the prophet of berkeley square-第51节

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indisposed；　and　I　myself　need　rest。〃



〃Well；　then；　you　can't　have　it；〃　retorted　the　lady　with　authoritative

spitefulness。　〃You　can't　have　it；　not　till　three　o'clock。〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon！〃　said　the　Prophet；　with　trembling　lips。



〃What　for？〃



〃I　really　regret　that　I　must　retire。　Allow　me〃



〃I'll　not　allow　you。　Where　is　my　husband？　He's　not　at　the　Zoological

Gardens。〃



〃He　has　probably　returned　home。〃



〃To　the　Mouse！　Then　he's　a　coward　and　an　oath…breaker；　and　if　Sir

Tiglath　was　to　catch　him　I　shouldn't　be　sorry。　Kindly　lead　me　at　once

to　the　telescope。　I　will　take　his　place。　No　one　shall　say　that　Madame

Malkiel　ever　flinched　at　duty's　call。　/Praesto　et　persistibus/。　Conduct

me　at　once　to　the　telescope。〃



〃The　telescope！〃　cried　the　Prophet。　〃What　for？〃



〃Lawks！〃　cried　Madame；　with　pronounced　temper。　〃Did　we　not　journey　from

the　Mouse　a…purpose　to　go　practically　into　the　mystery　of　the　dressed

Crab？〃



〃I　reallyI　really　cannot　consent　without　a　chaperon；〃　began　the

Prophet。



〃The　wife　of　Malkiel　the　Second　needs　no　chaperone；〃　retorted　Madame。

〃This　night　has　altered　my　conditionI　stand　from　henceforth　far

beyond　the　reach　of　etiquette。　The　world　knows　me　now　and　will　not　dare

to　carp。　/Carpe　dies/。〃



During　the　foregoing　colloquy　her　voice　had　become　louder　and　louder；

and　the　Prophet；　dreading　unspeakably　lest　his　grandmother　should　be

disturbed　and　affrighted　once　more；　gave　up　the　struggle；　and；　without

more　ado；　conducted　Madame　into　the　butler's　pantry　in　which　the

telescope　still　remained。



Meanwhile　what　had　become　of　Malkiel　the　Second？



When　Mrs。　Merillia　suddenly　appeared　before　him　in　her　night…bonnet　and

accused　him　of　being　a　ratcatcher　he　had　very　naturally　fled；　his　first

impulse　being　to　leave　the　house　at　once　and　continue　his　journey　to

the　docks。　But　even　a　prophet　is　but　mortal。　Malkiel　had　passed　through

an　eventful　day　followed　by　a　still　more　eventful　evening。　His　mind　was

completely　exhausted。　Even　so；　however；　he　might　have　continued　upon

his　journey　towards　Java　had　not　his　legs　prosaically　shown　signs　of

giving　way　under　him　just　as　he　once　more　gained　the　hall。　This　decided

him。　He　must　have　some　short　repose　at　whatever　cost。　He　therefore

pushed　feebly　at　the　nearest　door；　and　found　himself　promptly　in　the

apartment　of　the　upper　servants。　Staggering　to　the　what…not　of

Gustavus；　he　sank　down　upon　it　and　fell　into　a　melancholy　reverie；　from

which　he　was　roused　by　the　constant　tingling　cry　of　Mrs。　Merillia's

second　bell；　which　rang　close　to　where　he　was　reposing。　He　tried　to

start　up；　but　failed；　and　it　was　only　when　the　hall　door　bell；　attacked

by　the　Prophet；　added　its　voice　to　its　companion's　that　his　terror　lent

him　sufficient　strength　to　flee　very　slowly　into　the　inner　fastnesses

of　this　unknown　region。　There　was　a　light　in　the　servant's　hall；　but

darkness　lay　beyond　and　Malkiel　knew　not　whither　he　was　penetrating。　He

barked　his　shins；　but　could　not　tell　against　what　hard　substance。　He

bruised　his　elbow；　but　could　not　know　what　piece　of　furniture　had

assailed　it。　On　coming　in　contact　with　a　dresser　he　saw　a　few　sparks；

but　they　speedily　died　out；　and　he　was　obliged　to　feel　his　way　onward；

till　presently　he　came　across　a　large　leather　chair　in　which　Mrs。

Merillia's　cook　was　wont　to　sit　while　directing　her　subordinates　at　the

basting　machine。　Into　this　he　sank　palpitating；　and　for　a　moment

remained　undisturbed。　Then；　to　his　horror；　he　heard　in　the　adjoining

room　the　strident　voice　of　his　loved　and　honoured　wife　apparently

carrying　on　a　decidedly　vivacious　argument　with　some　person　unknown。　He

bounded　up。　Possibly　she　was　accompanied　by　Sir　Tiglath；　who　must　now

be　aware　of　his　identity。　In　any　case；　her　wrath　at　his　scarcely

chivalrous　desertion　of　her　in　the　house　of　a　stranger　would；　he　knew；

be　terrible。　He　dared　not　face　it。　He　dared　not　allow　his　project　of

flight　at　dawn　to　be　interfered　with；　as　it　certainly　would　be　if　he

came　across　Madame。　He　therefore　proceeded　to　flee　once　more。　Nor　did

he　pause　until　he　had　gained　Mr。　Ferdinand's　pantry；　where　stood　the

telescope。　Now；　in　this　pantry　there　was　a　large　cupboard　in　which　were

kept　the　very　numerous　and　magnificent　pieces　of　plate；　etc。；　possessed

by　Mrs。　Merillia；　tall　silver　candelabra；　standard　lamps　of　polished

bronze；　richly…chased　cups；　gigantic　vases　for　containing　flowers；

oriental　incense　holders　upon　stands　of　ebony；　Spanish　charcoal　dishes

of　burnished　brass；　and　other　treasures　far　too　numerous　to　mention。

This　cupboard　was　always　carefully　locked　at　night；　but　on　this

occasion　Mr。　Ferdinand；　totally　disorganised　by　the　frightful　scenes

which　had　taken　place　at　his　dinner　table　during　the　evening；　had

retired　to　bed　in　a　condition　of　collapse；　leaving　it　open。　Malkiel　the

Second；　feeling　frantically　about　in　the　dark；　came　upon　the　door　of

this　cupboard；　pulled　it；　found　that　it　yielded　to　his　hand；　and；

hearing　the　rapidly　approaching　voices　of　Madame　and　the　Prophet；

stumbled　into　the　cupboard　and　sank　down　on　a　large　gold　loving…cup；

with　one　foot　in　a　silver　soup　tureen；　and　the　other　in　a　priceless

sugar　basin；　just　as　the　light　of　the　candle　borne　by　the　Prophet

glimmered　in　the　darkness　of　the　adjacent　corridor。



〃This　way；　Madame；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃But　I　really　think　such　a

proceeding　is　calculated　to　cause　a　grave　scandal　in　the　square。〃



Malkiel　the　Second　drew　the　cupboard　door　to；　and　grasped　a　silver

candelabrum　in　each　hand　to　sustain　himself　upon　the　rather　sharp　rim

of　the　loving…cup。



〃What　is　the　square　to　me　or　I　to　the　square？〃　returned　Madame　with

ungrammatical　majesty。　〃Madame　Malkiel　is　not　governed　by　any　ordinary

laws。　/Lexes　non　scripta/　is　her　motto。　To　these　alone　she　clings。〃



Her　husband　clung　to　the　candelabra　and　burst　into　a　violent

perspiration。　Through　the　keyhole　of　the　cupboard　a　ray　of　light　now

shone；　and　he　heard　the　frou…frou　of　his　partner's　skirt；　the　flump　of

the　rabbit…skins　as　she　cast　them　from　her　ample　shoulders　upon　the

floor。　The　Prophet's　voice　became　audible　again。



〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　do？〃　he　said；　with　a　sort　of　embittered

courtesy。



〃Throw　open　the　window；　place　yourself　before　the　telescope；　and

proceed　at　once　to　your　investigations；〃　replied　the　lady。



〃I　am　not　in　a　condition　to　investigate；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃I　am　not

indeed。　If　you　will　only　let　me　get　you　a　cab；　to…morrow　night〃



'It　is　useless　to　talk；　Mr。　Vivian；〃　said　Madame；　very　sharply。　〃The

cab　has　not　yet　been　made　that　will　convey　me　to　the　Mouse　to…night。〃



〃But　your　husband〃



〃My　husband　is　a　coward；　unworthy　of　such　a　wife　as　he　possesses。　At

the　crisis　of　our　fortunesWhat's　that？〃



At　this　painful　moment　Malkiel　the　Second　was　so　overcome　by　emotion；

that　he　trembled；　and　allowed　his　left　foot　to　rattle　slightly　on　the

sugar　basin。



〃What　was　it？〃　repeated　Madame。



〃Rats；　I　have　no　doubt；〃　answered　the　Prophet；　who　had　heard　nothing。

〃I　believe　that　the　basements　of　these　old　houses　are　simplywell

simply　permeated　with　rats。〃



For　a　moment　Madame　blanched；　but　she　was　a　woman　of　spirit；　and

moreover　she　was　almost　intoxicated　with　ambition。　Recognised　at　last

as　a　lady　of　position　and　importance　in　one　of　the　mansions　of　the

idiotic　great；　she　was　more　anxious　than　ever　to　remove　forthwith　into

the　central　districts；　there　to　exercise　that　sway　which　she　had　so

long　desired。　Finding　that　there　exists　a　world　in　which　prophetsfar

from　being　considered　as　dirty　and　deceitful　personsare　worshipped

and　adored；　entertained　with　Pommery　and　treated　almost　as　gods；　she

yearned　to　dwell　in　the　midst　of　it。　The　peaceful　seclusion　of　the

Mouse　was　become　hateful　to　her。　The　architects　and　their　wives　began

to　seem　to　her　uplifted　fancy　little　better　than　the　circle　that

frequented　Hagglin's　Buildings；　or　appeared　at　the　paltry

entertainments　given　by　the　inhabitants　of　Drakeman's　Villas。　She　was

resolved　to　soar；　and　even　rats　should　not　turn　her　from　her　passionate

purpose。　Accordingly　she　replied；



〃Rats　or　no　rats；　I　intend　to　see　this　matter　out。　/Dixisti！/　The

night　wanes。　Kindly　go　at　once　to　the　telescope。〃



The　Prophet　obeyed；　first　opening　the　window　into　the　area。　The　rain

had　now　cleared　off；　but　the　sky　was　still　rather　cloudy；　and　only　a

few　stars　peeped　here　and　there。



〃Really；〃　said　the　Prophet；　after　applying　his　weary　eye　to　the

machine；　〃really　I　don't　think　it's　any　good；　there　are　so　very〃



〃Have　the　goodness　to　place　the　old　lady　in　the　claws　of　the　Crab；

according　to　the　directions　of　the　coward　who　has　deserted　me。〃



Malkiel　shook　with　shame　upon　the　loving…cup。



〃But　I　really　can't　find　the　Crab；〃　said　the　Prophet；　who　was　so　tired

that　he　could　scarcely　stand。　〃I　can　see　the　Great　Bear。〃



〃That　is　no　use。　The　Bear　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　old　lady。　You　must

find　the　Cra