the prophet of berkeley square-第23节

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

strenuous　mental　exertion。



〃Well；　what　would　you　say　of　him？〃



〃That　he　was　a　damned　fool。〃



The　Prophet　looked　very　much　upset。



〃No；　no；　Bob；　I　meant　to　him。　What　would　you　say　to　him？〃



〃That　he　was　a　damned　fool。〃



The　Prophet　began　to　appear　thoroughly　broken　down。　However；　he　still

stuck　to　his　interpellation。



〃Very　well；　Bob；〃　he　said；　with　unutterable　resignationas　of　a　toad

beneath　the　harrow〃but；　putting　all　that　aside〃



〃Give　us　a　chance；　Hen！　I've　got　to　shunt　all　that；　have　I？〃



〃Yes；　at　least　all　you　would　say　of；　and　to；　the　man。〃



〃Oh；　only　that。　Wait　a　bit！　Yes；　I've　done　that。　Drive　on　now！〃



〃Putting　all　that　aside；　what　should　you　advise　the　man　to　do？〃



〃Not　to　be　such　a　damned　fool　again。〃



〃No；　no！　I　mean　about　the　two　promises？〃



〃What　about　'em？〃



〃Which　would　his　sense　of　honour　compel　him　to　keep？〃



〃I　shouldn't　think　such　a　damned　fool'd　got　a　sense　of　honour。〃



The　Prophet　winced；　but　he　stuck　with　feverish　obstinacy　to　his　point。



〃Yes；　Bob；　he　had。〃



〃I　don't　believe　it；　Hen；　'pon　my　word　I　don't。　You'll　always　find　that

damned　f〃



〃Bob；　I　must　beg　you　to　take　it　from　me。　He　had。　Now　which　promise

should　he　keep？〃



〃Who'd　he　made　'em　to？〃



〃Who？〃　said　the　Prophet；　wavering。



〃Yes。〃



〃One　toto　a　very　near　and　dear　relative；　the　other　towell；　Bob　to

two　comparative　strangers。〃



〃What　sort　of　strangers。〃



〃The　sort　of　strangers　whowho　live　beside　a　river；　and　whowho　mix

principally　withwell；　in　fact；　with　architects　and　their　wives。〃



〃Rum　sort　of　strangers？〃



〃They　are　decidedly。〃



〃Oh；　then；　you　know　'em？〃



〃That's　not　the　point；〃　exclaimed　the　Prophet；　hastily。　〃The　point　is

which　promise　is　to　be　kept。〃



〃I　should　say　the　one　made　to　the　relative。　Wait　a　bit；　though！　Yes；　I

should　say　that。〃



The　Prophet　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。　But　some　dreadful　sense　of

honesty　within　him　compelled　him　to　add；



〃I　forgot　to　say　that　he'd　pledged　his　honour　to　the　architectsthat

is；　to　the　strangers　who　lived　beside　a　river。〃



〃Whatand　not　pledged　it　to　the　relative？〃



〃Well；　no。〃



〃Then　he　ought　to　stick　to　the　promise　he'd　pledged　his　honour　over；　of

course。　Nice　for　the　relative！　The　man's　a　damned　fool；　Hen。　Do　have　a

drink；　old　chap。〃



Thus　did　Mr。　Robert　Green　drive　the　Prophet　to　take　the　first　decisive

step　that　was　to　lead　to　so　many　complications；the　step　towards　Mr。

Ferdinand's　pantry。



At　precisely　a　quarter　to　eleven　p。m。　the　Prophet　stood　upon　his

doorstep　and；　very　gently　indeed；　inserted　his　latchkey　into　the　door。

A　shaded　lamp　was　burning　in　the　deserted　hall；　where　profound　silence

reigned。　Clear　was　the　night　and　starry。　As　the　Prophet　turned　to　close

the　door　he　perceived　the　busy　crab；　and　the　thought　of　his　beloved

grandmother；　sinking　now　to　rest　on　the　second　floor　all　unconscious　of

the　propinquity　of　the　scorpion；　the　contiguity　of　the　serpent；　filled

his　expressive　eyes　with　tears。　He　shut　the　door；　stood　in　the　hall　and

listened。　He　heard　a　chair　crack；　the　ticking　of　a　clock。　There　was　no

other　sound；　and　he　felt　certain　that　Mr。　Ferdinand　and　Gustavus　had

heeded　his　anxious　medical　directions　and　gone　entirely　to　bed　betimes；

leaving　the　butler's　pantry　free　for　the　nocturnal　operations　of　the

victim　of　Madame。　For　he　recognised　that　she　was　the　guiding　spirit　of

the　family　that　dwelt　beside　the　Mouse。　He　might　have　escaped　out　of

the　snare　of　Mr。　Sagittarius；　but　Madame　was　a　fowler　who　would　hold

him　fast　till　she　had　satisfied　herself　once　and　for　all　whether　it

were　indeed　possible　to　dwell　in　the　central　districts；　within　reach　of

the　Army　and　Navy　heaven　in　Victoria　Street；　and　yet　remain　a　prophet。

Yes；　he　must　now　work　for　the　information　of　her　ambitious　soul。　He

sighed　deeply　and　went　softly　up　the　stairs。　His　chamber　was　on　the

same　floor　as　Mrs。　Merillia's；　and；　as　he　neared　her　door；　he　rose

instinctively　upon　his　toes　and；　grasping　the　tails　of　his　evening　coat

firmly　with　his　left　hand；　to　prevent　any　chance　rustling　of　their

satin　lining；　and　bearing　his　George　the　Third　silver　candlestick

steadily　to　control　any　clattering　of　its　extinguisher；　he　moved　on

rather　like　a　thief　who　was　also　a　trained　ballerina；　holding　his

breath　and　pressing　his　lips　together　in　a　supreme　agony　of　dumbness。



Unluckily　he　tripped　in　the　raised　pattern　of　the　carpet；　the

candlestick　uttered　a　silver　note；　his　pent…in　breath　escaped　with　a

loud　gulp；　and　Mrs。　Merillia's　delicate　voice　cried　out　from　behind　her

shut　door；



〃Hennessey！　Hennessey！〃



The　Prophet　bit　his　lip　and　went　at　once　into　her　room。



Mrs。　Merillia　looked　simply　charming　in　bed；　with　her　long　and　elegant

head　shaded　by　a　beautiful　muslin　helmet　trimmed　with　lace；　and　a

delicious　embroidered　wrapper　round　her　shoulders。　The　Prophet　stood

beside　her；　shading　the　candle…flame　with　his　hand。



〃Well；　grannie；　dear；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　it？　You　ought　to　be　asleep。〃



〃I　never　sleep　before　twelve。　Have　you　had　a　pleasant　dinner？〃



〃Very。　Stanyer　Phelps；　the　American；　was　there　and　very　witty。　And　we

had　a　marvellous　/supreme　de　volaille/。　Everybody　asked　after　you。〃



Mrs。　Merillia　nodded；　like　an　accustomed　queen　who　receives　her　due。

She　knew　very　well　that　she　was　the　most　popular　old　woman　in　London；

knew　it　too　well　to　think　about　it。



〃Well；　good…night；　grannie。〃



The　Prophet　bent　to　kiss　her；　his　heart　filled　with　compunction　at　the

thought　of　the　promise　he　was　about　to　break。　It　seemed　to　him　almost

more　than　sacrilegious　to　make　of　this　dear　and　honoured　ornament　of

old　age　a　vehicle　for　the　satisfaction　of　the　vulgar　ambitions　and

disagreeable　curiosity　of　the　couple　who　dwelt　beside　the　Mouse。



〃Good…night；　my　dear　boy。〃



She　kissed　him；　then　added；



〃You　like　Lady　Enid；　don't　you？〃



〃Very　much。〃



〃So　does　Robert　Green。　He　thinks　her　such　a　thoroughly　sensible　girl。〃



〃Bob！　Does　he？〃　said　the　Prophet；　concealing　a　slight　smile。



〃Yes。　If　you　want　her　to　get　on　with　you；　Hennessey；　you　should　come　up

to　tea　when　she　is　here。〃



〃I　couldn't　to…day；　grannie。〃



〃You　were　really　busy？〃



〃Very　busy　indeed。〃



〃I　suppose　you　only　saw　her　for　a　moment　on　the　stairs？〃



〃That　was　all。〃



It　was　true；　for　Lady　Enid　had　scarcely　stayed　to　speak　to　the　Prophet；

having　hurried　out　in　the　hope　of　discovering　who　were　the　〃two

parties〃　he　had　been　entertaining　on　the　ground　floor。



Mrs。　Merillia　dropped　the　subject。



〃Good…night；　Hennessey；〃　she　said。　〃Go　to　bed　at　once。　You　look　quite

tired。　I　am　so　thankful　you　have　given　up　that　horrible　astronomy。〃



The　Prophet　did　not　reply；　but；　as　he　went　out　of　the　room；　he　knew；

for　the　first　time；　what　criminals　with　consciences　feel　like　when　they

are　engaged　in　following　their　dread　profession。



As　he　walked　across　the　landing　he　heard　a　clock　strike　eleven。　He

started；　hastened　into　his　room；　tore　off　his　coat；　replaced　it　with　a

quilted　smoking…jacket；　sprang　lightly　to　his　table；　seized　a

planisphere；　or　star…map；　which　he　had　succeeded　in　obtaining　that

night　from　a　small　working　astronomer's　shop　in　the　Edgeware　Road；　and；

mindful　of　the　terms　of　his　oath　and　the　decided　opinion　of　Robert

Green；　scurried　hastily；　but　very　gingerly；　down　the　stairs。　This　time

Mrs。　Merillia　did　not　hear　him。　She　had　indeed　become　absorbed　in　a　new

romance；　written　by　a　very　rising　young　Montenegrin　who　was　just　then

making　some　stir　in　the　literary　circles　of　the　elect。



Very　surreptitiously　the　Prophet　tripped　across　the　hall　and　reached

the　stout　door　which　gave　access　to　the　servants'　quarters。　But　here　he

paused。　Although　he　had　lived　in　Mrs。　Merillia's　most　comfortable　home

for　at　least　fifteen　years；　he　had　actually　never　once　penetrated

beyond　this　door。　It　had　never　occurred　to　him　to　do　so。　Often　he　had

approached　it。　Quite　recently；　when　Mrs。　Fancy　Quinglet　had　broken　into

tears　on　the　refusal　of　Sir　Tiglath　Butt　to　burst　according　to　her

prediction；　he　had　handed　her　to　this　very　portal。　But　he　had　never

passed　through　it；　nor　did　he　know　what　lay　beyond。　No　doubt　there　was

a　kitchen；　very　probably　the　mysterious　region　of　watery　activities

commonly　known　as　a　scullery；　quite　certainly　a　butler's　pantry。　But

where　each　separate　sanctum　lay；　and　what　should　be　the　physiognomy　of

each　one　the　Prophet　had　not　the　vaguest　idea。　As　he　turned　the　handle

of　the　door　he　felt　like　Sir　Henry　Stanley；　when　that　intrepid　explorer

first　set　foot　among　the　leafy　habitations　of　the　dwarfs。



As　the　door　opened　the　Prophet　found　himself　in　a　large　apartment　whose

walls　were　decorated　with　the　efforts　of　those　great　painters　who　feed

the　sentimental　imaginations　of　the　masses　in　the　beautiful　Christmas