“Will you be good enough to come upstairs?” said the Prophet to her very politely, though his fingers twitched to strangle her. “I wish to present you to my grandmother, and dinner is just ready.” Madame rose with dignity. “I am ready too,” she said, with a click. “_Semper paratis_.” And, shaking up the fichu, she ascended the stairs. Outside the drawing-room door the Prophet, who seemed strangely calm, but who was in reality almost bursting with nervous excitement, paused and faced his old and valued friends. “You will forgive my saying so, I hope,” he whispered, “but my grandmother is not well and much conversation tires her. So we don’t talk too much in her presence. Only just now and then, you understand.” And with this last injunction--futile, he knew as he gave it--he commended himself to whatever powers there be and opened the door. Sir Tiglath had not yet arrived, but Lady Julia Postlethwaite was seated on a sofa by Mrs. Merillia, and was conversing with her about the Court, the dreadful amount of money a certain duke--her third cousin--had recently had to pay in Death Duties, the corrupt condition of society, and the absurd pretensions of the lower middle classes. Lady Julia was sensitive and a very _grande dame_. She wore her hair powdered, and had a slight cough and exquisite manners. Once a lady in waiting, she was now a widow, possessed a set of apartments in Hampton Court Palace, worshipped Queen Alexandra, and had scarcely ever spoken to anybody who moved outside of Court Circles. The Duke of Wellington was said to have embraced her when a child. Mrs. Merillia and this lady looked up when the door opened, and Lady Julia paused midway in a sentence, of which these were the opening words,-- “The old duke wouldn’t make it over, and so poor Loftus has to pay nearly a million to the Chancellor of the Excheq--” “How d’you do, Lady Julia? Grannie, I have persuaded my friends, Mr. and Madame Sagittarius, to join us at dinner. Sir Tiglath Butt is most anxious to meet Mr. Sagittarius, who is a great astronomer. Let me--Madame Sagittarius, Mrs. Merillia--Mr. Sagittarius--Mrs. Merillia, my grandmother--Lady Julia Postlethwaite.”