the prophet of berkeley square-第32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！





Mrs。　Merillia　looked　very　much　astonished。



〃There　is　nothing　to　hide；　Hennessey；〃　she　said　with　gentle　dignity。

〃You　know　that。〃



〃I　do；　I　do；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　passionately。　〃Yours　has　been　the

best；　the　sweetest　life　the　world　has　ever　known！〃



〃Well；　I　don't　wish　to　imply〃



〃But　I　do；　grannie；　I　do。　Can　Fancy　leave　us　for　a　moment？〃



〃Certainly。　Fancy；　you　can　go　to　your　tatting。〃



〃Yes；　ma'am。〃



〃Mr　Hennessey　has　something　to　explain　to　me。〃



〃Oh；　ma'am；　the　houses　that　have　been　broke　up　by　explainings！〃



And　with　this；　as　the　Prophet　thought；　appallingly　appropriate

exclamation；　Mrs。　Fancy　hurried　feverishly　from　the　room。



〃Now　what　is　the　question　you　wish　to　ask　me；　Hennessey？〃　said　Mrs。

Merillia；　with　a　soft　dignity。



〃There　areone　momentthere　are　eight　questions；　grannie；〃　responded

the　Prophet；　shrinking　visibly　before　the　dread　necessity　by　which　he

found　himself　confronted。



〃Eight！　So　many？〃



〃Yes；　oh；　indeed；　yes。〃



〃Well；　my　dear；　and　what　are　they？〃



〃The　first　isisgrannie；　when　were　you　removed　fromfrom　the

bottle？〃



A　very　delicate　flush　crept　into　Mrs。　Merillia's　charming　cheeks。



〃The　bottle；　Hennessey！　Never；　never！〃　she　said；　with　a　sort　of

pathetic　indignation。　〃How　could　you　supposeIthe　bottle〃



Her　pretty　old　voice　died　away。



〃Answered；　darling　grannie；　answered！〃　ejaculated　the　Prophet。　

Pleaseplease　don't！〃　And　nowyour　first　tooth？〃



〃My　first　what！〃　cried　Mrs。　Merillia　in　almost　terrified　amazement。



〃Toothwhen　did　you　cut　it？〃



〃I　have　no　idea。　Surely；　Hennessey〃



〃Answered；　dearest　grannie！〃　cried　the　Prophet；　with　gathering

agitation。　〃Did　you　ever　wear　a　short　coat？〃



〃II'm　not　a　man！〃



〃You　didn't！　Always　a　skirt？〃



〃Of　course！　Why〃



〃And　you're　sixty…eight　on　the　twentieth。　So　for　sixty…eight　years

you've　always　worn　a　skirt。　That's　four。〃



〃Four　what？　Are　you？〃



〃When　did　you　put　your　hair　up；　grannie；　darling？〃



〃My　hairnever。　You　know　I've　always　had　a　maid　to　do　these　things　for

me。　Fancy〃



〃Of　course。　You've　never　put　your　hair　up。　I　might　have　known。　You　were

married　very　young；　weren't　you？〃



〃Ah；　yes。　On　my　seventeenth　birthday；　and　was　left　a　widow　in　exactly

two　years'　time。　Your　poor　dear　granf〃



〃Thank　you；　grannie；　thank　you！　Seven！〃



〃Seven　what；　Hennessey？　One　would　th〃



〃And　now；　dear　grannie；　tell　me　one　thing；　only　one　little　thing　more。

Aboutthat　is；　talking　of　rashes〃



〃Rashers！〃



〃No；　grannie；　rashesillnesses；　you　know；　that　take　an　epidemic　form。〃



〃Well；　what　about　them？　Surely　there　isn't　an　epidemic　in　the　square？〃



〃How　many　have　you　had；　grannie？〃



〃Where？　Had　what？〃



〃Here；　anywhere　in　the　square；　grannie。〃



〃Had　what　in　the　square？〃



〃Rashes。〃



〃I！　Have　a　rash　in　the　square！〃



〃Exactly。　Have　you　everan　epidemic；　you　know？〃



〃I　have　an　epidemic　in　Berkeley　Square？　You　must　be　crazy；　Hennessey！〃



〃Probably；　very　likely；　grannie。　But　have　you？　Tell　me　quickly！　Have

you？〃



〃Certainly　not！　As　if　any　gentlewoman〃



〃Answered；　grannie；　answered！　Eight！〃



〃Eight　what？〃



〃Questions。　Thank　you；　dearest　grannie。　I　knew　you'd　tell　me；　I　knew

you　would！〃



And　the　Prophet　rushed　from　the　room；　leaving　Mrs。　Merillia　in　a

condition　that　cannot　be　described　and　that　not　all　the　subsequent

ministrations　of　Mrs。　Fancy　Quinglet　were　able　to　alleviate。



Having　reached　the　hall；　the　Prophet　hastily　put　on　his　coat　and　hat

and　called　Mr。　Ferdinand　to　him。



〃Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　he　said；　assuming　a　fixed　and　stony　dignity　to　conceal

his　agitation　and　dismay；　〃I　am　leaving　the　house　at　once　with　thethe

lady　and　gentleman　who　are　in　the　library。〃



At　this　description　of　the　kids　Mr。　Ferdinand　was　very　nearly　seized

with　convulsions。　However；　as　he　said　nothing　and　merely　wrung　his

large　hands；　the　Prophet；　after　a　slight　pause；　continued；



〃I　may　be　away　some　time；　so　if　Mrs。　Merillia　should　make　any　inquiry；

you　will　say　that　I　have　left　to　pay　a　visit　to　some　friends。〃



〃Yes；　sir。　Shall　I　tell　Gustavus　to　pack　your　things？〃



〃Certainly　not。〃



The　Prophet　was　turning　towards　the　library　when　Mr。　Ferdinand　added；



〃When　shall　we　expect　you　back；　sir？　Am　I　to　forward　your　letters？〃



〃No；　no。　I　shall　return　in　a　few　hours。〃



〃Oh；　I　beg　pardon；　sir。　And　if　any　telegrams〃



〃There　will　not　be　any。　I　am　now　going　to　answer　the　telegrams　in

person。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃Come　along；　my　children；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　putting　his　head　into　the

library。



〃Not　your　children；　if　you　please；　Mr。　Vivian；〃　replied　the　little　boy。

〃Corona；　come　on。〃



〃How　do　we　go；　my　dears？〃　asked　the　Prophet；　with　an　attempt　at　gaiety；

and　endeavouring　to　ignore　the　prostrated　demeanour　of　Mr。　Ferdinand；

who　was　in　waiting　to　open　the　hall　door。



〃By　the　purple　'bus　as　far　as　the　Pork　Butcher's　Rest；〃　piped　the

little　boy（at　this　point　Mr。　Ferdinand　could　not　refrain　from　a

slight　exclamation）〃then　we　take　the　train　to　the　Mouse；　Mouse；

Mouse。〃



〃Mus；　Mus；　Mus；〃　chanted　the　little　girl。



As　Mr。　Ferdinand　was　unable　to　open　the　door；　paralysis　having

apparently　supervened；　the　Prophet　did　so；　and　the　cheerful　little

party　emerged　upon　the　step　to　find　Lady　Enid　Thistle　in　the　very　act

of　pressing　the　electric　bell。　When　she　beheld　the　vivacious　trio；　all

agog　for　their　morning's　expedition；　come　thus　suddenly　upon　her；　she

cried　out　musically；



〃Why；　where　are　you　off　to？〃



The　Prophet　was　much　embarrassed　by　the　encounter。



〃I　am　taking　these　lit〃he　caught　the　staring　eye　of　Capricornus

〃these　friends　of　mine　for　a　little　walk；〃　he　said。



〃I'll　come　with　you；〃　said　Lady　Enid；　with　an　almost　Highland　decision。

〃I've　got　something　to　say　to　you；　and　we　can　talk　as　we　go。〃



She　glanced　very　inquisitively　indeed　at　the　two　children；　who　had

begun　to　frisk　at　sight　of　the　square　all　bathed　in　winter　sunshine。

The　Prophet　was　very　much　upset。



〃Don't　you　think〃　he　began。



〃It　will　be　delightful　to　have　some　exercise；〃　she　interrupted　firmly。

〃Which　way　are　you　going？〃



〃Which　way！　Oh；　totowards〃



The　Prophet　stopped。　He　did　not　know　from　what　point　the　purple　'bus

started　to　gain　the　Pork　Butcher's　Rest。　Capricornus　hastened　to　inform

him。



〃We　take　the　purple　'bus　at　the　corner　of　Air　Street；〃　he　piped。



〃The　purple　'bus！〃　cried　Lady　Enid。　〃The　purple　bus！〃



She　glanced　searchingly　at　the　Prophet。



〃Ah！〃　she　murmured；　〃so　you　are　taking　a　purple　'bus　to　your　double

life！〃



He　could　not　deny　it。　They　were　now　all　walking　forward　in　the　sun　and

as　the　little　Corona　and　Capricornus　became　speedily　intent　upon　the

wonders　of　this　central　district；　Lady　Enid　and　the　Prophet　were　able

to　have　a　quiet　word　or　two　together。



〃I　came　to　tell　you；〃　she　said；　〃that　Mrs。　Vane　Bridgeman　will　expect

you　to…night　at〃



〃I　am　engaged　at　eleven；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　in　despair　at　the

imposition　of　this　fresh　burden　upon　his　weary　shoulders。



〃I　know。　To　the　Lord　Chancellor；　but〃



〃No。　I　have　an　engagement　which　I　dare　not　break；　at　home。〃



〃Really！〃



She　gazed　at　him　with　her　large；　handsome　grey　eyes；　and　added；



〃I　do　believe　you're　silly　enough　to　live　your　double　life　at　home

sometimes。　How　splendid！〃



〃No；　no！　I　assure　you〃



〃Of　course　you　do！　You　dear　foolish　thing！　You're　ever　so　much　sillier

than　I　am。　You're　my　master。〃



〃No；　indeed；　no；　no！〃



〃But　you　can　go　to　Mrs。　Bridgeman's　for　an　hour　easily。　She　expects　you

and　I've　promised　that　you　will　go。〃



〃It's　very　kind　of　you；　but　really〃



〃So　that's　settled。　You'll　meet　me　there；　but　don't　forget　I'm　Miss

Minerva　Partridge。　The　address　is　Zoological　House；　Regent's　Park；　that

big　house　in　a　garden　just　outside　the　Zoo。〃



〃The　big　house　in　the　Zoological　Gardens；〃　said　the　Prophet；　feebly。

〃Thank　you　very　much。〃



〃No；　no；　outside　the　Zoo。　And　then　we　can　arrange　to…night　about　your

introducing　her　to　Mr。　Sagittarius。〃



〃Hush！　Hush！〃　whispered　the　Prophet。



But　he　was　too　late。　The　long　ears　of　the　little　pitchers　had　caught

the　well…known　word。



〃Why；　that抯　pater　familias；〃　piped　the　little　Capricornus。



〃And　mater　familiaris；〃　added　the　little　Corona。



〃You　don't　mean　to　say；〃　cried　Lady　Enid　to　the　Prophet；　〃that　these

are　the　children　of　Mr。　Sagittarius？〃



The　Prophet　bent　his　head。



〃How　very　interesting！〃　said　Lady　Enid。　〃Everything　is　working　out　most

beautifully。　I　must　get　them　some　chocolates。〃



And　she　immediately　stepped　into　a　confectioner's　and　came　out　with　a

beautiful　box　of　bon…bons；　tied　with　amethyst　ribbon；　which　she　gave　to

the　delighted　children。



〃I　know　your　dear　father；〃　she　said。　〃At　least　I　know　who　he　is。〃



And　she　looked　firmly　at　the　Prophet；　wh