pgw.psmith,journalist-第5部分

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　subsequently　corrected；　but　his　admirers　based　his　claim　to　respect　on　his　many　meritorious　performances　with　fists　and　with　the　black…jack。　And　Mr。　Maginnis　for　one　held　him　in　the　very　highest　esteem。　To　Bat　accordingly　he　went；　and　laid　his　painful　case　before　him。　He　offered　him　a　handsome　salary　to　be　on　hand　at　the　nightly　dances　and　check　undue　revelry　by　his　own　robust　methods。　Bat　had　accepted　the　offer。　He　had　gone　to　Shamrock　Hall；　and　with　him；　faithful　adherents；　had　gone　such　stalwarts　as　Long　Otto；　Red　Logan；　Tommy　Jefferson；　and　Pete　Brodie。　Shamrock　Hall　became　a　place　of　joy　and　order；　andmore　important　stillthe　nucleus　of　the　Groome　Street　Gang　had　been　formed。　The　work　progressed。　Off…shoots　of　the　main　gang　sprang　up　here　and　there　about　the　East　Side。　Small　thieves；　pickpockets　and　the　like；　flocked　to　Mr。　Jarvis　as　their　tribal　leader　and　protector　and　he　protected　them。　For　he；　with　his　followers；　were　of　use　to　the　politicians。　The　New　York　gangs；　and　especially　the　Groome　Street　Gang；　have　brought　to　a　fine　art　the　gentle　practice　of　〃repeating〃；　which；　broadly　speaking；　is　the　art　of　voting　a　number　of　different　times　at　different　polling…stations　on　election　days。　A　man　who　can　vote；　say；　ten　times　in　a　single　day　for　you；　and　who　controls　a　great　number　of　followers　who　are　also　prepared；　if　they　like　you；　to　vote　ten　times　in　a　single　day　for　you；　is　worth　cultivating。　So　the　politicians　passed　the　word　to　the　police；　and　the　police　left　the　Groome　Street　Gang　unmolested　and　they　waxed　fat　and　flourished。
　Such　was　Bat　Jarvis。　
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　〃Pipe　de　collar；〃　said　Mr。　Jarvis；　touching　the　cat's　neck　〃Mine；　mister。〃
　〃Pugsy　said　it　must　be；〃　said　Billy　Windsor。　〃We　found　two　fellows　setting　a　dog　on　to　it；　so　we　took　it　in　for　safety。〃
　Mr。　Jarvis　nodded　approval。
　〃There's　a　basket　here；　if　you　want　it；〃　said　Billy。
　〃Nope。　Here；　kit。〃
　Mr。　Jarvis　stooped；　and；　still　whistling　softly；　lifted　the　cat。　He　looked　round　the　pany；　met　Psmith's　eye…glass；　was　transfixed　by　it　for　a　moment；　and　finally　turned　again　to　Billy　Windsor。
　〃Say！〃　he　said；　and　paused。　〃Obliged；〃　he　added。
　He　shifted　the　cat　on　to　his　left　arm；　and　extended　his　right　hand　to　Billy。
　〃Shake！〃　he　said。
　Billy　did　so。
　Mr。　Jarvis　continued　to　stand　and　whistle　for　a　few　moments　more。
　〃Say！〃　he　said　at　length；　fixing　his　roving　gaze　once　more　upon　Billy。　〃Obliged。　Fond　of　de　kit；　I　am。〃
　Psmith　nodded　approvingly。
　〃And　rightly；〃　he　said。　〃Rightly；　rade　Jarvis。　She　is　not　unworthy　of　your　affection。　A　most　panionable　animal；　full　of　the　highest　spirits。　Her　knockabout　act　in　the　restaurant　would　have　satisfied　the　most　jaded　critic。　No　diner…out　can　afford　to　be　without　such　a　cat。　Such　a　cat　spells　death　to　boredom。〃
　Mr。　Jarvis　eyed　him　fixedly；　as　if　pondering　over　his　remarks。　Then　he　turned　to　Billy　again。
　〃Say！〃　he　said。　〃Any　time　you're　in　bad。　Glad　to　be　of　service。　You　know　the　address。　Groome　Street。　Bat　Jarvis。　Good　night。　Obliged。〃
　He　paused　and　whistled　a　few　more　bars；　then　nodded　to　Psmith　and　Mike；　and　left　the　room。　They　heard　him　shuffling　downstairs。
　〃A　blithe　spirit；〃　said　Psmith。　〃Not　garrulous；　perhaps；　but　what　of　that？　I　am　a　man　of　few　words　myself。　rade　Jarvis's　massive　silences　appeal　to　me。　He　seems　to　have　taken　a　fancy　to　you；　　rade　Windsor。〃
　Billy　Windsor　laughed。
　〃I　don't　know　that　he's　just　the　sort　of　side…partner　I'd　go　out　of　my　way　to　choose；　from　what　I've　heard　about　him。　Still；　if　one　got　mixed　up　with　any　of　that　East…Side　crowd；　he　would　be　a　mighty　useful　friend　to　have。　I　guess　there's　no　harm　done　by　getting　him　grateful。〃
　〃Assuredly　not；〃　said　Psmith。　〃We　should　not　despise　the　humblest。　And　now；　rade　Windsor；〃　he　said；　taking　up　the　paper　again　〃let　me　concentrate　myself　tensely　on　this　very　entertaining　little　journal　of　yours。　rade　Jackson；　here　is　one　for　you。　For　sound；　clear…headed　criticism；〃　he　added　to　Billy；　〃rade　Jackson's　name　is　a　by…word　in　our　English　literary　salons。　His　opinion　will　be　both　of　interest　and　of　profit　to　you；　rade　Windsor。〃
　
　CHAPTER　V
　PLANNING　IMPROVEMENTS
　
　〃By　the　way；〃　said　Psmith；　〃what　is　your　exact　position　on　this　paper？　Practically；　we　know　well；　you　are　its　back…bone；　its　life…blood；　but　what　is　your　technical　position？　When　your　proprietor　is　congratulating　himself　on　having　secured　the　ideal　man　for　your　job；　what　precise　job　does　he　congratulate　himself　on　having　secured　the　ideal　man　for？〃
　〃I'm　sub…editor。〃
　〃Merely　sub？　You　deserve　a　more　responsible　post　than　that；　rade　Windsor。　Where　is　your　proprietor？　I　must　buttonhole　him　and　point　out　to　him　what　a　wealth　of　talent　he　is　allowing　to　waste　itself。　You　must　have　scope。〃
　〃He's　in　Europe。　At　Carlsbad；　or　somewhere。　He　never　es　near　the　paper。　He　just　sits　tight　and　draws　the　profits。　He　lets　the　editor　look　after　things。　Just　at　present　I'm　acting　as　editor。〃
　〃Ah！　then　at　last　you　have　your　big　chance。　You　are　free；　untrammelled。〃
　〃You　bet　I'm　not；〃　said　Billy　Windsor。　〃Guess　again。　There's　no　room　for　developing　free　untrammelled　ideas　on　this　paper。　When　you've　looked　at　it；　you'll　see　that　each　page　is　run　by　some　one。　I'm　simply　the　fellow　who　minds　the　shop。〃
　Psmith　clicked　his　tongue　sympathetically。　〃It　is　like　setting　a　gifted　French　chef　to　wash　up　dishes；〃　he　said。　〃A　man　of　your　undoubted　powers；　rade　Windsor；　should　have　more　scope。　That　is　the　cry；　'more　scope！'　I　must　look　into　this　matter。　When　I　gaze　at　your　broad；　bulging　forehead；　when　I　see　the　clear　light　of　intelligence　in　your　eyes；　and　hear　the　grey　matter　splashing　restlessly　about　in　your　cerebellum；　I　say　to　myself　without　hesitation；　'rade　Windsor　must　have　more　scope。'〃　He　looked　at　Mike；　who　was　turning　over　the　leaves　of　his　copy　of　Cosy　Moments　in　a　sort　of　dull　despair。　〃Well；　rade　Jackson；　and　what　is　your　verdict？〃
　Mike　looked　at　Billy　Windsor。　He　wished　to　be　polite；　yet　he　could　find　nothing　polite　to　say。　Billy　interpreted　the　look。
　〃Go　on；〃　he　said。　〃Say　it。　It　can't　be　worse　than　what　I　think。〃
　〃I　expect　some　people　would　like　it　awfully；〃　said　Mike。
　〃They　must；　or　they　wouldn't　buy　it。　I've　never　met　any　of　them　yet；　though。〃
　Psmith　was　deep　in　Lucia　Granville　Waterman's　〃Moments　in　the　Nursery。〃　He　turned　to　Billy　Windsor。
　〃Luella　Granville　Waterman；〃　he　said；　〃is　not　by　any　chance　your　nom…de…plume；　rade　Windsor？〃
　〃Not　on　your　life。　Don't　think　it。〃
　〃I　am　glad；〃　said　Psmith　courteously。　〃For；　speaking　as　man　to　man；　I　must　confess　that　for　sheer；　concentrated　bilge　she　gets　away　with　the　biscuit　with　almost　insolent　ease。　Luella　Granville　Waterman　must　go。〃
　〃How　do　you　mean？〃
　〃She　must　go；〃　repeated　Psmith　firmly。　〃Your　first　act；　now　that　you　have　swiped　the　editorial　chair；　must　be　to　sack　her。〃
　〃But；　say；　I　can't。　The　editor　thinks　a　heap　of　her　stuff。〃
　〃We　cannot　help　his　troubles。　We　must　act　for　the　good　of　the　paper。　Moreover；　you　said；　I　think；　that　he　was　away？〃
　〃So　he　is。　But　he'll　e　back。〃
　〃Sufficient　unto　the　day；　rade　Windsor。　I　have　a　suspicion　that　he　will　be　the　first　to　approve　your　action。　His　holiday　will　have　cleared　his　brain。　Make　a　note　of　improvement　number　onethe　sacking　of　Luella　Granville　Waterman。〃
　〃I　guess　it'll　be　followed　pretty　quick　by　improvement　number　twothe　sacking　of　William　Windsor。　I　can't　go　monkeying　about　with　the　paper　that　way。〃
　Psmith　reflected　for　a　moment。
　〃Has　this　job　of　yours　any　special　attractions　for　you；　rade　Windsor？〃
　〃I　guess　not。〃
　〃As　I　suspected。　You　yearn　for　scope。　What　exactly　are　your　ambitions？〃
　〃I　want　to　get　a　job　on　one　of　the　big　dailies。　I　don't　see　how　I'm　going　to　fix　it；　though；　at　the　present　rate。〃
　Psmith　rose；　and　tapped　him　earnestly　on　the　chest。
　〃rade　Windsor；　you　have　touched　the　spot。　You　are　wasting　the　golden　hours　of　your　youth。　You　must　move。　You　must　hustle。　You　must　make　Windsor　of　Cosy　Moments　a　name　to　conjure　with。　You　must　boost　this　sheet　up　till　New　York　rings　with　your　exploits。　On　the　present　lines　that　is　impossible。　You　must　strike　out　a　line　for　yourself。　You　must　show　the　world　that　even　Cosy　Moments　cannot　keep　a　good　man　down。〃
　He　resumed　his　seat。