knew. It might have been five minutes or five years as far as he
was concerned. It was broken at length by the following symphony of
sounds--an elderly man's voice roaring, a woman's voice uttering a
considerable number of very powerful screams on a rather low but
still resounding note, a loud thump, a crash of glass, a prodigious
clattering, as of utensils made in some noisy material falling from a
height and rolling vigorously in innumerable directions, two or three
bangs of doors, and the peculiar patter of rather large and flat feet,
unaccustomed to any rapid exercise, moving over boards, oilcloth and
carpet. Then the swing door sang, and the Prophet, opening his eyes,
perceived Madame Malkiel moving forward with considerable vivacity,
and screaming as she moved, her bonnet depending down her back and the
rabbit-skins flowing from her ample shoulders. Immediately behind her
ran her spouse, holding in one hand a silver pepper castor, and in the
other a small and very beautifully finished bronze teapot of the William
of Orange period. The worthy couple fleeted by, and the Prophet turned
his expressionless eyes towards the swing door expecting immediately
to perceive Sir Tiglath Butt in valiant pursuit. As no such figure
presented itself, and as the Malkiels were now beginning to mount
the stairs with continually increasing velocity, the Prophet slowly
uncrossed his legs, and was thinking of getting upon his feet when there
came a loud knock upon the hall door.

"Gustavus!" said the Prophet, glancing round.

He perceived the footman lying in a dead faint near the umbrella stand.

"Oh!" he said, speaking to himself aloud. "Oh! Then I must go myself."

Acting upon his conception of his duty, he accordingly walked to the
front door, opened it, and found the policeman outside supporting the
senseless form of Sir Tiglath Butt in one hand and holding a broken
truncheon in the other.

"Well?" said the Prophet, calmly. "Well?"

"I knocked him down as he was making a bolt," said the policeman.

The Prophet found himself wondering why so industrious and even useful
an occupation should be interfered with in such a manner. However, he
only replied,--

"Indeed!"

"Ah," said the policeman, stepping into the hall and laying the
astronomer out across a chair, "what's up?"

"They are both up," answered the Prophet, pointing with a lethargic
finger towards the staircase, from which, at this moment, arose a
perfect hubbub o