the prophet of berkeley square-第3节

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Hennessey　beginthrough　his　telescopeto　see　the　great　possibilities

that　foot　it　about　the　existence　of　even　the　meanest　man　who　eats；

drinks　and　suffers。　For　through　his　telescope　he　saw　that　he　might　be　a

prophet。　Malkiel　read　the　future　in　the　stars。　Why　not　he？



He　endeavoured　to　do　so。　He　sought　an　intimacy　with　the　benefic

/Jupiter/；　and　found　itperhaps　by　a　secret　kow…towing　to

/Sagittarius/。　He　made　up　openly　to　/Canis　Major/　and　was　shortly　on

what　might　almost　be　considered　terms　of　affection　with　/Venus/。　And　he

was；　moreover；　presently　quite　fearless　in　the　presence　of　/Saturn/；

quite　unabashed　beneath　the　glittering　eye　of　/Mercury/。　Then；　as　the

neophyte　growing　bold　by　familiarity　with　the　circle　of　the　great　ones；

he　ventured　on　his　first　prophecy；　a　discreet　and　even　humble　forecast

of　the　weather。　He　predicted　a　heavy　fall　of　snow　for　a　certain

evening；　and　so　distrusted　his　own　prediction　that　when　the　evening

came；　mild　and　benign；　he　sallied　forth　to　the　Empire　Palace　of

Varieties；　and　stayed　till　near　midnight；　laughing　at　the　sallies　of

French　clowns；　and　applauding　the　frail　antics　of　cockatoos　on　motor

bicycles。　When；　on　the　stroke　of　twelve；　he　came　airily　forth　wrapped

in　the　lightest　of　dust　coats；　he　was　obliged　to　endure　the　greatest　of

man's　amazementsthe　knowledge　that　there　was　a　well　of　truth　within

him。　Leicester　Square　was　swathed　in　an　ivory　fleece；　and　he　was

obliged　to　gain　Berkeley　Square　on　foot；　treading　gingerly　in　pumps；

escorted　by　linkmen　with　flaring　golden　torches；　and　preceded　by　tipsy

but　assiduous　ruffians　armed　with　shovels；　who；　with　many　a　lusty　oath

and　horrid　imprecation；　cleared　a　thin　thread　of　path　between　the

towering　walls　of　snow　that　sparkled　faintly　in　the　gaslight。



This　experience　fired　him。　He　rose　up　early；　lay　down　late；　and；　quite

with　her　assent；　cast　the　horoscope　of　Mrs。　Merillia　in　the　sweat　of

his　brow。　He　cast；　we　say；　her　horoscope　and；　from　a　certain

conjunction　of　the　planets；　he　gathered；　to　his　horror；　that　upon　the

fifteenth　day　of　the　month　of　January　she　would　suffer　an　accident

while　on　an　evening　jaunt。　We　find　him　now；　on　this　fifteenth　day　of

the　first　month；　aware　of　his　revered　grandmother's　intrepid　expedition

to　the　Gaiety　Theatre；　waiting　her　return　to　Berkeley　Square　with

mingled　feelings　which　we　might　analyse　for　pages；　but　which　we　prefer

baldly　to　state。



He　longed　to　be　proved　indeed　a　prophet；　and　he　longed　also　to　see　his

beloved　relative　return　from　her　sheaf　of　pleasures　in　the　free　and

unconstrained　use　of　all　her　graceful　limbs。　He　was；　therefore；　torn　by

foes　in　a　mental　conflict；　and　was　in　no　case　to　sip　the　philosophic

honey　of　Marcus　Aurelius　as　he　sat　between　the　telescope　and　the　fire

in　the　comfortable　drawing…room　awaiting　his　grandmother's　return。



〃Gustavus；〃　said　Mr。　Ferdinand　in　the　servants'　hall　to　the　flushed

footman　who　lay　upon　a　what…not；　sipping　a　glass　of　ale　and　reading　a

new　and　unabridged　farthing　edition　of　Carlyle's　/French　Revolution/；

〃Gustavus；　Mrs。　Merillia　has　been　and　gone　to　the　Gaiety　Theatre

to…night。　We　expect　her　back　at　eleven…thirty　sharp。　She　may　need

assistance　on　her　return；　Gustavus。〃



The　footman　put　down　the　tumbler　which　he　was　in　the　act　of　raising　to

his　pouted　lips。



〃Assistance；　Mr。　Ferdinand！〃　he　ejaculated。　〃Mrs。　Merillia；　Mr。

Ferdinand！〃



〃She　maywe　say　she　/may/have　to　be　carried　to　bed；　Gustavus。〃



Gustavus's　jaw　dropped；　and　the　/French　Revolution/　fluttered　in　his

startled　hands。



〃Good　lawks；　Mr。　Ferdinand！〃　he　exclaimed　（not　quoting　from　Carlyle）。



〃Have　an　armchair　ready　in　the　hall；　Gustavus。　Mrs。　Merillia　must　not

be　dropped。　You　understand？　That　will　do；　Gustavus。〃



And　Mr。　Ferdinand　passed　to　the　adjacent　supper…table；　to　join　the

upper　housemaid　in　a　discussion　of　two　subjects　that　were　very　near　to

their　hearts；　a　round　of　beef　and　a　tureen　of　pickled　cabbage；　while

Gustavus　got　up　from　the　what…not　in　a　bemused　manner；　and　proceeded　to

search　dreamily　for　an　armchair。　He　came　upon　one　by　chance　in　the

dining…room；　and　wheeled　it　out　into　the　hall　just　as　the　clocks　in　the

house　rang　out　the　half…hour　after　eleven。



The　Prophet　above　sprang　up　from　the　couch　by　the　fire；　Mr。　Ferdinand

below　closed　his　discussion　with　the　upper　housemaid；　and　the　former

rapidly　came　down；　the　latter　up；　stairs　as　the　roll　of　wheels　broke

through　the　silence　of　the　square。



Gustavus；　in　an　attitude　of　bridled　curiosity；　was　posed　beneath　a

polar　bear　that　held　an　electric　lamp。　His　hand　was　laid　upon　the　back

of　the　armchair；　and　his　round　hazel　eyes　were　turned　expectantly

towards　the　hall　as　his　two　masters　joined　him。



〃Is　all　ready；　Mr。　Ferdinand？〃　said　the　Prophet；　anxiously。



〃All　is　ready；　sir；〃　replied　the　butler。



〃Wheel　the　chair　forward；　Gustavus；　if　you　please；〃　said　the　Prophet。

〃Mrs。　Merillia　must　not　be　dropped。　Remember　that。〃



〃Not　be　dropped；　sirno。〃



The　chair　ran　forward　on　its　amicable　castors　as　a　carriage　was　heard

to　stop　outside。　Mr。　Ferdinand　flung　open　the　portal；　and　the　Prophet

glided　out　excitedly　upon　the　step。



〃Well？〃　he　cried；　〃well？〃



A　footman；　in　a　long　drab　coat　with　red　facings；　was　preparing　to　get

off　the　box　of　a　smart　brougham；　but　before　he　could　reach　the

pavement；　a　charming　head；　covered　with　a　lace　cap；　was　thrust　out　of

the　window；　and　a　musical　and　almost　girlish　voice　cried；



〃All　nonsense；　Hennessey；　all　rubbish！　Saturn　don't　know　what　he's

talkin'　about。　Look！〃



The　carriage　door　was　vivaciously　opened　from　the　inside　and　a

delightful　little　old　lady；　dressed　in　brown　silk；　with　a　long；

cheerful　pointed　nose；　rosy　cheeks；　and　chestnut　hairthat　almost

mightn't　have　been　a　wig　in　certain　lightsprepared　to　leap　forth

without　waiting　for　the　reverent　assistance　that　the　Prophet；　flanked

by　Mr。　Ferdinand　and　Gustavus；　was　in　waiting　to　afford。



As　she　jumped；　she　began　to　cry；　〃Not　much　wrong　with　me；　is　there；

Hennessey？〃　but　before　the　sentence　was　completed　she　had　caught　her

neat　foot　in　her　brown　silk　gown；　had　stumbled　from　the　step　of　the

carriage　to　the　pavement；　had　twisted　her　pretty　ankle；　had　reeled　and

almost　fallen；　had　been　caught　by　the　Prophet　and　Mr。　Ferdinand；　borne

tenderly　into　the　hall；　and　placed　in　the　armchair　which　the　terrified

Gustavus；　with　almost　enraged　ardour；　drove　forward　to　receive　her。　As

she　sank　down　in　it；　helpless；　Mrs。　Merillia　exclaimed；　with　unabated

vivacity；



〃It's　happened；　Hennessey；　it's　happened！　But　it　was　my　own　doin'　and

yours。　You　shouldn't　have　prophesied　at　your　age；　and　I　shouldn't　have

jumped　at　mine。



〃Dearest　grannie！〃　cried　the　Prophet；　on　his　knees　beside　her；　〃how

grieved；　how　shocked　I　am！　Is　itis　it〃



〃Sprained；　Hennessey？〃



He　nodded。　Mechanically　Mr。　Ferdinand　nodded。　Gustavus　let　his　powdered

head　drop；　too；　in　imitation　of　his　superiors。



〃I'll　tell　you　in　the　drawin'room。〃



She　placed　her　pretty；　mittened　hands　upon　the　arms　of　the　chair；　and

gave　a　little　wriggle；　trying　to　get　up。　Then　she　cried　out

musically；



〃No；　I　must　be　carried　up。　Mr。　Ferdinand！〃



〃Ma'am！〃



〃Is　Gustavus　to　be　trusted？〃



〃Trusted；　ma'am！〃　cried　Mr。　Ferdinand；　looking　at　Gustavus；　who　had

assumed　an　expression　of　pale　and　pathetic　dignity。　〃Trusteda　London

footman！　Oh；　ma'am！〃



His　voice　failed。　He　choked　and　began　to　rummage　in　the　pocket　of　his

black　tail　coat　for　his　perfumed　handkerchief。



〃T'st；　t'st！　I　mean　his　arms；〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia；　patting　her　delicate

hands　quickly　on　the　chair。　〃Can　he　carry　me？〃



The　countenance　of　Mr。　Ferdinand　cleared；　while　Gustavus　eagerly

extended　his　right　arm；　bent　it　sharply；　and　allowed　his　magnificent

biceps　to　rise　up　in　sudden　majesty。　Mrs。　Merillia　was　reassured。



〃Hoist　me　to　the　drawin'…room；　then；〃　she　said。　〃Hennessey；　will　you

walk　behind？〃



The　procession　was　formed；　and　the　little　old　lady　proceeded　by　a

succession　of　jerks　to　the　upper　floor；　her　silk　gown　rustling　against

the　balusters；　and　her　tiny　feet　dangling　loosely　in　mid…air；　while　her

long　and　elegant　head　nodded　each　time　Mr。　Ferdinand　and　Gustavus

pranced　carefully　sideways　to　a　higher　step。　The　Prophet　followed

solicitously　behind；　with　hands　outstretched　to　check　any　dangerous

recoil。　His　face　was　very　grave；　but　not　entirely　unhappy。



〃Set　me　down　by　the　fire；〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia；　when　she　found　herself

being　smoothly　propelled　through　the　atmosphere　of　the　drawing…room。



The　menials　obeyed　with　breathless　assiduity。



〃And　now　bring　me　a　sandwich；　a　glass　of　toast　and　water　and　a　fan；　if

you　please。　Yes；　put　the　footstool　well　under　me。〃



〃Dearest　grannie；〃　said　the　Prophet；　when　the　men　had　retired；　〃are　you

in　great　pain？〃



〃No；　Hennessey。　Are　you？〃



Mrs。　Merillia's　green　eyes　twinkled。



〃I！〃



〃Yes；　at　my　accident。