that you
are not a man of science?"

"I do! I do!"

"Not an astronomer of remarkable attainments, but very modest and
retiring withal? Oh-h-h!"

"Modest and retiring, sir?" cried Mr. Sagittarius, suddenly illumined
by a ray of hope. "That's just it! I am a modest and retiring outside
broker, sir."

And he violently endeavoured to prove the truth of the words by escaping
forthwith into obscurity.

"There never was a modest and retiring outside broker!" bellowed Sir
Tiglath. "There never was, and there never will be. The old--"

"What's that?" interrupted Mr. Sagittarius. "Whatever's that?"

For at this moment an extraordinary hum of voices made itself audible
above the fifty guitars, and a noise of many feet trampling eagerly upon
Mrs. Bridgeman's parquet grew louder and louder in the brilliant rooms.
Attracted by the uproar, Sir Tiglath paused for a moment, still keeping
his hand upon the lapel of Mr. Ferdinand's coat, however. The noise
increased. It was evident that a multitude of people was rapidly
approaching. Words uttered by the moving guests, exclamations, and
ejaculations of excitement now detached themselves from the general
murmur.

"The Prophet from the Mouse!"

"The great Malkiel here!"

"The founder of the almanac!"

"The greatest Prophet of the age!"

"Malkiel the Second from the Mouse!"

"Where is Malkiel?"

"We must find Malkiel!"

"We must see Malkiel!"

"Is it really Malkiel?"

"Oh, is it _the_ Malkiel? Where--where is Malkiel?"

Such cries as these broke upon the ears of the astronomer and Mr.
Sagittarius.

Sir Tiglath grew purple.

"Malkiel who has insulted the holy stars here!" he roared, letting go of
Mr. Sagittarius. "Where--where is he?"

"In there, sir, I verily believe!" cried Mr. Sagittarius, pointing in
the direction of the crowd with a hand that shook like all the leaves in
Vallombrosa.

"Let me find him!" shouted the astronomer. "Let me only discover him!
I'll break every bone in his accursed body."

And with this rather bald statement he rolled out of the room in one
direction, while Mr. Sagittarius, without more ado, cast aside his _toga
virilibus_ and darted out of it into another, just as Madame escorted by
Mrs. Bridgeman, Lady Enid, the great Towle and the whole of the company
assembled at Zoological House, appeared majestically--and proceeding as
an Empress--in the aperture of the main doorway.

CHAPTER XIX

MRS. MERILLIA HEATS THE POKER

Wh