the prophet of berkeley square-第5部分
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prophet。〃
Mrs。 Merillia looked up sharply； with her wide； cheerful mouth set awry
in a shrewd smile that seemed to say 〃So ho！〃 She recognised a strange；
new note of profound； though not arrogant； self…respect in her
grandson。
〃Prophets；〃 Hennessey added more gently； 〃have always been inclined to
dwell in the wilderness。〃
〃But where can you find a wilderness in these days？〃 asked Mrs。
Merillia； still smiling。 〃Even Hammersmith is becomin' quite a
fashionable neighbourhood。 And you say that the /Almanac/ man lives in
Shaftesbury Avenue； only half a minute from Piccadilly Circus。〃
〃My dear grannie；〃 he corrected her； 〃I said he received letters there。
I don't know where he lives。〃
〃How are you goin' to find him then？〃
〃I shall call this afternoon at eleven hundred Z。〃
〃To see if he has run in for a postcard！ And what sort of person do you
expect him to be？〃
〃Something quite out of the common。〃
Mrs。 Merillia screwed up her eyes doubtfully。
〃I hope you won't be disappointed。 How many editions have there been of
the /Almanac/？〃
〃Seventy yearly editions。〃
〃Then Malkiel must be a very old man。〃
〃But this Mr。 Malkiel is Malkiel the Second。〃
〃One of a dynasty！ That alters the case。 Perhaps he's a young man about
town。 There are young men about town； I believe； who have addresses at
clubs and libraries； and sleep on doorsteps； or in the Park。 Well；
Hennessey； I see you are getting fidgety。 You had better be off。 Buy me
some roses for my room on your way home。 I'm expectin' someone to have
tea with the poor victim of prophecy this afternoon。〃
The Prophet kissed his grandmother； put on his overcoat and stepped
into the square。
It was a bright； frosty； genial day； and he resolved to walk to
Jellybrand's Library。
London was looking quite light…hearted in the dry； cold air； which set
a bloom even upon the cheeks of the ambassadors who were about； and
caused the butcher boys to appear like peonies。 The crossing…sweepers
swept nothing vigorously； and were rewarded with showers of pence from
pedestrians delighting in the absence of mud。 Crystal as some garden of
an eternal city seemed the green Park； wrapped in its frosty mantle
embroidered with sunbeams。 Even the drivers of the 〃growlers〃 were
moderately cheerfula very rare occurrenceand the blind man of
Piccadilly smiled as he roared along the highway； striking the feet of
the charitable with the wand which was the emblem of his profession。
Only the Prophet was solemn on this delicious afternoon。 People looked
at him and thought that he must surely be the richest man of the town。
His face was so sad。
He wound across the whirlpool； where the green image postures to the
human streams that riot below it。 He saw beneath their rooves of
ostrich feathers the girls shake their long earrings above sweet
violets and roses fainting with desire to be bought by country cousins。
〃Where is eleven hundred Z； if you please？〃 he asked the Shaftesbury
Avenue policeman。
〃Jellybrand's sir？ On the right between the cream shop and the engine
warehouse； just opposite the place where they sell parrots； after that
there patent medicine depot。〃
The Prophet bowed； thinking of the blessings of knowledge。 In a moment
he stood before the library and glanced at its dirty window。 He saw
several letters lying against the glass。 One was addressed to 〃Miss
Minerva Partridge。〃 He stepped in； wondering what she was like。
Jellybrand's Library was a small； square room containing a letter rack；
a newspaper stand； a bookcase and a counter。 It was fitted up with
letters； papers； books； and a big boy with a bulging head。 The last…
named stood behind the counter； stroking his irregular profile with one
hand； and throwing a box of J nibs into the air and catching it with
the other。 Upon the Prophet's entrance this youth obligingly dropped
the nibs accidentally upon the floor； and arranged his sharp and anemic
face in an expression of consumptive inquiry。 The Prophet approached
the counter softly； and allowed the sable with which his coat was
trimmed to rest against it。
〃Did a boy messenger call here a few days ago with a note for Mr。
Malkiel？〃 he asked。
The young librarian assumed an attitude of vital suspicion and the
expression of a lynx。
〃For Malkiel the Second； sir？〃 he replied in a piercing soprano voice。
〃Yes；〃 said the Prophet。 〃A boy messenger with four medals。 There was a
crest on the envelopean elephant rampant surrounded by a swarm of
bees。〃
A dogged look of combined terror and resolution overspread the young
librarian's countenance。
〃There's been no elephant and no swarm of bees in here；〃 he said with
trembling curtness。
〃You are sure you would have remembered the circumstance if there had
been？〃
〃Rather！ What do you think？ We don't allow things of them sort in here；
I can tell you。〃
The Prophet drew out half a sovereign； upon which a ray of sunshine
immediately fell as if in benediction。
〃Does Mr。 Malkiel？
〃Malkiel the Second；〃 interrupted the young librarian； whose pinkish
eyes winked at the illumination of the gold。
〃Malkiel the Second ever call herein person？〃
〃In person？〃 said the young librarian； very suspiciously。
〃Exactly。〃
〃I don't know about in person。 He calls here。〃
〃Ah；〃 said the Prophet； recognising in the youth a literary sense that
instinctively rejected superfluity。 〃He does call。 May I ask when？〃
〃When he chooses；〃 said the young librarian； and he winked again。
〃Does he choose often？〃
〃He's got his day； like Miss Partridge and lots of 'em。〃
〃I see。 Is his dayby chancea Thursday？〃
It was a Thursday afternoon。
〃I don't know about by chance；〃 rejoined the young librarian； his
literary sense again coming into play。 〃But it's〃
At this moment the library door opened； and a tall； thin； middle…aged
man walked in sideways with his feet very much turned out to right and
left of him。
〃Any letters； Frederick Smith？〃 he said in a hollow voice； on reaching
the counter。
〃Two； Mr。 Sagittarius； I believe；〃 replied the young librarian； moving
with respectful celerity towards the letter rack。
The Prophet started and looked eagerly at the newcomer。 His eyes rested
upon an individual whose face was comic in outline with a serious
expression； and whose form suggested tragic farce dressed to represent
commonplace； as seen at Margate and elsewhere。 A top hat； a spotted
collar； a pink shirt； a white satin tie； a chocolate brown frock coat；
brown trousers and boots； and a black overcoat thrown open from top to
bottomthese appurtenances； clerkly in their adherence to a certain
convention； could not wholly disguise the emotional expression that
seems sometimes to lurk in shape。 The lines of Mr。 Sagittarius defied
their clothing。 His shoulders gave the lie to the chocolate brown frock
coat。 His legs breathed defiance to the trousers that sheathed them。
One could； in fancy； see the former shrugged in all the abandonment of
third…act despair； behold the latter darting wildly for the cover
afforded by a copper； a cupboard； or any other friendly refuge of those
poor victims of ludicrous and terrific circumstance who are so sorely
smitten and afflicted upon the funny stage。
Mr。 Sagittarius； in fine； seemed a man dressed in a mask that was
unable to deceive。 His lean face was almost absurd in its irregularity；
its high cheek…bones and deep depressions； its sharp nose； extensive
mouth and nervous chin。 But the pale blue eyes that were its soul shone
plaintively beneath their shaggy； blonde eyebrows； and even an
application of pomade almost hysterically lavish could not entirely
conceal the curling gloom of the heavy； matted hair。
〃Yes； two； Mr。 Sagittarius；〃 cried the young librarian； approaching
from the rack。
The gentleman held out a hand covered with a yellow dogskin glove。
〃Thank you； Frederick Smith；〃 he said。
And he turned to leave the building。 But the Prophet intercepted him。
〃Excuse me；〃 said the Prophet。 〃I beg your pardon； butbut〃 he
looked at the young librarian and accidentally let the half sovereign
fall on the counter。 It gave the true ring。 〃I believe I heard you
mentionlet drop the name Mr。 Sagittarius。〃
〃I don't know about let drop；〃 began the youth in his usual revising
manner。 〃But I〃
At this point the gentleman in question began to move rather hastily
sideways towards the door。 The Prophet followed him up and got before
him near the letter rack； while the young librarian retrieved the half
sovereign and bit it with his teeth。
〃I really beg your pardon；〃 said the Prophet； while Mr。 Sagittarius
stood still in the violent attitude of one determined to dodge so long
as he has breath。 〃I am not at all in the habit of〃Mr。 Sagittarius
dodged〃of intruding upon strangers〃 Mr。 Sagittarius dodged again
with such extraordinary abruptness and determination that he nearly
caused the young librarian to swallow the Prophet's golden bribe。 〃I
see you don't believe me；〃 the Prophet continued； flushing pink but
still holding his ground； and indeed trying to turn Mr。 Sagittarius's
flank by a strategic movement of almost military precision。 〃I see that
plainly； but〃 Mr。 Sagittarius ducked to the left； endeavouring to
cover the manoeuvre by an almost simultaneous and extremely passionate
feint towards the Prophet's centre； which was immediately withdrawn in
good order〃but your remarkarkable name； Saagitt…ittarius；
suggested to me that you are rea…eally the man I seek。〃
He had now got Mr。 Sagittarius into a very awkward bit of country
between the letter P。 in the rack； under which reposed Miss Partridge's
correspondence； and the newspaper bureau； with the counter immediately
on his rear； and taking advantage of this circumstance； he conti
