the prophet of berkeley square-第40部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


with　a　thin；　fatigued　and　wispy　lady　in　a　very　long　vermilion　gown；　and

an　extremely　small　gentlemanapparently　of　the　Hebrew　persuasionwho

was　smartly　dressed；　wore　white　gloves　and　a　buttonhole；　and　indulged

in　a　great　deal　of　florid　gesticulation　while　talking　with　abnormal

vivacity。　Miss　Minerva；　who　was　playing　quietly　with　a　lemon　ice；

looked　even　more　sensible　than　usual；　the　Prophet　thought；　in　her

simple　white　frock。　She　seemed　to　be　quite　at　home　and　perfectly　happy

with　her　silly　friends；　but；　as　soon　as　she　saw　him　hovering　anxiously

to　the　left　of　the　guitars；　she　beckoned　to　him　eagerly；　and　he　hurried

forward。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Vivian；　I'm　so　glad　you've　come！　Let　me　introduce　you　to　my

great　friend　Eureka〃the　lady　in　vermilion　bowed　absent…mindedly；　and

rolled　her　huge　brown　eyes　wearily　at　the　Prophet〃and　to　Mr。　Briskin

Moses。〃



The　little　gentleman　made　a　stage　reverence　and　fluttered　his　small

hands　airily。



〃Pretty　sight；　pretty　sight！〃　he　said　in　a　quick　and　impudent　voice。

〃All　these　little　dears　enjoying　themselves　so　innocently。　Mother

Bridgeman's　chickens；　I　call　them。　But　it's　impossible　to　count　them；

even　after　they're　hatched。　Cheese　it！〃



The　final　imperative　was　flung　demurely　at　a　mighty　footman；　who　just

then　tried　to　impound　Mr。　Moses's　not　quite　finished　brandy…and…soda。



〃Sir？〃　said　the　mighty　footman。



〃Cheese　it！〃　cried　Mr。　Moses；　making　a　gesture　of　tragic　repugnance　in

the　direction　of　the　footman。



The　mighty　footman　cheesed　it　with　dignity；　and　afterwards；　in　the

servants'　hall；　spoke　very　bitterly　of　Israel。



The　Prophet　was　extremely　anxious　to　get　a　word　alone　with　Miss

Minerva。　Indeed；　it　was　really　important　that　he　should　warn　her　of　Sir

Tiglath's　approach；　but　he　could　find　no　opportunity　of　doing　so；　for

Mr。　Moses；　who　was　not　afflicted　with　diffidence；　rapidly　continued；　in

a　slightly　affected　and　tripping　cockney　voice；



〃Mother　Bridgeman's　a　dear　one！　God　bless　her　for　a　pretty　soul！　She'd

be　sublime　in　musical　comedythe　black　satin　society　lady；　you　know；

who　makes　the　aristocratic　relief；



〃　'I'm　a　Dowager　Duchess；　and　everyone　knows

I'm　a　lady　right　down　to　the　tip　of　my　toes。'



〃Very　valuable　among　the　minxes；　worth　her　weight　in　half…crowns！　I'd

give　her　an　engagement　any　day；　pretty　bird！　Ever　seen　her　driving　in　a

cab？　She　takes　off　her　gloves　and　spreads　her　hands　over　the　apron　to

get　the　air。　A　canary！　Anything　for　me　to…night；　Eureka？　A　dove；　a

mongooseanything　lucky？　Give　us　a　chance；　mother！〃



The　lady　in　vermilion；　who　had　a　tuft　of　golden　hair　in　the　midst　of

her　otherwise　raven　locks；　glanced　mysteriously　at　Mr。　Moses。



〃See　anything；　mother？〃　he　asked；　with　theatrical　solemnity。　〃A　tiny

chunk　of　luck　for　tricky　little　Briskin？〃



〃I　do　see　something；〃　said　Eureka；　in　a　dim　and　heavy　voice。　〃It's　just

close　to　you　on　that　table　by　the　brandy。〃



Mr。　Moses　started；　and　cast　a　glance　of　awe　at　the　tumbler。



〃My　word；〃　he　cried〃my　word；　mother！　What's　the　blessed　little　symbol

like？　Not　a　pony　fresh　from　Jerusalem　for　your　believing　boy！〃



〃You　must　wait　a　moment。　It　is　not　clear；〃　replied　Eureka；　slowly　and

dreamily；　fixing　her　heavy　eyes　on　the　brandy…and…soda。　〃It's　all

cloudy。〃



〃Been　imbibing；　mother？　Has　the　blessed　little　symbol　been　at　it　again？

Briskin's　shockshocked！〃



〃It's　getting　clearer。　It　stands　in　a　band　of　fire。〃



〃Shade　of　Shadrach！　Apparition　of　Abednego！　Draw　it　mild　and　bitter；

mother！〃



〃Ah！　now　it　steps　out。　It's　got　a　hump。〃



〃Got　the　hump；　mother？　My　word！　then　it　must　be　either　a　camel　or　an

undischarged　bankrupt！　Which　is　it；　pretty　soul？〃



〃It's　a　rhinoceros。　It's　moving　to　you。〃



〃Yokohama；　mother！　Tell　the　pretty　bird　to　keep　back！　What's　it　mean？〃



〃It's　a　sign　of　plenty。〃



〃Plenty　of　what；　mother？　The　ready　or　the　nose…bag？　Give　us　a　chance！〃



〃Plenty　of　good　fortune；　because　its　head　is　towards　you。　If　it　had

presented　its　tail；　it　would　mean　black　weather。〃



〃Don't　let　it　turn　tail；　for　Saturday's　sake；　mother。　Keep　its　head

straight　while　I　finish　the　brandy！〃



And　so　saying；　little　Mr。　Moses；　with　elaborate　furtiveness；　caught　up

the　tumbler；　poured　its　contents　down　his　throat；　and　threw　himself

back　on　the　divan　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　just　escaped　from　peril

by　the　consummate　personal　exercise　of　unparalleled　and　sustained

ingenuity。



During　this　scene　Miss　Minerva　had　preserved　her　air　of　pronounced

Scottish　good　sense；　while　listening　attentively；　and　she　now　said　to

Eureka；



〃D'you　see　anything　for　Mr。　Vivian；　dear　Eureka？　Even　the　littlest

thing　would　be　welcomed。〃



Eureka　stared　upon　the　Prophet；　who　began　to　feel　very　nervous。



〃There's　something　round　his　head；〃　she　remarked；　with　her　usual　almost

sacred　earnestness。



The　Prophet　mechanically　put　up　his　hands；　like　a　man　anxious　to

interfere　with　the　assiduous　attentions　of　a　swarm　of　bees。



〃Something　right　round　his　head。〃



〃Is　it　a　halo？〃　asked　Miss　Minerva。



〃Is　it　a　Lincoln　&　Bennet；　mother？〃　cried　Mr。　Moses。　〃One　of　the　shiny

onestwenty…one　bob；　and　twenty…five…and…six　if　you　want　a　kid

lining？〃



〃No；　it's　like　some　sort　of　bird。〃



〃　'I　heard　the　owl　beneath　my　eaves　complaining；'　〃　chirped　Mr。　Moses；

taking　two　or　three　high　notes　in　a　delicate　tenor　voice。　〃　'I　looked

forthgreat　Scot！　How　it　was　raining！'　Is　it　an　owl；　mother？　Ask　it　to

screech　to　Briskin。〃



〃It　is　no　owl；〃　said　Eureka　to　the　Prophet。　〃It　is　a　sparrowyour

bird。〃



〃Is　it　upon　the　housetop；　mother；　having　a　spree　all　on　its　little

alone？〃



〃No；　it　is　hovering　over　the　gentleman。〃



〃What　does　that　mean？〃　said　the　Prophet；　anxiously。



But　at　this　point　Eureka　suddenly　seemed　to　lose　interest　in　the

matter。　〃Oh；　you're　all　right；〃　she　said　carelessly。　〃I'm　tired。　I

should　like　a　wafer。〃



〃Mother's　peckish。　Mother；　I　see　an　ostrich　by　your　left　elbow。　That's

a　sign　that　you're　so　peckish　you　could　swallow　anything。　Waiter！〃



〃Sir！〃



〃This　lady's　so　peckish　she　could　eat　anything。　Bring　her　some　tin…

tacks　and　a　wafer。　Stop　a　sec。　Another　brandy　for　Briskin。　Your

calves'd　do　for　the　front　row；　'pon　my　word；　they　would。　Trot；　boy；

trot！〃



〃I　must　speak　to　you　alone　for　one　moment；〃　whispered　the　Prophet　to

Miss　Minerva；　under　cover　of　the　quips　of　Mr。　Moses。　〃Sir　Tiglath's

coming！〃



Miss　Minerva　started。



〃Sir　Tig〃　she　exclaimed　and　put　her　finger　to　her　lips　just　in　time

to　stop　the　〃lath〃　from　coming　out。　〃Mr。　Moses；　I'm　going　to　the　buffet

for　a　moment　with　Mr。　Vivian。　Eureka；　darling；　do　eat　something

substantial！　All　this　second　sight　takes　it　out　of　you。〃



Eureka　acquiesced　with　a　heavy　sigh；　Mr。　Moses　cried；　〃Aunt　Eureka's　so

hungry　that　one　would　declare　she　could　even　eat　oats　if　she　found　they

were　there！〃　and　Miss　Minerva　and　the　Prophet　moved　languidly　towards

the　buffet；　endeavouring；　by　the　indifference　of　their　movements；　to

cover　the　agitation　in　their　hearts。



〃Sir　Tiglath　coming　here！〃　cried　Miss　Minerva　under　her　breath；　as　soon

as　they　were　out　of　earshot。　〃But　he　doesn't　know　Mrs。　Bridgeman！〃



〃I　knowbut　he's　coming。　And　not　only　that；　Mr。　and　Madame　Sagittarius

are　here　already！〃



Miss　Minerva　looked　closely　at　the　Prophet　in　silence　for　a　moment。

Then　she　said；



〃I　seeI　see！〃



〃What？〃　cried　the　Prophet；　in　great　anxiety；　〃not　the　sparrow　on　my

head？〃



〃No。　But　I　see　that　you're　taking　to　your　double　life　in　real　earnest。〃



〃I？〃



〃Yes。　Now；　Mr。　Vivian；　that's　all　very　well；　and　you　know　I'm　the　last

person　to　complain　of　anything　of　that　sort；　so　long　as　it　doesn't　get

me　into　difficulties。〃



〃Think　of　the　difficulties　you　and　everyone　else　have　got　me　into；〃

ejaculated　the　poor　Prophet；　for　once　in　his　life　stepping；　perhaps；　a

hair's…breadth　from　the　paths　of　good　breeding。



〃Well；　I'm　sure　I've　done　nothing。〃



〃Nothing！〃　said　the　Prophet；　losing　his　head　under　the　influence　of　the

guitars；　which　were　now　getting　under　way　in　a　fantasia　on　〃Carmen。〃

〃Nothing！　Why；　you　made　me　come　here；　you　insisted　on　my　introducing

Mr。　Sagittarius　to　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　you　told　Sir　Tiglath　Mrs。　Bridgeman

and　I　were　old　friends　and　had　made　investigations　together；　assisted

by　Mr。　Sagittarius；　you〃



〃Oh；　well；　that's　nothing。　But　Sir　Tiglath　mustn't　see　me　here　as　Miss

Minerva。　Has　he　arrived　yet？〃



〃I　don't　think　so。　He's　got　the　cab　we　had　yesterday　and　the　horse。〃



〃The　one　that　tumbles　down　so　cleverly　when　it's　not　too　tired？

Capital！　Run　to　the　cloak…room；　meet　Sir　Tiglath　there；　and　persuade

him　to　go　home。〃



But　here　the　Prophet　struck。



〃I　regret　I　can't；〃　he　said；　almost　firmly。



〃But　you　must。〃



〃I　regret　sincerely　that　I　am　unable。〃



〃Why？　Mr。　Vivian；　when　a　lady　asks　you！〃



〃I　am　grieved；〃　said　the　Prophet；　with　a　species　of　intoxicated

obstinacythe　guitars　seemed　to　be　playing　inside　his　brain　and　the

flute　piping　in　the　small　of　his　back；〃to　decline；　but　I　cannot

contend　physically　with　Sir　Tiglath；　a　man　whom　I　reverence；　in　the

cloak…room　of　a　total　stranger。〃



〃I　don't　ask　you　to　contend　physically。〃



〃Nothing　but　personal　violence　would　keep　Sir　Tiglath　from　coming　in。〃



〃Really！　Then　what's　to　be　done？〃



She　pursed　up　her　sensible　lips　and　drew　down　her　sensible　eyebrows。



〃I　know！〃　she　cried；　after　a　moment's　thought。　〃I'll　masquerade

to…night　as　myself。〃



〃As　yourself？〃



〃Yes。　All　these　dear　silly　people　here　think　that　I've　got　an　astral

body。〃



〃What's　that？〃



〃A　sort　of　floating　businessa　business　that　you　can　set　floating。〃



〃Whata　company？〃



〃No；　no。　A　replica　of　yourself。　The　great　Towle〃



〃He's　here　to…night。〃



〃I　knew　he　was　coming。　Well；　the　great　Towle　detached　this　astral　body

once　at　a　s閍nce　and；　for　a　joke