the prophet of berkeley square-第50节

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

Carter's　library。　〃I　couldn't　say　indeed；　sir。〃



〃Oh；　my　poor　missis！〃　wailed　Mrs。　Fancy；　trembling　in　her　night…socks。

〃Oh；　my　poor　dear　missis！　I　can't　speak　different　nor　mean　other。　Oh；

missis；　missis！〃



〃Hush；　Fancy！〃　said　the　Prophet；　in　the　greatest　distraction。　〃Grannie！

Grannie！〃



And　seizing　the　handle　of　the　door　he　shook　it　violently。　Mrs。　Merillia

was　now　very　naturally　under　the　impression　that　the　ratcatcher　was

determined　to　break　in　and　murder　her　without　more　ado。　Extreme　danger

often　seems　to　exercise　a　strangely　calming　influence　upon　the　human

soul。　So　it　was　now。　Upon　hearing　her　bedroom　door　quivering　under　the

assault　of　the　Prophet；　Mrs。　Merillia　was　abruptly　invaded　by　a　sort　of

desperate　courage。　She　left　the　bells；　tottered　to　the　grate　in　which　a

good　fire　was　blazing；　seized　the　poker　and　thrust　it　between　the　bars

and　into　the　heart　of　the　flames；　at　the　same　time　crying　out　in　a

quavering　but　determined　voice；



〃I　am　heating　the　poker！　If　you　come　in　you　will　repent　it。　I　am

heating　the　poker！〃



On　hearing　this　remark；　the　Prophet　desisted　from　his　assault　upon　the

door；　overcome　by　the　absolute　conviction　that　his　beloved　grandmother

was　suffering　from　a　pronounced　form　of　homicidal　mania。　His　affection

prompted　him　to　keep　such　a　catastrophe　secret　as　long　as　possible；　and

he　therefore　turned　to　Mrs。　Fancy　and　Gustavus；　and　said　hurriedly；



〃This　is　a　matter　for　me　alone。　Mrs。　Fancy；　please　go　away　at　once。

Gustavus；　you　will　accompany　Mrs。　Fancy。〃



His　manner　was　so　firm；　his　face　so　iron　in　its　determination；　that

Mrs。　Fancy　and　Gustavus　dared　not　proffer　a　word。　They　turned　away　and

disappeared　softly　down　the　stairs；　to　wait　the　/denouement/　of　this

tragedy　in　the　hall　below。　Meantime　the　poker　was　growing　red　hot　in

the　coals；　and　Mrs。　Merillia　announced　to　the　supposed　ratcatcher；



〃I　can　hear　youI　hear　you　breathing〃　（the　Prophet　endeavoured　not

to　breathe）。　〃I　hear　you　rustling；　but　you　can't　touch　me。　The　poker　is

red　hot。〃



And　she　drew　it　smoking　from　the　grate　and　approached　the　door；　holding

it　in　her　delicate　hand　like　a　weapon。



〃Grannie！〃　said　the　Prophet；　making　his　voice　as　much　like　it　generally

was　as　he　possibly　could。　〃Dearest　grannie！〃



〃I　dare　you　to　come　in！〃　replied　Mrs。　Merillia；　in　an　almost　formidable

manner。　〃I　dare　you　to　do　it。〃



〃I　am　not　coming　in；　grannie；〃　said　the　Prophet。



〃Then　go　away！〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia。　〃Go　awayand　let　me　hear　you

going。〃



A　sudden　idea　struck　the　Prophet。　He　did　not　say　another　word；　but

immediately　walked　downstairs；　tramping　heavily　and　shaking　the　wood

balusters　violently　at　every　step　he　took。　His　ruse　succeeded。　Hearing

the　intruder　depart；　Mrs。　Merillia's　curious　courage　deserted　her；　she

dropped　the　poker　into　the　grate；　and　once　more　set　both　bells　going

with　all　her　might　and　main。　The　Prophet　let　her　ring　for　nearly　five

minutes；　then　he　bounded　once　more　upstairs　and　tapped　very　gently　on

the　door。



〃Grannie；〃　he　cried；　〃are　you　ringing？　What　is　it？〃



This　time　Mrs。　Merillia　recognised　his　voice；　tottered　to　the　door；

unlocked　it；　and　fell；　trembling；　into　his　anxious　arms。



〃Oh；　Hennessey！〃　she　gasped。　〃OhHennessey！〃



〃Grannie；　what　is　it？　What　on　earth　is　the　matter？〃



〃The　ratcatcher！　The　ratcatcher！〃



〃The　ratcatcher！〃　cried　the　Prophet。



〃He　has　come　back。　He　is　here。　He　has　been　trying　to　break　into　my

room。〃



〃What　ratcatcher？〃



〃The　one　that　dined　to…nightthe　one　you　called　your　old　andand

valuedfriend。〃



〃Mr。　Sagittarius？〃　exclaimed　the　Prophet。



〃He　is　here。〃



〃Here！〃



〃I　have　seen　him。　He　has　tried　to　murder　me。〃



〃I　will　look　into　this　at　once；〃　said　the　Prophet。



He　ran　to　the　head　of　the　stairs　and　called　out；



〃Gustavus！〃



〃Sir！〃



〃Come　up　here　at　once；〃



Gustavus　came；　followed　closely　by　Mrs。　Fancy；　who　was　in　a　state　of

abject　confusion　and　alarm。



〃Has　Mr。　Sagittarius　returned　herethe　gentleman　who　dined　to…night？〃

asked　the　Prophet。



Gustavus　hesitated；　thought　of　Dr。　Carter's　library；　and　replied；



〃No；　sir；〃



〃Has　anybody　entered　the　house？〃



〃No；　sir。〃



〃You　have　been　up　the　whole　evening？〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃And　nobody　has　been？〃



〃Nobody；　sir。〃



〃Grannie；　you　hear　what　Gustavus　says。〃



〃But；　Hennessey；　he　is　here；　I　saw　him。〃



〃Where？〃



〃By　the　door。　I　heard　someone；　and　I　thought　it　was　you。　I　came　to　the

door　after　calling　you；　and　there　he　stood；　all　dirty　and　wet；　with　a

huge　hat　on　his　head〃　（the　saturnine　little　clergyman　was　largely

blessed　with　brain）；　〃and　a　most　awful　murderous　expression　on　his

face。〃



The　Prophet　began　to　suspect　that　his　dear　relative；　upset　by　the

tragic　events　of　the　dinner　table；　had　gone　to　sleep　and　had　the

nightmare。



〃Grannie；　it　must　have　been　a　dream。〃



〃No；　Hennessey；　no。〃



〃It　must　indeed。　I　left　Mr。　Sagittarius　at　Zoological　House。　I　feel

certain　of　that。〃



The　Prophet　spoke　the　honest　truth。　He　fully　believed　that　Mr。

Sagittarius　was　at　that　very　moment　sharing　in　the　triumph　of　his　wife

and　receiving　the　worship　of　those　who　live　the　silly　life。



〃But　I　saw　him；　Hennessey；〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia；　adding　rather

unnecessarily；　〃with　my　own　eyes。〃



〃Grannie；　darling；　you　must　have　been　dreaming。　At　any　rate；　I'm　here

now。　Nothing　can　hurt　you。　Go　to　bed。　Fancy　will　stay　with　you；　and　I

swear　to　you　that　no　harm　will　happen　to　you　so　long　as　I　am

breathing。〃



With　these　noble　words　the　Prophet　kissed　his　grandmother　tenderly；

assisted　Mrs。　Fancy　into　the　room；　and　walked　downstairs　quite

determined　that；　come　what　might；　whether　he　broke　a　thousand　oaths　or

not；　he　would　put　an　end　forthwith　to　the　tyranny　of　the　couple　from

the　Mouse　and　abandon　for　ever　the　shocking　pursuit　of　prophecy。







CHAPTER　XX



THE　PROPHET　RETIRES　FROM　BUSINESS



Exactly　as　the　Prophet　arrived　at　his　resolution　the　hall　door　bell

rang　violently；　and　Gustavus；　who　had　slipped　down　before　the　Prophet

in　order　to　seek　the　traveller　to　Java　in　the　servants'　quarters；

hurried　into　the　hall　in　rather　a　distracted　manner。



〃Stop；　Gustavus！〃　said　the　Prophet。



Gustavus　stopped。　The　bell　rang　again。



〃Gustavus；〃　said　the　Prophet；　〃if　that　is　a　visitor　I　am　not　at　home。

Mrs。　Merillia　is　not　at　home　either。〃



It　was　by　this　time　between　one　and　two　in　the　morning。



〃Not　at　home；　sir。　Yes；　sir。〃



The　Prophet　concealed　himself　near　the　hat…rack；　and　Gustavus　went

softly　to　the　door　and　opened　it。



〃Not　at　home；　ma'am；〃　the　Prophet　heard　him　say；　formally。



〃What　d'you　mean；　young　man？〃　replied　the　powerful　voice　of　Madame。

〃Where　is　my　husband？〃



〃Ma'am？〃



〃Where；　I　say；　is　my　husband？〃



〃I　couldn't　say；　I'm　sure；　ma'am。　But　Mrs。　Merillia　and　Mr。　Vivian　are

not　at　home。〃



〃Then　all　I　can　say　is　they　ought　to　be　in　at　this　time　of　night。

Permit　me　to　pass。　Are　you　aware　that　Mr。　Vivian　has　invited　me　to

spend　the　night　here？　/Noctes　ambrosianes/。〃



〃But；　ma'am；　Mr。　Viv〃



〃That'll　do。　If　I　have　any　more　of　your　impertinence　I'll　make　you

repent　of　it。　You　are　evidently　not　aware　who　I　am。〃



The　Prophet；　by　the　hat…rack；　did　not　fail　to　hear　a　new　note　in　the

deep　contralto　of　Madame；　a　note　of　triumph；　a　trumpet　note　of　profound

conceit。　His　heart　sank　before　this　determined　music；　and　it　sank　even

lower　towards　his　pumps　when；　a　moment　later；　he　found　himself

confronted　by　the　lady；　wrapped　closely　in　the　rabbit…skins；　and

absolutely　bulging　with　vanity　and　self…appreciation。



〃What！　Mr。　Vivian！〃　began　the　lady。



〃Hush！　said　the　Prophet；　〃for　mercy's　sakehush！〃



And；　acting　upon　the　impulse　of　the　moment；　he　suddenly　seized　Madame

by　the　hand；　and　hurried　her　through　the　swinging　door　into　the

servants'　hall。



〃Here's　a　go；〃　murmured　Gustavus　in　the　greatest　trepidation。　〃If　they

don't　find　the　thin　party　I'm　a　josser。〃



Meanwhile　the　Prophet　and　Madame　were　standing　face　to　face　before　the

what…not　of　Gustavus。



〃My　grandmother　is　awakethat　is　asleep；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃We　must

not　wake　her　on　any　account。〃



〃Oh；〃　returned　Madame；　with　a　toss　of　her　head；　〃your　grandmother　seems

to　be　a　very　fidgety　old　lady；　I'm　surealthough　you　do　tell　a　parcel

of　lies　about　her。〃



〃Lies！〃　said　the　Prophet；　with　some　dignity。



〃Yeslies。　She　don't　wear　long　clothes〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon！〃



〃She　do　not。　She　don't　wear　her　hair　down。　She　don't　put　her　lips　to

the　bottle。　She　don't。　Where　is　Mr。　Sagiwhere　is　Malkiel　the　Second？〃



〃I　have　no　idea。　And　now；　Madame；　I　regret　that　I　must　conduct　you　to

your　carriage。　The　hour　is　late；　my　grandmother　is　seriously

indisposed；　and　I　myself　need　rest。〃



〃Well；　then；　you　ca