the prophet of berkeley square-第25部分

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the　'Palmists'　Seaside　Retreat'　at　Millaby　Bay　near　Dover。　I　don't　know

how　many　Christian　Science　Temples　she　hasn't　erected；　or　subscribed

liberally　to。　She　turns　every　table　in　her　house。　She　won't　leave　even

one　alone。　Her　early　breakfasts　for　star…gazers　are　famous；　and　it's

impossible　to　dine　with　her　without　sitting　next　to　a　horoscope…caster；

or　being　taken　into　dinner；　of　courseby　a　crystal　diviner　or　a

nose…prophet。〃



〃A　nose…prophet！　What's　that？〃



〃A　person　who　tells　your　fortune　by　the　shape　of　your　nose。〃



〃Oh；　I　see。〃



〃Well；　you　understand　now　that　there's　no　sillier　person　in　London　than

dear　Mrs。　Bridgeman？〃



〃Oh；　quite。〃



〃She's　done　a　great　deal　for　me；　more　than　I　can　ever　repay。〃



〃Indeed。〃



〃Yes；　in　introducing　me　to　the　real　inner　circles　of　idiotcy。　Well；　in

return；　I've　sworn〃



〃You　too！〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃Oh；　nothing。　I　beg　your　pardon。　Please　go　on。〃



She　looked　at　him　curiously；　and　continued。



〃I've　swornthat　is；　pledged　my　honour；　you　know〃



〃I　know！　I　know！〃



〃To　introduce　her　to　at　least　one　thoroughly　sensible　persona　man；

she　prefers。〃



〃And　you've　chosen？〃



〃Sir　Tiglath；　because　he's　the　only　one　I　know。　Once；　I　confess；　I

thought　of　you。〃



〃Of　me！〃



〃Yes；　but　of　course　I　didn't　really　know　you　then。〃



She　looked　at　him　with　genuine　regard。　The　Prophet　scarcely　knew

whether　to　feel　delighted　or　distressed。



〃Now；　you　see；　Mr。　Vivian；　if　Sir　Tiglath　found　out　for　certain　that　I

was　Miss　Minerva；　he　might　discover　my　double　life；　and　if　he　did　that；

he　is　so　sensible　that　I　am　sure　he　would　never　speak　to　me　again；　and

I　could　not　fulfil　my　vow　to　dear　Mrs。　Bridgeman。〃



〃I　quite　see。〃



〃Nor　my　other　vow　to　myself。〃



〃Which　one？〃



〃Oh；　never　mind。〃



〃I　won't。〃



〃He　only　said　that　about　partridges　in　January；　I　find；　because　he

happened　to　see　one　of　my　letters　in　Jellybrand's　window。　He　doesn't

associate　that　letter　with　me。　So　it　ought　to　be　all　right；　and　I've

arranged　my　campaign。〃



〃But　what　can　I？〃



She　smiled　at　him　with　some　Scottish　craft。



〃Don't　bother。　You've　got　to　be　my　aide…de…camp；　that's　all。　Ah；　here

we　are！〃



For　at　this　moment　the　horse；　with　a　great　effort　succeeded　in　falling

down；　for　the　last　time；　before　the　astronomer's　door。







CHAPTER　XII



THE　ELABORATE　MIND　OF　MISS　MINERVA



On　being　shown；　by　an　elderly　housekeeper　with　a　Berlin　wool　fringe；

into　an　old…fashioned　oval　book…room；　Lady　Enid　and　the　Prophet

discovered　the　astronomer　sitting　there　/tete…a…tete/　with　a　muffin；

which　lay　on　a　china　plate　surrounded　by　manuscripts；　letters；

pamphlets；　books　and　blotting…paper。　He　was　engaged　in　tracing　lines

upon　an　immense　sheet　of　foolscap　with　the　aid　of　a　ruler　and　a　pair　of

compasses；　and　when　he　perceived　his　visitors；　he　merely　rolled　his

glassy　eyes　at　them；　shook　his　large　head　as　if　in　rebuke；　and　then

returned　to　his　occupation　without　uttering　a　word。



Lady　Enid　was　in　nowise　abashed。　She　looked　more　sensible　even　than

usual；　and　at　once　commenced　her　campaign　by　the　remark；



〃I　know　you　wonder　why　I　wanted　to　see　you　this　afternoon；　Sir　Tiglath。

Well；　I'll　tell　you　at　once。　Mr。　Vivian　has　persuaded　me　to　act　as　his

ambassador。〃



At　this　very　unexpected　statement　the　Prophet　started；　and　was　about　to

utter　what　might；　perhaps；　have　taken　the　form　of　a　carefully…worded

denial；　when　Lady　Enid　made　a　violent　face　at　him；　and　proceeded；　in　a

calm　manner。



〃He　wishes　you　to　do　something　for　him；　and　he　has　confessed　to　me　that

he　does　not　quite　like　to　ask　you　himself。〃



On　hearing　these　words　the　Prophet's　brain；　already　sorely　tried　by　the

tragic　duel　which　had　taken　place　between　himself　and　the　couple　who

lived　beside　the　Mouse；　temporarily　collapsed。　He　attempted　no　protest。

His　mind　indeed　was　not　in　a　condition　to　invent　one。　He　simply　sat

down　on　a　small　pile　of　astronomical　instruments　which；　with　some

scientific　works；　an　encyclopaedia　and　a　pair　of　carpet　slippers；

occupied　the　nearest　chair；　and　waited　in　a　dazed　manner　for　what　would

happen　next。



Sir　Tiglath　continued　measuring　and　drawing　lines　with　a　very　thin　pen；

and　Lady　Enid　proceeded　further　to　develop　her　campaign。



〃Mr。　Vivian　tells　me；〃　she　said；　〃that　he　has　a　very　old　and　dear

friend　who　is　most　anxious　to　make　your　acquaintancenot；　of　course；

for　any　idle　social　purpose；　but　in　order　to　consult　you　on　some

obscure　point　connected　with　astronomy　that　only　you　can　render　clear。

Isn't　this　so；　Mr。　Vivian？〃



The　Prophet　shifted　uneasily　on　the　astronomical　instruments；　and；

grasping　the　carpet　slippers　with　one　hand　to　steady　himself；　in　answer

to　an　authoritative　sign　from　Lady　Enid；　feebly　nodded　his　head。



〃But；〃　Lady　Enid　continued；　apparently　warming　to　her　lies；　〃Mr。　Vivian

and　his　friend；　knowing　how　much　your　time　is　taken　up　by　astronomical

research　and　how　intensely　valuable　it　is　to　the　world　at　large；　have

not　hitherto　dared　to　intrude　upon　it；　although　they　have　wished　to　do

so　for　a　very　long　time；　and　have　even　made　one　attemptat　the　Colley

Cibber　Club。〃



The　Prophet　gasped。　Sir　Tiglath　took　a　bit　out　of　the　muffin　and

returned　to　his　tracing　and　measuring。



〃On　that　occasion　you　may　remember；〃　Lady　Enid　went　on　with　increasing

vivacity　and　assurance；　〃you　declined　to　speak。　This　naturally　damped

Mr。　Vivianwho　is　very　sensitive；　though　you　might　not　think　it〃here

she　cast　a　glance　at　the　instruments　on　which　the　Prophet　sat〃and　his

friend。　So　much　so；　in　fact；　that　unless　I　had　undertaken　to　act　for

them　I　daresay　they　would　have　let　the　matter　drop。　Wouldn't　you；　Mr。

Vivian？〃　she　added　swiftly　to　the　Prophet。



〃Certainly；〃　he　answered；　like　a　creature　in　a　dream。　〃Certainly。〃



〃More　especially　as　the　friend；　Mrs。　Vane　Bridgeman〃the　Prophet　at

this　point　made　an　inarticulate；　but　very　audible；　noise　that　might

have　meant　anything；　and　that　did　in　fact　mean　〃Merciful　Heavens！　what

will　become　of　me？〃〃Mrs。　Vane　Bridgeman　is　also　of　a　very　retiring

disposition　and　would　hate　to　put　such　a　man　as　you　are　to　the

slightest　inconvenience。〃



Sir　Tiglath　took　another　bite　at　the　muffin；　which　seemed　to　be　getting

the　worst　of　the　/tete…a…tete/；　rummaged　among　the　mess　of　things　that

loaded　his　table　till　he　found　a　gigantic　book；　opened　it；　and　began　to

compare　some　measurements　in　it　with　those　he　had　made　on　the　foolscap

paper。　His　brick…red　face　glistened　in　the　light　of　the　lamp　that　stood

beside　him。　His　moist　red　lips　shone；　and　he　seemed　totally　unaware

that　there　was　anyone　in　the　chamber　endeavouring　to　gain　his

attention。



〃In　these　circumstances；　Sir　Tiglath；〃　Lady　Enid　went　on；　with　pleasant

ease；　and　a　sort　of　homespun　self…possession　that　trumpeted；　like　a

military　band；　her　sensibleness；　〃Mr。　Vivian　consulted　me　as　to　what　to

do；　whether　to　give　the　whole　thing　up；　or　to　make　an　appeal　to　you　at

the　risk　of　disturbing　you　and　taking　up　a　little　of　your　precious

time。　When　he　had　explained　the　affair　to　me；　however；　I　at　once　felt

certain　that　you　would　wish　to　know　of　it。　Didn't　I；　Mr。　Vivian？　Didn't

I　say；　only　this　afternoon；　that　we　must　at　once　take　a　four…wheeler　to

Sir　Tiglath's？〃



〃Yes；　you　did；〃　said　the　Prophet；　in　a　muffled　voice。



〃For　I　knew　that　no　investigation；　no　serious；　reverent　investigation

into　heavenly；　that　is　starry；　conditions　could　be　indifferent　to　you；

Sir　Tiglath。〃



The　astronomer；　who　had　been　in　the　act　of　lifting　the　last　morsel　of

the　muffin　to　his　mouth；　put　it　down　again；　and　Lady　Enid；　thus

vehemently　encouraged；　went　on　more　rapidly。



〃You　know　of　Mr。　Vivian's　interest；　almost　more　than　interest；　in　the

planets。　This　interest　is　shared；　was　indeed　prompted　by　Mrs。

Bridgeman；　a　woman　of　serious　attainments　and　a　cultivated　mind。　Isn't

she；　Mr。　Vivian？〃



The　Prophet　heard　a　voice　reply；　〃Oh；　yes；　she　is。〃　He　often　wondered

afterwards　whether　it　was　his　own。



〃It　seems　that　she；　during　certain　researches；　hit　upon　an　idea　with

regard　towell；　shall　I　say　with　regard　to　certain　stars？which　she

communicated　to　Mr。　Vivian　in　the　hope　that　he　would　carry　it　further；

and　in　fact　clear　it　up。　Didn't　she；　Mr。　Vivian？〃



〃Oh；　yes；　she　did；〃　said　a　voice；　to　which　the　Prophet　again　listened

with　strained　attention。



〃It　was　in　connection　with　this　idea　that　Mr。　Vivian　developed　his

enthusiasm　for　the　telescopewhich　led　him；　perhaps；　a　little　too　far；

Sir　Tiglath；　but　I'm　sure　Mrs。　Merillia　and　you　have　quite　forgotten

that！〃



Here　Lady　Enid　paused；　and　the　astronomer　achieved　the　final　conquest

of　the　muffin。



〃He　and　Mrs。　Bridgeman　have　been；　in　fact；　working　together；　she　being

the　brain；　as　it　were；　and　Mr。　Vivian　the　eye。　You've　been　the　eye；　Mr。

Vivian？〃



〃I've　been　the　eye。〃



〃But；　despite　all　their　ardour　and　assiduity；　they　have　come　to　a　sort

of　deadlock。　In　these　circumstances　they　come　to　you；　making　meas

your；　may　I　say　intimate；　friend？their　mouthpiece。〃



Here　Lady　Enid　paused　rather　definitely；　and　cast　a　glance　of

apparently　violent　invitation　at　the　Prophet；　as　if　suggesting　that　he

must　now　amplify　and　fill　in　her　story。　As　he　did　not　do　so；　a　heavy

silence　fell　in　the　room。　Sir　Tiglath　had　returned　to　his　measuring；

and　Lady　Enid；　for　the　first　time；　began　to　look　slightly　embarrassed。

Sending　her　eyes　vaguely　about　the　apartment；　as　people　do　on　such

occasions；　she　chanced　to　see　a　newspaper　lying　on　the　floor　near　to

her。　She　bent　down　towards　it；　then　raising　herself　up　she　said；



〃Mrs。　Bridgeman　some　time　ago　came　to　the　conclusion　that　there　was

probably　oxygen　in　certain　stars；　and　not　only　in　the　fixed　stars。〃



At　this　remark　the　astronomer's　countenance　completely　changed。　He

swung　round　in　his　revolving　chair；　wagged　his　huge　head