st him practically at the telescope to-night."

"Very well, my love. I will risk the personal danger, for your and the
children's--"

"But--but really--" began the Prophet. "I am very sorry, but--"

"Madame has spoken, sir," said Mr. Sagittarius, very solemnly.

"I know she has. But--yes, I know there are no buts in your dictionary,
Madame, I know there aren't--but I have an engagement to-night that I
have sworn--"

"What engagement, sir?" said Mr. Sagittarius, sternly. "You have sworn
to us. You must know that."

"I have sworn to almost everyone," cried the distracted Prophet. "But
this swear--I mean this oath must be kept before yours."

"Before ours, sir?"

"It comes on before eleven. I keep my oath to you after it. I manage the
two, don't you see?"

"He will see that you manage the two, Mr. Vivian, I can assure you,"
said Madame, viciously. "Won't you, Jupiter?"

"Certainly, my dear. What is the oath, sir, that you place before ours?"

"An oath to Miss Minerva," returned the Prophet, beginning to feel
reckless, firm in the conviction that it was henceforth his destiny to
be the very sport of Fate.

"Ha!" cried Mr. Sagittarius. "The double life!"

"Who is Miss Minerva, pray?" said Madame, shooting a very penetrating
glance upon her husband.

"Your husband can tell you that," replied the Prophet, by no means
without guile.

"Jupiter," cried Madame, "what is the meaning of this? Who is this
person?"

Mr. Sagittarius looked exceedingly uncomfortable.

"My dear," he began, "she is a young fe--that is, a young wo--I should
say--"

"A fe! A wo! Explain yourself, Jupiter!"

"She is a lady, my love."

"A lady! Do I know her?"

"I believe not, my dear."

"And do you?"

"No, my darling. That is--that is--"

"Yes, I suppose!" said Madame, with a very violent click.

"I can hardly say, Sophronia, that, I can't indeed. I have met her, by
accident, quite by accident I assure you, once or twice."

"Where?"

"At Jellybrand's. She goes there to fetch letters on the same day as I
do."

Madame's very intellectual brow was over-clouded with storm. She turned
upon the Prophet.

"And what of this person, Mr. Vivian?" she cried. "What of her and this
oath?"

The Prophet, who was secretly very delighted with the diversion he had
so cleverly created, hastened to reply,--

"I have promised most solemnly to meet her to-night at a house in the
Zoological Gardens!"

"A house in the Zoological Gardens