pgw.psmith,journalist-第14部分

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ars。　Well；　that's　all；　I　reckon。　Guess　I'll　be　pushing　along。　I've　a　date　to　keep。　Glad　to　have　met　you。　Glad　to　have　met　you；　Mr。　Smith。　Pardon　me；　you　have　an　insect　on　your　coat。〃
　He　flicked　at　Psmith's　coat　with　a　quick　movement。　Psmith　thanked　him　gravely。
　〃Good　night；〃　concluded　the　stranger；　moving　off。　For　a　few　moments　after　he　had　gone；　Psmith　and　Billy　sat　smoking　in　silence。　They　had　plenty　to　think　about。
　〃How's　the　time　going？〃　asked　Billy　at　length。　Psmith　felt　for　his　watch；　and　looked　at　Billy　with　some　sadness。
　〃I　am　sorry　to　say；　rade　Windsor〃
　〃Hullo；〃　said　Billy；　〃here's　that　man　ing　back　again。〃
　The　stranger　came　up　to　their　table；　wearing　a　light　overcoat　over　his　dress　clothes。　From　the　pocket　of　this　he　produced　a　gold　watch。
　〃Force　of　habit；〃　he　said　apologetically；　handing　it　to　Psmith。　〃You'll　pardon　me。　Good　night；　gentlemen；　again。〃
　
　　CHAPTER　XII
　A　RED　TAXIMETER
　
　THE　Astor　Hotel　faces　on　to　Times　Square。　A　few　paces　to　the　right　of　the　main　entrance　the　Times　Building　towers　to　the　sky；　and　at　the　foot　of　this　the　stream　of　traffic　breaks；　forming　two　channels。　To　the　right　of　the　building　is　Seventh　Avenue；　quiet；　dark；　and　dull。　To　the　left　is　Broadway；　the　Great　White　Way；　the　longest；　straightest；　brightest；　wickedest　street　in　the　world。
　Psmith　and　Billy；　having　left　the　Astor；　started　to　walk　down　Broadway　to　Billy's　lodgings　in　Fourteenth　Street。　The　usual　crowd　was　drifting　slowly　up　and　down　in　the　glare　of　the　white　lights。
　They　had　reached　Herald　Square；　when　a　voice　behind　them　exclaimed；　〃Why；　it's　Mr。　Windsor！〃
　They　wheeled　round。　A　flashily　dressed　man　was　standing　with　outstetched　hand。
　〃I　saw　you　e　out　of　the　Astor；〃　he　said　cheerily。　〃I　said　to　myself；　'I　know　that　man。'　Darned　if　I　could　put　a　name　to　you；　though。　So　I　just　followed　you　along；　and　right　here　it　came　to　me。〃
　〃It　did；　did　it？〃　said　Billy　politely。
　〃It　did；　sir。　I've　never　set　eyes　on　you　before；　but　I've　seen　so　many　photographs　of　you　that　I　reckon　we're　old　friends。　I　know　your　father　very　well；　Mr。　Windsor。　He　showed　me　the　photographs。　You　may　have　heard　him　speak　of　meJack　Lake？　How　is　the　old　man？　Seen　him　lately？〃
　〃Not　for　some　time。　He　was　well　when　he　last　wrote。〃
　〃Good　for　him。　He　would　be。　Tough　as　a　plank；　old　Joe　Windsor。　We　always　called　him　Joe。〃
　〃You'd　have　known　him　down　in　Missouri；　of　course？〃　said　Billy。
　〃That's　right。　In　Missouri。　We　were　side…partners　for　years。　Now；　see　here；　Mr。　Windsor；　it's　early　yet。　Won't　you　and　your　friend　e　along　with　me　and　have　a　smoke　and　a　chat？　I　live　right　here　in　Thirty…Third　Street。　I'd　be　right　glad　for　you　to　e。〃
　〃I　don't　doubt　it；〃　said　Billy；　〃but　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　excuse　us。〃
　〃In　a　hurry；　are　you？〃
　〃Not　in　the　least。〃
　〃Then　e　right　along。〃
　〃No；　thanks。〃
　〃Say；　why　not？　It's　only　a　step。〃
　〃Because　we　don't　want　to。　Good　night。〃
　He　turned；　and　started　to　walk　away。　The　other　stood　for　a　moment；　staring；　then　crossed　the　road。
　Psmith　broke　the　silence。
　〃Correct　me　if　I　am　wrong；　rade　Windsor；〃　he　said　tentatively；　〃but　were　you　not　a　trifleshall　we　say　abrupt？with　the　old　family　friend？〃
　Billy　Windsor　laughed。
　〃If　my　father's　name　was　Joseph；〃　he　said；　〃instead　of　being　William；　the　same　as　mine；　and　if　he'd　ever　been　in　Missouri　in　his　life；　which　he　hasn't；　and　if　I'd　been　photographed　since　I　was　a　kid；　which　I　haven't　been；　I　might　have　gone　along。　As　it　was；　I　thought　it　better　not　to。〃
　〃These　are　deep　waters；　rade　Windsor。　Do　you　mean　to　intimate？〃
　〃If　they　can't　do　any　better　than　that；　we　shan't　have　much　to　worry　us。　What　do　they　take　us　for；　I　wonder？　Farmers？　Playing　off　a　ic…supplement　bluff　like　that　on　us！〃
　There　was　honest　indignation　in　Billy's　voice。
　〃You　think；　then；　that　if　we　had　accepted　rade　Lake's　invitation；　and　gone　along　for　a　smoke　and　a　chat；　the　chat　would　not　have　been　of　the　pleasantest　nature？〃
　〃We　should　have　been　put　out　of　business。〃
　〃I　have　heard　so　much；〃　said　Psmith；　thoughtfully；　〃of　the　lavish　hospitality　of　the　American。〃
　〃Taxi；　sir？〃
　A　red　taximeter　cab　was　crawling　down　the　road　at　their　side。　Billy　shook　his　head。
　〃Not　that　a　taxi　would　be　an　unsound　scheme；〃　said　Psmith。
　〃Not　that　particular　one；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃Something　about　it　that　offends　your　aesthetic　taste？〃　queried　Psmith　sympathetically。
　〃Something　about　it　makes　my　aesthetic　taste　kick　like　a　mule；〃　said　Billy。
　〃Ah；　we　highly　strung　literary　men　do　have　these　curious　prejudices。　We　cannot　help　it。　We　are　the　slaves　of　our　temperaments。　Let　us　walk；　then。　After　all；　the　night　is　fine；　and　we　are　young　and　strong。〃
　They　had　reached　Twenty…Third　Street　when　Billy　stopped。　〃I　don't　know　about　walking；〃　he　said。　〃Suppose　we　take　the　Elevated？〃
　〃Anything　you　wish；　rade　Windsor。　I　am　in　your　hands。〃
　They　cut　across　into　Sixth　Avenue；　and　walked　up　the　stairs　to　the　station　of　the　Elevated　Railway。　A　train　was　just　ing　in。
　〃Has　it　escaped　your　notice；　rade　Windsor；〃　said　Psmith　after　a　pause；　〃that；　so　far　from　speeding　to　your　lodgings；　we　are　going　in　precisely　the　opposite　direction？　We　are　in　an　up…town　train。〃
　〃I　noticed　it；〃　said　Billy　briefly。
　〃Are　we　going　anywhere　in　particular？〃
　〃This　train　goes　as　far　as　Hundred　and　Tenth　Street。　We'll　go　up　to　there。〃
　〃And　then？〃
　〃And　then　we'll　e　back。〃
　〃And　after　that；　I　suppose；　we'll　make　a　trip　to　Philadelphia；　or　Chicago；　or　somewhere？　Well；　well；　I　am　in　your　hands；　rade　Windsor。　The　night　is　yet　young。　Take　me　where　you　will。　It　is　only　five　cents　a　go；　and　we　have　money　in　our　purses。　We　are　two　young　men　out　for　reckless　dissipation。　By　all　means　let　us　have　it。〃
　At　Hundred　and　Tenth　Street　they　left　the　train；　went　down　the　stairs；　and　crossed　the　street。　Half…way　across　Billy　stopped。
　〃What　now；　rade　Windsor？〃　inquired　Psmith　patiently。　〃Have　you　thought　of　some　new　form　of　entertainment？〃
　Billy　was　making　for　a　spot　some　few　yards　down　the　road。　Looking　in　that　direction；　Psmith　saw　his　objective。　In　the　shadow　of　the　Elevated　there　was　standing　a　taximeter　cab。
　〃Taxi；　sir？〃　said　the　driver；　as　they　approached。
　〃We　are　giving　you　a　great　deal　of　trouble；〃　said　Billy。　〃You　must　be　losing　money　over　this　job。　All　this　while　you　might　be　getting　fares　down…town。〃
　〃These　meetings；　however；〃　urged　Psmith；　〃are　very　pleasant。〃
　〃I　can　save　you　worrying；〃　said　Billy。　〃My　address　is　84　East　Fourteenth　Street。　We　are　going　back　there　now。〃
　〃Search　me；〃　said　the　driver；　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　〃I　thought　perhaps　you　did；〃　replied　Billy。　〃Good　night。〃
　〃These　things　are　very　disturbing；〃　said　Psmith；　when　they　were　in　the　train。　〃Dignity　is　impossible　when　one　is　pelled　to　be　the　Hunted　Fawn。　When　did　you　begin　to　suspect　that　yonder　merchant　was　doing　the　sleuth…hound　act？〃
　〃When　I　saw　him　in　Broadway　having　a　heart…to…heart　talk　with　our　friend　from　Missouri。〃
　〃He　must　be　something　of　an　expert　at　the　game　to　have　kept　on　our　track。〃
　〃Not　on　your　life。　It's　as　easy　as　falling　off　a　log。　There　are　only　certain　places　where　you　can　get　off　an　Elevated　train。　All　he'd　got　to　do　was　to　get　there　before　the　train；　and　wait。　I　didn't　expect　to　dodge　him　by　taking　the　Elevated。　I　just　wanted　to　make　certain　of　his　game。〃
　The　train　pulled　up　at　the　Fourteenth　Street　station。　In　the　roadway　at　the　foot　of　the　opposite　staircase　was　a　red　taximeter　cab。
　
　CHAPTER　XIII
　REVIEWING　THE　SITUATION
　
　　ARRIVING　at　the　bed…sitting…room；　Billy　proceeded　to　occupy　the　rocking…chair；　and；　as　was　his　wont；　began　to　rock　himself　rhythmically　to　and　fro。　Psmith　seated　himself　gracefully　on　the　couch…bed。　There　was　a　silence。
　The　events　of　the　evening　had　been　a　revelation　to　Psmith。　He　had　not　realised　before　the　extent　of　the　ramifications　of　New　York's　underworld。　That　members　of　the　gangs　should　crop　up　in　the　Astor　roof…garden　and　in　gorgeous　raiment　in　the　middle　of　Broadway　was　a　surprise。　When　Billy　Windsor　had　mentioned　the　gangs；　he　had　formed　a　mental　picture　of　low…browed　hooligans；　keeping　carefully　to　their　own　quarter　of　the　town。　This　picture　had　been　correct；　as　far　as　it　went