the prophet of berkeley square-第8节

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sustaining　himself　to　the　parlour；　where　he　and　Malkiel　the　Second　sat

down　in　silence　to　await　the　young　librarian's　return。　Frederick　Smith

came　back　in　about　five　minutes；　with　an　ostentatious…looking　bottle

smothered　in　gold　leaf　under　each　arm。



〃There　was　four　shillings　apiece　to　pay；　sir；〃　he　remarked　to　the

Prophet　as　he　placed　them　upon　the　table。　〃I　got　the　'our　own　make'

brand　with　the　'creaming　foam'　upon　the　corks。〃



The　Prophet　bent　his　head。　He　was　quite　unable　to　speak；　but　he　signed

to　the　young　librarian　to　open　one　of　the　bottles　and　pour　its　contents

into　the　two　tumblers　of　thick　and　rather　dusty　glass　that　Jellybrand's

kept　for　its　moments　of　conviviality。　Malkiel　the　Second　lifted　the

goblet　to　the　window　and　eyed　the　beaded　nectar　with　an　air　of　almost

rakish　anticipation。



〃Ready；　sir？〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　Prophet；　who；　with　a　trembling

hand；　followed　his　example。



〃Quiteready；〃　said　the　Prophet；　shutting　his　eyes。



〃Then；〃　rejoined　Malkiel　the　Second　in　a　formal　voice；　〃here's　luck！〃



He　held　the　tumbler　to　his　lips；　waiting　for　the　Prophet's　reply　to

give　the　signal　for　a　unanimous　swallowing　of　the　priceless　wine。



〃Luck；〃　echoed　the　Prophet　in　a　faltering　voice。



As　he　gradually　recovered　his　faculties；　he　heard　Malkiel　the　Second

say；　with　an　almost　debauched　accent；



〃That　puts　heart　into　a　man。　I　shall　give　Gillows　an　order。　Leave　us；

Frederick　Smith；　and　remember　that　Miss　Minerva　is　on　no　account　to　be

let　in　here　till　this　gentleman　and　I　have　finished　the　second　bottle。〃



The　Prophet　could　not　resist　a　wild　movement　of　protest；　which　was

apparently　taken　by　the　young　librarian　as　a　passionate　gesture　of

dismissal。　For　he　left　the　room　rapidly　and　closed　the　door　with

decision　behind　him。



〃And　now；　sir；　I　am　at　your　service；〃　said　Malkiel　the　Second；

courteously。　〃Let　me　pour　you　another　glass　of　wine。〃



The　Prophet　assented　mechanically。　It　seemed　strange　to　have　to　die　so

young；　and　with　so　many　plans　unfulfilled；　but　he　felt　that　it　was

useless　to　struggle　against　destiny　and　he　drank　again。　Then　he　heard　a

voice　say；



〃And　now；　sir；　I　am　all　attention。〃



He　looked　up。　He　saw　the　parlour；　the　ground　glass　of　the　door；　the

tumblers　and　bottles　on　the　table；　the　sharp　features　and　strained；

farcical　eyes　of　Malkiel　framed　in　the　matted；　curling　hair。　Then　all

was　not　over　yet。　There　was　something　still　in　store　for　him。　He　sat

up；　pushed　the　creaming　four…shilling　foam　out　of　his　sight；　turned　to

his　interlocutor；　and　with　a　great　effort　collected　himself。



〃I　want　to　consult　you；〃　he　began；　〃about　my　strange　powers。〃



Malkiel　smiled　with　easy　irony。



〃Strange　powers　in　Berkeley　Square！〃　he　ejaculated。　〃The　Berkeley

Square！　But　go　on；　sir。　What　are　they？〃



〃Having　been　led　to　study　the　stars；〃　continued　the　Prophet　with　more

composure　and　growing　earnestness；　〃I　felt　myself　moved　to　make　a

prophecy。〃



〃Weather　forecast；　I　suppose；〃　remarked　Malkiel；　laconically。



〃How　did　you　know　that？〃



〃The　easiest　kind；　sir；　the　number　one　beginner's　prophecy。　Capricornus

used　to　tell　Madame　what　the　weather'd　be　as　soon　as　he　could　talk。　But

go　on；　sir；　go　on；　I　beg。〃



The　Prophet　began　to　feel　rather　less　like　Isaiah；　but　he　continued；

with　some　determination；



〃If　that　had　been　all；　I　daresay　I　should　have　thought　very　little　of

the　matter。〃



〃No；　you　wouldn't　sir。　Who　thinks　their　first　baby　a　little　one？　Can

you　tell　me　that？〃



The　Prophet　considered　the　question　for　a　moment。　Then　he　answered；



〃Perhaps　you're　right。〃



〃Perhaps　so；〃　rejoined　Malkiel；　indulgently。　〃Well；　sir；　what　was　your

next　attemptin　the　Berkeley　Square？〃



The　Prophet's　sensitive　nature　winced　under　the　obvious　irony　of　the

interrogation；　but　either　the　〃creaming　foam〃　had　rendered　him

desperate；　or　he　was　to　some　extent　steeled　against　the　satire　by　the

awful　self…respect　which　had　invaded　him　since　Mrs。　Merillia's

accident。　In　any　case　he　answered　firmly；



〃Malkiel　the　Second；　in　Berkeley　Square　I　had　a　relationan　honoured

grandmother。〃



〃You've　the　better　of　me　there；　sir。　My　parents　and　Madame's　are　all　in

Brompton　Cemetery。　Well；　sir；　you'd　got　an　honoured　grandmother　in　the

Berkeley　Square。　What　of　it？〃



〃She　was　naturally　elderly。〃



〃And　you　predicted　her　death　and　she　passed　over。　Very　natural　too；

sir。　The　number　two　beginner's　prophecy。　Why；　Corona〃



But　at　this　point　the　Prophet　broke　in。



〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said　in　a　scandalised　voice；　〃excuse　me；　Malkiel　the

Second；　she　did　nothing　of　the　kind。　Whatever　my　faults　may　beand

they　are　many；　I　am　awareII〃



He　was　greatly　moved。



〃Take　another　sup　of　wine；　sir。　You　need　it；〃　said　Malkiel。



The　Prophet　mechanically　drank　once　more；　grasping　the　edge　of　the

table　for　support　in　the　endurance　of　the　four…bob　ecstasy。



〃You　prophesied　it　and　she　didn't　pass　over；　sir；〃　continued　Malkiel；

with　unaffected　sympathy。　〃I　understand　the　blow。　It's　cruel　hard　when

a　prophecy　goes　wrong。　Why；　even　Madame〃



But　at　this　point　the　Prophet　broke　in。



〃You　are　mistaken；〃　he　cried。　〃Utterly　mistaken。〃



Malkiel　the　Second　drew　himself　up　with　dignity。



〃In　that　case　I　will　say　no　more；〃　he　remarked；　pursing　up　his　lengthy

mouth　and　assuming　a　cast…iron　attitude。



The　Prophet　perceived　his　mistake。



〃Forgive　me；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃It　is　my　fault。〃



〃Oh；　no；　sir。　Not　at　all；〃　rejoined　Malkiel；　with　icy　formality。　〃Pray

let　the　fault　be　mine。〃



〃I　will　not　indeed。　But　let　me　explain。　My　beloved　grandmother　still

lives；　although　I　cast　her　horoscope　and〃



〃Indeed！　very　remarkable！〃



〃I　meannot　althoughbut　I　thought　I　would　cast　her　horoscope。　And　I

did　so。〃



〃In　the　square？〃　asked　Malkiel；　with　quiet；　but　piercing；　irony。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Prophet；　with　sudden　heat。　〃Why　not？〃



Malkiel　smiled　with　an　almost　paternal　pity；　as　of　a　thoughtful　father

gazing　upon　the　quaint　and　inappropriate　antics　of　his　vacant　child。



〃Why　not；　sirif　you　prefer　it？〃　he　rejoined。　〃Pray　proceed。〃



The　Prophet's　face　was　flushed；　either　by　the　〃creaming　foam；〃　or　by

irritation；　or　by　both。



〃Surely；〃　he　began；　in　a　choking　voice；　〃surely　the　stars　are　the　same

whether　they　are　looked　at　from　Berkeley　Square　or　fromfromor

from〃he　sought　passionately　for　a　violent　contrast〃from　Newington

Butts；〃　he　concluded　triumphantly。



〃I　have　not　the　pleasure　to　have　ever　observed　my　guides　from　the

neighbourhood　of　the　Butts；〃　said　Malkiel；　serenely。　〃But　pray　proceed；

sir。　I　am　all　attention。　You　cast　your　honoured　grandmother's

horoscopein　the　Berkeley　Square。〃



The　Prophet　seized　his　glass；　but　some　remnants　of　his　tattered　self…

control　still　clung　to　him；　and　he　put　it　down　without　seeking　further

madness　from　its　contents。



〃I　did；〃　he　said　firmly；　even　obstinately。　〃And　I　discoveredI　say

discovered　that　she　was　going　to　have　an　accident　while　on　an　evening

expeditionor　jaunt　as　you　might　perhaps　prefer　to　call　it。〃



〃I　should　certainly　call　it　soin　the　case　of　a　lady　who　was　an

honoured　grandmother；〃　said　Malkiel　the　Second　in　assent。



〃Well；　Malkiel　the　Second；〃　continued　the　Prophet；　recovering　his

composure　as　he　approached　his　/coup/；　〃my　grandmother　did　have　an

accident；　as　I　foretold。〃



〃Did　she　have　it　in　the　square；　sir？〃　asked　Malkiel。



〃And　what　if　she　did？〃　cried　the　Prophet　with　considerable　testiness。



He　was　beginning　to　conceive　a　perfect　hatred　of　the　admirable

neighbourhood；　which　he　had　loved　so　well。



〃I　merely　ask　for　information；　sir。〃



〃The　accident　did　take　place　in　the　square　certainly；　and　on　the　very

night　for　which　I　predicted　it。〃



Malkiel　the　Second　looked　very　thoughtful；　even　morose。　He　poured　out

another　glass　of　champagne；　drank　it　slowly　in　sips；　and　when　the　glass

was　empty　ran　the　forefinger　of　his　right　hand　slowly　round　and　round

its　edge。



〃Can　Madame　be　wrong？〃　he　ejaculated　at　length；　in　a　muffled　voice　of

meditation。　〃Can　Madame　be　wrong？〃



The　Prophet　gazed　at　him　with　profound　curiosity；　fascinated　by　the

circular　movement　of　the　yellow　dogskin　finger；　and　by　the　inward

murmurso　acutely　mentalthat　accompanied　it。



〃Madame？〃　whispered　the　Prophet；　drawing　his　cane　chair　noiselessly

forward。



〃Ah！〃　rejoined　Malkiel；　gazing　upon　him　with　an　eye　whose　pupil　seemed

suddenly　dilated　to　a　most　preternatural　size。　〃Can　she　have　been　wrong

all　these　many　years？〃



〃Whatwhat　about？〃　murmured　the　Prophet。



Malkiel　the　Second　leaned　his　matted　head　in　his　hands　and　replied；　as

if　to　himself；



〃Can　it　be　that　a　prophet　should　live　in　Berkeley　Squarenot

Kimmins's〃here　he　raised　his　head；　and　raked　his　companion　with　a

glance　that　was　almost　fierce　in　its　fervour　of　inquiry〃not　Kimmins's

butthe　Berkeley　Square？〃







CHAPTER　IV