the prophet of berkeley square-第49节

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for　the　docks　at　dawn　to　find　a　ship　in　whose　hold　he　could　seek

seclusion；　till　the　great　seas　roared　round　her；　and　he　could　declare

himself　to　the　captain　and　crew　without　fear　of　being　put　ashore。　Why

not　rest　here　in　number　one　thousand？　True；　the　Prophet　would　presently

be　returning　possibly　with　Madame；　but　he　would　bribe　Mr。　Ferdinand　not

to　mention　his　whereabouts。　It　was　no　doubt　a　very　rash　proceeding；　but

he　was　utterly　exhausted；　he　felt　that　he　could　go　no　further；　he　found

himself　before　an　almost　friendly　door。　What　wonder　then　if　he　tottered

up　the　steps　and　tapped　feebly　upon　it？　There　was　no　answer。　He　tapped

again　more　loudly。　This　time　his　summons　was　heard。　Steps　approached。

There　was　a　moment's　pause。　Then　the　door　opened；　and　Gustavus　appeared

looking　rather　sleepy；　but　still　decidedly　intellectual。　Malkiel　the

Second　pulled　himself　together　and　faced　the　footman　boldly。



〃You　know　me？〃　he　said。



Gustavus　examined　him　closely。



〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　replied　at　length。　〃By　the　clothes。　I　should　know　Mr。

Ferdinand's　trouserings　among　a　thousand。〃



Malkiel　the　Second　realised　that　emotion　probably　rendered　his　face

unrecognisable。　But　at　least　his　legs　spoke　for　him。　That　was

something；　and　he　continued；　with　an　attempt　at　ease　and　boldness；



〃Right！　I　have　returned　to　change　them。〃



〃Yes；　sir。　Mr。　Ferdinand　has　retired　to　bed；　sir。〃



〃Don't　wake　him。　I　can　just　leave　them　for　him。〃



〃Very　well；　sir。〃



And　Gustavus　admitted　Malkiel　to　the　dimly…lit　hall　and　shut　the　door

softly。



〃What　is　your　name；　young　man？〃　said　Malkiel；　whispering。



〃Gustavus；　sir。〃



〃Ah！　Gustavus；　would　you　like　to　earn　a　hundred　pounds　to…night？〃



Gustavus　started。



〃I　don't　say　as　how　I'd　rather　not；　sir；〃　he　replied。　〃I　don't　go　so

far　as　to　say　that。〃



〃Right！　Do　as　I　tell　you　and　you　will　earn　a　hundred　pounds。〃



The　footman's　eyes　began　to　glow；　almost　like　a　cat's　in　the　twilight。



〃Why；　I　could　buy　the　library　near　twelve　times　over；〃　he　murmured。



〃The　library？〃　said　Malkiel；　whose　brain　had　suddenly　become　strangely

clear。



〃Ah；　sirDr。　Carter's；〃　returned　Gustavus；　beginning　to　tremble。



〃Dr。　Carter's！〃　whispered　Malkiel；　excitedly。　〃I　should　think　so。　Eight

guineas　and　a　half；　and　you　pay　in　instalments。〃



〃I'll　do　it；　sir；〃　hissed　Gustavus；　utterly　carried　away　by　the

prospect。　〃What　d'you　want　me　to　do？〃



〃First　to　let　me　change　my　clothes　quickly；　then　to　hide　me　somewhere

so　as　I　can　get　a　sleep　till　dawn。　Call　me　directly　it　begins　to　get

light　and　I　shall　be　off　to　the　docks。〃



〃The　docks；　sir？〃



〃Ay。　I　start　forfor　Java　to…morrow。〃



〃Java；　sirwhat；　where　the　sparrows　and　the　jelly〃



〃Ay；　ay；〃　returned　Malkiel；　secretly　rehearsing　his　new　nautical　role。



〃I'll　do　it　sir。　And　the　hundred？〃



〃I'll　write　you　an　order　on　my　banker's。　You　can　trust　me。　Now　let　me

change　my　clothes。　Quick！〃



〃They're　in　Mr。　Vivian's　bedroom；　ain't　they？〃



Malkiel　nodded。



〃You　must　go　very　soft；　sir；　because　of　the　old　lady。　She's　abed；　but

she　might　be　wakeful；　specially　to…night。　She's　been　awful　upset。　My

word；　she　has！〃



〃I'll　go　as　soft　as　a　mouse；〃　whispered　Malkiel。　〃Show　me　the　way。〃



Gustavus　advanced　on　tiptoe　towards　the　staircase；　followed　by　Malkiel；

who　held　Mr。　Ferdinand's　clothes　together　lest　they　should　rustle；　and

proceeded　with　the　most　infinite　precaution。　In　this　manner　they　gained

the　second　floor　and　neared　the　bedroom　door　of　Mrs。　Merillia。　Here

Gustavus　turned　round；　pointed　to　the　door；　and　put　his　finger　to　his

pouting　lips；　at　the　same　time　rounding　his　hazel　eyes　and　shaking　his

powdered　head　in　a　most　warning　manner。　Malkiel　nodded；　held　Mr。

Ferdinand's　clothes　tighter；　and　stole　on；　as　he　thought；　without

making　a　sound。　What　was　his　horror；　then；　just　as　he　was　passing　Mrs。

Merillia's　door；　to　hear　a　voice　cry；



〃Hennessey！　Hennessey！〃



Gustavus　and　Malkiel　stopped　dead；　as　if　they　had　both　been　shot。　They

now　perceived　that　the　door　was　partially　open；　and　that　a　faint　light

shone　within　the　room。



〃Hennessey！〃　cried　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Merillia　again。　〃Come　in　here。　I

must　speak　to　you。〃



Gustavus　darted　on　into　the　darkness　of　the　Prophet's　room；　but　Malkiel

the　Second　was　so　alarmed　that　he　stayed　where　he　was；　finding　himself

totally　incapable　of　movement。



〃Hennessey！〃　repeated　the　voice。



Then　there　was　a　faint　rustling；　the　door　was　opened　more　widely；　and

Mrs。　Merillia　appeared　in　the　aperture；　clad　in　a　most　charming　night

bonnet；　and　robed　in　a　dressing…gown　of　white　watered　silk。



〃The　ratcatcher！〃　she　cried。　〃The　ratcatcher！〃



Malkiel　turned　and　darted　down　the　stairs；　while　Mrs。　Merillia；　in　the

extreme　of　terror；　shut　her　door；　locked　it　as　many　times　as　she　could；

and　then　hastened　trembling　to　the　bell　which　communicated　with　the

faithful　Mrs。　Fancy；　rang　it；　and　dropped　half　fainting　into　a　chair。

Mrs。　Fancy　woke　from　her　second　dream　just　as　Malkiel；　closely　followed

by　the　now　shattered　Gustavus；　reached　the　hall。



〃Hide　me！　Hide　me！〃　whispered　Malkiel。　〃In　here！〃



And　he　darted　into　the　servants'　quarters；　leaving　Gustavus　on　the　mat。

Mrs。　Merillia's　other　bell　now　pealed　shrilly　downstairs。　Gustavus

paused　and　pulled　himself　together。　He　was　by　nature　a　fairly　intrepid

youth；　and　moreover；　he　had　recently　made　a　close　study　of　Carlyle's

/Heroes　and　Hero…worship/；　which　greatly　impressed　him。　He　therefore

resolved　in　this　moment　of　peril　to　acquit　himself　in　similar

circumstances；　and　he　remounted　the　stairs　and　reached　Mrs。　Merillia's

door　just　as　Mrs。　Fancy；　wrapped　in　a　woollen　shawl　and　wearing　a　pair

of　knitted　night…socks；　descended　to　the　landing；　candle　in　hand。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Gustavus！〃　said　Mrs。　Fancy。　〃Is　it　the　robbers　again？　Is　it

murder；　Mr。　Gustavus？　Is　it　fire？〃



〃I　don't　know；　Mrs。　Fancy；　I'll　ask　the　mistress。〃



He　tapped　upon　the　door。



〃You　can't　come　in！〃　cried　poor　Mrs。　Merillia；　who　was　losing　her　head

perhaps　for　the　first　time　in　her　life。　〃You　can't　come　in；　and　if　you

do　I　shall　give　you　in　charge　to　the　police。〃



And　she　rang　both　her　bells　again。



〃Ma'am！〃　said　Gustavus；　knocking　once　more。　〃Ma'am！〃



〃It's　no　use　your　knocking；〃　returned　Mrs。　Merillia。　〃The　door　is

bolted。　Go　away；　go　away！〃



And　again　she　rang　her　two　bells。



〃Madam！〃　piped　Mrs。　Fancy。　〃Madam！　It's　me！〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia。　〃I　know　it's　you！　I　saw　you！　Leave　the

house　unless　you　wish　to　be　at　once　put　in　prison。



Her　bells　pealed。　Mrs。　Fancy　began　to　sob。



〃Me　to　leave　the　house！〃　she　wailed。　〃Me　to　go　to　prison！〃



〃Bear　up；　Mrs。　Fancy；　she　doesn't　know　who　it　is！〃　said　Gustavus。

〃Ma'am！　Ma'am！　Missis！　Missis！〃



〃I　am　ringing；〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia；　in　a　muffled　manner　through　the

door。　〃I　am　summoning　assistance！　You　will　be　captured　if　you　don't　go

away。〃



And　again　she　pealed　her　bells。　This　time；　as　she　did　so；　the　tingling

of　a　third　bell　became　audible　in　the　silent　house。



〃Lord！〃　cried　Gustavus；　〃if　there　isn't　the　hall　door。　It　must　be

master。　He　left　his　key　to…night。　Here's　a　nice　go！〃



The　three　bells　raised　their　piercing　chorus。　Mrs。　Fancy　sobbed；　and

Gustavus；　after　a　terrible　moment　of　hesitation；　bounded　down　the　hall。

His　instinct　had　not　played　him　false。　The　person　who　had　rung　the　bell

was　indeed　the　Prophet；　who　had　basely　slunk　away　from　Zoological

House；　leaving　Madame　surrounded　by　her　new　and　adoring　friends。



〃Thank　you；　Gustavus；〃　he　said；　entering。　〃Take　my　coat；　please。　What's

that？〃



For　Mrs。　Merillia's　bells　struck　shrilly　upon　his　astonished　ears。



〃I　think　it's　Mrs。　Merillia；　sir。　She　keeps　on　ringing。〃



〃Mrs。　Merillia。　At　this　hour！　Heavens！　Is　she　ill？〃



〃I　don't　know；　sir。　She　keeps　ringing；　but　when　I　answer　it　she　says；

'Go　away！'　she　says。　'Go'　she　says；　sir。〃



〃How　very　strange！〃



And　the　Prophet　bounded　upstairs　and　arrived　at　his　grandmother's　door

just　in　time　to　hear　her　cry　out；　in　reply　to　poor　Mrs。　Fancy's

distracted　knocking；



〃If　you　try　to　break　in　you　will　be　put　in　prison　at　once。　I　hear

assistance　coming。　I　hear　the　police。　Go　away；　you　wicked；　wicked　man！〃



〃Grannie！〃　cried　the　Prophet　through　the　keyhole。　〃Grannie；　let　me　in！

Grannie！　Grannie！　Don't　ring！　Grannie！　Grannie！〃



But　Mrs。　Merillia　was　now　completely　out　of　herself；　and　her　only

response　to　her　grandson's　appeal　was　to　place　her　trembling　fingers

upon　the　two　bells；　and　to　reply；　through　their　uproar；



〃It　is　useless　for　you　to　say　that。　I　know　who　you　are。　I　saw　you。　I

shall　go　on　ringing　as　long　as　I　can　stand。　I　shall　die　ringing；　but　I

shall　never　let　you　in。　Go　away！　Go　away！〃



〃What　does　she　mean？〃　cried　the　Prophet；　turning　to　Gustavus。



〃I　don't　know　indeed；　sir；〃　replied　the　footman；　thinking　of　Mr。

Carter's　library。　〃I