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！
trying to look calm and dignified while everyone was ardently preparing
to desert them。
〃The old astronomer must know her before the evening is one hour more
advanced。 He must question her regarding the holy stars。 He must
examine her and this Sagittarius； who claims to be an outside broker
and yet to have discovered oxygen in the fixed inhabitants of the
sacred heavens。 My cloak！〃
The last words were bellowed at Gustavus； who rushed forward with Sir
Tiglath's Inverness。
The Prophet lowed his head； and metaphorically； threw up the sponge。
〃Lady Julia；〃 said Mrs。 Merillia； in a soft voice that slightly
trembled； 〃let us go upstairs。〃
The two old ladies bowed with tearful dignity； and retired with a sort
of gentle majesty that cut the Prophet to the heart。
〃One moment； if you please！〃 he said to his guests。
And he darted out of the room and leaped up the stairs。 He found Mrs。
Merillia and Lady Julia just about to dispose themselves side by side
upon a sofa near the fire。 They turned and looked at him with
reproachful doves' eyes。
〃GrannieLady Julia！〃 he exclaimed； 〃I implore your forgiveness。
Pardon me！ Appearances are against me； I know。 But some day you may
understand how I am placed。 My position ismymy situationIyou
do not wholly condemn me！ Waitwait a few days； I implore you！〃
He rushed out of the room。
The two old ladies seated themselves upon the sofa； and tremblingly
spread abroad their damask skirts。 They looked at each other in
silence； shaking their elegant heads。 Then Mrs。 Merillia said； in a
fluttering voice；
〃Oh； Julia； you were a lady in waiting to Her Majesty； you were kissed
by the great Duketell metell me what it all means！〃
〃Victoria；〃 replied Lady Julia； 〃it means that your grandson has fallen
into the clutches of a dangerous and determined ratcatcher。〃
And then the two old ladies mingled their damask skirts and their lace
caps and wept。
CHAPTER XVIII
THE SILLY LIFE
〃Call a cab for Sir Tiglath； Mr。 Ferdinand；〃 whispered the Prophet〃a
four…wheeler with a lame horse。 I'll take both Mr。 and Madame
Sagittarius in the brougham。〃
〃Must the horse be lame； sir？〃
〃Yes。 I absolutely decline to encourage the practice of using good
horses in four…wheeled cabs。 It's a disgrace to the poor animals。 It
must be a very lame horse。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
And Mr。 Ferdinand； standing upon the doorstep； whistled to the night。
Strange to say； in about two minutes there appeared round the corner
the very same cabman who had conveyed the Prophet and Lady Enid to the
astronomer's on the previous day； driving the very same horse。
〃This horse will do admirably；〃 said the Prophet to Mr。 Ferdinand。
〃He isn't lame； sir。〃
〃P'r'aps not； but he knows how to tumble down。 Sir Tiglath； here is a
cab for you。 We shall go in the brougham。 Zoological House； Regent's
Park； is the direction。 Let me help you in； Madame。〃
As the Prophet got in to sit bodkin between his old and valued friends；
he whispered to the footman；
〃Tell Simkins to drive as fast as possible。 We are very late。〃
The footman touched his hat。 Just as the carriage moved off； the
Prophet protruded his head from the window； and saw the astronomer
rolling into the four…wheeler； the horse of which immediately fell down
in a most satisfactory manner。
There was no general conversation in the brougham； but the Prophet； who
was obliged to sit partly on Madame； and partly on Mr。 Sagittarius and
partly on air； occasionally heard in the darkness at his back terrible
matrimonial whisperings； whose exact tenor he was unable to catch。 Once
only he heard Madame say sibilantly and with a vicious click；
〃I might have known what to expect when I married a Prophetwhen I
passed over the /pons asinoribus/ to give myself to a /monstram
horrendo/。〃
To this pathetic heart…cry Mr。 Sagittarius made a very prolonged
answer。 The Prophet knew it was prolonged because Mr。 Sagittarius
always whispered in such a manner as to tickle the nape of his neck。
But he could not hear anything except a sound like steam escaping from
a small pipe。 The steam went on escaping until the brougham passed
through a gate； rolled down a declivity； and drew up before an enormous
mansion whose windows blazed with light。
〃Is this the Zoological Gardens？〃 inquired Madame in a stern voice。 〃Is
this the habitation of the woman Bridgeman？〃
〃I suppose this is Zoological House；〃 replied the Prophet； sliding
decorously off Madame's left knee in preparation for descent。
〃My darling！ my love！〃 said Mr。 Sagittarius。 〃I swear upon the infant
head of our Capricornus that Mrs。 Bridgeman and I are〃
〃Enough！〃 cried Madame。 〃/Jam satus/！ Be sure that I will inquire into
this matter。〃
The carriage door was opened and； with some struggling； the Prophet and
his two valued friends emerged and speedily found themselves in a very
large hall； which was nearly full of very large powdered footmen。 In
the distance there was the sound of united frivolities； a band of
twenty guitars thrumming a wilful /seguidilla/。 Roses bloomed on every
side； and beyond the hall they beheld a vision of illuminated vistas；
down which vague figures came and went。
Evidently when Mrs。 Bridgeman let herself go she let herself go
thoroughly。
Mr。 Sagittarius gazed about him with awe…struck amazement； but Madame
was equal to the occasion。 She cast the rabbit…skins imperially to a
neighbouring flunkey； arranged her hair and fichu before a glass；
kicked out her skirt with the heel of one of the kid boots； nipped the
green chiffon into prominence with decisive fingers； and then； turning
to the Prophet with all the majesty of a suburban empress； said in a
powerful voice；
〃Step forward； I beg。 /J'ai pret/。〃
The Prophet； thus encouraged； stepped forward towards an aperture that
on ordinary days contained a door； but that now contained a stout
elderly lady； with henna…dyed hair； a powdered face； black eyebrows and
a yellow gown； on which rested a large number of jewelled ornaments
that looked like small bombs。 At this lady's elbow stood a footman with
an exceedingly powerful bass voice； who shouted the names of
approaching guests in a manner so uncompromising as to be terrific。
Each time he so shouted the stout lady first started and then smiled；
the two operations succeeding one another with almost inconceivable
rapidity and violence。
〃What name； sir？〃 asked the footman of the Prophet； bending his
powdered head till it was only about six feet two inches from the
floor。
〃Mr。 Hennessey Vivian；〃 replied the Prophet； hesitating as to what he
should add。
〃Mr。 Hemmerspeed Vivian！〃 roared the footman。 〃What name； Madame？〃 （to
Madame Sagittarius）。
〃Mr。 and Madame Sagittarius of Sagittarius Lodge； the Mouse！〃 replied
the lady majestically。
〃Mr。and MadameSegerteribusofSegerteribusLodge； the Mouse！〃
bawled the footman。
The stout lady； who was Mrs。 Vane Bridgeman； started and smiled。
〃Delighted to see you； Mr。 Segerteribus！〃 she said to the Prophet。
The Prophet hastened to explain through the uproar of twenty guitars。
〃Mr。 Vivian is my name。 I think Miss Minerva Partridge〃
Mrs。 Bridgeman started and smiled。
〃Of course；〃 she exclaimed。 〃Of course。 You are to be kind enough to
introduce me some day to Mr。 SagiSagisomething or other； and I am
to introduce him to Sir Tiglath Butt； when Sir Tiglath Butt has been
introduced to me by dear Miss Partridge。 It is all to work out
beautifully。 Yes； yes！ Charming！ charming！〃
〃I have ventured to bring Mr。 and Madame Sagittarius with me to…night；〃
said the Prophet。
Mrs。 Bridgeman started and smiled。
〃They are my old and valued friends； andand here they are。〃
〃Delighted！ delighted！〃 said Mrs。 Bridgeman； speaking in a confused
manner through the guitars。 〃How d'you do； Mr。 Sagittarius？〃
And she shook hands warmly with a very small and saturnine clergyman
decorated with a shock of ebon hair； who was passing at the moment。
〃Biggle！〃 said the little clergyman。
Mrs。 Bridgeman started and smiled。
〃Biggle！〃 repeated the little clergyman。 〃Biggle！〃
The guitars rose up with violence； and all the hot； drubbing passion of
Bayswater being Spanish。
〃Yes； indeed； I so agree with you； dear Mr。 Sagittarius；〃 said Mrs。
Bridgeman to the little clergyman。
〃Biggle！〃 the little clergyman cried in a portentous voice。 〃Biggle！
Biggle！〃
〃What does he mean？〃 whispered Mrs。 Bridgeman to the Prophet。 〃How does
one？〃
〃I think that is his name。 These are Mr。 and Madame Sagittarius。〃
Mrs。 Bridgeman started and smiled。
〃Biggleof course；〃 she said to the little clergyman； who passed on
with an air of reliant self…satisfaction。 〃Delighted to see you；〃 she
added； this time addressing the Prophet's old and val