"
"Of me!"
"Yes, but of course I didn't really know you then."
She looked at him with genuine regard. The Prophet scarcely knew whether
to feel delighted or distressed.
"Now, you see, Mr. Vivian, if Sir Tiglath found out for certain that I
was Miss Minerva, he might discover my double life, and if he did that,
he is so sensible that I am sure he would never speak to me again, and I
could not fulfil my vow to dear Mrs. Bridgeman."
"I quite see."
"Nor my other vow to myself."
"Which one?"
"Oh, never mind."
"I won't."
"He only said that about partridges in January, I find, because he
happened to see one of my letters in Jellybrand's window. He doesn't
associate that letter with me. So it ought to be all right, and I've
arranged my campaign."
"But what can I--?"
She smiled at him with some Scottish craft.
"Don't bother. You've got to be my aide-de-camp, that's all. Ah, here we
are!"
For at this moment the horse, with a great effort succeeded in falling
down, for the last time, before the astronomer's door.
CHAPTER XII
THE ELABORATE MIND OF MISS MINERVA
On being shown, by an elderly housekeeper with a Berlin wool fringe,
into an old-fashioned oval book-room, Lady Enid and the Prophet
discovered the astronomer sitting there _tete-a-tete_ with a muffin,
which lay on a china plate surrounded by manuscripts, letters,
pamphlets, books and blotting-paper.
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