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birds；〃 and Mrs。 Bridgeman looked engagingly distraught； and replied；
〃Ah； yes； indeed！ The brain and I； Sir Tiglath； so good of you to say
so！〃
〃You prompted his interest in the holy stars？〃 continued Sir Tiglath；
speaking very loud； and still stopping one ear with his hand。 〃You
drove him to the telescope； you told him to clear the matter up； did
you？〃
〃What matter？〃 said Mrs。 Bridgeman； trying not to look as stupid as she
felt； but only with moderate success。
〃Say the oxygen； darling；〃 whispered Lady Enid in one of her ears。
〃Say the oxygen！〃 hissed the Prophet into the other。
〃The occiput？〃 said Mrs。 Bridgeman； hearing imperfectly。 〃Oh； yes； Sir
Tiglath； I told him；I told Mr。 Biggleto make quite sureyes； as to
the occiput matter。〃
The saturnine little clergyman； who was again in motion near by； caught
his name and stopped； as Sir Tiglath； roaring against 〃The Gipsies of
Granada；〃 continued；
〃And your original adviser was Mr。 Sagittarius； was he？〃
On hearing a word she understood； Mrs。 Bridgeman brightened up； and；
perceiving the little clergyman； she answered；
〃Mr。 Sagittariusah； yes！ Sir Tiglath is speaking of you； Mr。
Sagittarius。〃
The little clergyman turned almost black in the face。
〃Biggle！〃 he exclaimed； in a voice of thunder。 〃Biggle！ Biggle！〃
And； without further parley； he rushed to the cloak…room； seized
someone else's hat and coat； and fared forth into the night。 Lady Enid；
who had meant to coach Mrs。 Bridgeman very carefully for the meeting
with Sir Tiglath； but whose plans were completely upset by the
astronomer's premature advent； now endeavoured to interpose。
〃By the way；〃 she said； in a very calm voice； where is dear Mr。
Sagittarius？ I haven't seen him yet。〃
〃I'm afraid he's angry with me；〃 said Mrs。 Bridgeman； alluding to the
little clergyman。 〃I really can't think why。〃
〃Sir Tiglath；〃 said Lady Enid； boldly taking the astronomer's arm。
〃Come with me。 I want you to find Mr。 Sagittarius for me。 Yes； they do
make rather a noise！〃
This was in allusion to the guitars； for the astronomer had now placed
both hands over his ears in the vain endeavour to exclude 〃The
Gipsies。〃 Deafness； perhaps； rendered him yielding。 In any case； he
permitted Lady Enid to detach him from Mrs。 Bridgeman and to lead him
through the rooms in search of Mr。 Sagittarius。
〃Perhaps he's here；〃 said Lady Enid； entering a darkened chamber。 〃Oh；
no！〃
And she hastily moved away； perceiving a large number of devoted
adherents of table…tapping busily engaged； with outspread fingers and
solemn faces； at their intellectual pursuit。 Avoiding the archdeacon；
who was now having his nose read by the professor； she conducted the
astronomer； rendered strangely meek by the guitars； into a drawing…room
near the hall； in which only four people remainedVerano and Mrs。
Eliza Doubleway； who were conferring in one corner； and Mr。 and Madame
Sagittarius； who were apparently having rather more than a few words
together in another。
〃Ah！ there's Mr。 Sagittarius！〃 said Lady Enid。
〃Minnie！〃 cried Mrs。 Eliza； beckoning to Lady Enid。 〃Minnie； ducky！〃
Lady Enid pretended not to hear and tried to hasten with the astronomer
towards the Sagittariuses。 But Mrs。 Eliza was not to be put off。
〃Minnie； my pet！〃 she piped。 〃Come here； Minnie！〃
Lady Enid was obliged to pause。
〃What is it； dear Eliza？〃 she asked； at the same time making a face at
the soothsayer to indicate caution。
Mrs。 Eliza and Verano rose and approached Lady Enid and the astronomer。
〃I was laying the cards last night at Jane Seaman'syou know； dear；
the Angel Gabriel who lives on the Hackney Downsand whatever do you
think？ The hace of spades came up three times in conjugation with the
Knave of 'earts！〃
〃Terrific！ Very great！〃 buzzed Verano； with a strong South American
Irish broguea real broth of a brogue。
〃Wonderful！〃 said Lady Enid； hastily； endeavouring to pass on。
〃Wait a minute； darling。 Well； I says to JaneI was laying the cards
for her 'usband； dearI says to Jane； I says； without doubt Hisaac is
about to pass over； I says； seeing the red boy's come up in conjugation
with the hace。 'Lord！ Mrs。 Eliza！ Lay them out again；' she says； 'for；'
she says； 'if Hike is going to pass over；' she says〃
〃Extraordinary； dear Mrs。 Eliza！ You're a genius！〃 cried Lady Enid in
despair。
〃Tremendous！ Very big！〃 buzzed Verano； staring at Sir Tiglath。 〃You got
a very spatulate hand there； sir！ Allow me！〃
And to Lady Enid's horror he seized the astronomer's hand with both his
own。
〃How dare you tamper with the old astronomer； sir？〃 roared Sir Tiglath。
〃Am I in a madhouse？ Who are all these crazy Janes！ Drop my hand； sir！〃
Verano obeyed rather hastily； and Lady Enid convoyed the spluttering
astronomer towards the corner which contained Mr。 and Madame
Sagittarius。
Now these worthies were in a mental condition of a most complicated
kind。 The reception at Zoological House had upset in an hour the
theories and beliefs of a lifetime。 Hitherto Madame had always been
filled with shame at the thought that she was not the wife of an
architect but of a prophet； and Mr。 Sagittarius had endeavoured to
assume the mein and costume of an outside broker； and had dreamed
dreams of retiring eventually from a hated and despised profession。 But
now they found themselves in a magnificent mansion in which the second…
rate members of their own tribe were worshipped and adored； smothered
with attentions； plied with Pommery and looked upon as gods； while
they； in their incognito； were neglected； and paid no more heed to than
if they had been； in reality； mere architects and outside brokers；
totally unconnected with that mysterious occult world which is the
fashion of the moment。
This position of affairs had； not unnaturally； thrown then into a
condition of the gravest excitement。 Madame； more especially； had
reached boiling point。 Feeling herself； for the first time； an Imperial
creature in exile； who had only to declare herself to receive instant
homage and to be overwhelmed with the most flattering attentions； her
lust of glory developed with alarming rapidity； and she urged her
husband to cast the traditions that had hitherto guided him to the
winds and to declare forthwith his identity with Malkiel the Second；
the business…like and as it were official head of the whole prophetic
tribe。
Mr。 Sagittarius； for his part； was also fired with the longing for
instant glory； but he was by nature an extremely timidor shall we say
rather； an extremely prudentman。 He remembered the repeated
injunctions of his great forebear who had lived and died in the Susan
Road beside the gasworks。 More； he remembered Sir Tiglath Butt。 He was
torn between ambition and terror。
〃Declare yourself； Jupiter！〃 cried Madame。 〃Declare yourself this
moment！〃
〃My love！〃 replied Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃My angel； we must reflect。〃
〃I have reflected；〃 retorted Madame。
〃There are difficulties； my dear； many difficulties in the way。〃
〃And what if there are？ /Per augustum ad augustibus/。 Every fool knows
that。〃
〃My dear； you are a little hard upon me。〃
〃And what have you been upon me； I should like to know？ What about
those goings…on with the woman Bridgeman？ What about your
investigations with that hussy Minerva？ You've been her owl； that's
what you've been！〃
She began to show grave symptoms of hysteria。 Mr。 Sagittarius patted
her hands in great anxiety。
〃My love； I have told you； I have sworn〃
〃And what man doesn't swear whenever he gets the chance？〃 cried Madame。
〃Why did I ever marry？ /Heu miserum me/。〃
〃My angel； be calm。 I assure you〃
〃Very well then； declare yourself； Jupiter； this minute； or I'll
declare yourself for you！〃
〃But； my love； think of Sir Tiglath！ I dare not declare myself。 He will
be here at any moment； and he has sworn to kill me； if I'm not an
American syndicate！〃
〃Rubbish！〃
〃But； my〃
〃Rubbish！ That's only what Mr。 Vivian says。〃
〃Well； but〃
〃Besides； you can put on your /toga virilibus/ and knock him down。 It's
no use talking to me； Jupiter。〃
〃I know it isn't； my darling； I know。 But〃
〃If you don't declare yourself I shall declare yourself for you this
very moment。 I will not endure to be left in the corner while all these
nobodies are being truckled to。 Bernard Wilkins； indeed！ A prophet we
wouldn't so much as recognise to be a prophet； and that there Mrs。
Elizapeople from the Wick going down to supper in front of us； and a
man from the Butts put before you！ It's right down disgusting； and I
won't have it。〃
It was exactly at this point in the matrimonial conference that Lady
Enid and Sir Tiglath Butt； shaking themselves free of Mrs。 Eliza and
Verano； bore down upon Mr。 and Madame Sagittarius； who wer