“Oh, sir, forgive me! It’s Dr. Carter done it, sir, it is indeed. 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.