the prophet of berkeley square-第20节

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furnished　with　elastic　sides；　and　over　her　left　wrist　she　carried　a

plush　reticule；　whose　mouth　was　kept　shut　by　a　tightly…drawn　scarlet

riband。　On　the　left　side　of　her　pelisse　reposed　a　round　bouquet　of

violets　about　the　size　of　a　Rugby　football。



〃I　thought　you　might　like　to　have　some　tea；〃　began　the　Prophet；　in　his

most　soothing　manner；　while　Mr。　Ferdinand；　with　pursed　lips；　softly

arranged　that　beverage　upon　the　seat　which　Mr。　Sagittariusso　we　must

call　himhad　just　vacated。



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Madame　Sagittarius；　with　dignity。　〃It　would　be

acceptable。　The　long　journey　from　the　banks　of　the　Mouse　to　these

central　districts　is　not　without　its　fatigue。　A　beautiful　equipage！〃



〃You　said〃



〃You　have　a　very　fine　equipage。〃



〃You　have　seen　the　brougham？〃　said　the　Prophet；　in　some　surprise。



〃What　broom？〃　buzzed　Madame　Sagittarius。



〃I　thought　you　were　admiring〃



〃The　tea　equipage。〃



〃Oh；　yes；　to　be　sure。　Queen　Anne　silver；　yes。〃



〃A　great　woman！〃　said　Madame　Sagittarius；　spreading　a　silk　handkerchief

that　exactly　matched　the　ostrich　tips　in　her　bonnet　carefully　over　her

velvet　lap。　〃All　who　have　read　Mrs。　Markham's　work　of　genius　with

understanding　must　hold　her　name　in　reverence。　A　noble　creature！　A　pity

she　died！〃



〃A　great　pity　indeed！〃



〃Still　we　must　remember　that　/Mors　omnis　communibus/。　We　must　not

forget　that。〃



〃No；　no。〃



〃And　after　all　it　is　the　will　of　Providence。　/Mors　Deo/。〃



〃Quite　so。〃



During　this　classical　and　historical　retrospect　Mr。　Ferdinand　had

finished　his　task　and　quitted　the　apartment。　As　soon　as　he　had　gone

Madame　Sagittarius　continued；



〃As　the　mother　of　Corona　and　Capricornus　I　feel　it　my　duty　to　ask　you；

sirthat　is；　Mr。〃



〃Vivian。〃



〃Mr。　Vivian；　whether　the　illness　in　your　house　is　really　only　ankles　as

the　gentleman　who　opened　the　door　assured　me？〃



〃It　is　only　that。〃



〃Not　catching？〃



〃Oh；　dear；　no。〃



〃There；　Sophronia！〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius。　〃I　told　you　it　was　merely　the

prophecy。〃



He　suddenly　assumed　a　formidable　manner；　and　continued；



〃And　now；　sir；　that　we　are　alone〃



But　Madame　interrupted　him。



〃Kindly　permit　our　host　to　succour　my　fatigue；　Jupiter；〃　she　said

severely。　〃I　am　greatly　upset　by　the　journey。　When　I　am　restored　we　can

proceed　to　business。　At　present　I　am　fit　only　for　consolation。〃



Mr。　Sagittarius　subsided；　and　the　Prophet　hastily　assisted　the　victim

of　prolonged　travel　to　some　buttered　toast。　Having　also　attended　to　the

wants　of　her　precipitate　underling；　he　thought　it　a　good　opportunity　to

proceed　to　a　full　explanation　with　the　august　couple；　and　he　therefore

remarked；　with　an　ingratiating　and　almost　tender　smile；



〃I　think　I　ought　to　tell　you　at　once　that　there　will　be　no　need　for　any

further　anxiety　on　your　part。　I　have　put　down　my　telescope　and　have

well；　in　fact；　I　have　decided　once　and　for　all　to　give　up　prophecy　for

the　future。〃



The　Prophet；　in　his　innocence；　had　expected　that　this　declaration　of

policy　would　exercise　a　soothing　influence　upon　his　guests；　more

especially　when　he　addedit　is　to　be　feared　with　some　insincerity；



〃I　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　I　overrated　my　powers；　as　amateurs

will；　you　know；　and　that　I　have　never　really　possessed　any　special

talent　in　that　direction。　I　think　I　shall　take　up　golf　instead；　or

perhaps　the　motor　car。〃



He　spoke　deliberately　in　a　light…minded；　even　frivolous；　manner；　toying

airily　with　a　sugar　biscuit；　as　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　which

stood　opposite　to　Madame　Sagittarius's。　To　his　great　surprise　his　well…

meaning　remarks　were　received　with　every　symptom　of　grave

dissatisfaction　by　his　illustrious　companions。　Madame　Sagittarius　threw

herself　suddenly　forward　with　a　most　vivacious　snort；　and　her　husband's

face　was　immediately　overcast　by　a　threatening　gloom　that　seemed　to

portend　some　very　disagreeable　expression　of　adverse　humour。



〃That　won't　do；　sir；　at　this　time　of　day！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃You　should

have　thought　of　that　yesterday。　That　won't　do　at　all；　will　it；　Madame？〃



〃/O　miseris　hominorum　mentas/！〃　exclaimed　that　lady；　tragically。　〃/O

pectorae　caecae/！〃



〃You　hear　her；　sir？〃　continued　Mr。　Sagittarius。　〃You　grasp　her

meaning？〃



〃I　do　hear　certainly；〃　said　the　Prophet；　beginning　to　feel　that　he

really　must　rub　up　his　classics。



〃She　helps　Capricornus；　sir；　of　an　evening。　She　assists　him　in　his

Latin。　Madame　is　a　lady　of　deep　education；　sir。〃



〃Quite　so。　But〃



〃There　can　be　no　going　back；　sir；〃　continued　Mr。　Sagittarius。　〃Can

there；　Madame？〃



〃No　human　creature　can　go　back；〃　said　Madame　Sagittarius。　〃Such　is　the

natural　law　as　exemplified　by　the　great　Charles　Darwin　in　his

/Vegetable　Mould　and　Silkworms/。　No　human　creature　can　go　back。　Least

of　all　this　gentleman。　He　must　go　forward　and　we　with　him。〃



The　Prophet　began　to　feel　uncomfortable。



〃But〃　he　said。



〃There　is　no　such　word　as　'but'　in　my　dictionary；〃　retorted　the　lady。



〃Ah；　an　abridged　edition；　no　doubt；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃Still〃



〃I　am　better　now；〃　interposed　Madame　Sagittarius；　brushing　some　crumbs

of　toast　from　her　pelisse　with　the　orange　handkerchief。　〃Jupiter；　if

you　are　ready；　we　can　explain　the　test　to　the　gentleman。〃



So　saying　she　drew　a　vinaigrette；　set　with　fine　imitation　carbuncles；

from　the　plush　reticule；　and　applied　it　majestically　to　her　nose。　The

Prophet　grew　really　perturbed。　He　remembered　his　promise　to　his

grandmother　and　Sir　Tiglath；　and　felt　that　he　must　assert　himself　more

strongly。



〃I　assure　you；〃　he　began；　with　some　show　of　firmness；　〃no　tests　will　be

necessary。　My　telescope　has　already　been　removed　from　its　position；

and〃



〃Then　it　must　be　reinstated；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius；　〃and　this　very

night。　Madame　has　hit　upon　a　plan；　sir；　of　searching　you　to　the　quick。

Trust　a　woman；　sir；　to　do　that。〃



〃I　should　naturally　trust　Madame　Sagittarius；〃　said　the　Prophet；　very

politely。　〃But　I　really　cannot〃



〃So　you　say；　sir。　Our　business　is　to　find　out　whether；　living　in　the

Berkeley　Square　as　you　do；　you　can　bring　off　a　prophecy　of　any

importance　or　not。　The　future　of　myself；　Madame　and　family　depends　upon

the　results　of　the　experiments　which　we　shall　make　upon　you　during　the

next　few　days。〃



The　Prophet　began　to　feel　as　if　he　were　shut　up　alone　with　a　couple　of

determined　practitioners　of　vivisection。



〃Let's　see；　my　dear；〃　continued　Mr。　Sagittarius；　addressing　his　wife；

〃what　was　it　to　be？〃



〃The　honored　grandmother　one；〃　replied　the　lady；　tersely。



The　Prophet　started。



〃I　cannot　possibly　consent〃　he　began。



〃Pray；　Mr。　Vivian；　listen　to　me；〃　interposed　Madame　Sagittarius。



〃Pray；　sir；　attend　to　Madame！〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius；　sternly。



〃But　I　must　really〃



〃January；〃　said　Madame；　〃is　a　month　of　grave　importance　to　grandmothers

this　year；　is　it　not；　Jupiter？〃



〃Yes；　my　dear。　In　consequence　of　Scorpio　being　in　the　sign　of

Sagittarius。　The　crab　will　be　very　busy　up　till　the　third　of　February。〃



〃Just　so。〃



〃At　which　date　the　little　dog；　my　love；　assumes　the　roll　of　maleficence

towards　the　aged。〃



〃I　know。　/Cane　cavem/。　When　was　the　old　lady　born；　Mr。　Vivian；　if　you

please？〃



〃What　old　lady？〃　stammered　the　Prophet；　beginning　to　perspire。



〃The　old　lady　who's　got　ankles；　your　honoured　grandmother？〃



〃On　the　twentieth　of　this　month。　But〃



〃At　what　time？〃



〃Six　in　the　morning。　But〃



〃Under　what　star？〃



〃Saturn。　But〃



〃That's　lucky；　isn't　it；　Jupiter？〃　said　Madame；　in　an　increasingly

business…like　manner。　〃That　brings　her　into　touch　with　the　Camelopard

doesn't　it？〃



〃Into　very　close　touch　indeed；　my　dear；　and　also　with　the　bull。　He　goes

right　to　her；　as　you　may　say。〃



〃I　cannot　conceivably　permit〃　began　the　Prophet　in　much　agitation。



But　Madame；　without　taking　the　smallest　notice　of　him；　proceeded。



〃Will　the　scorpion　be　round　her　on　her　birthday？〃



〃Close　round　her；　my　lovewith　the　serpent。　They　work　together。〃



〃Together；　do　they？　You　know　what　effect　they'll　have　on　her；　don't

you；　Jupiter？〃



〃I　should　rather　think　so；　my　darling；〃　replied　Mr。　Sagittarius；　with

an　air　of　profound　and　sinister　information。



The　Prophet's　blood　ran　cold　in　his　veins。　Yet　he　felt　for　the　moment

unable　to　utter　a　syllable；　or　even　to　make　a　gesture　of　protest。　So

entirely　detached　from　him　did　the　worthy　couple　appear　to　be；　so

completely　wrapped　up　in　their　own　evidently　well…considered　and

carefully…laid　plans；　that　he　had　a　sense　of　being　in　another　sphere；

not　theirs；　of　hearing　their　remarks　from　some　distance　off。　Madame

Sagittarius　now　turned　towards　him　in　a　formal　manner；　and　continued。



〃And　now；　Mr。　Vivian；　I　shall　have　to　lay　down　the　procedure　that　you

will　follow。　Have　you　a　good　memoryno；　a　pencil　and　notebook　will　be

best。　/Litterae　scriptus　mane