the prophet of berkeley square-第14部分

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

sincere；　was　carried　away　by　the　deception。　She　wrinkled　her　long　nose；

as　was　her　habit　when　sincerely　pleased；　and　cried　gaily；



〃Then；　Hennessey；　now　you've　heard　Sir　Tiglath's　opinion　of　the

practice　of　trying　to　turn　the　stars　into　money…makers；　and　the　planets

into　old　gipsy　women　who　tell　fortunes　to　silly　servant　girls；　I'm　sure

you'll　never　study　them　again。　Come；　promise　me！〃



The　Prophet　made　no　answer。



〃Hennessey；〃　cried　his　grandmother；　with　tender　pertinacity；　〃promise

me！　Sir　Tiglath；　join　your　voice　to　mine！〃



Sir　Tiglath　had　become　really　grave；　not　theatrically　serious。



〃Young　man；〃　he　said；　〃your　revered　granddam　asks　of　you　a　righteous

thing。　Who　are　you　to　trifle　with　those　shining　worlds　that　make　a

beauty　of　the　night　and　that　stir　eternity　in　the　soul　of　man？　Who　are

you　to　glue　your　pinpoint　of　a　human　eye　to　yonder　machine　and　play

with　the　stupendous　Jupiter　and　Saturn　as　a　child　plays　with　marbles　or

with　peg…tops？　Who　are　you　that　thinks　those　glittering　monsters　have

nothing　to　do　but　to　inform　your　pigmy　brain　of　snowfalls；　street

accidents；　and　love…affairs　prematurely；　so　that　you　may　flaunt　about

your　pocket…handkerchief　of　a　square　pluming　your　dwarfship　that　you

are　a　prophet？　Fie；　young　man；　and　again　fie！　Bow　the　knee；　as　I　do；　to

the　mysteries　of　the　great　universal　scheme；　instead　of　bothering　them

to　turn　informers　and　'give　away'　the　knowledge　which　is　deliberately

hidden　from　us。　Show　me　a　man　that　can　understand　the　present　and

you'll　have　shown　me　a　god。　And　yet　you　knock　at　the　gates　of　the

heavens　through　that　telescope　and　clamour　to　be　told　the　future！　Fie

upon　you；　young　man；　fie！　Oh…h…h…h！〃



Now　the　Prophet；　as　has　been　before　observed；　possessed　a　very

sensitive　nature。　He　was　also　very　devoted　to　his　grandmother；　and　had

an　extraordinary　reverence　for　the　world…famed　attainments　of　Sir

Tiglath　Butt。　Therefore；　when　he　heard　Mrs。　Merillia's　pleading；　and

the　astronomer's　weighty　denunciation；　he　was　deeply　moved。

Nevertheless；　so　strongly　had　recent　events　appealed　to　his　curiosity；

so　ardently　did　he　desire　to　search　into　the　reality　of　his　own

peculiar　powers；　that　it　is　very　doubtful　whether　he　might　not　have

withstood　both　the　behests　of　affection　and　of　admiration　had　it　not

been　that　they　took　to　themselves　an　ally；　whose　force　is　one　of　the

moving　spirits　of　the　world。　This　ally　was　fear。　Just　as　the　Prophet

was　beginning　to　feel　obstinate　and　to　steel　himself　to　resistance；　he

remembered　the　fierce　and　horrible　threats　of　Malkiel　the　Second。　If　he

should　cease　to　concern　himself　with　the　stars；　if　he　should　cease　to

prophesy；　not　alone　should　he　restore　peace　to　his　beloved　grandmother；

and　pay　the　tribute　of　respect　to　Sir　Tiglath；　but　he　should　do　more。

He　should　preserve　his　quick　from　being　searched　and　his　core　from

being　probed。　His　marrow；　too；　would　be　rescued　from　the　piercing　it

had　been　so　devoutly　promised。　The　dread；　by　which　he　was　now

companionedof　Malkiel；　of　that　portentous　and　unseen　lady　who　dwelt

beside　the　secret　waters　of　the　Mouse；　of　those　imagined　offshoots　of

the　prophetic　tree；　Corona　and　Capricornusthis　would　drop　away。　He

would　be　free　once　more；　light…hearted；　a　happy　and　mildly　intellectual

man　of　the　town；　emerged　from　the　thrall　of　bogies；　and　from　beneath

the　yoke　which　he　already　felt　laid　upon　his　shoulders　by　those　august

creatures　who　were　the　centre　of　the　architectural　circle。



All　these　things　suddenly　presented　themselves　to　the　Prophet's　mind

with　extraordinary　vividness　and　force。　His　resolve　was　taken　in　a

moment；　and；　turning　to　his　eager　grandmother　and　to　the　still　slightly

inflated　astronomer；　he　exclaimed　without　further　hesitation；



〃Very　well。　I'll　give　it　up。　I　promise　you。〃



Mrs。　Merillia　clapped　her　mittens　together　almost　like　a　girl。



〃Thank　you；　Sir　Tiglath；〃　she　cried。　〃I　knew　you　would　persuade　the

dear　boy。〃



The　astronomer　beamed　like　the　rising　sun。



〃Let　the　morning　starsfreed　from　insultsing　together！〃　he　roared。



The　Prophet　glanced　towards　Lady　Enid。　She　was　looking　almost　narrow

and　not　at　all　pleased。　She；　and　all　her　family；　had　a　habit　of

suddenly　appearing　thinner　than　usual　when　they　were　put　out。　This

habit　had　descended　to　them　from　a　remote　Highland　ancestor；　who　had

perished　of　starvation　and　been　very　vexed　about　it。　The　Prophet　felt

sure　that　she　did　not　applaud　his　resolution；　but　he　could　not　discuss

the　matter　with　her　in　public；　and　she　now　got　uplooking　almost　like

a　skeletonand　said　that　she　must　go。　Sir　Tiglath　immediately　rolled

up　out　of　his　chair　and　roared　that　he　would　accompany　her。



〃The　old　astronomer　will　protect　the　injudicious　young　female；〃　he

exclaimed；　〃lest　she　wander　forth　into　accursed　places。〃



〃I'm　only　going　to　Hill　Street；〃　said　Lady　Enid；　rather　snappishly。

〃Come　to　see　me　to…morrow　at　three；〃　she　whispered　to　the　Prophet　as

she　took　his　hand。　〃We　must　have　a　talk。　Don't　tell　anybody！〃



The　Prophet　nodded　surreptitiously。　He　felt　that　she　was　curious　to　her

finger…tips　as　he　gently　pressed　them。



When　he　and　his　grandmother　were　alone　together　he　rang　the　drawing…

room　bell。　Mr。　Ferdinand　appeared。



〃Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　said　the　Prophet；　〃kindly　call　Gustavus　to　your　aid

and　take　away　the　telescope。〃



〃Sir！〃　said　Mr。　Ferdinand　in　great　astonishment。



〃Take　away　the　telescope。〃



〃Certainly；　sir。　Where　shall　we　place　it；　sir？〃



〃Anywhere；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃In　the　pantrythe　squarein　Piccadilly

if　you　likeit's　all　the　same　to　me。〃



And；　unable　to　trust　himself　to　say　more；　he　hurried　almost

tumultuously　from　the　room。



〃Here's　a　go；　Gustavus；〃　remarked　Mr。　Ferdinand　a　moment　later　as　he

entered　the　servants'　hall。



〃Where；　Mr。　Ferdinand？〃　replied　Gustavus；　glancing　up　from　a　dish　of

tea　and　a　couple　of　Worthing　shrimps　with　which　he　was　solacing　an　idle

moment。



〃Here；　in　this　mansion；　Gustavus。　Me　and　you've　got　to　take　the

telescope　out　of　the　drawing…room；　and　Master　Hennessey　says　if　we　wish

we　can　chuck　it　in　Piccadilly。〃



The　round　eyes　of　Gustavus　brightened。



〃That　is　my　wish；　Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Here's　a　lark！〃



He　sprang　up。　But　Mr。　Ferdinand　checked　his　very　agreeable　vivacity。



〃I　am　your　head；　Gustavus；〃　he　remarked；　with　severe　ambiguity；　〃and

master　having　also　said　that；　if　we　wish；　we　can　set　the　instrument　in

the　butler's　pantry；　I　have　decided　that　so　it　shall　moreover　be。　It

will　be　very　useful　to　us　there。〃



〃Useful；　Mr。　Ferdinand！　However？〃



〃Never　mind；　Gustavus；　never　mind；〃　replied　Mr。　Ferdinand　with　some

acrimony。



Being　of　a　dignified　nature　he　did　not　care　to　explain　to　a　subordinate

that　there　was　a　very　pleasant…looking　second…cook　just　arrived　at　the

house　of　the　Lord　Chancellor　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　square。







CHAPTER　VII



THE　DOUBLE　LIFE　OF　MISS　MINERVA



On　the　following　day；　just　as　the　Prophet　was　drawing　on　a　new　pair　of

suede　gloves　preparatory　to　setting　out　to　Hill　Street；　Gustavus

entered　with　a　silver　salver。



〃A　telegram　for　you；　sir；〃　he　said。



The　Prophet　took　the　blushing　envelope；　ripped　it　gently　open；　and　read

as　follows：



　〃Madame　and　self　must　confer　with　you　this　afternoon　without　fail。

　　Shall　be　with　you　five　sharp；　most　important。



JUPITER　SAGITTARIUS。〃





Gustavus　nearly　dropped　at　sight　of　the　wrinkles　that　seamed　the

Prophet's　usually　smooth　face　as　he　grasped　the　full　meaning　of　this

portentous　missive。



〃Any　answer；　sir？〃



The　wrinkles　increased　and　multiplied。



〃Any　reply；　sir？〃



〃Whatno。〃



Gustavus　glided　in　a　well…trained　manner　towards　the　door。　When　he　got

there　the　Prophet　cried；　rather　sharply；



〃Stop　a　moment！〃



Gustavus　stopped。



〃Sir？〃



〃TheIerI　am　expecting　aacouple　this　afternoon；〃　began　the

Prophet；　speaking　with　considerable　hesitation；　and　still　gazing；　in　a

hypnotised　manner；　at　the　telegram。



〃A　couple；　sir？〃



〃Exactly。　A　pair。〃



〃A　pair；　sir？　Of　horses；　sir？〃



〃Horses！　Noof　people；　that　is；　persons。〃



〃A　pair　of　persons；　sir。　Yes；　sir。〃



〃They　should　arrive　towards　five　o'clock。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃If　I　should　not　be　home　by　that　time　you　will　show　them　very　quietly

into　my　librarynot　the　drawing…room。　Mrs。　Merillia　is　not　at　present

equal　to　receiving　ordinary　guests。〃



The　Prophet　meant　extraordinary；　but　he　preferred　to　put　it　the　other

way。



〃Yes；　sir。　What　name；　sir？〃



〃Mr。　and　Mrs。that　is；　Madame　Sagittarius。　That　will　do。〃



Gustavus　hastened　to　the　servants'　hall　to　discuss　the　situation；　while

the　Prophet　stood　re…reading　the　telegram　with　an　expression　of

shattered　dismay。　Not　for　at　least　five　minutes　did　he　recover　himself

sufficiently　to　remember　his　appointment　with　Lady　Enid；　and；　when　at

length　he　set　forth　to　Hill　Street；　he　was　so　painfully　preoccupied

that　he　walked　three　times　completely　round　the　square　before　he

discovered　the　outlet　into　that　fashionable　thoroughfare。



When　he　reached　the　dark　green　mansion　of　Lady　Enid's　worthy　father；

the　Marquis　of　Glome；　and　had　applied　the　bronze　demon　that　served　as　a

knocker　four　separate　times　to　the　door；　he　was　still　so　lost　in

thought　that　he　started　violently　on　the　appearance　of　the　Scotch

retainer　at　the　portal；　and　behaved　for　a　moment　as　if　he　were

considering　which　of　two　courses　he　should　pursue：　/i。e。/；　whether　he

should　clamber　frantically　into　the　seclusion　of　the　area；　or　take

boldly　to　the　open　street。　Before　he　could　do　either　M'Allister；　the

retainer；　had　magnetised　him　into　the　hall；　relieved　him　of　his　hat

almost　with　the　seductive　adroitness　of　a　Drury　Lane　thiefand　drawn

him　down　a　tartan　passage　into　a　very　sensible…looking　boudoir；　in

which　Lady　Enid　w