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〃Mother's peckish。 Mother； I see an ostrich by your left elbow。 That's
a sign that you're so peckish you could swallow anything。 Waiter！〃
〃Sir！〃
〃This lady's so peckish she could eat anything。 Bring her some tin…
tacks and a wafer。 Stop a sec。 Another brandy for Briskin。 Your
calves'd do for the front row； 'pon my word； they would。 Trot； boy；
trot！〃
〃I must speak to you alone for one moment；〃 whispered the Prophet to
Miss Minerva； under cover of the quips of Mr。 Moses。 〃Sir Tiglath's
coming！〃
Miss Minerva started。
〃Sir Tig〃 she exclaimed and put her finger to her lips just in time
to stop the 〃lath〃 from coming out。 〃Mr。 Moses； I'm going to the buffet
for a moment with Mr。 Vivian。 Eureka； darling； do eat something
substantial！ All this second sight takes it out of you。〃
Eureka acquiesced with a heavy sigh； Mr。 Moses cried； 〃Aunt Eureka's so
hungry that one would declare she could even eat oats if she found they
were there！〃 and Miss Minerva and the Prophet moved languidly towards
the buffet； endeavouring； by the indifference of their movements； to
cover the agitation in their hearts。
〃Sir Tiglath coming here！〃 cried Miss Minerva under her breath； as soon
as they were out of earshot。 〃But he doesn't know Mrs。 Bridgeman！〃
〃I knowbut he's coming。 And not only that； Mr。 and Madame Sagittarius
are here already！〃
Miss Minerva looked closely at the Prophet in silence for a moment。
Then she said；
〃I seeI see！〃
〃What？〃 cried the Prophet； in great anxiety； 〃not the sparrow on my
head？〃
〃No。 But I see that you're taking to your double life in real earnest。〃
〃I？〃
〃Yes。 Now； Mr。 Vivian； that's all very well； and you know I'm the last
person to complain of anything of that sort； so long as it doesn't get
me into difficulties。〃
〃Think of the difficulties you and everyone else have got me into；〃
ejaculated the poor Prophet； for once in his life stepping； perhaps； a
hair's…breadth from the paths of good breeding。
〃Well； I'm sure I've done nothing。〃
〃Nothing！〃 said the Prophet； losing his head under the influence of the
guitars； which were now getting under way in a fantasia on 〃Carmen。〃
〃Nothing！ Why； you made me come here； you insisted on my introducing
Mr。 Sagittarius to Mrs。 Bridgeman； you told Sir Tiglath Mrs。 Bridgeman
and I were old friends and had made investigations together； assisted
by Mr。 Sagittarius； you〃
〃Oh； well； that's nothing。 But Sir Tiglath mustn't see me here as Miss
Minerva。 Has he arrived yet？〃
〃I don't think so。 He's got the cab we had yesterday and the horse。〃
〃The one that tumbles down so cleverly when it's not too tired？
Capital！ Run to the cloak…room； meet Sir Tiglath there； and persuade
him to go home。〃
But here the Prophet struck。
〃I regret I can't；〃 he said； almost firmly。
〃But you must。〃
〃I regret sincerely that I am unable。〃
〃Why？ Mr。 Vivian； when a lady asks you！〃
〃I am grieved；〃 said the Prophet； with a species of intoxicated
obstinacythe guitars seemed to be playing inside his brain and the
flute piping in the small of his back；〃to decline； but I cannot
contend physically with Sir Tiglath； a man whom I reverence； in the
cloak…room of a total stranger。〃
〃I don't ask you to contend physically。〃
〃Nothing but personal violence would keep Sir Tiglath from coming in。〃
〃Really！ Then what's to be done？〃
She pursed up her sensible lips and drew down her sensible eyebrows。
〃I know！〃 she cried； after a moment's thought。 〃I'll masquerade
to…night as myself。〃
〃As yourself？〃
〃Yes。 All these dear silly people here think that I've got an astral
body。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃A sort of floating businessa business that you can set floating。〃
〃Whata company？〃
〃No； no。 A replica of yourself。 The great Towle〃
〃He's here to…night。〃
〃I knew he was coming。 Well； the great Towle detached this astral body
once at a s閍nce and； for a jokea silly joke； you know〃
〃Yes； yes。〃
〃I christened it by my real name； Lady Enid Thistle； and said Lady Enid
was an ancestress of mine。〃
〃Why did you？〃
〃Because it was so idiotic。〃
〃I see。〃
〃Well； I've only now to spread a report among these dear creatures that
I'm astral to…night； and get Towle to back me up； and I can easily be
Lady Enid for an hour or two。 In this crowd Sir Tiglath need never find
out that I'm generally known in these circles as Miss Partridge。〃
〃Do you really think〃
〃Yes； I do。 But I must find Towle at once。〃
So saying she hastened away from the buffet； followed by the trotting
Prophet。 As she passed Eureka and Mr。 Moses； she said；
〃Eureka； darling； do I look odd？ I suddenly began to feel astral just
as I was going to eat a sandwich。 I can't help thinking that Lady Enid
you know； my astral ancestress； who's always with meis peculiarly
powerful to…night。 D'you notice anything？〃
〃Watch out for it； mother！〃 cried Mr。 Moses。 〃See if it's got the
lump。〃
Eureka fixed her heavy eyes on Miss Minerva and swayed her thin body to
and fro in as panther…like a manner as she could manage。
〃Mother's after it；〃 continued Mr。 Moses； twitching his left ear with
his thumb in a Hebraic manner and shooting his shining cuffs； 〃mother's
on the trail。 Doves for a bishop and the little mangel…wurzel for the
labouring man。 Clever mother！ She'll take care it's suitable。 Is it a
haggis； mother； hovering over the lady with outspread wings？〃
Eureka closed her eyes and rocked herself more violently。
〃I see you；〃 she said in a deep voice。 〃You are astral。 You are Lady
Enid emerged for an hour from our dear Minerva。〃
〃I thought so；〃 cried Lady Enid； with decision。 〃I thought so； because
when someone called me Miss Minerva just now I felt angry； and didn't
seem to know what they meant。 Tell them； dear Eureka；tell all my
friends of your discovery。〃
And she hastened on with the Prophet in search of the great Towle。
〃I'll get him to back Eureka up； and then it will be quite safe；〃 she
said。 〃Ah！ there he is with Harriet Browne； the demonstrator from the
Rye。〃
Indeed； at this moment a small crowd was visible in one of the further
drawing…rooms； moving obsequiously along in reverent attendance upon
the great Towle； Mrs。 Bridgeman and a thickset； red…faced lady； without
a waist and plainly clad in untrimmed linsey…wolsey； who was speaking
authoritatively to a hysterical…looking young girl； upon whose narrow
shoulder she rested a heavy； fat…fingered hand as she walked。
〃Harriet's evidently going to demonstrate；〃 added Lady Enid。 〃That's
lucky； because then I can get a quiet word with Towle。〃
〃Demonstrate？〃 said the Prophet。
〃Yes。 She's the great Christian Scientist and has the healing power。
She demonstrated over Agatha Marshall's left ear。 You know。 The case
got into the papers。 Ah； Harriet； darling！〃
〃My blessing！ My Minerva！〃 said Harriet in a thick and guttural voice。
〃Lady Enid； Harriet love； to…night。 Eureka says I'm astral。 Oh； Mr。
Towle； what an honour to meet youwhat an honour for us all！〃
The great Towle ducked and scraped in cabman fashion。
〃Oh； will you materialise for us to…night？〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 cried Mrs。 Bridgeman； trembling with excitement。 〃He's
promised to after supper。 He says he feels less material thenmore /en
rapport/ with the dear spirits。〃
〃How delightful！ Mr。 Towle； tell me； do you agree with Eureka？ I await
your fiat。 Am I astral？〃
〃Ay； miss； as like as not；〃 said the great man； twisting his lips as if
they held a straw between them。 〃Astral； that's it。 That's it to a T。〃
〃Then I'm Lady Enid Thistle； my ancestress； who's always with me？〃
〃Ay； ay！ Every bit of her。 Her ladyship to a T。〃
The company was much impressed； and whispers of 〃It's Lady Enid； Eureka
and Mr。 Towle say it's her ladyship in the astral plane！〃 flew like
wildfire through the rooms。
At this point Harriet Browne； who was sufficiently Christian and
scientific to like to have all the attention of the company centred
upon her； cleared her throat loudly and exclaimed；
〃If I am to heal this poor sufferer； I must be provided with an
armchair。〃
〃An armchair for Mrs。 Browne！〃
〃Fetch a chair for Harriet！〃
〃Mrs。 Harriet can't demonstrate without a chair！〃
〃What is she going to do？〃 whispered the Prophet to Lady Enid； feeling
thoroughly ashamed of his ignorance。
〃Demonstrate。〃
〃Yes； but what's that？〃
〃Put her hands over that girl and think about her。〃
〃Is that all？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Does she do it out of kindness？〃
〃Of course。 But she's paid something； not because she wants to be paid；
but because it's the rule。〃
〃Oh！〃
An armchair was now wheeled forward； and Mrs。 Harriet ensconced herself
in it comfortably。
〃I'm very tired to…night；〃 she rem