the prophet of berkeley square-第46节

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in　it　comfortably。



〃I'm　very　tired　to…night；〃　she　remarked　in　her　thick　voice。　〃I've　had　a

hard　afternoon。〃



〃Poor　darling！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bridgeman。　〃Fetch　a　glass　of　champagne　for

Mrs。　Harriet　somebody。　Oh；　would　you；　Mr。　Brummich？〃



Mr。　Brummich；　a　gentleman　with　a　remarkably　foolish；　ascetic　face　and　a

feebly…wandering　sandy　beard；　was　just　about　to　hasten　religiously

towards　the　Moorish　nook　when　the　great　Towle　happened；　by　accident；　to

groan。　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　started　and　smiled。



〃Oh；　and　a　glass　of　champagne　for　Mr。　Towle；　too；　dear　Mr。　Brummich！〃



〃Certainly；　Mrs。　Bridgeman！〃　said　dear　Mr。　Brummich；　hurrying　off　with

the　demeanour　of　the　head　of　an　Embassy　entrusted　with　some　important

mission　to　a　foreign　Court。



〃Were　you　at　work　this　afternoon；　Harriet；　beloved？〃　inquired　Mrs。

Bridgeman　of　Mrs。　Browne；　who　was　leaning　back　in　the　armchair　with　her

eyes　closed　and　in　an　attitude　of　severe　prostration。



〃Yes。〃



〃Which　was　it；　lovebird？　Hysteric　Henry？〃



〃No；　he's　cured。〃



Cries　of　joy　resounded　from　those　gathered　about　the　chair。



〃Hysteric　Henry's　cured！〃



〃Henry's　better！〃



〃The　poor　man　with　the　ball　in　his　throat's　been　saved！〃



〃How　wonderful　you　are；　Harriet；　sweet！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bridgeman。　〃But；

then　which　was　it？〃



〃The　madwoman　at　Brussels。　I've　been　thinking　about　her　for　two　hours

this　afternoon；　with　only　a　cup　of　tea　between。〃



〃Poor　darling！　No　wonder　you're　done　up！　Ought　you　to　demonstrate？　Ah！

here's　the　champagne！〃



〃I　take　it　merely　as　medicine；〃　said　Mrs。　Harriet。



At　this　moment；　Mr。　Brummich；　flushed　with　assiduity；　burst　into　the

circle　with　a　goblet　of　beaded　wine　in　either　hand。　There　was　a　moment

of　solemn　silence　while　Mrs。　Harriet　and　the　great　Towle　condescended

to　the　Pommery。　It　was　broken　only　by　a　loud　gulp　from　the　hysterical…

looking　girl　who　was；　it　seemed；　nervously　affected　by　an　imitative

spasm；　and　who　suddenly　began　to　swallow　nothing　with　extreme

persistence　and　violence。



〃Look　at　that　poor　misguided　soul！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Harriet；　with　her

lips　to　the　Pommery。　〃She　fancies　she's　drinking！〃



The　poor；　misguided　soul；　yielded　again　to　her　distraught　imagination；

amid　the　pitiful　ejaculations　of　the　entire　company；　with　the　exception

of　one　mundane；　young　man　who；　suddenly　assailed　by　the　wild　fancy　that

he　wasn't　drinking；　crept　furtively　to　the　Moorish　rook；　and　was　no

more　seen。



〃Give　her　a　cushion！〃　continued　Mrs。　Harriet；　authoritatively。



〃Mr。　Brummich！〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman。



Mr。　Brummich　ran；　and　returned　with　a　cushion。



〃Sit　down；　poor　thing！　Sit　at　my　feet！〃　said　Mrs。　Harriet；　giving　the

hysterical…looking　girl　a　healing　push。



The　girl　subsided　in　a　piteous　heap；　and　Mrs。　Harriet；　who　had　by　this

time　taken　all　her　medicine；　leant　over　her　and　inquired；



〃Where　d'you　feel　it？〃



The　girl　put　her　hands　to　her　head。



〃Here；〃　she　said　feebly。　〃It's　like　fire　running　over　me　and　drums

beating。〃



〃Fire　and　drums！〃　announced　Mrs。　Harriet　to　the　staring　assembly。

〃That's　what　she's　got；　poor　soul！〃



Ejaculations　of　sympathy　and　horror　made　themselves　heard。



〃Drums！　How　shocking！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bridgeman。　〃Can　you　cure　even　drums；

Harriet；　my　own？〃



〃Give　me　ten　minutes；　Catherine！　I　ask　but　that！〃



And；　so　saying；　Mrs。　Harriet　planted　her　fat　hands　upon　the　head　of　the

young　patient；　closed　her　eyes　and　began　to　breathe　very　hard。



Silence　now　fell　upon　the　people；　who　said　not　a　word；　but　who　could

not　prevent　themselves　from　rustling　as　they　pressed　about　this

exhibition　of　a　latter…day　apostle。　The　Prophet　and　Lady　Enid　were

close　to　the　armchair；　and　the　Prophet；　who　had　never　before　been

present　at　any　such　ceremonyit　was　accompanied　by　the　twenty　guitars；

now　tearing　out　the　serenade；　〃From　the　bull…ring　I　come　to　thee！〃was

so　interested　that　he　completely　forgot　Mr。　and　Madame　Sagittarius；　and

lost　for　the　moment　all　memory　of　Sir　Tiglath。　The　silly　life　engrossed

him。　He　had　no　eyes　for　anyone　but　Mrs。　Harriet；　who；　as　she　leaned

forward　in　the　chair　with　closed　eyes；　looked　like　a　determined　middle…

aged　man　about　to　offer　up　the　thin　girl　on　the　footstool　as　a　burnt

sacrifice。



〃You're　better　now；　poor　thing；〃　said　Mrs。　Harriet；　after　five　minutes

has　elapsed。　〃You're　feeling　much　better？〃



〃Oh；　no；　I'm　not！〃　said　the　girl；　shaking　her　head　under　the　hands　of

the　demonstrator。　〃The　fire's　blazing　and　the　drums　are　beating　like

anything。〃



Mrs。　Harriet's　hue　deepened；　and　there　was　a　faint　murmur　of　vague

reproof　from　the　company。



〃H'sh！〃　said　the　demonstrator；　closing　her　hands　upon　the　patient's

head　with　some　acrimony。　〃H'sh！〃



And　she　began　to　breathe　hard　once　more。　Another　five　minutes　elapsed；

and　then　Mrs。　Harriet　exclaimed　with　decision；



〃There！　It's　gone　now；　all　gone！　I've　sent　it　right　away。　The　fire's

out　and　the　drums　have　stopped　beating！〃



Exclamations　of　wonder　and　joy　rose　up　from　the　spectators。　They　were；

however；　a　trifle　premature；　for　the　hysterical　girlwho　was；　it

seemed；　a　person　of　considerable　determination；　despite　her　feeble

appearancereplied　from　the　footstool；



〃No；　it　isn't。　No　they　haven't！〃



Mrs。　Harriet　developed　a　purple　shade。



〃Nonsense！〃　she　said。　〃You're　cured；　love；　entirely　cured！〃



〃I'm　not；〃　said　the　girl；　beginning　to　cry。　〃I　feel　much　worse　since

you　pressed　my　head。〃



There　was　a　burst　of　remonstrance　from　the　crowd；　and　Mrs。　Harriet；

speaking　with　the　air　of　an　angry　martyr；　remarked；



〃It's　just　like　the　drinkingshe　fancies　she　isn't　cured　when　she　is；

just　the　same　as　she　fancied　she　was　drinking　when　she　wasn't。〃



This　unanswerable　logic　naturally　carried　conviction　to　everyone

present；　and　the　hysterical　girl　was　warmly　advised　to　make　due

acknowledgement　of　the　benefits　received　by　her　at　the　healing　hands　of

Mrs。　Harriet；　while　the　latter　was　covered　with　compliments　and

assiduously　conducted　towards　the　buffet；　escorted　by　the　great　Towle。



〃Isn't　she　wonderful？〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　turning　ecstatically　to　the

person　nearest　to　her；　who　happened　to　be　the　saturnine　little

clergyman。　〃Isn't　she　marvellous；　Mr。erMr。　Segerteribus？〃



〃Biggle！〃　cried　the　little　clergyman。



〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃



〃Biggle！〃　vociferated　the　little　clergyman。　〃Biggle！〃



〃Certainly。　Did　you　ever　see　anything　like　that　cure？　Ah！　you　ought　to

preach　about　dear　Harriet；　Mr。　Segerteribus；　you　really〃



〃Biggle！〃　reiterated　the　little　clergyman；　excitedly。　〃Biggle！　Biggle！〃



〃What　does　he〃　began　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　turning　helplessly　towards　the

Prophet。



〃It's　his　name；　I　fancy；〃　whispered　the　Prophet。



Mrs。　Bridgeman　started　and　smiled。



〃Mr。　Biggle；〃　she　said。



The　little　clergyman　moved　on　towards　the　guitars　with　all　the　air　of　a

future　colonial　bishop。　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　who　seemed　to　be　somewhat

confused；　and　whose　manner　grew　increasingly　vague　as　the　evening　wore

on；　now　said　to　those　nearest　to　her；



〃There　are　fifteen　tables　set　outyes；　set　out；in　the　green

boudoir。〃



〃Bedad！〃　remarked　an　Irish　colonel；　〃then　it's　meself'll　enjoy　a　good

rubber。〃



〃For　table…turning；〃　added　Mrs。　Bridgeman。　〃Materialisation　in　the　same

room　after　supper。　Mr。　Towleyeswill　enter　the　cabinet　at　about

eleven。　Where's　Madame　Charlotte？〃



〃Looking　into　the　crystal　for　Lady　Ferrier；〃　said　someone。



〃Oh；　and　the　professor？〃



〃He's　reading　Archdeacon　Andrew's　nose；　by　the　cloak…room。



Mrs。　Bridgeman　sighed。



〃It　seems　to　be　going　off　quite　pleasantly；〃　she　said　vaguely　to　the

Prophet。　〃I　thinkperhapsmight　I　have　a　cup　of　tea？〃



The　Prophet　offered　his　arm。　Mrs。　Bridgeman　took　it。　They　walked

forward；　and　almost　instantly　came　upon　Sir　Tiglath　Butt；　who；　with　a

face　even　redder　than　usual；　was　rolling　away　from　the　hall　of　the

guitars；　holding　one　enormous　hand　to　his　ear　and　snorting　indignantly

at　the　various　clairvoyants；　card…readers；　spiritualists　and　palmists

whom　he　encountered　at　every　step　he　took。　The　Prophet　turned　pale；　and

Lady　Enid；　who　was　just　behind　him；　put　on　her　most　sensible　expression

and　moved　quickly　forward。



〃Ah；　Sir　Tiglath！〃　she　said。　〃How　delightful　of　you　to　come！　Catherine；

dear；　let　me　introduce　Sir　Tiglath　Butt　to　you。　Sir　Tiglath　ButtMrs。

Vane　Bridgeman。〃



Mrs。　Bridgeman　behaved　as　usual。



〃So　glad！〃　she　said。　〃So　enchanted！　Just　a　few　interesting　people。　So

good　of　you　to　come。　Table…turning　is〃



At　this　moment　Lady　Enid　nipped　her　friend's　arm；　and　Sir　Tiglath

exclaimed；　looking　from　Mrs。　Bridgeman　to　the　Prophet；



〃What；　madam？　So　you're　the　brain　and　eye；　eh？　Is　that　it？〃



The　guitars　engaged　in　〃The　Gipsies　of　Granada　are　wild　as　mountain

birds；〃　and　Mrs。　Bridgeman　looked　engagingly　distraught；　and　replied；



〃Ah；　yes；　indeed！　The　brain　and　I；　Sir　Tiglath；　so　good