the prophet of berkeley square-第26节

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can　be　expected。　If　necessary　we　will　certainly　try　the　molasses。〃



〃Yes；　ma'am。〃



〃It　is　two　o'clock　now；　Hennessey。　The　Charing　Cross　office　is　open

till　midnight；　I　believe；　so　at　the　present　rate　you　should　only　have

about　ninety　more　telegrams　to…day。　But　if　you　have　reason　to　expect〃



Mr。　Ferdinand　re…entered。



〃Mrs。　Hendrick　Marshall　has　called；　ma'am。　She　desired　me　to　say　she

was　passing　the　door　and　was　much　horrified　to　find　that　you　are　so

near　the　point；　ma'am。〃



〃What　point；　Mr。　Ferdinand？〃



〃Of　death；　ma'am。　She　had　no　idea　at　all；　ma'am。〃



〃Oh；　thank　Mrs。　Hendrick　Marshall；　Mr。　Ferdinand；　and　say　we　shall　try

to　keep　from　the　point　for　the　present。



〃Yes；　ma'am。〃



〃That　the　numbers　will　go　up　as　the　afternoon　draws　on；　Hennessey〃



〃Grannie；　haven't　I　sworn；　and　have　you　ever　known　me　to　tell　you　a〃



Suddenly　the　Prophet　stopped　short；　thinking　how　that　very　night　he

would　be　forced　by　his　oath　to　〃Madame　and　self〃　to　break　his　promise

to　his　grandmother；　how　already　it　would　have　been　broken　had　not　Mr。

Ferdinand　on　the　previous　night　been　in　possession　of　the　telescope。



〃The　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer；　ma'am；　desires　his　compliments；　and

he　begs　you　to　last　out；　if　possible；　till　he　has　fetched　Sir　William

Broadbent　to　see　you。　He　is　going　there　on　his　bike；　ma'am；　and　had　no

conception　you　was　dying　till　he　knew　it　this　moment；　ma'am。〃



〃Thank　the　Chancellor；　Mr。　Ferdinand；　and　say　that　though　we　must　all

go　out　some　day　I　have　no　desire　for　a　dissolution　at　present；　and

shall　do　my　best　to　prove　myself　worthy　of　my　constitution。〃



〃Yes；　ma'am。〃



Mr。　Ferdinand　retired；　brushing　away　a　tear。



〃It　would　not　be　feasible；　I　suppose；　Hennessey；　to　station　Gustavus

permanently　at　the　telegraph　office　with　a　small　hamper；　so　that　he

might　collect　the　wires　in　it　as　they　arrive　and　convey　them　here；　once

an　hour　or　so；　entering　by　the　area　door。　I　thought　perhaps　that　might

obviate〃



Mr。　Ferdinand　once　more　appeared；　looking　very　puffy　about　the　eyes。



〃If　you　please；　ma'am；　Laady　Julia　Posostlethwaite　is　below；　and

asks　wheether　you　are　truly　going　ma'am？〃



〃Going？　Where　to；　Mr。　Ferdinand？〃



〃The　other　plaace；　ma'am。　Her　ladyship　is　crying　something　terrible；

ma'am；　and　says；　till　she　nononoticed　the　fact　she　had　nono

notion　you　was　leaving　us　so　soon；　ma'am。〃



Here　Mr。　Ferdinand　uttered　a　very　strange　and　heartrending　sound　that

was　rather　like　the　bark　of　a　dog　with　a　bad　cold　in　its　head。



〃It　is　really　very　odd　so　many　people　finding　out　so　soon！〃　said　Mrs。

Merillia　in　some　surprise。　〃Tell　her　ladyship；　Mr。　Ferdinand；　that〃



But　at　this　moment　there　was　the　sound　of　feet　on　the　stairs；　and　Lady

Enid　Thistle　hurried　into　the　room；　closely　followed　by　Mr。　Robert

Green。　Lady　Enid　went　up　at　once　to　Mrs。　Merillia。



〃I　am　so　shocked　and　distressed　to　see　your　news；　dear　Mrs。　Merillia；〃

she　cried　affectionately。　〃But；〃　she　added；　with　much　inquisitiveness；

〃is　it　really　true　that　if　anyone　tapped　on　the　door　you　would

certainly　die？　How　can　you　be　so　sure　of　yourself。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？　Ah；　Mr。　Green；　how　d'you　do？　See　my　news！〃



〃Yes；　written　up　on　the　front　door。　Everyone's　shocked。〃



〃Rather！〃　said　Mr。　Green；　gazing　at　Mrs。　Merillia　with　confused

mournfulness。　〃One　doesn't　see　death　on　a　front　door　every　day；　don't

you　know；　in　big　round　hand　too；　and　then　one　of　those　modern　words。〃



〃Death　on　the　front　door　in　big　round　hand！〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia　in　the

greatest　perplexity。



〃I　put　it　there；　grannie；〃　said　the　Prophet；　humbly。　〃I　wrote　that　if

another　boy　knocked；　death　would　certainly　ensue。〃



〃Ensue。　That's　it。　I　knew　it　was　one　of　those　modern　words；〃　said　Mr。

Green。



〃Another　boy？〃　said　Lady　Enid。　〃Why　should　another　boy　knock？〃



〃Hennessey　receives　about　nine　telegrams　an　hour；〃　answered　Mrs。

Merillia。



〃Really！〃



Lady　Enid　looked　at　him　with　keen　interest；　while　Mrs。　Merillia

continued；



〃You　had　better　take　death　off　the　door　now；　Mr。　Ferdinand。　I　feel　more

myself。　Please　thank　her　ladyship　and　tell　her　so。〃



〃Yes；　ma'am。〃



〃Nine　telegrams　an　hour！〃　repeated　Lady　Enid。　〃Mr。　Vivian；　would　you

mind　just　seeing　me　as　far　as　Hill　Street？　Bob　has　to　go　to

Tattersall's。〃



〃Have　I；　Niddy？〃　asked　Mr。　Green；　with　evident　surprise。



〃Yes；　to　pick　up　a　polo　pony。　Don't　you　recollect？〃



〃A　polo　pony；　was　it？　By　Jove！〃



〃I　will　come　with　pleasure；〃　said　the　poor　Prophet；　who　felt　fit　only

to　lie　down　quietly　in　his　grave。　〃If　you　don't　mind　being　left；

grannie？〃



Mrs。　Merillia　was　looking　pleased。



〃No；　no。　Go　with　Lady　Enid；　my　dear　boy。　If　any　telegrams　come　shall　I

open〃



〃No；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　with　sudden　fierce　energy。　〃For　mercy's　sake

I　mean；　grannie；　dear；　that　none　will　come。　If　they　should〃his

ordinary　gentle　eyes　flamed　almost　furiously〃Mr。　Ferdinand　is　to　burn

them　unreadyes；　to　ashes。　I　will　tell　him。〃　And　he　escorted　Lady　Enid

tumultuously　downstairs；　missing　his　footing　at　every　second　step。



In　the　square　they　parted　from　Mr。　Green；　who　said；



〃Good…bye；　Niddy；　old　girl。　What　do　I　want　to　pick　up　at　Tattersall's？〃



〃A　polo　pony；　Bob；〃　she　answered　firmly。



〃Oh；　a　polo　pony。　Thanks；　Chin；　chin；　Hen。　Polo　pony　is　it？〃



He　strode　off；　whistling　〃She　wore　a　wreath　of　roses〃　in　a　puzzled

manner；　but　still　preserving　the　accepted　demeanour　of　a　bulwark。



As　soon　as　Mr。　Green　was　out　of　sight　Lady　Enid　said；



〃We　aren't　going　to　Hill　Street。〃



〃Aren't　we？〃　replied　the　Prophet；　feebly。



〃No。　I　must　see　Sir　Tiglath　Butt　to…day。　I　want　you　to　take　me　to　his

door。〃



〃Where　is　his　door？〃



〃In　Kensington　Square。　Do　you　mind　hailing　a　four…wheeler。　We　can　talk

privately　there。　No　one　will　hear　us。〃



The　Prophet　hailed　a　growler；　wondering　whether　they　would　be　able　to

hear　each　other。　As　they　got　in　Lady　Enid；　after　giving　the　direction；

said　to　the　cabman；　who　was　a　short　person；　with　curling　ebon　whiskers；

a　broken…up　expression　and　a　broken…down　manner：



〃Drive　slowly；　please　and　I'll　give　you　an　extra　six…pence。〃



〃Lydy？〃



〃Drive　slowly；　and　I'll　give　you　another　six…pence。〃



〃How　did　yer　think　I　was　gawing　to　drive；　lydy？〃



〃I　wonder　why　cabmen　are　always　so　interested　in　one's　inmost

thoughts；〃　said　Lady　Enid；　as　the　horse　fell　down　preparatory　to

starting。



〃I　wonder。〃



〃I　hope　he　will　go　slowly。〃



〃He　seems　to　be　doing　so。〃



At　this　point　the　horse；　after　knocking　on　the　front　of　the　cab　with

his　hind　feet　ten　or　a　dozen　times；　got　up；　hung　his　head；　and　drew　a

large　number　of　deep　and　dejected　breaths。



〃Am　I　gawing　slowly　enough；　lydy？〃　asked　the　cabman；　anxiously。



〃Yes；　but　you　can　let　him　trot　along　now。〃



〃Right；　lydy；　I　ain't　preventing　of　him。〃



As　eventually　they　scrambled　slowly　forward　in　the　Kensington

direction；　Lady　Enid　remarked；



〃Why　don't　you　have　them　sent　to　Jellybrand's？〃



〃Have　what？〃　asked　the　Prophet。



〃Your　telegrams。　The　messages　from　your　double　life。　I　do。〃



〃But　I　assure　you〃



〃Mr。　Vivian；　it's　useless　really。　I　find　you　hidden　away　in　the　inner

room　of　Jellybrand's　with　Mr。　Sagittarius；　closely　guarded　by　Frederick

Smith；　fourpenny　champagne〃



〃Four　bobshilling；　I　mean。〃



〃Oh；　was　it？Upon　the　table。　After　I've　been　poisoned；　and　we　are

leaving；　Mr。　Sagittarius　calls　after　you　such　expressions　as　'Banks　of

the　Mousehear　from　memarrowarchitects　and　the　last　day。'　You　are

obviously　agitated　by　these　expressions。　We　reach　your　house。　I　find

you　have　been　prophesying　through　a　telescope。　The　name　of　Malkiela

well…known　prophetis　mentioned。　You　turn　pale　and　glance　at　me

imploringly；　as　if　to　solicit　my　silence。　I　am　silent。　The　next　day　you

announce　that　you　are　going　to　have　two　afternoon　parties。〃



〃No；　no；　not　afternoon！　I　never　said　afternoon！〃　interposed　the

Prophet；　frantically；　as　the　horse　fell　down　again　in　order　to　earn　the

extra　sixpence。



〃Well；　two　parties　in　the　afternoon。　It's　the　same　thing。　You　say　they

are　odd。　You　yourself　acknowledge　it。　You　tell　me　you　have　secrets。〃



〃Did　I？〃



〃Yes。　When　I　said　I　had　guessed　your　secret　you　replied；　'Which　one？'　〃



〃Oh！〃　murmured　the　Prophet；　trying　not　to　say　〃come　in！〃　to　the　horse；

which　was　again　knocking　with　both　feet　upon　the　front　of　the　cab。



〃You　go　home。　I　call　during　the　afternoon；　and　find　that　you　are

entertaining　all　your　guests　in　your　own　little　room　and　that　your

grandmother　knows　nothing　of　it　and　believes　you　to　be　working。　As　I　am

leaving　I　see　the　backs　of　two　of　your　guests。　One　is　a　pelisse；　the

other　a　spotted　collar。　As　I　near　them　they　mount　into　a　purple　omnibus

on　which　is　printed　in　huge　letters；　/'To　the　〃Pork　Butcher's

Rest〃　'/〃



〃No！　No！〃　ejaculated　the　Prophet；　pale　with　horror　at　this　revelatio