydy； I ain't preventing of him。〃
As eventually they scrambled slowly forward in the Kensington
direction； Lady Enid remarked；
〃Why don't you have them sent to Jellybrand's？〃
〃Have what？〃 asked the Prophet。
〃Your telegrams。 The messages from your double life。 I do。〃
〃But I assure you〃
〃Mr。 Vivian； it's useless really。 I find you hidden away in the inner
room of Jellybrand's with Mr。 Sagittarius； closely guarded by Frederick
Smith； fourpenny champagne〃
〃Four bobshilling； I mean。〃
〃Oh； was it？Upon the table。 After I've been poisoned； and we are
leaving； Mr。 Sagittarius calls after you such expressions as 'Banks of
the Mousehear from memarrowarchitects and the last day。' You are
obviously agitated by these expressions。 We reach your house。 I find
you have been prophesying through a telescope。 The name of Malkiela
well…known prophetis mentioned。 You turn pale and glance at me
imploringly； as if to solicit my silence。 I am silent。 The next day you
announce that you are going to have two afternoon parties。〃
〃No； no； not afternoon！ I never said afternoon！〃 interposed the
Prophet； frantically； as the horse fell down again in order to earn the
extra sixpence。
〃Well； two parties in the afternoon。 It's the same thing。 You say they
are odd。 You yourself acknowledge it。 You tell me you have secrets。〃
〃Did I？〃
〃Yes。 When I said I had guessed your secret you replied； 'Which one？' 〃
〃Oh！〃 murmured the Prophet； trying not to say 〃come in！〃 to the horse；
which was again knocking with both feet upon the front of the cab。
〃You go home。 I call during the afternoon； and find that you are
entertaining all your guests in your own little room and that your
grandmother knows nothing of it and believes you to be working。 As I am
leaving I see the backs of two of your guests。 One is a pelisse； the
other a spotted collar。 As I near them they mount into a purple omnibus
on which is printed in huge letters； /'To the 〃Pork Butcher's
Rest〃 '/〃
〃No！ No！〃 ejaculated the Prophet； pale with horror at this revelatio