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Hichens, Robert Smythe, 1864-1950

"The Prophet of Berkeley Square"

The architects
and their wives--"
"I daresay. But unluckily there will be no architects and their wives at
dinner to-night. Please stand up."
"Sir?"
"Kindly stand up. Mr. Ferdinand!"
"Yes, sir."
"Place your back against this gentleman's if you please--touching,
touching! Don't wriggle away like that. Keep your heels to the ground
while I fetch a sheet of notepaper. Don't move your heads either of you.
I thought so. You're pretty much the same height. Mr. Ferdinand, you
will lay out a white shirt and one of your black dress suits in my
dressing-room at once. Madame, I regret that we must leave you for a few
moments. Will you rest here? Allow me to place a cushion for your head.
And here is Juvenal in the original."
So saying, the Prophet hurried Mr. Sagittarius from the room, driving
Mr. Ferdinand, in a condition of elephantine horror, before him, and
abandoning Madame to an acquaintance with the classics that she had
certainly never achieved in the society of the renowned Dr. Carter.

CHAPTER XVII
MALKIEL THE SECOND IS MISTAKEN FOR A RATCATCHER
"If you tremble like that, of course it must look too big!" exclaimed
the Prophet to Mr.


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