ed
fit of hysterics. She caught her breath five or six times running in
a resounding manner, heaved her bosom beneath the green chiffon and
coffee-coloured lace, and tore feebly with both hands at a large
medallion brooch that was doing sentry duty near her throat.

"Pray, pray, Madame," exclaimed the Prophet, who was now near his wits'
end. "Pray--"

"How can I pray at table, sir?" she retorted, suddenly showing fight.
"You forget yourself."

"Oh, Hennessey," said poor Mrs. Merillia, "what does all this mean?"

"Nothing, grannie, nothing except that Mr. Sagittarius is a very modest
man and does not care to acknowledge the greatness of his talents. Pray
sit down, Mr. Sagittarius. Here is the ice pudding. Madame, I am sure
you will take some ice. Mr. Ferdinand!"

"Sir?"

"The ice to Madame Sagittarius instantly!"

Mr. Ferdinand, who was trembling in every limb at having to assist at
such a scene in his dining-room, which had hitherto been the very temple
of soft conversation and the most exquisite decorum, advanced towards
Madame, clattering the flat silver dish, and causing the frozen delicacy
that the cook had elegantly posed upon it to run first this way and then
that as if in imitative agitation.

"I cannot," sobbed Madame, beginning once more to catch her breath. "At
such a moment food becomes repulsive!"

"I assure you our cook's ice puddings are quite delicious; aren't they,
grannie?"

"I have no idea, Hennessey," said Mrs. Merillia, who was so upset by
the extraordinary scene at which she was presiding in the character
of hostess, that she mechanically clutched the left bandeau of her
delightful wig, and set it quite a quarter of an inch awry.

"Try it, Madame," cried the Prophet. "I implore you to try it."

Thus adjured Madame detached a large piece of the agile pudding with
some difficulty, and subsided into a morose silence, while her husband
sat with his eyes fixed imploringly upon her, totally regardless of his
social duties. As both Mrs. Merillia and Lady Julia were by this time
thoroughly unnerved, and Sir Tiglath was once more immersed in his food,
the whole burden of conversation fell upon the Prophet, who indulged in
a feverish monologue that lasted until the end of dinner. What he talked
about he could never afterwards certainly remember, but he had a vague
idea that he discussed the foreign relations of England with Madagascar,
the probable future of Poland, the social habits of the wom