“You’re not going to?”
“Certainly not. Nothing would induce me.”
She looked at him, as if unconvinced, raising her dark, sensible eyebrows.
“All Jellybrand’s clients do,” she said. “And I’m certain Mr. Sagittarius—”
“I assure you,” said the Prophet, with the heavy earnestness of absolute insincerity, “Mr. Sagittarius is the most single lived man I ever met, the very most. But why did Sir Tiglath, that is, why did you—?”
“Try to avoid him? Well—”
For the first time she hesitated, and began to look slightly confused.
“Well,” she repeated, “Sir Tiglath is a very strange, peculiar old man.”
The Prophet thought that if the young librarian had been present he would have eliminated the second adjective.
“Peculiar! Yes, he is. His appearance, his manner—”