the prophet of berkeley square-第30部分

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With　a　hasty　farewell　the　Prophet；　accompanied；　and　indeed　closely

clutched；　by　the　little　Corona　and　Capricornus；　scrambled　fanatically；

and　not　without　two　or　three　heavy　falls；　to　the　summit　of　the　'bus；

while　Lady　Enid　read　the　legend　printed　on　it　with　a　smile；　ere　she

turned　to　walk　home；　putting　two　and　two　together；　and　thinking；　with

keen　feminine　satisfaction；　how　useless　in　the　long　run　are　all　the

negatives　of　man。



In　later　years；　though　many　memories　intervene；　the　Prophet　will　never

forget　his　journey　to　the　banks　of　the　Mouse。　Always　it　seemed　very

strange　to　him　and　dream…like；　that　everlasting　journey　upon　the　purple

'bus；　complicated　by　the　chatter　of　the　younger　scions　of　the　Malkiel

dynasty；　and　by　the　shrill　cries　of　the　conductor　summoning　the

passers…by　to　hasten　to　that　place　of　repose　consecrated　to　the　worthy

and　hard…working　individuals　who　drew　their　modest　incomes　from　the

pig。　The　character　of　the　streets　changed　as　the　central　districts　were

left　behind；　and　a　curious　scent；　the　scent　of　Suburbia；　seemed　to

float　between　the　tall　chimneys　in　the　morose　atmosphere。　The　purple

chariot；　which　rolled　on　and　on　like　the　chariot　of　Fate；　drew

gradually　away　from　the　large　thoroughfares　into　mean　streets；　whose

air　of　dull　gentility　was　for　ever　autumnal；　and　the　Prophet；　on

passing　some　gigantic　gasworks；　mechanically　wondered　whether　it　might

not；　perhaps；　be　that　monument　to　whose　shadow　Malkiel　the　First　had

lived　and　died。　Once；　looking　up　at　the　black　sky；　he　remarked　to　the

little　Capricornus　that　it　was　evidently　going　to　rain。



〃No；　Mr。　Vivian；〃　replied　the　boy。　〃It　won't　rain　hard　this　week。

January's　a　fine　month；　but　there'll　be　heavy　floods　in　March；

especially　along　the　banks　of　the　Thames。〃



〃And　in　February　there'll　be　such　a　lot　of　scarlet　fever　in　the

southern　portions　of　England；〃　added　the　little　Corona。　〃Oh；　Corney；

just　look　at　that　kitty　on　the　airey　railings！〃



〃Area；　Corona；〃　corrected　her　brother。　〃Oh；　my！　ain't　it　funny？〃



The　Prophet　remembered　that　he　was　travelling　with　the　scions　of　a

prophetic　house。



It　seemed　many　years　before　the　'bus　stopped　before　a　brick　building

full　of　quart　pots；　situated　upon　a　gentle　eminence　sloping　to　a　coal…

yard；　and　the　voice　of　the　conductor　proclaimed　that　the　place　of

repose　was　reached。　The　Prophet　and　his　diminutive　guides　descended

from　the　roof　and　were　shortly　in　a　train　puffing　between　the　hunched

backs　of　abominable　little　houses；　sooty　as　street　cats　and　alive　with

crying　babies。　Then　bits　of　waste　land　appeared；　bald　wildernesses　in

which　fragments　of　broken　crockery　hibernated　with　old　tin　cans　and

kettles　yellow　as　dying　leaves。　A　furtive　brown　rivulet　wandered　here

and　there　like　a　thing　endeavouring　to　conceal　itself　and　unable　to

find　a　hiding…place。



〃That's　the　Mouse；　Mr。　Vivian；〃　remarked　Capricornus；　proudly。　〃We

shall　soon　be　there。〃



〃Ridiculum　mus；〃　rejoined　his　sister；　who　evidently　took　after　her

learned　mother。



〃Culus；　Corona；　and　you're　not　to　say　that。　Pater　familias　says　that

the　Mouse　is　a　noble　stream。　We　get　out　here；　Mr。　Vivian。〃



Here　proved　to　be　a　wayside　station　on　the　very　bank　of　the　noble

stream；　and　on　the　edge　of　a　piece　of　waste　ground　so　large　that　it

might　almost　have　been　called　country。



The　Prophet　and　the　two　kids　set　off　across　this　earth；　which　was　named

by　the　inhabitants　〃the　Common。〃　In　the　distance　rose　a　fringe　of

detached　brick　and　stone　villas　towards　which　Capricornus　now　pointed　a

forefinger　that　trembled　with　pride。



〃That's　where　we　live；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　that　was　grown　squeaky　from

conceit。



〃Dulce　domus；〃　piped　his　sister；　clutching　the　skirt　of　the　Prophet's

coat；　and；　thus　supported；　performing　several　very　elaborate　dancing

steps　upon　the　clayey　soil　over　which　he　was　feebly　staggering。　〃Dulce

dulce；　dulce　domus。　Look　at　that　rat；　Corney！〃



A　large；　raking　rodent；　indeed；　at　that　instant　emerged　from　the

wreckage　of　what　had　once　been　a　copper　cauldron　near　by；　and　walked

slowly　away　towards　a　slope　of　dust　garnished　with　broken　bottles　and

abandoned　cabbage　stalks。　The　Prophet　shuddered　and　longed　to　flee；　but

the　two　kids；　as　if　divining　his　thought；　now　clasped　his　hands　and　led

him　firmly　forward　to　a　yellow　villa；　fringed　with　white　Bath　stone　and

garnished　plentifully　with　griffins。　From　its　flat　front　shot

ostentatiously　forth　a　porch　adorned　with　Roman　columns　which　commanded

a　near　view　of　the　Mouse；　and　before　the　porch　was　a　small　garden　in

which　several　healthy…looking　nettles　had　made　their　home。



As　the　Prophet　and　the　two　kids　approached　this　delightful　abode；　a

white　face　appeared；　gluing　itself　to　the　pane　of　an　upper　window。



〃There's　pater　familias！〃　piped　Capricornus。　〃Don't　he　look　ill？〃



As　they　mounted　the　flight　of　imitation　marble　steps　the　face

disappeared　abruptly。



〃He's　coming　to　let　us　in；〃　said　Capricornus。　〃You're　sure　you've

brought　the　crab　and　all　the　rashes？〃



〃Quite　sure。〃



〃Because；　if　you　haven't；　I　don't　know　whatever　mater　familias'll〃



At　this　moment　the　portal　of　the　lodge　was　furtively　opened　about　half

an　inch；　and　a　very　small　segment　of　ashen…coloured　human　face；

containing　a　large　and　apprehensive　eye；　was　shown　in　the　aperture。



〃Are　you　alone？〃　said　the　hollow　voice　of　Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃Quite；　quite　alone；〃　said　the　Prophet；　reassuringly。



〃It's　all　right；　pater　familias！〃　cried　Capricornus。　〃He's　brought　all

the　rashes　and　the　first　tooth　and　everything。　I　made　him。〃



〃I　don't　think　he　wanted　to；〃　added　the　little　Corona；　suddenly

developing　malice。



〃I've　taken　this　long　journey；　Mr。　Sagittarius；〃　said　the　Prophet；　with

a　remnant　of　self…respect；　〃at　your　special　request。　Am　I　to　be

permitted　to　come　in？〃



〃If　you're　sure　you're　quite　alone；〃　returned　the　sage；　showing　a

slightly　enlarged　segment　of　face。



〃I　am　quite　surepositive！〃



At　this　the　door　was　opened　just　sufficiently　to　admit　the　passage　of

one　thin　person　at　a　time；　and；　in　single　file；　the　Prophet；　Corona　and

Capricornus　passed　into　the　lodge。







CHAPTER　XV



THE　PROPHET　CREATES　A　DIVERSION　AT　HIS　OWN　EXPENSE



On　stepping　into　a　small　vestibule；　paved　with　black　and　white

lozenges；　and　fitted　up　with　an　iron　umbrella　stand；　a　Moorish　lamp　and

a　large　yellow　china　pug　dog；　the　Prophet　found　himself　at　once　faced

by　Mr。　Sagittarius；　whose　pallid　countenance；　nervous　eye　and

suspicious　demeanour　plainly　proclaimed　him　to　be；　as　he　had　stated；

very　rightly　and　properly　going　about　in　fear　of　his　life。



〃Go　to　the　schoolroom；　my　darlings；〃　he　whispered　to　his　children。

〃Why；　what　have　you　there？〃



〃Choclets；〃　said　Capricornus。



〃From　the　pretty　lady；　mulius　pulchrum；〃　added　the　little　Corona。



〃Who　is　a　mulibus　pulchrum；　my　love？〃　asked　Mr。　Sagittarius；　before

Capricornus　had　time　to　correct　his　sister's　Latin。



〃It　was　Miss　Minerva；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃We　happened　to　meet　her。〃



〃Indeed；　sir。　Run　away；　my　pretties；　and　don't　eat　more　than　one　each；

or　mater　familias　will　not　approve。



Then；　as　the　little　ones　disappeared　into　the　shadows　of　the　region

above；　he　added　to　the　Prophet；



〃You've　nearly　been　the　death　of　Madame；　sir。〃



〃I'm　sure　I'm　very　sorry；〃　said　the　Prophet。



〃Sorrow　is　no　salve；　sir；　no　salve　at　all。　Were　it　not　for　her　books　I

fear　we　might　have　lost　her。〃



〃Good　gracious！〃



〃Mercifully　her　books　have　comforted　her。　She　is　resting　among　them

now。　Madame　is　possessed　of　a　magnificent　library；　sir；　encyclopaedic

in　its　scope　and　cosmopolitan　in　its　point　of　view。　In　it　are

represented　every　age　and　every　race　since　the　dawn　of　letters；

thousands　upon　thousands　of　authors；　sir；　Rabelais　and　Dean　Farrar；

Lamb　and　the　Hindoos；　Mettlelink　and　the　pith　of　the　great　philosophers

such　as　John　Oliver　Hobbes；　Locke；　Hume　and　Earl　Spencer；　the　biting

sarcasm　of　Hiny；　the　pathos　of　Peps；　the　oratorical　master…strokes　of

such　men　as　Gladstone；　Demosthenes　and　Keir　Hardie；　the　romance　of

Kipling；　sir；　of　Bret　Harte　and　Danty　Rossini；　the　poetry　of　Kempis　a

Browning　and　of　Elizabeth　Thomas　Barrettall；　all　are　there　bound　in

Persian　calf。　Among　these　she　seeks　for　solace。　To　these　she　flies　in

hours　of　anguish。〃



〃Does　she　indeed？〃　said　the　Prophet；　feeling　thoroughly　overwhelmed。



〃She　desires　me　to　take　you　to　her　at　once；　sir；　there　to　confer　and〃

he　lowered　his　voice　and　trembled　visibly〃to　arrange　measures　for　the

protection　of　my　life。〃



The　Prophet　found　himself　wishing　that　he　had　been　less　precipitate　in

covertly　alluding　to　Sir　Tiglath's　long　desire　of　assault　and　battery；

but　before　he　had　time　to　wish　anything　for　more　than　half　a　minute；

Mr。　Sagittarius　had　guided　him　ceremoniously　across　the　hall　and　was

turning　the　handle　of　a　door　that　was　decorated　with　black　and　scarlet

paint。



〃Here；　sir；〃　he　whispered；　〃you　will　find　Madame　surrounded　by　the

authors　whom　she　loves；　by　their　portraits；　their　biographies　and　their

writings。　Here　she　communes　with　the　great　philosophers；　sir；　the

poets；　the　historians　and　the　humourists　of　the　entire　world；　from　the

earliest　days　down　to　this　very　momentin　Persian　calf；　sir。〃



He　gazed　awfully　at　the　Prophet；　and　gently　opened　the　door　of　this

temple　of　the　intellect。



The　Prophet　expected　to　find　himself　ushered　into　a　gigantic　chamber；

lined　from　floor　to　ceiling　with　shelves　that　groaned　beneath　their

burden　of　the　literature　of　genius。　Indeed　he　had；　in　fancy；　beheld

even　the　chairs　and　couches　covered　with　stacks　of　volumes；　the　very

floor　littered　with　the　choicest　productions　of　the　brains　of　the　dead

and　living。　His　surprise　was；　therefore；　very　great　when；　on　passing

through　the　door；　he　beheld　Madame　Sagittarius　reposing　at　full　length

upon　a　maroon　sofa　in　a　small　apartment；　whose