pgw.psmith,journalist-第30部分

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ain　on　my　character。〃
　Billy　Windsor　listened　to　this　narrative　with　growing　interest。
　〃Gum！　it's　them！〃　he　cried。
　〃As　rade　Maloney　would　say；〃　said　Psmith；　〃meaning　what；　rade　Windsor？〃
　Why；　the　fellows　who　are　after　that　paper。　They　tipped　the　police　off　about　the　pool…rooms；　knowing　that　we　should　be　hauled　off　without　having　time　to　take　anything　with　us。　I'll　bet　anything　you　like　they　have　been　in　and　searched　our　rooms　by　now。〃
　〃As　regards　yours；　rade　Windsor；　I　cannot　say。　But　it　is　an　undoubted　fact　that　mine；　which　I　revisited　before　going　to　the　office；　in　order　to　correct　what　seemed　to　me　even　on　reflection　certain　drawbacks　to　my　costume；　looks　as　if　two　cyclones　and　a　threshing　machine　had　passed　through　it。〃
　〃They've　searched　it？〃
　〃With　a　fine…toothed　b。　Not　one　of　my　objects　of　vertu　but　has　been　displaced。〃
　Billy　Windsor　slapped　his　knee。
　〃It　was　lucky　you　thought　of　sending　that　paper　by　post；〃　he　said。　〃We　should　have　been　done　if　you　hadn't。　But；　say；〃　he　went　on　miserably；　〃this　is　awful。　Things　are　just　warming　up　for　the　final　burst；　and　I'm　out　of　it　all。〃
　〃For　thirty　days；〃　sighed　Psmith。　〃What　Cosy　Moments　really　needs　is　a　sitz…redacteur。〃
　〃A　what？〃
　A　sitz…redacteur；　rade　Windsor；　is　a　gentleman　employed　by　German　newspapers　with　a　taste　for　lese　majeste　to　go　to　prison　whenever　required　in　place　of　the　real　editor。　The　real　editor　hints　in　his　bright　and　snappy　editorial；　for　instance；　that　the　Kaiser's　moustache　reminds　him　of　a　bad　dream。　The　police　force　swoops　down　en　masse　on　the　office　of　the　journal；　and　are　met　by　the　sitz…redacteur；　who　goes　with　them　peaceably；　allowing　the　editor　to　remain　and　sketch　out　plans　for　his　next　week's　article　on　the　Crown　Prince。　We　need　a　sitz…redacteur　on　Cosy　Moments　almost　as　much　as　a　fighting　editor；　and　we　have　neither。〃
　〃The　Kid　has　had　to　leave　then？〃
　〃He　wants　to　go　into　training　at　once。　He　very　sportingly　offered　to　cancel　his　match；　but　of　course　that　would　never　do。　Unless　you　consider　rade　Maloney　equal　to　the　job；　I　must　look　around　me　for　some　one　else。　I　shall　be　too　fully　occupied　with　purely　literary　matters　to　be　able　to　deal　with　chance　callers。　But　I　have　a　scheme。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃It　seems　to　me　that　we　are　allowing　much　excellent　material　to　lie　unused　in　the　shape　of　rade　Jarvis。〃
　〃Bat　Jarvis。〃
　〃The　same。　The　cat…specialist　to　whom　you　endeared　yourself　somewhat　earlier　in　the　proceedings　by　befriending　one　of　his　wandering　animals。　Little　deeds　of　kindness；　little　acts　of　love；　as　you　have　doubtless　heard；　help；　etc。　Should　we　not　give　rade　Jarvis　an　opportunity　of　proving　the　correctness　of　this　statement？　I　think　so。　Shortly　after　youif　you　will　forgive　me　for　touching　on　painful　subjecthave　been　haled　to　your　dungeon；　I　will　push　round　to　rade　Jarvis's　address；　and　sound　him　on　the　subject。　Unfortunately；　his　affection　is　confined；　I　fancy；　to　you。　Whether　he　will　consent　to　put　himself　out　on　my　behalf　remains　to　be　seen。　However；　there　is　no　harm　in　trying。　If　nothing　else　es　of　the　visit；　I　shall　at　least　have　had　the　opportunity　of　chatting　with　one　of　our　most　prominent　citizens。〃
　A　policeman　appeared　at　the　door。
　〃Say；　pal；〃　he　remarked　to　Psmith；　〃you'll　have　to　be　fading　away　soon；　I　guess。　Give　you　three　minutes　more。　Say　it　quick。〃
　He　retired。　Billy　leaned　forward　to　Psmith。
　〃I　guess　they　won't　give　me　much　chance；〃　he　whispered；　〃but　if　you　see　me　around　in　the　next　day　or　two；　don't　be　surprised。〃
　〃I　fail　to　follow　you；　rade　Windsor。〃
　〃Men　have　escaped　from　Blackwell's　Island　before　now。　Not　many；　it's　true；　but　it　has　been　done。〃
　Psmith　shook　his　head。
　〃I　shouldn't；〃　he　said。　〃They're　bound　to　catch　you；　and　then　you　will　be　immersed　in　the　soup　beyond　hope　of　recovery。　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　they　put　you　in　your　little　cell　for　a　year　or　so。〃
　〃I　don't　care；〃　said　Billy　stoutly。　〃I'd　give　a　year　later　on　to　be　round　and　about　now。〃
　〃I　shouldn't；〃　urged　Psmith。　〃All　will　be　well　with　the　paper。　You　have　left　a　good　man　at　the　helm。〃
　〃I　guess　I　shan't　get　a　chance；　but　I'll　try　it　if　I　do。〃
　The　door　opened　and　the　policeman　reappeared。
　〃Time's　up；　I　reckon。〃
　〃Well；　good…bye；　rade　Windsor；〃　said　Psmith　regretfully。　　〃Abstain　from　undue　worrying。　It's　a　walk…over　from　now　on；　and　there's　no　earthly　need　for　you　to　be　around　the　office。　Once；　I　admit；　this　could　not　have　been　said。　But　now　things　have　simplified　themselves。　Have　no　fear。　This　act　is　going　to　be　a　scream　from　start　to　finish。〃
　
　　CHAPTER　XXIV
　A　GATHERING　OF　CAT…SPECIALISTS
　
　MASTER　MALONEY　raised　his　eyes　for　a　moment　from　his　book　as　Psmith　re…entered　the　office。
　〃Dere's　a　guy　in　dere　waitin'　ter　see　youse；　he　said　briefly；　jerking　his　head　in　the　direction　of　the　inner　room。
　〃A　guy　waiting　to　see　me；　rade　Maloney？　With　or　without　a　sand…bag？〃
　〃Says　his　name's　Jackson；〃　said　Master　Maloney；　turning　a　page。
　Psmith　moved　quickly　to　the　door　of　the　inner　room。
　〃Why；　rade　Jackson；〃　he　said；　with　the　air　of　a　father　weling　home　the　prodigal　son；　〃this　is　the　maddest；　merriest　day　of　all　the　glad　New　Year。　Where　did　you　e　from？〃
　Mike；　looking　very　brown　and　in　excellent　condition；　put　down　the　paper　he　was　reading。
　〃Hullo；　Psmith；〃　he　said。　〃I　got　back　this　morning。　We're　playing　a　game　over　in　Brooklyn　to…morrow。〃
　〃No　engagements　of　any　importance　to…day？〃
　〃Not　a　thing。　Why？〃
　〃Because　I　propose　to　take　you　to　visit　rade　Jarvis；　whom　you　will　doubtless　remember。〃
　〃Jarvis？〃　said　Mike；　puzzled。　〃I　don't　remember　any　Jarvis。〃
　〃Let　your　mind　wander　back　a　little　through　the　jungle　of　the　past。　Do　you　recollect　paying　a　visit　to　rade　Windsor's　room〃
　〃By　the　way；　where　is　Windsor？〃
　〃In　prison。　Well；　on　that　evening〃
　〃In　prison？〃
　〃For　thirty　days。　For　slugging　a　policeman。　More　of　this；　however；　anon。　Let　us　return　to　that　evening。　Don't　you　remember　a　certain　gentleman　with　just　about　enough　forehead　to　keep　his　front　hair　from　getting　all　tangled　up　with　his　eye…brows？〃　　〃Oh；　the　cat　chap？　I　know。〃
　〃As　you　very　justly　observe；　rade　Jackson；　the　cat　chap。　For　going　straight　to　the　mark　and　seizing　on　the　salient　point　of　a　situation；　I　know　of　no　one　who　can　last　two　minutes　against　you。　rade　Jarvis　may　have　other　sides　to　his　characterpossibly　manybut　it　is　as　a　cat　chap　that　I　wish　to　approach　him　to…day。〃
　〃What's　the　idea？　What　are　you　going　to　see　him　for？〃
　〃We；〃　corrected　Psmith。　〃I　will　explain　all　at　a　little　luncheon　at　which　I　trust　that　you　will　be　my　guest。　Already；　such　is　the　stress　of　this　journalistic　life；　I　hear　my　tissues　crying　out　imperatively　to　be　restored。　An　oyster　and　a　glass　of　milk　somewhere　round　the　corner；　rade　Jackson？　I　think　so；　I　think　so。〃　
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　〃I　was　reading　Cosy　Moments　in　there；〃　said　Mike；　as　they　lunched。　〃You　certainly　seem　to　have　bucked　it　up　rather。　Kid　Brady's　reminiscences　are　hot　stuff。〃
　〃Somewhat　sizzling；　rade　Jackson；〃　admitted　Psmith。　〃They　have；　however；　unfortunately　cost　us　a　fighting　editor。〃
　〃How's　that？〃
　〃Such　is　the　boost　we　have　given　rade　Brady；　that　he　is　now　never　without　a　match。　He　has　had　to　leave　us　to…day　to　go　to　White　Plains　to　train　for　an　encounter　with　a　certain　Mr。　Wood；　a　four…ounce…glove　juggler　of　established　fame。〃
　〃I　expect　you　need　a　fighting　editor；　don't　you？〃
　〃He　is　indispensable；　rade　Jackson；　indispensable。〃
　〃No　rotting。　Has　anybody　cut　up　rough　about　the　stuff　you've　printed？〃
　〃Cut　up　rough？　Gadzooks！　I　need　merely　say　that　one　critical　reader　put　a　bullet　through　my　hat〃
　〃Rot！　Not　really？〃
　〃While　others　kept　me　tree'd　on　top　of　a　roof　for　the　space　of　nearly　an　hour。　Assuredly　they　have　cut　up　rough；　rade　Jackson。〃
　〃Great　Scott！　Tell　us。〃
　Psmith　briefly　recounted　the　adventures　of　the　past　few　weeks。
　〃But；　man；〃　said　Mike；　when　he　had　finished　〃why　on　earth　don't　you　call　in　the　police？〃
　〃We　have　mentioned　the　matter　to　certain　of　the　force。　They　appeared　tolerably　interested；　but　showed　no　tendency　to　leap　excitedly　to　our　assistance。　The　New　York　policeman；　rade　Jackson；　like　all　great　men；　is　somewhat　peculiar。　If　you　go　to　a　New　York　policeman　and　exhibit　a　black　eye