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I can tell you。〃
The Prophet drew out half a sovereign； upon which a ray of sunshine
immediately fell as if in benediction。
〃Does Mr。 Malkiel？
〃Malkiel the Second；〃 interrupted the young librarian； whose pinkish
eyes winked at the illumination of the gold。
〃Malkiel the Second ever call herein person？〃
〃In person？〃 said the young librarian； very suspiciously。
〃Exactly。〃
〃I don't know about in person。 He calls here。〃
〃Ah；〃 said the Prophet； recognising in the youth a literary sense that
instinctively rejected superfluity。 〃He does call。 May I ask when？〃
〃When he chooses；〃 said the young librarian； and he winked again。
〃Does he choose often？〃
〃He's got his day； like Miss Partridge and lots of 'em。〃
〃I see。 Is his dayby chancea Thursday？〃
It was a Thursday afternoon。
〃I don't know about by chance；〃 rejoined the young librarian； his
literary sense again coming into play。 〃But it's〃
At this moment the library door opened； and a tall； thin； middle…aged
man walked in sideways with his feet very much turned out to right and
left of him。
〃Any letters； Frederick Smith？〃 he said in a hollow voice； on reaching
the counter。
〃Two； Mr。 Sagittarius； I believe；〃 replied the young librarian； moving
with respectful celerity towards the letter rack。
The Prophet started and looked eagerly at the newcomer。 His eyes rested
upon an individual whose face was comic in outline with a serious
expression； and whose form suggested tragic farce dressed to represent
commonplace； as seen at Margate and elsewhere。 A top hat； a spotted
collar； a pink shirt； a white satin tie； a chocolate brown frock coat；
brown trousers and boots； and a black overcoat thrown open from top to
bottomthese appurtenances； clerkly in their adherence to a certain
convention； could not wholly disguise the emotional expression that
seems sometimes to lurk in shape。 The lines of Mr。 Sagittarius defied
their clothing。 His shoulders gave the lie to the chocolate brown frock
coat。 His legs breathed defiance to the trousers that sheathed them。
One could； in fancy； see the former shrugged in all the abandonment of
third…act despair； behold the latter darting wildly for the cover
afforded by a copper； a cupboard； or any other friendly refuge of those
poor victims of ludicrous and terrific circumstance who are so sorely
smitten and afflicted upon the funny stage。
Mr。 Sagittarius； in fine； seemed a man dressed in a mask that was
unable to deceive。 His lean face was almost absurd in its irregularity；
its high cheek…bones and deep depressions； its sharp nose； extensive
mouth and nervous chin。 But the pale blue eyes that were its soul shone
plaintively beneath their shaggy； blonde eyebrows； and even an
application of pomade almost hysterically lavish could not entirely
conceal the curling gloom of the heavy； matted hair。
〃Yes； two； Mr。 Sagittarius；〃 cried the young librarian； approaching
from the rack。
The gentleman held out a hand covered with a yellow dogskin glove。
〃Thank you； Frederick Smith；〃 he said。
And he turned to leave the building。 But the Prophet intercepted him。
〃Excuse me；〃 said the Prophet。 〃I beg your pardon； butbut〃 he
looked at the young librarian and accidentally let the half sovereign
fall on the counter。 It gave the true ring。 〃I believe I heard you
mentionlet drop the name Mr。 Sagittarius。〃
〃I don't know about let drop；〃 began the youth in his usual revising
manner。 〃But I〃
At this point the gentleman in question began to move rather hastily
sideways towards the door。 The Prophet followed him up and got before
him near the letter rack； while the young librarian retrieved the half
sovereign and bit it with his teeth。
〃I really beg your pardon；〃 said the Prophet； while Mr。 Sagittarius
stood still in the violent attitude of one determined to dodge so long
as he has breath。 〃I am not at all in the habit of〃Mr。 Sagittarius
dodged〃of intruding upon strangers〃 Mr。 Sagittarius dodged again
with such extraordinary abruptness and determination that he nearly
caused the young librarian to swallow the Prophet's golden bribe。 〃I
see you don't believe me；〃 the Prophet continued； flushing pink but
still holding his ground； and indeed trying to turn Mr。 Sagittarius's
flank by a strategic movement of almost military precision。 〃I see that
plainly； but〃 Mr。 Sagittarius ducked to the left； endeavouring to
cover the manoeuvre by an almost simultaneous and extremely passionate
feint towards the Prophet's centre； which was immediately withdrawn in
good order〃but your remarkarkable name； Saagitt…ittarius；
suggested to me that you are rea…eally the man I seek。〃
He had now got Mr。 Sagittarius into a very awkward bit of country
between the letter P。 in the rack； under which reposed Miss Partridge's
correspondence； and the newspaper bureau； with the counter immediately
on his rear； and taking advantage of this circumstance； he continued
rapidly：
〃May I ask whether you recently received a letterone moment！
envelopecrestI only want to know if you have receivedonlyan
elephant rampantswarm ofof bees〃
〃I have never received a rampant elephant and a swarm of bees；〃 cried
Mr。 Sagittarius with every symptom of unbridled terror。 〃Help；
Frederick Smith！〃
〃Right you are； Malkiel the Second！〃 cried the young librarian； hastily
pocketing the half sovereign and making a feverish lunge at nothing in
particular over the counter。 〃Right you are！〃
〃Malkiel the Second！〃 ejaculated the Prophet。 〃Then you are the man I
seek。〃
Malkiel the Secondfor it was indeed hesank back against the counter
in an attitude of abandoned prostration that would have made a fortune
of a comic actor。
〃I trusted to Jellybrand's；〃 he said； drawing from his tail pocket a
white handkerchief covered with a pattern of pink storks in flight。 〃I
trusted to Jellybrand's and Jellybrand's has betrayed me。 Oh； Frederick
Smith！〃
He put a stork to each eye。 The young librarian assumed an injured air。
〃It was the agitation did it； Mr。 Sagittarius；〃 he said。 〃If you hadn't
a…kep' dodging I shouldn't have lost my memory。〃
And he looked avariciously at the Prophet； who smiled at him
reassuringly and drew forth a card case。
〃I feel sure； Mr。 SagMalkiel〃
〃Malkiel the Second； sir； is my name if it is betrayed by
Jellybrand's；〃 said that gentleman with sudden dignity。 〃There is no
need of any mister。〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said the Prophet； handing his card。 〃That is my
name and address。 May I beg you to forgive my apparent anxiety to make
your acquaintance； and implore you to grant me a few moments of private
conversation on a matter of the utmost importance？〃
Malkiel the Second read the card。
〃Berkeley Square；〃 he said。 〃/The/ Berkeley Square？〃
〃Exactly； the Berkeley Square；〃 said the Prophet； modestly。
〃Not the one at Brixton Rise behind the Kimmins's mews？〃 said Malkiel
the Second； suspiciously。
〃Certainly not。 The one near Grosvenor Square。〃
〃That's better；〃 said Malkiel； upon whom the Prophet's address had
evidently made a good impression。 〃Kimmins's is no class at all。 Had
you come from there； Ibut what may you want with me？〃
The Prophet glanced significantly at the young librarian； who was
leaning upon the counter in a tense； keyhole position； with his private
ear turned somewhat ostentatiously towards the two speakers。
〃I can tell you in an inner room；〃 he murmured； in his most
ingratiating manner。
〃You're certain it's not Berkeley Square behind Kimmins's？〃 said
Malkiel； with a last flicker of suspicion。
〃Quite certainquite。〃
〃Frederick Smith；〃 said Malkiel the Second； 〃since Jellybrand's has
betrayed me Jellybrand's must abide the consequences。 Show this
gentleman and me to the parlour。〃
〃Right； Mr。 Sagittarius；〃 replied the young librarian whose memory had
again become excellent。 〃But Miss Minerva is coming at three…thirty。〃
〃Has she bespoke the parlour； Frederick Smith？〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Sagittarius。〃
〃Then she can't have it。 That's all。 Jellybrand's must abide the full
consequences of my betrayal。 Go forward； Frederick Smith。〃
The young librarian went forward towards a door of deal and ground
glass which he threw open with some ceremony。
〃The parlour； gents；〃 he said。
〃After you； sir； after you；〃 said Malkiel the Second； making a side
step and bringing his feet together in the first position。
〃No； no；〃 rejoined the Prophet； gently drawing the sage to the front；
and inserting him into the parlour in such an ingenious manner that he
did not perceive the journey of a second half sovereign from the person
of the Prophet to that of the young librarian； who thereafter closed
the deal and ground glass door； and returned to the counter； whistling
in an absent…minded manner； 〃I'm a Happy Millionaire from Co