the prophet of berkeley square-第5节
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and out。
〃Have you ever thoughthas it ever occurred to you〃
〃I can't say it has； sir；〃 Fancy replied； with the weak decision
peculiar to her。
She was ever prone thus to answer questions before they were fully
asked； or could be properly understood by her； and from such premature
decisions as she hastened to give she could never afterwards be
persuaded to retreat。 Knowing this the Prophet said rapidly；
〃Fancy； if a man finds out that he is a prophet what ought he to do？〃
The lady's…maid rattled her bones。
〃Let it alone； sir；〃 she answered。 〃Let it alone； Master Hennessey。〃
〃Well； but what d'you mean by that？〃
〃What I say sir。 I can't speak different； nor mean other。〃
〃But can't you explain； Fancy？〃
〃Oh； Master Hennessey； the lives that have been wrecked； the homes that
have been broke up by explainings！〃
Her eye seemed suddenly lit from within by some fever of sad； worldly
knowledge。
〃Well； but〃 the Prophet began。
〃I know it； Master Hennessey； and I can't know other。〃
She sighed； and her gaze became fixed like that of a typhoid patient in
a dream。
〃Them that knows other let them declare it；〃 she ejaculated。 〃I say
again； as I did aforethe homes that have been broken up by
explainings！〃
She tatted。 The Prophet bowed before her decision and left the
apartment feeling rather hungry。 Fancy Quinglet's crumbs were not
always crumbs of comfort。 He resolved to apply again to Mr。 Malkiel；
and this time to make the application in person。 But before he did so
he thought it right to tell Mrs。 Merillia； who was still steeped in
bandages； of his intention。 He therefore went straight to her room from
Fancy Quinglet's。 Mrs。 Merillia was lying upon a couch reading a
Russian novel。 A cup of tea stood beside her upon a table near a bowl
of red and yellow tulips； a canary was singing in its cage amid a
shower of bird…seed； and 〃the dog〃 lay stretched before the blazing
fire upon a milk…white rug； over which a pale ray of winter sunshine
fell。 As the Prophet came in Mrs。 Merillia glanced up。
〃Hennessey；〃 she said； 〃you are growin' to look like Lord Brandling；
when he combined the Premiership with the Foreign Office and we had
that dreadful complication with Iceland。 My dear boy； you are
corrugated with thought and care。 What is the matter？ My ankle is much
better。 You need not be anxious about me。 Has Venus been playing you
another jade's trick？〃
The Prophet sat down and stroked Beau's sable back with his forefinger。
〃I have scarcely looked at Venus since you were injured； grannie；〃 he
answered。 〃I have scarcely dared to。〃
〃I'm glad to hear it。 Since the days of Adonis she has always had a
dangerous influence on young men。 If you want to look at anybody； look
at that pretty； sensible cousin of Robert Green's。〃
〃Lady Enid。 Yes； she is sensible。 I believe she is in Hampshire staying
with the Churchmores。〃
He looked calmer for a moment； but the corrugated expression quickly
returned。
〃Grannie；〃 he said； 〃I think it my duty to make an effort to see Mr。
Malkiel。〃
〃The /Almanac/ man。 What do you want with him？〃
She tapped one of her small； mittened hands over the other and slightly
twisted her long and pointed nose。
〃I want to learn his views on this strange faculty of prophecy。 Has it
ever occurred to you that among all our immense acquaintance we don't
number a single prophet？〃
〃One can't know everybody； Hennessey。 And I believe that prophets
always spring from the lower classes。 The line must be drawn somewhere
even in these days。〃
〃Why not draw it at millionaires then？〃
〃I should like to。 Somethin' will have to be done。 If the nobodies
continue to go everywhere the very few somebodies that are left will
soon go nowhere。
〃Perhaps they do go nowhere。 Perhaps that is why we have never met a
prophet。〃
Mrs。 Merillia looked up sharply； with her wide； cheerful mouth set awry
in a shrewd smile that seemed to say 〃So ho！〃 She recognised a strange；
new note of profound； though not arrogant； self…respect in her
grandson。
〃Prophets；〃 Hennessey added more gently； 〃have always been inclined to
dwell in the wilderness。〃
〃But where can you find a wilderness in these days？〃 asked Mrs。
Merillia； still smiling。 〃Even Hammersmith is becomin' quite a
fashionable neighbourhood。 And you say that the /Almanac/ man lives in
Shaftesbury Avenue； only half a minute from Piccadilly Circus。〃
〃My dear grannie；〃 he corrected her； 〃I said he received letters there。
I don't know where he lives。〃
〃How are you goin' to find him then？〃
〃I shall call this afternoon at eleven hundred Z。〃
〃To see if he has run in for a postcard！ And what sort of person do you
expect him to be？〃
〃Something quite out of the common。〃
Mrs。 Merillia screwed up her eyes doubtfully。
〃I hope you won't be disappointed。 How many editions have there been of
the /Almanac/？〃
〃Seventy yearly editions。〃
〃Then Malkiel must be a very old man。〃
〃But this Mr。 Malkiel is Malkiel the Second。〃
〃One of a dynasty！ That alters the case。 Perhaps he's a young man about
town。 There are young men about town； I believe； who have addresses at
clubs and libraries； and sleep on doorsteps； or in the Park。 Well；
Hennessey； I see you are getting fidgety。 You had better be off。 Buy me
some roses for my room on your way home。 I'm expectin' someone to have
tea with the poor victim of prophecy this afternoon。〃
The Prophet kissed his grandmother； put on his overcoat and stepped
into the square。
It was a bright； frosty； genial day； and he resolved to walk to
Jellybrand's Library。
London was looking quite light…hearted in the dry； cold air； which set
a bloom even upon the cheeks of the ambassadors who were about； and
caused the butcher boys to appear like peonies。 The crossing…sweepers
swept nothing vigorously； and were rewarded with showers of pence from
pedestrians delighting in the absence of mud。 Crystal as some garden of
an eternal city seemed the green Park； wrapped in its frosty mantle
embroidered with sunbeams。 Even the drivers of the 〃growlers〃 were
moderately cheerfula very rare occurrenceand the blind man of
Piccadilly smiled as he roared along the highway； striking the feet of
the charitable with the wand which was the emblem of his profession。
Only the Prophet was solemn on this delicious afternoon。 People looked
at him and thought that he must surely be the richest man of the town。
His face was so sad。
He wound across the whirlpool； where the green image postures to the
human streams that riot below it。 He saw beneath their rooves of
ostrich feathers the girls shake their long earrings above sweet
violets and roses fainting with desire to be bought by country cousins。
〃Where is eleven hundred Z； if you please？〃 he asked the Shaftesbury
Avenue policeman。
〃Jellybrand's sir？ On the right between the cream shop and the engine
warehouse； just opposite the place where they sell parrots； after that
there patent medicine depot。〃
The Prophet bowed； thinking of the blessings of knowledge。 In a moment
he stood before the library and glanced at its dirty window。 He saw
several letters lying against the glass。 One was addressed to 〃Miss
Minerva Partridge。〃 He stepped in； wondering what she was like。
Jellybrand's Library was a small； square room containing a letter rack；
a newspaper stand； a bookcase and a counter。 It was fitted up with
letters； papers； books； and a big boy with a bulging head。 The last…
named stood behind the counter； stroking his irregular profile with one
hand； and throwing a box of J nibs into the air and catching it with
the other。 Upon the Prophet's entrance this youth obligingly dropped
the nibs accidentally upon the floor； and arranged his sharp and anemic
face in an expression of consumptive inquiry。 The Prophet approached
the counter softly； and allowed the sable with which his coat was
trimmed to rest against it。
〃Did a boy messenger call here a few days ago with a note for Mr。
Malkiel？〃 he asked。
The young librarian assumed an attitude of vital suspicion and the
expression of a lynx。
〃For Malkiel the Second； sir？〃 he replied in a piercing soprano voice。
〃Yes；〃 said the Prophet。 〃A boy messenger with four medals。 There was a
crest on the envelopean elephant rampant surrounded by a swarm of
bees。〃
A dogged look of combined terror and resolution overspread the young
librarian's countenance。
〃There's been no elephant and no swarm of bees in here；〃 he said with
trembling curtness。
〃You are sure you would have remembered the circumstance if there had
been？〃
〃Rather！ What do you think？ We don't allow things of them sort in here；
I can tell you。〃
The Prophet drew out half a sovereign； upon which a ray of sunshine
immediately fell as if
