the prophet of berkeley square-第6部分
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on his rear； and taking advantage of this circumstance； he continued
rapidly：
〃May I ask whether you recently received a letterone moment！
envelopecrestI only want to know if you have receivedonlyan
elephant rampantswarm ofof bees〃
〃I have never received a rampant elephant and a swarm of bees；〃 cried
Mr。 Sagittarius with every symptom of unbridled terror。 〃Help；
Frederick Smith！〃
〃Right you are； Malkiel the Second！〃 cried the young librarian； hastily
pocketing the half sovereign and making a feverish lunge at nothing in
particular over the counter。 〃Right you are！〃
〃Malkiel the Second！〃 ejaculated the Prophet。 〃Then you are the man I
seek。〃
Malkiel the Secondfor it was indeed hesank back against the counter
in an attitude of abandoned prostration that would have made a fortune
of a comic actor。
〃I trusted to Jellybrand's；〃 he said； drawing from his tail pocket a
white handkerchief covered with a pattern of pink storks in flight。 〃I
trusted to Jellybrand's and Jellybrand's has betrayed me。 Oh； Frederick
Smith！〃
He put a stork to each eye。 The young librarian assumed an injured air。
〃It was the agitation did it； Mr。 Sagittarius；〃 he said。 〃If you hadn't
a…kep' dodging I shouldn't have lost my memory。〃
And he looked avariciously at the Prophet； who smiled at him
reassuringly and drew forth a card case。
〃I feel sure； Mr。 SagMalkiel〃
〃Malkiel the Second； sir； is my name if it is betrayed by
Jellybrand's；〃 said that gentleman with sudden dignity。 〃There is no
need of any mister。〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said the Prophet； handing his card。 〃That is my
name and address。 May I beg you to forgive my apparent anxiety to make
your acquaintance； and implore you to grant me a few moments of private
conversation on a matter of the utmost importance？〃
Malkiel the Second read the card。
〃Berkeley Square；〃 he said。 〃/The/ Berkeley Square？〃
〃Exactly； the Berkeley Square；〃 said the Prophet； modestly。
〃Not the one at Brixton Rise behind the Kimmins's mews？〃 said Malkiel
the Second； suspiciously。
〃Certainly not。 The one near Grosvenor Square。〃
〃That's better；〃 said Malkiel； upon whom the Prophet's address had
evidently made a good impression。 〃Kimmins's is no class at all。 Had
you come from there； Ibut what may you want with me？〃
The Prophet glanced significantly at the young librarian； who was
leaning upon the counter in a tense； keyhole position； with his private
ear turned somewhat ostentatiously towards the two speakers。
〃I can tell you in an inner room；〃 he murmured； in his most
ingratiating manner。
〃You're certain it's not Berkeley Square behind Kimmins's？〃 said
Malkiel； with a last flicker of suspicion。
〃Quite certainquite。〃
〃Frederick Smith；〃 said Malkiel the Second； 〃since Jellybrand's has
betrayed me Jellybrand's must abide the consequences。 Show this
gentleman and me to the parlour。〃
〃Right； Mr。 Sagittarius；〃 replied the young librarian whose memory had
again become excellent。 〃But Miss Minerva is coming at three…thirty。〃
〃Has she bespoke the parlour； Frederick Smith？〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Sagittarius。〃
〃Then she can't have it。 That's all。 Jellybrand's must abide the full
consequences of my betrayal。 Go forward； Frederick Smith。〃
The young librarian went forward towards a door of deal and ground
glass which he threw open with some ceremony。
〃The parlour； gents；〃 he said。
〃After you； sir； after you；〃 said Malkiel the Second； making a side
step and bringing his feet together in the first position。
〃No； no；〃 rejoined the Prophet； gently drawing the sage to the front；
and inserting him into the parlour in such an ingenious manner that he
did not perceive the journey of a second half sovereign from the person
of the Prophet to that of the young librarian； who thereafter closed
the deal and ground glass door； and returned to the counter； whistling
in an absent…minded manner； 〃I'm a Happy Millionaire from Colorado。〃
CHAPTER III
THE TWO PROPHETS PARTAKE OF 〃CREAMING FOAM。〃
〃And now； sir；〃 said Malkiel the Second； pointing to a couple of cane
chairs which； with the table； endeavoured； rather unsuccessfully； to
furnish forth the parlour at Jellybrand's； 〃now sir； what do you want
with me？〃
As he spoke he threw his black overcoat wide open； seated himself on
the edge of one of the chairs in a dignified attitude； and crossed his
feetwhich were not innocent of spatsone over the other。
The Prophet was resolved to dare all； and he； therefore； answered
boldly；
〃Malkiel the Second； I wish to speak to you as one prophet to another。〃
At this remark Malkiel started violently； and darted a searching glance
from beneath his blonde eyebrows at Hennessey。
〃Do you live in the Berkeley Square； sir；〃 he said； 〃and claim to be a
prophet？〃
〃I do；〃 said Hennessey； with modest determination。
Malkiel smiled； a long and wreathed smile that was full of luscious
melancholy and tragic sweetness。
〃The assumption seems rather ridiculousforgive me；〃 he exclaimed。
〃The Berkeley Square！ Whatever would Madame say？〃
〃Madame？〃 said the Prophet； inquiringly。
〃Madame Malkiel； or Madame Sagittarius； as she always passes。〃
〃Your wife？〃
〃My honoured lady；〃 said Malkiel； with pride。 〃More to me almost than
any lunar guide or starry monitor。 What； oh； what would she say to a
prophet from the Berkeley Square？〃
He burst into hollow laughter； shaking upon the cane chair till its
very foundations seemed threatened as by an earthquake； and was obliged
to apply the flight of storks to his eyes before he could in any degree
recover his equanimity。 At length he glanced up with tears rolling down
his cheeks。
〃Excuse me； sir；〃 he said。 〃But what can you know of prophecy in such a
fashionable neighbourhood； close to Grosvenor Square and within sight；
as one may say； of Piccadilly？ Oh； dear； oh； dear！〃
〃But really；〃 said the Prophet； who had flushed red； but who still
spoke with pleasant mildness； 〃what influence can neighbourhood have
upon such a superterrestrial matter？〃
〃Did Isaiah reside in the Berkeley Square； sir？〃
〃I fancy not。 Still〃
〃I fancy not； too；〃 rejoined Malkiel。 〃Nor Bernard Wilkins either； or
any prophet that ever I heard of。 Why； even Jesse Jones lives off
Perkin's Road； Wandsworth Common； though he does keep a sitting…room in
Berners Street just to see his clients in； and he is a very low…class
person； even for a prophet。 No； no； sir； Madame is quite right。 She
married me despite the damningyes； I say； sir； the damning fact that
I was a prophet〃 here Malkiel the Second brought down one of the
dogskin gloves with violence upon the rickety parlour table〃but
before ever we went to the Registrar's she made me take a solemn oath。
What was it； do you say？〃
〃Yes； I do；〃 said Hennessey； leaning forward and gazing into Malkiel's
long and excited face round which the heavy mat of pomaded hair
vibrated。
〃It was this； sirto mix with no prophets so long as we both should
live。 Prophets； she truly said； are low…class； even dirty； persons。
Their parties； their 'at homes' are shoddy。 They live in fourth…rate
neighbourhoods。 They burn gas and sit on horsehair。 Only in rare cases
do they have any bathroom in their houses。 Their influence would be bad
for the children when they begin to grow up。 How could Corona make her
/debut/〃Malkiel pronounced it debbew〃in prophetic circles？ How
could she come out in Drakeman's Villas； Tooting； or dance with such
young fellers as frequent Hagglin's Buildings； Clapham Rise？ How could
she do it； sir？〃
〃I don't know； I'm sure；〃 gasped the Prophet。
〃Nor I； sir； nor I；〃 continued Malkiel； with unabated fervour。 〃And
it's the same with Capricornus。 My boy shall not be thrown in with
prophets。 Did Malkiel the First start the /Almanac/ for that？ Did he
foster it till it went from the poor servant girl's attic into the
gilded apartments of the aristocracy and lay even upon Royal tables for
that？ Did he； I say？〃
〃I haven't an idea；〃 said the Prophet。
〃He did not； sir。 And II myself〃he arranged the diamond pin in his
white satin tie with an almost imperial gesture〃have not followed
upon the lines he laid down without imbibing； as I may truly say； the
lofty spirit that guided him； the lofty social spirit； as Madame calls
it。 There have been other prophets； I know。 There are other prophets。 I
do not attempt to deny it。 But where else than here； sir〃the dogskin
glove lay upon the breast of the chocolate brown frock coat〃where
else than here will you find a prophet who hides his identity beneath
an /alias/； who remains； as Madame always says； /perdew/； and who
conducts his profession on honourable and business…like lines？ Am I
dressed like a prophet？〃 He suddenly brought his doubled fist down upon
the Prophet's knee。
〃No；〃 cried Hennessey。 〃Certainly not！〃
〃Why； sir； how can I be when I tell you that Merriman & Saxster of
Regent Street are my tailors； and have been since my first pair of
trouserings？ Do I bear myself prophetically？ I think you will agree
that I do not when you know that I am frequently mistaken for an
outside brokeryes； sir； and that this has even happened upon the pier
at Margate。 You have seen my demeanour at Jellybrand's。 You saw me come
into the library。 You saw my manner with Frederick Smith。 Was it
assuming？ Did I lord it over the lad？〃
〃Certainly not。〃
〃No。 I might have been anybody； any ordinary person living in Grosvenor
Place； or； like yourself； in the Berkeley Square。 And so it ever is。
Other prophets there arepossibly men of a certain ability even in
that directionbut there is only one Malkiel； only one who attends
strictly to business； who draws a good income from the stars； sir； and
satisfies the public month in； month out； with
