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impassioned appeal。 〃My husband brokes outside； and has done for the
last twenty years。 Collect yourself； Jupiter。 Pray do not doff your
/toga virilibus/ in the presence of ladies！〃
The terror of Mr。 Sagittarius was such； however； that it is very
doubtful whether he would not have proceeded thus to disrobe had not
the Prophet； rendered desperate by the turn of events； abruptly leaped
between Sir Tiglath and his old and valued friend and； gathering the
outraged Lady Julia under his arm； exclaimed；
〃Pray； praywe can discuss this matter more comfortably at dinner。
Permit me； Lady Julia。 Sir Tiglath； if you will kindly give your arm to
Madame Sagittarius。 Mr。 Sagittarius； my grandmother。〃
So saying； he made a sort of flank movement； so adroitly conceived and
carried out that； in the twinkling of an eye； he had driven Sir Tiglath
to the side of Madame and hustled Mr。 Sagittarius into the immediate
neighbourhood of Mrs。 Merillia。 Nor had more than two minutes elapsed
before the whole party found themselvesthey scarce knew howarranged
around the dining table and being served with clear soup by Mr。
Ferdinand and the astounded Gustavus； whose naturally round eyes began
to take an almost oblong form as he attended to the wants of Mrs。
Merillia's very unfamiliar guests； whose outlying demeanour and
architectural manners evidently filled him with the most poignant
dismay。
As to Mrs。 Merillia and Lady Julia； the foregoing scene had so reduced
them that they were almost betrayed into some hysterical departure from
the rules of exquisite good breeding which they had unconsciously
observed from the cradle。 Indeed； the latter； strong in the belief that
the terms outside broker and raving maniac were interchangeable； twice
dropped her spoon into her soup…plate before she could succeed in
lifting it to her mouth； and was unable to prevent herself from
whispering to the Prophet；
〃Pray； Mr。 Vivian； tell me the worstis he absolutely dangerous？〃
〃No； no；〃 whispered back the Prophet； reassuringly。 〃It's all his
play。〃
〃Play！〃 murmured Lady Julia； glancing at Mr。 Sagittarius； who was
holding back the right sleeve of Mr。 Ferdinand's coat with his left
hand in order to have the free use of his dinner limb。
〃Yes；〃 whispered the Prophet。 〃He's the most harmless； innocent
creature。 A child might stroke him。 I mean he wouldn't hurt a child。〃
〃Yes； but we are not children；〃 said Lady Julia； still in great
apprehension。
Meanwhile Sir Tiglath； concerned with his dinner； took no heed of Mr。
Sagittarius for the moment； and that gentleman； slightly reassured；
endeavoured to make himself agreeable to Mrs。 Merillia。
〃You are very pleasantly situated here； ma'am；〃 he began。
Mrs。 Merillia thought he meant because she was at his elbow； and
answered politely；
〃Yes； very pleasantly situated。〃
〃It is indeed a blessing to be within such easy reach of the Stores；〃
added Mr。 Sagittarius； finishing his soup； and permitting Mr。
Ferdinand's sleeves to flow down once more over his hands。
〃The Stores！〃 said Mrs。 Merillia。
〃/O festum dies beatus illa/！〃 ejaculated Madame； assuming an
expression of profound and almost passionate sentiment。 〃Happy indeed
the good lady who dwells in the central districts！〃
She permitted a gigantic sigh to leave her bosom and to wander freely
among the locks of those at the table。 Sir Tiglath； who； on being
assaulted by her learning； had shown momentary symptoms of apoplexy；
now gave a loud grunt； while the Prophet； perceiving that his
grandmother and Lady Julia were quite unequal to the occasion； hastily
replied；
〃Yes； Berkeley Square is very convenient in may ways。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Mr。 Sagittarius； keeping a wary eye on Sir Tiglath and re…
addressing himself to Mrs。 Merillia； 〃the Berkeley Square。 But if you
lived in the one behind Kimmins's Mews； it would be quite another pair
of boots； would it not； ma'am？〃
Lady Julia； who was sitting next to Mr。 Sagittarius； shifted her chair
nearer to the Prophet； and whispered； 〃I'm sure he is dangerous； Mr。
Vivian！〃 while Mrs。 Merillia； in the greatest perplexity； replied；
〃The one behind Mr。 Kimmins's Mews？〃
〃Ay； over against Brigwell's Buildings； just beyond the Pauper Lunatic
Asylum。〃
Lady Julia turned pale。
〃I daresay；〃 answered Mrs。 Merillia； bravely。 〃But I am not acquainted
with the neighbourhood you mention。〃
〃You know the Mouse？〃
At this abrupt return to the subject of mice Lady Julia became really
terrified。
〃Be frank with me； Mr。 Vivian；〃 she whispered to the Prophet； under
cover of boiled salmon； 〃is he a ratcatcher？〃
〃Good Heavens； no！〃 whispered back the Prophet。 〃He'she's quite the
contrary。〃
〃But〃
〃What mouse？〃 said Mrs。 Merillia； endeavouring to seem pleasantly at
ease； though she； too； was beginning to feel a certain amount of alarm
at these strange beings' persistent discussion of the inhabitants of
the wainscot。 〃Do you allude to any special mouse？〃
〃I do； ma'am。 I allude to the Mouse that has helped to make Madame and
self what we are。〃
Sir Tiglath began to roll about in his chair preparatory to some
deliverance； and Mrs。 Merillia； casting a somewhat agitated glance at
her grandson； answered；
〃Really。 I did not know that anything so small could have so much
influence。〃
〃It may be small； ma'am；〃 said Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃But to a sensitive
nature it often seems gigantic。〃
〃You mean at night； I suppose？ Does it disturb you very much？〃
〃We hear it； ma'am； but it lulls us to rest。〃
〃Indeed。 That is very fortunate。 I fear it might keep me awake。〃
〃So we thought at first。 But now we should miss it。 Should we not；
Sophronia？〃
〃Doubtless；〃 replied Madame； arranging a napkin carefully over her
fichu； and dealing rigorously with some mayonnaise sauce。 〃It has been
our perpetual companion for many years； /mus amicus humano generi/。〃
Sir Tiglath swelled； and Mrs。 Merillia responded；
〃I see； a pet。 Is it white？〃
〃No； ma'am；〃 returned Mr。 Sagittarius； 〃it is a rich； chocolate brown
except on wet days。 Then it takes on the hue of a lead pencil。〃
〃Indeed！〃 said Mrs。 Merillia； trying nobly to remain social。 〃How very
curious！〃
〃We worship it in summer；〃 continued Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃In the sultry
season it soothes and calms us。〃
〃Then it is quite tame？〃
〃At that time of year； but in winter nights it is sometimes almost
wild。〃
〃Ah； I daresay。 They often are； I know。〃
〃The architects and their wives love it as we do。〃
〃Do they？ How very fortunate！〃
〃We should hate to miss it even for a moment。〃
〃Oh； Mr。 Vivian！〃 whispered Lady Julia； 〃this is dreadful。 〃I'm almost
sure he's brought it with him。〃
〃No； no。 It's not alive。〃
〃A dead mouse！〃
〃It's a river。〃
〃A river！ But he said it was a mouse。〃
〃It's both。 Mr。 Sagittarius；〃 added the Prophet； in a loud and
desperate tone of voice； 〃you'll find this champagne quite dry。 You
needn't be afraid of it。〃
〃Did you get it from by the rabbit shop； sir？〃 asked Mr。 Sagittarius；
lifting his glass。 〃I ordered a dozen in； only the day before
yesterday。〃
Lady Julia began to tremble。
〃I see；〃 she whispered to the Prophet。 〃His mania is about animals。〃
Meanwhile the Prophet had made a warning face at Mr。 Sagittarius； who
suddenly remembered his danger and subsided； glancing uneasily at Sir
Tiglath； whose intention of addressing him had been momentarily
interfered with by a sweetbread masked in a puree of spinach。
Madame Sagittarius； assisted by food and dry champagne； was nowas the
Prophet perceived with horrorbeginning to feel quite at her ease。 She
protruded her elbows； sat more extensively in her chair； rolled her
prominent eyes about the room as one accustomed to her state； and said；
with condescension； to Lady Julia；
〃Is your ladyship to make one of the party at the Zoological Gardens
to…night？〃
Lady Julia； who now began to suppose that Mr。 Sagittarius's crazy
passion for animals was shared by his wife； gasped and answered；
〃Are you going to the Zoological Gardens？〃
〃Yes； to an assembly。 It should be very pleasant。 Do you make one？〃
〃I regret that I am not invited；〃 said Lady Julia； rather stiffly。
Madame bridled； under the impression that she was scoring off a member
of the aristocracy。
〃Indeed；〃 she remarked； with a click。 〃Yet I presume that your ladyship
is not insensible to the charms of rout and collation？〃
〃I beg your pardon？〃 said Lady Julia； beginning to look like an image
made of cast iron。
〃I imagine that the social whirl finds in your ladyship a willing
acolyte？〃
〃Oh； no。 I go out very little。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said Madame； with some contempt。 〃Then you do not frequent
the Palace？〃
〃The Palace！ Do you mean the Crystal Palace？〃