the prophet of berkeley square-第16部分
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were sitting with a dozen or two of very practised stump orators。
〃Yes； and that's what they think I am。〃
〃And aren't you？〃 inquired the Prophet。
Lady Enid drew herself upon the Aberdeen lean…to。
〃No；〃 she said decisively； 〃I'm not。 I'm a Miss Minerva Partridge。〃
〃Well； but what is that？〃 asked the Prophet； with all the air of a man
inquiring about some savage race。
〃That's the secret〃
〃Oh； I beg your pardon！〃
〃That I'm going to tell you now； because I trust you〃
Again the pronouns were emphasised； and the Prophet thought how
difficult it would be to keep his oath。
〃And because I know now that you're silly too。〃
The Prophet jumped； though not for joy。
〃I've been Miss Minerva Partridge forwait a moment； I must look。〃
She got up； went to a writing table； opened a drawer in it； and took
out a large red book and turned its leaves。
〃My diary；〃 she explained。 〃It's foolish to keep one； isn't it？〃
Her intonation so obviously called for an affirmative that the Prophet
felt constrained to reply；
〃Very foolish indeed。〃
She smiled with pleasure。
〃I'm so glad you think so。 Ahexactly a year and a half。〃
〃You've been Miss Minerva Partridge？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃So long as that？〃
〃Yes； indeed。 Mr。 Vivian； during that time I have been leading a double
life。〃
The Prophet remembered the other double life beside the borders of the
River Mouse； and began to wonder if he were acquainted with any human
being who led a single one。
〃Many people do that；〃 he remarked rather aimlessly。
Lady Enid looked vexed。
〃I did not say I had a monopoly of the commodity；〃 she rejoined；
evidently wishing that she had。
〃Oh； no；〃 said the Prophet； making things worse； 〃one meets people who
live double lives every day； I might almost say every hour。〃
The clock had just struck four； and he had begun to think of five。 Lady
Enid's pleasant plumpness began rapidly to disappear。
〃I can't say I do；〃 she said sharply； feeling that most of the gilt was
being stripped off her sin。
She stopped in such obvious dissatisfaction that the Prophet； vaguely
aware that he had made some mistake； said；
〃Please go on。 I am so interested。 Why have you led a double life for
the last week and a half？〃
〃Year and a half； I said。〃
〃I mean year and a half。〃
He forced his mobile features to assume a fixed expression of greedy；
though rather too constant； curiosity。 Lady Enid brightened up。
〃Mr。 Vivian；〃 she said； 〃many girls are born sensible…looking without
wishing it。〃
〃Are they really？ It never occurred to me。〃
〃Such things very seldom do occur to men。 Now that places these girls
in a very painful position。 I was placed in this position as soon as I
was born； or at least as soon as I began to look like anything at all。
For babies really don't。〃
〃That's very true；〃 assented the Prophet； with more fervour。
〃People continually said to me； 'What a nice sensible girl you are'；
or'One always feels your Common sense'； or'There's nothing foolish
about you； Enid； thank Heaven！' The Chieftain relied upon me
thoroughly。 So did the tenants。 So did everybody。 You can understand
that it became very trying？〃
〃Of course； of course。〃
〃It's something to do with the shape of my eyebrows； the colour of my
hair； the way I smile and that sort of thing。〃
〃No doubt it is。〃
〃Mr。 Vivian； I'll tell you now； that I've never felt sensible in all my
life。〃
〃Really！〃 ejaculated the Prophet； still firmly holding all his features
together in an unyielding expression of fixed curiosity。
〃Never once； however great the provocation。 And in my family； with the
Chieftain； the provocation you can understand is exceptionally great。〃
The Marquis of Glome； who was the head of a clan called 〃The
MacArdells；〃 was always named the Chieftain by his relations and
friends。
〃I felt sure it must be；〃 said the Prophet； decisively。
〃Nevertheless it is so extremely difficult； if not impossible； not to
try to be what people take you for that I was in a perpetual condition
of acting sensibly； against my true nature。〃
〃How very trying！〃 murmured the Prophet； mechanically。
〃It was； Mr。 Vivian。 It often made me fell quite ill。 Nobody but you
knows how I have suffered。〃
〃And why do I know？〃 inquired the Prophet。
〃Because I realised yesterday that you must be almost as silly by
nature as I am。〃
〃Yesterdaywhy？ When？〃
〃When you said to Sir Tiglath that you could prophesy。〃
The Prophet stiffened。 She laughed almost affectionately。
〃So absurd！ But I was vexed when you said you'd give it up。 You mustn't
do that； or you'll be flying in the face of your own folly。〃
She drew the Aberdeen lean…to； which ran easily on Edinburgh castors； a
little nearer to him； and continued。
〃At least I felt obliged to seek an outlet。 I could not stifle my real
self for ever； and yet I could not be comfortably silly with those who
were absolutely convinced of my permanent good sense。 I tried to be
several times。
〃Didn't you succeed？〃
〃Not once。〃
〃Tch！ Tch！〃
〃So at last I was driven to the double life。〃
〃Then your coachman knows？〃
〃MacSpillan！ No！ I took a caba four…wheelerat the corner of the
Square； and the name of Minerva Partridge。 It's a silly name； isn't
it？〃
She asked the question with earnest anxiety。
〃Quite idiotic；〃 said the Prophet； reassuringly。
〃I felt quite sure it was；〃 she cried； obviously comforted。 〃Because it
came to me so inevitably。 I was so perfectly naturaland alonewhen I
invented it。 No one helped me。〃
〃I assure you；〃 reiterated the Prophet； 〃there is no doubt the name is
absolutely and entirely idiotic。〃
〃Thank you； dear Mr。 Vivian！ What a pleasure it is to talk to you！
Under this name I have； for a year and a half； led an idiotic life；
such a life as really suits me； such a life as is in complete accord
with my true nature。 Oh； the joy of it！ The sense of freedom！ If only
all other silly girls who look sensible like me had the courage to do
what I have done！〃
〃It is a pity！〃 said the Prophet； in assent； beginning to be genuinely
moved by the obvious sincerity of this human being's bent towards
folly。 〃But what have you done during this year and a half of truth and
freedom？〃
〃More foolish things than many crowd into a lifetime；〃 she cried
ecstatically。 〃It would take me days to tell you of half of them！〃
〃Oh； then you mustn't；〃 said the Prophet； glancing furtively at the
clock。 〃Had you come out to be silly yesterday afternoon？〃
〃Yes； I hadto be sillier even than usual。 And if it hadn't been for
Sir Tiglath catching sight of me in the avenue； and thenMr。
Sagittarius and you being in the parlour〃
She stopped。
〃By the way；〃 she said； in her usual tone of breezy common sense； 〃were
you living a double life in the parlour？〃
〃I！〃 said the Prophet。 〃Oh； no； not at all。 I never do anything of that
kind。〃
〃Sure？〃
〃Quite certain。〃
〃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〃
〃Oh； I don't mean that。〃
〃No？〃
〃No。 Lots of elderly men have purple faces； turned legs and roaring
voices。 You must know that。 Sir Tiglath is peculiar in this wayhe is
quite elderly and yet he's not in the least little bit silly。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃He's a thoroughly sensible old man； the only one I ever met。〃
〃Your father？〃
〃The Chieftain can be very foolish at times。 That's why he's always
relied so on me。〃
She gave this proof triumphantly。 The Prophet felt bound to accept it。
〃Sir Tiglath is really； as an old man； what everybody thinks I am； as a
young woman。 D'you see？〃
〃You mean？〃
〃The opposite of me。 And in this way too。 While I hide my silliness
under my eyebrows； and hair； and smile； and manner； he hides his
sensibleness under his。 When people meet me they always thinkwhat a
common…sense young woman！ When they meet him they always thinkwhat a
preposterous old man！〃
〃Well； but then；〃 cried the Prophet； struck by a sudden idea； 〃if that
is so； how can you live a double life as Miss Minerva Partridge？ You
can't change your eyebrows with your name！〃
〃Ah； you don't know women！〃 she murmured。 〃No； but you see I begin at
once。〃
〃Begin？〃
〃Being silly。 All the people who know me as Miss Partridge know I'm an
absurd person in spite of my looks。 I've proved it to them by my
actions。 I've begun at once before they could have time to judge by my
appearance。 I've told them instantly that I'm a Christian Scientist；
and a believer in the value of tight…lacing and in ghosts； an anti…
vaccinator； a Fabian； a member of 'The Masculine Club；' a 'spirit；' a
friend of Mahatmas； an intimate of the 'Rational Dress' setyou know；
who wear things like half inflated balloons in Piccadillya
vegetarian； a follower of Mrs。 Besant； a drinker of hop bitters and
Zozophine； a Jacobite； a hater of false hair and of all collective
action to stamp out hydrophobia； a stamp…collector； an engager of lady…
helps in
