the prophet of berkeley square-第42部分

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〃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　up　from　the　spectators。　They　were；

however；　a　trifle　premature；　for　the　hysterical　girlwho　was；　it

seemed；　a　person　of　considerable　determination；　despite　her　feeble

appearancereplied　from　the　footstool；



〃No；　it　isn't。　No　they　haven't！〃



Mrs。　Harriet　developed　a　purple　shade。



〃Nonsense！〃　she　said。　〃You're　cured；　love；　entirely　cured！〃



〃I'm　not；〃　said　the　girl；　beginning　to　cry。　〃I　feel　much　worse　since

you　pressed　my　head。〃



There　was　a　burst　of　remonstrance　from　the　crowd；　and　Mrs。　Harriet；

speaking　with　the　air　of　an　angry　martyr；　remarked；



〃It's　just　like　the　drinkingshe　fancies　she　isn't　cured　when　she　is；

just　the　same　as　she　fancied　she　was　drinking　when　she　wasn't。〃



This　unanswerable　logic　naturally　carried　conviction　to　everyone

present；　and　the　hysterical　girl　was　warmly　advised　to　make　due

acknowledgement　of　the　benefits　received　by　her　at　the　healing　hands　of

Mrs。　Harriet；　while　the　latter　was　covered　with　compliments　and

assiduously　conducted　towards　the　buffet；　escorted　by　the　great　Towle。



〃Isn't　she　wonderful？〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　turning　ecstatically　to　the

person　nearest　to　her；　who　happened　to　be　the　saturnine　little

clergyman。　〃Isn't　she　marvellous；　Mr。erMr。　Segerteribus？〃



〃Biggle！〃　cried　the　little　clergyman。



〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃



〃Biggle！〃　vociferated　the　little　clergyman。　〃Biggle！〃



〃Certainly。　Did　you　ever　see　anything　like　that　cure？　Ah！　you　ought　to

preach　about　dear　Harriet；　Mr。　Segerteribus；　you　really〃



〃Biggle！〃　reiterated　the　little　clergyman；　excitedly。　〃Biggle！　Biggle！〃



〃What　does　he〃　began　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　turning　helplessly　towards　the

Prophet。



〃It's　his　name；　I　fancy；〃　whispered　the　Prophet。



Mrs。　Bridgeman　started　and　smiled。



〃Mr。　Biggle；〃　she　said。



The　little　clergyman　moved　on　towards　the　guitars　with　all　the　air　of　a

future　colonial　bishop。　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　who　seemed　to　be　somewhat

confused；　and　whose　manner　grew　increasingly　vague　as　the　evening　wore

on；　now　said　to　those　nearest　to　her；



〃There　are　fifteen　tables　set　outyes；　set　out；in　the　green

boudoir。〃



〃Bedad！〃　remarked　an　Irish　colonel；　〃then　it's　meself'll　enjoy　a　good

rubber。〃



〃For　table…turning；〃　added　Mrs。　Bridgeman。　〃Materialisation　in　the　same

room　after　supper。　Mr。　Towleyeswill　enter　the　cabinet　at　about

eleven。　Where's　Madame　Charlotte？〃



〃Looking　into　the　crystal　for　Lady　Ferrier；〃　said　someone。



〃Oh；　and　the　professor？〃



〃He's　reading　Archdeacon　Andrew's　nose；　by　the　cloak…room。



Mrs。　Bridgeman　sighed。



〃It　seems　to　be　going　off　quite　pleasantly；〃　she　said　vaguely　to　the

Prophet。　〃I　thinkperhapsmight　I　have　a　cup　of　tea？〃



The　Prophet　offered　his　arm。　Mrs。　Bridgeman　took　it。　They　walked

forward；　and　almost　instantly　came　upon　Sir　Tiglath　Butt；　who；　with　a

face　even　redder　than　usual；　was　rolling　away　from　the　hall　of　the

guitars；　holding　one　enormous　hand　to　his　ear　and　snorting　indignantly

at　the　various　clairvoyants；　card…readers；　spiritualists　and　palmists

whom　he　encountered　at　every　step　he　took。　The　Prophet　turned　pale；　and

Lady　Enid；　who　was　just　behind　him；　put　on　her　most　sensible　expression

and　moved　quickly　forward。



〃Ah；　Sir　Tiglath！〃　she　said。　〃How　delightful　of　you　to　come！　Catherine；

dear；　let　me　introduce　Sir　Tiglath　Butt　to　you。　Sir　Tiglath　ButtMrs。

Vane　Bridgeman。〃



Mrs。　Bridgeman　behaved　as　usual。



〃So　glad！〃　she　said。　〃So　enchanted！　Just　a　few　interesting　people。　So

good　of　you　to　come。　Table…turning　is〃



At　this　moment　Lady　Enid　nipped　her　friend's　arm；　and　Sir　Tiglath

exclaimed；　looking　from　Mrs。　Bridgeman　to　the　Prophet；



〃What；　madam？　So　you're　the　brain　and　eye；　eh？　Is　that　it？〃



The　guitars　engaged　in　〃The　Gipsies　of　Granada　are　wild　as　mountain

birds；〃　and　Mrs。　Bridgeman　looked　engagingly　distraught；　and　replied；



〃Ah；　yes；　indeed！　The　brain　and　I；　Sir　Tiglath；　so　good　of　you　to　say

so！〃



〃You　prompted　his　interest　in　the　holy　stars？〃　continued　Sir　Tiglath；

speaking　very　loud；　and　still　stopping　one　ear　with　his　hand。　〃You

drove　him　to　the　telescope；　you　told　him　to　clear　the　matter　up；　did

you？〃



〃What　matter？〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　trying　not　to　look　as　stupid　as　she

felt；　but　only　with　moderate　success。



〃Say　the　oxygen；　darling；〃　whispered　Lady　Enid　in　one　of　her　ears。



〃Say　the　oxygen！〃　hissed　the　Prophet　into　the　other。



〃The　occiput？〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　hearing　imperfectly。　〃Oh；　yes；　Sir

Tiglath；　I　told　him；I　told　Mr。　Biggleto　make　quite　sureyes；　as　to

the　occiput　matter。〃



The　saturnine　little　clergyman；　who　was　again　in　motion　near　by；　caught

his　name　and　stopped；　as　Sir　Tiglath；　roaring　against　〃The　Gipsies　of

Granada；〃　continued；



〃And　your　original　adviser　was　Mr。　Sagittarius；　was　he？〃



On　hearing　a　word　she　understood；　Mrs。　Bridgeman　brightened　up；　and；

perceiving　the　little　clergyman；　she　answered；



〃Mr。　Sagittariusah；　yes！　Sir　Tiglath　is　speaking　of　you；　Mr。

Sagittarius。〃



The　little　clergyman　turned　almost　black　in　the　face。



〃Biggle！〃　he　exclaimed；　in　a　voice　of　thunder。　〃Biggle！　Biggle！〃



And；　without　further　parley；　he　rushed　to　the　cloak…room；　seized

someone　else's　hat　and　coat；　and　fared　forth　into　the　night。　Lady　Enid；

who　had　meant　to　coach　Mrs。　Bridgeman　very　carefully　for　the　meeting

with　Sir　Tiglath；　but　whose　plans　were　completely　upset　by　the

astronomer's　premature　advent；　now　endeavoured　to　interpose。



〃By　the　way；〃　she　said；　in　a　very　calm　voice；　where　is　dear　Mr。

Sagittarius？　I　haven't　seen　him　yet。〃



〃I'm　afraid　he's　angry　with　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　alluding　to　the

little　clergyman。　〃I　really　can't　think　why。〃



〃Sir　Tiglath；〃　said　Lady　Enid；　boldly　taking　the　astronomer's　arm。

〃Come　with　me。　I　want　you　to　find　Mr。　Sagittarius　for　me。　Yes；　they　do

make　rather　a　noise！〃



This　was　in　allusion　to　the　guitars；　for　the　astronomer　had　now　placed

both　hands　over　his　ears　in　the　vain　endeavour　to　exclude　〃The

Gipsies。〃　Deafness；　perhaps；　rendered　him　yielding。　In　any　case；　he

permitted　Lady　Enid　to　detach　him　from　Mrs。　Bridgeman　and　to　lead　him

through　the　rooms　in　search　of　Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃Perhaps　he's　here；〃　said　Lady　Enid；　entering　a　darkened　chamber。　〃Oh；

no！〃



And　she　hastily　moved　away；　perceiving　a　large　number　of　devoted

adherents　of　table…tapping　busily　engaged；　with　outspread　fingers　and

solemn　faces；　at　their　intellectual　pursuit。　Avoiding　the　archdeacon；

who　was　now　having　his　nose　read　by　the　professor；　she　conducted　the

astronomer；　rendered　strangely　meek　by　the　guitars；　into　a　drawing…room

near　the　hall；　in　which　only　four　people　remainedVerano　and　Mrs。

Eliza　Doubleway；　who　were　conferring　in　one　corner；　and　Mr。　and　Madame

Sagittarius；　who　were　apparently　having　rather　more　than　a　few　words

together　in　another。



〃Ah！　there's　Mr。　Sagittarius！〃　said　Lady　Enid。



〃Minnie！〃　cried　Mrs。　Eliza；　beckoning　to　Lady　Enid。　〃Minnie；　ducky！〃



Lady　Enid　pretended　not　to　hear　and　tried　to　hasten　with　the　astronomer

towards　the　Sagittariuses。　But　Mrs。　Eliza　was　not　to　be　put　off。



〃Minnie；　my　pet！〃　she　piped。　〃Come　here；　Minnie！〃



Lady　Enid　was　obliged　to　pause。



〃What　is　it；　dear　Eliza？〃　she　asked；　at　the　same　time　making　a　face　at

the　soothsayer　to　indicate　caution。



Mrs。　Eliza　and　Verano　rose　and　approached　Lady　Enid　and　the　astronomer。



〃I　was　laying　the　cards　last　night　at　Jane　Seaman'syou　know；　dear；

the　Angel　Gabriel　who　lives　on　the　Hackney　Downsand　whatever　do　you

think？　The　hace　of　spades　came　up　three　times　in　conjugation　with　the

Knave　of　'earts！〃



〃Terrific！　Very　great！〃　buzzed　Verano；　with　a　strong　South　American

Irish　broguea　real　broth　of　a　brogue。



〃Wonderful！〃　said　Lady　Enid；　hastily；　endeavouring　to　pass　on。



〃Wait　a　minute；　darling。　Well；　I　says　to　JaneI　was　laying　the　cards

for　her　'usband；　dearI　says　to　Jane；　I　says；　without　doubt　Hisaac　is

about　to　pass　over；　I　says；　seeing　the　red　boy's　come　up　in　conjugation

with　the　hace。　'Lord！　Mrs。　Eliza！　Lay　them　out　again；'　she　says；　'for；'

she　says；　'if　Hike　is　going　to　pass　over；'　she　says〃



〃Extraordinary；　dear　Mrs。　Eliza！　You're　a　genius！〃　cried　Lady　Enid　in

despair。



〃Tremendous！　Very　big！〃　buzzed　Verano；　staring　at　Sir　Tiglath。　〃You　got

a　very　spatulate　hand　there；　sir！　Allow　me！〃



And　to　Lady　Enid's　horror　he　seized　the　astronomer's　hand　with　both　his

own。



〃How　dare　you　tamper　with　the　old　astronomer；　sir？〃　roared　Sir　Tiglath。

〃Am　I　in　a　madhouse？　Who　are　all　these　crazy　Janes！　Drop　my　hand；　sir！〃



Verano　obeyed　rather　hastily；　and　Lady　Enid　convoyed　the　spluttering

astronomer　towards　the　corner　which　contained　Mr。　and　Madame

Sagittarius。



Now　these　worthies　were　in　a　mental　condition　of　a　most　complicated

kind。　The　reception　at　Zoological　House　had　upset　in　an　hour　the

theories　and　beliefs　of　a　lifetime。　Hitherto　Madame　had　always　been

filled　with　shame　at　the　thought　that　she　was　not　the　wife　of　an

architect　but　of　a　prophet；　and　Mr。　Sagittarius　had　endeavoured　to

assume　the　mein　and　costume　of　an　outside　broker；　and　had　dreamed

dreams　of　retiring　eventually　from　a　hated　and　despised　profession。　But

now　they　found　themselves　in　a　magnificent　mansion　in　which　the　second…

rate　members　of　their　own　tribe　were　worshipped　and　adored；　smothered

with　attentions；　plied　with　Pommery　and　looked　upon　as　gods；　while

they；　in　their　incognito；　were　neglected；　and　paid　no　more　heed　to　than

if　they　had　been；　in　reality；　mere　architects　and　outside　brokers；

totally　unconnected　with　that　mysterious　occult　world　which　is　the

fashion　of　the　moment。



This　position　of　affairs　had；　not　unnaturally；　thrown　then　into　a

condition　of　the　gravest　excitement。　Madame；　more　es