the prophet of berkeley square-第41部分

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once　at　a　s閍nce　and；　for　a　jokea　silly　joke；　you　know〃



〃Yes；　yes。〃



〃I　christened　it　by　my　real　name；　Lady　Enid　Thistle；　and　said　Lady　Enid

was　an　ancestress　of　mine。〃



〃Why　did　you？〃



〃Because　it　was　so　idiotic。〃



〃I　see。〃



〃Well；　I've　only　now　to　spread　a　report　among　these　dear　creatures　that

I'm　astral　to…night；　and　get　Towle　to　back　me　up；　and　I　can　easily　be

Lady　Enid　for　an　hour　or　two。　In　this　crowd　Sir　Tiglath　need　never　find

out　that　I'm　generally　known　in　these　circles　as　Miss　Partridge。〃



〃Do　you　really　think〃



〃Yes；　I　do。　But　I　must　find　Towle　at　once。〃



So　saying　she　hastened　away　from　the　buffet；　followed　by　the　trotting

Prophet。　As　she　passed　Eureka　and　Mr。　Moses；　she　said；



〃Eureka；　darling；　do　I　look　odd？　I　suddenly　began　to　feel　astral　just

as　I　was　going　to　eat　a　sandwich。　I　can't　help　thinking　that　Lady　Enid

you　know；　my　astral　ancestress；　who's　always　with　meis　peculiarly

powerful　to…night。　D'you　notice　anything？〃



〃Watch　out　for　it；　mother！〃　cried　Mr。　Moses。　〃See　if　it's　got　the

lump。〃



Eureka　fixed　her　heavy　eyes　on　Miss　Minerva　and　swayed　her　thin　body　to

and　fro　in　as　panther…like　a　manner　as　she　could　manage。



〃Mother's　after　it；〃　continued　Mr。　Moses；　twitching　his　left　ear　with

his　thumb　in　a　Hebraic　manner　and　shooting　his　shining　cuffs；　〃mother's

on　the　trail。　Doves　for　a　bishop　and　the　little　mangel…wurzel　for　the

labouring　man。　Clever　mother！　She'll　take　care　it's　suitable。　Is　it　a

haggis；　mother；　hovering　over　the　lady　with　outspread　wings？〃



Eureka　closed　her　eyes　and　rocked　herself　more　violently。



〃I　see　you；〃　she　said　in　a　deep　voice。　〃You　are　astral。　You　are　Lady

Enid　emerged　for　an　hour　from　our　dear　Minerva。〃



〃I　thought　so；〃　cried　Lady　Enid；　with　decision。　〃I　thought　so；　because

when　someone　called　me　Miss　Minerva　just　now　I　felt　angry；　and　didn't

seem　to　know　what　they　meant。　Tell　them；　dear　Eureka；tell　all　my

friends　of　your　discovery。〃



And　she　hastened　on　with　the　Prophet　in　search　of　the　great　Towle。



〃I'll　get　him　to　back　Eureka　up；　and　then　it　will　be　quite　safe；〃　she

said。　〃Ah！　there　he　is　with　Harriet　Browne；　the　demonstrator　from　the

Rye。〃



Indeed；　at　this　moment　a　small　crowd　was　visible　in　one　of　the　further

drawing…rooms；　moving　obsequiously　along　in　reverent　attendance　upon

the　great　Towle；　Mrs。　Bridgeman　and　a　thickset；　red…faced　lady；　without

a　waist　and　plainly　clad　in　untrimmed　linsey…wolsey；　who　was　speaking

authoritatively　to　a　hysterical…looking　young　girl；　upon　whose　narrow

shoulder　she　rested　a　heavy；　fat…fingered　hand　as　she　walked。



〃Harriet's　evidently　going　to　demonstrate；〃　added　Lady　Enid。　〃That's

lucky；　because　then　I　can　get　a　quiet　word　with　Towle。〃



〃Demonstrate？〃　said　the　Prophet。



〃Yes。　She's　the　great　Christian　Scientist　and　has　the　healing　power。

She　demonstrated　over　Agatha　Marshall's　left　ear。　You　know。　The　case

got　into　the　papers。　Ah；　Harriet；　darling！〃



〃My　blessing！　My　Minerva！〃　said　Harriet　in　a　thick　and　guttural　voice。



〃Lady　Enid；　Harriet　love；　to…night。　Eureka　says　I'm　astral。　Oh；　Mr。

Towle；　what　an　honour　to　meet　youwhat　an　honour　for　us　all！〃



The　great　Towle　ducked　and　scraped　in　cabman　fashion。



〃Oh；　will　you　materialise　for　us　to…night？〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　cried　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　trembling　with　excitement。　〃He's

promised　to　after　supper。　He　says　he　feels　less　material　thenmore　/en

rapport/　with　the　dear　spirits。〃



〃How　delightful！　Mr。　Towle；　tell　me；　do　you　agree　with　Eureka？　I　await

your　fiat。　Am　I　astral？〃



〃Ay；　miss；　as　like　as　not；〃　said　the　great　man；　twisting　his　lips　as　if

they　held　a　straw　between　them。　〃Astral；　that's　it。　That's　it　to　a　T。〃



〃Then　I'm　Lady　Enid　Thistle；　my　ancestress；　who's　always　with　me？〃



〃Ay；　ay！　Every　bit　of　her。　Her　ladyship　to　a　T。〃



The　company　was　much　impressed；　and　whispers　of　〃It's　Lady　Enid；　Eureka

and　Mr。　Towle　say　it's　her　ladyship　in　the　astral　plane！〃　flew　like

wildfire　through　the　rooms。



At　this　point　Harriet　Browne；　who　was　sufficiently　Christian　and

scientific　to　like　to　have　all　the　attention　of　the　company　centred

upon　her；　cleared　her　throat　loudly　and　exclaimed；



〃If　I　am　to　heal　this　poor　sufferer；　I　must　be　provided　with　an

armchair。〃



〃An　armchair　for　Mrs。　Browne！〃



〃Fetch　a　chair　for　Harriet！〃



〃Mrs。　Harriet　can't　demonstrate　without　a　chair！〃



〃What　is　she　going　to　do？〃　whispered　the　Prophet　to　Lady　Enid；　feeling

thoroughly　ashamed　of　his　ignorance。



〃Demonstrate。〃



〃Yes；　but　what's　that？〃



〃Put　her　hands　over　that　girl　and　think　about　her。〃



〃Is　that　all？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Does　she　do　it　out　of　kindness？〃



〃Of　course。　But　she's　paid　something；　not　because　she　wants　to　be　paid；

but　because　it's　the　rule。〃



〃Oh！〃



An　armchair　was　now　wheeled　forward；　and　Mrs。　Harriet　ensconced　herself

in　it　comfortably。



〃I'm　very　tired　to…night；〃　she　remarked　in　her　thick　voice。　〃I've　had　a

hard　afternoon。〃



〃Poor　darling！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bridgeman。　〃Fetch　a　glass　of　champagne　for

Mrs。　Harriet　somebody。　Oh；　would　you；　Mr。　Brummich？〃



Mr。　Brummich；　a　gentleman　with　a　remarkably　foolish；　ascetic　face　and　a

feebly…wandering　sandy　beard；　was　just　about　to　hasten　religiously

towards　the　Moorish　nook　when　the　great　Towle　happened；　by　accident；　to

groan。　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　started　and　smiled。



〃Oh；　and　a　glass　of　champagne　for　Mr。　Towle；　too；　dear　Mr。　Brummich！〃



〃Certainly；　Mrs。　Bridgeman！〃　said　dear　Mr。　Brummich；　hurrying　off　with

the　demeanour　of　the　head　of　an　Embassy　entrusted　with　some　important

mission　to　a　foreign　Court。



〃Were　you　at　work　this　afternoon；　Harriet；　beloved？〃　inquired　Mrs。

Bridgeman　of　Mrs。　Browne；　who　was　leaning　back　in　the　armchair　with　her

eyes　closed　and　in　an　attitude　of　severe　prostration。



〃Yes。〃



〃Which　was　it；　lovebird？　Hysteric　Henry？〃



〃No；　he's　cured。〃



Cries　of　joy　resounded　from　those　gathered　about　the　chair。



〃Hysteric　Henry's　cured！〃



〃Henry's　better！〃



〃The　poor　man　with　the　ball　in　his　throat's　been　saved！〃



〃How　wonderful　you　are；　Harriet；　sweet！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bridgeman。　〃But；

then　which　was　it？〃



〃The　madwoman　at　Brussels。　I've　been　thinking　about　her　for　two　hours

this　afternoon；　with　only　a　cup　of　tea　between。〃



〃Poor　darling！　No　wonder　you're　done　up！　Ought　you　to　demonstrate？　Ah！

here's　the　champagne！〃



〃I　take　it　merely　as　medicine；〃　said　Mrs。　Harriet。



At　this　moment；　Mr。　Brummich；　flushed　with　assiduity；　burst　into　the

circle　with　a　goblet　of　beaded　wine　in　either　hand。　There　was　a　moment

of　solemn　silence　while　Mrs。　Harriet　and　the　great　Towle　condescended

to　the　Pommery。　It　was　broken　only　by　a　loud　gulp　from　the　hysterical…

looking　girl　who　was；　it　seemed；　nervously　affected　by　an　imitative

spasm；　and　who　suddenly　began　to　swallow　nothing　with　extreme

persistence　and　violence。



〃Look　at　that　poor　misguided　soul！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Harriet；　with　her

lips　to　the　Pommery。　〃She　fancies　she's　drinking！〃



The　poor；　misguided　soul；　yielded　again　to　her　distraught　imagination；

amid　the　pitiful　ejaculations　of　the　entire　company；　with　the　exception

of　one　mundane；　young　man　who；　suddenly　assailed　by　the　wild　fancy　that

he　wasn't　drinking；　crept　furtively　to　the　Moorish　rook；　and　was　no

more　seen。



〃Give　her　a　cushion！〃　continued　Mrs。　Harriet；　authoritatively。



〃Mr。　Brummich！〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman。



Mr。　Brummich　ran；　and　returned　with　a　cushion。



〃Sit　down；　poor　thing！　Sit　at　my　feet！〃　said　Mrs。　Harriet；　giving　the

hysterical…looking　girl　a　healing　push。



The　girl　subsided　in　a　piteous　heap；　and　Mrs。　Harriet；　who　had　by　this

time　taken　all　her　medicine；　leant　over　her　and　inquired；



〃Where　d'you　feel　it？〃



The　girl　put　her　hands　to　her　head。



〃Here；〃　she　said　feebly。　〃It's　like　fire　running　over　me　and　drums

beating。〃



〃Fire　and　drums！〃　announced　Mrs。　Harriet　to　the　staring　assembly。

〃That's　what　she's　got；　poor　soul！〃



Ejaculations　of　sympathy　and　horror　made　themselves　heard。



〃Drums！　How　shocking！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bridgeman。　〃Can　you　cure　even　drums；

Harriet；　my　own？〃



〃Give　me　ten　minutes；　Catherine！　I　ask　but　that！〃



And；　so　saying；　Mrs。　Harriet　planted　her　fat　hands　upon　the　head　of　the

young　patient；　closed　her　eyes　and　began　to　breathe　very　hard。



Silence　now　fell　upon　the　people；　who　said　not　a　word；　but　who　could

not　prevent　themselves　from　rustling　as　they　pressed　about　this

exhibition　of　a　latter…day　apostle。　The　Prophet　and　Lady　Enid　were

close　to　the　armchair；　and　the　Prophet；　who　had　never　before　been

present　at　any　such　ceremonyit　was　accompanied　by　the　twenty　guitars；

now　tearing　out　the　serenade；　〃From　the　bull…ring　I　come　to　thee！〃was

so　interested　that　he　completely　forgot　Mr。　and　Madame　Sagittarius；　and

lost　for　the　moment　all　memory　of　Sir　Tiglath。　The　silly　life　engrossed

him。　He　had　no　eyes　for　anyone　but　Mrs。　Harriet；　who；　as　she　leaned

forward　in　the　chair　with　closed　eyes；　looked　like　a　determined　middle…

aged　man　about　to　offer　up　the　thin　girl　on　the　footstool　as　a　burnt

sacrifice。



〃You're　better　now；　poor　thing；〃　said　Mrs。　Harriet；　after　five　minutes

has　elapsed。　〃You're　feeling　much　better？〃



〃Oh；　no；　I'm　not！〃　said　the　girl；　shaking　her　head　under　the　hands　of

the　demonstrator。　〃The　fire's　blazing　and　the　drums　are　beating　like

anything。〃



Mrs。　Harriet's　hue　deepened；　and　there　was　a　faint　murmur　of　vague

reproof　from　the　company。



〃H'sh！〃　said　the　demonstrator；　closing　her　hands　upon　the　patient's

head　with　some　acrimony。　〃H'sh！〃



And　she　began　to　breathe　hard　once　more。　Another　five　minutes　elapsed；

and　then　Mrs。　Harriet　exclaimed　with　decision；



〃There！　It's　gone　now；　all　gone！　I've　sent　it　right　away。　The　fire's

out　and　the　drums　have　stopped　beating！〃



Exclamations　of　wonder　and　joy　rose　u