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added； this time addressing the Prophet's old and valued friends。 〃Ah！
Mr。 SagiSagiumI have heard so much of you from dear Miss
Minerva。〃
The wild； high notes of a flute； played by a silly gentleman from
Tooting； shrilled through the tupping of the guitars； and Mr。
Sagittarius； trembling in every limb； hissed in Mrs。 Bridgeman's ear；
〃Hush； ma'am； for mercy's sake！〃
Mrs。 Bridgeman started and forgot to smile。
〃My loved and honoured wife；〃 continued Mr。 Sagittarius； in a loud and
anxious voice； 〃more to me than any lunar guide or starry monitor！
Madame Sagittarius； a lady of deep education； ma'am。〃
〃Delighted！〃 said Mrs。 Bridgeman； making a gracious grimace at Madame；
who inclined herself stonily and replied in a sinister voice；
〃It is indeed time that this renconter took place。 Henceforth； ma'am； I
shall be ever at my husband's side； /per fus et nefus//et nefus/；
ma'am。〃
〃So glad；〃 said Mrs。 Bridgeman。 〃I have been longing for this〃
〃Mr。 Bernard Wilkins！〃 roared the tall footman。
Mr。 Sagittarius started and Mrs。 Bridgeman did the same and smiled。
〃Bernard Wilkins the Prophet！〃 Mr。 Sagittarius exclaimed。 〃From the
Rise！〃
〃Mrs。 Eliza Doubleway！〃 shouted the footman。
〃Mrs。 Eliza！〃 cried Mr。 Sagittarius； in great excitement。 〃That's the
soothsayer from the Beck！〃
〃Madame Charlotte Humm！〃 yelled the footman。
〃Madame Humm！〃 vociferated Mr。 Sagittarius； 〃the crystal…gazer from the
Hill！〃
〃Professor Elijah Chapman！〃 bawled the footman。
〃The nose…reader！〃 piped Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃The nose…reader from the
Butts！〃
〃Verano！〃 screamed the footman； triumphantly submerging the flute and
the twenty guitars。 〃Verano！〃
〃The South American Irish palmist from the Downs！ My love；〃 said Mr。
Sagittarius； in a cracking voice； 〃we are in it to…night； we are
indeed； we are fairly and squarely in it。〃
Madame began to bridle and to look as ostentatious as a leviathan。
〃And if we are； Jupiter！〃 she said in a voice that rivalled the
footman's〃if we are； we are merely in our element。 They needn't think
to come over me！〃
〃Hush； my love！ Remember that〃
〃Dr。 Birdie Soames！〃 interposed the vibrant bass of the footman。
〃The physiognomy lady from the Common！〃 said Mr。 Sagittarius； on the
point of breaking down under the emotion of the moment。 〃Scot！ Scot！
Great Scot！〃
Mrs。 Bridgeman was now completely surrounded by a heterogeneous mass of
very remarkable…looking people； among whom were peculiarly prominent an
enormously broad…shouldered man； with Roman features and his hair cut
over his brow in a royal fringe； a small woman with a pointed red nose
in bead bracelets and prune…coloured muslin； and an elderly female with
short grizzled hair； who wore a college gown and a mortar…board with a
scarlet tassel； and who carried in one hand a large skull marked out in
squares with red ink。 These were Verano； the Irish palmist from the
Downs； Mrs。 Eliza Doubleway； the soothsayer from Beck； and Dr。 Birdie
Soames； the physiognomy lady from the Common。 Immediately around these
celebrities were grouped a very pale gentleman in a short jacket； who
looked as if he made his money by eating nothing and drinking a great
deal； a plethoric female with a mundane face； in which was set a large
and delicately distracted grey eye； and a gentleman with a jowl； a pug
nose； and a large quantity of brass…coloured hair about as curly as
hay； which fell down over a low collar； round which was negligently
knotted a huge black tie。 This trio comprised Mr。 Bernard Wilkins； the
Prophet from the Rise； Madame Charlotte Humm； the crystal…gazer from
the Hill； and Professor Elijah Chapman； the nose…reader from the Butts。
No sooner was the news of the arrival of these great and notorious
people bruited abroad through the magnificent saloons of Zoological
House than Mrs。 Bridgeman's guests began to flock around them from all
the four quarters of the mansion； deserting even the neighbourhood of
the guitars and the inviting seclusion of the various refreshment…
rooms。 From all sides rose the hum of comment and the murmur of
speculation。 Pince…nez were adjusted； eyeglasses screwed into eyes；
fingers pointed； feet elevated upon uneasy toes。 Pretty girls boldly
trod upon the gowns of elderly matrons in the endeavour to draw near to
Mrs。 Bridgeman and her group of celebrities； youths pushed and shoved；
chaperons elbowed； and old gentlemen darted from one place to another
in wild endeavours to find an inlet through the press。 And amid this
frantic scramble of the curious； the famous members of the occult world
stood； calmly conscious of their value and in no wise upset or
discomposed。 Verano stroked his Roman features； and ran his large white
hand through his curly fringe； Dr。 Birdie Soames tapped her skull； Mrs。
Eliza Doubleway played with her bead bracelets； Mr。 Bernard Wilkins and
Madame Charlotte Humm conversed together in dreamy murmurs； while
Professor Elijah Chapman shook his brass…coloured hair till it fell
forward over his variegated shirt…front； and glanced inquiringly at the
multitudes of anxious noses which offered themselves to his inspection
beneath the glare of the electric lights。
Mr。 and Madame Sagittarius； completely overlooked in the throng；
elbowed； trampled upon； jogged from behind and prodded from before；
gazed with a passion of bitter envy at their worshipped rivals； who
were set in the full blaze of success； while they languished in the
outer darkness of anonymous obscurity。
〃/O miseris hominum men/don't set your feet on me； sir； if you
please！〃 cried Madame。 〃/O pectorae caec/ma'am； I beg you to take
your elbow from my throat this minute！〃
But even her powerful and indignant organ was lost in the hubbub that
mingled with the wild music of the guitars； to which was now added the
tinkle of bells and the vehement click of a round dozen of castanets；
marking the bull…fighting rhythm of a new air called 〃The Espada's
Return to Madrid。〃
〃Jupiter！〃 she gurgled。 〃I shall be suff〃
〃Mr。 Amos Towle！〃 roared the footman savagely。
〃The great medium from the Wick！〃
〃Towle the seer！〃
〃Amos Towle； the famous spiritualist！〃
〃Mr。 Towle who materialises！〃
〃The celebrated Towle！〃
〃The great and only Towle！〃
〃Oh； is it /the/ Towle？〃
〃I must see Towle！〃
〃Where is he？ Oh； where is Towle？〃
〃Towle who communicates with the other world！〃
〃Towle the magician！〃
〃Towle the hypnotist！〃
〃Towle the soothsayer！〃
〃The magnetic Towle！〃
〃The electric Towle！〃
〃We mustwe must see Towle！〃
Such were a very few of the exclamations that instantly burst forth
upon the conclusion of the footman's announcement。 The elbowing and
trampling became more violent than ever； and Mrs。 Bridgeman was
forcedfrom lack of roomto forego her society start； though she was
still able to indulge in her society smile； as she bowed； with almost
swooning graciousness； to a short； perspiring； bald and side…whiskered
man in greasy broadcloth； who looked as if he would have been quite at
home upon the box of a four…wheeled cab； as indeed he would； seeing
that he had driven a growler for five…and…twenty years before
discovering that he was the great and only Towle； medium； seer； and
worker…of…miracles…in…chief to the large and increasing crowd that
lives the silly life。
〃Oh； Mr。 Towlecharmed； delighted！〃 cried Mrs。 Bridgeman。 〃I was so
afraidHow sweet of you to come out all this way from your eyrie at
the Wick！ You'll find many friendsdear Madame Charlottethe
ProfessorMrs。 Elizathey're all here。 And Miss Minerva； too！ Your
greatest admirer and disciple！〃
At this moment the crowd； wild in its endeavour to touch the inspired
broadcloth of the great Towle； surged forward； and the Prophet was
driven like a ram against the left side of his hostess。
〃I begyourpard〃 he gasped； 〃but could you tellmewhere Miss
Minervervais？ I specially want toto〃
〃I think she's with Eureka in tea…room number 1；〃 replied Mrs。
Bridgeman。 〃Oh； dear！ Near the band。 Oh； dear！ Oh； my gown！ Oh！ So
sweet of you to come； Mrs。 Lorrimer！ Just a few interesting people！ Oh；
gracious mercy！ Oh； for goodness' sake！〃
She was thrust against a new arrival； and the Prophet； bringing his
shoulders vigorously into play； according to the rules of Rugby
football； presently found himself out in the open and free to wander in
search of Miss Minerva； whom he was most anxious to encounter before
the arrival of Sir Tiglath Butt； which must now be imminent； despite
the marked disinclination of his horse to proceed at the rate of more
than half a mile an hour。
The Prophet abandoned Mr。 and Madame Sagittarius to their fate；
thankful； indeed； to be rid for a moment of their prophetic
importunity。
Following the gasped directions of Mrs。 Bridgeman； he made towards the