the prophet of berkeley square-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




The　Prophet　remembered　his　oath　and　turned　scarlet。



〃No；　no；　grannie；〃　he　murmured　hastily；　and　looking　like　a　criminal。　〃I

met　Lady　Enid；〃　he　added。



〃Where　did　you　meet　the　lady；　young　man？〃　said　Sir　Tiglath。　〃Was　it　in

the　accursed　avenue？〃



Lady　Enid　shot　a　hasty　glance　of　warning　at　the　Prophet。　Mrs。　Merillia

intercepted　it；　and　began　to　form　fresh　ideas　of　that　young　person；

whom　she　had　formerly　called　sensible；　but　whom　she　now　began　to　think

of　as　crafty。



〃Which　avenue　is　that；　Sir　Tiglath？〃　asked　the　Prophet；　with　a　rather

inadequate　assumption　of　innocence。



〃The　Avenue　in　which　one　beholds　the　perfidy　darting　into　hidden

places；　young　man；　in　which　the　defenders　of　foolish　virgins　are

buffeted　and　browbeaten　by　counter…jumpers　with　craniums　as　big　as　the

great　nebula　of　Orion。　The　avenue　named　after　a　crumbled

philanthropist；　who　could　walk；　sheeted；　through　the　atrocious　night

could　his　sacred　dust　awake　to　the　abominations　that　are　perpetrated

under　the　protection　of　his　shadow。　Let　dragons　lay　it　waste　like　the

highways　of　Babylon。〃



He　gathered　up　a　crumpet；　and　blinked　at　Lady　Enid；　who　was　airily

sipping　her　tea　with　a　slightly　detached　air　of　calm　and　maidenly

dignity。



〃I　think　Sir　Tiglath　must　be　describing　Shaftesbury　Avenue；〃　remarked

Mrs。　Merillia；　rather　mischievously。



〃Oh；　really；〃　stammered　the　Prophet；　〃I　had　no　idea　that　it　was　such　an

evil　neighbourhood。〃



〃Where　is　Shaftesbury　Avenue？〃　asked　Lady　Enid；　gently　folding　a

fragment　of　thin　bread　and　butter　and　nibbling　it　with　her　pretty

mouth。



Sir　Tiglath　elevated　his　hands　and　rolled　his　eyes。



〃Where　partridges　are　to　be　found　in　January；　oh…h…h…h！〃　was　his　very

unexpected　reply。



The　Prophet　started　violently；　and　even　Lady　Enid　looked　disconcerted

for　a　moment。



〃What　do　you　mean；　Sir　Tiglath？〃　she　said；　recovering　herself。



She　turned　to　Mrs。　Merillia。



〃I　wonder　what　he　means；〃　she　said。　〃He　never　talks　sensibly　unless　he

is　in　his　observatory；　or　lecturing　to　the　Royal　Society　on　the

'Regularity　of　Heavenly　Bodies；'　or〃



〃The　irregularities　of　earthly　ones；〃　interposed　Sir　Tiglath。　〃In　the

accursed　avenueoh…h…h！〃



〃I　fear；　Sir　Tiglath；　you　must　be　a　member　of　the　Vigilance　Society；〃

said　Mrs。　Merillia。



〃Yes。　He　looks　at　the　morals　of　the　stars　through　his　telescope；　said

Lady　Enid。　〃By　the　waydo　you；　too？〃　she　added　to　the　Prophet；　for　the

first　time　observing　the　instrument　in　the　bow　window。



Mrs。　Merillia　and　Sir　Tiglath　exchanged　a　glance。　An　earnest　expression

came　into　the　Prophet's　face。



〃I　confess；〃　he　said；　with　becoming　modesty　in　the　presence　of　the

great　master　of　modern　astronomy；　〃that　I　do　watch　the　heavens　from

that　window。〃



〃And　for　what　purpose；　young　man？〃　rumbled　Sir　Tiglath；　for　the　first

time　dropping　his　theatrical　manner　of　an　old　barn…stormer；　and

speaking　like　any　ordinary　fogey；　such　as　you　may　see　at　a　meeting　on

behalf　of　the　North　Pole；　or　at　a　dinner　of　the　Odde　Volumes。



〃Forfor　purposes　of　research；　Sir　Tiglath；〃　answered　the　Prophet；

with　some　diplomacy。



〃The　young　man　trieth　to　put　off　the　old　astronomer　with　fair　words；〃

bellowed　Sir　Tiglath。　〃The　thief　inserteth　his　thumb　into　the　tail

pocket　of　the　unobservant　archbishop　for　purposes　of　research。　The

young　man　playeth　merrily　forsooth　with　the　old　astronomer。〃



Mrs。　Merillia　nodded　her　lace　cap　at　him　encouragingly。　It　was　evident

that　there　was　an　understanding　between　them。　Lady　Enid　began　to　wonder

what　was　its　nature。　The　Prophet　seemed　rather　disconcerted　at　the

reception　given　to　his　not　wholly　artless　ambiguity。



〃Grannie；〃　he　said；　turning　to　Mrs。　Merillia；　〃you　know　how　deeply　the

stars　interest　me。〃



〃For　their　own　sake；　young　man？〃　said　Sir　Tiglath。　〃Or　as　the　accursed

avenue　interests　the　foolish　virginsfor　the　sake　of　frivolity；　idle

curiosity；　or　dark　doings　which　could　not　support　the　light　even　of　a

star　of　the　sixth　magnitude？　Can　you　tell　your　admirable　and　revered

granddam　that？〃



This　time；　underneath　his　preposterous　manner　and　fantastic　speech；

both　Lady　Enid　and　the　Prophet　fancied　that　they　could　detect　an

element　of　real　gravity；　even　perhaps　a　hint　of　weighty　censure　which

made　them　both　feel　very　youngrising　two；　or　thereabouts。



〃I　was　originally　led　to　study　stars；　Sir　Tiglath；　because　I　had　the

honour　to　meet　you　and　make　your　acquaintance；〃　said　the　Prophet；

valiantly。



The　astronomer　lapsed　at　once　into　his　first　manner。



〃In　what　fair　company　did　the　old　astronomer　converse　with　the　young

man？〃　he　cried。　〃His　memory　faileth　him。　He　doteth　and　cannot　recall

the　great　occasion。〃



〃It　was　at　the　Colley　Cibber　Club；　Sir　Tiglath；〃　said　the　Prophet；

firmly。　〃But　wewe　did　not　converse。　You　had　aa　slight

indisposition。〃



〃Would　you　venture　to　implyin　the　presence　of　your　notable　granddam

that　one　had　looked　upon　the　wine　when　it　was　red；　young　man？〃



〃You　had　a　glass　of　port　by　you　certainly；　Sir　Tiglath。　But　you　also

had　a　cold　which；　you　gave　me　to　understandby　signshad　affected

your　throat　and　prevented　you　from　carrying　on　conversation。



〃Then　was　it　the　vision　of　the　old　astronomer's　personal　and　starry

beauty　that　led　you；　hot　foot；　to　Venus　through　yonder　telescope？

Oh…h…h…h！〃



〃I　did　not　take　observations　of　Venus　first；〃　answered　the　Prophet；

with　a　certain　proud　reserve。　〃I　began　by　an　examination　into　'The

Milky　Way。'　〃



Sir　Tiglath　impounded　another　crumpet。



〃Go　on；　young　man；〃　he　cried。　〃The　old　astronomer　lendeth　ear。〃



The　Prophet；　who　felt　very　much　like　a　nervous　undergraduate　undergoing

a　/viva…voce/　examination；　continued；



〃I　became　deeply　interested；　strongly　attracted　by　thethe　heavenly

bodies。　They　fascinated　me。　I　could　think　of　nothing　else。〃



Lady　Enid's　Scottish　lips　tightened　almost　imperceptibly。



〃I　could　talk　of　nothing　else；〃　proceeded　the　Prophet。　〃Could　I；

grannie？〃



〃No；　indeed；　Hennessey；〃　assented　Mrs。　Merillia。　〃All　other　topics　were

banished　from　discussion。〃



〃All；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　with　increasing　fervour　and　lack　of　self…

consciousness。　〃I　could　not　tear　myself　from　the　telescope。　I　longed

for　a　perpetual　night　and　found　the　day　almost　intolerably　irksome。〃



Sir　Tiglath's　brick…red　countenance　was　irradiated　with　a　smile　that

did　not　lack　geniality。



〃The　old　astronomer　lendeth　attentive　ear　to　the　young　man's　epic；〃　he

roared；　through　the　crumpet。　〃He　approveth　the　young　man's　admiration

for　the　heavenly　bodies。　Go　on。〃



But　at　the　last　command　the　Prophet　seemed　suddenly　to　jib。　The

reserved　expression　returned　to　his　face。



〃That's　all；　Sir　Tiglath；〃　he　said。



The　astronomer　and　Mrs。　Merillia　again　exchanged　a　glance　which　was　not

unobserved　by　Lady　Enid。　Then　Sir　Tiglath；　with　an　abrupt　and

portentous　gravity；　exclaimed　in　thunderous　tones；



〃Sir；　are　you　a　man　of　science　or　have　you　the　brain　of　a　charlatan

enclosed　in　the　fleshy　envelope　of　a　conjurer　and　a　sinner？　Do　you

study　the　noble　and　beautiful　stars　for　their　own　sakes　to　find　out

what　they　are；　and　what　they　are　doing；　what　is　their　nature　and　what

their　place　in　the　great　scheme；　or　do　you　peek　and　pry　at　them　through

the　keyhole　of　a　contemptible　curiosity　in　order　to　discover　what　you

think　they　can　do　for　you；　to　set　you　on　high；　to　puff　you　out　into　a

personage　and　cause　you　to　be　noticed　of　the　foolish　ones　of　this

world？　Which　are　you；　sir；　a　young　man　of　parts　whose　hand　I　can　grasp

fraternally；　or　an　insulter　of　planets；　sir；　a　Peeping　Tom　upon　the

glorious　nudity　of　Venus；　a　Paul　Pry　squinting　at　the　mysteries　of

Mercury　for　an　unholy　and；　what　is　more；　an　idiotic　purpose？　What　do

you　ask　of　the　stars；　sir？　Tell　the　old　astronomer　that！〃



The　Prophet　was　considerably　taken　aback　by　this　tirade；　which　caused

the　many　ornaments　in　the　pretty　room　to　tremble。　He　gazed　at　his

grandmother；　and　found　her　nodding　approval　of　Sir　Tiglath。　He　glanced

at　Lady　Enid。　She　was　leaning　back　in　her　chair　and　looking　amused；

like　a　person　at　an　entertainment。



〃What　do　I　ask；　Sir　Tiglath？〃　he　murmured　in　some　confusion。



〃Do　you　ask　about　your　reverent　granddam's　hallowed　ankles；　sir？　Do　you

afflict　the　stars　with　inquiries　about　the　state　of　the　ridiculous

weather？　Is　that　it？〃



The　Prophet　understood　that　Mrs。　Merillia　had　been　frank　with　the

astronomer。　He　cast　upon　her　a　glance　of　respectful　reproach。



〃Yes；　Hennessey；〃　she　answered；　〃I　have。　My　dear　child；　I　thought　it

for　the　best。　This　prophetic　business　would　soon　have　been　turning　the

house　upside　down；　and　at　my　age　I'm　really　not　equal　to　living　at

close　quarters　with　a　determined　young　prophet。　To　do　so　would　upset

the　habits　of　a　lifetime。　So　Sir　Tiglath　knows　all　about　it。〃



There　was　a　moment　of　silence；　which　was　broken　by　the　agreeable　voice

of　Lady　Enid　saying；



〃All　about　what？　Remember；　please；　that　I'm　a　young　woman　and　that　all

young　women　share　one　quality。　All　about　what；　please？〃



Mrs。　Merillia　looked　at　the　Prophet。　The　Prophet　looked　at　Sir　Tiglath；

who　wagged　his　great　head　and　cried；　with　rolling　pathos　and　rebuke；



〃Oh…h…h…h！〃



〃PleaseMr。　Vivian！〃　repeated　Lady　Enid；　with　considerable

determination。



〃Grannie　means　that　Ithatwell；　that　I　have　been　enabled　by　the

stars　to　foretell　certain　future　events；〃　said　the　Prophet；　glancing

rather　furtively　at　Sir　Tiglath　while　he　spoke；　to　note　the　effect　of

the　desperate　declaration。〃



〃Oh…h…h…h！〃　bellowed　the　distressed　astronomer；　shaking　like　a　jelly　in

his　wrath。



〃What？〃　cried　Lady　Enid；　in　an　almost　piercing　voice；　and　with　a　manner

that　had　suddenly　become　most　animated。　〃Whatlike　Malkiel's　/Almanac/

does？〃



This　remark　had　a　very　striking　effect　upon　Sir　Tiglath；　an　effect

indeed　so　striking　that　it　held　Mrs。　Merillia；