the prophet of berkeley square-第47节

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



〃Ah；　yes；　indeed！　The　brain　and　I；　Sir　Tiglath；　so　good　of　you　to　say

so！〃



〃You　prompted　his　interest　in　the　holy　stars？〃　continued　Sir　Tiglath；

speaking　very　loud；　and　still　stopping　one　ear　with　his　hand。　〃You

drove　him　to　the　telescope；　you　told　him　to　clear　the　matter　up；　did

you？〃



〃What　matter？〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　trying　not　to　look　as　stupid　as　she

felt；　but　only　with　moderate　success。



〃Say　the　oxygen；　darling；〃　whispered　Lady　Enid　in　one　of　her　ears。



〃Say　the　oxygen！〃　hissed　the　Prophet　into　the　other。



〃The　occiput？〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　hearing　imperfectly。　〃Oh；　yes；　Sir

Tiglath；　I　told　him；I　told　Mr。　Biggleto　make　quite　sureyes；　as　to

the　occiput　matter。〃



The　saturnine　little　clergyman；　who　was　again　in　motion　near　by；　caught

his　name　and　stopped；　as　Sir　Tiglath；　roaring　against　〃The　Gipsies　of

Granada；〃　continued；



〃And　your　original　adviser　was　Mr。　Sagittarius；　was　he？〃



On　hearing　a　word　she　understood；　Mrs。　Bridgeman　brightened　up；　and；

perceiving　the　little　clergyman；　she　answered；



〃Mr。　Sagittariusah；　yes！　Sir　Tiglath　is　speaking　of　you；　Mr。

Sagittarius。〃



The　little　clergyman　turned　almost　black　in　the　face。



〃Biggle！〃　he　exclaimed；　in　a　voice　of　thunder。　〃Biggle！　Biggle！〃



And；　without　further　parley；　he　rushed　to　the　cloak…room；　seized

someone　else's　hat　and　coat；　and　fared　forth　into　the　night。　Lady　Enid；

who　had　meant　to　coach　Mrs。　Bridgeman　very　carefully　for　the　meeting

with　Sir　Tiglath；　but　whose　plans　were　completely　upset　by　the

astronomer's　premature　advent；　now　endeavoured　to　interpose。



〃By　the　way；〃　she　said；　in　a　very　calm　voice；　where　is　dear　Mr。

Sagittarius？　I　haven't　seen　him　yet。〃



〃I'm　afraid　he's　angry　with　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　alluding　to　the

little　clergyman。　〃I　really　can't　think　why。〃



〃Sir　Tiglath；〃　said　Lady　Enid；　boldly　taking　the　astronomer's　arm。

〃Come　with　me。　I　want　you　to　find　Mr。　Sagittarius　for　me。　Yes；　they　do

make　rather　a　noise！〃



This　was　in　allusion　to　the　guitars；　for　the　astronomer　had　now　placed

both　hands　over　his　ears　in　the　vain　endeavour　to　exclude　〃The

Gipsies。〃　Deafness；　perhaps；　rendered　him　yielding。　In　any　case；　he

permitted　Lady　Enid　to　detach　him　from　Mrs。　Bridgeman　and　to　lead　him

through　the　rooms　in　search　of　Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃Perhaps　he's　here；〃　said　Lady　Enid；　entering　a　darkened　chamber。　〃Oh；

no！〃



And　she　hastily　moved　away；　perceiving　a　large　number　of　devoted

adherents　of　table…tapping　busily　engaged；　with　outspread　fingers　and

solemn　faces；　at　their　intellectual　pursuit。　Avoiding　the　archdeacon；

who　was　now　having　his　nose　read　by　the　professor；　she　conducted　the

astronomer；　rendered　strangely　meek　by　the　guitars；　into　a　drawing…room

near　the　hall；　in　which　only　four　people　remainedVerano　and　Mrs。

Eliza　Doubleway；　who　were　conferring　in　one　corner；　and　Mr。　and　Madame

Sagittarius；　who　were　apparently　having　rather　more　than　a　few　words

together　in　another。



〃Ah！　there's　Mr。　Sagittarius！〃　said　Lady　Enid。



〃Minnie！〃　cried　Mrs。　Eliza；　beckoning　to　Lady　Enid。　〃Minnie；　ducky！〃



Lady　Enid　pretended　not　to　hear　and　tried　to　hasten　with　the　astronomer

towards　the　Sagittariuses。　But　Mrs。　Eliza　was　not　to　be　put　off。



〃Minnie；　my　pet！〃　she　piped。　〃Come　here；　Minnie！〃



Lady　Enid　was　obliged　to　pause。



〃What　is　it；　dear　Eliza？〃　she　asked；　at　the　same　time　making　a　face　at

the　soothsayer　to　indicate　caution。



Mrs。　Eliza　and　Verano　rose　and　approached　Lady　Enid　and　the　astronomer。



〃I　was　laying　the　cards　last　night　at　Jane　Seaman'syou　know；　dear；

the　Angel　Gabriel　who　lives　on　the　Hackney　Downsand　whatever　do　you

think？　The　hace　of　spades　came　up　three　times　in　conjugation　with　the

Knave　of　'earts！〃



〃Terrific！　Very　great！〃　buzzed　Verano；　with　a　strong　South　American

Irish　broguea　real　broth　of　a　brogue。



〃Wonderful！〃　said　Lady　Enid；　hastily；　endeavouring　to　pass　on。



〃Wait　a　minute；　darling。　Well；　I　says　to　JaneI　was　laying　the　cards

for　her　'usband；　dearI　says　to　Jane；　I　says；　without　doubt　Hisaac　is

about　to　pass　over；　I　says；　seeing　the　red　boy's　come　up　in　conjugation

with　the　hace。　'Lord！　Mrs。　Eliza！　Lay　them　out　again；'　she　says；　'for；'

she　says；　'if　Hike　is　going　to　pass　over；'　she　says〃



〃Extraordinary；　dear　Mrs。　Eliza！　You're　a　genius！〃　cried　Lady　Enid　in

despair。



〃Tremendous！　Very　big！〃　buzzed　Verano；　staring　at　Sir　Tiglath。　〃You　got

a　very　spatulate　hand　there；　sir！　Allow　me！〃



And　to　Lady　Enid's　horror　he　seized　the　astronomer's　hand　with　both　his

own。



〃How　dare　you　tamper　with　the　old　astronomer；　sir？〃　roared　Sir　Tiglath。

〃Am　I　in　a　madhouse？　Who　are　all　these　crazy　Janes！　Drop　my　hand；　sir！〃



Verano　obeyed　rather　hastily；　and　Lady　Enid　convoyed　the　spluttering

astronomer　towards　the　corner　which　contained　Mr。　and　Madame

Sagittarius。



Now　these　worthies　were　in　a　mental　condition　of　a　most　complicated

kind。　The　reception　at　Zoological　House　had　upset　in　an　hour　the

theories　and　beliefs　of　a　lifetime。　Hitherto　Madame　had　always　been

filled　with　shame　at　the　thought　that　she　was　not　the　wife　of　an

architect　but　of　a　prophet；　and　Mr。　Sagittarius　had　endeavoured　to

assume　the　mein　and　costume　of　an　outside　broker；　and　had　dreamed

dreams　of　retiring　eventually　from　a　hated　and　despised　profession。　But

now　they　found　themselves　in　a　magnificent　mansion　in　which　the　second…

rate　members　of　their　own　tribe　were　worshipped　and　adored；　smothered

with　attentions；　plied　with　Pommery　and　looked　upon　as　gods；　while

they；　in　their　incognito；　were　neglected；　and　paid　no　more　heed　to　than

if　they　had　been；　in　reality；　mere　architects　and　outside　brokers；

totally　unconnected　with　that　mysterious　occult　world　which　is　the

fashion　of　the　moment。



This　position　of　affairs　had；　not　unnaturally；　thrown　then　into　a

condition　of　the　gravest　excitement。　Madame；　more　especially；　had

reached　boiling　point。　Feeling　herself；　for　the　first　time；　an　Imperial

creature　in　exile；　who　had　only　to　declare　herself　to　receive　instant

homage　and　to　be　overwhelmed　with　the　most　flattering　attentions；　her

lust　of　glory　developed　with　alarming　rapidity；　and　she　urged　her

husband　to　cast　the　traditions　that　had　hitherto　guided　him　to　the

winds　and　to　declare　forthwith　his　identity　with　Malkiel　the　Second；

the　business…like　and　as　it　were　official　head　of　the　whole　prophetic

tribe。



Mr。　Sagittarius；　for　his　part；　was　also　fired　with　the　longing　for

instant　glory；　but　he　was　by　nature　an　extremely　timidor　shall　we　say

rather；　an　extremely　prudentman。　He　remembered　the　repeated

injunctions　of　his　great　forebear　who　had　lived　and　died　in　the　Susan

Road　beside　the　gasworks。　More；　he　remembered　Sir　Tiglath　Butt。　He　was

torn　between　ambition　and　terror。



〃Declare　yourself；　Jupiter！〃　cried　Madame。　〃Declare　yourself　this

moment！〃



〃My　love！〃　replied　Mr。　Sagittarius。　〃My　angel；　we　must　reflect。〃



〃I　have　reflected；〃　retorted　Madame。



〃There　are　difficulties；　my　dear；　many　difficulties　in　the　way。〃



〃And　what　if　there　are？　/Per　augustum　ad　augustibus/。　Every　fool　knows

that。〃



〃My　dear；　you　are　a　little　hard　upon　me。〃



〃And　what　have　you　been　upon　me；　I　should　like　to　know？　What　about

those　goings…on　with　the　woman　Bridgeman？　What　about　your

investigations　with　that　hussy　Minerva？　You've　been　her　owl；　that's

what　you've　been！〃



She　began　to　show　grave　symptoms　of　hysteria。　Mr。　Sagittarius　patted

her　hands　in　great　anxiety。



〃My　love；　I　have　told　you；　I　have　sworn〃



〃And　what　man　doesn't　swear　whenever　he　gets　the　chance？〃　cried　Madame。

〃Why　did　I　ever　marry？　/Heu　miserum　me/。〃



〃My　angel；　be　calm。　I　assure　you〃



〃Very　well　then；　declare　yourself；　Jupiter；　this　minute；　or　I'll

declare　yourself　for　you！〃



〃But；　my　love；　think　of　Sir　Tiglath！　I　dare　not　declare　myself。　He　will

be　here　at　any　moment；　and　he　has　sworn　to　kill　me；　if　I'm　not　an

American　syndicate！〃



〃Rubbish！〃



〃But；　my〃



〃Rubbish！　That's　only　what　Mr。　Vivian　says。〃



〃Well；　but〃



〃Besides；　you　can　put　on　your　/toga　virilibus/　and　knock　him　down。　It's

no　use　talking　to　me；　Jupiter。〃



〃I　know　it　isn't；　my　darling；　I　know。　But〃



〃If　you　don't　declare　yourself　I　shall　declare　yourself　for　you　this

very　moment。　I　will　not　endure　to　be　left　in　the　corner　while　all　these

nobodies　are　being　truckled　to。　Bernard　Wilkins；　indeed！　A　prophet　we

wouldn't　so　much　as　recognise　to　be　a　prophet；　and　that　there　Mrs。

Elizapeople　from　the　Wick　going　down　to　supper　in　front　of　us；　and　a

man　from　the　Butts　put　before　you！　It's　right　down　disgusting；　and　I

won't　have　it。〃



It　was　exactly　at　this　point　in　the　matrimonial　conference　that　Lady

Enid　and　Sir　Tiglath　Butt；　shaking　themselves　free　of　Mrs。　Eliza　and

Verano；　bore　down　upon　Mr。　and　Madame　Sagittarius；　who　wer