And, clutching his wife by the arm, to the Prophet’s unspeakable delight he endeavoured to lead, or rather to drag her to the door. But Madame now showed the metal she was made of. “Jupiter,” she exclaimed, in her deepest note, “if you are a Prophet you can surely at moments be also a man. Where is your _toga virilibus_?” “I don’t know, my love, I’m sure. Don’t let us lose a moment. Come, my angel!” “I shall not come,” retorted Madame, whose leaping ambition had been fired by the sound of titled names. “The gentleman believes you to be an American syndicate.” “I know, my blessing, I know. But--” “Very well. If you don’t behave like one he will never suspect you.” The Prophet saw his chance slipping from him and hastened to interpose. “He might divine the truth,” he said. “One can never--” But at this moment he was interrupted by Mr. Ferdinand who abruptly opened the door and observed,-- “If you please, sir, Mrs. Merillia has sent down orders that the police are to be fetched at once.” Mr. Sagittarius, now thoroughly unnerved, turned from white to grey. “The police!” he vociferated. “Sophy, my angel, let us fly. This is no place for you!” “The police!” cried the Prophet. “Why?” “I believe it’s Mrs. Fancy’s doing, sir. If you would go to Mrs. Merillia, sir, I think--” The Prophet rushed from the room and hastened upstairs four steps at a time. He found his beloved grandmother in a state of grave agitation, and Mrs. Fancy, in floods of tears, reiterating her statement that there were robbers in the house. “Oh, Hennessey!” cried Mrs. Merillia, on his entrance, “thank God that you are come. There are burglars in the house. Fancy has just encountered them in the hall. Go for the police, my dearest boy. Don’t lose a moment.” “My dear grannie, they’re not burglars.” “I can’t speak different, Master Hennessey, nor--” “Then who are they, Hennessey? Fancy declares--” “They are two--two--well, two old and valued friends of mine.” “Old and valued friends of ours!” “Of mine, grannie. Fancy, pray don’t make such a noise!” “Fancy,” said Mrs. Merillia, “you can go to your room and lie down.” “Yes, ma’am. I say again, as I said afore, the house has been broke into and the robbers--” At this point the Prophet shut the door on the faithful and persistent creature, who forthwith carried her determination and sobs to an upper storey. “Hennessey, what is all this? Who is really here?” “Grannie, dear, only two friends of mine,” replied the Prophet, trying to look at ease, and feeling like a criminal. “Friends of yours? But surely then I know them. I thought I knew all your friends.” “So you do, grannie, all except--except just these.” “And they are old and valued, you say?” “No, no--that is, I mean yes.” Mrs. Merillia was too dignified to ask any further questions. She lay back on her sofa, and looked at her grandson with a shining of mild reproach in her green eyes.