It's
Dr. Carter done it!"
"Dr. Carter!" ejaculated the Prophet.
"The library, sir. He offered me the library eight times over, sir!"
"Who offered you the library?"
"The gent, sir, in Mr. Ferdinand's trouserings, what was at dinner, sir.
He only wanted to change 'em, sir, and he says to me, he says, 'Let me,'
he says, 'but remove these trouserings,' he says, 'before I make off to
Java,' he says--"
"To where?" roared Sir Tiglath.
"To Java, sir, where the jelly and the sparrows is manufactured, sir,
that is born, sir. 'And,' he says, 'here is a hundred pounds,' he says."
"Then he is in the house?" said the Prophet, sternly.
"Well, sir, he was, sir. And, as I ain't seen him go, sir, I expect as
he's somewhere about changing of 'em, sir. Oh, sir, if you'll only look
it over sir, It's all the thirst, sir, it's all the thirst--"
"What? You have been drinking?" cried the Prophet, in an outraged
manner.
"No, sir, the thirst for knowledge, sir, as has brought me to this. Oh,
sir, if only you'll--"
"Hush!" said the Prophet fiercely. "Sir Tiglath," he added, turning
towards the puffing astronomer, "you can enter. My grandmother must have
been right.
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