the prophet of berkeley square-第29节

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〃A　man　of　science。　Isn't　he；　Mr。　Vivian？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃An　astronomer　of　remarkable　attainments；　Mr。　Vivian？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃One　knows　not　his　abnormal　name；〃　cried　the　astronomer。



〃He　is　very　modest；　very　retiring。　Mrs。　Bridgeman's　is　really　the　only

house　in　London　at　which　you　can　meet　him。　Isn't　that　so；　Mr。　Vivian？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃You　say　he　has　made　investigation　into　the　possibility　of　there　being

oxygen　in　many　of　the　holy　stars？〃



〃Mr。　Vivian！〃



〃Yes。〃



〃The　old　astronomer　must　encounter　him！〃　exclaimed　Sir　Tiglath；　puffing

furiously　as　he　rolled　about　the　room。



〃Mr。　Vivian　will　arrange　it；〃　Lady　Enid　said；　with　sparkling　eyes；　〃at

Mrs。　Bridgeman's。　That's　a　bargain。　Come；　Mr。　Vivian！〃



And　almost　before　the　Prophet　knew　what　she　was　doing；　she　had

maneuvered　him　out　into　Kensington　Square；　and　was　pioneering　him

swiftly　towards　the　High　street。



〃We'll　take　a　hansom　home；〃　she　said　gaily；　〃and　the　man　can　drive　as

fast　as　ever　he　likes。〃



In　half　a　minute　the　Prophet　found　himself　in　a　hansom；　bowling　along

towards　Mayfair。　The　first　words　he　said；　when　he　was　able　to　speak；

were；



〃WhyMr。　Sagittariusoh；　why？〃



Lady　Enid　smiled　happily。



〃It　just　struck　me　while　I　was　talking　to　Sir　Tiglath　that　I　would

introduce　Mr。　Sagittarius　into　the　affair。〃



〃Oh；　why？〃



〃Whybecause　it　seemed　such　an　utterly　silly　thing　to　do；〃　she

answered。　〃Didn't　it？〃



The　Prophet　was　silent。



〃Didn't　it？〃　she　repeated。　〃A　thing　worthy　of　Miss　Minerva。〃



It　seemed　to　the　Prophet　just　then　as　if　Miss　Minerva　were　going　to

wreck　his　life　and　prepare　him　accurately　for　a　future　in　Bedlam。



〃And　besides　you　wouldn't　tell　me　who　Mr。　Sagittarius　was；〃　she　added。



The　Prophet　began　to　realise　that　it　is　very　dangerous　indeed　to　deny

the　curiosity　of　a　woman。



〃What　a　mercy　it　is；〃　Lady　Enid　continued　lightly；　〃that　Malkiel　is　a

syndicate；　instead　of　a　man。　If　he　wasn't；　and　Sir　Tiglath　ever　got　to

know　him；　he　would　try　to　murder　him；　and　how　foolish　that　would　be！　It

would　be　rather　amusing；　though；　to　see　Sir　Tiglath　do　a　thoroughly

foolish　thing；　wouldn't　it！〃



The　Prophet's　blood　ran　cold　in　the　cab；　as　he　began；　for　the　first

time；　to　see　clearly　into　the　elaborate　mind　of　Miss　Minerva；　into　the

curiously　deliberate　complications　of　a　definite　and　determined　folly。

He　perceived　the　danger　that　threatened　the　prophet　who　dwelt　beside

the　Mouse；　but　he　had　recovered　himself　by　this　time　sufficiently　to

meet　craft　with　craft。　And　he　therefore　answered　carelessly；



〃Yes；　it　is　lucky　that　Malkiel's　a　syndicate。〃



When　they　reached　Hill　street　Lady　Enid　said；



〃I'm　so　much　obliged　to　you；　Mr。　Vivian；　for　all　you've　done　for　Miss

Minerva。〃



〃Not　at　all。〃



〃The　next　step　is　to　introduce　you　to　Mrs。　Bridgeman；　and　you　can

introduce　her　to　Mr。　Sagittarius。　Then　I'll　introduce　Sir　Tiglath　to

her　and　she　will　introduce　Mr。　Sagittarius　to　him。　It　all　works　out　so

beautifully！　Thank　you　a　thousand　times。　You'll　hear　from　me。　Probably

I'll　give　you　your　directions　how　to　act　to…morrow。　Good…night。〃



The　Prophet　drove　on　to　Berkeley　Square；　feeling　that；　between　Mr。　and

Madame　Sagittarius　and　Miss　Minerva；　he　was　being　rapidly　directed　to

his　doom。







CHAPTER　XIII



THE　PROPHET　IS　INTERVIEWED　BY　TWO　KIDS



Mr。　Ferdinand　met　the　Prophet　in　the　hall。



〃I　have　done　as　you　directed；　sir；〃　he　said　respectfully。



〃As　I　directed；　Mr。　Ferdinand？　I　was　not　aware　that　I　ever　directed

anybody；〃　replied　the　Prophet；　suspecting　irony。



〃I　understood　you　to　say；　sir；　that　if　any　more　telegrams　was　to

arrive；　I　was　to　burn　them；　sir。〃



〃Telegrams！　Good　Heavens！　You　don't　mean　to　say　that〃



〃There　has　been　some　seventeen　or　eighteen；　sir。　I　have　burnt　them；

sir；　to　ashes；　according　to　your　orders。〃



〃Quite　right；　Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　said　the　Prophet；　putting　his　hand　up　to

his　hair；　to　feel　if　it　were　turning　grey。　〃Quite　right。　How　ishow；　I

say；　is　Mrs。　Merillia？〃



〃Well；　Master　Hennessey；　she's　not　dead　yet。〃



And　Mr。　Ferdinand；　with　a　contorted　countenance　moved　towards　the

servants'　hall。



The　Prophet　stood　quite　still　with　his　hat　and　coat　on　for　several

minutes。　An　amazing　self…possession　had　come　to　him；　the　unnatural

self…possession　of　despair。　He　felt　quite　calm；　as　the　statue　of　a　dead

alderman　feels　on　the　embankment　of　its　native　city。　Nothing　seemed　to

matter　at　all。　He　might　have　been　Marcus　Aureliustill　a　loud　double

knock　came　to　the　front　door。　Then　he　might　have　been　any　dangerous

lunatic；　ripe　for　a　strait　waistcoat。　Mr。　Ferdinand　approached。　The

Prophet　faced　him。



〃Kindly　retire；　Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　he　said　in　a　very　quiet　voice。　〃I　will

answer　that　knock。〃



Mr。　Ferdinand　retired　rather　rapidly。　The　knock　was　repeated。　The

Prophet　opened　the　door。　A　telegraph　boy；　about　two　and　a　half　feet

high；　stood　outside　upon　the　step。



〃Telegram；　sir；〃　he　said　in　a　thin　voice。



〃Give　it　to　me；　my　lad；〃　replied　the　Prophet。



The　small　boy　handed　the　telegram　and　turned　to　depart。



〃Wait　a　moment；　my　lad；〃　said　the　Prophet；　very　gently。



The　small　boy　waited。



〃Do　you　wish　to　be　strangled；　my　lad？〃　asked　the　Prophet。



The　small　boy　tried　to　recoil；　but　his　terror　rooted　him　firmly　to　the

spot。



〃Do　all　the　other　boys　at　the　office　wish　to　be　strangled？〃　continued

the　Prophet。　〃Come；　my　lad；　why　don't　you　answer　me？〃



〃No；　sir；〃　whispered　the　small　boy；　passing　his　little　tongue　over　his

pale　lips。



〃Very　well；　my　lad；　the　next　boy　who　brings　a　telegram　to　this　house

will　be　strangled；　do　you　understand　that？〃



〃Yes；　sir；〃　sighed　the　small　boy；　like　a　terror…stricken　Zephyr。



〃That's　right。　Good…night；　my　lad。〃



The　Prophet　closed　the　street　door　very　softly；　and　the　small　boy

dropped　fainting　on　the　pavement　and　was　carried　to　the　nearest

hospital　on　a　stretcher　by　two　dutiful　policemen。



Meanwhile　the　Prophet　opened　the　telegram　and　read　as　follows：



　〃Insufferable　insolence。　How　dare　you；　shall　pay　dearly；　with　you

　　to…morrow　first　'bus。



〃JUPITER　AND　MADAME　SAGITTARIUS。〃





〃Mr。　Ferdinand！〃　called　the　Prophet。



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃I　am　about　to　write　a　telegram。　Gustavus　will　take　it　to　the　office。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



The　Prophet　went　into　the　library　and　wrote　these　words　on　a　telegraph

form：



　〃Jupiter　Sagittarius；　Sagittarius　Lodge；　Crampton　St。　Peter；　N。

　　Your　life　is　in　danger；　keep　where　you　are；　another　telegram　may

　　destroy　you。　Grave　news。



〃VIVIAN。〃





The　Prophet　gave　this　telegram　to　Gustavus　and　then　prepared　to　go

upstairs　to　his　grandmother。　As　he　mounted　towards　the　drawing…room　he

murmured　to　himself　over　and　over　again；



〃Sir　TiglathMalkiel！　MalkielSir　Tiglath！〃



He　found　Mrs。　Merillia　very　prostrate。　It　seemed　that　the　telegraph

boys　had　very　soon　worn　through　the　cotton…wool　with　which　the　knocker

had　been　shrouded；　and　that　the　incessant　noise　of　their　efforts　to

attract　attention　at　the　door　had　quite　unnerved　the　gallant　old　lady。

Nevertheless；　her　own　condition　was　the　last　thing　she　thought　of。



〃I　don't　mind　for　myself；　Hennessey；〃　she　said。　〃But　it　is　very　sad

after　all　these　years　of　respect　and　even；　I　think；　a　certain

popularity；　to　be　considered　a　nuisance　by　one's　square。　We　are

hopelessly　embroiled　with　the　Duchess　of　Camberwell；　and　the　Lord

Chancellor　has　sent　over　five　times　to　explain　the　different　laws　and

regulations　that　we　are　breaking。　I　don't　see　how　you　can　go　to　his

Reception　to…night；　really。〃



〃I　am　not　going；　grannie；〃　said　the　Prophet；　overwhelmed　with

contrition。　〃I　cannot　go　in　any　case。〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃II　have　some　work　to　do　at　home。〃



He　avoided　the　glance　of　her　bright　eyes；　and　continued。



〃Grannie；　I　am　deeply　grieved　at　all　you　have　gone　through　to…day。

Believe　me　it　has　not　been　my　faultat　least　not　entirely。　I　may　have

been　injudicious；　but　I　nevernever〃



He　paused；　quite　overcome　with　emotion。



〃I　don't　know　what　will　happen　if　the　telegrams　go　on　till　midnight；〃

said　Mrs。　Merillia。　〃The　Duke　of　Camberwell　is　a　very　violent　man；

since　he　had　that　sunstroke　at　the　last　Jubilee；　and　I　shouldn't　wonder

if　he〃



〃Grannie；　there　will　not　be　any　more　telegrams。〃



〃But　you　said　that　before；　Hennessey。〃



〃And　I　say　it　again。　There　will　not　be　any　more。　I　have　just　informed

the　messenger　that　the　next　boy　who　knocks　will　certainly　bewell；

destroyed。〃



Mrs。　Merillia　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。



〃I　am　so　thankful；　Hennessey。　Are　you　dining　out　to…night？〃



〃No；　grannie。　I　don't　feel　very　well。　I　have　a　headache。　I　shall　go　and

lie　down　for　a　little。〃



〃Yes；　do。　Everybody　is　lying　down；　Fancy；　the　upper　housemaid；　the

cook。　Even　Gustavus；　they　tell　me；　is　trying　to　snatch　a　little　uneasy

repose　on　his　wha