the prophet of berkeley square-第7部分

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strictly　to　business；　who　draws　a　good　income　from　the　stars；　sir；　and

satisfies　the　public　month　in；　month　out；　without　making　a　fuss　about

it。　Wait　a　few　years；　sir；　only　wait！〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃I　will。〃



〃Wait　till　the　children　are　grown　up。　Wait　till　Capricornus　has　got　his

Latin　by　heart　and　gone　to　Oxford。　Then；　and　only　then；　you　will　know

whether　Malkiel　the　Second　is　the　exception　to　the　rule　of　prophets。

Yes；　and　Madame　shall　know　it；　too。　She　trusted　me；　sir；　as　only　a

woman　can。　She　knew　I　was　a　prophet　and　had　a　prophet　for　a　father

before　me。　And　yet　she　trusted　me。　It　was　a　daring　thing　to　do。　Many

would　call　it　foolhardy。　Wouldn't　they；　sir？〃



The　dogskin　glove　was　raised。　The　Prophet　hastened　to　reply；



〃I　daresay　they　would。〃



〃But　she　was　not　afraid；　and　she　shall　have　her　reward。　Corona　shall

never　set　foot　in　Drakeman's　Villas；　nor　breathe　the　air　of　Hagglin's。

I　must　have　a　glass　of　water；　I　must；　sir；　indeed。〃



He　gasped　heavily　and　was　about　to　rise；　when　the　Prophet　said：



〃Join　me　in　a　glass　of　wine。〃



〃I　should　be　delighted；〃　Malkiel　answered。　〃Delighted；　I'm　sure；　but　I

doubt　whether　Jellybrand's〃



〃Could　not　Frederick　Smith　go　out　and　fetch　us　aa　pint　bottle　of

champagne？〃　said　the　Prophet；　playing　a　desperate　card　in　the　prophetic

game。



An　expression　almost　of　joviality　overspread　the　tragic　farce　of

Malkiel's　appearance。



〃We'll　see；〃　he　answered；　opening　the　deal　door。　〃Frederick　Smith！〃



〃Here；　Mr。　Sagittarius；〃　cried　the　soprano　voice　of　the　young

librarian。



〃Can　you　leave　the　library　for　a　moment；　Frederick　Smith？〃



The　Prophet　held　up　a　sovereign　over　Malkiel　the　Second's　narrow

shoulder。



〃Yes；　Mr。　Sagittarius；　for　half　a　mo！〃



〃Ah！　Where　is　the　nearest　champagne；　Frederick　Smith？〃



〃The　nearest〃



〃Champagne；　I　said；　Frederick　Smith。〃



〃I　daresay　I　could　get　a　dozen　at　Gillow's　next　the　rabbit　shop；〃

replied　the　young　librarian；　thoughtfully。



The　Prophet　shuddered　to　the　depths　of　his　being；　but　he　was　now

embarked　upon　his　enterprise　and　must　crowd　all　sail。



〃Go　to　Gillow's；〃　he　exclaimed；　with　an　assumption　of　feverish

geniality；　〃and　bring　back　a　couple　of　rabbitsI　mean　bottles。　They

must　be　dry。　You　understand？〃



The　young　librarian　looked　out　of　the　window。



〃Oh；　I'll　manage　that；　sir。　It　ain't　raining；〃　he　replied　carelessly。



The　Prophet　stifled　a　cry　of　horror　as　he　pressed　the　sovereign　into

the　young　librarian's　hand。



〃You　can　keep　the　change；〃　he　whispered；　adding　in　a　tremulous　voice；

〃Tell　metell　me　franklydo　you　think　in　your　own　mind　that　there

will　be　any？〃



〃I　don't　know　about　in　my　own　mind；〃　rejoined　the　young　librarian；

drawing　a　tweed　cap　from　some　hidden　recess　beneath　the　counter。　〃But

if　you　only　want　two　bottles　I　expect　there'll　be　ten　bob　over。〃



The　Prophet　turned　as　pale　as　ashes　and　had　some　difficulty　in

sustaining　himself　to　the　parlour；　where　he　and　Malkiel　the　Second　sat

down　in　silence　to　await　the　young　librarian's　return。　Frederick　Smith

came　back　in　about　five　minutes；　with　an　ostentatious…looking　bottle

smothered　in　gold　leaf　under　each　arm。



〃There　was　four　shillings　apiece　to　pay；　sir；〃　he　remarked　to　the

Prophet　as　he　placed　them　upon　the　table。　〃I　got　the　'our　own　make'

brand　with　the　'creaming　foam'　upon　the　corks。〃



The　Prophet　bent　his　head。　He　was　quite　unable　to　speak；　but　he　signed

to　the　young　librarian　to　open　one　of　the　bottles　and　pour　its　contents

into　the　two　tumblers　of　thick　and　rather　dusty　glass　that　Jellybrand's

kept　for　its　moments　of　conviviality。　Malkiel　the　Second　lifted　the

goblet　to　the　window　and　eyed　the　beaded　nectar　with　an　air　of　almost

rakish　anticipation。



〃Ready；　sir？〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　Prophet；　who；　with　a　trembling

hand；　followed　his　example。



〃Quiteready；〃　said　the　Prophet；　shutting　his　eyes。



〃Then；〃　rejoined　Malkiel　the　Second　in　a　formal　voice；　〃here's　luck！〃



He　held　the　tumbler　to　his　lips；　waiting　for　the　Prophet's　reply　to

give　the　signal　for　a　unanimous　swallowing　of　the　priceless　wine。



〃Luck；〃　echoed　the　Prophet　in　a　faltering　voice。



As　he　gradually　recovered　his　faculties；　he　heard　Malkiel　the　Second

say；　with　an　almost　debauched　accent；



〃That　puts　heart　into　a　man。　I　shall　give　Gillows　an　order。　Leave　us；

Frederick　Smith；　and　remember　that　Miss　Minerva　is　on　no　account　to　be

let　in　here　till　this　gentleman　and　I　have　finished　the　second　bottle。〃



The　Prophet　could　not　resist　a　wild　movement　of　protest；　which　was

apparently　taken　by　the　young　librarian　as　a　passionate　gesture　of

dismissal。　For　he　left　the　room　rapidly　and　closed　the　door　with

decision　behind　him。



〃And　now；　sir；　I　am　at　your　service；〃　said　Malkiel　the　Second；

courteously。　〃Let　me　pour　you　another　glass　of　wine。〃



The　Prophet　assented　mechanically。　It　seemed　strange　to　have　to　die　so

young；　and　with　so　many　plans　unfulfilled；　but　he　felt　that　it　was

useless　to　struggle　against　destiny　and　he　drank　again。　Then　he　heard　a

voice　say；



〃And　now；　sir；　I　am　all　attention。〃



He　looked　up。　He　saw　the　parlour；　the　ground　glass　of　the　door；　the

tumblers　and　bottles　on　the　table；　the　sharp　features　and　strained；

farcical　eyes　of　Malkiel　framed　in　the　matted；　curling　hair。　Then　all

was　not　over　yet。　There　was　something　still　in　store　for　him。　He　sat

up；　pushed　the　creaming　four…shilling　foam　out　of　his　sight；　turned　to

his　interlocutor；　and　with　a　great　effort　collected　himself。



〃I　want　to　consult　you；〃　he　began；　〃about　my　strange　powers。〃



Malkiel　smiled　with　easy　irony。



〃Strange　powers　in　Berkeley　Square！〃　he　ejaculated。　〃The　Berkeley

Square！　But　go　on；　sir。　What　are　they？〃



〃Having　been　led　to　study　the　stars；〃　continued　the　Prophet　with　more

composure　and　growing　earnestness；　〃I　felt　myself　moved　to　make　a

prophecy。〃



〃Weather　forecast；　I　suppose；〃　remarked　Malkiel；　laconically。



〃How　did　you　know　that？〃



〃The　easiest　kind；　sir；　the　number　one　beginner's　prophecy。　Capricornus

used　to　tell　Madame　what　the　weather'd　be　as　soon　as　he　could　talk。　But

go　on；　sir；　go　on；　I　beg。〃



The　Prophet　began　to　feel　rather　less　like　Isaiah；　but　he　continued；

with　some　determination；



〃If　that　had　been　all；　I　daresay　I　should　have　thought　very　little　of

the　matter。〃



〃No；　you　wouldn't　sir。　Who　thinks　their　first　baby　a　little　one？　Can

you　tell　me　that？〃



The　Prophet　considered　the　question　for　a　moment。　Then　he　answered；



〃Perhaps　you're　right。〃



〃Perhaps　so；〃　rejoined　Malkiel；　indulgently。　〃Well；　sir；　what　was　your

next　attemptin　the　Berkeley　Square？〃



The　Prophet's　sensitive　nature　winced　under　the　obvious　irony　of　the

interrogation；　but　either　the　〃creaming　foam〃　had　rendered　him

desperate；　or　he　was　to　some　extent　steeled　against　the　satire　by　the

awful　self…respect　which　had　invaded　him　since　Mrs。　Merillia's

accident。　In　any　case　he　answered　firmly；



〃Malkiel　the　Second；　in　Berkeley　Square　I　had　a　relationan　honoured

grandmother。〃



〃You've　the　better　of　me　there；　sir。　My　parents　and　Madame's　are　all　in

Brompton　Cemetery。　Well；　sir；　you'd　got　an　honoured　grandmother　in　the

Berkeley　Square。　What　of　it？〃



〃She　was　naturally　elderly。〃



〃And　you　predicted　her　death　and　she　passed　over。　Very　natural　too；

sir。　The　number　two　beginner's　prophecy。　Why；　Corona〃



But　at　this　point　the　Prophet　broke　in。



〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said　in　a　scandalised　voice；　〃excuse　me；　Malkiel　the

Second；　she　did　nothing　of　the　kind。　Whatever　my　faults　may　beand

they　are　many；　I　am　awareII〃



He　was　greatly　moved。



〃Take　another　sup　of　wine；　sir。　You　need　it；〃　said　Malkiel。



The　Prophet　mechanically　drank　once　more；　grasping　the　edge　of　the

table　for　support　in　the　endurance　of　the　four…bob　ecstasy。



〃You　prophesied　it　and　she　didn't　pass　over；　sir；〃　continued　Malkiel；

with　unaffected　sympathy。　〃I　understand　the　blow。　It's　cruel　hard　when

a　prophecy　goes　wrong。　Why；　even　Madame〃



But　at　this　point　the　Prophet　broke　in。



〃You　are　mistaken；〃　he　cried。　〃Utterly　mistaken。〃



Malkiel　the　Second　drew　himself　up　with　dignity。



〃In　that　case　I　will　say　no　more；〃　he　remarked；　pursing　up　his　lengthy

mouth　and　assuming　a　cast…iron　attitude。



The　Prophet　perceived　his　mistake。



〃Forgive　me；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃It　is　my　fault。〃



〃Oh；　no；　sir。　Not　at　all；〃　rejoined　Malkiel；　with　icy　formality。　〃Pray

let　the　fault　be　mine。〃



〃I　will　not　indeed。　But　let　me　explain。　My　beloved　grandmother　still

lives；　although　I　cast　her　horoscope　and〃



〃Indeed！　very　remarkable！〃



〃I　meannot　althoughbut　I　thought　I　would　cast　her　horoscope。　And　I

did　so。〃



〃In　the　square？〃　asked　Malkiel；　with　quiet；　but　piercing；　irony。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Prophet；　with　sudden　heat。　〃Why　not？〃



Malkiel　smiled　with　an　almost　paternal　pity；　as　of　a　thoughtful　father

gazing　upon　the　quaint　and　inappropriate　antics　of　his　vacant　child。



〃Why　not；　sirif　you　prefer　it？〃　he　rejoined。　〃Pray　proceed。〃



The　Prophet's　face　was　flushed；　either　by　the　〃creaming　foam；〃　or　by

irritation；　or　by　both。



〃Surely；〃　he　began；　in　a　choking　voice；　〃surely　the　stars　are　the　same

whether　they　are　looked　at　from　Berkeley　Square　or　fromfromor

from〃he　sought　passionately　for　a　violent　contrast〃from　Newington

Butts；〃　he　concluded　triumphantly。



〃I　have　not　the　pleasure　to　have　ever　observed　my　guides　from　the

neighbourhood　of　the　Butts；〃　said　Malkiel；　serenely。　〃But　pray　proceed；

sir。　I　am　all　attention。　You　cast　your　honoured　grandmother's

horoscopein　the　Berkeley　Square。〃



The　Prophet　seized　his　glass；　but　some　remnants　of　his　tattered　self…

control　still　clung　to　him；　and　he　put　it　down　without　seeking　further

madness　from　its　contents。



〃I　did；〃　he　said　firmly；　even　obstinately。　〃And　I　discoveredI　say

di