pgw.piccadillyjim-第18部分

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！


and　plunged　it　into　the　vitals　of　the　Atlantic。
　〃How　about　E。　a　hundred　and　eight？〃
　〃Suits　me。〃
　〃You're　too　late　to　go　in　the　passenger…list；　of　course。〃
　Jimmy　did　not　reply。　He　was　gazing　rigidly　at　a　girl　who　had　just　e　in；　a　girl　with　red　hair　and　a　friendly　smile。
　〃So　you're　sailing　on　the　Atlantic；　too！〃　she　said；　with　a　glance　at　the　chart　on　the　counter。　〃How　odd！　We　have　just　decided　to　go　back　on　her　too。　There's　nothing　to　keep　us　here　and　we're　all　homesick。　Well；　you　see　I　wasn't　run　over　after　I　left　you。〃
　A　delicious　understanding　relieved　Jimmy's　swimming　brain；　as　thunder　relieves　the　tense　and　straining　air。　The　feeling　that　he　was　going　mad　left　him；　as　the　simple　solution　of　his　mystery　came　to　him。　This　girl　must　have　heard　of　him　in　New　Yorkperhaps　she　knew　people　whom　he　knew　and　it　was　on　hearsay；　not　on　personal　acquaintance；　that　she　based　that　dislike　of　him　which　she　had　expressed　with　such　freedom　and　conviction　so　short　a　while　before　at　the　Regent　Grill。　She　did　not　know　who　he　was！
　Into　this　soothing　stream　of　thought　cut　the　voice　of　the　clerk。
　〃What　name；　please？〃
　Jimmy's　mind　rocked　again。　Why　were　these　things　happening　to　him　to…day　of　all　days；　when　he　needed　the　tenderest　treatment；　when　he　had　a　headache　already？
　The　clerk　was　eyeing　him　expectantly。　He　had　laid　down　his　pencil　and　was　holding　aloft　a　pen。　Jimmy　gulped。　Every　name　in　the　English　language　had　passed　from　his　mind。　And　then　from　out　of　the　dark　came　inspiration。
　〃Bayliss；〃　he　croaked。
　The　girl　held　out　her　hand。
　〃Then　we　can　introduce　ourselves　at　last。　My　name　is　Ann　Chester。　How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Bayliss？〃
　〃How　do　you　do；　Miss　Chester？〃
　The　clerk　had　finished　writing　the　ticket；　and　was　pressing　labels　and　a　pink　paper　on　him。　The　paper；　he　gathered　dully；　was　a　form　and　had　to　be　filled　up。　He　examined　it；　and　found　it　to　be　a　searching　document。　Some　of　its　questions　could　be　answered　off…hand；　others　required　thought。
　〃Height？〃　Simple。　Five　foot　eleven。
　〃Hair？〃　Simple。　Brown。
　〃Eyes？〃　Simple　again。　Blue。
　Next；　queries　of　a　more　offensive　kind。
　〃Are　you　a　polygamist？〃
　He　could　answer　that。　Decidedly　no。　One　wife　would　be　ampleprovided　she　had　red…gold　hair；　brown…gold　eyes；　the　right　kind　of　mouth；　and　a　dimple。　Whatever　doubts　there　might　be　in　his　mind　on　other　points；　on　that　one　he　had　none　whatever。
　〃Have　you　ever　been　in　prison？〃
　Not　yet。
　And　then　a　very　difficult　one。　〃Are　you　a　lunatic？〃
　Jimmy　hesitated。　The　ink　dried　on　his　pen。　He　was　wondering。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　*　　　*
　In　the　dim　cavern　of　Paddington　Station　the　boat…train　snorted　impatiently；　varying　the　process　with　an　occasional　sharp　shriek。　The　hands　of　the　station　clock　pointed　to　ten　minutes　to　six。　The　platform　was　a　confused　mass　of　travellers；　porters；　baggage；　trucks；　boys　with　buns　and　fruits；　boys　with　magazines；　friends；　relatives；　and　Bayliss　the　butler；　standing　like　a　faithful　watchdog　beside　a　large　suitcase。　To　the　human　surf　that　broke　and　swirled　about　him　he　paid　no　attention。　He　was　looking　for　the　young　master。
　Jimmy　clove　the　crowd　like　a　one…man　flying…wedge。　Two　fruit　and　bun　boys　who　impeded　his　passage　drifted　away　like　leaves　on　an　Autumn　gale。
　〃Good　man！〃　He　possessed　himself　of　the　suitcase。　〃I　was　afraid　you　might　not　be　able　to　get　here。〃
　〃The　mistress　is　dining　out；　Mr。　James。　I　was　able　to　leave　the　house。〃
　〃Have　you　packed　everything　I　shall　want？〃
　〃Within　the　scope　of　a　suitcase；　yes；　sir。〃
　〃Splendid！　Oh；　by　the　way；　give　this　letter　to　my　father；　will　you？〃
　〃Very　good；　sir。〃
　〃I'm　glad　you　were　able　to　manage。　I　thought　your　voice　sounded　doubtful　over　the　phone。〃
　〃I　was　a　good　deal　taken　aback；　Mr。　James。　Your　decision　to　leave　was　so　extremely　sudden。〃
　〃So　was　Columbus'。　You　know　about　him？　He　saw　an　egg　standing　on　its　head　and　whizzed　off　like　a　jack…rabbit。〃
　〃If　you　will　pardon　the　liberty；　Mr。　James；　is　it　not　a　little　rash？〃
　〃Don't　take　the　joy　out　of　life；　Bayliss。　I　may　be　a　chump；　but　try　to　forget　it。　Use　your　willpower。〃
　〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Bayliss；〃　said　a　voice　behind　them。　They　both　turned。　The　butler　was　gazing　rather　coyly　at　a　vision　in　a　grey　tailor…made　suit。
　〃Good　evening；　miss；〃　he　said　doubtfully。
　Ann　looked　at　him　in　astonishment；　then　broke　into　a　smile。
　〃How　stupid　of　me！　I　meant　this　Mr。　Bayliss。　Your　son！　We　met　at　the　steamship　offices。　And　before　that　he　saved　my　life。　So　we　are　old　friends。〃
　Bayliss；　gaping　perplexedly　and　feeling　unequal　to　the　intellectual　pressure　of　the　conversation；　was　surprised　further　to　perceive　a　warning　scowl　on　the　face　of　his　Mr。　James。　Jimmy　had　not　foreseen　this　thing；　but　he　had　a　quick　mind　and　was　equal　to　it。
　〃How　are　you；　Miss　Chester？　My　father　has　e　down　to　see　me　off。　This　is　Miss　Chester；　dad。〃
　A　British　butler　is　not　easily　robbed　of　his　poise；　but　Bayliss　was　frankly　unequal　to　the　sudden　demand　on　his　presence　of　mind。　He　lowered　his　jaw　an　inch　or　two；　but　spoke　no　word。
　〃Dad's　a　little　upset　at　my　going；〃　whispered　Jimmy　confidentially。　〃He's　not　quite　himself。〃
　Ann　was　a　girl　possessed　of　ready　tact　but　of　a　kind　heart。　She　had　summed　up　Mr。　Bayliss　at　a　glance。　Every　line　of　him　proclaimed　him　a　respectable　upper　servant。　No　girl　on　earth　could　have　been　freer　than　she　of　snobbish　prejudice；　but　she　could　not　check　a　slight　thrill　of　surprise　and　disappointment　at　the　discovery　of　Jimmy's　humble　origin。　She　understood　everything；　and　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes　as　she　turned　away　to　avoid　intruding　on　the　last　moments　of　the　parting　of　father　and　son。
　〃I'll　see　you　on　the　boat；　Mr。　Bayliss；〃　she　said。
　〃Eh？〃　said　Bayliss。
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃Good…bye　till　then。〃
　Ann　walked　on　to　her　partment。　She　felt　as　if　she　had　just　read　a　whole　long　novel；　one　of　those　chunky　younger…English…novelist　things。　She　knew　the　whole　story　as　well　as　if　it　had　been　told　to　her　in　detail。　She　could　see　the　father；　the　honest　steady　butler；　living　his　life　with　but　one　aim；　to　make　a　gentleman　of　his　beloved　only　son。　Year　by　year　he　had　saved。　Probably　he　had　sent　the　son　to　college。　And　now；　with　a　father's　blessing　and　the　remains　of　a　father's　savings；　the　boy　was　setting　out　for　the　New　World；　where　dollar…bills　grew　on　trees　and　no　one　asked　or　cared　who　any　one　else's　father　might　be。
　There　was　a　lump　in　her　throat。　Bayliss　would　have　been　amazed　if　he　could　have　known　what　a　figure　of　pathetic　fineness　he　seemed　to　her。　And　then　her　thoughts　turned　to　Jimmy；　and　she　was　aware　of　a　glow　of　kindliness　towards　him。　His　father　had　succeeded　in　his　life's　ambition。　He　had　produced　a　gentleman！　How　easily　and　simply；　without　a　trace　of　snobbish　shame；　the　young　man　had　introduced　his　father。　There　was　the　right　stuff　in　him。　He　was　not　ashamed　of　the　humble　man　who　had　given　him　his　chance　in　life。　She　found　herself　liking　Jimmy　amazingly　。　。　。
　The　hands　of　the　clock　pointed　to　three　minutes　to　the　hour。　Porters　skimmed　to　and　fro　like　water…beetles。
　〃I　can't　explain；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃It　wasn't　temporary　insanity；　it　was　necessity。〃
　〃Very　good；　Mr。　James。　I　think　you　had　better　be　taking　your　seat　now。〃
　〃Quite　right；　I　had。　It　would　spoil　the　whole　thing　if　they　left　me　behind。　Bayliss；　did　you　ever　see　such　eyes？　Such　hair！　Look　after　my　father　while　I　am　away。　Don't　let　the　dukes　worry　him。　Oh；　and；　Bayliss〃Jimmy　drew　his　hand　from　his　pocket〃as　one　pal　to　another〃
　Bayliss　looked　at　the　crackling　piece　of　paper。
　〃I　couldn't；　Mr。　James；　I　really　couldn't！　A　five…pound　note！　I　couldn't！〃
　〃Nonsense！　Be　a　sport！〃
　〃Begging　your　pardon；　Mr。　James；　I　really　couldn't。　You　cannot　afford　to　throw　away　your　money　like　this。　You　cannot　have　a　great　deal　of　it；　if　you　will　excuse　me　for　saying　so。〃
　〃I　won't　do　anything　of　the　sort。　Grab　it！　Oh；　Lord；　the　train's　starting！　Good…bye；　Bayliss！〃
　The　engine　gave　a　final　shriek　of　farewell。　The　train　began　to　slide　along　the　platform；　pursued　to　the　last　by　optimistic　boys　offering　buns　for　sale。　It　gathered　speed。　Jimmy；　leaning　out　the　window；　was　amazed　at　a　spectacle　so　unusual　as　practically　to　amount　to　a　modern　miraclethe　spectacled　Bayliss　ru