the prophet of berkeley square-第6节

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I　can　tell　you。〃



The　Prophet　drew　out　half　a　sovereign；　upon　which　a　ray　of　sunshine

immediately　fell　as　if　in　benediction。



〃Does　Mr。　Malkiel？



〃Malkiel　the　Second；〃　interrupted　the　young　librarian；　whose　pinkish

eyes　winked　at　the　illumination　of　the　gold。



〃Malkiel　the　Second　ever　call　herein　person？〃



〃In　person？〃　said　the　young　librarian；　very　suspiciously。



〃Exactly。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　in　person。　He　calls　here。〃



〃Ah；〃　said　the　Prophet；　recognising　in　the　youth　a　literary　sense　that

instinctively　rejected　superfluity。　〃He　does　call。　May　I　ask　when？〃



〃When　he　chooses；〃　said　the　young　librarian；　and　he　winked　again。



〃Does　he　choose　often？〃



〃He's　got　his　day；　like　Miss　Partridge　and　lots　of　'em。〃



〃I　see。　Is　his　dayby　chancea　Thursday？〃



It　was　a　Thursday　afternoon。



〃I　don't　know　about　by　chance；〃　rejoined　the　young　librarian；　his

literary　sense　again　coming　into　play。　〃But　it's〃



At　this　moment　the　library　door　opened；　and　a　tall；　thin；　middle…aged

man　walked　in　sideways　with　his　feet　very　much　turned　out　to　right　and

left　of　him。



〃Any　letters；　Frederick　Smith？〃　he　said　in　a　hollow　voice；　on　reaching

the　counter。



〃Two；　Mr。　Sagittarius；　I　believe；〃　replied　the　young　librarian；　moving

with　respectful　celerity　towards　the　letter　rack。



The　Prophet　started　and　looked　eagerly　at　the　newcomer。　His　eyes　rested

upon　an　individual　whose　face　was　comic　in　outline　with　a　serious

expression；　and　whose　form　suggested　tragic　farce　dressed　to　represent

commonplace；　as　seen　at　Margate　and　elsewhere。　A　top　hat；　a　spotted

collar；　a　pink　shirt；　a　white　satin　tie；　a　chocolate　brown　frock　coat；

brown　trousers　and　boots；　and　a　black　overcoat　thrown　open　from　top　to

bottomthese　appurtenances；　clerkly　in　their　adherence　to　a　certain

convention；　could　not　wholly　disguise　the　emotional　expression　that

seems　sometimes　to　lurk　in　shape。　The　lines　of　Mr。　Sagittarius　defied

their　clothing。　His　shoulders　gave　the　lie　to　the　chocolate　brown　frock

coat。　His　legs　breathed　defiance　to　the　trousers　that　sheathed　them。

One　could；　in　fancy；　see　the　former　shrugged　in　all　the　abandonment　of

third…act　despair；　behold　the　latter　darting　wildly　for　the　cover

afforded　by　a　copper；　a　cupboard；　or　any　other　friendly　refuge　of　those

poor　victims　of　ludicrous　and　terrific　circumstance　who　are　so　sorely

smitten　and　afflicted　upon　the　funny　stage。



Mr。　Sagittarius；　in　fine；　seemed　a　man　dressed　in　a　mask　that　was

unable　to　deceive。　His　lean　face　was　almost　absurd　in　its　irregularity；

its　high　cheek…bones　and　deep　depressions；　its　sharp　nose；　extensive

mouth　and　nervous　chin。　But　the　pale　blue　eyes　that　were　its　soul　shone

plaintively　beneath　their　shaggy；　blonde　eyebrows；　and　even　an

application　of　pomade　almost　hysterically　lavish　could　not　entirely

conceal　the　curling　gloom　of　the　heavy；　matted　hair。



〃Yes；　two；　Mr。　Sagittarius；〃　cried　the　young　librarian；　approaching

from　the　rack。



The　gentleman　held　out　a　hand　covered　with　a　yellow　dogskin　glove。



〃Thank　you；　Frederick　Smith；〃　he　said。



And　he　turned　to　leave　the　building。　But　the　Prophet　intercepted　him。



〃Excuse　me；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　butbut〃　he

looked　at　the　young　librarian　and　accidentally　let　the　half　sovereign

fall　on　the　counter。　It　gave　the　true　ring。　〃I　believe　I　heard　you

mentionlet　drop　the　name　Mr。　Sagittarius。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　let　drop；〃　began　the　youth　in　his　usual　revising

manner。　〃But　I〃



At　this　point　the　gentleman　in　question　began　to　move　rather　hastily

sideways　towards　the　door。　The　Prophet　followed　him　up　and　got　before

him　near　the　letter　rack；　while　the　young　librarian　retrieved　the　half

sovereign　and　bit　it　with　his　teeth。



〃I　really　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　Prophet；　while　Mr。　Sagittarius

stood　still　in　the　violent　attitude　of　one　determined　to　dodge　so　long

as　he　has　breath。　〃I　am　not　at　all　in　the　habit　of〃Mr。　Sagittarius

dodged〃of　intruding　upon　strangers〃　Mr。　Sagittarius　dodged　again

with　such　extraordinary　abruptness　and　determination　that　he　nearly

caused　the　young　librarian　to　swallow　the　Prophet's　golden　bribe。　〃I

see　you　don't　believe　me；〃　the　Prophet　continued；　flushing　pink　but

still　holding　his　ground；　and　indeed　trying　to　turn　Mr。　Sagittarius's

flank　by　a　strategic　movement　of　almost　military　precision。　〃I　see　that

plainly；　but〃　Mr。　Sagittarius　ducked　to　the　left；　endeavouring　to

cover　the　manoeuvre　by　an　almost　simultaneous　and　extremely　passionate

feint　towards　the　Prophet's　centre；　which　was　immediately　withdrawn　in

good　order〃but　your　remarkarkable　name；　Saagitt…ittarius；

suggested　to　me　that　you　are　rea…eally　the　man　I　seek。〃



He　had　now　got　Mr。　Sagittarius　into　a　very　awkward　bit　of　country

between　the　letter　P。　in　the　rack；　under　which　reposed　Miss　Partridge's

correspondence；　and　the　newspaper　bureau；　with　the　counter　immediately

on　his　rear；　and　taking　advantage　of　this　circumstance；　he　continued

rapidly：



〃May　I　ask　whether　you　recently　received　a　letterone　moment！

envelopecrestI　only　want　to　know　if　you　have　receivedonlyan

elephant　rampantswarm　ofof　bees〃



〃I　have　never　received　a　rampant　elephant　and　a　swarm　of　bees；〃　cried

Mr。　Sagittarius　with　every　symptom　of　unbridled　terror。　〃Help；

Frederick　Smith！〃



〃Right　you　are；　Malkiel　the　Second！〃　cried　the　young　librarian；　hastily

pocketing　the　half　sovereign　and　making　a　feverish　lunge　at　nothing　in

particular　over　the　counter。　〃Right　you　are！〃



〃Malkiel　the　Second！〃　ejaculated　the　Prophet。　〃Then　you　are　the　man　I

seek。〃



Malkiel　the　Secondfor　it　was　indeed　hesank　back　against　the　counter

in　an　attitude　of　abandoned　prostration　that　would　have　made　a　fortune

of　a　comic　actor。



〃I　trusted　to　Jellybrand's；〃　he　said；　drawing　from　his　tail　pocket　a

white　handkerchief　covered　with　a　pattern　of　pink　storks　in　flight。　〃I

trusted　to　Jellybrand's　and　Jellybrand's　has　betrayed　me。　Oh；　Frederick

Smith！〃



He　put　a　stork　to　each　eye。　The　young　librarian　assumed　an　injured　air。



〃It　was　the　agitation　did　it；　Mr。　Sagittarius；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　hadn't

a…kep'　dodging　I　shouldn't　have　lost　my　memory。〃



And　he　looked　avariciously　at　the　Prophet；　who　smiled　at　him

reassuringly　and　drew　forth　a　card　case。



〃I　feel　sure；　Mr。　SagMalkiel〃



〃Malkiel　the　Second；　sir；　is　my　name　if　it　is　betrayed　by

Jellybrand's；〃　said　that　gentleman　with　sudden　dignity。　〃There　is　no

need　of　any　mister。〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　Prophet；　handing　his　card。　〃That　is　my

name　and　address。　May　I　beg　you　to　forgive　my　apparent　anxiety　to　make

your　acquaintance；　and　implore　you　to　grant　me　a　few　moments　of　private

conversation　on　a　matter　of　the　utmost　importance？〃



Malkiel　the　Second　read　the　card。



〃Berkeley　Square；〃　he　said。　〃/The/　Berkeley　Square？〃



〃Exactly；　the　Berkeley　Square；〃　said　the　Prophet；　modestly。



〃Not　the　one　at　Brixton　Rise　behind　the　Kimmins's　mews？〃　said　Malkiel

the　Second；　suspiciously。



〃Certainly　not。　The　one　near　Grosvenor　Square。〃



〃That's　better；〃　said　Malkiel；　upon　whom　the　Prophet's　address　had

evidently　made　a　good　impression。　〃Kimmins's　is　no　class　at　all。　Had

you　come　from　there；　Ibut　what　may　you　want　with　me？〃



The　Prophet　glanced　significantly　at　the　young　librarian；　who　was

leaning　upon　the　counter　in　a　tense；　keyhole　position；　with　his　private

ear　turned　somewhat　ostentatiously　towards　the　two　speakers。



〃I　can　tell　you　in　an　inner　room；〃　he　murmured；　in　his　most

ingratiating　manner。



〃You're　certain　it's　not　Berkeley　Square　behind　Kimmins's？〃　said

Malkiel；　with　a　last　flicker　of　suspicion。



〃Quite　certainquite。〃



〃Frederick　Smith；〃　said　Malkiel　the　Second；　〃since　Jellybrand's　has

betrayed　me　Jellybrand's　must　abide　the　consequences。　Show　this

gentleman　and　me　to　the　parlour。〃



〃Right；　Mr。　Sagittarius；〃　replied　the　young　librarian　whose　memory　had

again　become　excellent。　〃But　Miss　Minerva　is　coming　at　three…thirty。〃



〃Has　she　bespoke　the　parlour；　Frederick　Smith？〃



〃Yes；　Mr。　Sagittarius。〃



〃Then　she　can't　have　it。　That's　all。　Jellybrand's　must　abide　the　full

consequences　of　my　betrayal。　Go　forward；　Frederick　Smith。〃



The　young　librarian　went　forward　towards　a　door　of　deal　and　ground

glass　which　he　threw　open　with　some　ceremony。



〃The　parlour；　gents；〃　he　said。



〃After　you；　sir；　after　you；〃　said　Malkiel　the　Second；　making　a　side

step　and　bringing　his　feet　together　in　the　first　position。



〃No；　no；〃　rejoined　the　Prophet；　gently　drawing　the　sage　to　the　front；

and　inserting　him　into　the　parlour　in　such　an　ingenious　manner　that　he

did　not　perceive　the　journey　of　a　second　half　sovereign　from　the　person

of　the　Prophet　to　that　of　the　young　librarian；　who　thereafter　closed

the　deal　and　ground　glass　door；　and　returned　to　the　counter；　whistling

in　an　absent…minded　manner；　〃I'm　a　Happy　Millionaire　from　Co