the prophet of berkeley square-第37节

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considerably　like　Joan　of　Arc　and　other　well…known　heroines。　〃My　duty

lies　plain　before　me。　Of　myself　I　should　not　have　selected　the

Zoological　Gardens　and　the　butler's　pantry　of　a　comparative　stranger　as

places　in　which　to　pass　the　night；　even　when　accompanied　by　my　husband。

But　my　conscience/mens　conscium　recto/guides　me　and　I　will　not

resist　it。　I　will　assume　my　/neglige/　and　bonnet　and　will　be　with　you

in　a　moment。〃



So　saying　she　majestically　quitted　the　apartment。



The　Prophet　fell　down　upon　the　maroon　sofa　like　a　man　smitten　with

paralysis。　He　felt　suddenly　old；　and　very　weak。　He　tried　to　think；　to

consider　how　he　could　explain　Madame　Sagittarius　to　his　grandmother

for　she　must　surely　now　become　aware　of　the　presence　of　strangers　in

her　pretty　homehow　he　could　arrange　matters　with　Mr。　Ferdinand；　how

he　could　apologise　to　a　lady　whom　he　had　never　yet　seen　for　appearing

at　her　house　with　two　uninvited　guests；　how　he　could　get　rid　of　the

Sagittariuses　when　the　horrible　night　watch　should　be　at　an　end　and　the

frigid　winter　dawn　be　near。　But　his　mind　refused　to　work。　His　brain　was

a　blank；　containing　nothing　except；　perhaps；　a　vague　desire　for　sudden

death。　Mr。　Sagittarius　did　not　disturb　his　contemplation　of　the

inevitable。　Indeed；　that　gentleman　also　seemed　meditative；　and　the

silence　lasted　until　the　reappearance　of　Madame；　in　a　brown　robeof　a

slightly　tea…gown　typetrimmed　with　green　chiffon　and　coffee…coloured

lace；　a　black　bonnet　adorned　with　about　a　score　of　imitation　plums　made

in　some　highly…glazed　material；　a　heavy　cloak　lined　with　priceless

rabbit…skins；　and　the　outdoor　boots。



If　the　Prophet　had　found　the　journey　to　the　Mouse　a　painful　experience；

what　can　be　said　of　his　feelings　during　the　journey　from　that　noble

stream？　Long　afterwards　he　recalled　his　state　of　mind　during　the　tramp

across　the　Common　among　the　broken　crockery；　the　dust…heaps；　the

decaying　vegetables　and　the　occasional　lurking　rats；　the　journey　in　the

train；　the　reembarkment　upon　the　purple　'bus　from　the　gentle　eminence

sloping　towards　the　coal…yard；　the　long　pilgrimage　towards　the　central

districts　with　his　very　outlying　companions。　He　recalled　the　peculiar

numbness　that　strove　against　the　desperation　of　his　thoughts；　his

feeble　efforts　to　lay　plans　frustrated　by　a　perpetual　buzzing　in　his

brain；　his　flitting　visions　of　that　gentle　grandmother　round　whose

venerable　age　and　dignity　he　was　about　to　group　such　peculiar

personalities；　and　beneath　whose　roof　he　was　about　to　indulge　in　such

unholy　prophetic　practices。　Long　afterwardsbut　even　then　he　could　not

smile　as　men　so　often　smile　when　they　look　back　on　lost　despairs！



He　and　his　companions　spoke　but　little　together　as　they　journeyed。

Occasionally　Madame　and　Mr。　Sagittarius　conversed　in　husky　whispers；

like　brigands　the　Prophet　thought；　and　the　veiled　click　of　Madame's

contralto　struck　through　the　startled　air。　But　mostly　a　silence

prevaileda　silence　alive　with　fate。



At　the　corner　of　Air　Street　they　got　out　and　began　to　walk　down

Piccadilly　towards　the　Berkeley　square。　It　was　now　evening。　The　lamps

were　lighted　and　the　murmur　of　strolling　crowds　filled　the　gloomy　air。

Madame　stared　feverishly　about　her；　excited　by　the　press；　the　flashing

hansoms　and　the　gaily…illuminated　shops。　Once；　as　she　passed　Benoist's；

she　murmured　〃/O　festum　dies/！〃　and　again；　by　the　Berkeley；　when　she

was　momentarily　jostled　by　a　very　large　and　umbrageous　tramp　who　had

apparently　been　celebrating　the　joys　of　beggary〃/Acto　profanus

vulgam/！〃　But　generally　she　was　silent；　enwrapped；　no　doubt；　in　bookish

thought。　When；　at　length；　they　stood　before　the　door　of　number　one

thousand　she　breathed　a　heavy　sigh。



〃Please；〃　said　the　Prophet；　in　a　trembling　voice；　〃please　enter

quietly。　My　grandmother　is　very　unwell。〃



〃Ankles　seems　to　be　a　very　painful　complaint；　sir；〃　said　Mr。

Sagittarius。　〃But　Madame　and　self　are　not　in　the　habit　of　creating

uproar　by　our　movements。〃



〃No；　no。　Of　course　not。　Stillon　tiptoe　if　you　don't　mind。〃



〃I　cannot　walk　on　tiptoe；〃　said　Madame；　in　a　voice　that　sounded　to　the

Prophet　terrifically　powerful。　〃The　attitude　is　precarious　and

undignified。　As　the　great　Juvenile〃



〃Yes；　yes。　Ah！　that's　it！〃



He　managed　to　get　his　key　into　the　door　and　very　gingerly　opened　it。

Madame　and　Mr。　Sagittarius　stepped　into　the　hall；　followed　closely　by

the　Prophet；　who　was　content　on　conveying　them　unobserved　to　the

library。



〃This　way；〃　he　whispered。　〃This　way。　Softly！　Softly！〃



He　began　to　steal；　like　a　shadow；　across　the　hall；　and；　impressed　by

his　surreptitious　manner；　his　old　and　valued　friends　instinctively

followed　his　example。　All　three　of　them；　then；　with　long　steps　and

theatrical　pauses；　were　stagily　upon　the　move；　when　suddenly　the　door

that　led　to　the　servants'　quarters　swung　open　and　Mrs。　Fancy　Quinglet

debouched　into　their　midst；　succeeded　by　Mr。　Ferdinand；　who　carried　in

his　hand　a　menu　card　in　a　silver　holder。　At　the　moment　of　their

appearance　the　Prophet；　holding　his　finger　to　his　lips；　was　taking　a

soft　and　secret　stride　in　the　direction　of　the　library　door；　his　body

bent　forward　and　his　head　protruded　towards　the　sanctum　he　longed　to

gain；　and　Madame　and　Mr。　Sagittarius；　true　to　the　instinct　of　imitation

that　dwells　in　our　monkey　race；　were　in　precisely　similar　attitudes

behind　him。　The　hall　being　rather　dark；　and　the　gait　of　the　trio　it

contained　thus　tragically　surreptitious；　it　was　perhaps　not　unnatural

that　Mrs。　Fancy　should　give　vent　to　a　piercing　cry　of　terror；　and　that

Mr。　Ferdinand　should　drop　the　menu　and　crouch　back　against　the　wall　in

a　hunched　position　expressive　of　alarm。　At　any　rate；　such　were　their

actions；　whilefor　their　partthe　Prophet　and　his　two　old　and　valued

friends　uttered　a　united　exclamation　and　struck　three　attitudes　that

were　pregnant　with　defensive　amazement。



Having　uttered　herself；　Mrs。　Fancy；　according　to　her　invariable　custom

when　completely　terrified；　displayed　all　the　semblance　of　clear…sighted

composure　and　explanatory　discrimination。　While　Mr。　Ferdinand　remained

by　the　wall；　with　his　face　to　it　and　his　large　white　hands　spread　out

upon　his　shut　eyes；　the　lady's　maid　advanced　upon　Madame；　and；

addressing　herself　apparently　to　some　hidden　universe　in　need　of

information；　remarked　in　rather　a　piecing　voice；



〃I　say　again；　as　I　said　afore；　the　house　has　been　broke　into　and　the

robbers　are　upon　us。　I　can't　speak　different　nor　mean　other。〃



On　hearing　these　words　Madame's　large　and　rippling　countenance　became

suffused　with　indignant　scarlet；　and　a　preliminary　click　rang　through

the　hall。　The　Prophet　bounded　forward。



〃Hush；　Fancy；〃　he　cried。　〃What　are　you　saying？〃



〃What　I　mean；　Master　Hennessey。　The　house　has　been　broke〃



〃Hush！　Hush！　This　lady　and　gentleman　are〃



〃Two　old　and　valued　friends〃　boomed　Madame。



〃Two　old　and　valued　friends　of　mine。　Mr。　Ferdinand！　Mr。　Ferdinand；　take

your　face　from　the　wall；　if　you　please。　There　is　no　cause　for　alarm。

Now；　Fancynow！〃



For　Mrs。　Fancy　had；　as　usual；　broken　into　tears　on　learning　the

reassuring　truth；　and　was　now　displaying　every　symptom　of　distress　and

enervation。　The　Prophet；　unable　to　calm　her；　was　obliged　to　assist　her

upstairs　and　place　her　upon　the　landing；　where　he　hurriedly　left　her

uttering　broken　moans　and　murmurs；　and　repeating　again　and　again　her

statement　of　affairs　and　assertion　of　inability　to　conceal　the　revealed

obvious。　On　his　return　he　found　Madame；　Mr。　Sagittarius　and　Mr。

Ferdinand　grouped　statuesquely　in　the　hall　as　if　to　represent

〃Perturbation。〃



〃Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　he　said　rather　severely；　〃I　did　not　expect　this

conduct　of　you；　shrinking　from　guests　in　this　extraordinary　manner。　A

butler　who　shows　terror　at　the　sight　of　visitors　does　not　conduce　to

the　popularity　of　his　employers。〃



〃I　beg　pardon；　sir。　I　was　not　prepared。〃



〃Please　be　prepared　another　time。　You　will　serve　dinner　for　three

to…night；　very　quietly；　in　the　inner　dining…room。　I　do　not　wish　Mrs。

Merillia　to　be　disturbed　in　her　illness；　and〃



〃If　you　please；　sir；　Mrs。　Merillia　feels　herself　so　much　better　that

she　is　coming　down　to　dinner　to…night。〃



〃Coming　down　to　dinner！〃　said　the　Prophet；　aghast。



〃Yes；　sir。　And　she　has　asked　in　Sir　Tiglath　Butt　and　the　Lady　Julia

Postlethwaite　to　join　her。　I　was　about　to　show　Mrs。　Merillia　the　menu；

sir；　when〃



〃Good　Heavens！　Merciful　Powers！〃　ejaculated　the　Prophet。



〃Sir？〃



〃What　on　earth　is　to　be　done？〃　continued　the　Prophet；　lost　for　the

moment　to　all　sense　of　propriety。



Mr。　Ferdinand　looked　at　the　old　and　valued　friends。



〃I　can't　say；　sir；　I'm　sure；〃　he　replied；　pursing　up　his　lips。



〃What　is　the　meaning〃　began　Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃I'm　not　aware　that〃　started　Madame。



The　Prophet　darted　to　the　library　door　and　opened　it。



〃Pray；　pray　come　in　here；〃　he　hissed。　〃My　grandmother！　Softly！〃



〃