Ferdinand at the bottom.
"Am I to send for the police, sir?"
"No, no. I've explained matters."
"And about dinner, sir?"
"I'll tell you in a moment, Mr. Ferdinand," replied the Prophet,
entering the library with the fixed intention of getting Madame and Mr.
Sagittarius out of the house without further delay.
The tableau that met his eyes, however, was not reassuring. He found
Madame, having laid aside her bonnet, and thrown the rabbit-skin cloak
carelessly upon a settee, arranging her hair before a mirror, and
shaking up the coffee-coloured lace fichu in a manner that suggested
a permanent occupation of the house, while her husband, sunk in a deep
armchair in an attitude of complete nervous prostration, was gazing
dejectedly into the fire. When the Prophet entered, the latter bounded
with alarm, while Madame turned round, a couple of hairpins in her mouth
and both hands to the back of her head.
"Ah," she remarked, through the pins, "_il a vous_! I am happy to say
that I have induced Mr. Sagittarius to assume his _toga virilibus_, and
that we have, therefore, great pleasure in yielding to your thoughtful
pressure--"
"My what?" said the Prophet, blankly.
Pages:
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275