the prophet of berkeley square-第33部分

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

but　presently　the　conviction　seized　him　that　they　must　be；　on　the

contrary；　busily　thinking　out　some　problem。　He　hoped　fervently　that　he

did　not　form　part　of　it。　At　length　the　quivering　silence　was　broken　by

Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃I　might　accompany　you　to　Mrs。　Bridgeman's；　sir；〃　he　said　to　the

Prophet。　〃Might　I　not；　Sophronia？〃



〃Oh；　but〃　began　the　Prophet；　very　hastily。



〃The　lady　has　frequently　pressed　me　to　accept　of　her　hospitality。〃



〃Indeed！〃



〃For　years　she　has　been　writing　to　me　at　Jellybrand's；　under　my　real

name　of　Malkiel　the　Second；　you　understand。　She　addresses　me　simply　as

the　master。'　〃



〃But　do　the　postal　authorities〃



〃Not　upon　the　envelope；　sir；　not　upon　the　envelope。〃



〃I　see。〃



〃Hitherto；　true　to　myself；　true　to　the　principles　of　Malkiel　the　First；

and　to　the　instincts　of　Madame；　I　have　declined　her　personal

acquaintance。　But　there　is　no　reason　why　you　should　not　introduce　me　to

the　house　as　Mr。　Sagittarius；　no　reason　at　all。〃



The　Prophet　knew　only　too　well　that　there　was　not；　but　before　he　had

time　to　go　on　trying　to　wriggle　out　of　the　complication；　Madame　struck

in。



〃Miss　Minerva　is　to　be　present　at　this　reception；　I　believe；〃　she　said

sharply。



〃Yes；　she　is；〃　answered　the　Prophet；　illumined　by　a　ray　of　hope。



〃Jupiter；〃　said　Madame；　〃I　will　accompany　you　and　Mr。　Vivian　to　the

Zoological　Gardens　to…night。　It　is　my　sacred　duty。〃



The　Prophet　groaned。



〃But；　my　darling〃



〃The　reception　over；　I　will　assist　you　and　Mr。　Vivian　at　the　telescope

in　the　Berkeley　Square。　In　your　presence　I　can　do　so　without　departing

from　my　principles；　/salvo　pudoribus/。　Do　not　interrupt　me；　Jupiter；　if

you　please。　I　have　thought　the　matter　out。　The　crisis　in　our　fate　is　at

hand。　Upon　the　events　of　the　next　three　nights　depends　our　future。

These　mysterious　messages　of　which　Mr。　Vivian　speaks　must　be　examined

into　by　us　upon　the　spot。　This　mystery　of　the　dressed　Crab　must　be　made

clear。　A　woman's　intellect　is　needed。　A　woman's　intellect　shall　not　be

wanting。　Ill　as　I　am；　worn　down　by　the　occurrences　of　yesterday　and　by

this　gentleman's　incessant　telegrams；　I　will　leave　my　books〃here　she

waved　one　hand　towards　the　dwarf　bookcase〃I　will　assume　an

appropriate　/neglige/　and　my　outdoor　boots；　a　fichu　and　bonnet；　and

will　accompany　you　at　once　to　the　Berkeley　Square；　there　to　confer　and

arrange　the　programme　of　the　evening。　Mrs。　Bridgeman　would　fall　down

before　us　in　worship　could　she　know　who　we　really　are。　As　it　is；　Mr。

Vivian　will　introduce　us　modestly　as　two　old　and　valued　friends。　The

time　may　be　at　hand　when　we　need　no　longer　hide　ourselves　beneath　an

/alibi/。　Till　then　we　must　possess　ourselves；　and　Mr。　Vivian　must

possess　us；　in　patience。　Ill　as　I　am；　I　will　accompany　you。　To…night

shall　see　me　in　the　Zoological　Gardens　at　my　husband's　side。〃



Before　the　prospect　of　this　sublime　self…sacrifice　both　Mr。　Sagittarius

and　the　Prophet　were　as　men　dumb。　They　said　not　a　word。　They　only

gazedwith　a　sort　of　strange　idiotcyat　Madame　as　she　rose；　with　an

elaborate　and　studied　feebleness；　from　the　maroon　couch　and　prepared　to

go　upstairs　to　assume　the　appropriate　/neglige/。　Only　when　she　was　at

her　full　height　did　the　Prophet；　rendered　desperate　by　the　terrible

results　of　his　own　ingenuity；　nerve　himself　to　utter　one　last　protest。



〃I　really　do　not　think　it　would　be　quite　according　to　the　rules　of

etiquette　which　prevail　in　the　central　districts；〃　he　cried；　〃for　a

lady　to　spend　the　night　in　the　butler's　pantry　of　a　comparative

stranger；　even　when　accompanied　by　her　husband。　It　might　give　rise　to

talk　in　the　square；　and〃



〃The　butler's　pantry；　sir！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Sagittarius。　〃Explain

yourself；　I　beg。〃



〃The　telescope　is　there；　and〃



〃I　have　passed　beyond　the　reach　of　etiquette；〃　said　Madame；　looking

considerably　like　Joan　of　Arc　and　other　well…known　heroines。　〃My　duty

lies　plain　before　me。　Of　myself　I　should　not　have　selected　the

Zoological　Gardens　and　the　butler's　pantry　of　a　comparative　stranger　as

places　in　which　to　pass　the　night；　even　when　accompanied　by　my　husband。

But　my　conscience/mens　conscium　recto/guides　me　and　I　will　not

resist　it。　I　will　assume　my　/neglige/　and　bonnet　and　will　be　with　you

in　a　moment。〃



So　saying　she　majestically　quitted　the　apartment。



The　Prophet　fell　down　upon　the　maroon　sofa　like　a　man　smitten　with

paralysis。　He　felt　suddenly　old；　and　very　weak。　He　tried　to　think；　to

consider　how　he　could　explain　Madame　Sagittarius　to　his　grandmother

for　she　must　surely　now　become　aware　of　the　presence　of　strangers　in

her　pretty　homehow　he　could　arrange　matters　with　Mr。　Ferdinand；　how

he　could　apologise　to　a　lady　whom　he　had　never　yet　seen　for　appearing

at　her　house　with　two　uninvited　guests；　how　he　could　get　rid　of　the

Sagittariuses　when　the　horrible　night　watch　should　be　at　an　end　and　the

frigid　winter　dawn　be　near。　But　his　mind　refused　to　work。　His　brain　was

a　blank；　containing　nothing　except；　perhaps；　a　vague　desire　for　sudden

death。　Mr。　Sagittarius　did　not　disturb　his　contemplation　of　the

inevitable。　Indeed；　that　gentleman　also　seemed　meditative；　and　the

silence　lasted　until　the　reappearance　of　Madame；　in　a　brown　robeof　a

slightly　tea…gown　typetrimmed　with　green　chiffon　and　coffee…coloured

lace；　a　black　bonnet　adorned　with　about　a　score　of　imitation　plums　made

in　some　highly…glazed　material；　a　heavy　cloak　lined　with　priceless

rabbit…skins；　and　the　outdoor　boots。



If　the　Prophet　had　found　the　journey　to　the　Mouse　a　painful　experience；

what　can　be　said　of　his　feelings　during　the　journey　from　that　noble

stream？　Long　afterwards　he　recalled　his　state　of　mind　during　the　tramp

across　the　Common　among　the　broken　crockery；　the　dust…heaps；　the

decaying　vegetables　and　the　occasional　lurking　rats；　the　journey　in　the

train；　the　reembarkment　upon　the　purple　'bus　from　the　gentle　eminence

sloping　towards　the　coal…yard；　the　long　pilgrimage　towards　the　central

districts　with　his　very　outlying　companions。　He　recalled　the　peculiar

numbness　that　strove　against　the　desperation　of　his　thoughts；　his

feeble　efforts　to　lay　plans　frustrated　by　a　perpetual　buzzing　in　his

brain；　his　flitting　visions　of　that　gentle　grandmother　round　whose

venerable　age　and　dignity　he　was　about　to　group　such　peculiar

personalities；　and　beneath　whose　roof　he　was　about　to　indulge　in　such

unholy　prophetic　practices。　Long　afterwardsbut　even　then　he　could　not

smile　as　men　so　often　smile　when　they　look　back　on　lost　despairs！



He　and　his　companions　spoke　but　little　together　as　they　journeyed。

Occasionally　Madame　and　Mr。　Sagittarius　conversed　in　husky　whispers；

like　brigands　the　Prophet　thought；　and　the　veiled　click　of　Madame's

contralto　struck　through　the　startled　air。　But　mostly　a　silence

prevaileda　silence　alive　with　fate。



At　the　corner　of　Air　Street　they　got　out　and　began　to　walk　down

Piccadilly　towards　the　Berkeley　square。　It　was　now　evening。　The　lamps

were　lighted　and　the　murmur　of　strolling　crowds　filled　the　gloomy　air。

Madame　stared　feverishly　about　her；　excited　by　the　press；　the　flashing

hansoms　and　the　gaily…illuminated　shops。　Once；　as　she　passed　Benoist's；

she　murmured　〃/O　festum　dies/！〃　and　again；　by　the　Berkeley；　when　she

was　momentarily　jostled　by　a　very　large　and　umbrageous　tramp　who　had

apparently　been　celebrating　the　joys　of　beggary〃/Acto　profanus

vulgam/！〃　But　generally　she　was　silent；　enwrapped；　no　doubt；　in　bookish

thought。　When；　at　length；　they　stood　before　the　door　of　number　one

thousand　she　breathed　a　heavy　sigh。



〃Please；〃　said　the　Prophet；　in　a　trembling　voice；　〃please　enter

quietly。　My　grandmother　is　very　unwell。〃



〃Ankles　seems　to　be　a　very　painful　complaint；　sir；〃　said　Mr。

Sagittarius。　〃But　Madame　and　self　are　not　in　the　habit　of　creating

uproar　by　our　movements。〃



〃No；　no。　Of　course　not。　Stillon　tiptoe　if　you　don't　mind。〃



〃I　cannot　walk　on　tiptoe；〃　said　Madame；　in　a　voice　that　sounded　to　the

Prophet　terrifically　powerful。　〃The　attitude　is　precarious　and

undignified。　As　the　great　Juvenile〃



〃Yes；　yes。　Ah！　that's　it！〃



He　managed　to　get　his　key　into　the　door　and　very　gingerly　opened　it。

Madame　and　Mr。　Sagittarius　stepped　into　the　hall；　followed　closely　by

the　Prophet；　who　was　content　on　conveying　them　unobserved　to　the

library。



〃This　way；〃　he　whispered。　〃This　way。　Softly！　Softly！〃



He　began　to　steal；　like　a　shadow；　across　the　hall；　and；　impressed　by

his　surreptitious　manner；　his　old　and　valued　friends　instinctively

followed　his　example。　All　three　of　them；　then；　with　long　steps　and

theatrical　pauses；　were　stagily　upon　the　move；　when　suddenly　the　door

that　led　to　the　servants'　quarters　swung　open　and　Mrs。　Fancy　Quinglet

debouched　into　their　midst；　succeeded　by　Mr。　Ferdinand；　who　carried　in

his　hand　a　menu　card　in　a　silver　holder。　At　the　moment　of　their

appearance　the　Prophet；　holding　his　finger　to　his　lips；　was　taking　a

soft　and　secret　stride　in　the　direction　of　the　library　door；　his　body

bent　forward　and　his　head　protruded　towards　the　sanctum　he　longed　to

gain；　and　Madame　and　Mr。　Sagittarius；　true　to　the　instinct　of　imitation

that　dwells　in　our　monkey　race；　were　in　precisely　similar　attitudes

behind　him。　The　hall　being　rather　dark；　and　the　gait　of　the　trio　it

contained　thus　tragically　surreptitious；　it　was　perhaps　not　unnatural

that　Mrs。　Fancy　should　give　vent　to　a　piercing　cry　of　terror；　and　that

Mr。　Ferdinand　should　drop　the　menu　and　crouch　back　against　the　wall　in

a　hunched　position　expressive　of　alarm。　At　any　rate；　such　were　their

actions；　whilefor　their　partthe　Prophet　and　his　two　old　and　valued

friends　uttered　a　united　exclamation　and　struck　three　attitudes　that

were　pregnant　with　defensive　amazement。



Having　uttered　herself；　Mrs。　Fancy；　according　to　her　invariable　custom

when　completely　terrified；　displayed　all　the　s