按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
When he came down in the morning pale； dishevelled； but informed by a
curious dignity； he was met at once by Mr。 Ferdinand。
〃I have cleared the area； sir；〃 said the functionary。
〃The area； Mr。 Ferdinand。 What of？〃
〃Telegrams； sir。 The boys must have thrown 'em down without knocking。〃
〃Very probably；〃 replied the Prophet。 〃Their comrade was right。 They
did not wish to be strangled。〃
〃No； sir。 And I have placed them in a basket on the breakfast table；
sir； while awaiting your orders。〃
〃Quite right； Mr。 Ferdinand。 By the way； here is the bradawl。 Leave it
out again to…night in case I have need of it。〃
So saying； the Prophet handed the bradawl； which he had craftily
conveyed from the pantry on the previous night； to the astonished
butler and walked swiftly into the breakfast…room。 The basket of
telegrams was set outside beside a fried sole and the 〃equipage〃 which
Madame had so much admired； and； while he sipped his tea； the Prophet
opened the wires one by one。 They were fraught with terror and dismay。
Evidently his mysterious warning had thrown the worthies who dwelt
beside the Mouse into a condition of the very gravest amazement and
alarm； and they had； despite the Prophet's final injunction； spent the
remaining telegraphic hours of the day in despatching wires of frantic
inquiry to the square。 Madame； in particular； was evidently much upset；
and expressed her angry agitation in a dead language that seemed
positively to live again in fear and novelty of grammatical
construction。 Sir Tiglath had been a brilliant card to play in the
prophetic game； although he had not achieved the Prophet's purpose of
stopping the telegraphic flood。
While the Prophet was simultaneously finishing the fried sole and the
perusal of the final wire Mr。 Ferdinand entered； in a condition of
obvious astonishment that might well have cost him his place。
〃If you please； sir；〃 he said； in an up…and…down voice； 〃if you please
there are twotwotwo〃
〃Two what？ Be more explicit； Mr。 Ferdinand。〃
〃Twowell； sir； kids at the door waiting for you to see them； sir。〃
〃Two kids！ Whatfrom the goat show that's going on at the Westminster
Aquarium！〃 cried the Prophet in great surprise。
〃Maybe； sir。 I can't say； indeed； sir。 Am I to show them in； sir？〃
〃Show them in！ Are you gone mad； Mr。 Ferdinand？ They must be driven out
at once。 If Mrs。 Merillia were to see them； she might be greatly
alarmed。 I'llI'llfollow me； Mr。 Ferdinand； closely。〃
So saying the Prophet stepped valiantly into the hall。 There； by the
umbrella stand； stood two small children； boy and girl； very neatly
dressed in a sailor suit and a grey merino。 The little boy held in his
hand a large round straw hat； on the blue riband of which was inscribed
in letters of gold； 〃H。M。S。 Hercules。〃 The little girl wore a pleasant
pigtail tied with a riband of the same hue。
The meaning of Mr。 Ferdinand's vulgar and misleading slang suddenly
dawned on the Prophet。 He cast a look of very grave rebuke on Mr。
Ferdinand； then； walking up to the little boy and girl he said in his
most ingratiating manner；
〃Well； my little ones； what can I do for you？〃
〃Not so little； if you please； Mr。 Vivian；〃 replied the boy in a
piping； but very self…possessed voice。 〃Can we see you in private for a
moment？〃
〃If you please； Mr。 Vivian；〃 added the little girl。 〃Si sit
prudentium。〃
〃Dentia； Corona；〃 corrected the little boy。
The Prophet turned white to the very lips。
〃Certainly； certainly；〃 he said in a violently furtive manner。 〃Come
this way； my children。 Mr。 Ferdinand； if Mrs。 Merillia should inquire
for me； you will say that I'm busy writingno； no； just busyvery
busy。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃I'm not to be disturbed。 This way； my little ones。〃
〃Not so little； Mr。 Vivian；〃 piped again the small boy； trotting
obediently； with his sister； into the Prophet's library； the door of
which was immediately closed behind them。
〃Well； I'm〃 said Mr。 Ferdinand。 〃Kids in the library！ I am
Gustavus！〃
He rushed frenetically towards the servants' hall to confer upon the
situation with his intellectual subordinate。
Meanwhile the Prophet was closeted with the two kids。
〃Pray sit down；〃 he said； very nervously； and smiling forcibly。 〃Pray
sit down； my dears。〃
The kids obeyed with aplomb； keeping their large and strained eyes
fixed upon the Prophet。
〃Is it Coronus and Capricorna？〃 continued the Prophet； with an effort
after blithe familiarity。 〃Is it？〃
〃No；〃 piped the little boy。 〃It isn't Coronus and Capricorna。〃
A marvellous sensation of relief invaded the Prophet。
〃Thank Heaven！〃 he ejaculated in a sigh。 〃I thought it must be。〃
〃It's Corona and Capricornus；〃 continued the little boy。 〃And we've
brought you a letter from pater familias。〃
〃And mater familiaris；〃 added the little girl。
〃Milias； Corona；〃 corrected the little boy。 〃Here it is； Mr。 Vivian；〃
he added； drawing a large missive from the breast of his blue…and…white
sailor's blouse。 〃Pater and mater familias couldn't bring it
themselves； because he said it wasn't safe for him to come； and she's
lying down ill at what you sent to her。 It wasn't kind of you； was it？〃
So saying； he handed the missive to the Prophet； who took it anxiously。
〃Would you like some cake； my litI mean； my dears； while I read
this？〃
〃No； thank you。 Cake is bad for us in the morning；〃 replied the little
boy。 〃You shouldn't eat it so early。〃
The Prophet was about to reply that he never did when it struck him
that argument would probably be useless。 He； therefore； hastened to
open the letter； which proved to be from Mr。 Sagittarius； and which ran
as follows：
〃SIR；Your terrible and mysterious wire； coming after your equally
terrible and mysterious silence； has caused devastation in a
hitherto peaceful and happy family。 To what peril do you allude？
What creature can there be so base as to wish to take my life
merely on account of my sending you telegrams？ Madame has been
driven to despair by your announcement； and I； myself； although no
ordinary man； am； very rightly and properly； going about in fear
of my life since receipt of your last telegram。 Under these circs；
and being unable to wait upon you ourselves for a full
explanation； we are sending our very life…blood to youper rail
and 'buswith strict orders to bring you at once to the banks of
the Mouse； there to confer with Madame and self and arrange such
measures of precaution as are suited to the requirements of the
situation as indicated by you。
〃JUPITER SAGITTARIUS。
〃P。S。You are to bring with you； according to solemn oath； all
prophecy concerning grandmother； Crab； etc。； gathered up to date；
together with full details of same's removal from the bottle；
cutting of her first tooth； short…coating； going into skirts；
putting of hair up； day of marriage and widowhood； illnesses
especially rashesand so forth。 /Ab origino/。
〃MADAME SAGITTARIUS。〃
On reading this communication the Prophet felt that all further
struggle was useless。 Fatecruel and remorseless Fatehad him in her
grasp。 He could only bow his head and submit to her horrible decrees。
He could only go upstairs and at once prepare for the journey to the
Mouse。
He laid the letter down and got up； fixing his eyes upon the kids； who
sat solemnly awaiting his further procedure。
〃YouI suppose you know； my little ones； what thiswhat you have to
do？〃 he said。
〃Not so little； if you please； Mr。 Vivian；〃 returned the boy。 〃Yes；
we've got to take you with us to see pater familias。〃
〃And mater familiarfamilias；〃 added the little girl。
〃I seeyou know；〃 said the Prophet； in a despairing voice。 〃Very well。
Wait here quietlyvery quietly； while I go and get ready。〃
〃And please don't forget the Crab and grandmother； rashes； et ceterus；〃
said the little girl。
〃Tera Corona；〃 piped her brother。
〃I won't；〃 said the Prophet。 〃I will not。〃
And he tottered out of the room； carrying the Sagittarius letter in his
hand。
In the hall he paused for a moment； holding on to the balusters and re…
reading his directions。 Then he crawled slowly up the stairs and sought
his grandmother's room。
CHAPTER XIV
THE PROPHET JOURNEYS TO THE MOUSE
Mrs。 Merillia was just beginning to recover from the prostration of the
preceding day when the Prophet came into the room where she was seated
with Mrs。 Fancy Quinglet。 She looked up at him almost brightly； but
started when she saw how agitated he seemed。
〃Grannie；〃 said the Prophet； abruptly； 〃you would tell me anything；
wouldn't you？〃
〃Why； of course； my dear boy。 But what about？〃
〃Aboutabout yourself？〃
Mrs。 Merillia looked very much astonished。
〃There is nothing to hide； Hennessey；〃 sh