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〃But； my darling〃
〃Or I will；〃 cried Madame。 〃Which is it to be？〃
〃Mr。 Sagittarius！〃 exclaimed the Prophet。
〃Very well；〃 said Madame。 〃Let mine be the weary task to wait and watch
at home。 /Fata feminus/。 The mystery of the dressed Crab must be
unveiled。 Should this mysterious visitant again vouchsafe a prophetic
message； a practical prophet must be at hand to receive it。 Jupiter；
this gentleman is not practical。 This report〃she struck the paper on
which the Prophet had dotted down his notes〃is badly written。 The
cycloidal curve might have been made by a Board School child。 The
deductions drawn/deductio ad absurdibus/reveal no talent； none of
the prophetic /feu de joie/ at all。 But this mystery of the dressed
Crab may mean much。 Jupiter； you will accompany this gentleman back to
London and you will assist him practically at the telescope to…night。〃
〃Very well； my love。 I will risk the personal danger； for your and the
children's〃
〃Butbut really〃 began the Prophet。 〃I am very sorry； but〃
〃Madame has spoken； sir；〃 said Mr。 Sagittarius； very solemnly。
〃I know she has。 Butyes； I know there are no buts in your dictionary；
Madame； I know there aren'tbut I have an engagement to…night that I
have sworn〃
〃What engagement； sir？〃 said Mr。 Sagittarius； sternly。 〃You have sworn
to us。 You must know that。〃
〃I have sworn to almost everyone；〃 cried the distracted Prophet。 〃But
this swearI mean this oath must be kept before yours。〃
〃Before ours； sir？〃
〃It comes on before eleven。 I keep my oath to you after it。 I manage
the two； don't you see？〃
〃He will see that you manage the two； Mr。 Vivian； I can assure you；〃
said Madame； viciously。 〃Won't you； Jupiter？〃
〃Certainly； my dear。 What is the oath； sir； that you place before
ours？〃
〃An oath to Miss Minerva；〃 returned the Prophet； beginning to feel
reckless； firm in the conviction that it was henceforth his destiny to
be the very sport of Fate。
〃Ha！〃 cried Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃The double life！〃
〃Who is Miss Minerva； pray？〃 said Madame； shooting a very penetrating
glance upon her husband。
〃Your husband can tell you that；〃 replied the Prophet； by no means
without guile。
〃Jupiter；〃 cried Madame； 〃what is the meaning of this？ Who is this
person？〃
Mr。 Sagittarius looked exceedingly uncomfortable。
〃My dear；〃 he began； 〃she is a young fethat is； a young woI should
say〃
〃A fe！ A wo！ Explain yourself； Jupiter！〃
〃She is a lady； my love。〃
〃A lady！ Do I know her？〃
〃I believe not； my dear。〃
〃And do you？〃
〃No； my darling。 That isthat is〃
〃Yes； I suppose！〃 said Madame； with a very violent click。
〃I can hardly say； Sophronia； that； I can't indeed。 I have met her； by
accident； quite by accident I assure you； once or twice。〃
〃Where？〃
〃At Jellybrand's。 She goes there to fetch letters on the same day as I
do。〃
Madame's very intellectual brow was over…clouded with storm。 She turned
upon the Prophet。
〃And what of this person； Mr。 Vivian？〃 she cried。 〃What of her and this
oath？〃
The Prophet； who was secretly very delighted with the diversion he had
so cleverly created； hastened to reply；
〃I have promised most solemnly to meet her to…night at a house in the
Zoological Gardens！〃
〃A house in the Zoological Gardens！〃
〃I mean at the Zoological House； the residence of Mrs。 Vane Bridgeman；
who is〃
But； at this point in his explanation； the Prophet was interrupted by
both his hearers。
〃The Jellybrand one！〃 cried Mr。 Sagittarius。
〃The prophets' patron！〃 vociferated Madame。
CHAPTER XVI
THE PROPHET RETURNS FROM THE MOUSE WITH TWO OLD AND VALUED FRIENDS
At these exclamations the Prophet started in some surprise。
〃You know this lady？〃 he asked。
〃By repute； sir；〃 replied Mr。 Sagittarius。
〃Who does not？〃 cried Madame。 〃She built the 'Prophets' Rest' at
Birchington。〃
〃And the Mediums' Almshouses at Sunnington。〃
〃And the 'Palmists' Retreat' at Millaby Bay。〃
〃And the〃
〃I see you know all about her；〃 interposed the Prophet。 〃Well； she is
giving a reception to…night at Zoological House and I have sworn to be
there。 But I shall get home by eleven。 You will understand； however；
that I cannot have the pleasure of entertaining Mr。 Sagittarius during
the evening under my own roof。 I regret this extremely； but you see it
is unavoidable。〃
To the Prophet's great surprise this lucid explanation was received by
his hearers with a strange silence and a combined meditative； and even
moony； staring which was to him inexplicable。 Both Madame and Mr。
Sagittarius seemed suddenly immersed in contemplation。 They began； he
thought； to look like Buddhists； or like those devoted persons who； in
the times of the desert monks； remained for long periods posed upon
pillows in sandy wastes musing upon Eternity。 At first； as he met their
fixed eyes； he fancied that they were； perhaps； falling into a trance；
but presently the conviction seized him that they must be； on the
contrary； busily thinking out some problem。 He hoped fervently that he
did not form part of it。 At length the quivering silence was broken by
Mr。 Sagittarius。
〃I might accompany you to Mrs。 Bridgeman's； sir；〃 he said to the
Prophet。 〃Might I not； Sophronia？〃
〃Oh； but〃 began the Prophet； very hastily。
〃The lady has frequently pressed me to accept of her hospitality。〃
〃Indeed！〃
〃For years she has been writing to me at Jellybrand's； under my real
name of Malkiel the Second； you understand。 She addresses me simply as
the master。' 〃
〃But do the postal authorities〃
〃Not upon the envelope； sir； not upon the envelope。〃
〃I see。〃
〃Hitherto； true to myself； true to the principles of Malkiel the First；
and to the instincts of Madame； I have declined her personal
acquaintance。 But there is no reason why you should not introduce me to
the house as Mr。 Sagittarius； no reason at all。〃
The Prophet knew only too well that there was not； but before he had
time to go on trying to wriggle out of the complication； Madame struck
in。
〃Miss Minerva is to be present at this reception； I believe；〃 she said
sharply。
〃Yes； she is；〃 answered the Prophet； illumined by a ray of hope。
〃Jupiter；〃 said Madame； 〃I will accompany you and Mr。 Vivian to the
Zoological Gardens to…night。 It is my sacred duty。〃
The Prophet groaned。
〃But； my darling〃
〃The reception over； I will assist you and Mr。 Vivian at the telescope
in the Berkeley Square。 In your presence I can do so without departing
from my principles； /salvo pudoribus/。 Do not interrupt me； Jupiter； if
you please。 I have thought the matter out。 The crisis in our fate is at
hand。 Upon the events of the next three nights depends our future。
These mysterious messages of which Mr。 Vivian speaks must be examined
into by us upon the spot。 This mystery of the dressed Crab must be made
clear。 A woman's intellect is needed。 A woman's intellect shall not be
wanting。 Ill as I am； worn down by the occurrences of yesterday and by
this gentleman's incessant telegrams； I will leave my books〃here she
waved one hand towards the dwarf bookcase〃I will assume an
appropriate /neglige/ and my outdoor boots； a fichu and bonnet； and
will accompany you at once to the Berkeley Square； there to confer and
arrange the programme of the evening。 Mrs。 Bridgeman would fall down
before us in worship could she know who we really are。 As it is； Mr。
Vivian will introduce us modestly as two old and valued friends。 The
time may be at hand when we need no longer hide ourselves beneath an
/alibi/。 Till then we must possess ourselves； and Mr。 Vivian must
possess us； in patience。 Ill as I am； I will accompany you。 To…night
shall see me in the Zoological Gardens at my husband's side。〃
Before the prospect of this sublime self…sacrifice both Mr。 Sagittarius
and the Prophet were as men dumb。 They said not a word。 They only
gazedwith a sort of strange idiotcyat Madame as she rose； with an
elaborate and studied feebleness； from the maroon couch and prepared to
go upstairs to assume the appropriate /neglige/。 Only when she was at
her full height did the Prophet； rendered desperate by the terrible
results of his own ingenuity； nerve himself to utter one last protest。
〃I really do not think it would be quite according to the rules of
etiquette which prevail in the central districts；〃 he cried； 〃for a
lady to spend the night in the butler's pantry of a comparative
stranger； even when accompanied by her husband。 It might give rise to
talk in the square； and〃
〃The butler's pantry； sir！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃Explain
yourself； I beg。〃
〃The telescope is there； and〃
〃I have passed beyond the reach of etiquette；〃 said Madame； looking
considerably like Joan of Arc and other well…know