the prophet of berkeley square-第13部分

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indeed　so　striking　that　it　held　Mrs。　Merillia；　Lady　Enid　and　the

Prophet　in　a　condition　of　paralytic　expectation　for　at　least　three

minutes　by　the　grandmother's　clock　in　the　corner　of　the　drawing…room。



The　venerable　astronomer　was　already　very　stout　in　person　and　very

inflamed　in　appearance。　But　at　this　point　in　the　discourse　he　suddenly

became　so　very　much　stouter　and　so　very　much　more　inflamed；　that　his

audience　of　three　gazed　upon　him　rather　as　little　children　gaze　upon

dough　which　has　been　set　by　the　cook　to　〃rise〃　and　which　is　fulfilling

its　mission　with　an　unexpected；　and　indeed　intemperate；　vivacity。　Their

eyes　grew　round；　their　features　rigid；　their　hands　tense；　their

attitudes　expectant。　Leaning　forward；　they　stared　upon　Sir　Tiglath　with

an　unwinking　fixity　and　preternatural　determination　that　was　almost

entirely　infantine。　And　while　they　did　so　he　continued　slowly　to　expand

in　size　and　to　deepen　in　colour　until　mortality　seemed　to　drop　from

him。　He　ceased　to　be　a　man　and　became　a　phenomenon；　a　purple　thing　that

journeyed　towards　some　unutterable　end；　portentous　as　marching

judgment；　tragic　as　fate；　searching　as　epidemic；　and　yet　heavily

painted　and　generally　touched　up　by　the　brush　of　some　humorous　demon；

such　as　lays　about　him　in　preparation　for　Christmas　pantomime；　sworn　to

provide　the　giants'　faces　and　the　ogres'　heads　for　Drury　Lane。



〃Don't！〃　at　last　cried　a　young　voice。　〃Don't；　Sir　Tiglath！〃



A　peal　of　laughter　followed　the　remark；　of　that　laughter　which　is　loud

and　yet　entirely　without　the　saving　grace　of　merriment；　a　mere　sudden

demonstration　of　hysteria。



〃Oh；　Sir　Tiglathdon't！〃



A　second　laugh　joined　the　first　and　rang　up　with　it；　older；　but　also

hystericalMrs。　Merillia's。



〃No；　noplease　don't；　Sir　TigTig〃



A　third　laugh　burst　into　the　ring；　seeming　to　complete　it　fatallythe

Prophet's。



〃Sir　Tiglathfor　Heaven's　sakedon't！〃



The　adjuration　came　from　a　trio　of　choked　voices；　and　might　have　given

pause　even　to　a　descending　lift　or　other　inflexible　and　blind　machine。



But　still　the　astronomer　grew　steadily　more　gigantic　in　person　and　more

like　the　god　of　wine　in　hue。　The　three　voices　failed；　and　the　terrible；

united　laughter　was　just　upon　the　point　of　breaking　forth　again　when　a

diversion　occurred。　The　door　of　the　drawing…room　was　softly　opened；　and

Mrs。　Fancy　Quinglet　appeared　upon　the　threshold；　holding　in　her　hands

an　ice…wool　shawl　for　the　comfort　of　her　mistress。　It　chanced　that　as

the　phenomenon　of　the　astronomer　was　based　upon　a　large　elbow　chair

exactly　facing　the　door　she　was　instantly　and　fully　confronted　by　it。

She　did　not　drop　the　shawl；　as　any　ordinary　maid　would　most　probably

have　done。　Mrs。　Fancy　was　not　of　that　kidney。　She　did　not　even　turn

tail；　or　give　a　month's　warning　or　a　scream。　She　was　of　those　women　

who；　when　they　meet　the　inevitable；　instinctively　seem　to　recognise

that　it　demands　courage　as　a　manner　and　truth　as　a　greeting。　She；

therefore；　stared　straight　at　Sir　Tiglathmuch　as　she　stared　at　Mrs。

Merillia　when　she　was　about　to　arrange　that　lady's　wig　for　an　assembly

and　remarked　in　a　decisive；　though　very　respectful；　tone　of　voice；



〃The　gentleman's　about　to　burst；　ma'am。　I　can't　speak　different　nor

mean　other。〃



Upon　finding　their　thoughts　thus　deftly　gathered　up　and　woven　into　a

moderately　grammatical　sentence；　Mrs。　Merillia；　Lady　Enid　and　the

Prophet　experienced　a　sense　of　extraordinary　relief；　and　no　longer　felt

the　stern　necessity　of　laughing。　But　this　was　not　the　miracle　worked　by

Mrs。　Fancy。　Had　she；　even　then；　rested　satisfied　with　her　acumen；

maintained　silence　and　awaited　the　immediate　fulfilment　of　her

prediction；　what　must　have　happened　can　hardly　be　in　doubt。　But　she　was

seized　by　that　excess　of　bravery　which　is　called　foolhardiness；　and

driven　by　it　to　that　peculiar　and　thoughtless　vehemence　of　action　which

sometimes　wins　V。C。's　for　men　who；　in　later　days；　conceal　amazement

under　the　cherished　decoration。　She　suddenly　laid　down　the　ice…wool

shawl　upon　a　neighbouring　sociable；　walked　up　to　the　phenomenon　of　the

astronomer；　and　remarked　to　it　with　great　distinctness；



〃You're　about　to　burst；　sir。　I　know　it；　sir；　and　I　can't　know　other。〃



At　this　point　the　miracle　happened；　for；　instead　of　responding　to　the

lady's…maid's　appeal；　and　promptly　disintegrating　into　his　respective

atoms；　Sir　Tiglath　suddenly　became　comparatively　small　and

comparatively　pale；　sat　forward；　wagged　his　head　at　Mrs。　Fancy；　and

rumbled　out　in　his　ordinary　voice；



〃Have　you　never　heard　where　liars　go　to；　woman？　Oh…h…h…h！〃



On　finding　that　nothing　of　supreme　horror　was　about　to　happen；　Mrs。

Fancy's　courageas　is　the　way　of　woman's　courageforsook　her；　she

broke　into　tears；　and　had　to　be　immediately　led　forth　to　the　servant's

hall　by　the　Prophet；　exclaiming　persistently　with　every　step　they

took；



〃I　can't　help　it；　Master　Hennessey。　I　say　again　as　I　said　aforethe

gentleman's　about　to　burst。　Them　that　knows　other　let　them　declare　it。〃



〃Yes；　yes。　It's　all　right；　Fancy；　it's　all　right。　We　all　agree　with

you。　Now；　now；　you　mustn't　cry。〃



〃I　can'tknowother；　Master　Hennessey；　normean　different。　I　can't

indeed；　Master　Hennessey；　I　can'tknow　othernor〃



〃No；　no。　Of　course　not。　There；　sit　down　and　compose　yourself。〃



He　gave　the　poor；　afflicted　liar　tenderly　into　the　care　of　the　upper

housemaid；　and　retraced　his　steps　quickly　to　the　drawing…room。　As　he

entered　it　he　heard　Sir　Tiglath　saying；



〃The　stars　in　their　courses　tremble　when　the　accursed　name　of　Malkiel

is　mentioned；　and　the　old　astronomer　is　dissolved　in　wrath　at　sound　of

the　pernicious　word。　Oh…h…h…h！〃



〃There；　Hennessey！〃　cried　Mrs。　Merillia；　turning　swiftly　to　her

grandson　with　all　her　cap　ribands　fluttering。　〃You　hear　what　Sir

Tiglath　says？〃



〃If　that　accursed　name　belonged　to　an　individual；〃　continued　the

astronomer；　waving　his　hands　frantically　over　the　last　remaining

crumpet；　〃instead　of　representing　a　syndicate　of　ruffianly　underground

criminals；　the　old　astronomer；　well　stricken　in　years　though　he　be；

would　hunt　him　out　of　his　hiding…place　and　slay　him　with　his　own　feeble

and　scientific　hands。〃



So　saying；　he　grasped　the　crumpet　as　if　it　had　been　an　assegai；　and

assailed　himself　with　it　so　violently　that　it　entirely　disappeared。



〃But　Malkiel　is　an〃　began　Mrs。　Merillia。



The　Prophet　stopped　her　with　a　glance；　whose　almost　terror…stricken

authority　surprised　her　into　silence。



〃But　I　thought　Malkiel　was　a　man；〃　cried　Lady　Enid；　looking　towards　the

Prophet。



〃Hefor　I　will　not　foul　my　lips　with　the　accursed　nameis　not　a　man；〃

roared　Sir　Tiglath。　〃He　is　a　syndicate。　He　is　a　company。　He　meets

together；　doubtless；　in　some　low　den　of　the　city。　He　reads　reports　to

himself　of　the　ill…gotten　gains　accruing　from　his　repeated　insults　to

the　heavens　round　some　abominable　table　covered　with　green　cloth。　He

quotes　the　prices　of　the　shares　in　him；　and　declares　dividends；　and

carries　balances　forward；　and　some　day　will　wind　himself　up　or　cast

himself　anew　upon　the　mercy　of　the　market。　Part　of　him　is　probably　Jew；

part　South　African　and　part　America。　The　whole　of　him　is　thrice

accursed。〃



He　began　to　expand　once　more；　but　Mrs。　Merillia　perceived　the　tendency

and　checked　it　in　time。



〃Pray；　Sir　Tiglath；〃　she　said　almost　severely；　〃don't。　With　my　sprained

ankle　I　am　really　not　equal　to　it。〃



Sir　Tiglath　had　enough　chivalry　to　stop；　and　Lady　Enid　once　again

chipped　in。



〃But；　really；　I'm　almost　sure　Malkiel　is　a〃



She　caught　the　Prophet's　eye；　as　Mrs。　Merillia　had；　and　paused。　He

turned　to　the　astronomer。



〃But　how　can　a　company　make　itself　into　a　prophet？〃　he　asked。



〃Young　man；　you　talk　idly！　What　are　companies　formed　for　if　not　to　make

profits？〃　retorted　Sir　Tiglath。　〃Every　one　is　a　company　nowadays。　Don't

you　know　that？　Murchison；　the　famous　writer　of　novels；　is　a　company。

Jeremy；　the　actor…manager；　is　a　company。　So　is　Bynion　the　quack　doctor；

and　the　Rev。　Mr。　Kinnimer　who　supplies　tracts　to　the　upper　classes；　and

Upton　the　artist；　whose　pictures　make　tours　like　Sarah　Bernhardt；　and

Watkins；　whose　philosophy　sells　more　than　Tupper's；　and　Caroline　Jingo；

who　writes　war　poems　and　patriotic　odes。　If　you　were　to　invite　these

supposed　seven　persons　to　dinner；　and　all　of　them　came；　you　would　have

to　lay　covers　for　at　least　fifty　scoundrels。　Oh…h…h…h！〃



〃Well；　but　how　are　you　sure　thatahemthe　/Almanac/　person　is　also

plural；　Sir　Tiglath？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Merillia。



〃Because　I　sought　him　with　the　firm　intention　of　assault　and　battery

for　five…and…forty　years；〃　returned　the　astronomer。　〃And　only　gave　up

my　Christian　quest　when　I　was　assured；　on　excellent　authority；　that　he

was　a　company；　and　had　originally　been　formed　in　the　United　States　for

the　making　of　money　and　the　defiance　of　the　heavenly　bodies。　May　bulls

and　bears　destroy　him！〃



〃Well；　it's　very　odd；〃　said　Lady　Enid。　〃Very　odd　indeed。〃



As　she　spoke　she　glanced　at　the　Prophet　and　met　his　eyes。　There　are

moments　when　the　mere　expression　in　another　person's　eyes　seems　to

shout　a　request　at　one。　The　expression　in　the　Prophet's　eyes　performed

this　feat　at　this　moment；　with　such　abrupt　vehemence；　that　Lady　Enid

felt　almost　deafened。　She　leaned　back　in　her　chair；　as　if　avoiding　a

missile；　and　exclaimed；



〃Of　course！　And　I　never　guessed　it！〃



〃Guessed　what；　my　dear？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Merillia。



〃Why；　thatheitwas　a　company；〃　replied　Lady　Enid。



The　Prophet　blessed　and　thanked　her　with　a　piercing　and　saved　look。



〃Nor　I；〃　he　assented；　descending　into　the　very　mine　of　subterfuge　for

his　recent　oath's　sake；　〃nor　I；　or　I　should　never　have　taken　the

useless　trouble　that　I　have　taken。



He　managed　to　say　this　with　such　conviction　that　his　grandmother；　who；

in　the　past；　had　always　found　him　to　be　transparently　honest　and

sincere；　was　carried　away