the prophet of berkeley square-第52节

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〃That　is　no　use。　The　Bear　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　old　lady。　You　must

find　the　Crab。　Look　again。〃



The　Prophet　did　so。　But　his　eye　blinked　with　fatigue　and　the　heavens

swam　before　it。



〃There　is　no　Crab　to…night；〃　he　said。　〃I　assure　you　on　my　honour　there

is　none。〃



Exactly　as　he　finished　making　this　statement　a　low　whistle　rang　through

the　silence　of　the　night。　The　Prophet　started；　Madame　jumped；　and

Malkiel　bounded　on　the　loving…cup。



The　whistle　was　repeated。



〃It's　the　thing！〃　whispered　the　Prophet。



〃What　thing？〃　inquired　Madame；　who　had　become　rather　pale。



〃The　dark　thing　that　told　me　the　Crab　was　dressed。　It　has　come　again。〃



〃My　word！〃　ejaculated　Madame；　looking　uneasily　around。　〃Where　is　it？〃



Just　then　Malkiel　the　Second's　feet　once　more　began　to　tremble　among

the　plate　of　Mrs。　Merillia。



〃You　hear　it！〃　said　the　Prophet；　much　impressed。



〃Did　it　rattle　like　that　the　other　night？〃　gasped　Madame；　seizing　the

Prophet　by　the　arm。



The　Prophet　told　a　lie　with　his　head。



〃Address　it；　I　beg；〃　said　Madame；　in　a　great　state　of　excitement。

〃Meanwhile　I　will　retire　a　few　paces。〃



So　saying；　she　backed　into　the　passage；　bearing　the　candle　with　her　for

company；　and　leaving　the　Prophet　in　total　darkness。　The　low　whistle

sounded　again；　and　a　husky　voice　said；



〃Are　you　there？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Prophet；　summoning　all　his　courage。　〃I　am。〃



〃What　'a'　you　put　out　the　light　for？〃　said　the　voice；　which　seemed　to

come　from　far　away。



〃I　haven't　put　it　out；〃　returned　the　Prophet。　〃It's　gone　away。〃



At　this　juncture　Malkiel；　impelled　by　curiosity；　ceased　from　trembling；

and；　leaning　forward　upon　the　loving…cup；　glued　his　ear　to　the　key…hole

of　the　cupboard。



〃Why　was　you　so　late　to…night？〃　proceeded　the　voice。　〃She's　been　in　a

rare　taking；　I　can　tell　you。〃



〃Who？〃



〃Who？　You　know　well　enough。〃



〃Do　you　mean　my　grandmother？〃



〃Your　grandmother！〃　ejaculated　the　voice　with　apparent　sarcasm。　〃Ah！　of

course；　what　do　you　think？〃



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；〃　said　the　poor　Prophet；　whose　reason　was

beginning　to　totter　upon　its　throne。



〃Well；〃　proceeded　the　voice；　〃she　thought　you'd　give　it　up。〃



〃Whatmy　grandmother　did？〃



〃Ah；　your　grandmother。　Get　away　with　you！　Ha！　ha！　ha！〃



And　the　mysterious　visitant　broke　forth　into　a　peal　of　rather　mundane

laughter。　After　indulging　in　this　unseemly　mirth　for　about　a　minute　and

a　half；　the　personage　resumed；



〃The　Crab　did　for　her。〃



Upon　hearing　the　mystic　word　Madame　crept　stealthily　a　pace　or　two

nearer　to　the　door；　while　the　Prophet　exclaimed；



〃The　dressed　Crab？〃



〃Ah；　what　do　/you/　think？　Not　a　wink　of　sleep　and　thought　every

minute'd　be　'er　next。〃



〃Good　Heavens！〃



〃She　says　she'd　never　go　near　a　crab　again；　not　if　it's　ever　so。〃



〃You　are　sure？〃　said　the　Prophet；　eagerly。　〃You　are　positive　she　said

that？〃



〃I'd　stake　my　Davy；　and　I　wouldn't　do　that　on　everything。　There　ain't　a

man　living　as'll　ever　get　her　to　go　within　fifty　miles　of　a　crab　this

side　of　Judgment。〃



At　this　point　in　the　colloquy　the　curiosity　of　Madame　overcame　her；　and

she　protruded　her　head　suddenly　beyond　the　edge　of　the　doorway。



〃Ulloh！〃　exclaimed　the　voice。　〃Why；　what's　'a'　you　got　there？〃



Madame　hastily　withdrew；　and　the　voice　continued；



〃Blessed　if　it　ain't　a　female！〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon！〃　said　the　Prophet；　trembling　with　propriety。　〃I

Ithere　is　no　female　here！〃



〃Yes　there　is！〃　cried　the　voice；　with　a　chuckle。　〃There's　a　female

creeping　and　crawling　about　behind　that　there　door。〃



The　Prophet's　sense　of　chivalry　was　now　fully　aroused。



〃You　are　mistaken；〃　he　said　firmly。　〃There　are　no　females　creeping

andand　crawling　about　in　thisthis　respectable　house。〃



〃Respectable！〃　ejaculated　the　voice；　〃respectable！　I　say　there　is　a

female。　You're　a　nice　one；　you　are！　'Pon　my　word；　I've　a　good　mind　to

run　you　in　for　Mormonism；　I　have。　Wherever's　she　got　to？〃



On　the　last　words　a　sudden　blaze　of　light　shot　into　the　pantry；　and　at

the　same　moment　there　was　the　sound　of　wheels　rapidly　approaching　in

the　square。



〃Hulloh！〃　said　the　voice；　〃someone　a…comin'。〃



The　light　died　out　as　rapidly　as　it　had　flashed　in；　the　wheels　drew

close　and　stopped；　and　a　bell　pealed　forth　in　the　silent　house。



〃Merciful　Heavens！〃　cried　the　Prophet；　pressing　his　hands　to　his

throbbing　brow。　〃Merciful　Heavens！　who　can　that　be？〃



There　was　no　answer；　and　the　bell　pealed　again。



〃Grannie　will　be　disturbed！〃　exclaimed　the　Prophet；　addressing　himself；

passionately　to　the　darkness。　〃Grannie　will　be　killed　by　all　this

uproar。〃



The　bell　pealed　again。



〃This　must　cease；〃　cried　the　Prophet。　〃This　must　and　shall　cease。　I

will　bring　it　all　to　an　end　once　and　for　ever！〃



And；　with　sudden　desperate　decision；　he　shut　the　window；　burst　out　of

the　pantry　and　came　upon　Madame；　who　was　standing　in　a　somewhat　furtive

manner　by　the　door　that　opened　into　the　cellars　of　the　mansion。



〃Mr。　Vivian；〃　she　began；　in　a　rather　subdued　voice；　〃that　isn't　a

comet；　that's　a　copper！〃



The　bell　rang　again。



〃D'you　thinkd'you　think　that　can　be　my　husband？〃　continued　Madame；

still　seeming　subdued。　〃I　should　like　him　Do　you　think　it's　him？〃



〃What？〃



〃The　bell。〃



〃I　will　very　soon　see；〃　replied　the　Prophet；　in　a　most　determined

manner。



〃But　Mr。　Viv〃



〃Don't　hold　me；　if　you　please。　Kindly　let　me　pass！〃



And；　breaking　from　the　lady's　anxious　grasp；　the　Prophet　rushed　into

the　hall　just　as　Gustavus　appeared；　descending　the　front　stairs　from

the　landing　before　Mrs。　Merillia's　door；　where　he　had　been　in　close

conference　with　Mrs。　Fancy。



〃Stand　back；　Gustavus；〃　said　the　Prophet。



〃Sir！〃



〃Stand　back！〃



〃But；　sir；　there　is　someone〃



〃I　know　there　is。　I　am　about　to　answer　the　door　myself。〃



〃If　you　please；　sir；　Mrs。　Merillia　is　greatly　alarmed　by　the　constant

ringing；　and　Mrs。　Fancy　thinks〃



〃Gustavus；〃　said　the　Prophet　in　an　awful　voice；　〃you　may　retire；　but

first　let　me　tell　you　one　thing。〃



〃Certainly；　sir；〃　said　the　footman；　beginning　to　tremble。



〃The　circumstances　that　have　rendered　a　hitherto　peaceful　household

more　disordered　than　an　abode　of　madmen　are　about　to　be　brought　to　an

end　for　ever。　There　is　a　point　at　which　a　gentleman　must　either　cease

to　be　a　gentleman　or　cease　to　be　a　man。　I　have　reached　that　point；

Gustavus；　and　I　am　about　to　cease　to　be　a　gentleman。〃



And；　with　this　terrible　statement；　the　Prophet　advanced　with　a　sort　of

appalling　deliberation　and　threw　the　front　door　wide　open。



Upon　the　doorstep　stood　Lady　Enid　wrapped　in　a　pink　opera　cloak　and　Sir

Tiglath　Butt　shrouded　in　the　Inverness。　The　Prophet　faced　them　with　a

marble　demeanour。



〃I　thought　you'd　be　here；　Mr。　Vivian；〃　began　Lady　Enid　in　a　bright

manner。



〃I　am　here；〃　said　the　Prophet；　speaking　in　a　voice　that　might　well　have

issued　from　a　statue。



〃Where　is　he？〃　roared　Sir　Tiglath。　〃Where　is　he？　Oh…h…h…h！〃



〃Sir　Tiglath　means　Malkiel；〃　explained　Lady　Enid。　〃He　is　most　anxious

to　meet　him。〃



〃Why？〃　said　the　Prophet；　still　in　the　same　inhuman　voice。



〃Well；　we　shall　see　when　they　do　meet；〃　said　Lady　Enid；　throwing　a　look

of　keen　curiosity　at　the　astronomer。　〃I　rather　think〃　here　she

lowered　her　voice　and　whispered　in　the　Prophet's　ear〃I　rather　think

Sir　Tiglath　wishes　to　try　if　he　can　murder　Malkiel。　Do　you　believe　he

could　bring　it　off？〃



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；〃　answered　the　Prophet；　with　stony　indifference。

〃Good…night　to　you！〃



〃But　we　want　to　come　in；〃　cried　Lady　Enid。



〃Young　man；〃　roared　Sir　Tiglath；　〃the　old　astronomer　will　not　leave

this　house　till　he　has　searched　it　from　attic　to　cellar。〃



〃I　am　sorry；〃　replied　the　Prophet；　〃but　I　cannot　permit　my

grandmother's　servants　or　wine　to　be　disturbed　at　such　an　hour。　If　you

wish　to　murder　Malkiel　the　Second；　I　shall　not　prevent　you；　but　he　is


not　here。〃



〃Then　where　is　he？〃　cried　Lady　Enid。



〃I　don't　know。　And　now〃



The　Prophet　stepped　back　into　the　hall；　and　was　about　to　close　the　door

unceremoniouslyhaving；　as　he　intended；　ceased　to　be　a　gentlemanwhen

Lady　Enid　caught　sight　of　the　round　and　fixed　eyes　of　Gustavus　glaring

out　into　the　night　from　behind　his　master。　The　appalling　feminine

instinct；　which　makes　woman　the　mistress　of　creation；　suddenly　woke

within　her；　and　she　cried　out　in　a　piercing　voice；



〃Malkiel's　in　the　house；　and　Gustavus　knows　it！〃



She　spoke　these　words　with　such　conviction　that　the　Prophet　spun　round；

top…wise；　and　stared　at　the　unfortunate　flunkey；　who　instantly　fell

upon　his　knee…breeches　and　stammered　out；



〃Oh；　sir；　forgive　me！　It's　Dr。　Carter　done　it；　sir；　it　is　indeed。　It's

Dr。　Carter　done　it！〃



〃Dr。　Carter！〃　ejaculated　the　Prophet。



〃The　library；　sir。　He　offered　me　the　library　ei