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Mrs。 Merillia looked very much astonished。
〃There is nothing to hide； Hennessey；〃 she said with gentle dignity。
〃You know that。〃
〃I do； I do；〃 cried the Prophet； passionately。 〃Yours has been the
best； the sweetest life the world has ever known！〃
〃Well； I don't wish to imply〃
〃But I do； grannie； I do。 Can Fancy leave us for a moment？〃
〃Certainly。 Fancy； you can go to your tatting。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
〃Mr Hennessey has something to explain to me。〃
〃Oh； ma'am； the houses that have been broke up by explainings！〃
And with this； as the Prophet thought； appallingly appropriate
exclamation； Mrs。 Fancy hurried feverishly from the room。
〃Now what is the question you wish to ask me； Hennessey？〃 said Mrs。
Merillia； with a soft dignity。
〃There areone momentthere are eight questions； grannie；〃 responded
the Prophet； shrinking visibly before the dread necessity by which he
found himself confronted。
〃Eight！ So many？〃
〃Yes； oh； indeed； yes。〃
〃Well； my dear； and what are they？〃
〃The first isisgrannie； when were you removed fromfrom the
bottle？〃
A very delicate flush crept into Mrs。 Merillia's charming cheeks。
〃The bottle； Hennessey！ Never； never！〃 she said； with a sort of
pathetic indignation。 〃How could you supposeIthe bottle〃
Her pretty old voice died away。
〃Answered； darling grannie； answered！〃 ejaculated the Prophet。
Pleaseplease don't！〃 And nowyour first tooth？〃
〃My first what！〃 cried Mrs。 Merillia in almost terrified amazement。
〃Toothwhen did you cut it？〃
〃I have no idea。 Surely； Hennessey〃
〃Answered； dearest grannie！〃 cried the Prophet； with gathering
agitation。 〃Did you ever wear a short coat？〃
〃II'm not a man！〃
〃You didn't！ Always a skirt？〃
〃Of course！ Why〃
〃And you're sixty…eight on the twentieth。 So for sixty…eight years
you've always worn a skirt。 That's four。〃
〃Four what？ Are you？〃
〃When did you put your hair up； grannie； darling？〃
〃My hairnever。 You know I've always had a maid to do these things for
me。 Fancy〃
〃Of course。 You've never put your hair up。 I might have known。 You were
married very young； weren't you？〃
〃Ah； yes。 On my seventeenth birthday； and was left a widow in exactly
two years' time。 Your poor dear granf〃
〃Thank you； grannie； thank you！ Seven！〃
〃Seven what； Hennessey？ One would th〃
〃And now； dear grannie； tell me one thing； only one little thing more。
Aboutthat is； talking of rashes〃
〃Rashers！〃
〃No； grannie； rashesillnesses； you know； that take an epidemic form。〃
〃Well； what about them？ Surely there isn't an epidemic in the square？〃
〃How many have you had； grannie？〃
〃Where？ Had what？〃
〃Here； anywhere in the square； grannie。〃
〃Had what in the square？〃
〃Rashes。〃
〃I！ Have a rash in the square！〃
〃Exactly。 Have you everan epidemic； you know？〃
〃I have an epidemic in Berkeley Square？ You must be crazy； Hennessey！〃
〃Probably； very likely； grannie。 But have you？ Tell me quickly！ Have
you？〃
〃Certainly not！ As if any gentlewoman〃
〃Answered； grannie； answered！ Eight！〃
〃Eight what？〃
〃Questions。 Thank you； dearest grannie。 I knew you'd tell me； I knew
you would！〃
And the Prophet rushed from the room； leaving Mrs。 Merillia in a
condition that cannot be described and that not all the subsequent
ministrations of Mrs。 Fancy Quinglet were able to alleviate。
Having reached the hall； the Prophet hastily put on his coat and hat
and called Mr。 Ferdinand to him。
〃Mr。 Ferdinand；〃 he said； assuming a fixed and stony dignity to conceal
his agitation and dismay； 〃I am leaving the house at once with thethe
lady and gentleman who are in the library。〃
At this description of the kids Mr。 Ferdinand was very nearly seized
with convulsions。 However； as he said nothing and merely wrung his
large hands； the Prophet； after a slight pause； continued；
〃I may be away some time； so if Mrs。 Merillia should make any inquiry；
you will say that I have left to pay a visit to some friends。〃
〃Yes； sir。 Shall I tell Gustavus to pack your things？〃
〃Certainly not。〃
The Prophet was turning towards the library when Mr。 Ferdinand added；
〃When shall we expect you back； sir？ Am I to forward your letters？〃
〃No； no。 I shall return in a few hours。〃
〃Oh； I beg pardon； sir。 And if any telegrams〃
〃There will not be any。 I am now going to answer the telegrams in
person。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Come along； my children；〃 cried the Prophet； putting his head into the
library。
〃Not your children； if you please； Mr。 Vivian；〃 replied the little boy。
〃Corona； come on。〃
〃How do we go； my dears？〃 asked the Prophet； with an attempt at gaiety；
and endeavouring to ignore the prostrated demeanour of Mr。 Ferdinand；
who was in waiting to open the hall door。
〃By the purple 'bus as far as the Pork Butcher's Rest；〃 piped the
little boy（at this point Mr。 Ferdinand could not refrain from a
slight exclamation）〃then we take the train to the Mouse； Mouse；
Mouse。〃
〃Mus； Mus； Mus；〃 chanted the little girl。
As Mr。 Ferdinand was unable to open the door； paralysis having
apparently supervened； the Prophet did so； and the cheerful little
party emerged upon the step to find Lady Enid Thistle in the very act
of pressing the electric bell。 When she beheld the vivacious trio； all
agog for their morning's expedition； come thus suddenly upon her； she
cried out musically；
〃Why； where are you off to？〃
The Prophet was much embarrassed by the encounter。
〃I am taking these lit〃he caught the staring eye of Capricornus
〃these friends of mine for a little walk；〃 he said。
〃I'll come with you；〃 said Lady Enid； with an almost Highland decision。
〃I've got something to say to you； and we can talk as we go。〃
She glanced very inquisitively indeed at the two children； who had
begun to frisk at sight of the square all bathed in winter sunshine。
The Prophet was very much upset。
〃Don't you think〃 he began。
〃It will be delightful to have some exercise；〃 she interrupted firmly。
〃Which way are you going？〃
〃Which way！ Oh； totowards〃
The Prophet stopped。 He did not know from what point the purple 'bus
started to gain the Pork Butcher's Rest。 Capricornus hastened to inform
him。
〃We take the purple 'bus at the corner of Air Street；〃 he piped。
〃The purple 'bus！〃 cried Lady Enid。 〃The purple bus！〃
She glanced searchingly at the Prophet。
〃Ah！〃 she murmured； 〃so you are taking a purple 'bus to your double
life！〃
He could not deny it。 They were now all walking forward in the sun and
as the little Corona and Capricornus became speedily intent upon the
wonders of this central district； Lady Enid and the Prophet were able
to have a quiet word or two together。
〃I came to tell you；〃 she said； 〃that Mrs。 Vane Bridgeman will expect
you to…night at〃
〃I am engaged at eleven；〃 cried the Prophet； in despair at the
imposition of this fresh burden upon his weary shoulders。
〃I know。 To the Lord Chancellor； but〃
〃No。 I have an engagement which I dare not break； at home。〃
〃Really！〃
She gazed at him with her large； handsome grey eyes； and added；
〃I do believe you're silly enough to live your double life at home
sometimes。 How splendid！〃
〃No； no！ I assure you〃
〃Of course you do！ You dear foolish thing！ You're ever so much sillier
than I am。 You're my master。〃
〃No； indeed； no； no！〃
〃But you can go to Mrs。 Bridgeman's for an hour easily。 She expects you
and I've promised that you will go。〃
〃It's very kind of you； but really〃
〃So that's settled。 You'll meet me there； but don't forget I'm Miss
Minerva Partridge。 The address is Zoological House； Regent's Park； that
big house in a garden just outside the Zoo。〃
〃The big house in the Zoological Gardens；〃 said the Prophet； feebly。
〃Thank you very much。〃
〃No； no； outside the Zoo。 And then we can arrange to…night about your
introducing her to Mr。 Sagittarius。〃
〃Hush！ Hush！〃 whispered the Prophet。
But he was too late。 The long ears of the little pitchers had caught
the well…known word。
〃Why； that抯 pater familias；〃 piped the little Capricornus。
〃And mater familiaris；〃 added the little Corona。
〃You don't mean to say；〃 cried Lady Enid to the Prophet； 〃that these
are the children of Mr。 Sagittarius？〃
The Prophet bent his head。
〃How very interesting！〃 said Lady Enid。 〃Everything is working out most
beautifully。 I must get them some chocolates。〃
And she immediately stepped into a confectioner's and came out with a
beautiful box of bon…bons； tied with amethyst ribbon； which she gave to
the delighted children。
〃I know your dear father；〃 she said。 〃At least I know who he is。〃
And she looked firmly at the Prophet； wh