the prophet of berkeley square-第32部分

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certainly　be　the　bird　of　whom　Phoenix　wrote　that　rose　from　ashes　in　the

days　of　the　classics。　/Rarum　avis/　indeed！　Eh；　Jupiter？〃



〃Very　rarum；　my　dear；　very　indeed！〃　responded　her　husband；　with

imitative　sarcasm。　〃An　avis　indeed；　not　a　doubt　of　it。〃



〃De　Queechy　should　have　known　her；〃　continued　Madame。　〃He　always　loved

everything　out　of　the　common。　Well；　and　now　for　the　prophecy。　What　is

all　this；　Mr。　Vivian？〃



〃The　result　of　last　night's　observation；〃　said　the　Prophet。



〃Do　you　call　that　a　cycloidal　curve？〃　asked　Madame；　with　a　contralto

laugh　that　shook　the　library。　〃Look；　Jupiter！〃



Mr。　Sagittarius　glanced　over　his　wife's　heaving　shoulder。



〃Very　poor；　my　dear；　very　irregular　indeed。〃



〃It's　the　best　I　could　do；〃　said　the　Prophet；　still　politely。



〃I　daresay；〃　replied　Mr。　Sagittarius。　〃I　daresay。　Where's　your　star…

map？〃



〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　know；〃　answered　the　Prophet。　〃I　left　it　in　the

pomade。〃



〃The　pomade！〃



〃Yes；　the　butler's　own　special　pomade；　and　it　seems　to　have

disappeared。〃



〃Very　careless；　very　careless　indeed。　Let's　seeprophecy　first；　then

how　arrived　at。　'Grandmother　apparently　threatened　with　some　danger　at

night　in　immediate　future。　Great　turmoil　in　the　house　during　dark

hours。'　H'm！　'Some　stranger；　or　strangers；　coming　into　her　life　and

causing　great　trouble　and　confusion；　almost　resulting　in　despair；　and

perhaps　actually　inducing　illness。'　H'm！　H'm！　We　didn't　arrive　at　any

of　this　by　our　observations；　did　we；　Sophronia？〃



〃Decidedly　not；〃　snapped　Madame；　haughtily。



〃And　now　let's　see　how　arrived　at。　H'm！　H'm！　Grandmotheringress　of

Crabconjunction　of　Scorpio　with　Serpensmoon　in　eleventh　house。　Yes；

that's　so。　Jupiter　in　trine　with　SaturnWhat's　this？　'Crab　dressed

implies　dangerundressed　Crab　much　saferattempted　intervention

failureshe's　in　a　nice　state　nowit　tried　to　keep　her　from　it；　but

she　was　drawn　right　to　it。'　Right　to　what？〃



〃The　Crab？〃



〃Of　course　she　was　drawn　to　it。　She　depends　on　the　Crab　these　nights。

But　what　does　the　rest　mean？〃



〃The　Crab　was　dressed。〃



〃Dressedwhat　in？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃It　didn抰　tell　me。〃



Mr。　Sagittarius　and　Madame　exchanged　glances。



〃Explain　yourself；　Mr。　Vivian；　I　beg；〃　cried　Madame　in　a　somewhat

excited　manner。　〃How　could　the　Crab　be　dressed？〃



〃I　have　wondered；〃　said　the　Prophet；　gazing　at　the　couple　before　him

with　shining　eyes。　〃But　it　was　dressed　last　night；　and　that　made　it

exceptionally　dangerous　in　some　way。　Something　seemed　to　tell　me　so。

Something　did　tell　me　so。〃



〃What　told　you？〃　inquired　Madame；　with　more　excitement　and　a　certain

respect　which　had　been　quite　absent　from　her　manner　before。



〃Something　that　came　in　the　night。　I　don't　know　what　it　was。　Light

flashed　from　it。〃



〃It　sounds　like　a　sort　of　comet；　my　darling；〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius；

considerably　perturbed。　〃We　didn't　observe　that　the　Crab　was　specially

dressed；　did　we？〃



〃It　had　nothing　on　at　all　when　we　saw　it；〃　said　Madame　with　growing

agitation。　〃But　whatever　was　this　comet　that　flashed　light？　That's　what

I　want　to　get　at。〃



〃It　was　a　dark　thing　that　told　me　the　Crab　was　dressed；　that　my

grandmother　had　been　with　it　and　that　its　influence　was　inimical　to

her。〃



〃A　dark　thing！　That's　not　a　comet！〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃It　vanished　with　a　flash　of　light　into　the　square。〃



〃At　what　time　did　you　observe　it；　sir？〃　asked　Mr。　Sagittarius；　while

Madame　leaned　forward；　gazing　with　goggling　eyes　at　the　Prophet。



〃At　exactly　half…past　one。〃



〃Did　it　stay　long？〃



〃A　few　minutes　onlybut　it　made　an　impression　upon　me　that　I　can　never

forget。〃



It　had　apparently　also　made　a　very　great　impression　upon　Mr。　and　Madame

Sagittarius；　who　remained　for　some　seconds　staring　fixedly　at　the

Prophet　without　uttering　a　word。　At　last　Mr。　Sagittarius　turned　to

Madame　and　said　in　a　voice　that　shook　with　seriousness；



〃Can　it　be；　Sophronia；　that　prophets　ought　to　live　in　the　central

districts？　Can　it　really　be　that　the　nearer　they　are　to　the　Circus；　and

even　to　the　Stores〃



〃/O　beatus　illa/！〃　interjected　Madame　upon　the　pinions　of　a　sigh。



〃Yes；　Sophronia；　the　Stores；　the　more　clearly　is　the　knowledge　of　the

future　vouchsafed　to　them？　If　it　should　prove　to　be　so！〃



Madame　stared　again　upon　the　Prophet　with　a　fixity　and　strained　inquiry

which　made　him　shift　in　his　seat。



〃If　it　should！〃　she　repeated；　upon　the　lowest　note　of　her　lower

register；　which　sounded；　at　that　solemn　moment；　like　the　keynote　of　a

dreamer。　Then；　with　a　sudden　change　of　manner；　she　cried　sharply；



〃Jupiter；　you　must　accompany　this　gentleman　back　to　the　square　to…day。〃



The　Prophet　started。　So　did　Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃But〃　they　cried　simultaneously。



〃And　you　must　share　his　night　watch。〃



〃But；　my　darling〃



〃Or　I　will；〃　cried　Madame。　〃Which　is　it　to　be？〃



〃Mr。　Sagittarius！〃　exclaimed　the　Prophet。



〃Very　well；〃　said　Madame。　〃Let　mine　be　the　weary　task　to　wait　and　watch

at　home。　/Fata　feminus/。　The　mystery　of　the　dressed　Crab　must　be

unveiled。　Should　this　mysterious　visitant　again　vouchsafe　a　prophetic

message；　a　practical　prophet　must　be　at　hand　to　receive　it。　Jupiter；

this　gentleman　is　not　practical。　This　report〃she　struck　the　paper　on

which　the　Prophet　had　dotted　down　his　notes〃is　badly　written。　The

cycloidal　curve　might　have　been　made　by　a　Board　School　child。　The

deductions　drawn/deductio　ad　absurdibus/reveal　no　talent；　none　of

the　prophetic　/feu　de　joie/　at　all。　But　this　mystery　of　the　dressed

Crab　may　mean　much。　Jupiter；　you　will　accompany　this　gentleman　back　to

London　and　you　will　assist　him　practically　at　the　telescope　to…night。〃



〃Very　well；　my　love。　I　will　risk　the　personal　danger；　for　your　and　the

children's〃



〃Butbut　really〃　began　the　Prophet。　〃I　am　very　sorry；　but〃



〃Madame　has　spoken；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius；　very　solemnly。



〃I　know　she　has。　Butyes；　I　know　there　are　no　buts　in　your　dictionary；

Madame；　I　know　there　aren'tbut　I　have　an　engagement　to…night　that　I

have　sworn〃



〃What　engagement；　sir？〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius；　sternly。　〃You　have　sworn

to　us。　You　must　know　that。〃



〃I　have　sworn　to　almost　everyone；〃　cried　the　distracted　Prophet。　〃But

this　swearI　mean　this　oath　must　be　kept　before　yours。〃



〃Before　ours；　sir？〃



〃It　comes　on　before　eleven。　I　keep　my　oath　to　you　after　it。　I　manage

the　two；　don't　you　see？〃



〃He　will　see　that　you　manage　the　two；　Mr。　Vivian；　I　can　assure　you；〃

said　Madame；　viciously。　〃Won't　you；　Jupiter？〃



〃Certainly；　my　dear。　What　is　the　oath；　sir；　that　you　place　before

ours？〃



〃An　oath　to　Miss　Minerva；〃　returned　the　Prophet；　beginning　to　feel

reckless；　firm　in　the　conviction　that　it　was　henceforth　his　destiny　to

be　the　very　sport　of　Fate。



〃Ha！〃　cried　Mr。　Sagittarius。　〃The　double　life！〃



〃Who　is　Miss　Minerva；　pray？〃　said　Madame；　shooting　a　very　penetrating

glance　upon　her　husband。



〃Your　husband　can　tell　you　that；〃　replied　the　Prophet；　by　no　means

without　guile。



〃Jupiter；〃　cried　Madame；　〃what　is　the　meaning　of　this？　Who　is　this

person？〃



Mr。　Sagittarius　looked　exceedingly　uncomfortable。



〃My　dear；〃　he　began；　〃she　is　a　young　fethat　is；　a　young　woI　should

say〃



〃A　fe！　A　wo！　Explain　yourself；　Jupiter！〃



〃She　is　a　lady；　my　love。〃



〃A　lady！　Do　I　know　her？〃



〃I　believe　not；　my　dear。〃



〃And　do　you？〃



〃No；　my　darling。　That　isthat　is〃



〃Yes；　I　suppose！〃　said　Madame；　with　a　very　violent　click。



〃I　can　hardly　say；　Sophronia；　that；　I　can't　indeed。　I　have　met　her；　by

accident；　quite　by　accident　I　assure　you；　once　or　twice。〃



〃Where？〃



〃At　Jellybrand's。　She　goes　there　to　fetch　letters　on　the　same　day　as　I

do。〃



Madame's　very　intellectual　brow　was　over…clouded　with　storm。　She　turned

upon　the　Prophet。



〃And　what　of　this　person；　Mr。　Vivian？〃　she　cried。　〃What　of　her　and　this

oath？〃



The　Prophet；　who　was　secretly　very　delighted　with　the　diversion　he　had

so　cleverly　created；　hastened　to　reply；



〃I　have　promised　most　solemnly　to　meet　her　to…night　at　a　house　in　the

Zoological　Gardens！〃



〃A　house　in　the　Zoological　Gardens！〃



〃I　mean　at　the　Zoological　House；　the　residence　of　Mrs。　Vane　Bridgeman；

who　is〃



But；　at　this　point　in　his　explanation；　the　Prophet　was　interrupted　by

both　his　hearers。



〃The　Jellybrand　one！〃　cried　Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃The　prophets'　patron！〃　vociferated　Madame。







CHAPTER　XVI



　THE　PROPHET　RETURNS　FROM　THE　MOUSE　WITH　TWO　OLD　AND　VALUED　FRIENDS



At　these　exclamations　the　Prophet　started　in　some　surprise。



〃You　know　this　lady？〃　he　asked。



〃By　repute；　sir；〃　replied　Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃Who　does　not？〃　cried　Madame。　〃She　built　the　'Prophets'　Rest'　at

Birchington。〃



〃And　the　Mediums'　Almshouses　at　Sunnington。〃



〃And　the　'Palmists'　Retreat'　at　Millaby　Bay。〃



〃And　the〃



〃I　see　you　know　all　about　her；〃　interposed　the　Prophet。　〃Well；　she　is

giving　a　reception　to…night　at　Zoological　House　and　I　have　sworn　to　be

there。　But　I　shall　get　home　by　eleven。　You　will　understand；　however；

that　I　cannot　have　the　pleasure　of　entertaining　Mr。　Sagittarius　during

the　evening　under　my　own　roof。　I　regret　this　extremely；　but　you　see　it

is　unavoidable。〃



To　the　Prophet's　great　surprise　this　lucid　explanation　was　received　by

his　hearers　with　a　strange　silence　and　a　combined　meditative；　and　even

moony；　staring　which　was　to　him　inexplicable。　Both　Madame　and　Mr。

Sagittarius　seemed　suddenly　immersed　in　contemplation。　They　began；　he

thought；　to　look　like　Buddhists；　or　like　those　devoted　persons　who；　in

the　times　of　the　desert　monks；　remained　for　long　periods　posed　upon

pillows　in　sandy　wastes　musing　upon　Eternity。　At　first；　as　he　met　their

fixed　eyes；　he　fancied　that　they　were；　perhaps；　falling　into　a　trance；

but　presently　the　conviction　s