第10章

"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."Isee 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manoeuvre by an almost simultaneous and extremely passionate feint towards the Prophet's centre, which was immediately withdrawn in good order--"but your remark--arkable name, Saag--itt-ittarius, suggested to me that you are rea-eally the man I seek."He had now got Mr.Sagittarius into a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 letter--one moment!--envelope--crest--I only want to know if you have received--only--an elephant rampant--swarm of--of 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 Iseek."

Malkiel the Second--for it was indeed he--sank 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."Itrusted 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.Sag--Malkiel--"

"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, I--but 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 certain--quite."

"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 Colorado."