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〃That is no use。 The Bear has nothing to do with the old lady。 You must
find the Crab。 Look again。〃
The Prophet did so。 But his eye blinked with fatigue and the heavens
swam before it。
〃There is no Crab to…night；〃 he said。 〃I assure you on my honour there
is none。〃
Exactly as he finished making this statement a low whistle rang through
the silence of the night。 The Prophet started； Madame jumped； and
Malkiel bounded on the loving…cup。
The whistle was repeated。
〃It's the thing！〃 whispered the Prophet。
〃What thing？〃 inquired Madame； who had become rather pale。
〃The dark thing that told me the Crab was dressed。 It has come again。〃
〃My word！〃 ejaculated Madame； looking uneasily around。 〃Where is it？〃
Just then Malkiel the Second's feet once more began to tremble among
the plate of Mrs。 Merillia。
〃You hear it！〃 said the Prophet； much impressed。
〃Did it rattle like that the other night？〃 gasped Madame； seizing the
Prophet by the arm。
The Prophet told a lie with his head。
〃Address it； I beg；〃 said Madame； in a great state of excitement。
〃Meanwhile I will retire a few paces。〃
So saying； she backed into the passage； bearing the candle with her for
company； and leaving the Prophet in total darkness。 The low whistle
sounded again； and a husky voice said；
〃Are you there？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied the Prophet； summoning all his courage。 〃I am。〃
〃What 'a' you put out the light for？〃 said the voice； which seemed to
come from far away。
〃I haven't put it out；〃 returned the Prophet。 〃It's gone away。〃
At this juncture Malkiel； impelled by curiosity； ceased from trembling；
and； leaning forward upon the loving…cup； glued his ear to the key…hole
of the cupboard。
〃Why was you so late to…night？〃 proceeded the voice。 〃She's been in a
rare taking； I can tell you。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Who？ You know well enough。〃
〃Do you mean my grandmother？〃
〃Your grandmother！〃 ejaculated the voice with apparent sarcasm。 〃Ah！ of
course； what do you think？〃
〃I'm sure I don't know；〃 said the poor Prophet； whose reason was
beginning to totter upon its throne。
〃Well；〃 proceeded the voice； 〃she thought you'd give it up。〃
〃Whatmy grandmother did？〃
〃Ah； your grandmother。 Get away with you！ Ha！ ha！ ha！〃
And the mysterious visitant broke forth into a peal of rather mundane
laughter。 After indulging in this unseemly mirth for about a minute and
a half； the personage resumed；
〃The Crab did for her。〃
Upon hearing the mystic word Madame crept stealthily a pace or two
nearer to the door； while the Prophet exclaimed；
〃The dressed Crab？〃
〃Ah； what do /you/ think？ Not a wink of sleep and thought every
minute'd be 'er next。〃
〃Good Heavens！〃
〃She says she'd never go near a crab again； not if it's ever so。〃
〃You are sure？〃 said the Prophet； eagerly。 〃You are positive she said
that？〃
〃I'd stake my Davy； and I wouldn't do that on everything。 There ain't a
man living as'll ever get her to go within fifty miles of a crab this
side of Judgment。〃
At this point in the colloquy the curiosity of Madame overcame her； and
she protruded her head suddenly beyond the edge of the doorway。
〃Ulloh！〃 exclaimed the voice。 〃Why； what's 'a' you got there？〃
Madame hastily withdrew； and the voice continued；
〃Blessed if it ain't a female！〃
〃I beg your pardon！〃 said the Prophet； trembling with propriety。 〃I
Ithere is no female here！〃
〃Yes there is！〃 cried the voice； with a chuckle。 〃There's a female
creeping and crawling about behind that there door。〃
The Prophet's sense of chivalry was now fully aroused。
〃You are mistaken；〃 he said firmly。 〃There are no females creeping
andand crawling about in thisthis respectable house。〃
〃Respectable！〃 ejaculated the voice； 〃respectable！ I say there is a
female。 You're a nice one； you are！ 'Pon my word； I've a good mind to
run you in for Mormonism； I have。 Wherever's she got to？〃
On the last words a sudden blaze of light shot into the pantry； and at
the same moment there was the sound of wheels rapidly approaching in
the square。
〃Hulloh！〃 said the voice； 〃someone a…comin'。〃
The light died out as rapidly as it had flashed in； the wheels drew
close and stopped； and a bell pealed forth in the silent house。
〃Merciful Heavens！〃 cried the Prophet； pressing his hands to his
throbbing brow。 〃Merciful Heavens！ who can that be？〃
There was no answer； and the bell pealed again。
〃Grannie will be disturbed！〃 exclaimed the Prophet； addressing himself；
passionately to the darkness。 〃Grannie will be killed by all this
uproar。〃
The bell pealed again。
〃This must cease；〃 cried the Prophet。 〃This must and shall cease。 I
will bring it all to an end once and for ever！〃
And； with sudden desperate decision； he shut the window； burst out of
the pantry and came upon Madame； who was standing in a somewhat furtive
manner by the door that opened into the cellars of the mansion。
〃Mr。 Vivian；〃 she began； in a rather subdued voice； 〃that isn't a
comet； that's a copper！〃
The bell rang again。
〃D'you thinkd'you think that can be my husband？〃 continued Madame；
still seeming subdued。 〃I should like him Do you think it's him？〃
〃What？〃
〃The bell。〃
〃I will very soon see；〃 replied the Prophet； in a most determined
manner。
〃But Mr。 Viv〃
〃Don't hold me； if you please。 Kindly let me pass！〃
And； breaking from the lady's anxious grasp； the Prophet rushed into
the hall just as Gustavus appeared； descending the front stairs from
the landing before Mrs。 Merillia's door； where he had been in close
conference with Mrs。 Fancy。
〃Stand back； Gustavus；〃 said the Prophet。
〃Sir！〃
〃Stand back！〃
〃But； sir； there is someone〃
〃I know there is。 I am about to answer the door myself。〃
〃If you please； sir； Mrs。 Merillia is greatly alarmed by the constant
ringing； and Mrs。 Fancy thinks〃
〃Gustavus；〃 said the Prophet in an awful voice； 〃you may retire； but
first let me tell you one thing。〃
〃Certainly； sir；〃 said the footman； beginning to tremble。
〃The circumstances that have rendered a hitherto peaceful household
more disordered than an abode of madmen are about to be brought to an
end for ever。 There is a point at which a gentleman must either cease
to be a gentleman or cease to be a man。 I have reached that point；
Gustavus； and I am about to cease to be a gentleman。〃
And； with this terrible statement； the Prophet advanced with a sort of
appalling deliberation and threw the front door wide open。
Upon the doorstep stood Lady Enid wrapped in a pink opera cloak and Sir
Tiglath Butt shrouded in the Inverness。 The Prophet faced them with a
marble demeanour。
〃I thought you'd be here； Mr。 Vivian；〃 began Lady Enid in a bright
manner。
〃I am here；〃 said the Prophet； speaking in a voice that might well have
issued from a statue。
〃Where is he？〃 roared Sir Tiglath。 〃Where is he？ Oh…h…h…h！〃
〃Sir Tiglath means Malkiel；〃 explained Lady Enid。 〃He is most anxious
to meet him。〃
〃Why？〃 said the Prophet； still in the same inhuman voice。
〃Well； we shall see when they do meet；〃 said Lady Enid； throwing a look
of keen curiosity at the astronomer。 〃I rather think〃 here she
lowered her voice and whispered in the Prophet's ear〃I rather think
Sir Tiglath wishes to try if he can murder Malkiel。 Do you believe he
could bring it off？〃
〃I'm sure I don't know；〃 answered the Prophet； with stony indifference。
〃Good…night to you！〃
〃But we want to come in；〃 cried Lady Enid。
〃Young man；〃 roared Sir Tiglath； 〃the old astronomer will not leave
this house till he has searched it from attic to cellar。〃
〃I am sorry；〃 replied the Prophet； 〃but I cannot permit my
grandmother's servants or wine to be disturbed at such an hour。 If you
wish to murder Malkiel the Second； I shall not prevent you； but he is
not here。〃
〃Then where is he？〃 cried Lady Enid。
〃I don't know。 And now〃
The Prophet stepped back into the hall； and was about to close the door
unceremoniouslyhaving； as he intended； ceased to be a gentlemanwhen
Lady Enid caught sight of the round and fixed eyes of Gustavus glaring
out into the night from behind his master。 The appalling feminine
instinct； which makes woman the mistress of creation； suddenly woke
within her； and she cried out in a piercing voice；
〃Malkiel's in the house； and Gustavus knows it！〃
She spoke these words with such conviction that the Prophet spun round；
top…wise； and stared at the unfortunate flunkey； who instantly fell
upon his knee…breeches and stammered out；
〃Oh； sir； forgive me！ It's Dr。 Carter done it； sir； it is indeed。 It's
Dr。 Carter done it！〃
〃Dr。 Carter！〃 ejaculated the Prophet。
〃The library； sir。 He offered me the library ei