pgw.piccadillyjim-第8部分

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　Total　（for　four　wickets）　。。。。。。。　139
　Bayliss　inspected　the　cipher　gravely。
　〃What　is　it　you　wish　me　to　explain；　sir？〃
　〃Why；　the　whole　thing。　What's　it　all　about？〃
　〃It's　perfectly　simple；　sir。　Surrey　won　the　toss；　and　took　first　knock。　Hayward　and　Hobbs　were　the　opening　pair。　Hayward　called　Hobbs　for　a　short　run；　but　the　latter　was　unable　to　get　across　and　was　thrown　out　by　mid…on。　Hayes　was　the　next　man　in。　He　went　out　of　his　ground　and　was　stumped。　Ducat　and　Hayward　made　a　capital　stand　considering　the　stickiness　of　the　wicket；　until　Ducat　was　bowled　by　a　good　length　off…break　and　Hayward　caught　at　second　slip　off　a　googly。　Then　Harrison　and　Sandham　played　out　time。〃
　Mr。　Crocker　breathed　heavily　through　his　nose。
　〃Yes！〃　he　said。　〃Yes！　I　had　an　idea　that　was　it。　But　I　think　I'd　like　to　have　it　once　again；　slowly。　Start　with　these　figures。　What　does　that　sixty…seven　mean；　opposite　Hayward's　name？〃
　〃He　made　sixty…seven　runs；　sir。〃
　〃Sixty…seven！　In　one　game？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Why；　Home…Run　Baker　couldn't　do　it！〃
　〃I　am　not　familiar　with　Mr。　Baker；　sir。〃
　〃I　suppose　you've　never　seen　a　ball…game？〃
　〃Ball…game；　sir？〃
　〃A　baseball　game？〃
　〃Never；　sir。〃
　〃Then；　Bill；〃　said　Mr。　Crocker；　reverting　in　his　emotion　to　the　bad　habit　of　his　early　London　days；　〃you　haven't　lived。　See　here！〃
　Whatever　vestige　of　respect　for　class　distinctions　Mr。　Crocker　had　managed　to　preserve　during　the　opening　stages　of　the　interview　now　definitely　disappeared。　His　eyes　shone　wildly　and　he　snorted　like　a　war…horse。　He　clutched　the　butler　by　the　sleeve　and　drew　him　closer　to　the　table；　then　began　to　move　forks；　spoons；　cups；　and　even　the　contents　of　his　plate　about　the　cloth　with　an　energy　little　short　of　feverish。
　〃Bayliss！〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃Watch！〃　said　Mr。　Crocker；　with　the　air　of　an　excitable　high　priest　about　to　initiate　a　novice　into　the　Mysteries。
　He　removed　a　roll　from　the　basket。
　〃You　see　this　roll？　That's　the　home　plate。　This　spoon　is　first　base。　Where　I'm　putting　this　cup　is　second。　This　piece　of　bacon　is　third。　There's　your　diamond　for　you。　Very　well；　then。　These　lumps　of　sugar　are　the　infielders　and　the　outfielders。　Now　we're　ready。　Batter　up？　He　stands　here。　Catcher　behind　him。　Umps　behind　catcher。〃
　〃Umps；　I　take　it；　sir；　is　what　we　would　call　the　umpire？〃
　〃Call　him　anything　you　like。　It's　part　of　the　game。　Now　here's　the　box；　where　I've　put　this　dab　of　marmalade；　and　here's　the　pitcher；　winding　up。〃
　〃The　pitcher　would　be　equivalent　to　our　bowler？〃
　〃I　guess　so；　though　why　you　should　call　him　a　bowler　gets　past　me。〃
　〃The　box；　then；　is　the　bowler's　wicket？〃
　〃Have　it　your　own　way。　Now　pay　attention。　Play　ball！　Pitcher's　winding　up。　Put　it　over；　Mike；　put　it　over！　Some　speed；　kid！　Here　it　es；　right　in　the　groove。　Bing！　Batter　slams　it　and　streaks　for　first。　Outfielderthis　lump　of　sugarboots　it。　Bonehead！　Batter　touches　second。　Third？　No！　Get　back！　Can't　be　done。　Play　it　safe。　Stick　around　the　sack；　old　pal。　Second　batter　up。　Pitcher　getting　something　on　the　ball　now　besides　the　cover。　Whiffs　him。　Back　to　the　bench；　Cyril！　Third　batter　up。　See　him　rub　his　hands　in　the　dirt。　Watch　this　kid。　He's　good！　He　lets　two　alone；　then　slams　the　next　right　on　the　nose。　Whizzes　around　to　second。　First　guy；　the　one　we　left　on　second；　es　home　for　one　run。　That's　a　game！　Take　it　from　me；　Bill；　that's　a　game！〃
　Somewhat　overe　with　the　energy　with　which　he　had　flung　himself　into　his　lecture；　Mr。　Crocker　sat　down　and　refreshed　himself　with　cold　coffee。
　〃Quite　an　interesting　game；〃　said　Bayliss。　〃But　I　find；　now　that　you　have　explained　it；　sir；　that　it　is　familiar　to　me；　though　I　have　always　known　it　under　another　name。　It　is　played　a　great　deal　in　this　country。〃
　Mr。　Crocker　started　to　his　feet。
　〃It　is？　And　I've　been　five　years　here　without　finding　it　out！　When's　the　next　game　scheduled？〃
　〃It　is　known　in　England　as　Rounders；　sir。　Children　play　it　with　a　soft　ball　and　a　racquet；　and　derive　considerable　enjoyment　from　it。　I　had　never　heard　of　it　before　as　a　pastime　for　adults。〃
　Two　shocked　eyes　stared　into　the　butler's　face。
　〃Children？〃　The　word　came　in　a　whisper。
　〃A　racquet？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Youyou　didn't　say　a　soft　ball？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　A　sort　of　spasm　seemed　to　convulse　Mr。　Crocker。　He　had　lived　five　years　in　England；　but　not　till　this　moment　had　he　realised　to　the　full　how　utterly　alone　he　was　in　an　alien　land。　Fate　had　placed　him；　bound　and　helpless；　in　a　country　where　they　called　baseball　Rounders　and　played　it　with　a　soft　ball。
　He　sank　back　into　his　chair；　staring　before　him。　And　as　he　sat　the　wall　seemed　to　melt　and　he　was　gazing　upon　a　green　field；　in　the　centre　of　which　a　man　in　a　grey　uniform　was　beginning　a　Salome　dance。　Watching　this　person　with　a　cold　and　suspicious　eye；　stood　another　uniformed　man；　holding　poised　above　his　shoulder　a　sturdy　club。　Two　Masked　Marvels　crouched　behind　him　in　attitudes　of　watchful　waiting。　On　wooden　seats　all　around　sat　a　vast　multitude　of　shirt…sleeved　spectators；　and　the　air　was　full　of　voices。
　One　voice　detached　itself　from　the　din。
　〃Pea…nuts！　Get　y'r　pea…nuts！〃
　Something　that　was　almost　a　sob　shook　Bingley　Crocker's　ample　frame。　Bayliss　the　butler　gazed　down　upon　him　with　concern。　He　was　sure　the　master　was　unwell。
　The　case　of　Mr。　Bingley　Crocker　was　one　that　would　have　provided　an　admirable　〃instance〃　for　a　preacher　seeking　to　instil　into　an　impecunious　and　sceptical　flock　the　lesson　that　money　does　not　of　necessity　bring　with　it　happiness。　And　poetry　has　crystallised　his　position　in　the　following　stanza。
　　　　An　exile　from　home　splendour　dazzles　in　vain。　　　　　Oh；　give　me　my　lowly　thatched　cottage　again；　　　　　The　birds　singing　gaily；　that　came　at　my　call；　　　　　Give　me　them；　and　that　peace　of　mind　dearer　than　all。
　Mr。　Crocker　had　never　lived　in　a　thatched　cottage；　nor　had　his　relations　with　the　birds　of　his　native　land　ever　reached　the　stage　of　intimacy　indicated　by　the　poet；　but　substitute　〃Lambs　Club〃　for　the　former　and　〃members〃　for　the　latter；　and　the　parallel　bees　plete。
　Until　the　time　of　his　second　marriage　Bingley　Crocker　had　been　an　actor；　a　snapper…up　of　whatever　small　character…parts　the　gods　provided。　He　had　an　excellent　disposition；　no　money；　and　one　son；　a　young　man　of　twenty…one。　For　forty…five　years　he　had　lived　a　hand…to…mouth　existence　in　which　his　next　meal　had　generally　e　as　a　pleasant　surprise：　and　then；　on　an　Atlantic　liner；　he　met　the　widow　of　G。　G。　van　Brunt；　the　sole　heiress　to　that　magnate's　immense　fortune。
　What　Mrs。　van　Brunt　could　have　seen　in　Bingley　Crocker　to　cause　her　to　single　him　out　from　all　the　world　passes　prehension：　but　the　eccentricities　of　Cupid　are　monplace。　It　were　best　to　shun　examination　into　first　causes　and　stick　to　results。　The　swift　romance　began　and　reached　its　climax　in　the　ten　days　which　it　took　one　of　the　smaller　Atlantic　liners　to　sail　from　Liverpool　to　New　York。　Mr。　Crocker　was　on　board　because　he　was　returning　with　a　theatrical　pany　from　a　failure　in　London；　Mrs。　van　Brunt　because　she　had　been　told　that　the　slow　boats　were　the　steadiest。　They　began　the　voyage　as　strangers　and　ended　it　as　an　engaged　couplethe　affair　being　expedited；　no　doubt；　by　the　fact　that；　even　if　it　ever　occurred　to　Bingley　to　resist　the　onslaught　on　his　bachelor　peace；　he　soon　realised　the　futility　of　doing　so；　for　the　cramped　conditions　of　ship…board　intensified　the　always　overwhelming　effects　of　his　future　bride's　determined　nature。
　The　engagement　was　received　in　a　widely　differing　spirit　by　the　only　surviving　blood…relations　of　the　two　principals。　Jimmy；　Mr。　Crocker's　son；　on　being　informed　that　his　father　had　plighted　his　troth　to　the　widow　of　a　prominent　millionaire；　displayed　the　utmost　gratification　and　enthusiasm；　and　at　a　little　supper　which　he　gave　by　way　of　farewell　to　a　few　of　his　newspaper　rades　and　which　lasted　till　six　in　the　morning；　when　it　was　broken　up　by　the　flying　wedge　of　waiters　for　which　the　selected　restaurant　is　justly　famous；　joyfully　announced　that　work　and　he　would　from　then　on　be　total　strangers。　He　alluded　in　feeling　terms　to　the　Providence　which　watches　over　good　young　men　and　saves　them　from　the　blighting　necessity　of　offering　themselves　in　the　flower　of