d her personal
acquaintance. But there is no reason why you should not introduce me to
the house as Mr. Sagittarius, no reason at all."

The Prophet knew only too well that there was not, but before he had
time to go on trying to wriggle out of the complication, Madame struck
in.

"Miss Minerva is to be present at this reception, I believe," she said
sharply.

"Yes, she is," answered the Prophet, illumined by a ray of hope.

"Jupiter," said Madame, "I will accompany you and Mr. Vivian to the
Zoological Gardens to-night. It is my sacred duty."

The Prophet groaned.

"But, my darling--"

"The reception over, I will assist you and Mr. Vivian at the telescope
in the Berkeley Square. In your presence I can do so without departing
from my principles, _salvo pudoribus_. Do not interrupt me, Jupiter, if
you please. I have thought the matter out. The crisis in our fate is at
hand. Upon the events of the next three nights depends our future. These
mysterious messages of which Mr. Vivian speaks must be examined into by
us upon the spot. This mystery of the dressed Crab must be made clear.
A woman's intellect is needed. A woman's intellect shall not be wanting.
Ill as I am, worn down by the occurrences of yesterday and by this
gentleman's incessant telegrams, I will leave my books"--here she waved
one hand towards the dwarf bookcase--"I will assume an appropriate
_neglige_ and my outdoor boots, a fichu and bonnet, and will accompany
you at once to the Berkeley Square, there to confer and arrange the
programme of the evening. Mrs. Bridgeman would fall down before us in
worship could she know who we really are. As it is, Mr. Vivian will
introduce us modestly as two old and valued friends. The time may be at
hand when we need no longer hide ourselves beneath an _alibi_. Till then
we must possess ourselves, and Mr. Vivian must possess us, in patience.
Ill as I am, I will accompany you. To-night shall see me in the
Zoological Gardens at my husband's side."

Before the prospect of this sublime self-sacrifice both Mr. Sagittarius
and the Prophet were as men dumb. They said not a word. They only
gazed--with a sort of strange idiotcy--at Madame as she rose, with an
elaborate and studied feebleness, from the maroon couch and prepared to
go upstairs to assume the appropriate _neglige_. Only when she was at
her full height did the Prophet, rendered desperate by the terrible
results of his own ingenuity, nerve himself to utter one las