“Who is the gentleman that has just left you?” asked Miss Chester, smiling prettily1 up into Vaughan’s eyes, as she accepted his proffered2 arm to lead her to her carriage,—“Such a distinguished-looking dreadful person!”
Vaughan smiled at this description.
“He is certainly rather singular in personal appearance,” he began, when his cousin, Lord Melthorpe, interrupted him.
“You mean El-Râmi? It was El-Râmi, wasn’t it? Ah, I thought so. Why did he give us the slip, I wonder? I wish he had waited a minute—he is a most interesting fellow.”
“But who is he?” persisted Miss Chester. She was now comfortably ensconced in her luxurious3 brougham, her mother beside her, and two men of “title” opposite to her—a position which exactly suited the aspirations4 of her soul. “How very tiresome5 you both are! You don’t explain him a bit; you only say he is ‘interesting,’ and of course one can see that; people with such white hair and such black eyes are always interesting, don’t you think so?”
“Well, I don’t see why they should be,” said Lord Melthorpe dubiously6. “Now, just think what horrible chaps Albinos are, and they have white hair and pink eyes——”
“Oh, don’t drift off on the subject of Albinos, please!” pleaded Miss Chester, with a soft laugh. “If you do, I shall never know anything about this particular person—El-Râmi, did you say? Isn’t it a very odd name? Eastern, of course?”
“Oh yes! he is a pure Oriental thoroughbred,” replied Lord Melthorpe, who took the burden of the conversation upon himself, while he inwardly wondered why his cousin Vaughan was in such an evidently taciturn mood. “That is, I mean, he is an Oriental of the very old stock, not one of the modern Indian mixtures of vice7 and knavery8. But when he came from the East, and why he came from the East, I don’t suppose any one could tell you. I have only met him two or three times in society, and on those occasions he managed to perplex and fascinate a good many people. My wife, for instance, thinks him quite a marvellous man; she always asks him to her parties, but he hardly ever comes. His name in full is El-Râmi-Zarânos, though I believe he is best known as El-Râmi simply.”
“Neither, that I am aware of. Indeed, I don’t know what he is, or how he lives. I have always looked upon him as a sort of magician—a kind of private conjurer, you know.”
“Dear me!” said fat Mrs. Chester, waking up from a semi-doze, and trying to get interested in the subject. “Does he do drawing-room tricks?”
“Oh no, he doesn’t do tricks;” and Lord Melthorpe looked a little amused. “He isn’t that sort of man at all; I’m afraid I explain myself badly. I mean that he can tell you extraordinary things about your past and future——”
“Oh, by your hand—I know!” and the pretty Idina nodded her head sagaciously. “There really is something awfully11 clever in palmistry. I can tell fortunes that way!”
“Can you?” Lord Melthorpe smiled indulgently, and went on,—“But it so happens that El-Râmi does not tell anything by the hands,—he judges by the face, figure, and movement. He doesn’t make a profession of it; but, really, he does foretell13 events in rather a curious way now and then.”
“He certainly does!” agreed Vaughan, rousing himself from a reverie into which he had fallen, and fixing his eyes on the small piquante features of the girl opposite him. “Some of his prophecies are quite remarkable14.”
“Really! How very delightful15!” said Miss Chester, who was fully12 aware of Sir Frederick’s intent, almost searching, gaze, but pretended to be absorbed in buttoning one of her gloves. “I must ask him to tell me what sort of fate is in store for me—something awful, I’m positive! Don’t you think he has horrid16 eyes?—splendid, but horrid? He looked at me in the theatre——”
“My dear, you looked at him first,” murmured Mrs. Chester.
“Yes; but I’m sure I didn’t make him shiver. Now, when he looked at me, I felt as if some one were pouring cold water very slowly down my back. It was such a creepy sensation! Do fasten this, mother—will you?” and she extended the hand with the refractory17 glove upon it to Mrs. Chester, but Vaughan promptly18 interposed:
“Allow me!”
“Oh, well! if you know how to fix a button that is almost off!” she said laughingly, with a blush that well became her transparent19 skin.
“I can make an attempt,”—said Vaughan, with due humility20. “If I succeed will you give me one or two dances presently?”
“With pleasure!”
“Oh! you are coming in to the Somers’s, then?” said Lord Melthorpe, in a pleased tone. “That’s right. You know, Fred, you’re so absent-minded to-night that you never said ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ when I asked you to accompany us.”
“Didn’t I? I’m awfully sorry!” and, having fastened the glove with careful daintiness, he smiled. “Please set down my rudeness and distraction21 to the uncanny influence of El-Râmi; I can’t imagine any other reason.”
They all laughed carelessly, as people in an idle humour laugh at trifles, and the carriage bore them on to their destination—a great house in Queen’s Gate, where a magnificent entertainment was being held in honour of some serene22 and exalted23 foreign potentate24 who had taken it into his head to see how London amused itself during a “season.” The foreign potentate had heard that the splendid English capital was full of gloom and misery—that its women were unapproachable, and its men difficult to make friends with; and all these erroneous notions had to be dispersed26 in his serene and exalted brain, no matter what his education cost the “Upper Ten” who undertook to enlighten his barbarian27 ignorance.
Meanwhile, the subject of Lord Melthorpe’s conversation—El-Râmi, or El-Râmi-Zarânos, as he was called by those of his own race—was walking quietly homewards with that firm, swift, yet apparently28 unhasting pace which so often distinguishes the desert-born savage29, and so seldom gives grace to the deportment of the cultured citizen. It was a mild night in May; the weather was unusually fine and warm; the skies were undarkened by any mist or cloud, and the stars shone forth30 with as much brilliancy as though the city lying under their immediate31 ken25 had been the smiling fairy Florence, instead of the brooding giant London. Now and again El-Râmi raised his eyes to the sparkling belt of Orion, which glittered aloft with a lustre32 that is seldom seen in the hazy34 English air;—he was thinking his own thoughts, and the fact that there were many passers to and fro in the streets besides himself did not appear to disturb him in the least, for he strode through their ranks without any hurry or jostling, as if he alone existed, and they were but shadows.
“What fools are the majority of men!” he mused10. “How easy to gull35 them, and how willing they are to be gulled36! How that silly young Vaughan marvelled37 at my prophecy of his marriage!—as if it were not as easy to foretell as that two and two inevitably38 make four! Given the characters of people in the same way that you give figures, and you are certain to arrive at a sum-total of them in time. How simple the process of calculation as to Vaughan’s matrimonial prospects39! Here are the set of numerals I employed: Two nights ago I heard Lord Melthorpe say he meant to marry his cousin Fred to Miss Chester, daughter of Jabez Chester of New York. Miss Chester herself entered the room a few minutes later on, and I saw the sort of young woman she was. To-night at the theatre I see her again;—in an opposite box, well back in shadow, I perceive Lord Melthorpe. Young Vaughan, whose character I know to be of such weakness that it can be moulded whichever way a stronger will turns it, sits close behind me; and I proceed to make the little sum-total. Given Lord Melthorpe, with a determination that resembles the obstinacy40 of a pig rather than of a man; Frederick Vaughan, with no determination at all; and the little Chester girl, with her heart set on an English title, even though it only be that of a baronet, and the marriage is certain. What was uncertain was the possibility of their all meeting to-night; but they were all there, and I counted that possibility as the fraction over,—there is always a fraction over in character-sums; it stands as Providence41 or Fate, and must always be allowed for. I chanced it, and won. I always do win in these things,—these ridiculous trifles of calculation, which are actually accepted as prophetic utterances42 by people who never will think out anything for themselves. Good heavens! what a monster-burden of crass43 ignorance and wilful44 stupidity this poor planet has groaned45 under ever since it was hurled46 into space! Immense!—incalculable! And for what purpose? For what progress? For what end?”
He stopped a moment; he had walked from the Strand47 up through Piccadilly, and was now close to Hyde Park. Taking out his watch, he glanced at the time—it was close upon midnight. All at once he was struck fiercely from behind, and the watch he held was snatched from his hand by a man who had no sooner committed the theft than he uttered a loud cry, and remained inert48 and motionless. El-Râmi turned quietly round and surveyed him.
“Well, my friend?” he inquired blandly—“What did you do that for?”
The fellow stared about him vaguely49, but seemed unable to answer,—his arm was stiffly outstretched, and the watch was clutched fast within his palm.
“You had better give that little piece of property back to me,” went on El-Râmi, coldly smiling,—and, stepping close up to his assailant, he undid50 the closed fingers one by one, and, removing the watch, restored it to his own pocket. The thief’s arm at the same moment fell limply at his side; but he remained where he was, trembling violently as though seized with a sudden ague-fit.
“You would find it an inconvenient51 thing to have about you, I assure you. Stolen goods are always more or less of a bore, I believe. You seem rather discomposed? Ah! you have had a little shock, that’s all. You’ve heard of torpedoes52, I dare say? Well, in this scientific age of ours, there are human torpedoes going about; and I am one of them. It is necessary to be careful whom you touch nowadays,—it really is, you know! You will be better presently—take time!”
He spoke53 banteringly, observing the thief meanwhile with the most curious air, as though he were some peculiar54 specimen55 of beetle56 or frog. The wretched man’s features worked convulsively, and he made a gesture of appeal:
“No, no!” said El-Râmi persuasively—“you are nothing of the sort. Do not tell lies, my friend; that is a great mistake—as great a mistake as thieving. Both things, as you practise them, will put you to no end of trouble,—and to avoid trouble is the chief aim of modern life. You are not starving—you are as plump as a rabbit,”—and, with a dexterous58 touch, he threw up the man’s loose shirt-sleeve, and displayed the full, firm flesh of the strong and sinewy59 arm beneath. “You have had more meat in you to-day than I can manage in a week; you will do very well. You are a professional thief,—a sort of—lawyer, shall we say? Only, instead of protesting the right you have to live, politely by means of documents and red tape, you assert it roughly by stealing a watch. It’s very frank conduct,—but it is not civil; and, in the present state of ethics60, it doesn’t pay—it really doesn’t. I’m afraid I’m boring you! You feel better? Then—good evening!”
He was about to resume his walk, when the now recovered rough took a hasty step towards him.
“I wanted to knock ye down!” he began.
“I know you did,”—returned El-Râmi composedly. “Well—would you like to try again?”
“Ye see,” he went on, “ye pulled out yer watch, and it was all jools and sparkles——”
“And it was a glittering temptation”—finished El-Râmi. “I see! I had no business to pull it out; I grant it; but, being pulled out, you had no business to want it. We were both wrong; let us both endeavour to be wiser in future. Good-night!”
“Well, I’m blowed if yer not a rum un, and an orful un!” ejaculated the man, who had certainly received a fright, and was still nervous from the effects of it. “Blowed if he ain’t the rummest card!”
But the “rummest card” heard none of these observations. He crossed the road, and went on his way serenely62, taking up the thread of his interrupted musings as though nothing had occurred.
“Fools—fools all!” he murmured. “Thieves steal, murderers slay63, labourers toil64, and all men and women lust33 and live and die—to what purpose? For what progress? For what end? Destruction or new life? Heaven or hell? Wisdom or caprice? Kindness or cruelty? God or the Devil? Which? If I knew that I should be wise,—but till I know, I am but a fool also,—a fool among fools, fooled by a Fate whose secret I mean to discover and conquer—and defy!”
He paused,—and, drawing a long, deep breath, raised his eyes to the stars once more. His lips moved as though he repeated inwardly some vow65 or prayer, then he proceeded at a quicker pace, and stopped no more till he reached his destination, which was a small, quiet, and unfashionable square off Sloane Street. Here he made his way to an unpretentious-looking little house, semi-detached, and one of a row of similar buildings; the only particularly distinctive66 mark about it being a heavy and massively-carved ancient oaken door, which opened easily at the turn of his latch-key, and closed after him without the slightest sound as he entered.
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1
prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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4
aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
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tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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6
dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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7
vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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knavery
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| n.恶行，欺诈的行为 | |
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9
celebrity
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| n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望 | |
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10
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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11
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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12
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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13
foretell
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| v.预言，预告，预示 | |
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14
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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15
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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16
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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17
refractory
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| adj.倔强的，难驾驭的 | |
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18
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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19
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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20
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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21
distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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22
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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23
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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24
potentate
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| n.统治者；君主 | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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32
lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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33
lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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34
hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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35
gull
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| n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈 | |
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36
gulled
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| v.欺骗某人( gull的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
marvelled
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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39
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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40
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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41
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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42
utterances
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| n.发声( utterance的名词复数 )；说话方式；语调；言论 | |
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43
crass
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| adj.愚钝的，粗糙的；彻底的 | |
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44
wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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45
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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46
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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47
strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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48
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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49
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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50
Undid
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| v. 解开, 复原 | |
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51
inconvenient
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| adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的 | |
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52
torpedoes
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| 鱼雷( torpedo的名词复数 )； 油井爆破筒； 刺客； 掼炮 | |
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53
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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54
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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55
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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56
beetle
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| n.甲虫，近视眼的人 | |
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57
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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58
dexterous
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| adj.灵敏的；灵巧的 | |
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59
sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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60
ethics
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| n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准 | |
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61
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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62
serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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63
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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64
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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65
vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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66
distinctive
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| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
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