the prophet of berkeley square-第22节

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〃What　a　mind！〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius　aside　to　the　Prophet。



〃What！〃



〃Especially　as　Madame　says；　any　illnesses　taking　the　form　of　a　rash

the　epidemic　form；　as　I　may　sayand　so　forth。　We　are　to　receive　this

document　by　the　first　post　Thursday　morning。〃



〃Have　you　dotted　all　that　down；　Mr。　Vivian？〃　inquired　Madame。



The　Prophet　hastily　made　a　large　variety　of　scratches　with　the　lead

pencil。



〃And　now；〃　continued　Mr。　Sagittarius。



There　was　a　third　tap　at　the　door。



〃Come　in；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　distractedly；　and　feeling　as　if　homicidal

mania　were　rapidly　creeping　upon　him。



Mr。　Ferdinand　appeared　once　more；　with　a　mouth　like　a　purse。



〃Her　ladyship　says　she　really　must　go　in　a　moment；　sir；　andand　Mrs。

Merillia　begs　that〃



〃I　am　coming　at　once；　Mr。　Ferdinand。　I　swear　it。　Go　upstairs　and　swear

I　swear　it。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



Mr。　Ferdinand　departed；　rather　with　the　demeanour　of　an　archbishop　who

has　been　inveigled　into　pledging　himself；　on　his　archiepiscopal　oath；

to　commit　some　horrid　crime。　The　Prophet　turned；　almost　violently；

towards　his　guests。



〃I　must　go；〃　he　cried。　〃I　must　indeed。　Pray　forgive　me。　You　see　how　I

am　circumstanced。　Permit　me　to　show　you　to　the　door。〃



〃You　swear；　sir；　to　carry　out　all　our　directions　and　to　dot　down〃



〃I　do。　I　swear　solemnly　to　dot　downif　you　will　onlythis　way。　Take

care　of　the　mat。〃



〃We　trust　you；　Mr。　Vivian；〃　said　Madame；　with　majestic　pathos。　〃A　wife；

a　mother　trusts　you。　/Placens　uxus！　Mater　familiaris/。〃



〃I　pledge　my　honour。　This　is　theno；　no；　not　that　way；　not　that　way！〃



The　worthy　couple；　by　mistake；　no　doubt；　were　proceeding　towards　the

grand　staircase；　having　missed　the　way　to　the　hall　door；　and　as　the

Prophet；　following　them　up　with　almost　unimaginable　activity；　drew　near

enough　to　drum　the　right　direction　into　their　backs；　Lady　Enid　became

visible　on　the　landing　above。　Mr。　Sagittarius　perceived　her。



〃Why；　it's　Miss　Minerv〃　he　began。



〃This　way；　this　way！〃　cried　the　Prophet；　wheeling　them　round　and

driving　them；　but　always　like　a　thorough　gentleman；　towards　the　square。



〃Then　she　leads　a　double　life；　too！〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius；　solemnly；

fixing　his　strained　eyes　upon　the　Prophet。



〃She？　Who？〃　said　Madame；　sharply。



She　had　not　seen　Lady　Enid。



〃All　of　us；　my　love；　all　of　us；〃　returned　her　husband；　as　the　Prophet

succeeded　in　shepherding　them　on　to　the　pavement。



〃Good…bye；〃　he　cried。



With　almost　inconceivable　rapidity　he　shut　the　door。　As　he　did　so　two

vague　echoes　seemed　to　faint　on　his　ear。　One　was　male；　a　dreamlike

〃First　post；　Thursday！〃　The　other　was　female；　a　fairylike〃/Jactum

alea　sunt/。〃







CHAPTER　IX



THE　PROPHET　BEGINS　TO　CARRY　OUT　HIS　DIRECTIONS



〃Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　said　the　Prophet　the　same　evening；　after　he　had

dressed　for　dinner；　〃what　has　become　of　the　telescope？〃



He　spoke　in　a　low　voice；　not　unlike　that　of　a　confirmed　conspirator；

and　glanced　rather　furtively　around　him；　as　if　afraid　of　being

overheard。



〃I　have　removed　it；　sir；　according　to　your　orders；〃　replied　Mr。

Ferdinand；　also　displaying　some　uneasiness。



〃Yes；　yes。　Where　have　you　placed　it？〃



〃Well；　sir；　I　understood　you　to　say　I　might　throw　it　in　Piccadilly；　if

I　so　wished。〃



The　Prophet　suddenly　displayed　relief。



〃I　see。　You　have　done　so。〃



〃Well；　no；　sir。〃



The　Prophet's　face　fell。



〃Then　where　is　it？〃



〃Well；　sir；　for　the　moment　I　have　set　it　in　the　butler's　pantry。〃



〃Indeed！〃



〃I　thought　it　might　be　of　use　there；　sir；〃　continued　Mr。　Ferdinand；　in

some　confusion；　which；　however；　was　not　noticed　by　the　Prophet。　〃Of

great　use　toto　Gustavus　and　me　inin　our　duties；　sir。〃



〃Quite　so；　quite　so；〃　returned　the　Prophet；　abstractedly。



〃Did　you　wish　it　to　be　taken　to　the　drawing…room　again；　sir？〃



The　Prophet　started。



〃Certainly　not；〃　he　said。　〃On　no　account。　As　you　very　rightly　saya

butler's　pantry　is　the　place　for　a　telescope。　It　can　be　of　great

service　there。〃



His　fervour　surprised　Mr。　Ferdinand；　who　began　to　wonder　whether；　by

any　chance；　his　master　knew　of　the　Lord　Chancellor's　agreeable…looking

second…cook。　After　pausing　a　moment　respectfully；　Mr。　Ferdinand　was

about　to　decamp　when　the　Prophet　checked　him　with　a　gesture。



〃One　moment；　Mr。　Ferdinand！〃



〃Sir？〃



〃One　moment！〃



Mr。　Ferdinand　stood　still。　The　Prophet　cleared　his　throat；　arranged　his

tie；　and　then　said；　with　an　air　of　very　elaborate　nonchalance；



〃At　what　time　do　you　generally　go　to　bed；　Mr。　Ferdinand；　when　you　don't

sit　up？〃



〃Sometimes　at　one　time；　sir；　and　sometimes　at　another。〃



〃That's　rather　ambiguous。〃



〃I　beg　pardon；　sir。〃



〃What　is　your　usual　hour　for　being　quitethat　is；　entirely　in　bed。〃



〃Entirely　in　bed；　sir？〃



Mr。　Ferdinand's　fine　bass　voice　vibrated　with　surprise。



〃Yes。　Not　partially　in　bed；　but　really　and　truly　in　bed？〃



〃Well；　sir；〃　returned　Mr。　Ferdinand；　with　decided　dignity；　〃when　I　am

in　bed；　sir；　I　am。〃



〃And　when's　that？〃



〃By　twelve；　sir。〃



〃I　thought　as　much；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　with　slightly　theatrical

solicitude。　〃You　sit　up　too　late；　Mr。　Ferdinand。〃



〃I　hope；　sir；　that　I〃



〃That's　what　makes　you　so　pale；　Mr。　Ferdinand；　and　delicate。〃



〃Delicate；　sir！〃　cried　Mr。　Ferdinand；　who　had　in　fact　been　hopelessly

robust　from　the　cradle；　totally　incapable　of　acquiring　even　the　most

universal　complaints；　and；　moreover；　miraculously　exempt　from　that

well…recognised　affliction　of　the　members　of　his　profession　so　widely

known　as　〃butler's　feet。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Prophet；　emphatically。　〃You　should　be　in　bed；

thoroughly　in　bed；　by　a　quarter　to　eleven。　And　Gustavus　too！　He　is

young；　and　the　young　can't　be　too　careful。　Begin　to…night；　Mr。

Ferdinand。　I　speak　for　your　health's　sake；　believe　me。〃



So　saying　the　Prophet　hurried　away；　leaving　Mr。　Ferdinand　almost　as

firmly　rooted　to　the　Turkey　carpet　with　surprise　as　if　he　had　been

woven　into　the　pattern　at　birth；　and　never　unpicked　in　later　years。



At　ten　that　evening　the　Prophet；　having　escaped　early　from　his　dinner

on　some　extravagant　plea　of　sudden　illness　or　second　gaiety；　stood　in

the　small　and　sober　passage　of　the　celebrated　Tintack　Club　and　inquired

anxiously　for　Mr。　Robert　Green。



〃Yes；　sir。　Mr。　Green　is　upstairs　in　the　smoke…room；〃　said　the

functionary　whom　the　club　grew　under　glass　for　the　benefit　of　the

members　and　their　friends。



〃Sam；　show　this　gentleman　to　Mr。　Green。〃



Sam；　who　was　a　red…faced　child　in　buttons；　with　a　man's　walk　and　the

back　of　one　who　knew　as　much　as　most　people；　obeyed　this　command；　and

ushered　the　Prophet　into　a　room　with　a　sealing…wax　red　paper；　in　which

Robert　Green　was　sitting　alone；　smoking　a　large　cigar　and　glancing　at

the　〃stony…broke　edition〃　of　an　evening　paper。　He　greeted　the　Prophet

with　his　usual　unaffected　cordiality；　offered　him　every　drink　that　had

yet　been　invented；　and；　on　his　refusal　of　them　all；　handed　him　a　cigar

and　a　matchbox；　and　whistled　〃Ta…ra…ra…boom…de…av〃　at　him　in　the　most

friendly　manner　possible。



〃Bob；〃　said　the　Prophet；　taking　a　very　long　time　to　light　the　cigar；

〃what；　in　your　opinion；　is　the　exact　meaning　of　the　term　honour？〃



Mr。　Green's　cheerful；　though　slightly　belated；　face　assumed　an

expression　of　genial　betwaddlement。



〃Oh；　well；　Hen；〃　he　said；　〃exact　meaning　you　know's　not　so　easy。　But

hang　it；　we　all　understand　the　thing；　eh；　without　sticking　it　down　in

words。　What？〃



〃I　don't；　Bob；〃　rejoined　the　Prophet；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　at　odds　with

several　consciences。　〃In　what　direction　does　honour　lie？〃



〃It　don't　lie　at　all；　old　chap；〃　said　Mr。　Green；　with　the　decided

manner　which　had　made　him　so　universally　esteemed　in　yeomanry　circles。



The　Prophet　began　to　look　very　much　distressed。



〃Look　here；　Bob；　I'll　put　it　in　this　way；〃　he　said。　〃Would　an

honourable　man　feel　bound　to　keep　a　promise？〃



〃Rather。〃



〃Yes；　but　would　he　feel　bound　to　keep　two　promises？〃



〃Rather；　if　he'd　made　'em。〃



〃Suppose　he　had！〃



〃Go　ahead；　Hen；　I'm　supposing；〃　said　Mr。　Green；　beginning　to　pucker　his

brows　and　stare　very　hard　indeed　in　the　endeavour　to　keep　the

supposition　fixed　firmly　in　his　head。



〃And；　further；　suppose　that　these　two　promises　were　diametrically

opposed　to　one　another。〃



Mr。　Green　stuck　out　one　leg；　looked　obliquely　at　the　carpet；　pressed

his　lips　together　and　nodded。



〃So　that　if　he　fulfilled　them　both　he'd　have　to　break　them　both〃



〃Stop　a　sec！　Gad；　I've　lost　it！　Start　again；　Hen！〃



〃No；　I　mean　so　that　if　he　didn't　break　one　he　would　be　forced　to　break

the　other。　Have　you　got　that？〃



〃Stop　a　bit！　Don't　believe　I　have。　Let's　see！〃



He　moved　his　lips　silently；　repeating　the　Prophet's　words。



〃Yes。　I've　got　that　all　right　now；〃　he　said；　after　three　minutes　of

strenuous　mental　exertion。