pgw.piccadillyjim-第29部分

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　〃It's　like　this；〃　he　said。　〃Miss　Ann　and　me　had　got　it　all　fixed　up　to　kidnap　the　kid！〃
　〃What！〃
　〃Say；　I　don't　mean　ordinary　kidnapping。　It's　this　way。　Miss　Ann　e　to　me　and　we　agree　that　the　kid's　a　pest　that　had　ought　to　have　some　strong…arm　keep　him　in　order；　so　we　decide　to　get　him　away　to　a　friend　of　mine　who　keeps　a　dogs'　hospital　down　on　Long　Island。　Bud　Smithers　is　the　guy　to　handle　that　kid。　You　ought　to　see　him　take　hold　of　a　dog　that's　all　grouch　and　ugliness　and　make　it　over　into　a　dog　that　it's　a　pleasure　to　have　around。　I　thought　a　few　weeks　with　Bud　was　what　the　doctor　ordered　for　Ogden；　and　Miss　Ann　guessed　I　was　right；　so　we　had　it　all　framed。　And　now　this　happens　and　balls　everything　up！　She　can't　do　nothing　with　a　husky　kid　like　that　without　me　to　help　her。　And　how　am　I　going　to　help　her　if　I'm　not　allowed　in　the　house？〃
　Jimmy　was　conscious　of　a　renewed　admiration　for　a　girl　whom　he　had　always　considered　a　queen　among　women。　How　rarely　in　this　world　did　one　find　a　girl　who　bined　every　feminine　charm　of　mind　and　body　with　a　resolute　determination　to　raise　Cain　at　the　slightest　provocation！
　〃What　an　absolutely　corking　idea！〃
　Jerry　smirked　modestly　at　the　approbation；　but　returned　instantly　to　his　gloom。
　〃You　get　me　now？　What　am　I　to　say　to　her？　She'll　be　sore！〃
　〃The　problem；〃　Jimmy　had　begun；　〃is　one　which；　as　you　suggest；　presents　certain〃　when　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door　and　the　head　of　the　boarding…house's　maid…of…all…work　popped　in。
　〃Mr。　Bayliss；　is　Mr。　Mitchell？　Oh；　say；　Mr。　Mitchell；　there's　a　lady　down　below　wants　to　see　you。　Says　her　name's　Chester。〃
　Jerry　looked　at　Jimmy　appealingly。
　〃What'll　I　do？〃
　〃Do　nothing；〃　said　Jimmy；　rising　and　reaching　for　his　shoes。　〃I'll　go　down　and　see　her。　I　can　explain　for　you。〃
　〃It's　mighty　good　of　you。〃
　〃It　will　be　a　pleasure。　Rely　on　me。〃
　Ann；　who　had　returned　from　her　drive　shortly　after　the　Ogden　disaster　and　had　instantly　proceeded　to　the　boarding…house；　had　been　shown　into　the　parlour。　Jimmy　found　her　staring　in　a　rapt　way　at　a　statuette　of　the　Infant　Samuel　which　stood　near　a　bowl　of　wax　fruit　on　the　mantelpiece。　She　was　feeling　aggrieved　with　Fate　and　extremely　angry　with　Jerry　Mitchell；　and　she　turned　at　the　sound　of　the　opening　door　with　a　militant　expression　in　her　eyes；　which　changed　to　one　of　astonishment　on　perceiving　who　it　was　that　had　e　in。
　〃Mr。　Bayliss！〃
　〃Good　evening；　Miss　Chester。　We；　so　to　speak；　meet　again。　I　have　e　as　an　intermediary。　To　be　brief；　Jerry　Mitchell　daren't　face　you；　so　I　offered　to　e　down　instead。〃
　〃But　howbut　why　are　you　here？〃
　〃I　live　here。〃　He　followed　her　gaze。　It　rested　on　a　picture　of　cows　in　a　field。　〃Late　American　school；〃　he　said。　〃Attributed　to　the　landlady's　niece；　a　graduate　of　the　Wissahickon；　Pa。　Correspondence　School　of　Pictorial　Art。　Said　to　be　genuine。〃
　〃You　live　here？〃　repeated　Ann。　She　had　been　brought　up　all　her　life　among　the　carefully　thought　out　effects　of　eminent　interior　decorators；　and　the　room　seemed　more　dreadful　to　her　than　it　actually　was。　〃What　an　awful　room！〃
　〃Awful？　You　must　be　overlooking　the　piano。　Can't　you　see　the　handsome　plush　cover　from　where　you　are　standing？　Move　a　little　to　the　southeast　and　shade　your　eyes。　We　get　music　here　of　an　eveningwhen　we　don't　see　it　ing　and　sidestep。〃
　〃Why　in　the　name　of　goodness　do　you　live　here；　Mr。　Bayliss？〃
　〃Because；　Miss　Chester；　I　am　infernally　hard　up！　Because　the　Bayliss　bank…roll　has　been　stricken　with　a　wasting　sickness。〃
　Ann　was　looking　at　him　incredulously。
　〃Butbutthen；　did　you　really　mean　all　that　at　lunch　the　other　day？　I　thought　you　were　joking。　I　took　it　for　granted　that　you　could　get　work　whenever　you　wanted　to　or　you　wouldn't　have　made　fun　of　it　like　that！　Can't　you　really　find　anything　to　do？〃
　〃Plenty　to　do。　But　I'm　not　paid　for　it。　I　walk　a　great　number　of　blocks　and　jump　into　a　great　number　of　cars　and　dive　into　elevators　and　dive　out　again　and　open　doors　and　say　'Good　morning'　when　people　tell　me　they　haven't　a　job　for　me。　My　days　are　quite　full；　but　my　pocket…book　isn't！〃
　Ann　had　forgotten　all　about　her　errand　in　her　sympathy。
　〃I'm　so　sorry。　Why；　it's　terrible！　I　should　have　thought　you　could　have　found　something。〃
　〃I　thought　the　same　till　the　employers　of　New　York　in　a　body　told　me　I　couldn't。　Men　of　widely　differing　views　on　religion；　politics；　and　a　hundred　other　points；　they　were　unanimous　on　that。　The　nearest　I　came　to　being　a　financial　Titan　was　when　I　landed　a　job　in　a　store　on　Broadway；　demonstrating　a　patent　collar…clip　at　ten　dollars　a　week。　For　awhile　all　Nature　seemed　to　be　shouting　'Ten　per！　Ten　per！'　than　which　there　are　few　sweeter　words　in　the　language。　But　I　was　fired　half…way　through　the　second　day；　and　Nature　changed　her　act。〃
　〃But　why？〃
　〃It　wasn't　my　fault。　Just　Fate。　This　contrivance　was　called　Klipstone's　Kute　Kollar…Klip；　and　it　was　supposed　to　make　it　easy　for　you　to　fasten　your　tie。　My　job　was　to　stand　in　the　window　in　my　shirt…sleeves；　gnashing　my　teeth　and　registering　baffled　rage　when　I　tried　the　old；　obsolete　method　and　beaming　on　the　multitude　when　I　used　the　Klip。　Unfortunately　I　got　the　cards　mixed。　I　beamed　when　I　tried　the　old；　obsolete　method　and　nearly　burst　myself　with　baffled　fury　just　after　I　had　exhibited　the　card　bearing　the　words　'I　will　now　try　Klipstone's　Kute　Klip。'　I　couldn't　think　what　the　vast　crowd　outside　the　window　was　laughing　at　till　the　boss；　who　chanced　to　pause　on　the　outskirts　of　the　gathering　on　his　way　back　from　lunch；　was　good　enough　to　tell　me。　Nothing　that　I　could　say　would　convince　him　that　I　was　not　being　intentionally　humorous。　I　was　sorry　to　lose　the　job；　though　it　did　make　me　feel　like　a　goldfish。　But　talking　of　being　fired　brings　us　back　to　Jerry　Mitchell。〃
　〃Oh；　never　mind　Jerry　Mitchell　now〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　let　us　discuss　his　case　and　the　points　arising　from　it　with　care　and　concentration。　Jerry　Mitchell　has　told　me　all！〃
　Ann　was　startled。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃The　word　'all；'〃　said　Jimmy；　〃is　slang　for　'everything。'　You　see　in　me　a　confidant。　In　a　word；　I　am　hep。〃
　〃You　know？〃
　〃Everything。　A　colloquialism；〃　explained　Jimmy；　〃for　'all。'　About　Ogden；　you　know。　The　scheme。　The　plot。　The　enterprise。〃
　Ann　found　nothing　to　say。
　〃I　am　thoroughly　in　favour　of　the　plan。　So　much　so　that　I　propose　to　assist　you　by　taking　Jerry's　place。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃Do　you　remember　at　lunch　that　day；　after　that　remarkable　person　had　mistaken　me　for　Jimmy　Crocker；　you　suggested　in　a　light；　casual　way　that　if　I　were　to　walk　into　your　uncle's　office　and　claim　to　be　Jimmy　Crocker　I　should　he　weled　without　a　question？　I'm　going　to　do　it。　Then；　once　aboard　the　luggeronce　in　the　house；　I　am　at　your　orders。　Use　me　exactly　as　you　would　have　used　Jerry　Mitchell。〃
　〃Butbut！〃
　〃Jerry！〃　said　Jimmy　scornfully。　〃Can't　I　do　everything　that　he　could　have　done？　And　more。　A　bonehead　like　Jerry　would　have　been　certain　to　have　bungled　the　thing　somehow。　I　know　him　well。　A　good　fellow；　but　in　matters　requiring　intellect　and　swift　thought　dead　from　the　neck　up。　It's　a　very　lucky　thing　he　is　out　of　the　running。　I　love　him　like　a　brother；　but　his　dome　is　of　ivory。　This　job　requires　a　man　of　tact；　sense；　shrewdness；　initiative；　esprit；　and　verve。〃　He　paused。　〃Me！〃　he　concluded。
　〃But　it's　ridiculous！　It's　out　of　the　question！〃
　〃Not　at　all。　I　must　be　extraordinarily　like　Jimmy　Crocker；　or　that　fellow　at　the　restaurant　wouldn't　have　taken　me　for　him。　Leave　this　in　my　hands。　I　can　get　away　with　it。〃
　〃I　shan't　dream　of　allowing　you〃
　〃At　nine　o'clock　to…morrow　morning；〃　said　Jimmy　firmly；　〃I　present　myself　at　Mr。　Pett's　office。　It's　all　settled。〃
　Ann　was　silent。　She　was　endeavouring　to　adjust　her　mind　to　the　idea。　Her　first　startled　revulsion　from　it　had　begun　to　wane。　It　was　an　idea　peculiarly　suited　to　her　temperament；　an　idea　that　she　might　have　suggested　herself　if　she　had　thought　of　it。　Soon；　from　being　disapproving；　she　found　herself　glowing　with　admiration　for　its　author。　He　was　a　young　man　of　her　own　sort！
　〃You　asked　me　on　the　boat；　if　you　remember；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃if　I　had　an　adventurous　soul。　I　am　now　submitting　my　proofs。　You　also　spoke　highly　of　America　as　a　land　where　there　w