the prophet of berkeley square-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

repose　on　his　what…not。　It　has　been　a　terrible　day。〃



Mrs。　Merillia　lay　back　and　closed　her　eyes；　and　the　Prophet；

overwhelmed　with　remorse；　retired　to　his　room；　lay　down　and　stared

desperately　at　nothing　for　half　an　hour。　He　then　ate；　with　a　very　poor

appetite；　a　morsel　of　dinner　and　prepared　to　take；　if　possible；　a　short

nap　before　starting　on　the　labours　of　the　night。　As　he　got　up　from　the

dining　table　to　go　upstairs　he　said　to　Mr。　Ferdinand；



〃By　the　way；　Mr。　Ferdinand；　if　I　should　come　into　the　pantry　again　to…

night；　don't　be　alarmed。　I　may　chance　to　require　a　bradawl　as　I　did

last　night。　Kindly　leave　one　out；　in　case　I　should。　But　you　need　not

sit　up。〃



As　the　Prophet　said　the　last　words　he　looked　Mr。　Ferdinand　full　in　the

face。　The　butler's　eyes　fell。



〃Thank　you；　Master　Hennessey；　I　shall　be　glad　to　get　to　bedentirely

to　bedin　good　time。　We　are　all　a　bit　upset　in　the　kitthat　is　the

hall　to…day。〃



〃Just　so。　Retire　to　rest　at　once　if　you　like。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir。〃



〃Gustavus；〃　said　Mr。　Ferdinand；　a　moment　later　in　the　servants'　hall；

〃you　are　a　man　of　the　world；　I　believe。〃



Gustavus　roused　himself　on　his　what…not。



〃I　am；　Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　he　replied；　in　a　pale　and　exhausted　manner。



〃Then　tell　me；　Gustavus；　have　you　ever　lived　in　service　with　a

gentleman　who　was　partial　to　a　bradawlof　a　night；　you　understand？〃



〃No；　never；　Mr。　Ferdinand。　The　nearest　to　it　ever　I　got　was　the　Bishop

of　Clapham。〃



〃Explain　yourself；　Gustavus；　I　beg。〃



〃He　used　to　ask　for　a　nip　sometimes　before　retiring；　Mr。　Ferdinand。〃



〃A　nip；　Gustavus？〃



〃Warm　water；　with　a　slice　of　toast　in　it。　But　he　was　only　what　they

call　a　suburban　bishop；　Mr。　Ferdinand。〃



〃Ah！　a　nip　is　hardly　on　all　fours　with　a　bradawl；　Gustavus。〃



〃P'r'aps　not；　Mr。　Ferdinand；　but　it's　the　nearest　ever　I　got　to　it。〃



Mr。　Ferdinand　said　no　more；　but　when　he　retired　to　rest　that　night　he

double…locked　his　door；　and　dreamt　of　bradawls　till　he　woke；

unrefreshed；　the　next　morning　to　find　the　area　full　of　telegrams。



Meanwhile　the　Prophet　was　conscientiously　fulfilling　his　promise　and

keeping　the　oath　he　had　pledged　his　honour　over；　although　he　had　to

work　under　a　grave　disadvantage　in　the　total　loss　of　his　planisphere；

or　star…map。



He　entered　the　butler's　pantry　precisely　on　the　stroke　of　eleven；　and

found　it；　to　his　great　relief；　untenanted。　The　dwarf　was　no　longer　at

the　telescope；　and　the　silence　in　the　region　dedicated　to　Mrs。

Merillia's　menials　was　profound。　The　night；　too；　was　clear　and　starry；

propitious　for　prophetic　labours；　and　as　the　Prophet　gazed　out　upon　the

deserted　square　through　the　open　window　a　strange　peace　descended　upon

his　fevered　soul。　Nature；　with　all　her　shining　mysteries；　her　distant

reticences　and　revelations；　calmed　the　turmoil　within　him。　He　looked

upon　the　area　railings　and　upon　the　sky；　and　smiled。



Then　he　looked　for　the　star…map。　He　perceived　in　a　very　prominent

position　upon　a　silver　salver；　the　bradawl　laid　out；　according　to

order；　by　the　obedient　Mr。　Ferdinand。　He　perceived　also　the　open　pot　of

〃Butler's　Own　Special　Pomade；〃　but　the　planisphere　had　been　removed

from　it。　Where　could　it　have　been　bestowed？　The　Prophet　instituted　a

careful　search。　He　explored　cupboards；　drawerssuch　at　least　as　were

unlockedin　vain。　He　glanced　into　a　silver　teapot　reposing　on　a　shelf；

between　the　pages　of　an　almanac　hanging　on　the　wall；　among　some　back

numbers　of　the　/Butler's　Gazette/；　which　were　lying　in　a　corner。　But

the　planisphere　was　nowhere　to　be　found；　and　at　last　in　despair　he

resolved　to　do　without　it；　and　to　trust　to　his　fairly　accurate

knowledge　of　the　heavens。　He；　therefore；　took　up　his　station　by　the

window　and　proceeded　to　extract　from　the　pocket　of　his　smoking…jacket

the　account…book　in　which　he　had　dotted　down　the　directions　of　〃Madame

and　self。〃　They　were　very　vague；　for　his　dots　had　been　agitated。　Still；

by　the　help　of　the　George　the　Third　candlestick；　in　which　was　a　lighted

taper；　the　Prophet　was　able　to　make　out　enough　to　refresh　his　memory。

He　was　to　begin　by　placing　his　beloved　grandmother　in　the　claws　of　the

crab。　Leaning　upon　the　sill　of　the　window　he　found　the　crab　and

breathing　a　short　prayer　for　forgivenesscommitted　his　dear　relation

to　its　offices。　He　then　retreated　and；　assuming　very　much　the　position

of　Mr。　Ferdinand；　applied　his　right　eye　to　the　telescope；　at　the　same

time　holding　his　left　eye　firmly　shut　with　the　forefinger　of　his　left

hand。　At　once　the　majesty　of　the　starry　heavens　burst　upon　him　in　all

its　glory。



Exactly　at　half…past　one　o'clock；　two　hours　and　a　half　later；　the

enthralled　Prophet　heard　a　low　whistle　which　seemed　to　reach　him　from

the　square。　He　withdrew　his　fascinated　right　eye　from　the　telescope　and

endeavoured　to　use　it　in　an　ordinary　manner；　but　he　could　at　first　see

nothing。　The　low　whistle　was　repeated。　It　certainly　did　come　from　the

square；　and　the　Prophet　approached　the　open　window　and　once　more　tried

to　compel　the　eye　that　had　looked　so　long　upon　the　stars　to　gaze　with

understanding　upon　the　earth。　This　time　he　perceived　a　black　thing；

like　a　blot；　about　six　feet　high；　beyond　the　area　railings。　From　this

blot　came　a　third　whistle。　The　Prophet；　who　was　still　dazed　by　the

fascination　of　star…gazing；　mechanically　whistled　in　reply；　whereupon

the　blot　whispered　at　him　huskily；



〃At　it　again；　are　you？〃



〃Yes；〃　whispered　the　Prophet；　also　huskily；　for　the　night　air　was　cold。

〃But　how　should　you　know？〃



Indeed　he　wondered；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　the　blot　were　some

strange　night　thing　that　must　have　companioned　him；　invisibly；　when　he

kept　his　nocturnal　watches　in　the　drawing…room；　and　that　now　partially

revealed　itself　to　him　in　the；　perhaps；　more　acutely　occult　region　of

the　basement。



〃How　should　I　know！〃　rejoined　the　blot　with　obvious；　though　very

hoarse；　irony。　〃Whatever　d'you　take　me　for？〃



The　Prophet　began　to　wonder；　but　before　he　had　gone　on　wondering　for

more　than　about　half　a　minute；　the　blot　continued；



〃She's　gone　to　bed。〃



〃I　know　she　has；〃　said　the　Prophet；　presuming　that　the　blot；　which

seemed　instinct　with　all　knowledge；　was　referring　to　his　grandmother。



〃But　she　knows　you're　at　it　again；〃　continued　the　blot。



The　Prophet　started　violently　and　leaned　upon　the　window…sill。



〃No！　How　can　that　be？〃　he　ejaculated。



〃Ho！　Them　girls　knows　everything；　especially　the　old　uns；〃　said　the

blot；　with　an　audible　chuckle。



〃Good　gracious！〃　gasped　the　Prophet；　overwhelmed　at　this　mysterious

visitant's　familiar　description　of　his　revered　grandmother。



〃Have　you　seen　her　to…night？〃　inquired　the　blot；　controlling　its

merriment。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Prophet。　〃With　the　Crab。〃



〃What！〃　cried　the　blot；　in　obvious　astonishment。　〃Them　instruments　must

be　wonderful　sight…carriers。〃



〃They　are；〃　exclaimed　the　Prophet；　with　almost　mystic　enthusiasm。

〃Wonderful。　I　have　seen　her　with　the　Crab　distinctly。〃



〃Ah！　well；　I　told　her　she　ought　to　keep　away　from　it；〃　continued　the

blot。



〃Did　you？〃　said　the　Prophet；　with　increasing　surprise。　〃But　how　could

she？〃



〃Ah！　that's　just　it！　She　couldn't。〃



〃No；　of　course　not。〃



〃She　was　drawn　right　to　it。〃



〃She　was。　It　wasn't　her　fault。　It　was　the　Crab's。〃



〃A　pity　it　was　dressed。〃



〃What？〃



〃I　say　it's　a　pity　'twas　dressed。〃



〃What　was　dressed？〃



〃What！　why；　the　Crab！〃



〃The　Crabdressed！〃



〃Ay。　They're　a　deal　safer　not　dressed。〃



〃Are　they？〃



〃She　knows　it　too。〃



〃Does　she？〃



〃But　therethem　women　likes　a　spice　of　danger。　She's　in　a　nice　state

now；　you　bet。　Not　much　sleep　for　her；　I'll　lay。　Well；　I　tried　to　keep

her　from　it；　so　you　needn't　blame　me。〃



〃I　won't；〃　said　the　Prophet；　feeling　completely　dazed。



〃Well；　go'…night。　I'm　off　round　the　square。〃



〃Good…night；〃　said　the　Prophet。



Suddenly　a　blinding　flash　of　light　dazzled　his　eyes。　He　covered　them

with　his　hands。　When　he　could　see　again　the　blot　was　gone。



Although　he　was　retired　to　rest　that　night　when　the　clock　struck　three；

the　Prophet　did　not　sleep。　His　nervous　system　was　in　a　condition　of

acute　excitement。　His　brain　felt　like　a　burning　ball；　and　the　palms　of

his　hands　were　hot　with　fever。　For　the　spirit　of　prophecy　was　upon　him

once　more；　and　he　was　bound　fast　in　the　golden　magic　of　the　stars。　Like

the　morphia　maniac　who；　after　valiant　fasting；　returning　to　his　drug；

feels　its　influence　the　stronger　for　his　abstinence　from　it；　the

Prophet　was　conscious　that　the　heavens　held　more　power；　more　meaning

for　him　because；　for　a　while；　he　had　intended　to　neglect　them。　He　was

ravaged　by　their　mystery；　their　majesty　and　revelation。



When　he　came　down　in　the　morning　pale；　dishevelled；　but　informed　by　a

curious　dignity；　he　was　met　at　once　by　Mr。　Ferdinand。