the prophet of berkeley square-第11节

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First　is　not　a　man　to　be　trifled　with　or　dodged。　Moreover；　much　more

than　the　future　of　myself　and　family　depends　upon　what　you　really　are。

From　this　day　forth　you　will　be　bound　up　with　the　/Almanac/。〃



〃Merciful　Heavens！〃　ejaculated　the　Prophet；　unable；　intrepid　as　he　was；

to　avoid　recoiling　when　he　found　himself　thus　suddenly　confronted　with

the　fate　of　an　appendix。



〃For　why　should　it　ever　cease？〃　proceeded　Malkiel；　with　growing

passion。　〃Whyif　a　prophet　can　live；　as　you　declare；　freely　and　openly

in　the　Berkeley　Square？　If　this　is　so；　why　should　I　not　remove；　along

with　Madame　and　family；　from　the　borders　of　the　Mouse　and　reside

henceforth　in　a　central　situation　such　as　I　should　wish　to　reside　in？

Why　should　not　Capricornus　eventually　succeed　me　in　the　/Almanac/　as　I

succeeded　Malkiel　the　First？　Already　the　boy　shows　the　leanings　of　a

prophet。　Hitherto　Madame　and　I　have　endeavoured　to　stifle　them；　to　turn

them　in　an　architectural　direction。　You　understand？〃



〃I　am　trying　to；〃　stammered　the　Prophet。



〃Hitherto　we　have　corrected　the　boy's　table　manners　when　they　have

become　too　like　those　of　the　average　prophetas　they　often　havefor

hitherto　we　have　had　reason　to　believe　that　all　prophetswith　the

exception　of　myselfwere　dirty；　deceitful　and　essentially　suburban

persons。　But　if　you　are　a　prophet　we　have　been　deceived。　Trust　me；　sir；

I　shall　find　speedy　means　to　pierce　you　to　the　very　marrow。〃



The　Prophet　began　mechanically　to　feel　for　his　hat。



〃Are　you　desirous　of　anything；　sir？〃　said　Malkiel；　sharply。



〃No；〃　said　the　Prophet；　wondering　whether　the　moment　had　arrived　to

throw　off　all　further　pretence　of　bravery　and　to　shout　boldly　for　the

assistance　of　the　young　librarian。



〃Then　why　are　you　feeling　about；　sir？　Why　are　you　feeling　about？〃



〃Was　I？〃　faltered　the　Prophet。



〃You　are　looking　for　another　glass　of　wine；　perhaps？〃



〃No；　indeed；〃　said　the　Prophet；　desperately。　〃For　anything　but　that。〃



But　Malkiel；　moved　by　some　abruptly　formed　resolution；　called　suddenly

in　a　powerful　voice；



〃Frederick　Smith！〃



〃Here；　Mr。　Sagittarius！〃　cried　the　young　librarian；　appearing　with

suspicious　celerity　upon　the　parlour　threshold。



〃Draw　the　cork　of　the　second　bottle；　Frederick　Smith；〃　said　Malkiel；

impressively。　〃This　gentleman　is　about　to　take　the　pledge〃on　hearing

this　ironic　paradox　the　Prophet　stood　up；　very　much　in　the　attitude

formerly　assumed　by　Malkiel　when　about　to　dodge　in　the　library〃that　I

shall　put　to　him；〃　concluded　Malkiel；　also　standing　up；　and　assuming

the　library　posture　of　the　Prophet。



Indeed　the　situation　of　the　library　seemed　about　to　be　accurately

reversed　in　the　parlour　of　Jellybrand's。



The　young　librarian　assisted　the　cork　to　emerge　phlegmatically　from　the

neck　of　the　second　bottle　of　champagne；　mechanically　smacking　his　lips

the　while。



〃Now　pour；　and　leave　us；　Frederick　Smith。〃



The　young　librarian　helped　the　fatigued…looking　wine　into　the　two

glasses；　where　it　lay　as　if　thoroughly　exhausted　by　the　effort　of

getting　there；　and　then　languidly　left　the　parlour；　turning　his　bulging

head　over　his　shoulder　to　indulge　in　a　pathetic　/oeillade/　ere　he

vanished。



The　Prophet　watched　him　go。



〃Close　the　door；　Frederick　Smith；〃　cried　Malkiel；　in　a　meaning　manner。



The　Prophet　blushed　a　guilty　red；　and　the　young　librarian　obeyed　with　a

bang。



〃And　now；　sir；　I　must　request　you　to　take　a　solemn　pledge　in　this

vintage；〃　said　Malkiel；　placing　one　of　the　tumblers　in　the　Prophet's

trembling　hand。



〃Really；〃　said　the　Prophet；　〃I　am　not　at　all　thirsty。〃



〃Why　should　you　be；　sir？　What　has　that　got　to　do　with　it？〃　retorted

Malkiel。　〃Lift　your　glass；　sir。〃



The　Prophet　obeyed。



〃And　now　take　this　pledgethat；　till　the　last　day〃



〃What　day？〃



〃The　last　day；　sir；　you　will　reveal　to　no　living　person　that　there　is

such　an　individual　as　Malkiel；　that　you　have　ever　met　him；　who　he　is；

or　who　Madame　and　family　are；　unless　I　give　the　word。　You　have

surprised　my　secret。　You　have　forced　yourself　upon　me。　You　owe　me　this。

Drink！〃



Mechanically　the　Prophet　drank。



〃Swear！〃



Mechanicallyindeed　almost　like　a　British　working　manthe　Prophet

swore。



Malkiel　drained　his　tumbler；　and　drew　on　the　dogskin　glove　which；　in

the　agitation　of　a　previous　moment；　he　had　thrown　aside。



〃I　have　your　card；　sir；　here　is　mine。　I　shall　now　take　the　train　to　the

River　Mouse；　on　whose　banks　I　shall　confer　at　once　with　Madame。　Till　I

have　done　this　I　cannot　tell　you　what　form　the　tests　I　shall　have　to

apply　to　you　will　take。　When　I　have　done　it　you　will　hear　from　me。　Your

servant；　sir。〃



He　bowed　majestically；　and　was　turning　towards　the　door　when　it　was

hastily　opened　and　a　lady　appeared　frantically　in　the　aperture。







CHAPTER　V



MALKIEL　THE　SECOND　POISONS　MISS　MINERVA



〃Miss　Minerva！〃　exclaimed　Malkiel　the　Second。



〃Lady　Enid！〃　cried　the　Prophet；　at　the　same　moment。



〃You　can't　go　in　there；　Miss　Partridge！〃　ejaculated　the　young

librarian；　simultaneously；　from　the　further　room。



The　lady；　a　tall　girl　of　twenty…two；　with　grey　eyes；　dark　smooth　hair；

and　a　very　agreeable；　though　slightly　Scottish；　mouth；　began　to　behave

rather　like　a　stag　at　bay。　She　panted；　and　looked　wildly　round　as　if

meditating　how；　and　in　what　direction；　she　could　best　bolt。



〃What's　the　matter？〃　cried　the　Prophet；　his　voice　becoming　not　a　little

piercing　from　surprise　and　his　previous　stress　of　agitation。



〃You　can't　go　in　there；　Miss　Minerva；〃　requested　the　young　librarian；

who　had　now　gained　the　parlour　threshold；　and　who　seemed　about　to　take

up　a　very　determined　stand　thereon。



〃I　must　go　inI　must；〃　said　the　lady；　in　a　mellow；　but　again　slightly

Scottish；　voice。　〃Don't　tell　anybody　I'm　here；　or　you'll　be　sorry。〃



And；　with　these　words；　she　bounded　into　the　parlour　and　banged　the　door

on　the　young　librarian。　The　Prophet　opened　his　lips　preparatory　to　a

third　wild　exclamation。



〃Hush！〃　the　lady　hissed　aristocratically。



She　shook　her　head　vigourously　at　him；　sank　down　on　one　of　the　cane

chairs；　held　up　her　right　hand；　and　leant　towards　the　door。　It　was

obvious　that　she　was　listening　for　something　with　strained　attention；

and　so　eloquent　was　her　attitude　that　the　two　prophets　were　infected

with　her　desire。　They　turned　their　eyes　mechanically　towards　the　deal

door　and　listened　too。　For　a　moment　there　was　silence。　Then　a　heavy

footstep　resounded　upon　the　library　floor；　accompanied　by　the　sharp　tap

of　a　walking　stick。　The　lady's　attitude　became　more　tense　and　the

pupils　of　her　handsome　grey　eyes　dilated。



〃Has　a　young　female　just　entered　this　shop？〃　said　a　very　heavy　and

rumbling　voice。



〃This　ain't　a　shop；　sir；〃　replied　the　high　soprano　of　the　young

librarian；　indignantly。



〃Bandy　no　words　with　me；　thou　infamous　malapert！〃　returned　the　first

voice。　〃But　answer　my　question。　Have　you　a　young　female　concealed

within　these　loathsome　precincts？〃



Under　ordinary　circumstances　it　is　very　possible　that　the　young

librarian　might　have　betrayed　the　lady　as　he　had　already　betrayed

Malkiel　the　Second。　But　it　happened　that　there　existed　upon　the　earth

one　object；　and　one　object　only；　towards　which　he　felt　a　sense　of

chivalry。　This　object　was　Jellybrand's　Library。　His　reply　to　the　voice

was　therefore　as　follows；　and　was　delivered　in　his　highest　key　and　with

extreme　volubility　and　passion：



〃Loathsome　precincts　yourself！　You're　a　nice　one；　you　are；　chasing

respectable　ladies　about　at　your　age。　There　ain't　no　young　females　in

the　library；　and　if　there　was　I　shouldn't　trot　'em　out　for　you　to　clap

your　ugly　old　eyes　on。　Now　then；　out　yer　go。　No　more　words　about　it。

Out　yer　go！〃



A　prolonged　sound　of　hard　breathing　and　of　feet　scraping　violently　upon

bare　boards　followed　upon　this　deliverance；　complicated　by　the　sharp

snap　of　a　breaking　walking　stick；　the　thump　of　a　falling　chair；　a　bang

as　of　a　heavy　body　encountering　firm　resistance　from　some　inflexible

article　of　furnitureprobably　a　bookcaseand　finally　a　tremendous

thundering；　as　of　the　hoofs　of　a　squadron　of　cavalry　charging　over　a

parquet　floor；　the　crash　of　a　door；　the　grinding　of　a　key　swiftly

turning　in　a　lock；　andsilence。



The　lady；　Malkiel　the　Second　and　the　Prophet　looked　at　one　another；　and

the　lady　opened　her　mouth。



〃D'you　think　he's　killed　him？〃　she　whispered　with　considerable

curiosity。



There　came　a　distant　noise　of　a　torrent　of　knocks　upon　a　door。



〃No；　he　hasn't；〃　added　the　lady；　arranging　her　dress。　〃That's　a　good

thing。〃



The　two　prophets　nodded。　The　torrent　of　knocks　roared　louder；　slightly

failed　upon　the　ear；　made　a　crescendo；　emulated　Niagara；　surpassed　that

very　American　effort　of　nature；　wavered；　faltered　to　Lodore；　died　away

to　a　feeble　tittup　like　water　dropping　from　a　tap　to　flagstones；　rose

again　in　a　final　spurt　that　would