the prophet of berkeley square-第45节

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〃Mother's　peckish。　Mother；　I　see　an　ostrich　by　your　left　elbow。　That's

a　sign　that　you're　so　peckish　you　could　swallow　anything。　Waiter！〃



〃Sir！〃



〃This　lady's　so　peckish　she　could　eat　anything。　Bring　her　some　tin…

tacks　and　a　wafer。　Stop　a　sec。　Another　brandy　for　Briskin。　Your

calves'd　do　for　the　front　row；　'pon　my　word；　they　would。　Trot；　boy；

trot！〃



〃I　must　speak　to　you　alone　for　one　moment；〃　whispered　the　Prophet　to

Miss　Minerva；　under　cover　of　the　quips　of　Mr。　Moses。　〃Sir　Tiglath's

coming！〃



Miss　Minerva　started。



〃Sir　Tig〃　she　exclaimed　and　put　her　finger　to　her　lips　just　in　time

to　stop　the　〃lath〃　from　coming　out。　〃Mr。　Moses；　I'm　going　to　the　buffet

for　a　moment　with　Mr。　Vivian。　Eureka；　darling；　do　eat　something

substantial！　All　this　second　sight　takes　it　out　of　you。〃



Eureka　acquiesced　with　a　heavy　sigh；　Mr。　Moses　cried；　〃Aunt　Eureka's　so

hungry　that　one　would　declare　she　could　even　eat　oats　if　she　found　they

were　there！〃　and　Miss　Minerva　and　the　Prophet　moved　languidly　towards

the　buffet；　endeavouring；　by　the　indifference　of　their　movements；　to

cover　the　agitation　in　their　hearts。



〃Sir　Tiglath　coming　here！〃　cried　Miss　Minerva　under　her　breath；　as　soon

as　they　were　out　of　earshot。　〃But　he　doesn't　know　Mrs。　Bridgeman！〃



〃I　knowbut　he's　coming。　And　not　only　that；　Mr。　and　Madame　Sagittarius

are　here　already！〃



Miss　Minerva　looked　closely　at　the　Prophet　in　silence　for　a　moment。

Then　she　said；



〃I　seeI　see！〃



〃What？〃　cried　the　Prophet；　in　great　anxiety；　〃not　the　sparrow　on　my

head？〃



〃No。　But　I　see　that　you're　taking　to　your　double　life　in　real　earnest。〃



〃I？〃



〃Yes。　Now；　Mr。　Vivian；　that's　all　very　well；　and　you　know　I'm　the　last

person　to　complain　of　anything　of　that　sort；　so　long　as　it　doesn't　get

me　into　difficulties。〃



〃Think　of　the　difficulties　you　and　everyone　else　have　got　me　into；〃

ejaculated　the　poor　Prophet；　for　once　in　his　life　stepping；　perhaps；　a

hair's…breadth　from　the　paths　of　good　breeding。



〃Well；　I'm　sure　I've　done　nothing。〃



〃Nothing！〃　said　the　Prophet；　losing　his　head　under　the　influence　of　the

guitars；　which　were　now　getting　under　way　in　a　fantasia　on　〃Carmen。〃

〃Nothing！　Why；　you　made　me　come　here；　you　insisted　on　my　introducing

Mr。　Sagittarius　to　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　you　told　Sir　Tiglath　Mrs。　Bridgeman

and　I　were　old　friends　and　had　made　investigations　together；　assisted

by　Mr。　Sagittarius；　you〃



〃Oh；　well；　that's　nothing。　But　Sir　Tiglath　mustn't　see　me　here　as　Miss

Minerva。　Has　he　arrived　yet？〃



〃I　don't　think　so。　He's　got　the　cab　we　had　yesterday　and　the　horse。〃



〃The　one　that　tumbles　down　so　cleverly　when　it's　not　too　tired？

Capital！　Run　to　the　cloak…room；　meet　Sir　Tiglath　there；　and　persuade

him　to　go　home。〃



But　here　the　Prophet　struck。



〃I　regret　I　can't；〃　he　said；　almost　firmly。



〃But　you　must。〃



〃I　regret　sincerely　that　I　am　unable。〃



〃Why？　Mr。　Vivian；　when　a　lady　asks　you！〃



〃I　am　grieved；〃　said　the　Prophet；　with　a　species　of　intoxicated

obstinacythe　guitars　seemed　to　be　playing　inside　his　brain　and　the

flute　piping　in　the　small　of　his　back；〃to　decline；　but　I　cannot

contend　physically　with　Sir　Tiglath；　a　man　whom　I　reverence；　in　the

cloak…room　of　a　total　stranger。〃



〃I　don't　ask　you　to　contend　physically。〃



〃Nothing　but　personal　violence　would　keep　Sir　Tiglath　from　coming　in。〃



〃Really！　Then　what's　to　be　done？〃



She　pursed　up　her　sensible　lips　and　drew　down　her　sensible　eyebrows。



〃I　know！〃　she　cried；　after　a　moment's　thought。　〃I'll　masquerade

to…night　as　myself。〃



〃As　yourself？〃



〃Yes。　All　these　dear　silly　people　here　think　that　I've　got　an　astral

body。〃



〃What's　that？〃



〃A　sort　of　floating　businessa　business　that　you　can　set　floating。〃



〃Whata　company？〃



〃No；　no。　A　replica　of　yourself。　The　great　Towle〃



〃He's　here　to…night。〃



〃I　knew　he　was　coming。　Well；　the　great　Towle　detached　this　astral　body

once　at　a　s閍nce　and；　for　a　jokea　silly　joke；　you　know〃



〃Yes；　yes。〃



〃I　christened　it　by　my　real　name；　Lady　Enid　Thistle；　and　said　Lady　Enid

was　an　ancestress　of　mine。〃



〃Why　did　you？〃



〃Because　it　was　so　idiotic。〃



〃I　see。〃



〃Well；　I've　only　now　to　spread　a　report　among　these　dear　creatures　that

I'm　astral　to…night；　and　get　Towle　to　back　me　up；　and　I　can　easily　be

Lady　Enid　for　an　hour　or　two。　In　this　crowd　Sir　Tiglath　need　never　find

out　that　I'm　generally　known　in　these　circles　as　Miss　Partridge。〃



〃Do　you　really　think〃



〃Yes；　I　do。　But　I　must　find　Towle　at　once。〃



So　saying　she　hastened　away　from　the　buffet；　followed　by　the　trotting

Prophet。　As　she　passed　Eureka　and　Mr。　Moses；　she　said；



〃Eureka；　darling；　do　I　look　odd？　I　suddenly　began　to　feel　astral　just

as　I　was　going　to　eat　a　sandwich。　I　can't　help　thinking　that　Lady　Enid

you　know；　my　astral　ancestress；　who's　always　with　meis　peculiarly

powerful　to…night。　D'you　notice　anything？〃



〃Watch　out　for　it；　mother！〃　cried　Mr。　Moses。　〃See　if　it's　got　the

lump。〃



Eureka　fixed　her　heavy　eyes　on　Miss　Minerva　and　swayed　her　thin　body　to

and　fro　in　as　panther…like　a　manner　as　she　could　manage。



〃Mother's　after　it；〃　continued　Mr。　Moses；　twitching　his　left　ear　with

his　thumb　in　a　Hebraic　manner　and　shooting　his　shining　cuffs；　〃mother's

on　the　trail。　Doves　for　a　bishop　and　the　little　mangel…wurzel　for　the

labouring　man。　Clever　mother！　She'll　take　care　it's　suitable。　Is　it　a

haggis；　mother；　hovering　over　the　lady　with　outspread　wings？〃



Eureka　closed　her　eyes　and　rocked　herself　more　violently。



〃I　see　you；〃　she　said　in　a　deep　voice。　〃You　are　astral。　You　are　Lady

Enid　emerged　for　an　hour　from　our　dear　Minerva。〃



〃I　thought　so；〃　cried　Lady　Enid；　with　decision。　〃I　thought　so；　because

when　someone　called　me　Miss　Minerva　just　now　I　felt　angry；　and　didn't

seem　to　know　what　they　meant。　Tell　them；　dear　Eureka；tell　all　my

friends　of　your　discovery。〃



And　she　hastened　on　with　the　Prophet　in　search　of　the　great　Towle。



〃I'll　get　him　to　back　Eureka　up；　and　then　it　will　be　quite　safe；〃　she

said。　〃Ah！　there　he　is　with　Harriet　Browne；　the　demonstrator　from　the

Rye。〃



Indeed；　at　this　moment　a　small　crowd　was　visible　in　one　of　the　further

drawing…rooms；　moving　obsequiously　along　in　reverent　attendance　upon

the　great　Towle；　Mrs。　Bridgeman　and　a　thickset；　red…faced　lady；　without

a　waist　and　plainly　clad　in　untrimmed　linsey…wolsey；　who　was　speaking

authoritatively　to　a　hysterical…looking　young　girl；　upon　whose　narrow

shoulder　she　rested　a　heavy；　fat…fingered　hand　as　she　walked。



〃Harriet's　evidently　going　to　demonstrate；〃　added　Lady　Enid。　〃That's

lucky；　because　then　I　can　get　a　quiet　word　with　Towle。〃



〃Demonstrate？〃　said　the　Prophet。



〃Yes。　She's　the　great　Christian　Scientist　and　has　the　healing　power。

She　demonstrated　over　Agatha　Marshall's　left　ear。　You　know。　The　case

got　into　the　papers。　Ah；　Harriet；　darling！〃



〃My　blessing！　My　Minerva！〃　said　Harriet　in　a　thick　and　guttural　voice。



〃Lady　Enid；　Harriet　love；　to…night。　Eureka　says　I'm　astral。　Oh；　Mr。

Towle；　what　an　honour　to　meet　youwhat　an　honour　for　us　all！〃



The　great　Towle　ducked　and　scraped　in　cabman　fashion。



〃Oh；　will　you　materialise　for　us　to…night？〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　cried　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　trembling　with　excitement。　〃He's

promised　to　after　supper。　He　says　he　feels　less　material　thenmore　/en

rapport/　with　the　dear　spirits。〃



〃How　delightful！　Mr。　Towle；　tell　me；　do　you　agree　with　Eureka？　I　await

your　fiat。　Am　I　astral？〃



〃Ay；　miss；　as　like　as　not；〃　said　the　great　man；　twisting　his　lips　as　if

they　held　a　straw　between　them。　〃Astral；　that's　it。　That's　it　to　a　T。〃



〃Then　I'm　Lady　Enid　Thistle；　my　ancestress；　who's　always　with　me？〃



〃Ay；　ay！　Every　bit　of　her。　Her　ladyship　to　a　T。〃



The　company　was　much　impressed；　and　whispers　of　〃It's　Lady　Enid；　Eureka

and　Mr。　Towle　say　it's　her　ladyship　in　the　astral　plane！〃　flew　like

wildfire　through　the　rooms。



At　this　point　Harriet　Browne；　who　was　sufficiently　Christian　and

scientific　to　like　to　have　all　the　attention　of　the　company　centred

upon　her；　cleared　her　throat　loudly　and　exclaimed；



〃If　I　am　to　heal　this　poor　sufferer；　I　must　be　provided　with　an

armchair。〃



〃An　armchair　for　Mrs。　Browne！〃



〃Fetch　a　chair　for　Harriet！〃



〃Mrs。　Harriet　can't　demonstrate　without　a　chair！〃



〃What　is　she　going　to　do？〃　whispered　the　Prophet　to　Lady　Enid；　feeling

thoroughly　ashamed　of　his　ignorance。



〃Demonstrate。〃



〃Yes；　but　what's　that？〃



〃Put　her　hands　over　that　girl　and　think　about　her。〃



〃Is　that　all？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Does　she　do　it　out　of　kindness？〃



〃Of　course。　But　she's　paid　something；　not　because　she　wants　to　be　paid；

but　because　it's　the　rule。〃



〃Oh！〃



An　armchair　was　now　wheeled　forward；　and　Mrs。　Harriet　ensconced　herself

in　it　comfortably。



〃I'm　very　tired　to…night；〃　she　rem