the prophet of berkeley square-第4部分

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



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



〃The　/Almanac/　person！　Why；　Malkiel　is　surely　a　myth；　Hennessey；　a

number　of　people；　a　company；　a　syndicate；　or　something　of　that　kind。〃



〃So　I　thought；　grannie。　But　I　have　made　inquiriesthrough　a　detective

agencyand　I　have　discovered　that　he　is　one　person；　in　fact；　a　man；

just　like　you　and　me。〃



〃Rather　an　odd　man　then！　Is　he　in　the　Red　Book？〃



〃No。　He　is；　I　understand；　of　a　very　retiring　and　secretive　disposition。

In　fact；　I　have　had　great　difficulty　in　learning　anything　about　him。

But　at　length　I　have　discovered　that　he　receives　and　answers　letters　at

an　address　in　London。〃



〃Indeed。　Where　is　it？〃



〃Jellybrand's　Library；　Eleven　Hundred　Z；　Shaftesbury　Avenue。　I　sent　a

boy　messenger　there　to…day。〃



〃Did　you　receive　a　reply？〃



〃No。　I　think　the　boyalthough　Mr。　Ferdinand　tells　me　he　wore　four

medals；　I　presume　for　couragemust　have　become　nervous　on　perceiving

Mr。　Malkiel's　name　on　the　envelope；　have　thrown　the　note　down　a

grating；　and　bolted　before　he　reached　the　place；　though　he　saidon　his

Bible　oath；　I　understand　from　Mr。　Ferdinandhe　delivered　the　note。　In

any　case　I　got　no　answer。　How　are　you　feeling？〃



〃Twisted；　but　prophetic。　I　foretell　that　my　ankle　will　be　swelled

beyond　recognition　to…morrow。　Help　me　to　bed；　Hennessey。〃



The　Prophet　flew　to　his　dear　relative's　assistance；　and　Mrs。　Merillia

endeavoured　to　rise　and　to　lean　upon　his　anxious　arm。　After　a　struggle；

however；　in　which　the　Prophet　took　part　and　two　chairs　were　overset；

she　was　obliged　to　desist。



〃You　must　ring　the　bell；　Hennessey；〃　she　said。　〃Mr。　Ferdinand　and

Gustavus　must　carry　me　to　bed　in　the　chair。〃



The　Prophet　sprang　tragically　to　the　bell。　It　was　answered。　The

procession　was　re…formed；　and　Mrs。　Merillia　was　carried　to　bed；　still

smiling；　nodding　at　each　stair　and　bearing　herself　with　admirable

courage。



As　Mr。　Ferdinand　and　Gustavus　descended　to　the　basement　after　the

completion　of　their　unusual　task；　the　latter　said　solemnly；



〃However　should　master　have　come　to　know　as　the　missis　wouldn't　be　able

to　put　foot　to　floor　this　night；　Mr。　Ferdinand？　However？〃



〃I　cannot　answer　you；　Gustavus；〃　Mr。　Ferdinand　replied；　shaking　his

broad　and　globe…like　head；　round　whose　bald　cupola　the　jet…black　hair

was　brushed　in　two　half　moons　decorated　with　a　renowned　〃butler's　own

special　pomade。〃



〃Well；　Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　rejoined　Gustavus；　stretching　out　one　hand　for

pale　ale；　the　other　for　/French　Revolution/；　〃I　don't　like　it。〃



〃Why；　Gustavus？〃　inquired　Mr。　Ferdinand；　preparing　to　resume　his

discussion　with　the　accommodating　upper　housemaid。　〃Why？〃



〃Because　it　seems　strange　like；　Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　said　Gustavus；　lifting

the　glass　to　his　lips；　the　/French　Revolution/　to　his　eyes。



〃It　do　seem　strange；　Gustavus；〃　answered　Mr。　Ferdinand；　leaving　out　the

〃like〃　in　a　cultivated　manner。　〃It　do。〃



In　the　drawing…room　the　Prophet　stood；　with　clenched　hands；　gazing

through　the　telescope　at　Mercury　and　Uranus；　Jupiter；　Saturn　and　Venus；

while；　on　the　second　floor；　Mrs。　Fancy　Quinglet；　Mrs。　Merillia's

devoted；　but　occasionally　disconcerting；　maid；　swathed　her　mistress's

ankle　in　bandages　previously　steeped　in　cold　water　and　in　vinegar。







CHAPTER　II



MALKIEL　THE　SECOND　IS　BETRAYED　BY　THE　YOUNG　LIBRARIAN



Mrs。　Merillia's　accident　made　a　very　deep　impression　upon　the　Prophet's

mind。　He　thought　it　over　carefully；　and　desired　to　discuss　it　in　all

its　bearings　with　Mrs。　Fancy　Quinglet；　who　had　been　his　confidante　for

full　thirty　years。　Mrs。　Fancywho　had　not　been　marriedwas　no　longer

a　pretty　girl。　Indeed　it　was　possible　that　she　had　never；　even　in　her

heyday；　been　otherwise　than　moderately　plain。　Now；　at　the　age　of　fifty…

one　and　a　half；　she　was　a　faithful　creature　with　a　thin；　pendulous

nose；　a　pale；　hysteric　eye；　a　tendency　to　cold　in　the　head　and

chilblains　in　the　autumn　of　the　year；　and　a　somewhat　incoherent　and

occasionally　frenzied　turn　of　mind。　Argument　could　never　at　any　time

have　had　much　effect　upon　her　nature；　and　as　she　grew　towards　maturity

its　power　over　her　most　markedly　decreased。　This　fact　was　recognised　by

everybody；　last　of　all　by　Mrs。　Merillia；　who　was　at　length　fully

convinced　of　the　existence　of　certain　depths　in　her　maid's　peculiar

character　by　the　following　circumstance。



Mrs。　Merillia　had　a　bandy…legged　dachshund　called　Beau；　whose　name　was

for　many　years　often　affectionately；　and　quite　correctly；　pronounced　by

Fancy　Quinglet。　One　day；　however；　she　chanced　to　see　it　written　upon

paperB。E。A。U。



〃Whatever　does　that　mean；　ma'am？〃　she　asked　of　Mrs。　Merillia。



〃Why；　Beau；　of　course；　Beauthe　dog。　What　should　it　mean？〃



〃Bow？〃　cried　Fancy。　〃Is　he　writ　so？〃



〃Of　course；　silly　girl。　It　is　written　Beau；　and　you　can　pronounce　it　as

you　would　pronounce　a　bow　of　ribbon。〃



Fancy　said　no　more；　though　it　was　easy　to　see　that　she　was　much　shaken

by　this　circumstance。　But　she　could　never　afterwards　be　induced　to

utter　her　favourite's　name。　She　was　physically　unable　to　speak　the　word

so　strangely；　so　almost　impiously；　spelt。　This　she　declared　with　tears。

Persuasion　and　argument　were　unavailing。　Henceforth　Beau　was　always

called　by　her　〃the　dog；〃　and　it　was　obvious　that；　had　she　been　led　out

to　the　stake；　she　must　have　burned　rather　than　save　herself　by　a

pronouncing　of　the　combination　of　letters　by　which　she　had　been　so　long

deceived。



Such　an　inflexible　mind　had　Mrs。　Fancy；　to　whom　the　Prophet　now　applied

himself　with　gestures　almost　Sinaic。



She　was　dressed　in　mouse…coloured　grenadine；　and　was　seated　in　a　small

chamber　opening　out　of　Mrs。　Merillia's　bedroom；　engaged　in　what　she

called　〃plain　tatting。〃



〃Fancy；〃　said　the　Prophet；　entering　and　closing　the　door　carefully；

〃you　know　me　well。〃



〃From　the　bottle；　sir；〃　she　answered；　darting　the　bone　implements　in

and　out。



〃Have　you　ever　thoughthas　it　ever　occurred　to　you〃



〃I　can't　say　it　has；　sir；〃　Fancy　replied；　with　the　weak　decision

peculiar　to　her。



She　was　ever　prone　thus　to　answer　questions　before　they　were　fully

asked；　or　could　be　properly　understood　by　her；　and　from　such　premature

decisions　as　she　hastened　to　give　she　could　never　afterwards　be

persuaded　to　retreat。　Knowing　this　the　Prophet　said　rapidly；



〃Fancy；　if　a　man　finds　out　that　he　is　a　prophet　what　ought　he　to　do？〃



The　lady's…maid　rattled　her　bones。



〃Let　it　alone；　sir；〃　she　answered。　〃Let　it　alone；　Master　Hennessey。〃



〃Well；　but　what　d'you　mean　by　that？〃



〃What　I　say　sir。　I　can't　speak　different；　nor　mean　other。〃



〃But　can't　you　explain；　Fancy？〃



〃Oh；　Master　Hennessey；　the　lives　that　have　been　wrecked；　the　homes　that

have　been　broke　up　by　explainings！〃



Her　eye　seemed　suddenly　lit　from　within　by　some　fever　of　sad；　worldly

knowledge。



〃Well；　but〃　the　Prophet　began。



〃I　know　it；　Master　Hennessey；　and　I　can't　know　other。〃



She　sighed；　and　her　gaze　became　fixed　like　that　of　a　typhoid　patient　in

a　dream。



〃Them　that　knows　other　let　them　declare　it；〃　she　ejaculated。　〃I　say

again；　as　I　did　aforethe　homes　that　have　been　broken　up　by

explainings！〃



She　tatted。　The　Prophet　bowed　before　her　decision　and　left　the

apartment　feeling　rather　hungry。　Fancy　Quinglet's　crumbs　were　not

always　crumbs　of　comfort。　He　resolved　to　apply　again　to　Mr。　Malkiel；

and　this　time　to　make　the　application　in　person。　But　before　he　did　so

he　thought　it　right　to　tell　Mrs。　Merillia；　who　was　still　steeped　in

bandages；　of　his　intention。　He　therefore　went　straight　to　her　room　from

Fancy　Quinglet's。　Mrs。　Merillia　was　lying　upon　a　couch　reading　a

Russian　novel。　A　cup　of　tea　stood　beside　her　upon　a　table　near　a　bowl

of　red　and　yellow　tulips；　a　canary　was　singing　in　its　cage　amid　a

shower　of　bird…seed；　and　〃the　dog〃　lay　stretched　before　the　blazing

fire　upon　a　milk…white　rug；　over　which　a　pale　ray　of　winter　sunshine

fell。　As　the　Prophet　came　in　Mrs。　Merillia　glanced　up。



〃Hennessey；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　growin'　to　look　like　Lord　Brandling；

when　he　combined　the　Premiership　with　the　Foreign　Office　and　we　had

that　dreadful　complication　with　Iceland。　My　dear　boy；　you　are

corrugated　with　thought　and　care。　What　is　the　matter？　My　ankle　is　much

better。　You　need　not　be　anxious　about　me。　Has　Venus　been　playing　you

another　jade's　trick？〃



The　Prophet　sat　down　and　stroked　Beau's　sable　back　with　his　forefinger。



〃I　have　scarcely　looked　at　Venus　since　you　were　injured；　grannie；〃　he

answered。　〃I　have　scarcely　dared　to。〃



〃I'm　glad　to　hear　it。　Since　the　days　of　Adonis　she　has　always　had　a

dangerous　influence　on　young　men。　If　you　want　to　look　at　anybody；　look

at　that　pretty；　sensible　cousin　of　Robert　Green's。〃



〃Lady　Enid。　Yes；　she　is　sensible。　I　believe　she　is　in　Hampshire　staying

with　the　Churchmores。〃



He　looked　calmer　for　a　moment；　but　the　corrugated　expression　quickly

returned。



〃Grannie；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　it　my　duty　to　make　an　effort　to　see　Mr。

Malkiel。〃



〃The　/Almanac/　man。　What　do　you　want　with　him？〃



She　tapped　one　of　her　small；　mittened　hands　over　the　other　and　slightly

twisted　her　long　and　pointed　nose。



〃I　want　to　learn　his　views　on　this　strange　faculty　of　prophecy。　Has　it

ever　occurred　to　you　that　among　all　our　immense　acquaintance　we　don't

number　a　single　prophet？〃



〃One　can't　know　everybody；　Hennessey。　And　I　believe　that　prophets

always　spring　from　the　lower　classes。　The　line　must　be　drawn　somewhere

even　in　these　days。〃



〃Why　not　draw　it　at　millionaires　then？〃



〃I　should　like　to。　Somethin'　will　have　to　be　done。　If　the　nobodies

continue　to　go　everywhere　the　very　few　somebodies　that　are　left　will

soon　go　nowhere。



〃Perhaps　they　do　go　nowhere。　Perhaps　that　is　why　we　have　never　met　a

prophet。〃



Mrs。　Merillia　looked　up　sharply；　with　her　wide；　cheerful