the prophet of berkeley square-第38节

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The　Prophet　darted　to　the　library　door　and　opened　it。



〃Pray；　pray　come　in　here；〃　he　hissed。　〃My　grandmother！　Softly！〃



〃But　the　old　la〃



〃Hush；　please！〃



〃I　must　remark；　Mr。　Viv〃



〃Tsh！　Tsh！　Mr。　Ferdinand；　wait　in　the　hall。　I　shall　want　to　speak　to

you　in　a　moment。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



The　Prophet　closed　the　door　and　turned　to　this　indignant　visitors。



〃This　is　terrible；〃　he　said。　〃Terrible！〃



〃Pray　why？〃　cried　Madame。



〃Why；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　〃why？〃



He　sought　frantically　for　some　excuse。　Suddenly　a　bright　idea　occurred

to　him。



〃Why；〃　he　said；　impressively。　〃Because　Sir　Tiglath　Butt；　the　gentleman

who　is　coming　to　dinner；　is　the　person　who　for　five…and…forty　years　has

been　seeking　Mr。　Sagittarius　with　the　firm　intention　of　assaulting；

perhaps　of　killing；　him。〃



Mr。　Sagittarius　turned　deathly　pale；　and　made　a　movement　as　if　to　get

out　of　the　nearest　window。



〃This　is　a　trap！〃　he　stammered。　〃This　is　a　rat…trap。　This　was　planned。〃



〃Really〃began　the　Prophet。



But　Mr。　Sagittarius　did　not　heed　the　exclamation。　Tremblig　very

violently；　he　continued；



〃Sophy；　my　darling；　you　are　in　danger。　Let　us　fly！〃



And；　clutching　his　wife　by　the　arm；　to　the　Prophet's　unspeakable

delight　he　endeavoured　to　lead；　or　rather　to　drag　her　to　the　door。　But

Madame　now　showed　the　metal　she　was　made　of。



〃Jupiter；〃　she　exclaimed；　in　her　deepest　note；　〃if　you　are　a　Prophet

you　can　surely　at　moments　be　also　a　man。　Where　is　your　/toga

virilibus/？〃



〃I　don't　know；　my　love；　I'm　sure。　Don't　let　us　lose　a　moment。　Come；　my

angel！〃



〃I　shall　not　come；〃　retorted　Madame；　whose　leaping　ambition　had　been

fired　by　the　sound　of　titled　names。　〃The　gentleman　believes　you　to　be

an　American　syndicate。〃



〃I　know；　my　blessing；　I　know。　But〃



〃Very　well。　If　you　don't　behave　like　one　he　will　never　suspect　you。〃



The　Prophet　saw　his　chance　slipping　from　him　and　hastened　to　interpose。



〃He　might　divine　the　truth；〃　he　said。　〃One　can　never〃



But　at　this　moment　he　was　interrupted　by　Mr。　Ferdinand　who　abruptly

opened　the　door　and　observed；



〃If　you　please；　sir；　Mrs。　Merillia　has　sent　down　orders　that　the　police

are　to　be　fetched　at　once。〃



Mr。　Sagittarius；　now　thoroughly　unnerved；　turned　from　white　to　grey。



〃The　police！〃　he　vociferated。　〃Sophy；　my　angel；　let　us　fly。　This　is　no

place　for　you！〃



〃The　police！〃　cried　the　Prophet。　〃Why？〃



〃I　believe　it's　Mrs。　Fancy's　doing；　sir。　If　you　would　go　to　Mrs。

Merillia；　sir；　I　think〃



The　Prophet　rushed　from　the　room　and　hastened　upstairs　four　steps　at　a

time。　He　found　his　beloved　grandmother　in　a　state　of　grave　agitation；

and　Mrs。　Fancy；　in　floods　of　tears；　reiterating　her　statement　that

there　were　robbers　in　the　house。



〃Oh；　Hennessey！〃　cried　Mrs。　Merillia；　on　his　entrance；　〃thank　God　that

you　are　come。　There　are　burglars　in　the　house。　Fancy　has　just

encountered　them　in　the　hall。　Go　for　the　police；　my　dearest　boy。　Don't

lose　a　moment。〃



〃My　dear　grannie；　they're　not　burglars。〃



〃I　can't　speak　different；　Master　Hennessey；　nor〃



〃Then　who　are　they；　Hennessey？　Fancy　declares〃



〃They　are　twotwowell；　two　old　and　valued　friends　of　mine。〃



〃Old　and　valued　friends　of　ours！〃



〃Of　mine；　grannie。　Fancy；　pray　don't　make　such　a　noise！〃



〃Fancy；〃　said　Mrs。　Merillia；　〃you　can　go　to　your　room　and　lie　down。〃



〃Yes；　ma'am。　I　say　again；　as　I　said　afore；　the　house　has　been　broke

into　and　the　robbers〃



At　this　point　the　Prophet　shut　the　door　on　the　faithful　and　persistent

creature；　who　forthwith　carried　her　determination　and　sobs　to　an　upper

storey。



〃Hennessey；　what　is　all　this？　Who　is　really　here？〃



〃Grannie；　dear；　only　two　friends　of　mine；〃　replied　the　Prophet；　trying

to　look　at　ease；　and　feeling　like　a　criminal。



〃Friends　of　yours？　But　surely　then　I　know　them。　I　thought　I　knew　all

your　friends。〃



〃So　you　do；　grannie；　all　exceptexcept　just　these。〃



〃And　they　are　old　and　valued；　you　say？〃



〃No；　nothat　is；　I　mean　yes。〃



Mrs。　Merillia　was　too　dignified　to　ask　any　further　questions。　She　lay

back　on　her　sofa；　and　looked　at　her　grandson　with　a　shining　of　mild

reproach　in　her　green　eyes。



〃Well；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　〃go　back　to　your　friends；　but　don't　forget

that　Lady　Julia　and　Sir　Tiglath　are　dining　here　at　half…past　seven。〃



〃Grannie；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　with　a　desperate　feeling　that　Madame

meant　to　stay；　〃you　ought　not　to　dine　downstairs　to…night。　Let　me　send

and　put　them　off。〃



〃No；　Hennessey；〃　she　answered；　with　gentle　decision。　〃I　feel　better；

and　I　want　cheering　up。　My　morning　was　not　altogether　pleasant。〃



The　Prophet　understood　that　she　was　alluding　to　his　questions；　and　felt

cut　to　the　heart。　His　home　seemed　crumbling　about　him；　but　he　knew　not

what　to　do　or　what　to　say。　Mrs。　Merillia　observed　his　agitation；　but

she　did　not　choose　to　remark　upon　it；　for　she　considered　curiosity　the

most　vulgar　of　all　the　vices。



〃Go　to　your　friends；　dear；〃　she　said　again。　〃But　be　in　time　for

dinner。〃



〃Yes；　grannie。〃



The　Prophet　descended　the　stairs　and　met　Mr。　Ferdinand　at　the　bottom。



〃Am　I　to　send　for　the　police；　sir？〃



〃No；　no。　I've　explained　matters。〃



〃And　about　dinner；　sir？〃



〃I'll　tell　you　in　a　moment；　Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　replied　the　Prophet；

entering　the　library　with　the　fixed　intention　of　getting　Madame　and　Mr。

Sagittarius　out　of　the　house　without　further　delay。



The　tableau　that　met　his　eyes；　however；　was　not　reassuring。　He　found

Madame；　having　laid　aside　her　bonnet；　and　thrown　the　rabbit…skin　cloak

carelessly　upon　a　settee；　arranging　her　hair　before　a　mirror；　and

shaking　up　the　coffee…coloured　lace　fichu　in　a　manner　that　suggested　a

permanent　occupation　of　the　house；　while　her　husband；　sunk　in　a　deep

armchair　in　an　attitude　of　complete　nervous　prostration；　was　gazing

dejectedly　into　the　fire。　When　the　Prophet　entered；　the　latter　bounded

with　alarm；　while　Madame　turned　round；　a　couple　of　hairpins　in　her

mouth　and　both　hands　to　the　back　of　her　head。



〃Ah；〃　she　remarked；　through　the　pins；　〃/il　a　vous/！　I　am　happy　to　say

that　I　have　induced　Mr。　Sagittarius　to　assume　his　/toga　virilibus/；　and

that　we　have；　therefore；　great　pleasure　in　yielding　to　your　thoughtful

pressure〃



〃My　what？〃　said　the　Prophet；　blankly。



〃You　thoughtful　pressure；　and　accepting　your　urgent　invite　to　dine　here

before　proceeding　to　the　Zoological　Gardens　and　thence　to　the　butler's

pantry。〃



The　Prophet　tried　not　to　groan　while　she　emitted　a　pin　and　secured　with

it　a　wandering　plait　of　raven　hair。



〃You're　sure；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Sagittarius；　in　a　deplorable　voice；　〃that

the　gentleman　is　convinced　that　I　am　really　an　American　syndicate？〃



The　Prophet　rang　the　bell。　He　could　not　trust　himself　to　speak；　and；

when　he　looked　at　Madame's　large　and　determined　eyes；　he　knew　that　to

do　so　would　be　useless。



Mr。　Ferdinand　appeared。



〃Mr。　Ferdinand；〃　said　the　Prophet；　〃this　lady　and　gentleman　will　join

us　at　dinner　to…night。〃



〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Ferdinand；　casting　a　glance　of　outraged　prudery

upon　Mr。　Sagittarius；　who　was　attired　in　his　usual　morning　costume；

including　spats。



〃What's　the　matter；　Mr。　Ferdinand？〃　asked　the　Prophet；　following　that

functionary's　eyes。　〃Ha！　He's　not　dressed！〃



〃No；　sir！〃



〃Mr。　Sagittarius；〃　cried　the　Prophet；　〃you're　not　dressed！〃



〃Sir；〃　cried　that　gentleman；　〃do　you　dare　to　accuse　me　of　impropriety

in　a　frock　coat？〃



〃No；　no。　But　for　dinner。　You　can't　possibly　dine　like　that！〃



〃I　have　dined　like　this；　sir；　for　the　last　twenty　years。　The　architects

and　their　wives〃



〃I　daresay。　But　unluckily　there　will　be　no　architects　and　their　wives

at　dinner　to…night。　Please　stand　up。〃



〃Sir？〃



〃Kindly　stand　up。　Mr。　Ferdinand！〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃Place　your　back　against　this　gentleman's　if　you　pleasetouching；

touching！　Don't　wriggle　away　like　that。　Keep　your　heels　to　the　ground

while　I　fetch　a　sheet　of　notepaper。　Don't　move　your　heads　either　of

you。　I　thought　so。　You're　pretty　much　the　same　height。　Mr。　Ferdinand；

you　will　lay　out　a　white　shirt　and　one　of　your　black　dress　suits　in　my

dressing…room　at　once。　Madame；　I　regret　that　we　must　leave　you　for　a

few　moments。　Will　you　rest　here？　Allow　me　to　place　a　cushion　for　your

head。　And　here　is　Juvenal　in　the　original。〃



So　saying；　the　Prophet　hurried　Mr。　Sagittarius　from　the　room；　driving

Mr。　Ferdinand；　in　a　condition　of　elephantine　horror；　before　him；　and

abandoning　Madame　to　an　acquaintance　with　the　classics　that　she　had

certainly　never　achieved　in　the　society　of　the　renowned　Dr。　Carter。







CHAPTER　XVII



MALKIEL　THE　SECOND　IS　MISTAKEN　FOR　A　RATCATCHER



〃If　you　tremble　like　that；　of　course　it　must　look　too　big！〃　exclaimed

the　Prophet　to　Mr。　Sagittarius；　a　quarter　of　an　hour　later。　〃Draw　it　in

at　the　back。〃



Mr。　Sagittarius