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！
〃I don't know indeed； sir；〃 replied the footman； thinking of Mr。
Carter's library。 〃I couldn't say indeed； sir。〃
〃Oh； my poor missis！〃 wailed Mrs。 Fancy； trembling in her night…socks。
〃Oh； my poor dear missis！ I can't speak different nor mean other。 Oh；
missis； missis！〃
〃Hush； Fancy！〃 said the Prophet； in the greatest distraction。 〃Grannie！
Grannie！〃
And seizing the handle of the door he shook it violently。 Mrs。 Merillia
was now very naturally under the impression that the ratcatcher was
determined to break in and murder her without more ado。 Extreme danger
often seems to exercise a strangely calming influence upon the human
soul。 So it was now。 Upon hearing her bedroom door quivering under the
assault of the Prophet； Mrs。 Merillia was abruptly invaded by a sort of
desperate courage。 She left the bells； tottered to the grate in which a
good fire was blazing； seized the poker and thrust it between the bars
and into the heart of the flames； at the same time crying out in a
quavering but determined voice；
〃I am heating the poker！ If you come in you will repent it。 I am
heating the poker！〃
On hearing this remark； the Prophet desisted from his assault upon the
door； overcome by the absolute conviction that his beloved grandmother
was suffering from a pronounced form of homicidal mania。 His affection
prompted him to keep such a catastrophe secret as long as possible； and
he therefore turned to Mrs。 Fancy and Gustavus； and said hurriedly；
〃This is a matter for me alone。 Mrs。 Fancy； please go away at once。
Gustavus； you will accompany Mrs。 Fancy。〃
His manner was so firm； his face so iron in its determination； that
Mrs。 Fancy and Gustavus dared not proffer a word。 They turned away and
disappeared softly down the stairs； to wait the /denouement/ of this
tragedy in the hall below。 Meantime the poker was growing red hot in
the coals； and Mrs。 Merillia announced to the supposed ratcatcher；
〃I can hear youI hear you breathing〃 （the Prophet endeavoured not
to breathe）。 〃I hear you rustling； but you can't touch me。 The poker is
red hot。〃
And she drew it smoking from the grate and approached the door； holding
it in her delicate hand like a weapon。
〃Grannie！〃 said the Prophet； making his voice as much like it generally
was as he possibly could。 〃Dearest grannie！〃
〃I dare you to come in！〃 replied Mrs。 Merillia； in an almost formidable
manner。 〃I dare you to do it。〃
〃I am not coming in； grannie；〃 said the Prophet。
〃Then go away！〃 said Mrs。 Merillia。 〃Go awayand let me hear you
going。〃
A sudden idea struck the Prophet。 He did not say another word； but
immediately walked downstairs； tramping heavily and shaking the wood
balusters violently at every step he took。 His ruse succeeded。 Hearing
the intruder depart； Mrs。 Merillia's curious courage deserted her； she
dropped the poker into the grate； and once more set both bells going
with all her might and main。 The Prophet let her ring for nearly five
minutes； then he bounded once more upstairs and tapped very gently on
the door。
〃Grannie；〃 he cried； 〃are you ringing？ What is it？〃
This time Mrs。 Merillia recognised his voice； tottered to the door；
unlocked it； and fell； trembling； into his anxious arms。
〃Oh； Hennessey！〃 she gasped。 〃OhHennessey！〃
〃Grannie； what is it？ What on earth is the matter？〃
〃The ratcatcher！ The ratcatcher！〃
〃The ratcatcher！〃 cried the Prophet。
〃He has come back。 He is here。 He has been trying to break into my
room。〃
〃What ratcatcher？〃
〃The one that dined to…nightthe one you called your old andand
valuedfriend。〃
〃Mr。 Sagittarius？〃 exclaimed the Prophet。
〃He is here。〃
〃Here！〃
〃I have seen him。 He has tried to murder me。〃
〃I will look into this at once；〃 said the Prophet。
He ran to the head of the stairs and called out；
〃Gustavus！〃
〃Sir！〃
〃Come up here at once；〃
Gustavus came； followed closely by Mrs。 Fancy； who was in a state of
abject confusion and alarm。
〃Has Mr。 Sagittarius returned herethe gentleman who dined to…night？〃
asked the Prophet。
Gustavus hesitated； thought of Dr。 Carter's library； and replied；
〃No； sir；〃
〃Has anybody entered the house？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃You have been up the whole evening？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃And nobody has been？〃
〃Nobody； sir。〃
〃Grannie； you hear what Gustavus says。〃
〃But； Hennessey； he is here； I saw him。〃
〃Where？〃
〃By the door。 I heard someone； and I thought it was you。 I came to the
door after calling you； and there he stood； all dirty and wet； with a
huge hat on his head〃 （the saturnine little clergyman was largely
blessed with brain）； 〃and a most awful murderous expression on his
face。〃
The Prophet began to suspect that his dear relative； upset by the
tragic events of the dinner table； had gone to sleep and had the
nightmare。
〃Grannie； it must have been a dream。〃
〃No； Hennessey； no。〃
〃It must indeed。 I left Mr。 Sagittarius at Zoological House。 I feel
certain of that。〃
The Prophet spoke the honest truth。 He fully believed that Mr。
Sagittarius was at that very moment sharing in the triumph of his wife
and receiving the worship of those who live the silly life。
〃But I saw him； Hennessey；〃 said Mrs。 Merillia； adding rather
unnecessarily； 〃with my own eyes。〃
〃Grannie； darling； you must have been dreaming。 At any rate； I'm here
now。 Nothing can hurt you。 Go to bed。 Fancy will stay with you； and I
swear to you that no harm will happen to you so long as I am
breathing。〃
With these noble words the Prophet kissed his grandmother tenderly；
assisted Mrs。 Fancy into the room； and walked downstairs quite
determined that； come what might； whether he broke a thousand oaths or
not； he would put an end forthwith to the tyranny of the couple from
the Mouse and abandon for ever the shocking pursuit of prophecy。
CHAPTER XX
THE PROPHET RETIRES FROM BUSINESS
Exactly as the Prophet arrived at his resolution the hall door bell
rang violently； and Gustavus； who had slipped down before the Prophet
in order to seek the traveller to Java in the servants' quarters；
hurried into the hall in rather a distracted manner。
〃Stop； Gustavus！〃 said the Prophet。
Gustavus stopped。 The bell rang again。
〃Gustavus；〃 said the Prophet； 〃if that is a visitor I am not at home。
Mrs。 Merillia is not at home either。〃
It was by this time between one and two in the morning。
〃Not at home； sir。 Yes； sir。〃
The Prophet concealed himself near the hat…rack； and Gustavus went
softly to the door and opened it。
〃Not at home； ma'am；〃 the Prophet heard him say； formally。
〃What d'you mean； young man？〃 replied the powerful voice of Madame。
〃Where is my husband？〃
〃Ma'am？〃
〃Where； I say； is my husband？〃
〃I couldn't say； I'm sure； ma'am。 But Mrs。 Merillia and Mr。 Vivian are
not at home。〃
〃Then all I can say is they ought to be in at this time of night。
Permit me to pass。 Are you aware that Mr。 Vivian has invited me to
spend the night here？ /Noctes ambrosianes/。〃
〃But； ma'am； Mr。 Viv〃
〃That'll do。 If I have any more of your impertinence I'll make you
repent of it。 You are evidently not aware who I am。〃
The Prophet； by the hat…rack； did not fail to hear a new note in the
deep contralto of Madame； a note of triumph； a trumpet note of profound
conceit。 His heart sank before this determined music； and it sank even
lower towards his pumps when； a moment later； he found himself
confronted by the lady； wrapped closely in the rabbit…skins； and
absolutely bulging with vanity and self…appreciation。
〃What！ Mr。 Vivian！〃 began the lady。
〃Hush！ said the Prophet； 〃for mercy's sakehush！〃
And； acting upon the impulse of the moment； he suddenly seized Madame
by the hand； and hurried her through the swinging door into the
servants' hall。
〃Here's a go；〃 murmured Gustavus in the greatest trepidation。 〃If they
don't find the thin party I'm a josser。〃
Meanwhile the Prophet and Madame were standing face to face before the
what…not of Gustavus。
〃My grandmother is awakethat is asleep；〃 said the Prophet。 〃We must
not wake her on any account。〃
〃Oh；〃 returned Madame； with a toss of her head； 〃your grandmother seems
to be a very fidgety old lady； I'm surealthough you do tell a parcel
of lies about her。〃
〃Lies！〃 said the Prophet； with some dignity。
〃Yeslies。 She don't wear long clothes〃
〃I beg your pardon！〃
〃She do not。 She don't wear her hair down。 She don't put her lips to
the bottle。 She don't。 Where is Mr。 Sagiwhere is Malkiel the Second？〃
〃I have no idea。 And now； Madame； I regret that I must conduct you to
your carriage。 The hour is late； my grandmother is seriously
indisposed； and I myself need rest。〃
〃Well； then； you ca