"he floated past our very door."

"Did he really?"

"Singing his swan song, no doubt, poor feller, as Madame said after she
read about it in the paper. There were the grocer's twins as well, just
lately. But they will be fresh in your memory."

Before the Prophet had time to state whether this was so or not Malkiel
proceeded,--

"Well, sir, as soon as Madame and I had come to the Mouse we resolved
that we could do no better than that. It was salubrious, it was retired,
and it was N."

"You said--?"

"N., sir."

"But what is en?"

"Sir?"

The Prophet had grown very red, but he was seized by the desperation
that occasionally attacks ignorance, and renders it, for a moment,
determinedly explicit.

"I ask you what does en mean? I am, I fear, a very ill-informed person,
and I really don't know."

"Think of an envelope, sir," said Malkiel, with gentle commiseration.
"Well, are you thinking?"

The Prophet grew purple.

"I am--but it is no use. Besides, why on earth should I think of an
envelope? I beg you to explain."

"North, sir, the northern postal district of the metropolis. Fairly
simple that--I think, sir."

"N.!" cried the illuminated Prophet. "I see. I was thinking of en all
the time. I beg your pardon. Please go on. N.--of course!"

Malkiel concealed a smile, just sufficiently to make its existence for
an instant vitally prominent, and continued,--

"By the Mouse we resolved to build a detached residence such as would
influence suitably the minds of the children--should we have any. For
we had resolved, sir, by that time that with me the _Almanac_ should
cease."

Here Malkiel leaned forward upon the deal table and lowered his voice to
an impressive whisper.

"Yes, sir, it had come to that. We all have our ambitions and that was
mine."

"Good Heavens!" said the Prophet. "Malkiel's _Almanac_ cease! But why?
Such a very useful institution!"

"Useful! More than that, sir, sublime! There's nothing like it."

"Then why let it cease?"

"Because the social status of the prophet, sir, is not agreeable to
myself or Madame. I've had enough of it, sir, already, and I'm barely
turned of fifty. Besides, my father would have wished it, I feel sure,
had he lived in these days. Had he seen Sagittarius Lodge, the children,
and how Madame comports herself, he would have recognised that the
family was destined to rise into a higher sphere than that occupied by
any prophet, however efficient. Besides, I