the prophet of berkeley square-第54节

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height　and　rolling　vigorously　in　innumerable　directions；　two　or　three

bangs　of　doors；　and　the　peculiar　patter　of　rather　large　and　flat　feet；

unaccustomed　to　any　rapid　exercise；　moving　over　boards；　oilcloth　and

carpet。　Then　the　swing　door　sang；　and　the　Prophet；　opening　his　eyes；

perceived　Madame　Malkiel　moving　forward　with　considerable　vivacity；　and

screaming　as　she　moved；　her　bonnet　depending　down　her　back　and　the

rabbit…skins　flowing　from　her　ample　shoulders。　Immediately　behind　her

ran　her　spouse；　holding　in　one　hand　a　silver　pepper　castor；　and　in　the

other　a　small　and　very　beautifully　finished　bronze　teapot　of　the

William　of　Orange　period。　The　worthy　couple　fleeted　by；　and　the　Prophet

turned　his　expressionless　eyes　towards　the　swing　door　expecting

immediately　to　perceive　Sir　Tiglath　Butt　in　valiant　pursuit。　As　no　such

figure　presented　itself；　and　as　the　Malkiels　were　now　beginning　to

mount　the　stairs　with　continually　increasing　velocity；　the　Prophet

slowly　uncrossed　his　legs；　and　was　thinking　of　getting　upon　his　feet

when　there　came　a　loud　knock　upon　the　hall　door。



〃Gustavus！〃　said　the　Prophet；　glancing　round。



He　perceived　the　footman　lying　in　a　dead　faint　near　the　umbrella　stand。



〃Oh！〃　he　said；　speaking　to　himself　aloud。　〃Oh！　Then　I　must　go　myself。〃



Acting　upon　his　conception　of　his　duty；　he　accordingly　walked　to　the

front　door；　opened　it；　and　found　the　policeman　outside　supporting　the

senseless　form　of　Sir　Tiglath　Butt　in　one　hand　and　holding　a　broken

truncheon　in　the　other。



〃Well？〃　said　the　Prophet；　calmly。　〃Well？〃



〃I　knocked　him　down　as　he　was　making　a　bolt；〃　said　the　policeman。



The　Prophet　found　himself　wondering　why　so　industrious　and　even　useful

an　occupation　should　be　interfered　with　in　such　a　manner。　However；　he

only　replied；



〃Indeed！〃



〃Ah；〃　said　the　policeman；　stepping　into　the　hall　and　laying　the

astronomer　out　across　a　chair；　〃what's　up？〃



〃They　are　both　up；〃　answered　the　Prophet；　pointing　with　a　lethargic

finger　towards　the　staircase；　from　which；　at　this　moment；　arose　a

perfect　hubbub　of　voices。



〃Come　on！〃　cried　the　policeman。



〃Why？〃　asked　the　Prophet。



〃Why！　you're　a　nice　un；　you　are！　Why！　And　nab　'em；　of　course！〃



〃You　think　it　would　be　wise　towhat　was　the　wordnab　them？〃　inquired

the　Prophet。　〃You　really　think　so？〃



〃Well；　what　am　I　here　for　then？〃　said　the　policeman；　with　angry　irony。



〃Oh；　if　you　prefer；〃　rejoined　the　Prophet；　civilly。　〃Nab　them　by　all

means。　I　shall　not　prevent　you。〃



The　policeman；　who　was　an　active　and　industrious　fellow　deserving　of

praise；　waited　for　no　further　permission；　but　immediately　darted　up　the

stairs；　and　in　less　than　a　minute　returned　with　Mrs。　Merilliaattired

in　a　black　silk　gown；　a　bonnet；　and　an　Indian　shawl　presented　to　her　on

her　marriage　by　a　very　great　personagein　close　custody。



〃Here's　one　of　'em！〃　he　shouted。　〃Here；　you　lay　hold　of　her　while　I

fetch　the　rest！〃



And　with　these　words　he　thrust　the　Prophet's　grandmother　into　one　of

his　hands；　the　broken　truncheon　into　the　other；　and　turning　smartly

round；　again　bounded　up　the　stairs。



In　a　famous　poem　of　the　late　Lord　Tennyson　there　is　related　a　dramatic

incident　of　a　lady　whose　disinclination　to　cry；　when　such　emotion　would

have　been　only　natural；　was　overcome　by　the　presentation　to　her　of　her

child。　A　somewhat　similar　effect　was　produced　upon　our　Prophet　by　the

constable's　presentation　to　him　of　his　honoured　grandmother。　The　sight

of　her　reverent　head；　surmounted　by　the　bonnet　which　she　had　assumed　in

readiness　to　flee　from　the　house　which　she　could　no　longer　regard　as　a

homethe　touch　of　her　delicate　handthe　flutter　of　her　so　hallowed

Indian　shawlthese　things　broke　down　the　strange　calm　of　her　devoted

grandson。　Like　summer　tempest　came　his　emotion；　and；　when　the　policeman

presently　returned　with　Malkiel　the　Second　and　Madame　nabbed　by　his

right　and　left　hands；　and　followed　by　Lady　Enid　and　the　weeping　Mrs。

Fancy；　he　was　confronted　by　a　most　pathetic　tableau。　The　Prophet　and

Mrs。　Merillia　were　weeping　in　each　other's　arm's　while　Sir　Tiglath　and

Gustavusjust　returned　to　consciousnesswere　engaged　in　examining　the

proceeding　with　puppy　dog's　eyes。



Over　the　explanations　that　ensued　a　veil　may　be　partially　drawn。　One

lifted　corner；　however；　allows　us　to　note　that　Sir　Tiglath　Butt；　having

come　upon　Madame　hidden　behind　a　bin　of　old　port　in　the　Prophet's

cellar；　had　been　seized　by　a　desire　not　to　alarm　a　lady　so　profound

that　it　prompted　him　to　hurry　to　the　butler's　pantry；　and　to　seek

concealment　in　the　very　cupboard　which　already　contained　Malkiel　the

Second。　On　perceiving　that　gentleman　perched　upon　the　loving…cup；　and

protected　by　candlesticks；　sugar　basins；　teapots　and　other　weapons；　the

astronomer's　anxiety　to　become　a　murderer　apparently　forsook　him。　At

any　rate；　he　passed　through　the　plate…glass　of　the　window　rather

hastily　into　the　area；　where；　as　we　know；　he　received　the　solicitous

attentions　of　the　policeman　who　had　served　as　an　intermediary　between

the　Lord　Chancellor's　second　cookwhose　supper　of　dressed　crab　had

caused　so　much　confusionand　the　supposed　Mr。　Ferdinand。　Malkiel　the

Second；　finding　himself　discovered；　took　to　the　open　just　as　Madame

fled　forth　from　the　cellar；　to　be　overtaken　by　the　very　natural

misconception　that　she　was　about　to　become　the　victim　of　a　husband

whose　jealousy　had　at　length　caused　him　to　assume　his　/toga　virilibus/。



Perhaps　it　was　Sir　Tiglath's　throwing　off　of　the　said　garment　which

caused　Lady　Enid　to　throw　him　over。　At　any　rate；　she　eventually　married

Mr。　Robert　Green　and　made　him　a　very　sensible　wife。



The　Malkiels　returned　to　the　Mouse；　where　they　still　live；　and　still

carry　on　a　certain　amount　of　intercourse　with　architects　and　their

wives。　From　time　to　time；　however；　they　attend　the　receptions　at

Zoological　House；　and　a　rumour　recently　ran　through　the　circles　of　the

silly　to　the　effect　that　they　had　been　looking　at　a　house　not　far　from

the　Earls　Court　Station；　with　a　viewit　is　surmisedof　removing　to

more　central　districts。



They　are　no　longer　on　terms　with　the　Prophet。



He　has　retired　from　business　and　put　down　his　telescope　once　and　for

all；　recognising　that　prophecy　is　a　dangerous　employment；　and　one

likely　to　bring　about　the　very　evils　it　foreshadows。　Calmly　he　dwells

with　his　beloved　grandmother　in　the　Berkeley　Square；　which　has　received

them　once　more　into　its　former　favour。　Sometimes；　at　night；　when　the

sky　is　clear；　and　the　bright　stars；　the　guardian　stars；　keep　watch　over

his　aristocratic　neighbourhood；　he　draws　aside　the　curtain　from　the

drawing…room　window　and　glances　forth　at　Mercury　and　Uranus；　Jupiter；

Saturn　and　Venus。　And　when　his　eyes　meet　their　twinkling　eyes；　he

exchanges　with　themnot　a　question　and　answer；　not　a　demand　for　unholy

information　and　a　reluctant　reply；　but　a　serene；　gentlemanly　and

perfectly　decorous　good…night。











End