"Good-night to you!"
"But we want to come in," cried Lady Enid.
"Young man," roared Sir Tiglath, "the old astronomer will not leave this
house till he has searched it from attic to cellar."
"I am sorry," replied the Prophet, "but I cannot permit my grandmother's
servants or wine to be disturbed at such an hour. If you wish to murder
Malkiel the Second, I shall not prevent you, but he is not here."
"Then where is he?" cried Lady Enid.
"I don't know. And now--"
The Prophet stepped back into the hall, and was about to close the door
unceremoniously--having, as he intended, ceased to be a gentleman--when
Lady Enid caught sight of the round and fixed eyes of Gustavus glaring
out into the night from behind his master. The appalling feminine
instinct, which makes woman the mistress of creation, suddenly woke
within her, and she cried out in a piercing voice,--
"Malkiel's in the house, and Gustavus knows it!"
She spoke these words with such conviction that the Prophet spun round,
top-wise, and stared at the unfortunate flunkey, who instantly fell upon
his knee-breeches and stammered out,--
"Oh, sir, forgive me! It's Dr. Carter done it, sir, it is indeed.
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