the prophet of berkeley square-第3部分

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conjunction　of　the　planets；　he　gathered；　to　his　horror；　that　upon　the

fifteenth　day　of　the　month　of　January　she　would　suffer　an　accident

while　on　an　evening　jaunt。　We　find　him　now；　on　this　fifteenth　day　of

the　first　month；　aware　of　his　revered　grandmother's　intrepid　expedition

to　the　Gaiety　Theatre；　waiting　her　return　to　Berkeley　Square　with

mingled　feelings　which　we　might　analyse　for　pages；　but　which　we　prefer

baldly　to　state。



He　longed　to　be　proved　indeed　a　prophet；　and　he　longed　also　to　see　his

beloved　relative　return　from　her　sheaf　of　pleasures　in　the　free　and

unconstrained　use　of　all　her　graceful　limbs。　He　was；　therefore；　torn　by

foes　in　a　mental　conflict；　and　was　in　no　case　to　sip　the　philosophic

honey　of　Marcus　Aurelius　as　he　sat　between　the　telescope　and　the　fire

in　the　comfortable　drawing…room　awaiting　his　grandmother's　return。



〃Gustavus；〃　said　Mr。　Ferdinand　in　the　servants'　hall　to　the　flushed

footman　who　lay　upon　a　what…not；　sipping　a　glass　of　ale　and　reading　a

new　and　unabridged　farthing　edition　of　Carlyle's　/French　Revolution/；

〃Gustavus；　Mrs。　Merillia　has　been　and　gone　to　the　Gaiety　Theatre

to…night。　We　expect　her　back　at　eleven…thirty　sharp。　She　may　need

assistance　on　her　return；　Gustavus。〃



The　footman　put　down　the　tumbler　which　he　was　in　the　act　of　raising　to

his　pouted　lips。



〃Assistance；　Mr。　Ferdinand！〃　he　ejaculated。　〃Mrs。　Merillia；　Mr。

Ferdinand！〃



〃She　maywe　say　she　/may/have　to　be　carried　to　bed；　Gustavus。〃



Gustavus's　jaw　dropped；　and　the　/French　Revolution/　fluttered　in　his

startled　hands。



〃Good　lawks；　Mr。　Ferdinand！〃　he　exclaimed　（not　quoting　from　Carlyle）。



〃Have　an　armchair　ready　in　the　hall；　Gustavus。　Mrs。　Merillia　must　not

be　dropped。　You　understand？　That　will　do；　Gustavus。〃



And　Mr。　Ferdinand　passed　to　the　adjacent　supper…table；　to　join　the

upper　housemaid　in　a　discussion　of　two　subjects　that　were　very　near　to

their　hearts；　a　round　of　beef　and　a　tureen　of　pickled　cabbage；　while

Gustavus　got　up　from　the　what…not　in　a　bemused　manner；　and　proceeded　to

search　dreamily　for　an　armchair。　He　came　upon　one　by　chance　in　the

dining…room；　and　wheeled　it　out　into　the　hall　just　as　the　clocks　in　the

house　rang　out　the　half…hour　after　eleven。



The　Prophet　above　sprang　up　from　the　couch　by　the　fire；　Mr。　Ferdinand

below　closed　his　discussion　with　the　upper　housemaid；　and　the　former

rapidly　came　down；　the　latter　up；　stairs　as　the　roll　of　wheels　broke

through　the　silence　of　the　square。



Gustavus；　in　an　attitude　of　bridled　curiosity；　was　posed　beneath　a

polar　bear　that　held　an　electric　lamp。　His　hand　was　laid　upon　the　back

of　the　armchair；　and　his　round　hazel　eyes　were　turned　expectantly

towards　the　hall　as　his　two　masters　joined　him。



〃Is　all　ready；　Mr。　Ferdinand？〃　said　the　Prophet；　anxiously。



〃All　is　ready；　sir；〃　replied　the　butler。



〃Wheel　the　chair　forward；　Gustavus；　if　you　please；〃　said　the　Prophet。

〃Mrs。　Merillia　must　not　be　dropped。　Remember　that。〃



〃Not　be　dropped；　sirno。〃



The　chair　ran　forward　on　its　amicable　castors　as　a　carriage　was　heard

to　stop　outside。　Mr。　Ferdinand　flung　open　the　portal；　and　the　Prophet

glided　out　excitedly　upon　the　step。



〃Well？〃　he　cried；　〃well？〃



A　footman；　in　a　long　drab　coat　with　red　facings；　was　preparing　to　get

off　the　box　of　a　smart　brougham；　but　before　he　could　reach　the

pavement；　a　charming　head；　covered　with　a　lace　cap；　was　thrust　out　of

the　window；　and　a　musical　and　almost　girlish　voice　cried；



〃All　nonsense；　Hennessey；　all　rubbish！　Saturn　don't　know　what　he's

talkin'　about。　Look！〃



The　carriage　door　was　vivaciously　opened　from　the　inside　and　a

delightful　little　old　lady；　dressed　in　brown　silk；　with　a　long；

cheerful　pointed　nose；　rosy　cheeks；　and　chestnut　hairthat　almost

mightn't　have　been　a　wig　in　certain　lightsprepared　to　leap　forth

without　waiting　for　the　reverent　assistance　that　the　Prophet；　flanked

by　Mr。　Ferdinand　and　Gustavus；　was　in　waiting　to　afford。



As　she　jumped；　she　began　to　cry；　〃Not　much　wrong　with　me；　is　there；

Hennessey？〃　but　before　the　sentence　was　completed　she　had　caught　her

neat　foot　in　her　brown　silk　gown；　had　stumbled　from　the　step　of　the

carriage　to　the　pavement；　had　twisted　her　pretty　ankle；　had　reeled　and

almost　fallen；　had　been　caught　by　the　Prophet　and　Mr。　Ferdinand；　borne

tenderly　into　the　hall；　and　placed　in　the　armchair　which　the　terrified

Gustavus；　with　almost　enraged　ardour；　drove　forward　to　receive　her。　As

she　sank　down　in　it；　helpless；　Mrs。　Merillia　exclaimed；　with　unabated

vivacity；



〃It's　happened；　Hennessey；　it's　happened！　But　it　was　my　own　doin'　and

yours。　You　shouldn't　have　prophesied　at　your　age；　and　I　shouldn't　have

jumped　at　mine。



〃Dearest　grannie！〃　cried　the　Prophet；　on　his　knees　beside　her；　〃how

grieved；　how　shocked　I　am！　Is　itis　it〃



〃Sprained；　Hennessey？〃



He　nodded。　Mechanically　Mr。　Ferdinand　nodded。　Gustavus　let　his　powdered

head　drop；　too；　in　imitation　of　his　superiors。



〃I'll　tell　you　in　the　drawin'room。〃



She　placed　her　pretty；　mittened　hands　upon　the　arms　of　the　chair；　and

gave　a　little　wriggle；　trying　to　get　up。　Then　she　cried　out

musically；



〃No；　I　must　be　carried　up。　Mr。　Ferdinand！〃



〃Ma'am！〃



〃Is　Gustavus　to　be　trusted？〃



〃Trusted；　ma'am！〃　cried　Mr。　Ferdinand；　looking　at　Gustavus；　who　had

assumed　an　expression　of　pale　and　pathetic　dignity。　〃Trusteda　London

footman！　Oh；　ma'am！〃



His　voice　failed。　He　choked　and　began　to　rummage　in　the　pocket　of　his

black　tail　coat　for　his　perfumed　handkerchief。



〃T'st；　t'st！　I　mean　his　arms；〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia；　patting　her　delicate

hands　quickly　on　the　chair。　〃Can　he　carry　me？〃



The　countenance　of　Mr。　Ferdinand　cleared；　while　Gustavus　eagerly

extended　his　right　arm；　bent　it　sharply；　and　allowed　his　magnificent

biceps　to　rise　up　in　sudden　majesty。　Mrs。　Merillia　was　reassured。



〃Hoist　me　to　the　drawin'…room；　then；〃　she　said。　〃Hennessey；　will　you

walk　behind？〃



The　procession　was　formed；　and　the　little　old　lady　proceeded　by　a

succession　of　jerks　to　the　upper　floor；　her　silk　gown　rustling　against

the　balusters；　and　her　tiny　feet　dangling　loosely　in　mid…air；　while　her

long　and　elegant　head　nodded　each　time　Mr。　Ferdinand　and　Gustavus

pranced　carefully　sideways　to　a　higher　step。　The　Prophet　followed

solicitously　behind；　with　hands　outstretched　to　check　any　dangerous

recoil。　His　face　was　very　grave；　but　not　entirely　unhappy。



〃Set　me　down　by　the　fire；〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia；　when　she　found　herself

being　smoothly　propelled　through　the　atmosphere　of　the　drawing…room。



The　menials　obeyed　with　breathless　assiduity。



〃And　now　bring　me　a　sandwich；　a　glass　of　toast　and　water　and　a　fan；　if

you　please。　Yes；　put　the　footstool　well　under　me。〃



〃Dearest　grannie；〃　said　the　Prophet；　when　the　men　had　retired；　〃are　you

in　great　pain？〃



〃No；　Hennessey。　Are　you？〃



Mrs。　Merillia's　green　eyes　twinkled。



〃I！〃



〃Yes；　at　my　accident。　For　my　ankle　is　sprained；　I'm　almost　sure；　and　I

shall　have　to　lie　up　presently　in　wet　bandages。　Tell　me；　are　you　really

pained　that　I　have　had　the　accident　you　prophesied？〃



She　glanced　from　her　grandson　to　the　telescope　that　pointed　toward　the

stars　and　back　again。



〃I　am；　indeed；　sincerely　grieved；〃　the　Prophet　answered　with　genuine

emotion。



〃Yes。　But　if　I'd　jumped　out　all　right；　and　was　sittin'　here　now　in　a

perfect　condition　of　health；　you'd　have　been　sincerely　grieved；　too。〃



〃I　hope　not；　grannie；〃　said　the　Prophet。　But　he　looked　meditative。



Mr。　Ferdinand　brought　the　toast　and　water；　the　sandwich　and　the　fan。

When　he　had　trodden　across　the　carpet　out　of　the　room　Mrs。　Merillia

continued；



〃Hennessey；　you　see　where　this　prophetic　business　is　leadin'　you。　It

has　made　you　charmed　at　my　accident。　Yes；　it　has。〃



She　spoke　without　any　pathos；　humorously　indeed；　in　a　bright　tone　full

of　common　sense。　And　she　nodded　at　him　over　her　toast　and　water　with　a

chaffing；　demure　smile。　But　the　Prophet　winced　and　put　his　hand　to　his

thick　brown　hair。



〃No；　no；〃　he　cried　quickly。　〃That's　impossible。　It　can't　be。〃　But　the

statements　sounded　like　perturbed　questions。



〃Think！〃　said　his　grandmother；　looking　down　at　her　poor；　helpless　foot

as　it　lay　on　the　velvet　stool。　〃If　I　hadn't　had　an　accident　to…night；

you'd　have　been　obliged　to　think　ill　ofofwhich　of　them　was　it　that

had　the　impertinence　to　talk　my　affairs　over　with　you？〃



〃Mercury　and　Uranus；　Jupiter；　Saturn　and　Venus；〃　said　the　Prophet　with

almost　terrible　gravity。



〃Exactly。　I　always　have　thought　ill　of　the　last；　but　that's　nothin'　to

do　with　it。　Weigh　me　in　the　balance　against　five　planetsare　they　all

planets？and　how　do　the　scales　go？　You　see；　Hennessey！〃



The　Prophet　looked　much　distressed。　He　saw　his　beloved　grandmother　by

the　fire　and　the　bright　stars　twinkling　through　the　frosty　window…

panes。　He　thought　of　his　telescope；　of　Sir　Tiglath；　of　Mr。　Malkiel；　and

of　the　future；　and　the　velvety　blue　walls　of　the　drawing…room　seemed　to

spin　round　him。



〃Prophecy；〃　continued　Mrs。　Merillia；　fanning　herself　till　the　lace

lappets　of　her　priceless　cap　fluttered　above　her　orderly　and　clasping

wig；　〃is　dangerous；　for　often　it　can　cause　its　own　fulfilment。　If　you

hadn't　said　that　because　of　a　certain　conjunction　of　planetsor

whatever　it　wasin　my　horoscope；　I　should　have　an　accident　to…night；　I

shouldn't　have　jumped　out　of　the　brougham。　I　should　have　waited　for　Mr。

Ferdinand　to　assist　me；　as　befits　a　gentlewoman。〃



〃But；　grannie；　I　assure　you　I　was　most　anxious　to　save　you。　I　hoped　I

had　made　a　mistake　in　your　horoscope。　I　did；　really。　I　was　so　nervous

that　I　sent　to　Mr。　Malkiel　while　you　were　at　the　theatre　and　implored

him　to　look　into　the　matter　as　an　expert。〃



〃Mr。　Malkiel！　Who　is　he？　Do　we　know　him？〃



〃No。　But　we　know　his　marvellous　/Almanac/。〃



〃The　/Almanac/　person！　Why；　Malkiel　is　surely