the prophet of berkeley square-第1节

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The　Prophet　of　Berkeley　Square



by　Robert　Hichens









CHAPTER　I



MRS。　MERILLIA　IS　CARRIED　TO　BED



The　great　telescope　of　the　Prophet　was　carefully　adjusted　upon　its

lofty；　brass…bound　stand　in　the　bow　window　of　Number　One　Thousand

Berkeley　Square。　It　pointed　towards　the　remarkably　bright　stars　which

twinkled　in　the　December　sky　over　frosty　London；　those　guardian　stars

which　always　seemed　to　the　Prophet　to　watch　with　peculiar　solicitude

over　the　most　respectable　neighbourhood　in　which　he　resided。　The

polestar　had　its　eye　even　now　upon　the　mansion　of　an　adjacent　ex…

premier；　the　belt　of　Orion　was　not　oblivious　of　a　belted　earl's　cosy

red…brick　home　just　opposite；　and　the　house　of　a　certain　famous　actor

and　actress　close　by　had　been　taken　by　the　Great　Bear　under　its　special

protection。



The　Prophet's　butler；　Mr。　Ferdinandthat　bulky　and　veracious　gentleman

threw　open　the　latticed　windows　of　the　drawing…room　and　let　the　cold

air　rush　blithely　in。　Then　he　made　up　the　fire　carefully；　placed　a　copy

of　Mr。　Malkiel's　/Almanac/；　bound　in　dull　pink　and　silver　brocade　by

Miss　Clorinda　Dolbrett　of　the　Cromwell　Road；　upon　a　small　tulip…wood

table　near　the　telescope；　patted　a　sofa　cushion　affectionately　on　the

head；　glanced　around　with　the　meditative　eye　of　the　butler　born　not

made；　and　quitted　the　comfortable　apartment　with　a　salaried；　but　soft；

footstep。



It　was　a　pleasant　chamber；　this　drawing…room　of　Number　One　Thousand。　It

spoke　respectfully　of　the　generations　that　were　past　and　seemed

serenely　certain　of　a　comfortable　future。　There　was　no　too　modern

uneasiness　about　it；　no　trifling；　gim…crack　furniture　constructed　to

catch　the　eye　and　the　angles　of　any　one　venturing　to　seek　repose　upon

it；　no　unmeaning　rubbish　of　ornaments　or　hectic　flummery　of　second…rate

pictures。　Above　the　high　oaken　mantel…piece　was　a　little　pure　bust　in

marble　of　the　Prophet　when　a　small　boy。　To　right　and　left　were　pretty

miniatures　in　golden　frames　of　the　Prophet's　delightfully　numerous

grandmothers。　Here　might　be　seen　Mrs。　Prothero；　the　great　ship…

builder's　faithful　wife；　in　blue　brocade；　and　Lady　Camptown；　who

reigned　at　Bath；　in　grey　tabinet　and　diamond　buckles；　when　Miss　Jane

Austen　was　writing　her　first　romance；　Mrs。　Susan　Burlington；　who　knew

Lord　Byrona　remarkable　factand　Lady　Sophia　Green；　who　knew　her　own

mind；　a　fact　still　more　remarkable。　The　last…named　lady　wore　black　with

a　Roman　nose；　and　the　combination　was　admirably　convincing。　Here　might

also　be　observed　Mrs。　Stuefitt；　Mistress　of　the　Mazurka；　and　the　Lady

Jane　Follington；　of　whom　George　the　Second　had　spoken　openly　in　terms

of　approbation。　She　affected　plum　colour　and　had　eyes　like　sloesthe

fashionable　hue　in　the　neat…foot…and…pretty…ankle　period。　The　flames　of

the　fire　twinkled　brightly　over　this　battalion　of　deuced　fine　women；

who　were　all；　without　one　exception；　the　grandmothersin　various

degreesof　the　Prophet。　When　speaking　of　them；　in　the　highest　terms；

he　never　differentiated　them　by　the　adjectives　great；　or　great…great。

They　were　all　kind　and　condescending　enough　to　be　his　grandmothers。　For

a　man　of　his　sensitive；　delicate　and　grateful　disposition　this　was

enough。　He　thought　them　all　quite　perfect；　and　took　them　all　under　the

protection　of　his　soft　and　beaming　eyes。



Of　Mrs。　Merillia；　the　live　grandmother　with　whom　he　had　the　great

felicity　to　dwell　in　Berkeley　Square；　he　seldom　said　anything　in　public

praise。　The　incense　he　offered　at　her　shrine　rose；　most　sweetly

perfumed；　from　his　daily　life。　The　hearth　of　this　agreeable　and

grandmotherly　chamber　was　attractive　with　dogs；　the　silver　cage　beside

it　with　green　love…birds。　Upon　the　floor　was　a　heavy；　dull…blue　carpet

over　whichas　has　been　intimatedeven　a　butler　so　heavy　as　Mr。

Ferdinand　could　go　softly。　The　walls　were　dressed　with　a　dull　blue

paper　that　looked　like　velvet。



Here　and　there　upon　them　hung　a　picture：　a　landscape　of　George　Morland；

lustily　English；　a　Cotman；　a　Cuypcows　in　twilighta　Reynolds；　faded

but　exquisitely　genteel。　A　lovely　little　harpsichordmeditating　on

Scarlattistood　in　one　angle；　a　harp；　tied　with　most　delicate　ribands

of　ivory　satin　powdered　with　pimpernels；　in　another。　Many　waxen　candles

shed　a　tender　and　unostentatious　radiance　above　their　careful　grease…

catchers。　Upon　pretty　tables　lay　neat　books　by　Fanny　Burney；　Beatrice

Harraden；　Mary　Wilkins；　and　Max　Beerbohm；　also　the　poems　of　Lord　Byron

and　of　Lord　de　Tabley。　Near　the　hearth　was　a　sofa　on　which　an　emperor

might　have　laid　an　easy　head　that　wore　a　crown；　and　before　every　low

and　seductive　chair　was　set　a　low　and　seductive　footstool。



A　grandmother's　clock　pronounced　the　hour　of　ten　in　a　frail　and　elegant

voice　as　the　finely…carved　oak　door　was　opened；　and　the　Prophet

seriously　entered　this　peaceful　room；　carrying　a　copy　of　the

/Meditations　of　Marcus　Aurelius/　in　his　hand。



He　was　a　neatly…made　little　man　of　fashionable；　even　of　modish；　cut；

spare；　smart　and　whimsical；　with　a　clean…shaved；　small…featured　face；

large；　shining　brown　eyes；　abundant　and　slightly…waving　brown　hair；

that　could　only　be　parted；　with　the　sweetest　sorrow；　in　the　centre　of

his　well…shaped；　almost　philosophical　head；　and　movements　light　and

temperate　as　those　of　a　meditative　squirrel。　Having　just　dined　he　was

naturally　in　evening　dress；　with　a　butterfly　tie；　gleaming　pumps；　and　a

buttonhole　of　violets。　He　shut　the　door　gently；　glanced　at　his　nice…

looking　grandmothers；　and；　walking　forward　very　quietly　and　demurely；

applied　his　eye　to　the　telescope；　lowering　himself　slightly　by　a　Sandow

exercise；　which　he　had　practised　before　he　became　a　prophet。　Having

remained　in　this　position　of　astronomical　observation　for　some　minutes；

he　deviated　into　the　upright；　closed　the　window；　and　tinkled　a　small

silver　bell　that　stood　on　the　tulip…wood　table　beside　Malkiel's

/Almanac/。



Mr。　Ferdinand　appeared；　looking　respectfully　buoyant。



〃Has　Mr。　Malkiel　sent　any　reply　to　my　inquiry；　Mr。　Ferdinand？〃　asked

the　Prophet。



〃He　has　not；　sir；〃　replied　Mr。　Ferdinand；　sympathetically。



〃Did　the　boy　messenger　say　he　delivered　my　note？〃



〃He　said　so；　sir；　on　his　Bible　oath；　sir。〃



〃And　do　you　believe　him？〃



〃Oh；　sir！〃　responded　Mr。　Ferdinand；　in　a　shocked　voice；　〃surely　a

London　lad　would　not　be　found　to　tell　a　lie！〃



〃I　hope　not；　Mr。　Ferdinand。　Stilldid　he　look　a　nervous　sort　of　lad？〃



〃He　was　a　trifle　pale；　sir；　about　the　gillsbut　a　heart　of　gold；　sir；

I　feel　sure。　He　wore　four　medals；　sir。〃



〃Four　medals！　Nevertheless；　he　may　have　been　frightened　to　go　to　Mr。

Malkiel's　door。　That　will　do；　Mr。　Ferdinand。〃



Mr。　Ferdinand　was　about　to　bow　and　retire　when　the　Prophet；　after　a

moment　of　hesitation；　added；



〃Stay；　Mr。　Ferdinand。　Mrs。　Merillia　has　gone　to　the　Gaiety　Theatre

to…night。　I　expect　her　back　at　half…past　eleven。　She　may　need

assistance　on　her　return。〃



〃Assistance；　sir！　Mrs。　Merillia；　sir！〃



Mr。　Ferdinand's　luminous　eyes　shone　with　amazement。



〃She　mayI　say　she　/may/have　to　be　carried　to　bed。〃



Mr。　Ferdinand's　jaw　dropped。　He　gave　at　the　knees　and　was　obliged　to

cling　to　a　Chippendale　cabinet　for　support。



〃Have　an　armchair　ready　in　the　hall　in　case　of　necessity　and　tell

Gustavus　to　sit　up。　Mrs。　Merillia　must　not　be　dropped。　You　understand。

That　will　do；　Mr。　Ferdinand。〃



Mr。　Ferdinand　endeavoured　to　bow；　and　ultimately　succeeded　in　retiring。

When　his　tremulous　shoulders　were　no　longer　visible；　the　Prophet　opened

Marcus　Aurelius；　and；　seating　himself　in　a　corner　of　the　big　couch　by

the　fire；　crossed　his　legs　one　over　the　other　and　began　to　read　that

timid　Ancient's　consolatory；　but　unconvincing；　remarks。　Occasionally　he

paused；　however；　murmured　doubtfully；　〃Will　she　have　to　be　carried　to

bed？〃　shook　his　head　mournfully　and　then　resumed　his　reading。



While　he　thus　employs　his　time；　we　must　say　a　word　or　two　about　him。



Mr。　Hennessey　Vivian　was　now　a　man　of　thirty…eight；　of　excellent

fortune；　of　fine　connections；　and　of　admirable　disposition。　He　had

become　an　orphan　as　soon　as　it　was　in　his　power　to　do　so；　having　lost

his　fatherCaptain　Vivian　of　Her　Majesty's　Tenth　Lancerssome　months

before；　and　his　motherwho　had　been　a　Merillia　of　Chipping　Sudburya

few　minutes　after　his　birth。　In　these　unfortunate　circumstances；　over

which　he；　poor　infant；　had　absolutely　no　controlwhatever　unkind

people　might　say！he　devolved　upon　his　mother's　mother；　the　handsome

and　popular　Mrs。　Merillia；　who　assumed　his　charge　with　the　rosy

alacrity　characteristic　of　her　in　all　her　undertakings。　With　her　the

little　Hennessey　had　passed　his　infantine　years；　blowing　happy　bubbles；

presiding　over　the　voyages　of　his　own　private　Noahfrom　the　Army　and

Navy　Stores；　with　two　hundred　animals　of　both　sexes！eating　pap

prepared　by　Mrs。　Merillia's　own　/chef/；　and　sleeping　in　a　cot　hung　with

sunny　silk　that　might　have　curtained　Venus　or　have　shaken　ab