the prophet of berkeley square-第33节

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



And　she　looked　firmly　at　the　Prophet；　who　dropped　his　eyes。　They　were

now　at　the　corner　of　Air　Street；　and　the　purple　'bus　could　be　seen

looming　brilliantly　in　the　distance。



〃Good…bye；　Lady　Enid；〃　said　the　Prophet。




〃Oh；　I'll　see　you　off；〃　she　replied；　evidently　resolved　to　satisfy　some

further；　unexpressed　curiosity。



〃There　it　is！〃　cried　Capricornus。　〃It's　coming！　There　it　is！〃



〃Isn't　it　pretty？〃　shrieked　the　little　Corona；　who　was　evidently

growing　much　excited　by　the　chocolates　and　the　centralness　of　the　whole

thing。　〃Let's　go　on　the　top！　Let's　go　on　the　top！〃



She　began　to　jump　on　the　pavement；　and　her　brother　was　just　about　to

follow　her　example　when　some　sudden　idea　struck　him　into　gravity。　He

turned　to　the　Prophet　and　exclaimed　solemnly；



〃Oh；　if　you　please；　Mr。　Vivian；　have　you　got　the　crab　with　you？〃



〃The　crab！〃　cried　Lady　Enid；　with　much　vivacity。



〃Yes；　yes；　my　boy；　it's　all　right！〃　said　the　Prophet；　hastily。



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

inquisitor。　〃And　have　you　got　the　fist　tooth？〃



〃Yes；　yes！〃



〃And　the　rashes；　and　the　honoured　grandmother；　and〃



〃I've　got　everything；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　〃every　single　thing！〃



〃Because　mater　familias　said　I　was　to　make　you　bring　them　if　I　stayed

for　them　all　day。〃



〃Yes；　yes；　they're　all　hereevery　one。〃



Lady　Enid　was　gazing　at　the　Prophet's　slim　form　with　almost　passionate

curiosity。　It　was　evidently　a　problem　to　her　how　he　had　managed　to

conceal　so　many　various　commodities　about　his　person　without　altering

his　shape。　However；　she　had　no　time　to　study　the　matter；　for　at　this

moment　the　purple　'bus　jerked　along　the　kerb；　and　the　voice　of　the

conductor　was　heard　crying；



〃Pork　Butcher's　Rest！　All　the　way　one　penny！　Porkpennyall　the　way

Butcher'sRestonePorkallPorkpennyPorkButcher'sPork

RestPorkpenny！〃



With　a　hasty　farewell　the　Prophet；　accompanied；　and　indeed　closely

clutched；　by　the　little　Corona　and　Capricornus；　scrambled　fanatically；

and　not　without　two　or　three　heavy　falls；　to　the　summit　of　the　'bus；

while　Lady　Enid　read　the　legend　printed　on　it　with　a　smile；　ere　she

turned　to　walk　home；　putting　two　and　two　together；　and　thinking；　with

keen　feminine　satisfaction；　how　useless　in　the　long　run　are　all　the

negatives　of　man。



In　later　years；　though　many　memories　intervene；　the　Prophet　will　never

forget　his　journey　to　the　banks　of　the　Mouse。　Always　it　seemed　very

strange　to　him　and　dream…like；　that　everlasting　journey　upon　the　purple

'bus；　complicated　by　the　chatter　of　the　younger　scions　of　the　Malkiel

dynasty；　and　by　the　shrill　cries　of　the　conductor　summoning　the

passers…by　to　hasten　to　that　place　of　repose　consecrated　to　the　worthy

and　hard…working　individuals　who　drew　their　modest　incomes　from　the

pig。　The　character　of　the　streets　changed　as　the　central　districts　were

left　behind；　and　a　curious　scent；　the　scent　of　Suburbia；　seemed　to

float　between　the　tall　chimneys　in　the　morose　atmosphere。　The　purple

chariot；　which　rolled　on　and　on　like　the　chariot　of　Fate；　drew

gradually　away　from　the　large　thoroughfares　into　mean　streets；　whose

air　of　dull　gentility　was　for　ever　autumnal；　and　the　Prophet；　on

passing　some　gigantic　gasworks；　mechanically　wondered　whether　it　might

not；　perhaps；　be　that　monument　to　whose　shadow　Malkiel　the　First　had

lived　and　died。　Once；　looking　up　at　the　black　sky；　he　remarked　to　the

little　Capricornus　that　it　was　evidently　going　to　rain。



〃No；　Mr。　Vivian；〃　replied　the　boy。　〃It　won't　rain　hard　this　week。

January's　a　fine　month；　but　there'll　be　heavy　floods　in　March；

especially　along　the　banks　of　the　Thames。〃



〃And　in　February　there'll　be　such　a　lot　of　scarlet　fever　in　the

southern　portions　of　England；〃　added　the　little　Corona。　〃Oh；　Corney；

just　look　at　that　kitty　on　the　airey　railings！〃



〃Area；　Corona；〃　corrected　her　brother。　〃Oh；　my！　ain't　it　funny？〃



The　Prophet　remembered　that　he　was　travelling　with　the　scions　of　a

prophetic　house。



It　seemed　many　years　before　the　'bus　stopped　before　a　brick　building

full　of　quart　pots；　situated　upon　a　gentle　eminence　sloping　to　a　coal…

yard；　and　the　voice　of　the　conductor　proclaimed　that　the　place　of

repose　was　reached。　The　Prophet　and　his　diminutive　guides　descended

from　the　roof　and　were　shortly　in　a　train　puffing　between　the　hunched

backs　of　abominable　little　houses；　sooty　as　street　cats　and　alive　with

crying　babies。　Then　bits　of　waste　land　appeared；　bald　wildernesses　in

which　fragments　of　broken　crockery　hibernated　with　old　tin　cans　and

kettles　yellow　as　dying　leaves。　A　furtive　brown　rivulet　wandered　here

and　there　like　a　thing　endeavouring　to　conceal　itself　and　unable　to

find　a　hiding…place。



〃That's　the　Mouse；　Mr。　Vivian；〃　remarked　Capricornus；　proudly。　〃We

shall　soon　be　there。〃



〃Ridiculum　mus；〃　rejoined　his　sister；　who　evidently　took　after　her

learned　mother。



〃Culus；　Corona；　and　you're　not　to　say　that。　Pater　familias　says　that

the　Mouse　is　a　noble　stream。　We　get　out　here；　Mr。　Vivian。〃



Here　proved　to　be　a　wayside　station　on　the　very　bank　of　the　noble

stream；　and　on　the　edge　of　a　piece　of　waste　ground　so　large　that　it

might　almost　have　been　called　country。



The　Prophet　and　the　two　kids　set　off　across　this　earth；　which　was　named

by　the　inhabitants　〃the　Common。〃　In　the　distance　rose　a　fringe　of

detached　brick　and　stone　villas　towards　which　Capricornus　now　pointed　a

forefinger　that　trembled　with　pride。



〃That's　where　we　live；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　that　was　grown　squeaky　from

conceit。



〃Dulce　domus；〃　piped　his　sister；　clutching　the　skirt　of　the　Prophet's

coat；　and；　thus　supported；　performing　several　very　elaborate　dancing

steps　upon　the　clayey　soil　over　which　he　was　feebly　staggering。　〃Dulce

dulce；　dulce　domus。　Look　at　that　rat；　Corney！〃



A　large；　raking　rodent；　indeed；　at　that　instant　emerged　from　the

wreckage　of　what　had　once　been　a　copper　cauldron　near　by；　and　walked

slowly　away　towards　a　slope　of　dust　garnished　with　broken　bottles　and

abandoned　cabbage　stalks。　The　Prophet　shuddered　and　longed　to　flee；　but

the　two　kids；　as　if　divining　his　thought；　now　clasped　his　hands　and　led

him　firmly　forward　to　a　yellow　villa；　fringed　with　white　Bath　stone　and

garnished　plentifully　with　griffins。　From　its　flat　front　shot

ostentatiously　forth　a　porch　adorned　with　Roman　columns　which　commanded

a　near　view　of　the　Mouse；　and　before　the　porch　was　a　small　garden　in

which　several　healthy…looking　nettles　had　made　their　home。



As　the　Prophet　and　the　two　kids　approached　this　delightful　abode；　a

white　face　appeared；　gluing　itself　to　the　pane　of　an　upper　window。



〃There's　pater　familias！〃　piped　Capricornus。　〃Don't　he　look　ill？〃



As　they　mounted　the　flight　of　imitation　marble　steps　the　face

disappeared　abruptly。



〃He's　coming　to　let　us　in；〃　said　Capricornus。　〃You're　sure　you've

brought　the　crab　and　all　the　rashes？〃



〃Quite　sure。〃



〃Because；　if　you　haven't；　I　don't　know　whatever　mater　familias'll〃



At　this　moment　the　portal　of　the　lodge　was　furtively　opened　about　half

an　inch；　and　a　very　small　segment　of　ashen…coloured　human　face；

containing　a　large　and　apprehensive　eye；　was　shown　in　the　aperture。



〃Are　you　alone？〃　said　the　hollow　voice　of　Mr。　Sagittarius。



〃Quite；　quite　alone；〃　said　the　Prophet；　reassuringly。



〃It's　all　right；　pater　familias！〃　cried　Capricornus。　〃He's　brought　all

the　rashes　and　the　first　tooth　and　everything。　I　made　him。〃



〃I　don't　think　he　wanted　to；〃　added　the　little　Corona；　suddenly

developing　malice。



〃I've　taken　this　long　journey；　Mr。　Sagittarius；〃　said　the　Prophet；　with

a　remnant　of　self…respect；　〃at　your　special　request。　Am　I　to　be

permitted　to　come　in？〃



〃If　you're　sure　you're　quite　alone；〃　returned　the　sage；　showing　a

slightly　enlarged　segment　of　face。



〃I　am　quite　surepositive！〃



At　this　the　door　was　opened　just　sufficiently　to　admit　the　passage　of

one　thin　person　at　a　time；　and；　in　single　file；　the　Prophet；　Corona　and

Capricornus　passed　into　the　lodge。







CHAPTER　XV



THE　PROPHET　CREATES　A　DIVERSION　AT　HIS　OWN　EXPENSE



On　stepping　into　a　small　vestibule；　paved　with　black　and　white

lozenges；　and　fitted　up　with　an　iron　umbrella　stand；　a　Moorish　lamp　and

a　large　yellow　china　pug　dog；　the　Prophet　found　himself　at　once　faced

by　Mr。　Sagittarius；　whose　pallid　countenance；　nervous　eye　and

suspicious　demeanour　plainly　proclaimed　him　to　be；　as　he　had　stated；

very　rightly　and　properly　going　about　in　fear　of　his　life。



〃Go　to　the　schoolroom；　my　darlings；〃　he　whispered　to　his　children。

〃Why；　what　have　you　there？〃



〃Choclets；〃　said　Capricornus。



〃From　the　pretty　lady；　mulius　pulchrum；〃　added　the　little　Corona。



〃Who　is　a　mulibus　pulchrum；　my　love？〃　asked　Mr。　Sagittarius；　before

Capricornus　had　time　to　correct　his　sister's　Latin。