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for the docks at dawn to find a ship in whose hold he could seek
seclusion； till the great seas roared round her； and he could declare
himself to the captain and crew without fear of being put ashore。 Why
not rest here in number one thousand？ True； the Prophet would presently
be returning possibly with Madame； but he would bribe Mr。 Ferdinand not
to mention his whereabouts。 It was no doubt a very rash proceeding； but
he was utterly exhausted； he felt that he could go no further； he found
himself before an almost friendly door。 What wonder then if he tottered
up the steps and tapped feebly upon it？ There was no answer。 He tapped
again more loudly。 This time his summons was heard。 Steps approached。
There was a moment's pause。 Then the door opened； and Gustavus appeared
looking rather sleepy； but still decidedly intellectual。 Malkiel the
Second pulled himself together and faced the footman boldly。
〃You know me？〃 he said。
Gustavus examined him closely。
〃Yes； sir；〃 he replied at length。 〃By the clothes。 I should know Mr。
Ferdinand's trouserings among a thousand。〃
Malkiel the Second realised that emotion probably rendered his face
unrecognisable。 But at least his legs spoke for him。 That was
something； and he continued； with an attempt at ease and boldness；
〃Right！ I have returned to change them。〃
〃Yes； sir。 Mr。 Ferdinand has retired to bed； sir。〃
〃Don't wake him。 I can just leave them for him。〃
〃Very well； sir。〃
And Gustavus admitted Malkiel to the dimly…lit hall and shut the door
softly。
〃What is your name； young man？〃 said Malkiel； whispering。
〃Gustavus； sir。〃
〃Ah！ Gustavus； would you like to earn a hundred pounds to…night？〃
Gustavus started。
〃I don't say as how I'd rather not； sir；〃 he replied。 〃I don't go so
far as to say that。〃
〃Right！ Do as I tell you and you will earn a hundred pounds。〃
The footman's eyes began to glow； almost like a cat's in the twilight。
〃Why； I could buy the library near twelve times over；〃 he murmured。
〃The library？〃 said Malkiel； whose brain had suddenly become strangely
clear。
〃Ah； sirDr。 Carter's；〃 returned Gustavus； beginning to tremble。
〃Dr。 Carter's！〃 whispered Malkiel； excitedly。 〃I should think so。 Eight
guineas and a half； and you pay in instalments。〃
〃I'll do it； sir；〃 hissed Gustavus； utterly carried away by the
prospect。 〃What d'you want me to do？〃
〃First to let me change my clothes quickly； then to hide me somewhere
so as I can get a sleep till dawn。 Call me directly it begins to get
light and I shall be off to the docks。〃
〃The docks； sir？〃
〃Ay。 I start forfor Java to…morrow。〃
〃Java； sirwhat； where the sparrows and the jelly〃
〃Ay； ay；〃 returned Malkiel； secretly rehearsing his new nautical role。
〃I'll do it sir。 And the hundred？〃
〃I'll write you an order on my banker's。 You can trust me。 Now let me
change my clothes。 Quick！〃
〃They're in Mr。 Vivian's bedroom； ain't they？〃
Malkiel nodded。
〃You must go very soft； sir； because of the old lady。 She's abed； but
she might be wakeful； specially to…night。 She's been awful upset。 My
word； she has！〃
〃I'll go as soft as a mouse；〃 whispered Malkiel。 〃Show me the way。〃
Gustavus advanced on tiptoe towards the staircase； followed by Malkiel；
who held Mr。 Ferdinand's clothes together lest they should rustle； and
proceeded with the most infinite precaution。 In this manner they gained
the second floor and neared the bedroom door of Mrs。 Merillia。 Here
Gustavus turned round； pointed to the door； and put his finger to his
pouting lips； at the same time rounding his hazel eyes and shaking his
powdered head in a most warning manner。 Malkiel nodded； held Mr。
Ferdinand's clothes tighter； and stole on； as he thought； without
making a sound。 What was his horror； then； just as he was passing Mrs。
Merillia's door； to hear a voice cry；
〃Hennessey！ Hennessey！〃
Gustavus and Malkiel stopped dead； as if they had both been shot。 They
now perceived that the door was partially open； and that a faint light
shone within the room。
〃Hennessey！〃 cried the voice of Mrs。 Merillia again。 〃Come in here。 I
must speak to you。〃
Gustavus darted on into the darkness of the Prophet's room； but Malkiel
the Second was so alarmed that he stayed where he was； finding himself
totally incapable of movement。
〃Hennessey！〃 repeated the voice。
Then there was a faint rustling； the door was opened more widely； and
Mrs。 Merillia appeared in the aperture； clad in a most charming night
bonnet； and robed in a dressing…gown of white watered silk。
〃The ratcatcher！〃 she cried。 〃The ratcatcher！〃
Malkiel turned and darted down the stairs； while Mrs。 Merillia； in the
extreme of terror； shut her door； locked it as many times as she could；
and then hastened trembling to the bell which communicated with the
faithful Mrs。 Fancy； rang it； and dropped half fainting into a chair。
Mrs。 Fancy woke from her second dream just as Malkiel； closely followed
by the now shattered Gustavus； reached the hall。
〃Hide me！ Hide me！〃 whispered Malkiel。 〃In here！〃
And he darted into the servants' quarters； leaving Gustavus on the mat。
Mrs。 Merillia's other bell now pealed shrilly downstairs。 Gustavus
paused and pulled himself together。 He was by nature a fairly intrepid
youth； and moreover； he had recently made a close study of Carlyle's
/Heroes and Hero…worship/； which greatly impressed him。 He therefore
resolved in this moment of peril to acquit himself in similar
circumstances； and he remounted the stairs and reached Mrs。 Merillia's
door just as Mrs。 Fancy； wrapped in a woollen shawl and wearing a pair
of knitted night…socks； descended to the landing； candle in hand。
〃Oh； Mr。 Gustavus！〃 said Mrs。 Fancy。 〃Is it the robbers again？ Is it
murder； Mr。 Gustavus？ Is it fire？〃
〃I don't know； Mrs。 Fancy； I'll ask the mistress。〃
He tapped upon the door。
〃You can't come in！〃 cried poor Mrs。 Merillia； who was losing her head
perhaps for the first time in her life。 〃You can't come in； and if you
do I shall give you in charge to the police。〃
And she rang both her bells again。
〃Ma'am！〃 said Gustavus； knocking once more。 〃Ma'am！〃
〃It's no use your knocking；〃 returned Mrs。 Merillia。 〃The door is
bolted。 Go away； go away！〃
And again she rang her two bells。
〃Madam！〃 piped Mrs。 Fancy。 〃Madam！ It's me！〃
〃I know；〃 said Mrs。 Merillia。 〃I know it's you！ I saw you！ Leave the
house unless you wish to be at once put in prison。
Her bells pealed。 Mrs。 Fancy began to sob。
〃Me to leave the house！〃 she wailed。 〃Me to go to prison！〃
〃Bear up； Mrs。 Fancy； she doesn't know who it is！〃 said Gustavus。
〃Ma'am！ Ma'am！ Missis！ Missis！〃
〃I am ringing；〃 said Mrs。 Merillia； in a muffled manner through the
door。 〃I am summoning assistance！ You will be captured if you don't go
away。〃
And again she pealed her bells。 This time； as she did so； the tingling
of a third bell became audible in the silent house。
〃Lord！〃 cried Gustavus； 〃if there isn't the hall door。 It must be
master。 He left his key to…night。 Here's a nice go！〃
The three bells raised their piercing chorus。 Mrs。 Fancy sobbed； and
Gustavus； after a terrible moment of hesitation； bounded down the hall。
His instinct had not played him false。 The person who had rung the bell
was indeed the Prophet； who had basely slunk away from Zoological
House； leaving Madame surrounded by her new and adoring friends。
〃Thank you； Gustavus；〃 he said； entering。 〃Take my coat； please。 What's
that？〃
For Mrs。 Merillia's bells struck shrilly upon his astonished ears。
〃I think it's Mrs。 Merillia； sir。 She keeps on ringing。〃
〃Mrs。 Merillia。 At this hour！ Heavens！ Is she ill？〃
〃I don't know； sir。 She keeps ringing； but when I answer it she says；
'Go away！' she says。 'Go' she says； sir。〃
〃How very strange！〃
And the Prophet bounded upstairs and arrived at his grandmother's door
just in time to hear her cry out； in reply to poor Mrs。 Fancy's
distracted knocking；
〃If you try to break in you will be put in prison at once。 I hear
assistance coming。 I hear the police。 Go away； you wicked； wicked man！〃
〃Grannie！〃 cried the Prophet through the keyhole。 〃Grannie； let me in！
Grannie！ Grannie！ Don't ring！ Grannie！ Grannie！〃
But Mrs。 Merillia was now completely out of herself； and her only
response to her grandson's appeal was to place her trembling fingers
upon the two bells； and to reply； through their uproar；
〃It is useless for you to say that。 I know who you are。 I saw you。 I
shall go on ringing as long as I can stand。 I shall die ringing； but I
shall never let you in。 Go away！ Go away！〃
〃What does she mean？〃 cried the Prophet； turning to Gustavus。
〃I don't know indeed； sir；〃 replied the footman； thinking of Mr。
Carter's library。 〃I