pgw.psmith,journalist-第18部分

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urposeful　buffs　had　pletely　closed　your　star…likes。〃
　〃Sure；　I　never　felt　them。　He's　a　good　quick　boy；　is　Al。；　but；〃　continued　the　Kid　with　powerful　imagery；　〃he　couldn't　hit　a　hole　in　a　block　of　ice…cream；　not　if　he　was　to　use　a　hammer。〃
　〃And　yet　at　one　period　in　the　proceedings；　rade　Brady；〃　said　Psmith；　〃I　fancied　that　your　head　would　e　unglued　at　the　neck。　But　the　fear　was　merely　transient。　When　you　began　to　administer　thoseam　I　correct　in　saying？half…scissor　hooks　to　the　body；　why；　then　I　felt　like　some　watcher　of　the　skies　when　a　new　planet　swims　into　his　ken；　or　like　stout　Cortez　when　with　eagle　eyes　he　stared　at　the　Pacific。〃
　The　Kid　blinked。
　〃How's　that？〃　he　inquired。
　〃And　why　did　I　feel　like　that；　rade　Brady？　I　will　tell　you。　Because　my　faith　in　you　was　justified。　Because　there　before　me　stood　the　ideal　fighting…editor　of　Cosy　Moments。　It　is　not　a　post　that　any　weakling　can　fill。　There　charm　of　manner　cannot　qualify　a　man　for　the　position。　No　one　can　hold　down　the　job　simply　by　having　a　kind　heart　or　being　good　at　farmyard　imitations。　No。　We　want　a　man　of　thews　and　sinews；　a　man　who　would　rather　be　hit　on　the　head　with　a　half…brick　than　not。　And　you；　rade　Brady；　are　such　a　man。〃
　The　Kid　turned　appealingly　to　Billy。
　〃Say；　this　gets　past　me；　Mr。　Windsor。　Put　me　wise。〃
　〃Can　we　have　a　couple　of　words　with　you　alone；　Kid？〃　said　Billy。　〃We　want　to　talk　over　something　with　you。〃
　〃Sure。　Sit　down；　gents。　Jack'll　be　through　in　a　minute。〃
　Jack；　who　during　this　conversation　had　been　concentrating　himself　on　his　subject's　left　leg；　now　announced　that　he　guessed　that　would　about　do；　and　having　advised　the　Kid　not　to　stop　and　pick　daisies；　but　to　get　into　his　clothes　at　once　before　he　caught　a　chill；　bade　the　pany　good　night　and　retired。
　Billy　shut　the　door。
　〃Kid；〃　he　said；　〃you　know　those　articles　about　the　tenements　we've　been　having　in　the　paper？〃
　〃Sure。　I　read　'em。　They're　to　the　good。〃
　Psmith　bowed。
　〃You　stimulate　us；　rade　Brady。　This　is　praise　from　Sir　Hubert　Stanley。〃
　〃It　was　about　time　some　strong　josher　came　and　put　it　across　to　'em；〃　added　the　Kid。
　〃So　we　thought。　rade　Parker；　however；　totally　disagreed　with　us。〃
　〃Parker？〃
　〃That's　what　I'm　ing　to；〃　said　Billy。　〃The　day　before　yesterday　a　man　named　Parker　called　at　the　office　and　tried　to　buy　us　off。〃
　Billy's　voice　grew　indignant　at　the　recollection。
　〃You　gave　him　the　hook；　I　guess？〃　queried　the　interested　Kid。
　〃To　such　an　extent；　rade　Brady；〃　said　Psmith；　〃that　he　left　breathing　threatenings　and　slaughter。　And　it　is　for　that　reason　that　we　have　ventured　to　call　upon　you。〃
　〃It's　this　way；〃　said　Billy。　〃We're　pretty　sure　by　this　time　that　whoever　the　man　is　this　fellow　Parker's　working　for　has　put　one　of　the　gangs　on　to　us。〃
　〃You　don't　say！〃　exclaimed　the　Kid。　〃Gum！　Mr。　Windsor；　they're　tough　propositions；　those　gangs。〃
　〃We've　been　followed　in　the　streets；　and　once　they　put　up　a　bluff　to　get　us　where　they　could　do　us　in。　So　we've　e　along　to　you。　We　can　look　after　ourselves　out　of　the　office；　you　see；　but　what　we　want　is　some　one　to　help　in　case　they　try　to　rush　us　there。〃
　〃In　brief；　a　fighting…editor；〃　said　Psmith。　〃At　all　costs　we　must　have　privacy。　No　writer　can　prune　and　polish　his　sentences　to　his　satisfaction　if　he　is　pelled　constantly　to　break　off　in　order　to　eject　boisterous　hooligans。　We　therefore　offer　you　the　job　of　sitting　in　the　outer　room　and　intercepting　these　bravoes　before　they　can　reach　us。　The　salary　we　leave　to　you。　There　are　doubloons　and　to　spare　in　the　old　oak　chest。　Take　what　you　need　and　put　the　restif　anyback。　How　does　the　offer　strike　you；　rade　Brady？〃
　〃We　don't　want　to　get　you　in　under　false　pretences；　Kid；〃　said　Billy。　〃Of　course；　they　may　not　e　anywhere　near　the　office。　But　still；　if　they　did；　there　would　be　something　doing。　What　do　you　feel　about　it？〃
　〃Gents；〃　said　the　Kid；　〃it's　this　way。〃
　He　stepped　into　his　coat；　and　resumed。
　〃Now　that　I've　made　good　by　getting　the　decision　over　Al。；　they'll　be　giving　me　a　chance　of　a　big　fight。　Maybe　with　Jimmy　Garvin。　Well；　if　that　happens；　see　what　I　mean？　I'll　have　to　be　going　away　somewhere　and　getting　into　training。　I　shouldn't　be　able　to　e　and　sit　with　you。　But；　if　you　gents　feel　like　it；　I'd　be　mighty　glad　to　e　in　till　I'm　wanted　to　go　into　training…camp。〃
　〃Great；〃　said　Billy；　〃that　would　suit　us　all　the　way　up。　If　you'd　do　that；　Kid；　we'd　be　tickled　to　death。〃
　〃And　touching　salary〃　put　in　Psmith。
　〃Shucks！〃　said　the　Kid　with　emphasis。　〃Nix　on　the　salary　thing。　I　wouldn't　take　a　dime。　If　it　hadn't　a…been　for　you　gents；　I'd　have　been　waiting　still　for　a　chance　of　lining　up　in　the　championship　class。　That's　good　enough　for　me。　Any　old　thing　you　gents　want　me　to　do；　I'll　do　it。　And　glad；　too。〃
　〃rade　Brady；〃　said　Psmith　warmly；　〃you　are；　if　I　may　say　so；　the　goods。　You　are；　beyond　a　doubt；　supremely　the　stuff。　We　three；　then；　hand…in…hand；　will　face　the　foe；　and　if　the　foe　has　good；　sound　sense；　he　will　keep　right　away。　You　appear　to　be　ready。　Shall　we　meander　forth？〃
　The　building　was　empty　and　the　lights　were　out　when　they　emerged　from　the　dressing…room。　They　had　to　grope　their　way　in　darkness。　It　was　still　raining　when　they　reached　the　street；　and　the　only　signs　of　life　were　a　moist　policeman　and　the　distant　glare　of　public…house　lights　down　the　road。
　They　turned　off　to　the　left；　and；　after　walking　some　hundred　yards；　found　themselves　in　a　blind　alley。
　〃Hullo！〃　said　Billy。　〃Where　have　we　e　to？〃
　Psmith　sighed。
　〃In　my　trusting　way；〃　he　said；　〃I　had　imagined　that　either　you　or　rade　Brady　was　in　charge　of　this　expedition　and　taking　me　by　a　known　route　to　the　nearest　Subway　station。　I　did　not　think　to　ask。　I　placed　myself；　without　hesitation；　wholly　in　your　hands。〃
　〃I　thought　the　Kid　knew　the　way；〃　said　Billy。
　〃I　was　just　taggin'　along　with　you　gents；〃　protested　the　light…weight；　〃I　thought　you　was　taking　me　right。　This　is　the　first　time　I　been　up　here。〃
　〃Next　time　we　three　go　on　a　little　jaunt　anywhere；〃　said　Psmith　resignedly；　〃it　would　be　as　well　to　take　a　map　and　a　corps　of　guides　with　us。　Otherwise　we　shall　start　for　Broadway　and　finish　up　at　Minneapolis。〃
　They　emerged　from　the　blind　alley　and　stood　in　the　dark　street；　looking　doubtfully　up　and　down　it。
　〃Aha！〃　said　Psmith　suddenly；　〃I　perceive　a　native。　Several　natives；　in　fact。　Quite　a　little　covey　of　them。　We　will　put　our　case　before　them；　concealing　nothing；　and　rely　on　their　advice　to　take　us　to　our　goal。〃
　A　little　knot　of　men　was　approaching　from　the　left。　In　the　darkness　it　was　impossible　to　say　how　many　of　them　there　were。　Psmith　stepped　forward；　the　Kid　at　his　side。
　〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　he　said　to　the　leader；　〃but　if　you　can　spare　me　a　moment　of　your　valuable　time〃
　There　was　a　sudden　shuffle　of　feet　on　the　pavement；　a　quick　movement　on　the　part　of　the　Kid；　a　chunky　sound　as　of　wood　striking　wood；　and　the　man　Psmith　had　been　addressing　fell　to　the　ground　in　a　heap。
　As　he　fell；　something　dropped　from　his　hand　on　to　the　pavement　with　a　bump　and　a　rattle。　Stooping　swiftly；　the　Kid　picked　it　up；　and　handed　it　to　Psmith。　His　fingers　closed　upon　it。　It　was　a　short；　wicked…looking　little　bludgeon；　the　black…jack　of　the　New　York　tough。
　〃Get　busy；〃　advised　the　Kid　briefly。
　
　CHAPTER　XVI
　THE　FIRST　BATTLE
　
　THE　promptitude　and　despatch　with　which　the　Kid　had　attended　to　the　gentleman　with　the　black…jack　had　not　been　without　its　effect　on　the　followers　of　the　stricken　one。　Physical　courage　is　not　an　outstanding　quality　of　the　New　York　hooligan。　His　personal　preference　is　for　retreat　when　it　is　a　question　of　unpleasantness　with　a　stranger。　And；　in　any　case；　even　when　warring　among　themselves；　the　gangs　exhibit　a　lively　distaste　for　the　hard　knocks　of　hand…to…hand　fighting。　Their　chosen　method　of　battling　is　to　lie　down　on　the　ground　and　shoot。　This　is　more　suited　to　their　physique；　which　is　rarely　great。　The　gangsman；　as　a　rule；　is　stunted　and　slight　of　build。
　The　Kid's　rapid　work　on　the　present　occasion　created　a　good　deal　of　confusion。　There　was　no　doubt　that　much　had　been　hoped　for　from　speedy　attack。　Also；　the　generalship　of　the　expedition　had　been　in　the　hands　of　the　fallen　warrior。　His　removal　from　the　sp