pgw.psmith,journalist-第9部分

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　〃Yes；　where's　Mr。　Benjamin　White？〃　chorused　the　rest。
　Psmith　shook　his　head。
　〃In　Europe。　I　cannot　say　more。〃
　The　audience's　consternation　deepened。
　〃Then；　do　you　mean　to　say；〃　demanded　Mr。　Asher；　〃that　this　fellow　Windsor's　the　boss　here；　that　what　he　says　goes？〃
　Psmith　bowed。
　〃With　your　customary　clear…headedness；　rade　Asher；　you　have　got　home　on　the　bull's…eye　first　pop。　rade　Windsor　is　indeed　the　boss。　A　man　of　intensely　masterful　character；　he　will　brook　no　opposition。　I　am　powerless　to　sway　him。　Suggestions　from　myself　as　to　the　conduct　of　the　paper　would　infuriate　him。　He　believes　that　radical　changes　are　necessary　in　the　programme　of　Cosy　Moments；　and　he　means　to　put　them　through　if　it　snows。　Doubtless　he　would　gladly　consider　your　work　if　it　fitted　in　with　his　ideas。　A　snappy　account　of　a　glove…fight；　a　spine…shaking　word…picture　of　a　railway　smash；　or　something　on　those　lines；　would　be　weled。　But〃
　〃I　have　never　heard　of　such　a　thing；〃　said　Mr。　Waterman　indignantly。
　Psmith　sighed。
　〃Some　time　ago；〃　he　said；　〃how　long　it　seems！I　remember　saying　to　a　young　friend　of　mine　of　the　name　of　Spiller；　'rade　Spiller；　never　confuse　the　unusual　with　the　impossible。'　It　is　my　guiding　rule　in　life。　It　is　unusual　for　the　substitute…editor　of　a　weekly　paper　to　do　a　Captain　Kidd　act　and　take　entire　mand　of　the　journal　on　his　own　account；　but　is　it　impossible？　Alas　no。　rade　Windsor　has　done　it。　That　is　where　you；　rade　Asher；　and　you；　gentlemen；　have　landed　yourselves　squarely　in　the　broth。　You　have　confused　the　unusual　with　the　impossible。〃
　〃But　what　is　to　be　done？〃　cried　Mr。　Asher。
　〃I　fear　that　there　is　nothing　to　be　done；　except　wait。　The　present　regime　is　but　an　experiment。　It　may　be　that　when　rade　Wilberfloss；　having　dodged　the　bears　and　eluded　the　wild　cat；　returns　to　his　post　at　the　helm　of　this　journal；　he　may　decide　not　to　continue　on　the　lines　at　present　mapped　out。　He　should　be　back　in　about　ten　weeks。〃
　〃Ten　weeks！〃
　〃I　fancy　that　was　to　be　the　duration　of　his　holiday。　Till　then　my　advice　to　you　gentlemen　is　to　wait。　You　may　rely　on　me　to　keep　a　watchful　eye　upon　your　interests。　When　your　thoughts　tend　to　take　a　gloomy　turn；　say　to　yourselves；　'All　is　well。　Psmith　is　keeping　a　watchful　eye　upon　our　interests。'〃
　〃All　the　same；　I　should　like　to　see　this　W。　Windsor；〃　said　Mr。　Asher。
　Psmith　shook　his　head。
　〃I　shouldn't；〃　he　said。　〃I　speak　in　your　best　interests。　rade　Windsor　is　a　man　of　the　fiercest　passions。　He　cannot　brook　interference。　Were　you　to　question　the　wisdom　of　his　plans；　there　is　no　knowing　what　might　not　happen。　He　would　be　the　first　to　regret　any　violent　action；　when　once　he　had　cooled　off；　but　would　that　be　any　consolation　to　his　victim？　I　think　not。　Of　course；　if　you　wish　it；　I　could　arrange　a　meeting〃
　Mr。　Asher　said　no；　he　thought　it　didn't　matter。
　〃I　guess　I　can　wait；〃　he　said。
　〃That；〃　said　Psmith　approvingly；　〃is　the　right　spirit。　Wait。　That　is　the　watch…word。　And　now；〃　he　added；　rising；　〃I　wonder　if　a　bit　of　lunch　somewhere　might　not　be　a　good　thing？　We　have　had　an　interesting　but　fatiguing　little　chat。　Our　tissues　require　restoring。　If　you　gentlemen　would　care　to　join　me〃
　Ten　minutes　later　the　pany　was　seated　in　plete　harmony　round　a　table　at　the　Knickerbocker。　Psmith；　with　the　dignified　bonhomie　of　a　seigneur　of　the　old　school；　was　ordering　the　wine；　while　B。　Henderson　Asher；　brimming　over　with　good…humour；　was　relating　to　an　attentive　circle　an　anecdote　which　should　have　appeared　in　his　next　instalment　of　〃Moments　of　Mirth。〃
　
　CHAPTER　IX
　FULL　STEAM　AHEAD
　
　WHEN　Psmith　returned　to　the　office；　he　found　Billy　Windsor　in　the　doorway；　just　parting　from　a　thick…set　young　man；　who　seemed　to　be　expressing　his　gratitude　to　the　editor　for　some　good　turn。　He　was　shaking　him　warmly　by　the　hand。
　Psmith　stood　aside　to　let　him　pass。
　〃An　old　college　chum；　rade　Windsor？〃　he　asked。
　〃That　was　Kid　Brady。〃
　〃The　name　is　unfamiliar　to　me。　Another　contributor？〃
　〃He's　from　my　part　of　the　countryWyoming。　He　wants　to　fight　any　one　in　the　world　at　a　hundred　and　thirty…three　pounds。〃
　〃We　all　have　our　hobbies。　rade　Brady　appears　to　have　selected　a　somewhat　exciting　one。　He　would　find　stamp…collecting　less　exacting。〃
　〃It　hasn't　given　him　much　excitement　so　far；　poor　chap；〃　said　Billy　Windsor。　〃He's　in　the　championship　class；　and　here　he　has　been　pottering　about　New　York　for　a　month　without　being　able　to　get　a　fight。　It's　always　the　way　in　this　rotten　East；〃　continued　Billy；　warming　up　as　was　his　custom　when　discussing　a　case　of　oppression　and　injustice。　〃It's　all　graft　here。　You've　got　to　let　half　a　dozen　brutes　dip　into　every　dollar　you　earn；　or　you　don't　get　a　chance。　If　the　kid　had　a　manager；　he'd　get　all　the　fights　he　wanted。　And　the　manager　would　get　nearly　all　the　money。　I've　told　him　that　we　will　back　him　up。〃
　〃You　have　hit　it；　rade　Windsor；〃　said　Psmith　with　enthusiasm。　〃Cosy　Moments　shall　be　rade　Brady's　manager。　We　will　give　him　a　much…needed　boost　up　in　our　columns。　A　sporting　section　is　what　the　paper　requires　more　than　anything。〃
　〃If　things　go　on　as　they've　started；　what　it　will　require　still　more　will　be　a　fighting…editor。　Pugsy　tells　me　you　had　visitors　while　I　was　out。〃
　〃A　few；〃　said　Psmith。　〃One　or　two　very　entertaining　fellows。　rades　Asher；　Philpotts；　and　others。　I　have　just　been　giving　them　a　bite　of　lunch　at　the　Knickerbocker。〃
　〃Lunch！〃
　〃A　most　pleasant　little　lunch。　We　are　now　as　brothers。　I　fear　I　have　made　you　perhaps　a　shade　unpopular　with　our　late　contributors；　but　these　things　must　be。　We　must　clench　our　teeth　and　face　them　manfully。　If　I　were　you；　I　think　I　should　not　drop　in　at　the　house　of　rade　Asher　and　the　rest　to　take　pot…luck　for　some　little　time　to　e。　In　order　to　soothe　the　squad　I　was　pelled　to　curse　you　to　some　extent。〃
　〃Don't　mind　me。〃
　〃I　think　I　may　say　I　didn't。〃
　〃Say；　look　here；　you　must　charge　up　the　price　of　that　lunch　to　the　office。　Necessary　expenses；　you　know。〃
　〃I　could　not　dream　of　doing　such　a　thing；　rade　Windsor。　The　whole　affair　was　a　great　treat　to　me。　I　have　few　pleasures。　rade　Asher　alone　was　worth　the　money。　I　found　his　society　intensely　interesting。　I　have　always　believed　in　the　Darwinian　theory。　rade　Asher　confirmed　my　views。〃
　They　went　into　the　inner　office。　Psmith　removed　his　hat　and　coat。
　〃And　now　once　more　to　work；〃　he　said。　〃Psmith　the　flaneur　of　Fifth　Avenue　ceases　to　exist。　In　his　place　we　find　Psmith　the　hard…headed　sub…editor。　Be　so　good　as　to　indicate　a　job　of　work　for　me；　rade　Windsor。　I　am　champing　at　my　bit。〃
　Billy　Windsor　sat　down；　and　lit　his　pipe。
　〃What　we　want　most；〃　he　said　thoughtfully；　〃is　some　big　topic。　That's　the　only　way　to　get　a　paper　going。　Look　at　Everybody's　Magazine。　They　didn't　amount　to　a　row　of　beans　till　Lawson　started　his　'Frenzied　Finance'　articles。　Directly　they　began；　the　whole　country　was　squealing　for　copies。　Everybody's　put　up　their　price　from　ten　to　fifteen　cents；　and　now　they　lead　the　field。〃
　〃The　country　must　squeal　for　Cosy　Moments；〃　said　Psmith　firmly。　〃I　fancy　I　have　a　scheme　which　may　not　prove　wholly　scaly。　Wandering　yesterday　with　rade　Jackson　in　a　search　for　Fourth　Avenue；　I　happened　upon　a　spot　called　Pleasant　Street。　Do　you　know　it？〃
　Billy　Windsor　nodded。
　〃I　went　down　there　once　or　twice　when　I　was　a　reporter。　It's　a　beastly　place。〃
　〃It　is　a　singularly　beastly　place。　We　went　into　one　of　the　houses。〃
　〃They're　pretty　bad。〃
　〃Who　owns　them？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Probably　some　millionaire。　Those　tenement　houses　are　about　as　paying　an　investment　as　you　can　have。〃
　〃Hasn't　anybody　ever　tried　to　do　anything　about　them？〃
　〃Not　so　far　as　I　know。　It's　pretty　difficult　to　get　at　these　fellows；　you　see。　But　they're　fierce；　aren't　they；　those　houses！〃
　〃What；〃　asked　Psmith；　〃is　the　precise　difficulty　of　getting　at　these　merchants？〃　　〃Well；　it's　this　way。　There　are　all　sorts　of　laws　about　the　places；　but　any　one　who　wants　can　get　round　them　as　easy　as　falling　off　a　log。　The　law　says　a　tenement　house　is　a　building　occupied　by　more　than　two　families。　Well；　when　there's　a　fuss；　all　the　man　has　to　do　is　to　clear　out　all　the　families　but　two。　Then；　when　the　inspector　fellow　es　along；　and　says；　let's　say；　'Whe