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Dr。 Carter done it！〃
〃Dr。 Carter！〃 ejaculated the Prophet。
〃The library； sir。 He offered me the library eight times over； sir！〃
〃Who offered you the library？〃
〃The gent； sir； in Mr。 Ferdinand's trouserings； what was at dinner；
sir。 He only wanted to change 'em； sir； and he says to me； he says；
'Let me；' he says； 'but remove these trouserings；' he says； 'before I
make off to Java；' he says〃
〃To where？〃 roared Sir Tiglath。
〃To Java； sir； where the jelly and the sparrows is manufactured； sir；
that is born； sir。 'And；' he says； 'here is a hundred pounds；' he
says。〃
〃Then he is in the house？〃 said the Prophet； sternly。
〃Well； sir； he was； sir。 And； as I ain't seen him go； sir； I expect as
he's somewhere about changing of 'em； sir。 Oh； sir； if you'll only look
it over sir； It's all the thirst； sir； it's all the thirst〃
〃What？ You have been drinking？〃 cried the Prophet； in an outraged
manner。
〃No； sir； the thirst for knowledge； sir； as has brought me to this。 Oh；
sir； if only you'll〃
〃Hush！〃 said the Prophet fiercely。 〃Sir Tiglath；〃 he added； turning
towards the puffing astronomer； 〃you can enter。 My grandmother must
have been right。〃
〃Your grandmother？〃 said Lady Enid； with eager inquisitiveness。
〃She informed me that the ruffian was in the house and had attempted to
make away with her〃
〃Dear me！ this is most interesting！〃 interposed Lady Enid。
〃But I supposed she had had the nightmare。 It seems that I was wrong。
If you will step in； you can search the house at once。 And if you
discover this nameless creature changing histhat is Mr。 Ferdinand's
trouseringstrousers； that is；in any part of the building； as far as
I am concerned you can murder him forthwith。〃
The Prophet spoke quite calmly； in a soft and level voice。 Yet there
was something so frightful in his tone and manner that even Sir Tiglath
seemed slightly awe…stricken。 At any rate； he accepted the Prophet's
invitation in silence； and stepped almost furtively into the hall； on
whose floor Gustavus was still posed in the conventional attitude of
the Christian martyr。 Lady Enid eagerly followed； and the Prophet was
just about to close the door； when a dark； hovering figure that was
pausing at a short distance off upon the pavement attracted his
attention。 He stopped short； and； perceiving that it was a policeman；
beckoned to it。 The figure approached。
〃What's up now？〃 it said familiarly； emphasising the question with a
sharp contraction of the left eyelid。 〃You're having a nice game
to…night； and no mistake。〃
〃Game！〃 replied the Prophet； sternly。 〃This is no game。 Stand there； by
the area gate； and if anyone should run out； knock him down with your
truncheon。 Do you hear me？〃
With these impressive words he entered the house and shut the door；
leaving the policeman to whistle inquiringly to the stars that were
watching over this house； once peaceful； but now the abode of violence
and tragedy。
In the hall he found Gustavus still on his knees between Lady Enid and
Sir Tiglath。
〃Lady Enid；〃 he said； even in this hour mindful of the proprieties；
〃you have heard what this villain is doing here； and must be sensible
that you can take no part in this search。〃
〃Oh； but I particularly want〃 began Lady Enid； hastily。
〃Pardon me；〃 said the Prophet； with more firmness than Napoleon ever
showed to his marshals。 〃You must retire。 Please come this way。 Mrs。
Fancy will look after you。〃
〃Oh； but really； Mr。 Vivian； I〃
〃Kindly follow me。〃
Lady Enid hesitated for a moment； but the Prophet's manner was too much
for her； and when he stepped； like a clockwork automaton with a steel
interior； towards the staircase； she crept mildly in his wake。
〃Can't I really？〃 she whispered in his ear。
〃Certainly not。 If you were a married woman； possibly〃
〃Well； but I am engaged；〃 she murmured。
The Prophet stopped short。
〃Engaged！〃 he said。 〃To whom？〃
〃Sir Tiglath。〃
〃Engaged to Sir Tiglath！〃
〃Yes。 He proposed to me to…night at Zoological House。〃
〃Why？〃
She might well have resented the question； but perhaps she divined the
distraught and almost maniacal condition of mind that the Prophet
masked beneath his impassive demeanour。 At any rate she answered
frankly；
〃Because he didn't find out I'm Miss Minerva； and in the midst of Mrs。
Bridgeman's silly world I stood right out as the only sensible creature
living。 Isn't it fun？〃
〃Fun！〃
〃Yes。 I always meant him to propose to me。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because I always thought it would be supremely idiotic of me to accept
him。〃
The Prophet felt that if he listened to another remark of such a nature
his brain would snap and he would instantly be taken with a tearing fit
of hysterics。 He therefore turned round and slowly ascended to the
first floor。
〃Kindly step into the drawing…room；〃 he said； having first； by a rapid
glance； assured himself that Malkiel was not changing Mr。 Ferdinand's
trousers there。 〃I will send Mrs。 Fancy to chaperon you。〃
Lady Enid stepped in obediently； and the Prophet； who could distinctly
hear Mrs。 Fancy sobbing on the landing above； proceeded thither； took
her hand and guided her down to the drawing…room。
〃Oh； my poor； poor missis！〃 gulped the devoted creature。 〃Oh； my〃
〃Precisely；〃 rejoined the Prophet； with passionless equanimity。 〃Please
go in there and remain to guard this young lady。〃
He assisted Mrs。 Fancy to fall in a heap upon the nearest sociable； and
then； still moving with a species of frozen deliberation； betook
himself once more to the hall。 The astronomer and Gustavus were
standing there in silence。
〃Sir Tiglath；〃 said the Prophet； in a very formal manner； 〃you can now
begin to search for this ruffian。〃
Sir Tiglath cleared his throat； and continued to stand still。
〃I hope you will find him；〃 continued the Prophet。
Sir Tiglath cleared his throat again and added；
〃Why？〃
〃Why？ Because I think it quite time that he was murdered；〃 answered the
Prophet； unemotionally。 〃Well！ why don't you search？〃
The astronomer； whose face began to look less red than usual； rolled
his glassy eyes round upon the shadowy hall； the dim staircase and the
gloomy…looking closed doors that confronted them。
〃Where is the old astronomer to search？〃 he asked； in a low voice。
〃Oh…h…h…h！〃
The final exclamation sounded remarkably tremulous。
〃Anywhereexcept in my grandmother's bedroom。 That of course is
sacred。 Well； why don't you begin？〃
Sir Tiglath eyed the Prophet furtively。
〃I'mI'm going to；〃 he murmured hoarsely。 〃The old astronomer does not
know the meaning of the wordfear。〃
Exactly as he uttered these inspiring words the hall clock growled；
like a very large dog； and struck two。 Sir Tiglath started and caught
hold of Gustavus； who started in his turn and shrank away。 The Prophet
alone stood up to the clock； which finished its remark with a click；
and resumed its habitual occupation of ticking。
〃Pray begin； Sir Tiglath；〃 said the Prophet。
〃The old astronomermust have aaacandle。〃
〃Here is one；〃 said the Prophet； handing the desired article。
〃A lighted candle。〃
〃Why lighted？ Oh； so that you can see to murder him！ Gustavus； light
the candle。〃
Gustavus； who was trembling a good deal more than an autumn leaf；
complied after about fifteen unavailing attempts。
〃There； Sir Tiglath；〃 said the Prophet。 〃Now you can begin。〃 And he
seated himself upon a settee； leaned back and crossed his legs。
〃You will not accompany the old astronomer？ Oh…h…h〃
〃No。 I will rest here。 When you have found the ruffian and murdered
him； I shall be glad to hear your news。〃
And； so saying； the Prophet settled himself comfortably with a cushion
behind his back； and calmly closed his eyes。 The candlestick clattered
in Sir Tiglath's gouty hand。 The Prophet heard it； heard heavy feet
shuffling very slowly and cautiously over the floor of the hall；
finally heard the door leading to the servants' quarters swing on its
hinges。 Still he did not open his eyes。 He felt that if he were to do
so just then he would probably begin to shriek； rave； foam at the
mouth； and in all known ways comport himself as do the inhabitants of
Bedlam。 A delicate silence fell in the hall。 How long it lasted the
Prophet never knew。 It might have been five minutes or five years as
far as he was concerned。 It was broken at length by the following
symphony of soundsan elderly man's voice roaring； a woman's voice
uttering a considerable number of very powerful screams on a rather low
but still resounding note； a loud thump； a crash of glass； a prodigious
clattering； as of utensils made in some noisy material falling from a
height and rolling vigorously in innumerable directions； two or three
bangs of doors； and the peculi